Stablecoins
Stablecoins
Mastercard launches stablecoin payment support via partnerships with major crypto companies
The new Mastercard foray into crypto includes a card in partnership with OKX to spend stablecoins.
Staking
Coinbase contends state lawsuits impede access to $90M in staking rewards for users
Despite 5 out of the 10 state-level lawsuits being dropped this year, Coinbase's staking program still faces bans in four states.
Mining
Bitcoin mining costs soar 47% to $137K in Q4 amid rising input costs, tax liabilities
CoinShares reported that accelerated hardware deployment, tax expenses, and growing non-cash charges are reducing miners' margins.
ETF
First spot XRP ETF issued by Hashdex begins trading in Brazil
The fund gives a head start to Hashdex in a race to conquer an $8 billion market.
Regulation
Senator Lummis criticizes Fed’s crypto guidance withdrawal as ‘noise, not real progress’
Lummis highlighted Fed’s ongoing reliance on reputation risk assessments in crypto-related bank supervision, unlike OCC and FDIC.
Stablecoins
Stablecoins entering mainstream adoption, poised for trillion-dollar market cap by 2030 – Citi
Stablecoins are mirroring a ChatGPT-like moment of accelerated adoption, and can surpass $3.7 trillion market cap in its bullish scenario.
Regulation
Ondo meets with SEC Crypto Task Force to discuss tokenizing US securities
The protocol proposed a discussion on structuring approaches that would allow for the compliant issuance and distribution of tokenized securities.
Analysis
Bitcoin tests key threshold as short-term holders cash out and institutions buy in
Bitcoin recovery depends on whether institutions are able to absorb the selling pressure from short-term holders.
Adoption
Swiss crypto advocates urge central bank to add Bitcoin to national reserves
Proponents argue that having 75% of foreign currency holdings in US dollars and euros expose Switzerland to devaluation risks.
Hacks
ZKSync reclaims stolen $5 million tokens after hacker claims bounty offer
The exploiter agreed to the ZKSync's team terms, ending the case without the need of law enforcement.
Adoption
Sovereign wealth and insurance funds quietly accumulate Bitcoin in April – Coinbase exec
De-dollarization, Bitcoin’s identity relative to technology equities, and its role as an alternative inflation hedge fueled the acquisitions.
Analysis
Arthur Hayes predicts Treasury buybacks will drive Bitcoin beyond $110k, potentially reaching $200k
Hayes sees a structural setup similar to the third quarter of 2022, when Bitcoin rose nearly sixfold during the subsequent liquidity surge.
