Prediction markets are emerging as one of the fastest-growing corners of crypto just as meme coins retreat from their recent peak, setting up a broader debate across the industry about where speculative capital is heading in 2026.

The comparison gained momentum after Kalshi’s head of crypto, John Wang, described prediction markets as “the meme coins of 2023,” arguing that both capture attention during periods when traders are searching for asymmetric opportunities.

The remark landed as meme coin activity cooled sharply following a volatile run that defined much of the last two years.

Meme Coins Had Their Moment — Is This the Collapse Phase?

Meme coins surged in 2023, driven by new token launches and heavy social media exposure.

The sector’s total market capitalization reached nearly $22 billion by the end of that year, while trading activity expanded dramatically.

Data from the period shows average trading volume rising more than ninefold over the first eleven months.

Two intense rallies defined the year, particularly an April–May burst fueled by highly speculative launches.

That speculative energy carried into 2024, when meme coins climbed to an estimated peak market cap of around $150 billion in December, helped by Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, Pepe, and a wave of political-themed tokens.

The reversal was equally sharp. By late 2025, the sector’s total value had fallen below $42 billion, with daily volumes shrinking and individual tokens losing most of their prior gains.

Market data now shows memecoin trading volumes down roughly 85% from their highs, reflecting a broad pullback in risk appetite.

Are Traders Done With Meme Coins? Prediction Markets Are Quietly Taking Over

As meme coins faded, prediction markets moved in the opposite direction.

Platforms such as Kalshi, Polymarket, and Limitless recorded a combined $44 billion in trading volume this year, with Kalshi alone reaching $1 billion in weekly volume, driven largely by sports and political contracts.

Source: dune/datadashboards

On-chain prediction markets have expanded even faster. Monthly volume has jumped from under $100 million in early 2024 to more than $13 billion today, a 130-fold increase, according to joint research from Keyrock and Dune Analytics.

Non-sports markets, including economics, politics, and technology-related events, accounted for most of the growth in 2025.

The structure of prediction markets differs sharply from memecoins, a point repeatedly raised by industry participants.

Prediction contracts allow traders to buy “yes” or “no” shares tied to a specific outcome, with prices reflecting implied probabilities and settling through oracles once events conclude.

Supporters argue this creates clearer pricing and limits some of the manipulation risks that have plagued low-liquidity token markets.

Critics counter that returns are capped by design, making it harder for smaller traders to achieve outsized gains compared with early-stage memecoin trades.

Can Prediction Markets Kill Meme Coins?

Framing the trend as “prediction markets killing memecoins” misses the point.

Memecoins are not dead. Liquidity has simply receded, and that contraction is affecting many other crypto sectors as well.

History shows that meme-driven markets tend to hibernate, not disappear. When volatility returns and risk appetite expands, memecoins can resurface quickly.

At the same time, prediction markets are clearly earning a durable user base. Their growth isn’t purely cyclical hype; it’s being driven by real-world events, regulatory clarity in some jurisdictions, and demand for structured speculation. That gives them a resilience memecoins often lack during downturns.

The more likely outcome is coexistence, not replacement.

Memecoins will continue to dominate during speculative surges and attention-driven cycles. Prediction markets will attract traders seeking clarity, probability-based pricing, and event-driven exposure. They serve different psychological and financial needs.

If anything, the current shift shows a maturing crypto market, one where capital rotates rather than evaporates and where speculation takes multiple forms instead of clustering around a single narrative.

The post Prediction Markets vs Meme Coins: Is This Where Crypto’s Next Alpha Lives? appeared first on Cryptonews.

India’s Parliament this week argued about bringing asset tokenization into the country’s formal legal framework, as lawmakers debated whether digital fractional ownership could widen access to wealth while keeping capital anchored at home.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Member of Parliament Raghav Chadha urged the government to introduce a dedicated Tokenization Bill that would allow assets such as real estate, infrastructure projects, and intellectual property to be divided into digital units and purchased in small portions.

Chadha framed the proposal as a financial inclusion measure, drawing a parallel with India’s Unified Payments Interface, which transformed everyday payments by lowering entry barriers for millions of users.

Can Tokenization Unlock Wealth for India’s Middle Class, or Is Regulation Holding It Back?

Chadha told lawmakers that India’s middle class remains largely limited to savings accounts, fixed deposits, and mutual funds, with little exposure to assets that typically generate higher long-term returns.

He argued that tokenization could allow ordinary investors to buy small stakes in office buildings, highways, and other capital-intensive projects, while also providing faster liquidity without relying on brokers or complex paperwork.

He called for bespoke legislation and a regulatory sandbox that would allow new models to be tested under supervision, rather than being forced into existing and often ill-fitting rules.

With a population estimated at about 1.46 billion people and a median age under 30, the country has seen sharp reductions in extreme poverty, which is now estimated at around 1% using the $2.15-per-day benchmark.

Broader poverty measures still show large gaps, however, with more than a quarter of the population falling under the lower-middle-income poverty line.

Only a smaller portion of household wealth is actively deployed in financial markets, leaving limited room for diversification into assets such as carbon credits, infrastructure, or commercial property.

Early Tokenization Efforts Emerge as Regulators Urge Caution

Supporters of tokenization say fractional ownership could lower minimum investment thresholds and draw parts of this idle capital into more productive use.

Critics note that the pool of people able to participate meaningfully remains constrained by income levels and uneven financial literacy.

India already has early experiments in this space. In GIFT City, platforms such as Tokeny and Terazo have worked on regulated tokenized real estate structures, typically using special purpose vehicles and public blockchains like Polygon.

These efforts operate under existing securities and virtual digital asset rules, rather than a unified tokenization law.

The Reserve Bank of India and the Securities and Exchange Board of India have both allowed limited pilots but have stressed caution, especially around investor protection and settlement risk.

State-Level Momentum Grows, Yet India Falls Behind on Asset Tokenization

Momentum has also come from state governments. In November, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the state was working toward a framework that could unlock an estimated ₹50 trillion in idle capital by digitizing asset transfers, particularly in Mumbai’s real estate market.

The announcement followed RBI disclosures that its wholesale central bank digital currency pilots for financial instruments had improved settlement efficiency, reinforcing interest in blockchain-based infrastructure.

Despite this activity, India still trails countries that have moved faster on asset tokenization.

Jurisdictions such as the UAE, Singapore, Germany, Hong Kong, and the United States have adopted clearer legal standards allowing regulated platforms to offer fractional ownership to retail investors.

In Dubai, for example, property tokenization pilots have reduced entry points from millions of dirhams to a few thousand, while Singapore’s Project Guardian has focused on institutional-grade frameworks that can later scale to the public.

Indian policymakers have been wary of moving too quickly, citing complex land titles, fragmented state laws, and data privacy concerns.

The result is that tokenization remains narrow in scope, even as crypto adoption at the grassroots level is high.

The post India Pushes Tokenization Bill to Open Billion-Dollar Real Estate to Middle Class — Will It Pass? appeared first on Cryptonews.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has intensified his criticism of President Donald Trump’s use of presidential pardons, spotlighting crypto-related clemency decisions as part of a wider political argument over public safety, corruption, and the expanding role of digital assets in U.S. politics.

Newsom this week unveiled a new state-backed website that tracks what his office describes as Trump’s “top criminal cronies,” alongside newly released crime data showing continued declines across California’s major cities.

As Violent Crime Drops Across California, Newsom Highlights Trump-Era Pardons

According to figures from the Major Cities Chiefs Association, homicides fell 18% year over year, robberies dropped 18%, aggravated assaults declined 9%, and violent crime was down in every major California city reporting data, with the sharpest decreases recorded in Oakland and San Francisco.

Against that backdrop, Newsom framed the website as a contrast between state-level crime reduction efforts and Trump’s record of pardons.

The page catalogs individuals who received clemency or protection from Trump, including figures from politics, organized crime, and the cryptocurrency sector.

The governor said the goal was to place public information in one location so voters could assess who is being elevated or shielded through presidential authority.

Crypto-related pardons feature prominently. The site lists Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, who pleaded guilty in 2023 to violating the Bank Secrecy Act by failing to implement an adequate anti-money laundering program at the exchange.

Zhao was sentenced to four months in prison in April 2024 and released later that year. In October, Trump signed a full pardon, a move later confirmed by Binance.

The White House said the decision followed a standard review by the Department of Justice and White House Counsel’s Office, with Trump stating publicly that he did not know Zhao personally.

The pardon triggered political backlash, with Democratic senators, including Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, accusing Trump of signaling leniency toward white-collar and crypto-related crimes.

Newsom’s website also references Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road marketplace, who was sentenced to life in prison for narcotics and money-laundering conspiracy charges linked to more than $214 million in illegal drug sales facilitated through Bitcoin.

Trump pardoned Ulbricht for his 2015 conviction. In addition, the site highlights the March pardons of BitMEX co-founders Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, Gregory Dwyer, and Samuel Reed, all of whom had pleaded guilty to Bank Secrecy Act violations.

Trump Says He Will Review Samourai Wallet Case, Rekindling Crypto Pardon Scrutiny

The debate intensified further this week after Trump said he was open to reviewing the case of Keonne Rodriguez, the CEO of privacy-focused Bitcoin wallet Samourai.

Rodriguez was sentenced last month to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to money laundering charges tied to a Bitcoin mixing service that prosecutors said processed $237 million in illicit funds.

Beyond crypto, Newsom’s website lists a range of other high-profile pardons, including former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, and former congressman George Santos.

It also references Trump’s decision to grant clemency to roughly 1,500 individuals charged or convicted in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack.

The governor’s office paired the website launch with a defense of California’s public safety spending, noting $1.7 billion invested since 2019 in crime prevention, law enforcement hiring, and organized retail theft operations.

Officials said the state’s approach contrasts with federal cuts to public safety and anti-trafficking programs under the Trump administration.

In response to Trump’s pardons, Representative Ro Khanna of California has proposed legislation that would bar elected officials from owning or launching cryptocurrencies, arguing that pardons tied to digital asset figures raised conflict-of-interest concerns.

The bill would require divestment or blind trusts for lawmakers holding crypto assets.

The post California Governor Targets Trump’s Crypto Pardons: CZ, Ulbricht Branded ‘Criminal Cronies’ appeared first on Cryptonews.

Two U.S. senators have introduced new bipartisan legislation aimed at tightening the government’s response to cryptocurrency-related fraud.

The bill follows a sharp rise in reported losses linked to investment scams that reference digital assets.

The proposal, known as the Strengthening Agency Frameworks for Enforcement of Cryptocurrency Act, or the SAFE Crypto Act, was introduced by Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan, and Senator Jerry Moran, a Republican from Kansas.

The bill seeks to create a federal task force focused on identifying, tracking, and preventing crypto-related scams while improving coordination between government agencies, law enforcement, and private-sector experts.

Crypto Scams Cost Americans $9.3B in 2024, Hitting Older Investors Hardest

The legislation comes as crypto-related scams continue to hit more Americans, with older investors particularly at risk.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation reports that U.S. residents lost around $9.3 billion to crypto investment schemes in 2024. That’s up 66% from the year before.

The FBI said many of these scams don’t rely on hacking crypto networks. Instead, they use tricks like social engineering, pretending to be someone else, and slowly gaining trust over time to get people to hand over their money.

U.S. Lawmakers Seek Cross-Agency Task Force to Tackle Crypto Scams

Under the SAFE Crypto Act, the Treasury Secretary would be required to establish a task force for recognizing and averting cryptocurrency scams within 180 days of the bill becoming law.

The Task Force would bring together top officials from the Treasury, the Department of Justice, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, the Secret Service, and other federal agencies. State and local law enforcement would also get a seat at the table.

The bill also calls for participation from digital asset service providers, stablecoin issuers, custodians, blockchain intelligence firms, consumer protection organizations, and victims’ advocacy groups.

The task force would be charged with examining trends across a wide range of crypto-related fraud, including Ponzi schemes, rug pulls, fraudulent token offerings, money laundering operations, and so-called financial grooming scams.

SAFE Crypto Act Builds on Washington’s Push to Protect Seniors From Crypto Scams

Senator Elissa Slotkin, who supports the bill, says crypto scams are getting trickier as the technology catches on, and local police just don’t have the right tools to keep up.

The legislation also emphasizes real-time collaboration between the public and private sectors to help trace and stop the flow of funds linked to scams.

It requires authorized stablecoin issuers to have the technical ability to freeze, seize, burn, or reissue digital assets tied to illegal activity, all in accordance with due process and existing laws.

The proposed task force would be mandated to meet at least three times in its first year and produce a public report for key congressional committees within that period.

Following the initial report, it would provide annual updates, and the task force would automatically disband three years after its first submission.

The SAFE Crypto Act is just one piece of a bigger push in Washington to crack down on investment scams, especially the ones that go after seniors and other people who are often targeted.

Before this, lawmakers floated the National Senior Investor Initiative Act of 2023. That bill would set up a special task force at the SEC focused on protecting older investors.

Then there’s the Fraud Prevention and Recovery Act from 2024, which tries to give the government more power to go after all kinds of fraud.

On top of that, the SEC put together a cross-border task force at the end of 2025 to deal with international securities scams hitting Americans. Clearly, people are getting more worried about fraud rings that stretch across countries.

The post SAFE Crypto Act Targets Crypto Scams After $9.3B Losses — New Federal Task Force Looms appeared first on Cryptonews.

The Central African Republic’s ambitious embrace of cryptocurrency has deepened elite control over financial resources and exposed the country to potential exploitation by foreign criminal networks, according to a recent report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

The report, titled “Behind the blockchain: Cryptocurrency and criminal capture in the Central African Republic,” paints a stark picture of how the country’s crypto ventures, from adopting Bitcoin to launching Sango Coin and the CAR meme token, have unfolded in a fragile state marked by limited electricity, low internet penetration, and weak regulatory oversight.

Report Says CAR’s Crypto Projects Excluded Most Citizens

The report noted that the government framed these initiatives as tools for economic growth, modernization, and national development.

In practice, however, meaningful participation by the majority of citizens has been largely impossible.

Limited access to digital infrastructure and the country’s ongoing insecurity have effectively excluded most of the population from engaging with these crypto projects.

The report traces the rollout of these initiatives alongside broader political trends, including the consolidation of executive power and the increasing influence of foreign actors.

Critics have argued that the CAR’s crypto projects primarily serve elite interests, offering investment opportunities in mining, forestry, and tokenized land largely inaccessible to ordinary citizens.

Sango Coin, launched in mid-2022, promised infrastructure projects such as a “Crypto City” and offered foreign investors access to land and e-residency.

Despite heavy promotion, only a small fraction of the tokens were sold, and many promised outcomes remain unrealized.

The subsequent $CAR meme coin, introduced in early 2025, experienced extreme volatility, technical irregularities, and opaque governance, raising further concerns about market manipulation and speculative practices.

The GI-TOC report highlights the role of shadow networks, foreign private actors, and individuals with histories of fraud in promoting the CAR’s crypto agenda.

President Touadéra has been described as surrounded by crypto enthusiasts, pro-Russian businesspeople, and controversial figures, including Nicolae Bogdan Buzaianu, linked to alleged illegal timber trafficking, and Émile Parfait Simb, associated with multiple fraud convictions.

The report concludes that these initiatives appear designed to enrich a narrow circle of insiders while opening new channels for foreign influence and transnational organized crime at the expense of the wider population.

Weak Oversight and Poor Infrastructure Hamper CAR’s Crypto Ambitions

The CAR’s crypto ventures have also faced significant domestic and regional challenges.

Bitcoin’s adoption as legal tender was widely criticized by international financial institutions, regional regulators, and the country’s own Constitutional Court.

In March 2023, after regional groups pushed for change, the CAR parliament scrapped Bitcoin’s legal tender status and adjusted its rules to match the Central African Economic and Monetary Community standards.

The report shows the concentration of power within the Sango ecosystem. The way things are set up mostly benefits public officials and a small circle of insiders, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.

Additionally, the tokenization of natural resources and land carries substantial risks of misappropriation and rent-seeking, especially in a context of weak oversight and ongoing insecurity.

Efforts to mitigate the risks of elite capture and criminal exploitation have been limited. The CAR has begun to work with regional regulators to align cryptocurrency rules with broader monetary frameworks.

However, infrastructure deficits, extreme poverty, and ongoing political instability continue to constrain citizen participation and oversight.

Observers warn that without stronger regulation, public education, and international cooperation, the country’s crypto ventures may remain tools that concentrate wealth and influence among elites while exposing the nation to criminal and financial vulnerabilities.

The post CAR’s Crypto Push Hands Power to Elites, Foreign Criminal Networks, Report Warns appeared first on Cryptonews.

Binance has unveiled a major overhaul of its token listing process, aiming to improve transparency, tighten control, and eliminate fraudulent intermediaries that have plagued the exchange’s listing ecosystem.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange announced third-party “deal brokers” are strictly prohibited from facilitating listings.

The company also released a blacklist of individuals and firms alleged to have misrepresented themselves, including BitABC, Central Research, May/Dannie, Andrew Lee, Suki Yang, Fiona Lee, and Kenny Z, signaling that legal action will be pursued against those engaging in such activity.

New Listing Standards Aim to Boost Visibility and Quality on Binance

According to Binance, the new listing criteria cover the Alpha, futures, and spot markets and are designed to create a more structured and transparent framework for projects seeking exposure on the platform.

Binance’s Alpha platform targets early-stage tokens, providing distribution opportunities through Pre-TGE, Prime Sale, TGE community events, airdrops, and Booster programs, helping projects gain momentum before full market launches.

Binance’s contract platform allows users to access derivatives to hedge positions, establish long or short trades, or manage liquidity, while the spot platform remains the largest venue for direct trading and long-term holding of high-quality crypto assets.

The exchange also provides mechanisms like Launchpool, Megadrop, and HODLer airdrops to increase visibility for new projects, particularly those that have demonstrated progress, strong teams, and active communities.

Binance currently records $11.13 billion in 24-hour trading volume, reflecting a 28.2% decline over the same period. The exchange supports 441 listed coins across 1,638 trading pairs.

Binance Overhauls Listing Process After Criticism of Speculative Tokens

The new standards address several challenges Binance has faced over the past two years.

The exchange had previously announced token listings only hours before trading commenced, a practice that often caused price spikes on decentralized exchanges followed by rapid sell-offs on Binance itself, creating volatility that hurt late entrants.

Binance also confronted criticism for listing speculative or low-quality projects that failed to deliver long-term value, contributing to market losses and investor distrust.

Additionally, third-party intermediaries claiming to guarantee listings had become a major source of scams, misleading project teams and creating confusion around the legitimate application process.

These changes follow longstanding concerns expressed by Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who in February 2025 described the listing process as flawed.

Zhao noted that the short interval between listing announcements and actual trading created opportunities for rapid price manipulation and undermined confidence in the process.

Binance has since moved to introduce more structured due diligence, community co-governance voting for listing and delisting tokens, and a monitoring zone for projects that fail to meet ongoing reporting or activity requirements.

Community members can vote on whether projects should remain listed, adding a layer of public oversight.

Crypto Founders Raise Concerns About Binance’s Listing Requirements

The overhaul also comes amid high-profile controversies surrounding listing practices.

In October, CJ Hetherington, founder of the prediction market startup Limitless, claimed that Binance demanded 8% of his project’s token supply plus $2 million in additional payments to secure a listing and alleged that the exchange engaged in token “dumping” post-listing.

Binance initially responded with threats of legal action, labeling Hetherington’s posts “false and defamatory,” though the company later acknowledged some of the details regarding token allocations.

Binance maintains that it does not profit directly from listing fees, asserting that allocated tokens are used for marketing, airdrops, and other initiatives that benefit users, rather than the exchange itself.

Despite the controversies, many crypto founders still view a Binance listing as highly desirable, given the exposure and liquidity the platform provides, though some have criticized the process as “predatory” or overly complex.

The post Binance Cleans House: New Listing Criteria Expose Blacklisted “Deal Brokers” appeared first on Cryptonews.

U.S. banks are moving closer to issuing dollar-backed stablecoins after the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) approved a proposed rule that sets out how FDIC-supervised institutions can apply to do so under the GENIUS Act, a stablecoin law signed earlier this year.

The proposal marks the FDIC’s first concrete step toward implementing the legislation and shows a broader shift in how U.S. regulators are bringing digital payment instruments into the traditional banking system.

The FDIC’s Stablecoin Blueprint: Who Gets In, Who Stays Out

The proposed rule, approved unanimously by the FDIC board on Tuesday, would create a formal application process allowing certain state-chartered banks to issue payment stablecoins through separately capitalized subsidiaries.

The framework applies to state nonmember banks and state savings associations supervised by the FDIC.

These banks would not be permitted to issue stablecoins directly on their balance sheets but could do so through a subsidiary that receives prior approval from the agency.

Under the GENIUS Act, only approved entities known as Permitted Payment Stablecoin Issuers are allowed to issue payment stablecoins in the United States.

A payment stablecoin is defined as a digital asset intended for payments or settlement that maintains a stable value, typically backed one-to-one by cash or highly liquid assets such as U.S. Treasury securities.

The law explicitly states that these stablecoins are not deposits, legal tender, or securities.

Here is the FDIC’s Blueprint for Bank-Issued Tokens

The FDIC’s proposal lays out a detailed application process. Banks would be required to submit written requests explaining the structure of the subsidiary, the design of the stablecoin, and how it would maintain price stability.

Applicants must disclose reserve composition, liquidity arrangements, capital levels, governance structures, redemption policies, and reliance on third-party service providers.

The agency also requires information on ownership, management, and control, and bars approval if key personnel have histories of serious financial crimes.

Reserve requirements form a central pillar of the proposal. Stablecoins issued by approved subsidiaries must be fully backed on a one-to-one basis, with clear policies governing reserve management and asset segregation.

Subsidiaries would also need to explain how users can redeem stablecoins for dollars in a timely and transparent manner, including fee disclosures and advance notice of any changes.

To reinforce oversight, each issuer must retain an independent public accounting firm to verify reserve balances through monthly attestations.

What Happens If Regulators Don’t Act? FDIC’s Stablecoin Timer Explained

The timeline outlined in the rule sharply limits regulatory delay.

The FDIC has 30 days to determine whether an application is substantially complete and 120 days to approve or deny it. If the agency fails to act within that period, the application would be deemed approved by operation of law.

Denials must be justified on safety and soundness grounds, and applicants would have access to a dedicated appeals and hearing process.

Notably, the proposal also includes a temporary safe harbor that allows early applicants to request limited waivers of certain GENIUS Act requirements for up to 12 months.

The FDIC will accept public comments on the proposal for 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register.

The move comes amid a broader recalibration of U.S. crypto and digital-asset policy.

Last week, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency confirmed that national banks may engage in riskless principal crypto transactions, allowing them to intermediate client trades without holding inventory.

Also, the Treasury Department has also begun implementing its responsibilities under the GENIUS Act, including oversight of non-bank stablecoin issuers.

The post U.S. Banks Cleared to Issue Stablecoins as FDIC Moves to Implement GENIUS Act appeared first on Cryptonews.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has formally concluded its multi-year investigation into the Aave Protocol without recommending any enforcement action.

The action ends nearly four years of regulatory uncertainty surrounding one of decentralized finance’s most widely used lending platforms.

Aave founder and chief executive Stani Kulechov disclosed the outcome in a public post on August 12.

Aave Survived the SEC’s DeFi Crackdown — Here’s What Happened Behind the Scenes

The probe into Aave began around late 2021 or early 2022, during a period of heightened regulatory scrutiny of decentralized finance platforms.

At the time, the SEC was expanding its enforcement focus beyond centralized exchanges to include protocols offering lending, borrowing, and liquidity services without traditional intermediaries.

While the SEC did not publicly outline the scope of its concerns, industry observers have long assumed that the inquiry centered on whether the AAVE token or aspects of the protocol’s operations fell under U.S. securities laws and whether any registration obligations applied.

Throughout the investigation, Aave cooperated with regulators, engaging with SEC staff over several years.

In June 2025, Aave representatives met with members of the SEC’s Crypto Task Force to discuss regulatory approaches, though the agency has not indicated whether those discussions were connected to the closure decision.

Kulechov said the process required significant effort and resources from both the company and him personally, describing the investigation as a prolonged period of regulatory pressure not only for Aave but for decentralized finance more broadly.

As is typical in cases that end without enforcement, the SEC did not publish findings or allegations tied to the probe.

The letter stated that, as of that date, staff did not intend to recommend an enforcement action to the Commission in connection with the investigation identified internally as “HO-14386.”

The notice followed standard SEC practice and included a disclaimer that the decision should not be interpreted as an exoneration and does not prevent the agency from reopening the matter in the future.

The SEC has consistently maintained flexibility to act quickly when investor protection concerns arise, avoiding rigid procedural rules that could delay enforcement.

Notably, earlier today, the Aave (AAVE) token reached a high of $194 before dipping to a low of $184. The token has since stabilized at $187.67, marking a 2.4% gain over the past 24 hours.

For Aave users, it means the protocol can continue operating without the immediate risk of U.S. enforcement action tied to the long-running SEC investigation.

It also reduces regulatory uncertainty around Aave’s core products, offering users more confidence that the platform will remain accessible and stable in the near term.

Is the SEC Done Fighting Crypto? Major Cases Close Without Charges

Aave’s case is the latest in a growing list of high-profile crypto investigations closed without charges in 2025.

In December, Ondo Finance disclosed that the SEC had ended its own multi-year probe into the firm’s tokenized real-world asset products and its ONDO token.

The broader enforcement landscape has shifted notably since early 2025, as the SEC has dropped or dismissed cases and investigations involving Coinbase, Kraken, Robinhood, OpenSea, Uniswap Labs, Consensys, Crypto.com, and several other firms.

Many of those actions were withdrawn with prejudice, preventing the agency from bringing the same claims again.

The change followed a leadership transition at the SEC and a stated move away from regulation through litigation toward developing clearer policy guidance.

A review published by The New York Times earlier today found that the SEC initiated no new crypto-related federal court cases.

Of the crypto cases inherited from prior administrations, the agency pulled back from more than half, either dismissing them, staying proceedings, or conceding key issues.

The post SEC Drops 4-Year Aave Investigation Following ‘Significant’ Defense Battle: Report appeared first on Cryptonews.

Crypto ownership in the UK dropped noticeably in 2025, even as the investors who stayed in the market continued to build larger holdings, according to new figures from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The data from FCA’s Cryptoassets Consumer Research 2025 report shows that 8% of UK adults currently own some form of cryptocurrency. That is down from 12% a year earlier, marking the first clear decline in participation since crypto use surged during the pandemic.

While fewer people now hold digital assets, ownership has not fallen back to early levels. In 2021, just 4% of adults reported owning crypto, meaning today’s figure is still roughly double what it was four years ago.

The figures point to a market that is becoming smaller but more concentrated. Rather than attracting new entrants, crypto ownership appears to be shifting toward existing users who are committing more capital and holding their assets for longer periods.

Crypto Ownership in the UK Still Dominated by 18–34 Age Group

The profile of crypto holders has remained broadly consistent. Ownership is higher among men at 11%, compared with women, and is most concentrated among people aged 18 to 34, where 15% report holding crypto.

Overall public awareness of crypto remains high, with 91% of respondents saying they have heard of cryptocurrencies, matching 2024 levels and continuing a multi-year trend of widespread familiarity.

Individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds and higher-income social grades are also more likely to own digital assets, according to the FCA’s nationally representative survey of more than 2,300 respondents.

Bitcoin remains the most commonly held cryptoasset, owned by 57% of users, and recorded a five-percentage-point recovery after several years of declining ownership.

Ethereum followed at 43%, largely unchanged from 2024. Also, other assets were held at much lower levels, with Solana, Dogecoin, XRP, and Cardano the most commonly mentioned beyond the two market leaders.

Small Holders Exit as High-Value Crypto Portfolios Grow

Behind the headline decline in ownership, the report shows a steady shift toward higher-value holdings.

The share of users holding £1,001 to £5,000 in crypto rose to 21%, up four percentage points from 2024, while those holding £5,001 to £10,000 increased to 11%, up three points.

At the same time, the number of people holding £100 or less continued to fall, extending a trend seen over several years.

The FCA noted that the difference between high- and low-value holders has widened since last year, particularly in motivations linked to long-term investing.

Most crypto purchases continue to be funded using personal cash.

Around 76% of users relied on disposable income, while 25% used long-term savings and 19% used previous investment gains.

The use of credit cards or borrowing fell further, with just 9% reporting credit-based purchases, down five percentage points from 2024.

The data also suggests that new adoption is slowing, noting that only 5% of crypto owners first bought assets after October 2024, while most entered the market between 2019 and 2021.

Incentives such as rewards or promotions also declined, with just 17% of users reporting receiving one in the past six months.

The report also noted centralized exchanges remain the dominant access point, used by 73% of UK crypto users, an increase from last year. Coinbase and Binance remained the most widely used platforms, though Binance’s share declined.

UK Ranks 11th in Global Crypto Adoption as regulation gets clearer

The findings come as the UK continues to reshape its regulatory framework. In 2025, the government introduced legislation to bring crypto activities under the FCA’s supervision while also formally recognizing digital assets as personal property under UK law.

Full implementation of the regime is not expected until 2027, but the FCA has already accelerated approvals and launched consultations covering trading, staking, lending, and decentralized finance.

Globally, the UK ranked 11th in Chainalysis’ crypto adoption index, behind countries such as India, the United States, Brazil, and Vietnam.

The post UK Crypto Ownership Plunges to 8% — But High-Value Portfolios Are Soaring appeared first on Cryptonews.

KindlyMD Inc., a healthcare and Bitcoin treasury company, is facing the risk of being delisted from the Nasdaq after its share price remained below the exchange’s minimum bid requirement for an extended period.

In a Form 8-K filing dated Dec. 12, the company disclosed that it had received a notice from Nasdaq’s Listing Qualifications Department after its common stock closed below $1 for 30 consecutive trading days, placing it out of compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1).

KindlyMD’s shares, which trade under the ticker NAKA, are currently priced at $0.38. The stock is down nearly 5% on the day, has fallen more than 30% over the past month, and is down over 73% year to date.

KindlyMD Faces June 2026 Deadline to Recover Stock Price

Under Nasdaq rules, KindlyMD has 180 calendar days, or until June 8, 2026, to regain compliance by maintaining a closing bid price of at least $1 for a minimum of 10 consecutive trading days.

KindlyMD’s current situation marks a steep reversal from earlier optimism surrounding its Bitcoin strategy.

In May, the company merged with Nakamoto, a Bitcoin-focused public entity, in one of the first known cases of a healthcare firm formally adopting Bitcoin as a core treasury asset.

The combined entity retained the KindlyMD name, with Nakamoto operating as a wholly owned subsidiary, and raised more than $700 million through a mix of private placements and convertible debt to fund Bitcoin purchases.

That strategy accelerated in August, when KindlyMD acquired 5,764 Bitcoin in a single transaction, spending approximately $679 million at an average price above $118,000 per coin.

According to CoinGecko data, the company now holds Bitcoin valued at about $502.6 million, placing it around 32nd among public Bitcoin treasury holders, down from 26th three months earlier.

At current prices, the position carries an unrealized loss of roughly $176 million, or about 26%.

Bitcoin itself is trading near $87,000, up modestly on the week, but many publicly listed companies holding crypto on their balance sheets have seen their stocks fall faster than the underlying assets.

The Bitcoin Treasury Trade Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All: KindlyMD vs. Strategy

KindlyMD’s financial filings reflect the strain of its rapid transformation. In its third-quarter report, the company posted revenue of $0.4 million from its healthcare operations, while operating expenses climbed to $10.8 million, driven largely by costs tied to its Bitcoin strategy.

The company reported a net loss of $86 million for the quarter, including non-cash charges linked to the Nakamoto merger and unrealized digital asset losses.

Notably, the company said the Nasdaq’s notice has no immediate impact on its listing and that its shares will continue trading on the Nasdaq Global Market during the compliance period.

If it fails to recover, the company may seek to transfer to the Nasdaq Capital Market or pursue a reverse stock split, though it cautioned that there is no assurance either step would be successful.

The situation differs from Strategy Inc., formerly MicroStrategy, which is facing uncertainty tied to index eligibility rather than exchange rules.

MSCI began reviewing its index methodology in October 2025, triggering a sharp sell-off in MSTR shares.

The company has formally submitted its 12-page letter to MSCI opposing the proposal.

While the stock later stabilized after retaining its Nasdaq 100 position, the risk remains, with a delisting potentially triggering billions in forced passive fund sales.

MSCI is expected to issue a final decision in January 2026.

Notably, across the market, digital asset treasury stocks have broadly underperformed their underlying holdings in recent months.

Data shows that in November, inflows into DATS were only $1.32 billion in inflows, their lowest level of the year, showing a cooling of investor appetite as volatility and regulatory uncertainty persist.

The post KindlyMD Bitcoin Treasury Faces Nasdaq Delisting As It Plunges Below $1 — Can It Survive Like MSTR? appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bitcoin has fallen sharply from its recent peak, but fresh data shows it is still holding up better than almost every other corner of the crypto market, showing how capital behavior has shifted during the latest downturn.

Bitcoin is down roughly 26% over the past three months and about 30% from its all-time high near $126,200, trading just above the $85,000 level.

Despite the drop, on-chain analytics firm Glassnode said Bitcoin has outperformed nearly all major crypto sectors over the same period.

From AI to Meme Coins, Crypto Sectors Sink as Bitcoin Shows Relative Strength

The broader market context helps explain the divergence. Total crypto market capitalization fell around 27.5% over the past three months, slightly more than Bitcoin’s decline.

Ether has suffered a deeper drawdown, sliding about 36% since mid-September and trading below $3,000.

Other narrative-driven sectors have fared worse. AI-related tokens are down roughly 48%, meme coin market capitalization has dropped about 56%, and real-world asset tokenization tokens have fallen around 46%.

DeFi tokens have also struggled, declining close to 38% over the same period.

Glassnode’s cross-sector performance data shows how the sell-off unfolded. In late September, most sectors were clustered near neutral performance, suggesting capital was still broadly distributed and risk appetite remained intact.

That changed in early October, when a sharp, market-wide shock pushed nearly all sectors lower. High-beta areas such as Layer 1s, Layer 2s, AI, gaming, NFTs, and meme tokens saw deeper drawdowns, while Bitcoin fell more modestly, acting as a relative shelter.

Attempts at recovery in mid-October failed to gain traction. Small rebounds across altcoin sectors did not reclaim prior levels, and Glassnode data shows no sector returning to neutral performance.

By late October and into November, losses widened further, with performance dispersion increasing and capital continuing to withdraw rather than rotate.

By mid-November, several sectors entered what Glassnode described as a capitulation phase, with drawdowns deepening across Layer 1s, DePIN, gaming, NFTs, and memes. Bitcoin and Ether also fell, but Bitcoin maintained the shallowest relative losses.

Shark Accumulation Hits Fastest Pace Since 2012 as Whales Distribute

By December, the picture had become clearer. Bitcoin stood out as the top relative performer despite remaining in negative territory, while Ether continued to lag.

Defensive altcoin categories such as exchange tokens and staking-related assets sat in the middle, and speculative narratives occupied the bottom.

Glassnode said the data does not show rotation into new winners but rather graduated losses, with Bitcoin retaining capital more effectively as liquidity tightened.

This relative strength has played out alongside shifting BTC dominance dynamics. Earlier in the year, Bitcoin dominance rose steadily and peaked near 65%, coinciding with a strong price rally.

The structure changed around mid-July, when dominance began to fall and capital rotated into altcoins.

That rotation broke down during an October deleveraging event, when forced liquidations briefly pushed capital back into Bitcoin.

Since then, dominance has moved sideways between roughly 59% and 61%, reflecting a market without a clear anchor.

Bitcoin’s relative outperformance shows that investors are still treating BTC as a defensive anchor, preserving capital during periods when altcoins face deeper drawdowns and weaker conviction.

Onchain positioning adds another layer to the story. Glassnode data shows that mid-sized holders, often referred to as “sharks” with balances between 100 and 1,000 BTC, added about 54,000 BTC over the past week, bringing their collective holdings to roughly 3.575 million BTC.

The pace of accumulation is the fastest seen since 2012, suggesting strong dip-buying from higher-net-worth individuals and institutional players.

At the same time, selling pressure has come from long-term holders and so-called OG whales with balances above 10,000 BTC.

According to Glassnode and Capriole Investments, distribution from older coins has offset record institutional buying, limiting near-term upside and keeping downside risks in focus.

The post Bitcoin Falls 26%, But Outperforms Every Major Crypto Sector in 3 Months — What’s Going On? appeared first on Cryptonews.

Texas’ role as a center of U.S. crypto activity is set to expand further after Bitcoin Bancorp said it plans to deploy up to 200 licensed Bitcoin ATMs across the state beginning in the first quarter of 2026.

The state is adding to an already dense network of crypto kiosks operating under one of the country’s clearest regulatory frameworks.

Bitcoin Bancorp Enters Texas, Citing Clear Rules and Strong ATM Demand

Bitcoin Bancorp, which trades over the counter under the ticker BCBC, said the planned rollout would mark its entry into what it described as a strategically important market.

The company is one of only three publicly traded Bitcoin ATM network owners in the United States and says it holds foundational patents tied to Bitcoin ATM technology.

Eric Noveshen, a director at the firm, said agreements are already in place that could support faster revenue growth as the company moves from planning into execution.

Following the announcement, Bitcoin Bancorp shares rose 7.83% on the day and are up 29.53% over the past five days, reflecting increased investor confidence in the expansion strategy.

The expansion comes at a time when Texas already hosts more than 4,000 live crypto ATMs, the highest number of any U.S. state.

Large national operators, including Athena Bitcoin, Bitcoin Depot, Coinhub, Cryptobase, and Byte Federal, have established broad coverage across major cities such as Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio.

The presence of this existing infrastructure has lowered barriers for new deployments and signaled sustained consumer demand for in-person crypto access.

Why Bitcoin ATM Operators Keep Flocking to Texas

Texas’ appeal to ATM operators largely stems from its regulatory structure. State law treats virtual currency as a form of money under the Texas Money Services Act, placing Bitcoin ATM operators within a familiar licensing regime overseen by the Texas Department of Banking.

Companies must obtain a money transmitter license, meet minimum net worth requirements of at least $500,000, post a surety bond of no less than $150,000, and submit to regular examinations.

Consumer protection has also become a growing focus. In Texas, state rules require Bitcoin ATM operators to clearly disclose fees, exchange rates, and complaint procedures.

Federal Scrutiny Intensifies Around Bitcoin ATMs

Oversight of Bitcoin ATMs in the United States is tightening at the federal level as regulators respond to rising fraud concerns and increased consumer use.

Currently at the federal level, Bitcoin ATM operators are classified as money services businesses under the Bank Secrecy Act, placing them under the supervision of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

This requires operators to maintain formal anti-money laundering programs, conduct customer identity verification, and monitor transactions for suspicious activity.

Identity checks typically scale with transaction size, ranging from basic phone verification for smaller amounts to government-issued identification and enhanced due diligence for larger transfers.

Operators are also required to file currency transaction reports for cash transactions exceeding $10,000, submit suspicious activity reports when necessary, and retain records for a minimum of five years.

At the same time, federal lawmakers are moving to further regulate the sector. Proposed legislation such as the Crypto ATM Fraud Prevention Act of 2025 shows a more focused concern over the role of crypto kiosks in scam-related losses nationwide.

What the Crypto ATM Fraud Prevention Act Proposes

Introduced in the U.S. Senate as Bill S. 710, the Crypto ATM Fraud Prevention Act of 2025, which has been read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, is designed to reduce fraud risks while increasing transparency for consumers.

Key provisions of the bill include mandatory registration of virtual currency kiosks with the U.S. Treasury; also, operators are required to provide clear pre-transaction disclosures outlining terms, fees, and a warning that transactions are final and non-refundable.

The bill mandates prominent fraud warnings on kiosks, the issuance of physical receipts containing transaction details and fraud-reporting information, and the implementation of written anti-fraud policies submitted to FinCEN.

The post Texas Goes Full Crypto Mode as Bitcoin ATM Operator Eyes 200 New Machines appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bitcoin prices extended their decline this week, dragging closely correlated equities lower and pushing shares of Strategy (MSTR) down sharply during regular trading hours.

Yet even as the stock slid more than 7% in a single session, one of the largest public pension funds in the United States quietly increased its exposure.

The New York State Common Retirement Fund, which manages roughly $284 billion in assets reportedly raised its position in Strategy, a Nasdaq-listed company widely viewed as an equity proxy for Bitcoin exposure.

Strategy Drops 7% on $2.3B Volume as Bitcoin Sell-Off Deepens

The move came as Strategy shares fell to $163.55 by 13:56 EST on December 15, down 7.29% on the day. Trading activity was heavy, with $2.32 billion in value changing hands across nearly 14 million shares.

The stock moved between an intraday high of $176.50 and a low of $160.54, placing its market capitalization at $50.7 billion.

Strategy currently has 287.35 million shares outstanding, with 267.03 million in circulation, and trades at a basic mNAV of 0.88.

The decline mirrors renewed pressure in the broader crypto market. Bitcoin was trading around $86,214, down 3.5% over the past 24 hours, 4.4% over the past week, and more than 10% over the past month.

The pullback followed a steep correction from Bitcoin’s recent peak above $126,000, a move that has weighed heavily on companies with direct balance-sheet exposure to the asset.

Repeat Buyer Signal: New York State Pension Fund Continues Expanding Its Position

New York State fund raised its stake during the second quarter of 2025 and disclosed another increase in a November filing covering third-quarter positions.

At that point, the fund owned approximately 0.10% of Strategy, valued at about $113.8 million.

The New York State fund is one of the largest public retirement systems in the country, with a portfolio heavily weighted toward public equities, fixed income, private equity, real assets, and alternative investments, with public stocks accounting for just over 40% of total assets.

Its holdings include large positions in major U.S. technology, financial, consumer, and healthcare companies.

The Strategy investment remains a small allocation within that diversified portfolio, but its persistence has drawn attention given the volatility tied to Bitcoin-linked assets.

Strategy Pushes Bitcoin Holdings Past 671,000 BTC as Shares Fall

Strategy has become the most prominent example of that exposure. The company has spent the past several years converting operating cash flows, equity issuance proceeds, and debt financing into Bitcoin purchases.

That approach has caused its shares to trade as a leveraged reflection of Bitcoin’s price movements.

Since peaking above $450 in July, MSTR shares have fallen nearly 62%, according to Yahoo Finance data.

Over the past six months, the stock is down more than 55%, moving from roughly $369 in mid-June to the mid-$160 range.

Despite the volatility, Strategy has continued adding to its Bitcoin holdings. Last week, the company disclosed the purchase of 10,645 BTC for $980.3 million at an average price of $92,098 per coin.

The acquisition lifted its total holdings to 671,268 BTC, reinforcing its position as the world’s largest corporate holder of Bitcoin.

Those acquisitions came as Strategy moved to address investor concerns about liquidity and cash obligations.

The company recently established a $1.44 billion U.S. dollar reserve intended to cover dividend payments and interest expenses without requiring the sale of Bitcoin during periods of market stress.

Management said the reserve is sufficient to fund at least 12 months of dividend obligations, with plans to extend coverage to two years.

Other public pension systems, including New Jersey’s, have also disclosed increased MSTR holdings in recent months, showing a broader pattern of selective institutional exposure to Bitcoin-linked equities rather than direct cryptocurrency ownership.

The post Bitcoin Down, MSTR Sliding — Why Did a $284B NY Pension Fund Buy Despite a 7% Drop? appeared first on Cryptonews.

South Korea’s effort to legalize won-pegged stablecoins has hit another setback after the country’s top financial regulator missed a government-imposed deadline, exposing a deepening power struggle between financial authorities over who should control the next phase of digital finance.

Earlier this month, the ruling Democratic Party asked the Financial Services Commission to submit a draft stablecoin bill by December 10, fulfilling President Lee’s campaign pledge to create a legal framework for digital assets.

That deadline passed without a submission.

Stablecoin Disagreement Holds Up South Korea’s Crypto Bill

The South Korean media outlet Newsis reported that FSC later confirmed it was unable to deliver the proposal on time, saying it needed additional coordination with other agencies.

A spokesperson said the regulator would instead release the government’s position publicly alongside its formal submission to the National Assembly, citing the public’s right to understand the framework being proposed.

The FSC said it is preparing a draft tentatively titled the Basic Digital Asset Act, also described as Phase Two of South Korea’s virtual asset legislation.

Officials expect the proposal to be released later this month or early next month, ahead of a consolidated bill the ruling party has pledged to introduce in January 2026 under President Lee Jae-myung’s election commitments.

Behind the delay is an unresolved dispute between the FSC and the Bank of Korea over who should lead stablecoin issuance.

The central bank has argued that stablecoins function similarly to currency and deposit-like instruments and should therefore remain under bank control.

It has pushed for a rule requiring domestic banks to hold at least a 51% stake in any stablecoin-issuing entity, along with inspection powers and veto authority over approvals.

The FSC has resisted that approach, pointing to overseas models, noting that most issuers under the European Union’s MiCA framework are non-bank digital asset firms and that Japan’s first yen-linked stablecoin was issued by a fintech company.

FSC officials have said bank-led issuance lacks global precedent and could limit participation by technology firms that already operate digital payment infrastructure.

Negotiations between the FSC and the BOK remain ongoing. Officials familiar with the talks say a compromise may involve flexible ownership thresholds based on business scope, though no agreement has been confirmed.

The disagreement has stalled coordination long enough for lawmakers to begin reviewing multiple competing drafts at the National Assembly’s Political Affairs Committee.

Delays in Stablecoin Rules Raise Fears South Korea Is Falling Behind

Industry groups have warned that continued delays risk leaving South Korea behind jurisdictions such as the United States, the European Union, and Japan, all of which have already established stablecoin rules.

Domestic stablecoin issuance remain illegal in South Korea, even as companies prepare infrastructure behind the scenes.

Naver Financial has developed a blockchain wallet for Busan’s local currency program, while KakaoBank has begun work on a KRW-denominated digital token. Major banks have also explored a joint stablecoin project targeting late 2025 or early 2026.

Regulatory urgency has been heightened by recent enforcement challenges. In December, Korean authorities disclosed that Binance froze only a small portion of funds stolen during last month’s Upbit hack, despite urgent requests from police and the exchange.

Investigators said hackers rapidly laundered assets across chains and wallets, highlighting the difficulty of coordinating responses without clearer oversight frameworks.

Experts said the incident shows the need for faster, more structured controls as digital-asset activity expands.

South Korea’s stablecoin debate is also unfolding against a backdrop of delayed crypto policy more broadly. The country’s virtual asset tax regime, approved in 2020, has been postponed several times and is now scheduled for 2027.

The post South Korea Misses Stablecoin Bill Deadline — Banks vs. Innovation Battle Heats Up appeared first on Cryptonews.

Visa has launched a new “Stablecoins Advisory Practice” as the stablecoin market climbs above $300 billion just as banks and financial institutions accelerate their engagement with digital dollars.

The move comes as traditional financial institutions accelerate their engagement with stablecoins following clearer regulatory signals in the United States.

Visa Works With Early Clients on Stablecoin Strategies

Carl Rutstein, global head of Visa Consulting and Analytics, said the practice is designed to meet growing client demand rather than push adoption indiscriminately.

He said Visa is working with dozens of early clients, including Navy Federal Credit Union, VyStar Credit Union, and Pathward, and expects the number to expand into the hundreds.

The advisory work spans strategy development, technical architecture, operational readiness, and implementation support, with some clients ultimately deciding whether stablecoins align with actual customer needs.

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a fixed value, typically pegged to the U.S. dollar through reserves.

Once largely confined to crypto trading, they are increasingly being used for payments, cross-border transfers, and business-to-business settlement, particularly in regions with currency volatility or limited access to traditional banking rails.

According to DefiLlama data, the global stablecoin market capitalization now stands at $309.85 billion. Tether’s USDT remains dominant with a 60.10% market share and a market cap of $186.23 billion, followed by Circle’s USDC at $78.31 billion.

Other stablecoins, including Ethena’s USDe, Sky Dollar, Dai, and PayPal USD, make up smaller but growing portions of the market, collectively reflecting broader issuer diversity.

Visa Pushes Stablecoins Deeper Into Global Payments

Visa’s latest move follows a series of stablecoin initiatives by the company over the past several years. In 2023, Visa piloted USDC settlement on blockchain networks and now supports more than 130 stablecoin-linked card programs across 40 countries.

Visa recently began testing a system that allows businesses to fund cross-border payments using stablecoins instead of pre-depositing cash into local accounts.

Visa has said the program will expand in 2026 and targets banks, remittance firms, and financial institutions that currently rely on costly correspondent banking networks.

The push has been reinforced by regulatory clarity in the United States following President Donald Trump’s signing of the GENIUS Act in July, which established formal rules for stablecoin issuance.

Since then, several financial and payments firms have accelerated their stablecoin strategies.

PayPal and Mastercard have expanded their digital dollar capabilities, while institutions such as Citigroup, JPMorgan, and Standard Chartered continue to explore tokenized settlement and on-chain liquidity tools.

Stablecoin Adoption Spreads Globally as Banks and Card Networks Step In

Visa’s advisory launch also arrives as stablecoin adoption spreads beyond the U.S. In Africa, Visa has partnered with Yellow Card Financial to support stablecoin payments across 20 countries, while Circle has worked with Onafriq to connect stablecoins to hundreds of wallets and bank accounts.

Mastercard recently partnered with Chainlink to let cardholders make on-chain crypto purchases. Meanwhile, Sony Bank plans to launch a regulated dollar-pegged stablecoin for payments within its digital entertainment ecosystem.

Institutions such as Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, McKinsey, Anchorage Digital, and GFT Technologies already offer advisory, research, or infrastructure services tied to stablecoins.

Visa executives have consistently framed stablecoins not as a threat to existing payment systems, but as an extension of them.

Speaking earlier this year, Visa’s head of crypto, Cuy Sheffield said the future of payments would combine traditional rails with on-chain settlement, rather than replacing one with the other.

The post Visa Launches Stablecoins Advisory as Market Tops $300B — Banks Rush In? appeared first on Cryptonews.

Base co-founder Jesse Pollak is facing mounting criticism after publicly engaging with and backing activity linked to a meme token associated with rapper Soulja Boy.

The case revives long-running concerns about celebrity-driven crypto promotions and the responsibility of senior ecosystem figures.

The controversy unfolded over a sequence of posts on X in mid-December.

On December 13, Soulja Boy shared a comparison of creator payout schedules across major platforms, arguing that newer applications offered faster access to earnings than traditional social networks.

On-Chain Research Rekindles Concerns Over Celebrity Crypto Promotions

Pollak amplified the discussion while framing Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum Layer-2 network, as an alternative monetization layer for creators.

In a direct reply to Soulja Boy, Pollak said he had just backed the rapper on Base and had “instantly earned,” describing the interaction as an example of “new internet” behavior enabled by on-chain tools.

Although Pollak did not name or explicitly promote a specific token, many users interpreted the exchange as an endorsement of a Soulja Boy-linked meme token that had just launched on Base.

Developers, traders, and researchers questioned why a senior figure at a Coinbase-backed network would publicly engage with a celebrity whose crypto history has drawn repeated scrutiny.

The criticism quickly shifted from the token itself to broader concerns about trust, reputation, and showing within the Base ecosystem, which has positioned itself as a compliant, mainstream-friendly Layer-2 network.

The debate intensified after on-chain investigator ZachXBT publicly challenged Pollak’s decision to interact with Soulja Boy.

He pointed to research he published in April 2023 documenting what he described as a long pattern of exploitative crypto promotions tied to the rapper.

ZachXBT Details Pattern of Abandoned Crypto Projects Linked to Soulja Boy

According to that research, Soulja Boy was involved in at least 73 token promotions and 16 NFT launches, many of which later collapsed or were abandoned.

ZachXBT outlined several examples from past market cycles, including meme tokens such as RapDoge, which was promoted in July 2021 before quickly rug-pulling, and projects like Orion and The Life Token, which used charitable narratives before collapsing.

Beyond tokens, the investigator said Soulja Boy launched multiple NFT collections, some of which advertised future utility that never materialized.

He also referenced prior regulatory and legal issues, including SEC charges related to Tron promotions and a lawsuit connected to SafeMoon.

Growing Scrutiny Follows Base’s Rapid Rise in the Layer-2 Market

Against that backdrop, critics argued that visibility from prominent builders functions as implicit validation, particularly for new users who may not be familiar with a promoter’s history.

Supporters of open, permissionless networks countered that public blockchains do not restrict who can deploy tokens or participate, and that engagement does not necessarily equate to endorsement.

The episode arrives at a sensitive moment for Base.

According to L2beat data, Base is currently the second-largest Layer-2 network by total value locked, with approximately $12.66 billion, trailing only Arbitrum.

Its rapid growth has positioned it as one of the most visible scaling layers in the Ethereum ecosystem, increasing scrutiny around how senior figures communicate publicly.

The backlash also reflects a broader pattern in crypto discourse.

In recent months, ZachXBT has repeatedly surfaced in high-profile cases involving alleged misconduct, including claims tied to celebrity NFT launches, suspected large-scale hacks, and the exposure of organized fraud networks.

These episodes have fueled recurring debates about due diligence, accountability, and the role of influence in shaping on-chain behavior.

The post Base Co-Founder Draws Fire After Backing Soulja Boy’s Token Despite Repeated Scam Claims appeared first on Cryptonews.

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has formally scrapped its 2020 “actual delivery” guidance for Bitcoin and other virtual currencies and set the stage for a broader shift in how the agency oversees crypto markets.

Acting Chair Caroline Pham announced the withdrawal on December 11, calling the old framework outdated and inconsistent with the market’s level of maturity.

Source: CTFC

She said the move reflects the administration’s push this year to remove rules that had become overly complex and deterred crypto firms from operating within the U.S., adding that eliminating such barriers shows “real progress can be made to protect Americans by promoting access to safe U.S. markets.”

CFTC Withdraws 28-Day Crypto Delivery Standard, Easing Path for New Products

The guidance that has now been withdrawn defined the conditions under which a leveraged or margined crypto purchase could be considered “actual delivery,” a standard built around a 28-day window that required the buyer to have full possession and control of the asset.

It was introduced at a time when regulators were still unsure how virtual currency markets would develop, and it placed crypto in a category separate from other commodities.

Pham said the agency’s experience with virtual currency derivatives listings, along with years of market growth and the development of stronger custody practices, made the old rules incompatible with how the industry now operates.

The withdrawal allows digital assets to be regulated under the CFTC’s general, technology-neutral framework, a shift that reduces compliance burdens for exchanges seeking to list new products.

It also marks a step toward normalizing Bitcoin and Ethereum alongside traditional commodities.

The update lands at a time when U.S. regulators are moving quickly on crypto policy. Only days before scrapping the old guidance, the CFTC cleared the way for spot crypto trading to occur directly on federally regulated futures exchanges, a first for the industry.

Acting Chair Caroline Pham called the move a major shift, saying it brings spot trading onto platforms that have operated under federal rules for decades.

It also forces leveraged retail crypto trades, previously stuck in a gray zone, onto exchanges that already follow strict market protections.

The move comes after months of coordination with other agencies, including the SEC. Earlier this year, both regulators confirmed that registered exchanges under either agency could support certain spot crypto products.

CFTC Advances Crypto Sprint With New Tokenized Collateral Pilot

These moves are part of a wider effort tied to the CFTC’s “Crypto Sprint,” a program examining tokenized collateral, stablecoin use in derivatives markets, and ways to modernize clearing and settlement rules through blockchain systems.

The agency has already begun testing some of these ideas in practice. On December 8, it launched a pilot program that allows Bitcoin, Ether, and USDC to be used as collateral in derivatives markets, giving the agency real-time insight into how tokenized assets behave under regulated conditions.

For the first three months of the pilot, futures commission merchants can only accept those three digital assets and must submit weekly reports on their holdings, a structure the agency says will help it monitor risk while still expanding access to new tools.

The CFTC’s divisions have also issued guidance confirming that tokenized real-world assets, such as U.S. Treasuries and money market funds, can be evaluated within the existing regulatory framework.

To ease the transition, the agency granted no-action relief to firms that want to accept certain non-securities digital assets as customer margin.

Pham has emphasized that the goal is to give U.S. traders safer alternatives to offshore platforms after years of high-profile failures and losses.

The shift is unfolding as the agency undergoes its own leadership transition. Pham has been serving as acting chair since January and is expected to step down once the Senate confirms President Donald Trump’s nominee, Michael Selig.

The post CFTC Scraps ‘Outdated’ Bitcoin Guidance – What This Means for Future Regulation appeared first on Cryptonews.

New blockchain analysis is raising questions about the long-promoted “fair launch” of the PEPE meme coin, after fresh data suggested that almost one-third of the token’s initial supply may have been controlled by a single entity.

The findings come from blockchain visualization platform Bubblemaps, which published its latest breakdown on Wednesday, alleging that the project’s early messaging may have misled investors.

Bubblemaps Flags Concentrated PEPE Holdings at Launch

According to the data, roughly 30% of PEPE’s genesis supply was bundled into a cluster of wallets connected to one entity at the time of the token’s April 2023 launch.

Bubblemaps said this concentration contradicts PEPE’s branding as a token created “for the people” and its stated approach of launching in stealth with no presale allocations.

The firm added that the same cluster sold about $2 million worth of tokens just one day after launch. The move, it believes, added enough early sell pressure to prevent the meme coin from crossing the $12 billion market-cap threshold during its first major surge.

The claims surfaced during a difficult period for the token. PEPE’s price dropped 5.7% in the past 24 hours and is down more than 81% over the past year, according to CoinMarketCap.

The project also dealt with an unrelated security scare last December, when its website was briefly compromised and redirected users to a malicious “inferno drainer,” a tool associated with wallet theft, phishing, and other social-engineering scams.

Still, PEPE’s performance has not been uniformly negative. The token has delivered dramatic rallies at various points over the last two months.

On October 8, PEPE also outperformed the broader meme coin market amid a wave of accumulation from large holders.

Data from Nansen showed that the top 100 wallets increased their collective holdings by 4.18% over a month, bringing their total to more than 307 trillion tokens.

Analysts at the time pointed to a bullish pennant formation and noted that PEPE was testing a historically strong demand zone, fueling speculation of an impending breakout.

On October 25, it rebounded 156% from a weekly low, attracting dip buyers and putting short sellers under pressure as trading volumes pushed toward $1 billion.

Bubblemaps Identifies Large-Scale Wallet Coordination Across Major Meme Tokens

The new Bubblemaps findings are part of a broader series of investigations by the firm into hidden accumulation patterns, insider launches, and potential manipulation across the meme coin sector.

Its “Time Travel” analytics tool, introduced in May, reconstructs historical token distributions to highlight wallets that may have coordinated holdings ahead of launch.

The goal, according to the firm, is to help traders detect risks such as rug pulls, concentrated supply, and rapid liquidity removal.

Bubblemaps has already been involved in uncovering questionable activity behind several high-profile meme tokens this year.

In February, the company linked the MELANIA and LIBRA tokens to the same wallet, alleging that the entity behind the launches had used insider tactics to snipe early liquidity and extract millions in profits before both tokens collapsed.

LIBRA’s implosion triggered political fallout in Argentina after insiders allegedly withdrew more than $100 million, causing the token to lose nearly all its value within hours.

Similar patterns have emerged in other cases. Investigators reported that more than 70% of Kanye West’s YZY token holders suffered losses shortly after its launch, while 11 wallets captured nearly a third of all profits.

Bubblemaps also raised alarms in September about what it described as one of the largest Sybil attacks ever recorded, linking around 100 wallets to a coordinated effort that claimed $170 million worth of MYX airdrop tokens.

And in early December, the firm tied over 1,000 wallets to a single actor who allegedly captured most of the WET token presale on Solana within seconds.

The post Did One Entity Kill PEPE’s Fair Launch? Bubblemaps Flags 30% Genesis Hoard, $2M Dump appeared first on Cryptonews.

Coinbase has expanded its Solana integration by activating native decentralized exchange trading inside its mobile application, giving users the ability to swap Solana-based tokens directly on-chain for the first time through the platform.

The update, confirmed by Coinbase protocol specialist Andrew, allows trades to be settled in USDC alongside standard payment options such as cash, bank accounts, and debit cards.

It follows the company’s August rollout of DEX support for Base-network assets and fulfills its earlier promise to bring Solana into the lineup before the end of the year.

Solana Becomes Core to Coinbase’s Vision as On-Chain Trading Surges

The move arrives at a time when Coinbase is pushing to evolve into what it calls the “everything exchange,” a long-term plan to combine custodial and on-chain trading under one roof.

Earlier this month, the company revealed that it would acquire Vector, an on-chain trading platform built natively on Solana.

Coinbase said the deal, expected to close by year-end, will plug Vector’s infrastructure into its DEX architecture.

Vector’s tools specialize in identifying new Solana assets the moment they deploy on-chain or emerge from launchpads, a capability Coinbase believes will improve speed, liquidity, and asset discovery for retail traders.

Solana’s trading environment has become one of Coinbase’s strategic focal points. Data shows that Solana DEX volume has already surpassed $1 trillion in 2025, underlining the chain’s acceleration.

A recent snapshot of the ecosystem shows more than $4 billion in 24-hour volume and nearly $94 billion over the past month

Platforms such as HumidiFi, Pump, Meteora, Raydium, Orca, and Tessera V now dominate activity, collectively accounting for more than 88 percent of daily trades.

The dataset shows that newer entrants have carved out significant market share, reshaping a space once led by Orca and Serum.

Notably, in October, Coinbase quietly expanded its on-chain features by adding DEX trading to its mobile app for U.S. users. The update lets people swap tokens directly on-chain, including assets that haven’t yet made it onto Coinbase’s main listings.

New York users are still blocked due to local rules. The company had been testing the feature with a smaller group of users since August before rolling it out more widely.

Solana Community Voices Friction as Coinbase Rolls Out Base–Solana Bridge

Coinbase’s decision to deepen its Solana integration comes just days after the company faced criticism within the Solana community for launching a new cross-chain bridge between Base and Solana.

The bridge, secured by Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol, went live on December 5 and is designed to let users move SPL assets into Base environments and use them inside Base-native applications.

Base lead Jesse Pollak described the product as a two-way channel intended to unlock shared liquidity.

However, Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko dismissed the framing and argued that bridges act as value-capture mechanisms rather than neutral infrastructure.

He urged Base developers to move computation to Solana if they expected economic alignment.

The tension escalated as Solana Foundation members criticized the bridge’s rollout, saying it bypassed their technical and marketing teams and lacked a single Solana-based launch partner.

Pollak responded by pointing to nine months of development work and said demand from builders on both sides justified the connection.

Market observers noted that Coinbase and Base had followed a similar pattern during earlier outreach to Ethereum developers.

Coinbase Doubles Down on International Expansion

The DEX expansion also arrives as Coinbase attempts to recover from declining trading volumes and mounting competition from U.S. rivals like Robinhood and Kraken.

By allowing users to hold their own assets and execute trades on-chain, the company is trying to capture demand for self-custody and reduce reliance on traditional exchange infrastructure.

Coinbase’s broader international lineup has also expanded recently. In November, the company launched Coinbase Business in Singapore, and on December 8, the exchange reopened registration in India after a two-year hiatus, with plans to restore fiat support by 2026.

The post Coinbase Expands Native Solana Support With In‑App DEX Trading After Bridge Backlash appeared first on Cryptonews.