Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia and Capital A, the parent company of AirAsia, have taken a major step into the country’s digital asset landscape with plans to explore a ringgit-pegged stablecoin.

The two companies signed a letter of intent on Friday to work on the initiative under Malaysia’s Digital Asset Innovation Hub, a regulatory framework launched by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) in June to encourage experimentation in tokenization and blockchain-based finance.

Standard Chartered, Capital A Target Institutional Use Cases for Ringgit Stablecoin

The effort marks Capital A’s first involvement in regulated digital asset development.

Under the plan, Standard Chartered Malaysia would act as the issuer of the ringgit-backed token, while Capital A and its ecosystem partners would design and test wholesale-focused use cases.

The companies emphasized that the pilot will target institutional and enterprise applications rather than retail consumers.

Both parties framed the project as aligned with Malaysia’s wider ambitions to modernize payments, settlement rails and capital markets through emerging technologies.

Capital A said the collaboration “supports the aspirations of Malaysia,” signaling that stablecoins could become part of the country’s long-term financial infrastructure strategy.

The move follows growing interest within Malaysia’s leadership, including the launch of a separate ringgit-backed stablecoin by the eldest son of the nation’s king.

BNM has recently accelerated its work in digital assets. Last month, it introduced a three-year roadmap to test asset tokenization in live environments and announced the formation of an Asset Tokenization Industry Working Group to coordinate development across banks, fintechs and regulators.

The central bank’s initiatives aim to provide controlled testing grounds while identifying legal and regulatory hurdles ahead of broader adoption.

Malaysia has been reassessing its digital asset stance since early 2025, when government officials began exploring a new national crypto policy.

Earlier this week, Malaysia’s Crown Prince formally stepped into the digital-asset sector with a new state-backed stablecoin initiative and a large crypto-treasury plan.

Bullish Aim Sdn. Bhd., chaired and owned by His Royal Highness Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, the Regent of Johor, announced the launch of RMJDT, a ringgit-backed stablecoin issued on Zetrix, the Layer-1 blockchain that powers Malaysia’s national Malaysia Blockchain Infrastructure.

Malaysia’s Securities Regulator Proposes Major Overhaul of Crypto Exchange Rules

As reported, Malaysia’s Securities Commission (SC) has unveiled plans to modernize its Digital Asset Exchange (DAX) regulatory framework following a surge in crypto trading volumes, which hit RM13.9 billion ($2.9 billion) in 2024, more than double the previous year.

The SC’s consultation paper, open from June 30 to August 11, 2025, outlines reforms aimed at speeding up token listings, strengthening governance, and enhancing investor protection as Malaysia’s digital asset ecosystem matures.

Under the proposed rules, eligible tokens could be listed on regulated exchanges without prior SC approval, provided they meet predefined criteria.

The move is intended to reduce regulatory bottlenecks and allow exchanges to respond faster to market demand, though it places more responsibility on operators to ensure compliance and manage risks.

The regulator also plans to impose stricter governance standards, including segregation of client assets, improved risk management, and higher financial thresholds for DAX operators to bolster resilience and investor confidence.

The reforms form part of Malaysia’s broader fintech and crypto modernization push, which includes Bank Negara Malaysia’s exploration of asset tokenization and CBDC pilots.

However, regulators continue to stress caution, maintaining that cryptocurrencies are not legal tender and ramping up enforcement against unlicensed exchanges such as Bybit and Huobi.

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The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission has granted no-action relief to four prediction market operators, easing enforcement pressure on platforms that have faced mounting regulatory scrutiny.

In a notice published Thursday, the agency said it would not pursue action against Polymarket US, LedgerX, PredictIt and Gemini Titan, Gemini’s event-contracts arm, for failing to meet certain swap data reporting and record-keeping obligations, so long as they comply with a set of conditions outlined in the letters.

The CFTC emphasized that the relief is narrow and mirrors treatment given to other designated contract markets and clearing organizations.

CFTC Signals Flexibility as Prediction Markets Build Compliance Systems

The no-action letters do not change existing law but signal a willingness by regulators to give emerging prediction markets room to operate as they refine their compliance systems.

To qualify for continued relief, the platforms must fully collateralize all contracts, with reserves covering every position in full.

They are also required to publish time-and-sales data for each transaction once it is executed.

These conditions aim to ensure transparency and mitigate counterparty risk, especially in markets that allow trading on outcomes ranging from sports to political events and cultural oddities.

Prediction markets fall under the CFTC’s jurisdiction as designated contract markets, triggering extensive reporting rules that many newer platforms have struggled to meet.

The new relief reduces the threat of immediate enforcement but does not absolve the companies from longer-term compliance expectations.

The regulatory pause comes during a standout year for event-driven trading. Prediction markets have surged in popularity throughout 2025, with some platforms posting transaction activity on par with mid-tier crypto exchanges.

Kalshi recorded $5.14 billion in trading volume over the past 30 days, according to DefiLlama, while Polymarket registered $1.9 billion over the same period.

Major crypto firms are also eyeing the space. Crypto.com has launched its own prediction market product, expected to integrate with Trump Media, and site code indicates Coinbase is exploring a similar offering.

While the CFTC’s no-action stance offers temporary breathing room, the sector now faces increased expectations to demonstrate transparency, collateral integrity and readiness for full regulatory oversight.

SEC Clears DTCC to Launch Landmark Tokenization Program

Yesterday, the US Securities and Exchange Commission also approved a major step toward blockchain-based securities markets by granting the Depository Trust Company, a DTCC subsidiary, a rare no-action letter.

The decision allows DTC to begin tokenizing Treasuries, index ETFs and assets tied to the Russell 1000 starting in late 2026 on pre-approved blockchains.

Such letters are uncommon, signalling strong regulatory confidence in the framework DTCC proposed and marking a broader shift in the SEC’s approach to blockchain infrastructure.

The SEC has taken a noticeably more open stance toward blockchain initiatives over the past year.

Two decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) projects received similar no-action treatment, and in late September, the agency cleared investment advisers to work with state trust companies serving as crypto custodians.

In August, the agency issued a similar letter to Double Zero, surprising many in the industry and fueling optimism that the SEC, now led by Chair Paul Atkins, is taking a more measured approach after years of tension under former chair Gary Gensler.

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Korean authorities say Binance froze only a small portion of the crypto stolen during last month’s Upbit hack, despite an urgent request from police and the exchange to halt the movement of illicit funds.

According to investigators, only 17% of the assets flagged for freezing were actually locked down, local news outlets reported on Friday.

Security analysts tracking the breach say the hacking group behind the attack used an elaborate laundering strategy on the morning of November 27, quickly scattering the stolen assets across more than a thousand wallets.

Binance Froze Only 17% of Upbit Hack Funds

The attackers repeatedly broke the funds into smaller portions, moved them through multiple chains, and relied on token bridges and swaps to obscure the trail.

Most of the laundered assets eventually landed in service wallets on Binance, authorities said.

Upbit and police requested an immediate freeze on roughly 470 million won (about $370,000) worth of Solana confirmed to have hit Binance.

However, the exchange froze only 80 million won (about $75,000), saying it needed additional verification before taking broader action.

The freeze was confirmed around midnight on the day of the incident, roughly 15 hours after the original request.

When questioned by Korean broadcaster KBS about the limited scope of the freeze and the delay, Binance declined to address specifics, citing its policy around active investigations.

The exchange said only that it “continues to cooperate with the relevant authorities and partners in accordance with appropriate procedures.”

That explanation has not satisfied experts in South Korea. Cho Jae-woo, director of Hansung University’s Blockchain Research Institute, argued that rapid intervention is essential to minimize losses.

“To prevent damage from hacking, a swift initial freeze is essential, but exchanges often cite litigation risks as an excuse for being hesitant,” he said.

He added that the industry should consider establishing a global emergency hotline between exchanges or a coordinated body empowered to impose immediate freezes in crisis situations.

Investigators say most of the stolen assets have since been converted from Solana to Ethereum, a move likely aimed at improving liquidity given Ethereum’s deep markets.

Upbit Moves 99% of Customer Assets to Cold Storage After $30M Hack

As reported, Upbit is shifting nearly all customer assets into cold storage after hackers stole 44.5 billion won (about $30 million) from its Solana hot wallet, marking one of the strongest security responses yet by a major exchange.

Operator Dunamu said the platform will raise its cold wallet ratio to 99% and reduce hot wallet exposure to effectively zero, far above South Korea’s legal requirement that 80% of user funds be stored offline.

The exchange already held 98.33% of assets in cold storage at the end of October, the highest among domestic platforms, but accelerated its overhaul following the breach.

Meanwhile, South Korean authorities have launched an investigation, and local reports have cited early intelligence assessments that allegedly connect the intrusion to North Korea’s Lazarus Group.

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Binance has widened access to the Trump family–linked USD1 stablecoin, adding new fee-free trading pairs as the token gains a larger foothold on the exchange.

The company confirmed on Thursday that users can now trade USD1 against Ether, Solana and BNB, joining its existing Bitcoin pair.

Binance Retires BUSD, Makes USD1 Its Primary Collateral Asset

The move deepens Binance’s integration of USD1 and comes as the exchange will convert all remaining BUSD collateral into USD1 at a one-to-one rate within a week.

The decision effectively retires BUSD from Binance’s internal structure and positions USD1 as its primary dollar-pegged asset for collateral use.

Binance said the conversion reflects a broader update to its collateral framework, describing USD1 as “an integral part” of the exchange’s ecosystem going forward.

World Liberty Financial CEO Zach Witkoff welcomed the expansion, calling it a milestone for a stablecoin that launched only in March.

USD1, backed by U.S. Treasury bills and issued on Ethereum and BNB Chain, has climbed to the seventh-largest stablecoin with a market value of $2.7 billion.

Its rapid ascent was boosted in May when Abu Dhabi investment firm MGX deployed USD1 for a $2 billion investment on Binance.

Despite early momentum, supply has dipped slightly from its $3 billion peak in late October, with no new tokens minted for several months, according to CoinGecko data.

World Liberty Financial was co-founded by President Donald Trump and his sons, giving USD1 an unusually political profile in the stablecoin market.

The involvement drew further attention after Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao seven weeks ago.

Zhao had been sentenced to four months in prison in April 2024 for failing to implement adequate anti-money laundering controls at the exchange.

Trump later said he issued the pardon after hearing broad support for Zhao and insisting the offense “is not even a crime.”

The move also comes as Binance has secured three new licences in Abu Dhabi, tightening its grip on one of the most ambitious digital asset hubs in the Middle East and giving the exchange a powerful regulatory base as it pushes to keep institutional money on side.

The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market has approved Binance.com to operate through a trio of regulated entities that together cover exchange, clearing and broker dealer activities.

Binance Eyes US Comeback After Trump Pardons Founder Changpeng Zhao

Binance is reportedly exploring ways to re-enter the US market following Trump’s pardon of CZ.

The exchange is weighing options such as merging its US affiliate with its global platform or allowing its main exchange to serve American users directly.

Zhao’s pardon, granted after his 2023 guilty plea for anti–money laundering violations, has reignited scrutiny amid Binance’s $2 billion deal with Trump’s family-backed crypto venture, World Liberty Financial.

The clemency removes prior legal barriers that had restricted his involvement in Binance operations.

Legal experts say the move effectively reinstates Zhao’s ability to engage in business decisions, giving the company’s leadership a major boost as it eyes renewed US access.

Zhao, whose net worth stands at $61.4 billion, remains one of the most powerful figures in crypto, overseeing an ecosystem with $8.7 billion in on-chain assets.

The pardon comes as Trump continues to court the digital asset industry, with his family reportedly earning over $1 billion from crypto ventures.

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The US Securities and Exchange Commission has given a key green light to the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation’s (DTCC) push into blockchain-based markets.

On Thursday, the DTCC confirmed that its subsidiary, the Depository Trust Company (DTC), received a rare “no-action” letter that allows it to begin tokenizing traditional securities in a controlled production setting.

DTC to Tokenize Treasuries, ETFs and Russell 1000 Assets by 2026

Under the approval, the DTC plans to tokenize a basket of highly liquid instruments, including components of the Russell 1000 index, major index-tracking ETFs, and US Treasury bills, notes, and bonds.

The service is scheduled for launch in the second half of 2026 and is designed to operate on pre-approved blockchains for a period of three years.

The DTCC, which underpins much of the US securities market through its clearing and settlement operations, said the no-action letter confirms the agency will not pursue enforcement if the program is carried out as proposed.

Market observers view the decision as a significant regulatory signal, as no-action letters are uncommon and typically reserved for projects with clear safeguards.

DTCC CEO Frank La Salla welcomed the move, saying the tokenization effort could reshape how securities move across the financial system.

He pointed to potential improvements such as faster collateral mobility, continuous market access, and new trading mechanisms enabled by programmable assets.

According to the company, tokenized versions of these assets will carry the same ownership rights, investor protections, and entitlements as their traditional counterparts, providing a bridge between legacy market structure and emerging blockchain rails.

The service will be available to DTC participants and their clients.

The SEC has taken a noticeably more open stance toward blockchain initiatives over the past year.

Two decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) projects received similar no-action treatment, and in late September, the agency cleared investment advisers to work with state trust companies serving as crypto custodians.

In August, the agency issued a similar letter to Double Zero, surprising many in the industry and fueling optimism that the SEC, now led by Chair Paul Atkins, is taking a more measured approach after years of tension under former chair Gary Gensler.

RWA Tokenization Gains Momentum

On Monday, Libeara, the blockchain infrastructure platform backed by Standard Chartered’s venture arm SC Ventures, rolled out a new tokenized gold investment fund in Singapore, bringing one of the world’s oldest safe-haven assets onto digital rails.

The fund, launched in partnership with FundBridge Capital, allows professional investors to gain exposure to gold through blockchain-based tokens issued on Libeara’s ledger.

In a recent research, Web3 digital property firm Animoca Brands said that tokenization of RWAs could unlock a $400 trillion traditional finance market.

Animoca researchers Andrew Ho and Ming Ruan said the global market for private credit, treasury debt, commodities, stocks, alternative funds, and bonds represents a vast runway for growth.

“The estimated $400 trillion addressable TradFi market underscores the potential growth runway for RWA tokenization,” they wrote.

Meanwhile, according to the 2025 Skynet RWA Security Report, the market for tokenized RWAs could grow to $16 trillion by 2030.

The post SEC Grants DTCC Subsidiary No-Action Letter to Launch Tokenization Service appeared first on Cryptonews.

United Arab Emirates telecom heavyweight e& is preparing to test whether a regulated stablecoin can support day-to-day consumer payments, marking one of the country’s most visible moves toward blockchain-based financial infrastructure.

The company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Al Maryah Community Bank to explore how a dirham-pegged token could function across its digital services.

e& Tests AE Coin Stablecoin for Bill Payments and Digital Services

The trial centers on AE Coin, a fully backed stablecoin licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE.

Under the agreement, e& will evaluate how the token can be woven into its payment systems, potentially allowing customers to pay mobile and home-service bills, recharge prepaid lines, manage postpaid accounts, and interact with its digital platforms using a blockchain-based settlement method.

Executives on both sides framed the partnership as part of the UAE’s broader ambition to push regulated digital finance into mainstream use.

e& Group CEO Hatem Dowidar said the stablecoin offers “instant settlement, complete transparency, and frictionless access,” highlighting its appeal as a next-generation payment rail.

Al Maryah Community Bank CEO Mohammed Wassim Khayata added that the pilot opens the door to expanding “real-world applications” for licensed virtual assets.

Although e& signaled interest in eventually linking the token to e-commerce channels, the initiative remains firmly in the exploratory stage.

An MoU indicates intent rather than deployment, meaning timelines, rollout scope, and consumer impact are still undefined. For now, the trial will focus on internal infrastructure testing rather than a public launch.

Ramez Rafeek, general manager of AED Stablecoin, the firm behind AE Coin, described the collaboration as a milestone for regulated digital payments, positioning the stablecoin as a potential backbone for essential services.

The company was among the first to receive in-principle approval under the UAE’s Payment Token Service Regulation framework, putting it ahead in the region’s increasingly competitive stablecoin race.

The UAE has been actively advancing its regulatory approach to virtual assets as it seeks to build out a compliant digital finance ecosystem.

Tether, Binance Secure Regulatory Approval in ADGM

As reported, Tether’s USDT stablecoin has also secured regulatory recognition as an approved fiat-referenced token across a wide range of blockchains inside the ADGM.

Tether said ADGM now permits licensed institutions in the financial free zone to conduct regulated activities involving USDT across Aptos, Celo, Cosmos, Kaia, Near, Polkadot, Tezos, TON and TRON.

These approvals expand on earlier recognition for USDT on Ethereum, Solana and Avalanche.

On Monday, Binance disclosed that it has also secured full authorization to operate its flagship Binance.com platform under ADGM oversight, a milestone that comes after years of regulatory scrutiny.

Binance will operate through three distinct legal entities in the zone, an exchange, a clearing house and a broker-dealer, reflecting a traditional financial-market structure designed to enable regulated trading, custody, settlement and off-exchange services.

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Most Ethereum scaling networks are unlikely to make it through 2026, according to new forecasts from 21Shares.

The firm’s latest State of Crypto outlook warns that the Layer-2 ecosystem has reached a breaking point after two years of rapid expansion, leaving only a handful of dominant players with meaningful traction.

Base, Arbitrum, Optimism Dominate as Dozens of Ethereum L2s Become ‘Zombie Chains’

More than 50 L2s currently compete for users, liquidity, and developers. However, by late 2025, market share had already consolidated around three networks, including Base, Arbitrum, and Optimism, which together processed nearly 90% of all L2 transactions, with Base alone surpassing 60%.

The rest of the field is slipping into irrelevance. Activity across smaller rollups has fallen sharply, with L2 usage down 61% since June, the report shows.

Many are now operating as so-called “zombie chains,” running with minimal user activity and evaporating liquidity.

Several projects have already failed. Kinto shut down entirely, Loopring closed its wallet service, and Blast’s total value locked collapsed 97%.

Even major DeFi protocols such as Aave and Synthetix scaled back their deployments on weaker L2s, citing poor liquidity and limited returns.

The Dencun upgrade’s 90% fee reduction triggered aggressive fee wars that pushed most rollups into losses. Base was the only L2 that turned a profit in 2025, earning around $55 million.

21Shares expects a “leaner, more resilient” set of networks to define Ethereum’s scaling layer by the end of 2026.

ETH-aligned designs like Linea, which redirect fees back to Ethereum through burns or validator rewards, aim to improve long-term sustainability.

Meanwhile, high-performance entrants such as MegaETH are targeting near-real-time execution to close the gap with fast monolithic chains.

Exchange-backed networks are also reshaping the landscape. Coinbase’s Base and Binance’s BNB Chain showed how centralized platforms can onboard millions directly onchain, while Bybit’s Mantle and Kraken’s Ink are expected to follow.

$1T Stablecoins, $400B ETPs, and the Rise of AI-Driven Finance

Beyond Ethereum’s scaling shakeout, 21Shares points to a series of structural shifts that are likely to reshape the digital asset landscape in 2026.

Stablecoins are on track to reach $1 trillion in circulation as they continue to gain ground in payments, remittances, and corporate finance.

At the same time, global crypto ETPs are expected to surpass $400 billion in assets, putting them in the same league as major equity index funds as institutional access broadens, per the report.

Decentralized finance is also set for a resurgence. The firm projects that DeFi’s total value locked will climb past $300 billion, helped by falling interest rates, growing stablecoin liquidity, and companies deploying idle treasury assets into onchain markets.

Prediction markets, one of the fastest-growing sectors of 2025, may cross $100 billion in annual trading volume as political uncertainty and macro volatility fuel demand for real-time event speculation, 21Shares said.

The post Most Ethereum L2s May Not Survive 2026 as Base, Arbitrum, Optimism Tighten Grip: 21Shares appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bhutan is deepening its national blockchain push with the rollout of TER, a gold-backed digital token issued through Gelephu Mindfulness City and supported by the Kingdom’s sovereign framework.

The initiative positions Bhutan among the few nations experimenting with state-backed tokenized assets as it looks to merge traditional stores of value with modern financial infrastructure.

According to an announcement on Thursday, TER will run on Solana and be distributed and custodied by DK Bank, Bhutan’s first licensed digital bank.

Bhutan Opens Direct Bank Sales for Its Tokenized Gold Asset

In the first phase, investors will be able to acquire the token directly through the bank, creating a bridge between familiar gold-purchase processes and transparent, on-chain ownership.

Officials say the structure allows international buyers to access a tokenized form of gold that retains the mobility, settlement efficiency and global reach of digital assets.

TER is also a flagship project for Gelephu Mindfulness City, a special administrative zone designed to attract international capital and nurture Bhutan’s digital economy.

The city forms a key pillar of the Kingdom’s broader strategy to diversify its economy with technology-led initiatives that align with cultural and sustainability priorities.

Bhutan’s move comes shortly after Kyrgyzstan unveiled USDKG, a state-supervised gold-backed stablecoin, highlighting a growing trend in which smaller nations use blockchain to modernize the management of safe-haven assets.

Beyond its role as a new investment instrument, TER underscores Bhutan’s ambition to build a sovereign-aligned digital finance ecosystem rooted in audited reserves and institutional safeguards.

DK Bank’s regulated infrastructure is intended to give both domestic and global investors confidence in custody and compliance standards.

Solana’s high-speed, low-cost network provides the technical foundation for the token, with its performance and environmental efficiency cited as deciding factors.

The launch fits into a broader national program of digital experimentation. Bhutan has woven digital assets into its strategic reserves, deployed blockchain-based identity systems, enabled crypto-powered payments and leveraged hydropower to mine Bitcoin.

The introduction of TER marks the latest step in that evolution, giving Bhutan a distinctive position in the growing market for state-backed tokenized assets.

SC Ventures-Backed Libeara Launches Tokenized Gold Fund

On Monday, Libeara, the blockchain infrastructure platform backed by Standard Chartered’s venture arm SC Ventures, rolled out a new tokenized gold investment fund in Singapore, bringing one of the world’s oldest safe-haven assets onto digital rails.

The fund, launched in partnership with FundBridge Capital, allows professional investors to gain exposure to gold through blockchain-based tokens issued on Libeara’s ledger.

In a recent research, Web3 digital property firm Animoca Brands said that tokenization of RWAs could unlock a $400 trillion traditional finance market.

Animoca researchers Andrew Ho and Ming Ruan said the global market for private credit, treasury debt, commodities, stocks, alternative funds, and bonds represents a vast runway for growth.

“The estimated $400 trillion addressable TradFi market underscores the potential growth runway for RWA tokenization,” they wrote.

Meanwhile, according to the 2025 Skynet RWA Security Report, the market for tokenized RWAs could grow to $16 trillion by 2030.

The post Bhutan Rolls Out Solana-Powered Sovereign Gold Token TER appeared first on Cryptonews.

Galaxy is expanding its global footprint with a new office and entity in Abu Dhabi, moving into one of the world’s fastest-growing digital asset hubs.

The company confirmed Wednesday that it will establish an operation under the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the emirate’s international financial center and a rising destination for crypto and fintech firms.

Founder and CEO Mike Novogratz said the expansion reflects Galaxy’s strategy to deepen its partnerships and broaden its operations across regions showing strong institutional demand.

Galaxy Posts Strong Q3 as It Joins $1.65B Solana Fund

The move comes as Galaxy reports strong financial performance, including $505 million in net income for Q3 2025 and $3.2 billion in equity.

The firm has remained active across the crypto landscape, with recent involvement in a planned $1.65 billion Solana treasury fund alongside Cantor Fitzgerald, Multicoin Capital and Jump Crypto.

Managing director Bouchra Darwazah highlighted the importance of the Middle East, describing it as a center of capital, innovation and investor sophistication.

She added that the new office will support Galaxy’s ambition to position itself as a leading global digital asset investment and infrastructure firm.

Galaxy joins a growing list of digital asset companies turning to the UAE as a base for Middle East expansion.

Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi have approved registrations for major global exchanges over the past year, including Binance and Bybit.

Stablecoin firms have also secured key approvals. In November, ADGM allowed regulated companies to issue Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, while this week the financial center recognized Tether’s USDt as an accepted fiat-referenced token.

Circle also received authorization to operate as a financial service provider, paving the way for wider use of USDC in the region.

Tether, Binance Secure Regulatory Approval in ADGM

Galaxy’s arrival underscores the UAE’s drive to attract major players as it positions itself as a global leader in digital asset regulation and infrastructure.

As reported, Tether’s USDT stablecoin has also secured regulatory recognition as an approved fiat-referenced token across a wide range of blockchains inside the ADGM.

Tether said ADGM now permits licensed institutions in the financial free zone to conduct regulated activities involving USDT across Aptos, Celo, Cosmos, Kaia, Near, Polkadot, Tezos, TON and TRON.

These approvals expand on earlier recognition for USDT on Ethereum, Solana and Avalanche.

On Monday, Binance disclosed that it has also secured full authorization to operate its flagship Binance.com platform under ADGM oversight, a milestone that comes after years of regulatory scrutiny.

Binance will operate through three distinct legal entities in the zone, an exchange, a clearing house and a broker-dealer, reflecting a traditional financial-market structure designed to enable regulated trading, custody, settlement and off-exchange services.

The post Galaxy Launches Abu Dhabi Arm to Grow Middle East Presence appeared first on Cryptonews.

Australia’s securities regulator has finalized a set of exemptions designed to make it easier for businesses to distribute stablecoins and wrapped tokens.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) said Tuesday that it is granting “class relief” for intermediaries involved in the secondary distribution of certain stablecoins and wrapped assets.

The update removes the need for separate Australian Financial Services (AFS) licenses when handling these products, easing a compliance burden that has long frustrated market participants.

ASIC Backs Omnibus Accounts to Cut Costs and Boost Efficiency

Under the new measures, intermediaries will be able to use omnibus account structures as long as they maintain proper records.

ASIC noted that these structures are widely adopted across the industry, offering speed advantages, lower operating costs and, in many cases, improved risk and cybersecurity practices.

For issuers, the change represents a more level playing field. Drew Bradford, CEO of Australian stablecoin issuer Macropod, said the clarity gives companies “confidence to build” as they expand their product lines.

He added that the streamlined approach, particularly around reserve management and asset-handling requirements, removes major friction points that previously slowed experimentation and growth.

Industry figures have long argued that older licensing rules were expensive and mismatched for a sector waiting on broader digital asset reforms.

Bradford said the new clarity is critical for scaling real-world use cases such as payments, cross-border transfers, treasury functions and onchain settlement.

“It signals that Australia intends to be competitive globally, while still maintaining the regulatory guardrails that institutions and consumers expect,” he said.

Angela Ang, head of policy and strategic partnerships at TRM Labs, also praised the move, saying she expects Australia’s regulatory landscape to solidify further in the coming year, a shift she believes will spur additional investment and innovation.

The policy shift comes as global stablecoin demand reaches new highs. Total stablecoin market capitalization has surpassed $300 billion, according to RWA.xyz, rising 48% since the start of the year.

Tether continues to dominate with a 63% share of the market.

Australia Moves Forward With Sweeping Crypto Licensing Bill

Last month, Australia introduced its first comprehensive regulatory framework for crypto exchanges and custody providers, aiming to tighten asset-protection standards and reduce risks for local users.

The Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025, unveiled by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Financial Services Minister Daniel Mulino, would require platforms holding customer crypto to obtain an Australian Financial Services License and operate under ASIC oversight.

Lawmakers say the reforms could unlock up to $24 billion in annual productivity gains while improving investor safeguards.

The bill passed its first reading and advanced directly to a second, opening parliamentary debate. It creates two new license classes, “digital asset platform” and “tokenized custody platform,” and focuses regulation on companies that control customer funds, rather than the technology they use.

The post ASIC Finalizes Exemptions to Boost Stablecoin and Wrapped Token Distribution appeared first on Cryptonews.

Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Capital has entered a collaboration with institutional RWA infrastructure provider Kaio to study how digital rails can support tokenized access to private market strategies.

Announced Tuesday, the partnership will focus on testing how Kaio’s framework could allow institutional and accredited investors to access Mubadala Capital’s private market products onchain.

While the work remains exploratory, it reflects growing interest in using RWA tokenization to modernize fund structures traditionally restricted by steep minimums, long lockups and jurisdictional limits.

Mubadala Capital Manages $430B Across Global Markets

Mubadala Capital oversees and advises on more than $430 billion across private equity, credit, real estate and alternative strategies.

It operates as a subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company, one of Abu Dhabi’s major sovereign wealth funds.

The group’s broader digital-asset positioning has drawn attention recently. In November, Bloomberg reported that the Abu Dhabi Investment Council, another Mubadala subsidiary, held at least $500 million in BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF.

In Tuesday’s announcement, Fatima Al Noaimi and Max Franzetti, co-heads of Mubadala Capital Solutions, said the goal is to work with regulatory-aligned infrastructure to understand how tokenization can broaden access to institutional-grade vehicles.

Kaio brings prior experience in the sector, having helped structure tokenized feeder funds for firms such as BlackRock, Brevan Howard and Hamilton Lane.

The company has moved more than $200 million in institutional assets onchain and says the Mubadala initiative underscores momentum behind onchain investment products.

“This launch demonstrates how traditional institutional capital is now scaling onchain,” Kaio CEO Shrey Rastogi said.

The move places Mubadala among a growing cohort of institutional players studying whether tokenized mechanisms can cut operational friction and eventually expand global participation.

CoinShares data shows strong demand for RWAs in 2025, particularly tokenized US Treasurys, which grew from $3.9 billion to $8.6 billion this year. The firm expects the trend to continue into 2026 as appetite for dollar-based yields remains elevated.

Infrastructure is also evolving to support the shift. On Wednesday, Polygon deployed a hard fork aimed at strengthening performance for high-frequency applications such as stablecoins and tokenized RWAs.

RWA Tokenization Gains Momentum

On Monday, Libeara, the blockchain infrastructure platform backed by Standard Chartered’s venture arm SC Ventures, rolled out a new tokenized gold investment fund in Singapore, bringing one of the world’s oldest safe-haven assets onto digital rails.

The fund, launched in partnership with FundBridge Capital, allows professional investors to gain exposure to gold through blockchain-based tokens issued on Libeara’s ledger.

In a recent research, Web3 digital property firm Animoca Brands said that tokenization of RWAs could unlock a $400 trillion traditional finance market.

Animoca researchers Andrew Ho and Ming Ruan said the global market for private credit, treasury debt, commodities, stocks, alternative funds, and bonds represents a vast runway for growth.

“The estimated $400 trillion addressable TradFi market underscores the potential growth runway for RWA tokenization,” they wrote.

Meanwhile, according to the 2025 Skynet RWA Security Report, the market for tokenized RWAs could grow to $16 trillion by 2030.

The post Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Capital Partners With Kaio to Explore On-Chain RWAs appeared first on Cryptonews.

The US Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has fined peer-to-peer crypto marketplace Paxful $3.5 million.

The regulator accused the company of willfully violating federal anti-money laundering laws and allowing more than $500 million in suspicious transfers linked to high-risk jurisdictions and criminal activity.

According to FinCEN, Paxful facilitated transactions tied to Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, and even Backpage.com, the notorious classifieds site seized in 2018 for enabling sex trafficking.

FinCEN Says Paxful Ignored Basic Anti–Money Laundering Rules

Regulators said Paxful failed to implement even the most basic requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), including registering as a money services business, maintaining an anti-money-laundering program, and filing suspicious activity reports.

“For years, Paxful disregarded its BSA obligations and facilitated transactions associated with illicit activity and high-risk jurisdictions,” FinCEN Director Andrea Gacki said.

Paxful acknowledged that it willfully violated federal law. The consent order highlights major compliance lapses during the years in which Paxful operated without adequate oversight, largely due to failures by former leadership.

FinCEN said the company has since taken steps to correct past misconduct, including firing senior figures responsible for the violations and conducting an internal review to identify suspicious activity previously left unreported.

Regulators from multiple federal agencies assisted in the case, including the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Narcotics section, the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, and Homeland Security Investigations.

The agency emphasized that firms involved in digital assets must adjust their controls to match the risks inherent in dealing with crypto, especially exposure to sanctioned jurisdictions and anonymous transfers.

In 2023, Paxful shut down its peer-to-peer crypto marketplace, citing the broader industry downturn, regulatory pressure, and internal turmoil.

CEO Ray Youssef cited multiple factors behind the shutdown, including major staff departures, increasingly burdensome US regulatory requirements, and a lawsuit filed by a co-founder, reportedly Artur Schaback.

He said compliance demands had grown so intense that even dedicating a quarter of Paxful’s workforce to compliance was not enough.

The company also lacked the resources to continue operating while blocking US users, making a full marketplace suspension unavoidable.

B.C. Seizes Over $1M in Gold, Cash Linked to QuadrigaCX Co-Founder

As reported, British Columbia has secured a major legal victory after obtaining a court order to seize more than $1 million in gold, cash, and luxury goods tied to QuadrigaCX co-founder Michael Patryn.

The forfeiture comes under the province’s unexplained wealth order regime, which requires individuals to prove their assets were acquired lawfully.

Patryn chose not to contest the action, allowing authorities to move forward with liquidating the seized items.

The seized assets were discovered in a Vancouver safety deposit box and included 45 gold bars, luxury watches, jewelry, and a loaded .45-caliber pistol.

At today’s prices, the gold alone is worth over $800,000. The province’s civil forfeiture office alleges these items were purchased using misappropriated QuadrigaCX customer funds, citing evidence gathered during a broader RCMP investigation.

The post FinCEN Fines Paxful $3.5M for Enabling $500M in Illicit Crypto Transactions appeared first on Cryptonews.

A federal judge has handed prediction markets platform Kalshi a temporary shield from enforcement after Connecticut regulators accused the company of running unlicensed online gambling.

The ruling pauses state action as the legal fight over Kalshi’s status moves into early 2026.

Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) issued cease-and-desist notices on Dec. 2 to Kalshi, Robinhood, and Crypto.com, alleging they were offering unlicensed sports wagering through “online sports event contracts.”

Judge Halts Connecticut Action as Kalshi Claims Federal Oversight

A day later, Kalshi sued the agency, arguing that its event contracts fall squarely under federal derivatives law and that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), not individual states, has “exclusive jurisdiction” over its platform.

On Monday, Judge Vernon Oliver ordered the DCP to refrain from taking action while the court reviews Kalshi’s request for temporary relief.

Under the schedule set by the court, the DCP must respond by Jan. 9, Kalshi will submit additional arguments by Jan. 30, and oral arguments are expected in mid-February.

Kalshi, designated by the CFTC as a federally regulated contract market, began offering event-based contracts nationwide earlier this year, including markets tied to sports, weather, and political outcomes.

However, the platform’s expansion has triggered a wave of state-level challenges. Regulators in several states argue that Kalshi’s contracts resemble sports bets and fall under gambling laws.

Kalshi says its products are federally regulated financial instruments, not wagers, and that state crackdowns violate the Commodity Exchange Act.

Connecticut is the latest in a string of regulatory battles. In October, Kalshi sued the New York State Gaming Commission after it issued a similar cease-and-desist order.

Massachusetts’ attorney general took the company to court in September, and Kalshi has filed suits this year against regulators in New Jersey, Nevada, Maryland, and Ohio, accusing each of overstepping their authority.

Kalshi Partners with CNN After $1B Funding Round

As reported, Kalshi has secured a major media breakthrough after signing a partnership with CNN, making the company the network’s official prediction markets partner while closing a $1 billion funding round at an $11 billion valuation.

Under the agreement, Kalshi’s real-time market data will be used inside CNN’s newsroom to support reporting on politics, economics, and major cultural events.

The funding follows a surge in activity across prediction platforms. According to Token Terminal data cited by the company, Kalshi posted record trading volume of $4.54 billion in November, beating October’s $4.49 billion.

Kalshi said weekly volumes are now exceeding $1 billion, representing growth of more than 1,000% since 2024.

Its closest competitor, Polymarket, also recorded a strong November, hitting a monthly total of $3.76 billion after crossing $3 billion in October.

Meanwhile, Mike Novogratz’s Galaxy Digital is in talks with Polymarket and Kalshi about becoming a liquidity provider, as on-chain betting on real-world events draws more attention from both retail traders and Wall Street.

The post Kalshi Wins Temporary Pause Against Connecticut Gambling Order appeared first on Cryptonews.

Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) on Tuesday introduced an amendment to the massive annual defense bill that would block the creation of a US central bank digital currency.

Self said GOP leaders had previously promised that anti-CBDC language would be included in the legislation, but it was missing from the version released Sunday.

“Promises were broken to include this language in the NDAA,” he wrote on X. “My amendment would fix the bill.”

House Pushes Ahead on Defense Bill as Self Seeks to Block Fed Digital Dollar

House leaders are aiming to pass the defense package on Wednesday afternoon, according to Politico, though negotiations remain fluid.

Self’s proposal, titled the “Anti-CBDC Surveillance State” amendment, would bar the Federal Reserve from developing, testing, or issuing a central bank digital currency, or any similar digital asset under a different name.

It would also prohibit Federal Reserve banks from offering accounts or financial services directly to individuals, a move supporters say is critical to preventing government-controlled consumer banking.

The amendment includes an exception for “dollar-denominated currency that is open, permissionless, and private,” a carve-out aimed at ensuring paper-cash-level privacy protections.

The broader defense bill, formally known as the annual authorization for Pentagon spending and policy, spans more than 3,000 pages and is typically considered one of Congress’s few must-pass measures each year.

The absence of the CBDC language angered conservatives, who saw it as a retreat from earlier commitments.

Self told Fox Business that House Republicans had been promised the amendment authored by Majority Whip Tom Emmer, one of Congress’s most outspoken CBDC critics.

After reviewing the bill, Self said it was clear the provision had been dropped.

“We have to pass an NDAA, because it’s one of the must-pass bills we have in Congress,” he said. “We’ve got to fix it and get it passed.”

CBDC Could Give Government Control Over Americans’ Money

Several Republicans echoed his frustration. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said she supports cryptocurrency but opposes any system that could allow the federal government to restrict how Americans use their money.

Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) warned that a CBDC would “insert the government between you and your money” and said Congress must pass a statutory ban, not rely solely on executive action.

Earlier this year, President Trump signed an executive order barring federal agencies from issuing or promoting any form of CBDC, citing risks to privacy and national sovereignty.

However, House GOP aides told The Hill that negotiations over a separate bipartisan housing package derailed efforts to include a CBDC ban in the defense bill, saying the final language “was not something that was ultimately going to be acceptable to our members.”

The post Rep. Keith Self Files Amendment to Prevent a US CBDC in Defense Bill appeared first on Cryptonews.

The Solana network’s foundation is weakening as liquidity thins and profitability drops, according to on-chain data.

According to Glassnode, Solana’s 30-day average realized profit-to-loss ratio has remained below 1 since mid-November, a level typically associated with bear-market behavior.

A reading under 1 means traders are realizing losses more often than profits, signalling deteriorating sentiment and reduced liquidity.

Analysts Say Solana Entering “Full Liquidity Reset”

On-chain research group Altcoin Vector described the current environment as a “full liquidity reset,” a pattern that has historically marked the beginning of new liquidity cycles and preceded market bottoms.

If the structure mirrors April’s setup, analysts said liquidity could begin to recover in roughly four weeks, pointing to early January for potential renewed momentum.

Despite the pressure, Solana isn’t without support. Persistent withdrawals from centralized exchanges have steadily reduced available supply, while demand from ETF buyers continues to build.

Spot Solana ETFs recorded $17.72 million in net inflows so far this week, nearly matching last week’s $20.30 million, according to SoSoValue.

Still, the broader environment remains fragile. Elevated leverage across crypto markets has amplified volatility, with CoinGlass reporting $432 million in liquidations over the past 24 hours.

Solana accounted for $15.6 million of that, making it the third-most liquidated asset behind Bitcoin and Ethereum, as the token climbed 3.2% on the day, per CoinGecko.

Analysts say the mid- to long-term outlook for Solana remains slightly constructive, especially if macro uncertainty clears and liquidity returns to the market.

However, in the near term, shrinking profitability, thinning liquidity, and heavy leverage leave the asset vulnerable to sharp swings.

As reported, Pye Finance has revealed a $5 million seed round led by some of the major players in the space. The goal is to turn billions in locked SOL stakes into an active yield market.

Variant and Coinbase Ventures led this round, with participation from Solana Labs, Nascent, Gemini, and others, according to the press release.

Pye says that it’s building bond markets for validators and stakers on Solana (SOL). The platform enables validators to draw and keep stake. They can offer rewards across more than a thousand validators.

Fed Liquidity Boost Could Send Bitcoin “Sharply Higher”

As reported, Bitcoin’s climb above $92,000 has stirred fresh optimism among market watchers who now believe this week’s Federal Reserve meeting could set off a far bigger rally.

Analysts at the London Crypto Club say a liquidity boost from the Fed on Wednesday may act as a powerful catalyst, potentially driving the world’s largest cryptocurrency “sharply higher.”

In their latest note, David Brickell and Chris Mills argue that the central bank is poised to deliver a “dovish surprise,” forecasting that policymakers will inject liquidity through a creative bond-buying mechanism rather than explicit quantitative easing.

“We’re moving into a continued rate-cutting cycle accompanied by balance sheet expansion as the Fed effectively turns on the money printers to monetise the deficit,” they wrote.

Meanwhile, a key on-chain indicator known as “liveliness” is climbing again, even as Bitcoin’s price action remains subdued.

Analysts say the divergence suggests renewed underlying demand, with dormant coins moving at levels not seen in years, a sign that long-term holders may be re-entering the market.

Last week, Bitfinex said the market is showing “seller exhaustion” following a period of heavy deleveraging and panic-driven exits by short-term holders.

The post Shrinking Liquidity Puts Solana on Unsteady Ground as Profitability Deteriorates: Glassnode appeared first on Cryptonews.

Crypto analysts are watching today’s Federal Reserve meeting closely, but according to Nansen’s Principal Research Analyst Aurelie Barthere, the rate cut itself is no longer the main story.

In a note shared with Cryptonews.com, Barthere said markets have already priced Fed rate cut in, adding that what matters now is Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s tone and the upcoming leadership transition in early 2026.

Fed to Stick to ‘Wait-and-See’ Approach

Barthere expects the Fed to deliver the widely anticipated 25-basis-point cut, noting that policymakers are likely to stress a data-dependent approach given the two-month lag in labor-market figures.

“The Fed is likely to maintain a wait-and-see stance,” she said, adding that she expects the terminal rate projection to remain near 3.0%, reflecting a divided committee.

Beyond today’s decision, Barthere pointed to the delayed announcement of Kevin Hassett as the next Fed Chair, now expected in early 2026, as a potentially bullish development for crypto markets.

A leadership shift toward a more growth-friendly stance could strengthen expectations for further easing next year.

On the technical front, Barthere said Bitcoin faces a critical test at the $91,000 level, where the 20-day EMA converges with a downtrend dating back to October.

She expects BTC to trade around this zone after the FOMC meeting, rather than making a decisive breakout.

The Fed meeting arrives at the end of a turbulent year for the US economy, marked by weakening labor conditions, rising layoffs, and renewed inflation pressure tied to President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.

The central bank is also operating with limited fresh data due to the U.S. government shutdown, which delayed November hiring and inflation releases.

Despite mixed signals, economists overwhelmingly expect another quarter-point cut. The CME FedWatch tool places the odds of a 25-bps move at 89.4%, which would mark the third consecutive reduction and push the federal funds rate into the 3.75%–4% range.

Fed Liquidity Boost Could Send Bitcoin “Sharply Higher,” Analysts Say

As reported, Bitcoin’s climb above $92,000 has stirred fresh optimism among market watchers who now believe this week’s Federal Reserve meeting could set off a far bigger rally.

Analysts at the London Crypto Club say a liquidity boost from the Fed on Wednesday may act as a powerful catalyst, potentially driving the world’s largest cryptocurrency “sharply higher.”

In their latest note, David Brickell and Chris Mills argue that the central bank is poised to deliver a “dovish surprise,” forecasting that policymakers will inject liquidity through a creative bond-buying mechanism rather than explicit quantitative easing.

“We’re moving into a continued rate-cutting cycle accompanied by balance sheet expansion as the Fed effectively turns on the money printers to monetise the deficit,” they wrote.

Meanwhile, a key on-chain indicator known as “liveliness” is climbing again, even as Bitcoin’s price action remains subdued.

Analysts say the divergence suggests renewed underlying demand, with dormant coins moving at levels not seen in years, a sign that long-term holders may be re-entering the market.

Last week, Bitfinex said the market is showing “seller exhaustion” following a period of heavy deleveraging and panic-driven exits by short-term holders.

The post Fed Cut Already Priced In, Powell’s Tone and 2026 Shift Bullish for Crypto: Nansen appeared first on Cryptonews.

Libeara, the blockchain infrastructure platform backed by Standard Chartered’s venture arm SC Ventures, has rolled out a new tokenized gold investment fund in Singapore, bringing one of the world’s oldest safe-haven assets onto digital rails.

The fund, launched in partnership with FundBridge Capital, allows professional investors to gain exposure to gold through blockchain-based tokens issued on Libeara’s ledger.

Each token is designed to correlate to the spot price of gold, offering a digitized alternative to holding the physical metal.

FundBridge Says Tokenized Gold Cuts Costs While Preserving Price Exposure

FundBridge said the structure removes the traditional costs of vaulting and logistics while keeping the price exposure intact.

“FundBridge’s priority is to bridge traditional fund governance with emerging digital infrastructure,” CEO Sue Lynn Lim reportedly told Nikkie.

“We’ve worked closely with our partners to ensure the framework meets the standards of a regulated fund environment while advancing the use of real-world assets on-chain.”

The fund, named MG 999, is available exclusively to institutional and accredited participants. Unlike traditional gold funds, MG 999 does not hold physical bullion.

Instead, the tokens are engineered to mirror gold’s market performance, offering a synthetic exposure mechanism that FundBridge says targets efficiency without compromising regulatory safeguards.

The move extends a broader push by established financial institutions to tokenize real-world assets, bonds, funds, treasuries and now precious metals, as blockchain technology gains ground well beyond the volatile world of cryptocurrencies.

SC Ventures has been steadily expanding its digital-assets footprint in Asia. Alongside Libeara, the bank holds majority stakes in Zodia Custody and Zodia Markets, both focused on institutional digital-asset services.

The latest initiative underscores how traditional finance players are leveraging their reputation to enter a sector that has struggled with trust following multiple industry blowups.

Gold Demand Surges as Institutions Seek Alternatives

The launch also comes during a renewed surge in global gold demand. Central banks have been increasing their bullion reserves this year amid ongoing concerns about the long-term dominance of the US dollar and geopolitical uncertainty.

President Donald Trump’s tariff policies have further stoked demand for safer assets.

Last month, Standard Chartered joined other financial institutions in launching a physically backed gold fund in Singapore, with the bank acting as custodian for bullion stored at the high-security Le Freeport vault near Changi Airport.

That product targets investors seeking exposure to allocated metal rather than tokenized units.

MG 999 also contains a lending component aimed at Singapore’s jewelry sector. Mustafa Gold, a major retailer in the city-state, has been named the fund’s first borrower.

The structure allows Mustafa to secure credit against its gold jewelry inventory while keeping the pieces on display.

“Gold-linked tokens are quite unique and complex,” said Mustafa founder Mustaq Ahmad. “MG 999 lets retailers tap digital innovation and better manage working-capital needs.”

The post Standard Chartered-Backed Libeara Launches Tokenized Gold Fund in Singapore appeared first on Cryptonews.

Circle has secured a major regulatory win in the United Arab Emirates, gaining a Financial Services Permission (FSP) license from the Abu Dhabi Global Market’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA).

The approval allows Circle to operate as a fully regulated Money Services Provider within the UAE’s capital market free zone, the company said in a Tuesday’s press release.

Circle Gains Full Regulatory Entry Into UAE’s Fast-Growing Crypto Hub

The license grants Circle the ability to offer regulated payment, settlement, and digital-asset services tied to USDC, giving the company a formal operating presence inside one of the world’s fastest-growing hubs for compliant crypto activity.

The move comes as the UAE continues to position itself as a global center for digital-asset regulation, with ADGM leading efforts to attract firms seeking clear rules for fiat-referenced tokens and tokenized financial services.

As part of its expansion, Circle appointed Dr. Saeeda Jaffar as Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa.

Dr. Jaffar, currently a senior executive at Visa overseeing the GCC region, will join Circle to guide its strategy, build regional partnerships, and push for broader adoption of USDC in business payments and financial infrastructure across the UAE and beyond.

“Regulatory clarity is the foundation of a more open and efficient internet financial system. We are honored to work with the FSRA in ADGM,” Circle co-founder and CEO Jeremy Allaire said.

With the license in hand, Circle plans to expand regulated USDC use in corporate payments, settlement rails and developer infrastructure across the region.

The announcement also follows Dubai’s earlier recognition of USDC and EURC under the DFSA’s crypto token regime, giving Circle regulatory footing across both of the UAE’s major financial zones.

Stablecoins have also surged in mainstream adoption since President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law in July, establishing a federal framework for their issuance and oversight.

The law’s passage triggered a wave of new stablecoin initiatives from major financial institutions, including Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Robinhood.

Tether, Binance Secure Regulatory Approval in ADGM

As reported, Tether’s USDT stablecoin has also secured regulatory recognition as an approved fiat-referenced token across a wide range of blockchains inside the ADGM.

Tether said ADGM now permits licensed institutions in the financial free zone to conduct regulated activities involving USDT across Aptos, Celo, Cosmos, Kaia, Near, Polkadot, Tezos, TON and TRON.

These approvals expand on earlier recognition for USDT on Ethereum, Solana and Avalanche.

On Monday, Binance disclosed that it has also secured full authorization to operate its flagship Binance.com platform under ADGM oversight, a milestone that comes after years of regulatory scrutiny.

Binance will operate through three distinct legal entities in the zone, an exchange, a clearing house and a broker-dealer, reflecting a traditional financial-market structure designed to enable regulated trading, custody, settlement and off-exchange services.

The post Circle Wins Full ADGM License to Expand USDC Across the UAE appeared first on Cryptonews.

Tether’s USDT stablecoin has secured regulatory recognition as an approved fiat-referenced token across a wide range of blockchains inside the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), marking another step in the UAE’s accelerating push to position itself as a global center for regulated digital assets.

In a statement on Monday, Tether said ADGM now permits licensed institutions in the financial free zone to conduct regulated activities involving USDT across Aptos, Celo, Cosmos, Kaia, Near, Polkadot, Tezos, TON and TRON.

These approvals expand on earlier recognition for USDT on Ethereum, Solana and Avalanche, broadening the stablecoin’s jurisdictional and technical reach across the region.

ADGM Move Validates Stablecoins’ Financial Importance

Paolo Ardoino, Tether’s CEO, said the move underscores the role of stablecoins in the modern financial system.

“Introducing USDT within ADGM’s regulated digital asset framework reinforces the role of stablecoins as essential components of today’s financial landscape,” he said, adding that extending recognition across multiple chains helps strengthen Abu Dhabi’s standing as a hub for compliant digital finance.

ADGM operates as a special economic zone and international financial center with its own legal, regulatory and judicial system.

Its Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) oversees licensing and supervision for firms active within the jurisdiction.

Under the newly issued recognition, ADGM-licensed entities can support USDT across nearly all major chains where the token circulates, creating a broader multichain foundation for settlement, trading and decentralized-application activity.

The announcement arrives as Abu Dhabi intensifies its campaign to attract global digital-asset firms.

On the same day, Binance disclosed that it has secured full authorization to operate its flagship Binance.com platform under ADGM oversight, a milestone that comes after years of regulatory scrutiny.

Binance will operate through three distinct legal entities in the zone, an exchange, a clearing house and a broker-dealer, reflecting a traditional financial-market structure designed to enable regulated trading, custody, settlement and off-exchange services.

Co-CEO Richard Teng said the approval demonstrates Binance’s adherence to what he described as ADGM’s “gold-standard” regulatory expectations.

Pending final operational steps, Binance.com is slated to begin regulated activity under the ADGM regime on Jan. 5, 2026, reinforcing the UAE capital’s strategy of pairing stringent oversight with an open stance toward digital-asset innovation.

Tether Pushes Back as Arthur Hayes Flags Insolvency Risks

As reported, Tether has faced renewed scrutiny after BitMEX founder Arthur Hayes warned that a 30% decline in the company’s Bitcoin and gold holdings could erase its equity.

However, CoinShares’ James Butterfill rejected the alarm, noting that Tether holds more than $181 billion in reserves against $174.45 billion in liabilities, leaving a surplus of roughly $6.78 billion.

His comments arrive amid broader market unrest tied to volatility in Japanese bonds and weak US labor data.

CEO Paolo Ardoino also directly challenged Hayes’s claims, revealing that Tether Group’s total assets are closer to $215 billion, supported by around $7 billion in excess equity and an additional $23 billion in retained earnings.

He emphasized that Bitcoin and gold make up only 12.6% of reserves, with more than 70% held in short-term US Treasuries.

Ardoino accused critics of misreading the company’s attestation data, pointing to Tether’s roughly $500 million per month in interest income.

The post Tether’s USDT Gains Regulatory Recognition as Fiat-Referenced Token in Abu Dhabi Global Market appeared first on Cryptonews.

Michael Saylor’s Strategy has added another major stack of Bitcoin to its balance sheet as markets attempt to reclaim bullish momentum.

In a Monday post on X, Saylor revealed that Strategy purchased 10,624 BTC for roughly $962.7 million, paying an average price of $90,615 per coin.

The company now holds 660,624 BTC acquired for a total of $49.35 billion at an average price of $74,696 per Bitcoin, according to Strategy’s Form 8-K filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Strategy Funds Latest Bitcoin Buy With $963M in ATM Share Sales

According to the SEC document, Strategy financed the latest buy through its ongoing at-the-market (ATM) equity offering program, selling 442,536 shares of STRD preferred stock and 5.13 million shares of MSTR common stock between December 1–7, generating $963 million in net proceeds.

The filing shows that all BTC purchased during this period was funded directly from ATM proceeds, continuing a pattern that has now become central to Strategy’s corporate playbook.

Last week, Strategy CEO Phong Le said the company’s newly built $1.44 billion cash reserve is designed to quiet investor anxiety over its ability to withstand a sharp downturn in Bitcoin.

Le said the move followed weeks of speculation about whether the firm could continue meeting its dividend and debt commitments if market conditions worsened.

“We’re very much a part of the crypto ecosystem and Bitcoin ecosystem,” Le said. “Which is why we decided a couple of weeks ago to start raising capital and putting US dollars on our balance sheet to get rid of this FUD.”

The reserve, funded via a stock sale, is intended to secure at least 12 months of dividend payments, with plans to stretch that buffer to 24 months.

Concerns over Strategy’s dividend stability had grown louder in recent weeks as Bitcoin retreated from its highs.

Last week, Le said Strategy would only consider selling Bitcoin if the stock dropped below net asset value and the company lost the ability to raise additional funds.

Strategy has also introduced a new “BTC Credit” dashboard, which it says shows the company holds enough assets to service dividends for more than 70 years.

Bitcoin Eyes Breakout as Analysts Predict Fed “Dovish Surprise” Could Ignite Rally

As reported, Bitcoin’s bounce above $92,000 has revived optimism among traders who believe this week’s Federal Reserve meeting could unlock the next leg of the rally.

Analysts at the London Crypto Club argue that a fresh wave of liquidity from the Fed may act as a powerful catalyst, especially after the market spent two months retracing nearly all of its yearly gains.

In a new note, analysts David Brickell and Chris Mills said they expect a “dovish surprise,” predicting the Fed will inject liquidity through a creative bond-buying mechanism while continuing its rate-cutting cycle.

They argue that expanding the balance sheet to “monetise the deficit” could create a strong macro tailwind for Bitcoin heading into the new year, particularly as traders look for a signal that restores confidence.

The post Billionaire Michael Saylor Adds 10,624 BTC in Latest Purchase – Is the Bull Market Back? appeared first on Cryptonews.