The US Securities and Exchange Commission has sharply scaled back its enforcement actions against the cryptocurrency industry since President Donald Trump returned to office.

The agency has dismissed or paused close to 60% of crypto-related cases, according to a report published Sunday by The New York Times.

While enforcement activity continues across traditional markets, cases involving crypto firms have been disproportionately affected by withdrawals, pauses, or outright dismissals since January, the report said.

SEC Retreats From Ripple and Binance Cases

Among the most prominent cases cited were the SEC’s long-running lawsuits against Ripple Labs and Binance, both of which have seen significant pullbacks.

The Times also noted that the regulator is “no longer actively pursuing a single case against a firm with known Trump ties,” a detail that has intensified scrutiny of the agency’s motives.

The SEC pushed back on suggestions of political favoritism, telling the newspaper that its decisions were driven by legal and policy considerations rather than politics.

The report added that it found no evidence President Trump directly pressured the agency to abandon specific investigations.

Industry figures argue the enforcement retreat reflects a broader reassessment of the SEC’s earlier approach to crypto.

Alex Thorn, head of firmwide research at Galaxy Digital, said claims that the shift is linked to Trump’s personal interests overlook what he described as years of aggressive and inconsistent regulation.

Thorn said framing the pivot as politically motivated ignores “four years of direct attacks by the actual partisans.”

The backdrop to the enforcement slowdown includes a deepening connection between Trump-linked entities and the digital asset sector.

In 2025, projects associated with the president or his family expanded significantly, ranging from World Liberty Financial to Trump-branded crypto initiatives, including the Official Trump memecoin and American Bitcoin, a mining venture backed by the president’s sons.

Leadership Shift at SEC Looms as Final Democratic Commissioner Exits

At the same time, changes at the top of the SEC are set to further reshape the agency’s stance.

Paul Atkins, a Republican appointee seen as more receptive to market-driven regulation, is expected to remain chair for the foreseeable future. However, the commission is preparing to lose its final Democratic member.

Caroline Crenshaw, whose term officially expired in 2024, is expected to depart in January after serving an additional 18 months.

Trump has yet to announce nominees to fill her seat or another vacant Democratic position on the commission.

Crenshaw has been one of the most vocal critics of the SEC’s softer approach to crypto under the Trump administration.

In one of her final public appearances last week, she warned that easing oversight could expose markets to wider contagion risks, cautioning that reduced scrutiny may come at a cost to investor protection.

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Crypto wallet provider MetaMask has expanded its multichain push by adding native support for Bitcoin, marking a notable shift for a platform long associated with Ethereum-based networks.

The company announced the rollout on social media on Monday, nearly ten months after first hinting at the integration in February.

With the update, Bitcoin now joins Ethereum, Solana, Monad and Sei as supported assets within MetaMask, allowing users to hold and transact BTC directly from the wallet.

MetaMask Lets Users Buy, Swap and Send Bitcoin

MetaMask said users can now buy Bitcoin, swap other tokens into BTC, and send or receive the asset, with confirmed transactions appearing automatically in their asset list.

The company cautioned that Bitcoin transfers typically settle more slowly than transactions on EVM-compatible chains or Solana, reflecting the network’s design.

To encourage adoption, MetaMask is offering reward points for users who swap into Bitcoin through the wallet.

Until now, access to BTC on MetaMask was limited to wrapped versions of the asset, which rely on intermediaries and carry additional smart contract risk.

The Bitcoin integration was first discussed earlier this year, when MetaMask co-founder Dan Finlay suggested the feature could go live in the third quarter of 2025.

Its arrival underscores the company’s broader effort to reposition itself as a multichain wallet rather than an Ethereum-only tool.

MetaMask began that transition in May with support for Solana, followed by integrations with Sei in August and Monad in November. While details remain limited, the firm has signaled that further blockchain support is planned.

“Bitcoin support marks the latest step in our multichain expansion,” MetaMask said, adding that additional networks are expected to be added in 2026.

MetaMask to Integrate Polymarket

As reported, MetaMask has entered the prediction market space through a new integration with Polymarket, allowing users to trade on real-world event outcomes directly from their wallets.

The feature introduces one-tap funding, enabling deposits from any EVM-compatible chain, and rewards users with MetaMask points for each prediction placed.

The partnership creates a new on-ramp for Polymarket, which has seen rapid growth over the past year, particularly during the 2024 US election cycle.

A more favorable regulatory backdrop and renewed US market access have helped drive its expansion, with the platform now reportedly exploring a valuation of up to $15 billion following a strategic investment from Intercontinental Exchange, the parent company of the NYSE.

The wallet is also preparing for the rollout of a native MASK token, as parent company Consensys gears up for a potential IPO.

The move comes as Polymarket is recruiting staff for an internal market-making team that would trade against its own customers, mirroring a controversial feature already used by rival Kalshi that has drawn criticism and legal challenges.

The New York-based prediction market startup has reportedly approached traders, including sports bettors, to join the new unit, people familiar with the matter said, requesting anonymity because the plans remain private.

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A Bitcoin investor lost his retirement savings after falling victim to a so-called “pig butchering” scam, despite repeated warnings from his advisory firm, according to a firsthand account shared by a Bitcoin wealth adviser.

Terence Michael, an author and adviser affiliated with The Bitcoin Adviser, said an unnamed client transferred his Bitcoin holdings to a scammer after being approached online by a woman posing as a trader.

The woman promised to double his Bitcoin and gradually built what appeared to be a romantic relationship, a hallmark tactic of pig butchering scams.

Bitcoin Adviser Says Client Ignored Warnings, Lost Funds to Scam

In a post shared on X, Michael said he made “numerous phone calls” and sent a “string of text messages” in an effort to stop the transfer.

The warnings went unheeded. While Michael was out to dinner, he received a message from the client confirming that the funds were gone.

“My client was falling for a pig butchering scam,” Michael wrote. “And as of last night … I received a devastating text message from him saying he had lost it all.”

Unlike traditional cyberattacks that rely on malware or direct wallet compromises, pig butchering scams depend on emotional manipulation.

Victims are convinced to willingly send their assets, often after being groomed through days or weeks of conversation that blend investment advice with personal and romantic claims.

Michael said the client, who had recently divorced, went beyond sending Bitcoin. He also purchased a plane ticket for the scammer, expecting to meet her in person.

After the transfer was completed, the attacker reportedly admitted that the photos used throughout the relationship were fake and generated using artificial intelligence tools.

The case highlights the growing scale of pig butchering scams across the crypto industry. In 2024 alone, these schemes drained an estimated $5.5 billion from victims across roughly 200,000 reported cases, according to industry data.

In June, the US Department of Justice announced the seizure of more than $225 million in cryptocurrency tied to pig butchering operations, underscoring the growing enforcement response to one of crypto’s most damaging fraud trends.

AI-Driven Crypto Scams Hit $4.6B as Deepfakes Fuel New Fraud Wave

As reported, the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence is driving a new generation of crypto scams, pushing global losses to $4.6 billion in 2024, according to a 2025 Anti-Scam Research Report released on June 10.

The study, co-authored by Bitget, SlowMist, and Elliptic, found that scammers are increasingly using AI-generated deepfakes, fake video calls, and Trojan-infected job offers to deceive victims, with at least 87 AI-powered scam rings dismantled in the first quarter of 2025 alone.

The report warns that deepfake impersonations, social engineering, and Ponzi schemes disguised as DeFi or NFT projects now dominate the threat landscape.

Criminal groups are also using cross-chain bridges and obfuscation tools to launder stolen funds, complicating recovery efforts.

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Bitcoin bull Michael Saylor’s Strategy has doubled down on its long-standing conviction, announcing another massive Bitcoin buy worth nearly $1 billion.

In a Form 8-K filing dated December 15, Strategy disclosed that it acquired 10,645 BTC between December 8 and December 14, spending $980.3 million at an average price of $92,098 per coin.

The purchase was funded through proceeds raised under the firm’s at-the-market (ATM) equity and preferred stock offerings, including sales of common shares and multiple preferred stock classes.

Strategy Becomes World’s Largest Corporate Bitcoin Holder With 671,268 BTC

Following the latest acquisition, Strategy’s total Bitcoin holdings climbed to 671,268 BTC, with an aggregate purchase cost of $50.33 billion and an average price of $74,972 per Bitcoin.

The move further cements the company’s position as the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin globally, far ahead of other public firms.

Last week, Strategy also purchased 10,624 BTC for roughly $962.7 million, paying an average price of $90,615 per coin.

The new purchases come as Strategy has built a $1.44 billion reserve to cover dividend and debt interest payments in cash, avoiding the need to sell any of its extensive Bitcoin holdings during periods of high market volatility.

CEO Phong Le has said the company’s newly built 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.

Bitcoin Drops Under $90,000 as Investors Turn Defensive

Bitcoin slipped below the $90,000 mark this week, reinforcing a cautious short-term outlook as investors pull back from risk assets, according to Lin Tran, senior market analyst at XS.com.

In a note shared with Cryptonews, Tran said Bitcoin continues to trade in line with broader risk sentiment, remaining closely tied to US technology stocks and shifting expectations around monetary policy.

The analyst noted that Bitcoin’s rejection near $100,000 and its struggle to hold above the psychological $90,000 level point to growing risk aversion, particularly as markets head into year-end.

Investors appear focused on protecting gains after the strong rally earlier in the cycle.

Tran highlighted US Federal Reserve policy as the key macro driver.

While interest rates have been cut, the Fed’s cautious guidance and still-elevated real rates have limited the return of global liquidity, capping Bitcoin’s upside.

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Doha Bank has completed its first digitally native US dollar bond, issuing $150 million in floating-rate notes that settled instantly using distributed ledger technology.

The notes were listed on the London Stock Exchange’s International Securities Market and achieved same-day, or T+0, settlement through Euroclear’s Digital Financial Market Infrastructure (D-FMI), according to a Monday announcement.

The transaction marks one of Qatar’s earliest digitally native US dollar bond issuances and reflects a growing push across the Gulf region to modernize capital markets infrastructure.

Standard Chartered Leads Doha Bank’s Digital Bond Issuance

Standard Chartered acted as sole global coordinator and sole arranger, overseeing the structuring, execution, and distribution of the bond.

Unlike traditional securities, which typically settle one or two days after trading, Doha Bank’s digital notes were issued, allocated, and settled in real time.

Euroclear’s D-FMI platform, a permissioned distributed ledger operated by a central securities depository, handled issuance and settlement while remaining fully integrated with existing market standards and post-trade systems. Citi served as issuing and paying agent on the transaction.

Doha Bank said the issuance supports its broader funding strategy by diversifying sources of capital and expanding its investor base.

Sheikh Abdulrahman Bin Fahad Al-Thani, the bank’s group chief executive, said the transaction demonstrates how digital infrastructure can improve efficiency and market access while reinforcing Qatar’s position as a regional financial hub.

He added that the deal aligns with Qatar Central Bank initiatives aimed at strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of the country’s capital markets.

Standard Chartered said the bond highlights rising institutional demand for digital issuance that delivers measurable operational gains.

Salman Ansari, the bank’s global head of capital markets, said the deal shows how regulated digital infrastructure is moving beyond pilot projects and into live market activity.

The issuance also reflects a broader industry trend favoring permissioned distributed ledger systems over public blockchains for tokenized debt.

Regulated platforms such as Euroclear’s D-FMI allow issuers to benefit from features like instant settlement and automated recordkeeping while preserving legal finality, controlled access, and compatibility with custody and clearing frameworks used by institutional investors.

Same-Day Settlement Works Within Existing Market Structures

Euroclear said the transaction demonstrates that same-day settlement can be achieved without disrupting existing market structures.

“Equally important, integration with traditional secondary-market services and trading venues ensures that investors retain access to liquidity,” Sebastien Danloy, Chief Business Officer at Euroclear, said.

As reported, Mastercard is in late-stage talks to acquire crypto infrastructure firm Zerohash for between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, a deal that would deepen the payments giant’s push into stablecoins and on-chain settlement.

If completed, the acquisition would give Mastercard greater control over how fiat and digital assets settle across its network as payments firms move toward always-on, 24/7 money.

The talks come amid intensifying competition, with Stripe’s recent purchase of stablecoin firm Bridge and Coinbase’s reported interest in BVNK highlighting a broader race among payment providers to secure the infrastructure needed as stablecoins shift from trading platforms into everyday payments.

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Binance has pushed back against claims that it failed to act swiftly in freezing funds linked to last month’s Upbit hack, rejecting reports that it only partially complied with requests from South Korean authorities.

In a statement shared with Cryptonews, a Binance spokesperson said suggestions of a delayed or limited response were inaccurate.

“Binance’s security and investigations teams identified the incident and immediately took action to assist in freezing related transfers and mitigating further movements,” the spokesperson said.

Binance Says It Acted Promptly and Worked With Law Enforcement

The exchange added that it has been working closely with law enforcement and other relevant parties since the incident.

“We continue to monitor the situation closely and provide support as needed,” the spokesperson said, stressing that any claims suggesting Binance did not take prompt or effective action are “unsubstantiated and inaccurate.”

The response follows a report published last week citing South Korean investigators, who claimed Binance froze only a small portion of the funds stolen during the Upbit breach.

According to local media, authorities said roughly 17% of the assets flagged for freezing were ultimately locked down.

Investigators allege that the hackers behind the attack moved quickly, dispersing stolen funds across more than a thousand wallets within hours of the breach on Nov. 27.

Security analysts said the group used a combination of chain hopping, token swaps, and bridges to obscure transaction trails, a tactic that complicated recovery efforts.

Authorities said that a significant share of the laundered assets eventually reached service wallets on Binance.

Upbit and police reportedly requested an immediate freeze on around 470 million won (approximately $370,000) worth of Solana tokens believed to have entered the exchange.

Of that amount, about 80 million won (roughly $75,000) was frozen, with Binance citing the need for additional verification before taking broader action, per previous claims by Korean authorities.

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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Curve Finance founder Michael Egorov has put forward a proposal seeking approval for a 17.45 million CRV token grant aimed at supporting the long-term development of the Curve ecosystem.

At current market prices, the grant is valued at roughly $6.6 million and would be allocated to Swiss Stake AG, the core development company behind Curve.

Curve Founder Seeks Fresh Grant to Fund Development and Security

The proposal, published on the Curve DAO governance forum on Sunday, follows a similar grant approved in late 2024.

Egorov said the funding is intended to cover research, software development, infrastructure, and security work for Curve’s lending protocol, while also sustaining the firm’s contributor base.

“This grant will fund software research and development, infrastructure, security, and ecosystem support, ensuring that the 25-member team at Swiss Stake AG can continue its ongoing contributions to Curve,” Egorov wrote in the proposal.

According to the document, Swiss Stake AG has outlined a broad roadmap for 2026. Planned initiatives include launching and scaling a new version of Curve’s lending product, Llamalend, developing an onchain foreign exchange swap system, and improving the protocol’s user interface.

The proposal also references ongoing work around integrations, crosschain functionality, and governance tooling.

Egorov added that any intellectual property produced using the grant would be released under an open-source license compatible with Curve’s existing software repositories, aligning with the protocol’s open development model.

If the proposal is approved, Swiss Stake AG would be allowed to stake a portion of the CRV received to generate additional yield, though only within the boundaries set out in the proposal.

The firm also committed to publishing biannual reports detailing how the grant funds are spent.

The proposal highlights Swiss Stake AG’s ongoing push toward financial self-sufficiency.

While the firm has developed several revenue streams, including Curve Lite deployments on other networks and fees earned through staking veCRV via protocols such as Convex, StakeDAO, and Yearn, Egorov said these revenues remain insufficient to fully sustain operations.

“All such revenues have been used strictly in line with the purposes outlined in the grant,” Egorov said, adding that the company is still reliant on community support at its current stage.

Vitalik Buterin Says DeFi Is Ready to Compete With Banks

As reported, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin says decentralized finance has reached a stage where on-chain savings are no longer experimental and are beginning to rival traditional banking.

Speaking at a Dromos Labs event, Buterin said he is encouraged by DeFi’s progress in security, usability, and maturity, adding that more users and institutions could soon treat DeFi as a primary banking alternative.

Buterin argued the sector has shifted away from its early reputation for risky yield farming and frequent exploits.

While acknowledging recent incidents such as the Balancer hack, he said the gap between today’s DeFi ecosystem and the early 2020 era is “night and day,” citing stronger smart contract security and what he called the “walkaway test,” which ensures users can always independently recover their funds.

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Spanish police have arrested five people and charged four others in Denmark over the kidnapping and killing of a man who was targeted for his cryptocurrency holdings, authorities said Thursday.

The arrests follow a joint investigation that uncovered what police described as a cross-border criminal group focused on stealing digital assets through violent means.

Spanish and Danish authorities coordinated the operation, which involved multiple raids and the seizure of weapons and electronic devices.

Masked Gunmen Abduct Couple in Málaga Crypto Case

The case came to light in April, when a woman reported to police in Málaga that she and her partner had been abducted in the nearby town of Mijas.

According to investigators, the couple was ambushed by three or four masked men dressed in black and armed with handguns.

Police said the man was shot in the leg as he attempted to flee. Both victims were then forced into a vehicle and taken to a house, where they were held for several hours.

During the captivity, the attackers attempted to gain access to the couple’s cryptocurrency wallets.

The woman was released around midnight. Her partner did not survive. His body was later discovered in a wooded area, showing signs of violence in addition to the gunshot wound, authorities said.

As part of the investigation, police carried out six raids at properties in Madrid and Málaga. Officers seized two handguns, one real and one imitation, along with a baton, blood-stained clothing, mobile phones, and documents believed to be linked to the crime. Biological evidence connected to the scene was also recovered.

In Denmark, police charged four suspects in connection with the case. Two of them were already serving prison sentences for similar offenses, according to authorities.

The incident highlights a growing concern within the crypto industry: physical attacks aimed at forcing victims to surrender access to digital wallets.

Often referred to as “wrench attacks,” these crimes have drawn increased attention in recent months, prompting renewed calls for better personal security practices among crypto holders.

Violent ‘Wrench Attacks’ on Crypto Holders Surge

Violent attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders are on track to reach record levels in 2025, according to a report from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis.

As of July, 35 so-called “wrench attacks” have already been recorded worldwide, putting the year on pace to surpass the previous peak seen during the 2021 bull market.

Chainalysis said crypto-related crime is increasingly shifting from online exploits to real-world violence. More than $2.17 billion has been stolen from crypto services so far this year, already exceeding the total for all of 2024, with nearly a quarter of losses now coming from personal wallet attacks.

Bitcoin holders are facing higher average losses, as criminals focus on large-value wallets, particularly in regions with growing retail adoption.

The Asia-Pacific region has emerged as one of the hardest hit, ranking second globally for Bitcoin stolen and third for Ether theft.

Countries including Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, and the Philippines have reported a rise in incidents, some with severe outcomes.

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Bitcoin’s struggle to regain upside momentum near the $90,000 level may be less about weak demand and more about how large, long-term holders are managing their exposure, according to market analyst Jeff Park.

He argues that widespread covered call selling by Bitcoin “whales” is quietly suppressing spot prices, even as institutional interest through exchange-traded funds remains strong.

Bitcoin OGs Turn to Covered Calls to Generate Yield on Long-Held BTC

Covered calls involve selling call options against Bitcoin already held, allowing sellers to collect premiums while giving buyers the right to purchase BTC at a predetermined price.

Park said this strategy is increasingly favored by long-term holders, often referred to as “OGs,” who accumulated Bitcoin years ago and now use options markets to generate short-term income.

The impact, however, extends beyond the options market. Market makers who buy these call options must hedge their exposure, typically by selling spot Bitcoin.

That hedging activity introduces persistent sell-side pressure, pushing prices lower or capping rallies.

“When you sell calls against Bitcoin you’ve held for more than a decade, the only fresh market exposure comes from the call selling itself,” Park said.

“That exposure is negative, making the seller a net source of downward pressure.”

Because the Bitcoin used to back these options already exists and does not represent new demand, the strategy fails to add fresh liquidity to the market.

Instead, it shifts price influence toward derivatives trading, where options flows increasingly dictate short-term price action.

Park said this dynamic helps explain why Bitcoin has remained choppy despite steady inflows into spot ETFs.

The trend has coincided with Bitcoin’s partial decoupling from US equities in the latter half of 2025. While major stock indices continued to hit record highs, Bitcoin retreated from earlier peaks and hovered near $90,000.

Some analysts had previously pointed to Bitcoin’s correlation with tech stocks, but recent price behavior suggests different forces are now at play.

Analysts Split on Bitcoin’s Next Move as Fed Rate Cuts Loom

Looking ahead, opinions remain divided. Several analysts expect Bitcoin to resume its rally once the US Federal Reserve continues its rate-cutting cycle, which would inject liquidity into financial markets and favor risk assets.

CME Group’s FedWatch tool shows that 24.4% of traders are pricing in another rate cut at the January FOMC meeting.

Others remain cautious. A growing camp warns that if covered call selling persists and macro conditions fail to improve, Bitcoin could revisit lower levels, with some projecting a drop toward $76,000.

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

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Rodney Burton, a 56-year-old crypto promoter known online as “Bitcoin Rodney,” is facing expanded federal charges tied to his alleged role in promoting the $1.8 billion HyperFund cryptocurrency scheme.

According to a superseding indictment unsealed Friday by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, prosecutors now accuse Burton of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, seven counts of money laundering, and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.

If convicted on all charges, Burton could face up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud-related count, up to 10 years per money laundering count, and an additional five years for the unlicensed money transmission charge.

Expanded Indictment Deepens Case Against “Bitcoin Rodney”

The new indictment marks a sharp escalation from the original criminal complaint filed in January 2024, which charged Burton with just two counts related to unlicensed money transmission.

Those earlier charges carried a maximum sentence of five years each. Burton was arrested at Miami International Airport that month while allegedly attempting to leave the country on a one-way ticket to the United Arab Emirates.

A federal judge later denied his bail request, citing him as an “extreme flight risk,” and he has remained in custody since.

According to court filings, Burton and his alleged co-conspirators operated HyperFund, also known as HyperVerse, from June 2020 through May 2024.

The platform was marketed as a crypto investment opportunity promising daily returns ranging from 0.5% to 1% until investors doubled or tripled their money.

Prosecutors claim those returns were falsely attributed to large-scale cryptocurrency mining operations that did not exist.

By 2021, HyperFund allegedly began restricting and blocking investor withdrawals.

The indictment further alleges that Burton used investor funds to finance a lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of luxury condominiums, high-end sports cars, and a yacht. His trial is currently scheduled for March next year.

From Celebrity Events to Court Records: The Rise of “Bitcoin Rodney”

Burton rose to prominence within crypto circles through aggressive marketing and high-profile appearances.

He hosted a 2021 Miami event featuring “Shark Tank” investor Daymond John and musician Akon, and appeared publicly with celebrities such as Jamie Foxx and Rick Ross.

Court records also reference a prior conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

In recent court filings, Burton has maintained that he believed HyperFund was a legitimate business. He has placed blame on co-founder Xue Lee, also known as Sam Lee, alleging Lee orchestrated an elaborate deception that misled both investors and promoters.

Lee and fellow promoter Brenda “Bitcoin Beautee” Chunga were charged by the SEC in January 2024. Chunga has pleaded guilty, while Lee remains at large.

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Stablecoin adoption in Venezuela is expected to accelerate as the country’s economic pressures deepen and the bolívar continues to lose value, according to a new report from blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs.

The findings point to growing reliance on digital assets for everyday financial activity, particularly as confidence in traditional banking systems erodes.

Economic Strain and Sanctions Push Venezuelans Toward Stablecoins

Venezuelans have spent nearly a decade navigating hyperinflation, sanctions-related constraints, and limited access to reliable financial services.

Against this backdrop, TRM Labs said demand for stablecoins is likely to increase further if macroeconomic instability persists, a risk amplified by ongoing geopolitical tensions between the United States and Venezuela.

The firm noted that stablecoins are increasingly being used not only as a store of value, but also as a medium of exchange for routine transactions.

Regulatory uncertainty is also playing a role. Questions surrounding the authority and enforcement capacity of Venezuela’s crypto regulator, SUNACRIP, combined with lingering distrust in domestic banks, have left many citizens turning to blockchain-based alternatives.

“Absent a material shift in Venezuela’s macroeconomic conditions or the emergence of cohesive regulatory oversight, the role of digital assets — particularly stablecoins — is poised to expand,” TRM Labs said.

Data from the Chainalysis 2025 Crypto Adoption Index places Venezuela 18th globally for crypto adoption. When adjusted for population size, however, the country ranks ninth, underscoring how deeply embedded crypto usage has become among ordinary users.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions have emerged as a critical financial tool. TRM Labs found that more than 38% of crypto-related site visits from Venezuelan IP addresses were directed to a single global platform offering P2P trading services.

These platforms, along with USDT-to-fiat conversions, have filled gaps left by unreliable domestic banking channels, even as users report intermittent service disruptions.

Local platforms are also gaining traction, particularly those offering mobile wallets and bank integrations tailored to Venezuelan users.

According to TRM Labs, these services enable informal settlement rails that support daily commerce despite infrastructure challenges.

The report frames Venezuela’s crypto ecosystem as a response to necessity rather than speculation.

Stablecoins, especially USDT, now underpin payroll payments, remittances, vendor transactions, and cross-border purchases.

Western Union to Launch Dollar-Backed Stablecoin on Solana

Western Union is also entering the stablecoin market with plans to launch the US Dollar Payment Token (USDPT) on the Solana blockchain in the first half of 2026.

The token, issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, will allow users to move money globally with lower fees and faster settlement times, reducing reliance on traditional banking intermediaries and volatile currency conversions.

Likewise, Visa has unveiled a new pilot that enables direct payouts in Circle’s USDC stablecoin for creators, freelancers, and gig workers worldwide.

The initiative aims to make cross-border payments nearly instant while reducing dependence on traditional banking infrastructure.

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Tether has launched an all-cash bid to acquire Italy’s Juventus Football Club, an offer that was reportedly swiftly turned down.

The stablecoin issuer said Friday it had submitted a binding offer to Exor, the Agnelli family’s holding company, seeking to purchase its 65.4% controlling stake.

The Agnelli dynasty has controlled Juventus for more than a century, making the bid one of the most audacious takeover attempts in European football this year.

Juventus Shares Jump as Tether’s $1.1B Takeover Bid Is Rejected

Juventus, valued at roughly €944 million ($1.1 billion), saw its share price rise 2.3% Friday to €2.23 ($2.62).

Tether said that if Exor accepted the deal, it would immediately launch a public tender for all remaining shares at the same price.

However, according to AFP, Exor has already rejected the proposal, with a source close to the company stating simply: “Juventus is not for sale.”

Despite the rebuff, Tether is positioning itself as a long-term suitor. CEO Paolo Ardoino said the company was prepared to invest €1 billion ($1.1 billion) to strengthen the club if a deal were ever reached.

“Tether is in a position of strong financial health and intends to support Juventus with stable capital and a long horizon,” Ardoino said, adding that he grew up following the team.

“As a boy, I learned what commitment, resilience, and responsibility meant by watching Juventus face success and adversity with dignity.”

Tether, issuer of the $118 billion stablecoin USDT, has pushed aggressively into new sectors over the past year, pouring money into artificial intelligence, robotics and health-tech ventures.

Its move into football has been gradual. The company quietly bought a stake in Juventus in February and increased its holding to more than 10% in April.

It has also gained influence inside the club. In October, Tether nominated deputy investment chief Zachary Lyons and Francesco Garino to Juventus’s board, and shareholders approved Garino’s appointment last month.

Tether Could Become the World’s Most Profitable Company, Analyst Says

Tether appears unstoppable right now, with the world’s largest stablecoin issuer on track to generate approximately $15 billion this year.

Bitwise’s chief investment officer, Matt Houga, recently predicted that Tether could become the world’s most profitable company, potentially overtaking Saudi Aramco.

It’s the world’s third-largest digital asset with a market capitalization of $183.8 billion, up 50% compared to this time last year.

Although Tether maintains strong cash reserves, recent reports suggest that the company may seek $20 billion in new capital for a 3% ownership stake.

Such a transaction would establish a valuation near $500 billion, eclipsing Netflix and Samsung while approaching iconic financial services brands like Mastercard.

The firm has simultaneously expanded its precious metals holdings, with its gold reserves now exceeding $12 billion.

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A 69-million-year-old triceratops fossil has become the newest trophy among crypto’s wealthy investors amid a shift from digital collectibles.

Wintermute co-founder Yoann Turpin and a small group of crypto investors have quietly purchased a fully intact dinosaur fossil, according to a recent Bloomberg report.

The fossil, one of only 24 known specimens, now sits inside Le Freeport in Singapore, a fortress-like storage facility owned by crypto billionaire Jihan Wu and often described as “Asia’s Fort Knox.”

Inside the Vault Where Crypto Wealth Meets Dinosaur Bones

When Bloomberg’s Suvashree Ghosh visited the vault with Turpin and co-owners including collectibles entrepreneur Chaw Wei Yang, the dinosaur wasn’t the only surprise.

The halls were lined with tokenized gold bars, fine art, rare wine, and hard drives holding hundreds of millions in digital assets, a real-world archive of crypto wealth that has spilled far beyond the blockchain, per the report.

Turpin told the media that the splurge was partly passion, partly prestige, echoing a trend that has swept through the upper tiers of the industry.

Just last year, Citadel’s Ken Griffin paid $44.6 million for a near-complete stegosaurus, the highest price ever for a fossil at auction.

For crypto’s nouveau riche, the shift from NFTs to fossils marks a broader turn toward ultra-scarce, tangible collectibles, assets that can’t suddenly vanish in a protocol upgrade.

However, while some crypto figures are digging up dinosaurs, others are building new digital-asset infrastructure.

Malaysia’s crown prince, Tunku Ismail Ibrahim, recently launched RMJDT, a ringgit-backed stablecoin under his firm Bullish Aim.

AirAsia parent Capital A and Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia are also exploring a ringgit-pegged token as part of the country’s digital asset pilot programs, signaling growing interest in regulated stablecoin projects.

Meta Retreats From Metaverse as AI Glasses Take Center Stage

As reported, Meta is reducing investment in its metaverse division and shifting its focus to AI-powered glasses and wearable devices, reflecting one of its biggest strategic resets in years.

The move follows rising investor skepticism over the commercial viability of virtual worlds and large-scale VR platforms.

The company has spent more than a decade and billions of dollars building out its metaverse vision, including rebranding to Meta in 2021.

However, user growth on Horizon Worlds has stagnated, and headset sales have repeatedly fallen short of expectations.

Bloomberg reported that metaverse spending may be cut by as much as 30%, a signal to markets that the company is rebalancing priorities.

Meanwhile, NFT sales have slumped to their lowest levels of the year, with monthly volume dropping to $320 million in November, roughly half of October’s total.

Early December data shows only $62 million in sales during the first week, signaling that the slowdown is likely to continue as demand for digital collectibles weakens.

The downturn reflects a steep drop in NFT valuations across the board. CoinGecko data shows the sector’s market capitalization has fallen to $3.1 billion, a 66% decline from January’s $9.2 billion peak.

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The US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has opened the doors of the federal banking system to a new wave of digital-asset firms, clearing five crypto companies, including Circle and Ripple, to launch national trust banks.

The approvals, announced Friday, mark one of the most aggressive moves yet by the Trump administration to pull crypto deeper into the regulated banking framework.

Crypto Firms Win Conditional Approval for National Trust Banks

Circle and Ripple were among the applicants granted conditional approval to build national trust banks, a charter that allows them to custody assets and offer select banking services without taking deposits or issuing loans.

The entrants now have 18 months to raise capital, assemble staff and build compliant infrastructure before facing a final exam from the OCC.

Trust charters have historically been the realm of asset managers and insurers, but the crypto sector has increasingly sought them as a regulatory foothold that can streamline operations and remove intermediaries.

The OCC also approved BitGo, Fidelity Digital Assets and Paxos to convert existing state trust companies into federally chartered banks.

The shift gives the firms the ability to operate under a single national standard rather than juggling a patchwork of state rules, a longstanding pain point for digital-asset custodians.

For Paxos, the approval explicitly permits stablecoin issuance under federal oversight, while Ripple’s charter states it will not issue its US dollar-pegged RLUSD through the bank.

Crypto firms argue that a national trust bank charter brings clarity and boosts client confidence, especially for custody and settlement services.

Stablecoin issuers, in particular, view federal oversight as a way to assure corporate partners and distance themselves from lightly regulated competitors.

Jonathan Gould, the Comptroller of the Currency, said the new entrants would help ensure that the federal banking system “keeps pace with the evolution of finance.”

Crypto’s Push for Legitimacy Grows as Approvals and Listings Surge

The approvals come as the crypto industry seeks broader legitimacy in Washington.

The digital asset space has seen several notable public listings in 2025. Last month, tZero Group, a New York–based blockchain infrastructure firm focused on tokenized securities and real-world assets, announced that it is preparing to go public in 2026.

Before that, BitGo officially filed for an initial public offering, becoming the first dedicated crypto custodian to pursue a listing on a US stock exchange.

Stablecoin issuer Circle made a splash with its IPO in June, surging more than sevenfold since going public.

Online trading platform Etoro, which offers crypto trading among its services, debuted in May.

Gemini, the exchange founded by the Winklevoss twins, filed confidentially for a U.S. IPO in June, signaling strong market confidence in crypto exchanges going public.

More recently, Figure Technology Solutions Inc., a blockchain-focused lending platform, raised $787.5 million in its initial public offering.

Ripple, by contrast, has said it has no plans to pursue an IPO.

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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.

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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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