Small shops and some bigger chains in Las Vegas are now taking Bitcoin for everyday buys. People scan a QR code, pay from a phone, and the merchant gets paid. According to local reports, owners are trying this out to cut the cost of credit card processing and to attract customers who prefer crypto.

Merchants Cut Costs With Bitcoin

Reports say the move is largely about fees. Credit card processing often takes away 2.5–3.5% of a sale. For many small operators, that is painful. Payment tools that accept Bitcoin — often routed over the Lightning Network or through services that can convert crypto to cash — have lowered that burden for merchants.

According to FOX5, more businesses across Las Vegas are now accepting Bitcoin payments, from chains like Steak ’n Shake to small shops and medical practices. Merchants said Bitcoin helps attract new customers and cut costs, while Square has enabled about 4 million U.S. merchants…

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) January 24, 2026

Square’s program, which lets millions of US merchants enable Bitcoin checkout with no processing fee through 2026, helped speed up adoption in the area.

Stores Report Real Transactions

Business owners are reporting real use, not just experiments. Juice stands and cafes have processed payments. Some larger outlets are listed on public payment maps so customers can find them.

This has meant more foot traffic from people who travel with crypto or who prefer to keep their cards for other uses. Reports note both new customers and savings on fees as clear benefits.

Lightning Network Speeds Up Payments

The Lightning Network is being used to make payments faster and cheaper at the cash register. It moves small Bitcoin payments quickly without the long wait a base-layer transfer can cause.

Merchants scan a code or show one on a screen. The payment is then sent from the buyer’s wallet and settled almost instantly. This technical fix has made in-person Bitcoin payments workable for the first time at many spots.

How Owners See It

Owners are balancing savings against new risks. Some keep crypto for a short time, then sell it for cash. Others leave part of their receipts in Bitcoin. Chargebacks, a problem with cards, are reduced when crypto is used.

A few places say small boosts in sales followed their switch to crypto, yet long-term patterns are still being watched. Reports have disclosed these mixed outcomes as part of a slow but clear shift.

Customers Find New Ways To Pay

Shoppers are adapting. Tourists who carry crypto find these spots useful. Locals who are curious try the method at least once. Payment apps and merchant directories make the process easier for everyone.

For those who like simple steps, scanning a QR code and approving a payment on a phone works fine. For others it is a novelty that might stick.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

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Las Vegas Valley businesses, from restaurant chains to small juice bars, are embracing Bitcoin payments as mainstream adoption accelerates, with companies avoiding credit card processing fees averaging 2.5% to 3.5% while tapping into a growing customer base actively seeking crypto-friendly merchants.

The shift follows Square’s November 2025 decision to enable roughly 4 million U.S. merchants to accept Bitcoin payments with zero processing fees through 2026.

According to Fox5Vegas, at Cane Juice Bar and Cafe on Rainbow near Windmill, district manager Tyler Peterson serves fresh-pressed sugar cane juice that customers can pay for with cash, card, or Bitcoin after eight months of crypto implementation.

“Bitcoin is getting very popular with mainstream people, not just the people that are actually into things like cryptocurrencies,” Peterson said, noting the payment option helps the business “move forward” while attracting new customers who specifically seek Bitcoin-accepting locations.

According to FOX5, more businesses across Las Vegas are now accepting Bitcoin payments, from chains like Steak ’n Shake to small shops and medical practices. Merchants said Bitcoin helps attract new customers and cut costs, while Square has enabled about 4 million U.S. merchants…

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) January 24, 2026

Small Business Growth Through Bitcoin Maps

Peterson confirmed customers who normally wouldn’t know about his shop come in specifically to use Bitcoin, with calls and inquiries arriving regularly.

“So actually some customers we have generated off of accepting Bitcoin,” Peterson said. “That Bitcoin map is helping us out a lot.”

Consumers can locate Bitcoin-accepting businesses through dedicated Bitcoin maps or Cash App’s directory feature, creating organic discovery channels for merchants willing to accept crypto payments.

Jeremy Querci, a Bitcoin consultant with Sovreign, explained that businesses accepting Bitcoin now range from medical practices to juice bars to children’s play places, with payment processing requiring just a few taps on a phone.

“At the time of checkout, you say you want to pay in Bitcoin and the business can bring up a QR code that you scan with your phone with any Bitcoin app,” Querci said, while Peterson asserted the technology will become progressively easier as “it’s the future.”

National Chains Lead Corporate Bitcoin Adoption

The momentum extends beyond small businesses into major restaurant chains, with Steak ‘n Shake announcing this week plans to pay all hourly employees at company-operated restaurants a Bitcoin bonus of $0.21 for every hour worked starting March 1, with funds accessible after a two-year vesting period.

Steak 'n Shake announces Bitcoin hourly bonus for workers starting March 1, expanding its treasury strategy that contributed to 15% same-store sales growth.#Bitcoin #Salaryhttps://t.co/HjlPK3TLtN

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 21, 2026

CEO Will Reeves positioned the move as part of the 91-year-old burger chain’s transformation into “a real bitcoin company, putting sound money into the hands of working Americans.“

Lightning Network payments enabled across all U.S. Steak ‘n Shake locations in mid-May 2025 brought transaction fee savings of nearly 50% compared with credit cards, alongside roughly 15% increases in same-store sales in the months following launch.

The rollout received public backing from Jack Dorsey, who enthusiastically endorsed the chain’s Bitcoin adoption plans when the company first polled followers about accepting crypto.

Infrastructure Advances Enable Mainstream Payments

Cash App rolled out Bitcoin Lightning payments and stablecoin transfers in November 2025, allowing eligible users to pay over the Lightning Network in seconds with no fee using either BTC or USD balances after scanning a Lightning QR code.

The app introduced Bitcoin Map, an in-app directory that helps customers find nearby Square merchants and other businesses accepting Bitcoin, enabling users to locate stores, get directions, and pay directly over Lightning at checkout.

Just yesterday, crypto payments firm Mercuryo partnered with Visa to enable near-real-time conversion of digital assets into fiat currency, allowing users to send proceeds directly to Visa debit and credit cards via Visa Direct.

“This partnership with Visa will further enhance Mercuryo’s ability to deliver a fast, low-cost user experience,” said Mercuryo co-founder and CEO Petr Kozyakov, noting the integration reduces friction historically associated with moving funds across borders or cashing out digital assets.

The corporate adoption mirrors explosive growth across the broader crypto payments landscape, with crypto card volumes surging from roughly $100 million monthly in early 2023 to over $1.5 billion by late 2025, representing a 106% compound annual growth rate, according to Artemis Analytics.

Annualized volumes now exceed $18 billion, while traditional peer-to-peer stablecoin transfers grew just 5% to $19 billion over the same period.

At the time of publication, Bitcoin is trading around $89,500, down roughly 5% over the previous week, as Bitcoin spot ETFs experienced steep outflows totaling $1.62 billion across four trading days amid compressed yields on basis trades that dropped below 5% from around 17% a year ago.

The post Las Vegas Businesses Ditch Credit Card Fees for Bitcoin Payments appeared first on Cryptonews.

One of the more seamless aspects on a recent trip to Japan was being able to simply “tap” my iPhone to pay for subway rides in Tokyo. That frictionless transit payment capability, common in many major cities worldwide, isn’t available in Seattle. But that’s about to change.

Seattle’s ORCA transit system is rolling out an upgrade that will let riders pay fares by tapping their credit card or smartphone — no dedicated ORCA card required.

The new “Tap to Pay” feature will let riders across the Seattle region use Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express cards, as well as mobile wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.

A soft launch is scheduled to begin Feb. 2 on the G Line, a bus rapid transit route, before expanding system-wide later in February — in advance of this summer’s World Cup in Seattle, as well as the debut of the new light rail line across Lake Washington connecting the region’s tech hubs.

The Tap to Pay rollout was formally briefed to the ORCA Joint Board during its meeting this week.

The technical upgrade is aimed at making transit easier for occasional riders, tourists, and anyone who doesn’t already carry an ORCA card — while modernizing fare payment across the region’s patchwork of transit agencies.

ORCA’s operations team worked with German tech company Init to implement Visa’s Mass Transit Transaction (MTT) payment model, which allows ORCA fare readers to function as point-of-sale devices capable of securely processing contactless credit card payments in real time.

During the soft-launch phase, riders who tap a personal credit or debit card will be charged a flat $3 adult fare and won’t be able to transfer to other transit services outside the G Line. Once the feature launches across the full ORCA system, transfers will work the same way they do today for ORCA card users, including the standard two-hour transfer window across most participating agencies, according to ORCA officials.

The system will support one rider per card and adult fares only, meaning reduced-fare programs such as ORCA LIFT, Senior, Disabled, and Youth cards won’t be available through Tap to Pay.

Fare inspectors will be able to validate contactless payments by asking riders to show whatever card they used to pay.

In a statement to GeekWire, ORCA officials emphasized that the new payment option is additive, not a replacement. Riders who receive employer-subsidized ORCA cards or rely on discounted fares are encouraged to continue using traditional ORCA cards. Cash and physical tickets will still be accepted.

Tap to Pay also won’t be available on every service. The feature will not initially work on Washington State Ferries, the Seattle Monorail, Community Transit DART, ZIP, or Pierce Transit Runner, according to board presentation slides.

Some users on Reddit this week complained about needing to remove their physical ORCA card from their wallet to avoid getting a credit card charge when tapping at a reader.

Notably, using an ORCA card inside Apple Wallet is a separate feature and is not part of this launch. ORCA officials said they remain committed to mobile payment options but declined to share additional details or timelines. ORCA launched a Google Wallet feature for Android users in 2024.

• Side note: Apple Wallet has a feature called Express Mode that lets transit riders pay for fares without waking or unlocking their device.
• And for those who want to purchase tickets via an app: Transit GO allows iOS and Android users to pay fares on King Country Metro buses, Sound Transit trains, and other regional transit services using in-app ticketing.

Bitcoin Magazine

Oklahoma Introduces Bill Allowing State Employees and Vendors to Be Paid in Bitcoin

Oklahoma lawmakers introduced legislation this week that would allow state employees, vendors, private businesses, and residents to negotiate and receive payments in bitcoin.

Senate Bill 2064, introduced by Senator Dusty Deevers during the 2026 legislative session, establishes a legal framework for the use of bitcoin as a medium of exchange and compensation without designating it as legal tender.

The bill explicitly states that it does not conflict with the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition on states coining money or declaring legal tender other than gold and silver, instead recognizing bitcoin as a financial instrument operating within existing legal frameworks.

If enacted, the bill would permit Oklahoma state employees to elect to receive salaries or wages in bitcoin, either based on the asset’s market value at the start of a pay period or at the time of payment. 

Employees would be allowed to revise their payment preference at the beginning of each pay period and could choose to receive compensation in bitcoin, U.S. dollars, or a combination of both. 

Payments would be deposited either into a self-hosted wallet controlled by the employee or into a third-party custodial account designated by the employee.

The legislation would also allow vendors contracting with the state to opt into receiving payment in bitcoin on a per-transaction basis. The bitcoin value of those payments would be determined by the market price at the time of the transaction unless otherwise agreed upon in writing.

Beyond state payroll and procurement, the bill broadly authorizes private businesses and individuals in Oklahoma to negotiate and receive payments in bitcoin, reinforcing its use as a voluntary medium of exchange across the state economy.

JUST IN: Oklahoma introduces bill to allow state employees, businesses, and individuals to accept Bitcoin payments pic.twitter.com/2HjQr4PVLM

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) January 23, 2026

SB 2064 includes provisions aimed at reducing regulatory friction for bitcoin-native businesses. Firms that deal exclusively in digital assets and do not exchange them for U.S. dollars would be exempt from Oklahoma’s money transmitter licensing requirements, according to legislation text. 

The bill directs the Oklahoma State Treasurer to issue a request for proposals for a digital asset firm to process bitcoin payments for state employees and vendors.

In selecting a provider, the Treasurer must consider factors including fees, transaction speed, cybersecurity practices, custody options, and any relevant state licenses. The Treasurer would be required to finalize a contract with a provider by January 1, 2027, and is authorized to promulgate rules to implement the program.

Back in January 2025, Oklahoma State Senator Dusty Deevers introduced a similar initiative called the Bitcoin Freedom Act (SB 325). It was a bill designed to let employees, vendors, and businesses voluntarily receive and make payments in Bitcoin while creating a legal framework for its use in the state’s economy.

Oklahoma’s bitcoin adoption echoes other U.S. states

This move follows other states like New Hampshire and Texas in exploring ways to integrate Bitcoin into public finance. 

New Hampshire passed the nation’s first Strategic Bitcoin Reserve law, allowing the state to hold up to 5% of its funds in high-market-cap digital assets and even approve a bitcoin-backed municipal bond.

Texas, meanwhile, has paired legislation with action, creating a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and making the first U.S. state Bitcoin ETF purchase of around $5 million, framing it as both a hedge against economic volatility and a step toward modernizing state finances. 

If passed, SB 2064 would take effect on November 1, 2026, positioning Oklahoma among a small but growing number of U.S. states exploring direct integration of bitcoin into government payment systems.

The Oklahoma Tax Commission would also be required to issue guidance on the tax treatment of digital assets received as payment by January 1, 2027, addressing an area that has often created uncertainty for employees and employers alike.

This post Oklahoma Introduces Bill Allowing State Employees and Vendors to Be Paid in Bitcoin first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Crypto payments firm Mercuryo has partnered with Visa to enable near real-time conversion of digital assets into fiat currency.

The move allows users to send proceeds directly to Visa debit and credit cards through Visa Direct, the payments giant’s real-time money movement network.

Under the arrangement, eligible Mercuryo users will be able to off-ramp crypto holdings and receive fiat funds on their cards within minutes, according to the companies.

Mercuryo Taps Visa Direct to Speed Up Low-Cost Crypto-to-Fiat Payments

The service is designed to reduce settlement times and costs compared with traditional conversion and payout methods, particularly for cross-border transactions.

The integration expands Mercuryo’s use of Visa Direct, which already supports real-time transfers across brokerage, crypto and digital banking accounts.

By tapping into Visa’s global payments infrastructure, Mercuryo said it aims to make crypto-to-fiat conversions more accessible without requiring users to leave the wallets, exchanges or platforms they already use.

Mercuryo said the partnership allows Visa Direct to connect with its network of non-custodial wallets, exchanges and payment providers, giving millions of users access to fast off-ramping tools through familiar interfaces.

Visa @Mercuryo_io, working to make cross-border payouts faster, reduce delays, and help people access their funds quickly in their local currencies.#crypto #VisaDirect https://t.co/bYNbTjKiYF

— VisaNews (@VisaNews) January 22, 2026

Funds converted to fiat can be spent at more than 150 million merchant locations worldwide that accept Visa.

“This partnership with Visa will further enhance Mercuryo’s ability to deliver a fast, low-cost user experience,” said Mercuryo co-founder and CEO Petr Kozyakov.

He said the integration reduces the friction historically associated with moving funds across borders or cashing out digital assets, allowing users to access local currencies more quickly.

Anastasia Serikova, head of Visa Direct in Europe, said the collaboration is intended to bridge the gap between crypto platforms and traditional financial systems.

She said the service enables users to convert digital assets into fiat in near real time, improving convenience and reliability for everyday payments.

Visa Deepens Crypto Strategy as Stablecoin Settlements Reach $3.5B Run Rate

The deal adds to Visa’s growing push into digital assets. In December, the company launched a Stablecoins Advisory Practice to help businesses explore ways to integrate stablecoins into their operations.

In July last year, Visa surpassed $200 million in cumulative stablecoin settlement volume while expanding its crypto infrastructure through African partnerships and platform development.

However, CEO Ryan McInerney warned that the technology still requires clearer regulations to reach its full potential.

Visa has also reported rising stablecoin settlement volumes, reaching an annualized run rate of $3.5 billion.

Earlier, Visa partnered with crypto infrastructure firm Aquanow to improve stablecoin settlement speeds and reduce reliance on legacy payment rails.

The post Crypto Firm Partners With Visa to Enable Near Real-Time Crypto-to-Fiat Off-Ramping appeared first on Cryptonews.

The CEO of stablecoin issuer Circle has weighed in on the importance of stablecoin rewards and why he believes the banking industry’s concerns about interest payments on these assets are “absurd.”

Circle CEO Rejects Banks’ Stablecoin Fears

Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Circle’s CEO, Jeremy Allaire, discussed banks’ growing concerns that paying interest on stablecoins poses a threat to the industry, calling the deposit flight narrative “totally absurd.”

The banking sector has expressed concerns about stablecoin rewards, arguing that interest payments will distort market dynamics and affect credit creation. In the US, banks have heavily criticized the GENIUS Act, claiming that it has loopholes that could pose risks to the financial system.

The executive rejected the sector’s general arguments, citing historical and practical reasons. He asserted that this exact argument has been historically used when new financial products, such as government money market funds, have emerged.

Notably, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan recently compared the digital assets to money market mutual funds, which require reserves to be held in short-term instruments, such as US Treasuries, reducing lending capacity in the system.

The executive told investors that the banking sector, small- and medium-sized businesses in particular, could face significant challenges if the US Congress does not prohibit interest-bearing stablecoins, as up to $6 trillion in deposits, or 30% to 35% of all US commercial bank deposits, could flow out of the banking system and into the stablecoin sector.

However, Allaire pointed out that, despite institutions claiming that financial products would “draw all the deposit base,” their growth has not “stopped the ability for lending to happen.”

The importance Of Rewards

Circle’s CEO also argued that stablecoins should not be singled out when rewards for other financial products exist and contribute to the system. “Those rewards (…) exist in every balance that you have with a credit card that you use. They exist around so many other financial products and services that we have,” he detailed.

“These rewards are actually very important,” Allaire continued. “They help with stickiness, they help with customer traction. They are not themselves like these huge monetary policy dampers.”

Most importantly, he pointed out that lending is moving away from the risk-taking of banks, with “a huge amount of lending is moving towards private credit.”

He cited a Wednesday WEF panel, in which a capital markets participant highlighted how the vast majority of GDP growth in the United States was “formed by capital market formation around junk bonds.”

“So private credit issuing junk bonds, capitalizing the build out of the American technology advancements, not bank credit,” the executive added.

Previously, Coinbase Institute shared a similar argument, affirming that “credit is evolving, not shrinking. Lending is shifting to private credit, fintech, and DeFi channels that don’t depend on deposits. Liquidity moves—it doesn’t vanish.”

Allaire concluded that “we want stablecoin money to be cash instrument money, prudentially supervised, very, very safe money. And then I think what we want to do is we want to build models for lending that build on top of stablecoins.”

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Adoption Surges in Iran Amid Protests and Rial Collapse

A new report from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis shows that Iran’s crypto ecosystem boomed in 2025, with Bitcoin playing a growing central role for both ordinary citizens seeking financial refuge and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which now dominates much of the country’s on-chain activity.

According to the report, Iran’s crypto economy processed more than $7.78 billion in value in 2025, growing faster for most of the year than in 2024. 

The report found that crypto activity in Iran is closely correlated with major political shocks, regional conflict, and domestic unrest, making blockchain data a real-time barometer of instability inside the country.

Bitcoin as a flight to safety

One of the clearest trends identified in the report is a surge in Bitcoin withdrawals to personal wallets during mass protests in late 2025 and early 2026. Comparing activity before protests began with the period leading up to Iran’s nationwide internet blackout on January 8, Chainalysis observed sharp increases in both transaction volumes and transfers from Iranian exchanges to self-custodied Bitcoin wallets.

The behavior suggests Iranians are using Bitcoin as a flight to safety amid accelerating currency collapse and political uncertainty. 

The Iranian rial has lost roughly 90% of its value since 2018, with inflation running between 40% and 50%. In that environment, Bitcoin’s censorship resistance and portability offer a rare form of financial optionality — especially during protests, capital controls, or the risk of needing to flee the country.

Chainalysis notes that this pattern mirrors Bitcoin adoption during crises elsewhere, where citizens turn to self-custody when trust in state-controlled financial systems breaks down.

The report shows pronounced spikes in Iranian crypto activity following major geopolitical and domestic events, including, the January 2024 Kerman bombings, which killed nearly 100 people at a memorial for IRGC-Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani.

The report also marked a spike in activity after Iran’s October 2024 missile strikes against Israel, following the assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders and during the 12-day war in June 2025, which included the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian military infrastructure, cyberattacks on Iran’s largest crypto exchange Nobitex, and disruptions at Bank Sepah, a key IRGC-linked financial institution.

IRGC is dominating Iran’s crypto economy

While Bitcoin has become a lifeline for many civilians, Chainalysis warns that Iran’s crypto ecosystem is increasingly dominated by the IRGC. Addresses linked to IRGC-affiliated networks accounted for around 50% of all crypto value received in Iran in Q4 2025, a share that has steadily grown over time.

IRGC-linked wallets received more than $3 billion on-chain in 2025, up from over $2 billion in 2024. 

Chainalysis said this figure is a lower-bound estimate, based only on wallets publicly identified through sanctions designations by the U.S. Treasury’s OFAC and Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing. 

The true scale is likely larger, given the use of shell companies, facilitators, and undisclosed wallets.

These networks span multiple countries and are used to move illicit oil revenues, launder funds, evade sanctions, and finance Iran’s regional proxy groups.

Iran's currency has collapsed and is now officially worth $0.

Iran needs Bitcoin pic.twitter.com/s5GxaXupbt

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) January 12, 2026

Bitcoin, sanctions, and resistance

Chainalysis concluded in their report that crypto, particularly Bitcoin, is playing somewhat of a dual role in Iran: its a financial escape valve for citizens and a sanctions-evasion tool for the state and its security apparatus. 

As Iran faces mounting internal dissent, economic dysfunction, and external pressure, on-chain data shows Bitcoin increasingly being used outside government control, especially during moments of crisis.

These findings underscore how Bitcoin’s permissionless design cuts both ways — serving as a lifeline for civilians facing political instability while also enabling state and paramilitary actors, reinforcing the case that Bitcoin itself is neutral infrastructure for a couple different actors.

This post Bitcoin Adoption Surges in Iran Amid Protests and Rial Collapse first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

The CEO of Bank of America has warned that trillions of dollars could flee from bank deposits to the stablecoin sector if the upcoming crypto market structure bill allows interest payments on the tokens.

Banking System Could Face $6 Trillion Problem

On Wednesday, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan told investors that the banking industry could face significant challenges if the US Congress does not prohibit interest-bearing stablecoins.

During its Q4 earnings call, the executive affirmed that up to $6 trillion in deposits, around 30% to 35% of all US commercial bank deposits, could flow out of the banking system and into the stablecoin sector, citing Treasury Department studies.

The banking sector has heavily criticized the US’s landmark stablecoin legislation, the GENIUS Act, for months, claiming that it has loopholes that could pose risks to the financial system. Notably, the crypto framework prohibits interest payments on the holding or use of payment-purpose stablecoins but only addresses issuers.

Multiple banking associations across the US sent a joint letter to the Senate Banking Committee urging Congress to amend the law to include digital asset exchanges, brokers, dealers, and related entities.

According to the call’s transcript, Moynihan compared the digital assets to money market mutual funds, which require reserves to be held in short-term instruments, such as US Treasuries, thereby reducing lending capacity in the system.

That is the bigger concern that we’ve all expressed to Congress as they think about this, if you move it outside the system, you’ll reduce the lending capacity of banks. (…) And if you take out deposits, (…) they’re either not going to be able to loan or they’re going to have to get wholesale funding and that wholesale funding will come at a cost that will increase the cost of borrowing.

The CEO asserted that Bank of America would not be affected by this issue, as the institution would be able to “meet customer demand, whatever may surface.” However, he noted that it would particularly hurt small- and medium-sized businesses, as they’re “largely lent to end consumers by the banking industry.”

Stablecoin Rewards Debate Intensifies

Moynihan’s remarks come amid the Senate’s struggles with the long-awaited market structure bill. The recently shared draft, which was scheduled for a markup today, has raised concerns among crypto industry leaders, who have outlined multiple problems with the bill.

Coinbase’s CEO, Brian Armstrong, took to X to share his disappointment with the legislation, affirming that “this version would be materially worse than the current status quo. We’d rather have no bill than a bad bill.”

He affirmed that, after reviewing the bill’s draft, Coinbase could not support it in its current state, arguing that there were “too many issues.” Among the problems, he noted the de facto ban on tokenized equities, crucial DeFi prohibitions, the “erosion” of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)’s authority, and the policies regarding the payment of interests on stablecoins.

As reported by Bitcoinist, this version of the market structure bill introduced key restrictions for stablecoin issuers. Under the proposed changes, issuers would be able to offer rewards for specific actions, such as account openings and cashback.

However, they are prohibited from offering interest payments to passive token holders. To Armstrong, this “would kill rewards on stablecoins,” and allow banks to “ban their competition.”

Amid the intensified backlash, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott announced on Wednesday that the bill’s markup had been postponed to “deliver clear rules of the road that protect consumers, strengthen our national security, and ensure the future of finance is built in the United States.”

Bitcoin Magazine

Rumble Launches Crypto Wallet With Tether Allowing Direct Creator Payments in Bitcoin and Crypto

Rumble on Wednesday announced the launch of a new digital wallet built in partnership with stablecoin giant Tether, allowing users and creators to send, receive and store cryptocurrency directly on the video-sharing platform without relying on banks or third-party payment processors.

The product, dubbed Rumble Wallet, will enable direct peer-to-peer payments using Bitcoin, Tether’s USDT stablecoin and Tether Gold (XAUt). 

The company said the wallet is designed to let creators get paid directly by their audiences, reducing fees and limiting the risk of payment restrictions, account freezes or deplatforming by traditional financial intermediaries.

Founder, chairman and CEO Chris Pavlovski said the wallet aligns closely with the company’s free-speech mission and its long-running push to build alternatives to Big Tech infrastructure.

“Rumble represents free speech and liberty the same way that cryptocurrency and a decentralized internet represent freedom, and Rumble Wallet is the natural combination of those things,” Pavlovski said in a statement. “We are putting more power into the hands of users and creators so they can engage with and financially support the content they like.”

Later, Pavlovski posted on X, “If its not clear, I’ll make it really clear. Rumble Wallet will compete directly against Coinbase and Venmo — but we’re NOT custodial and we CANNOT shutdown your account. Its true financial freedom to buy, hold and tip crypto.”

BREAKING: Video streaming giant Rumble launches a crypto wallet to enable its audience to tip in #Bitcoin and crypto.

MASSIVE pic.twitter.com/RskW3mTDH6

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) January 7, 2026

Bitcoin, crypto, and Rumble as ‘freedom first’

The announcement comes as the company continues to position itself as a “freedom-first” technology platform, appealing to creators and audiences frustrated with censorship, demonetization and opaque moderation policies on mainstream platforms.

The wallet is non-custodial, meaning users maintain confirmation of their own digital assets rather than handing control to a centralized provider. 

The wallet is built using Tether’s Wallet Development Kit, which is designed to help platforms integrate crypto payments directly into their products.

CEO Paolo Ardoino said the collaboration reflects the company’s broader focus on decentralization and user autonomy.

“At Tether, we champion technologies that break boundaries and promote freedom, decentralization and the fundamental right to free expression,” Ardoino said. “Rumble Wallet brings those ideals together into one product that will give tens of millions of users more control than any platform has offered before, even in the United States.”

The two companies already have deep financial ties. Tether holds nearly 104 million shares of Rumble, representing roughly 48% of the company, according to disclosures.

MoonPay will power Rumble Wallet’s crypto on- and off-ramps, allowing users to seamlessly convert between digital assets and traditional payment methods such as credit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal and Venmo.

“Peer-to-peer payments powered by crypto are the future of the internet economy,” said MoonPay CEO Ivan Soto-Wright. “Rumble is one of the first major platforms to adopt this model, giving creators the ability to get paid instantly in stablecoins or Bitcoin and easily move in and out of fiat.”

Shares of Rumble rose 3% following the announcement, reflecting investor optimism around the platform’s expanding crypto strategy and creator monetization tools.

This post Rumble Launches Crypto Wallet With Tether Allowing Direct Creator Payments in Bitcoin and Crypto first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Fedi to Go Open Source on Bitcoin Genesis Anniversary

Fedi will release its full software stack as open source on Jan. 3, completing a pledge made at launch in 2024.

The company said all Fedi software has now transitioned to the Affero General Public License (AGPL), following an interim period under a business source license. 

The change makes Fedi’s codebase publicly available under a copyleft license that requires derivative works to remain open, according to a spokesperson from Fedi. 

The date carries weight in Bitcoin history. Jan. 3 marks the anniversary of the Bitcoin genesis block, mined in 2009. Fedi said the timing reflects its focus on community ownership and grassroots financial infrastructure.

When Fedi launched, it said it aimed to become a “freedom technology” by giving control back to users and communities. The move to open source fulfills that commitment, the company said, and removes the risk of vendor lock-in for groups that rely on the software.

Fedi is used by communities to build local financial and social systems. Its app combines encrypted messaging, bitcoin payments, and additional services through Mini App extensions. Wallet infrastructure is powered by the Fedimint protocol, which allows groups to operate shared bitcoin custody using federated trust models.

The AGPL license is designed to ensure that improvements remain public, even when the software is used in hosted or networked services. Supporters say this aligns development incentives with user interests.

Fedi executives have highlighted the licensing shift in recent public appearances, including a BitcoinMENA pre-show segment featuring CEO Obi Nwosu.

With the transition complete, Fedi joins a growing group of Bitcoin-native projects returning to fully open development as adoption spreads beyond early adopters and into community-scale use cases.

Fedi: From Chaumian e-cash to federated bitcoin mints

Fedimint is built on ideas first proposed by cryptographer David Chaum in the early 1980s. Chaumian e-cash allows users to transact without revealing identity or transaction history to the issuer. Earlier versions of digital cash failed to gain adoption due to centralization, since a single mint controlled issuance and redemption. That structure created trust and censorship risks.

Bitcoin solved the double-spend problem by decentralizing transaction validation across a global network of nodes. It removed the need for a trusted mint but introduced tradeoffs. Transactions are public, and throughput remains limited.

Fedimint attempts to bridge those models. It uses Bitcoin as the reserve asset while distributing custody across a federation of independent operators, known as guardians. No single party controls funds or transaction data. This structure reduces censorship risk while preserving user privacy.

Fedi’s goal is to let communities deploy shared financial infrastructure without reliance on banks or centralized platforms.

This post Fedi to Go Open Source on Bitcoin Genesis Anniversary first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Fold Launches Nationwide Bitcoin Services Across All 50 States With BitGo

Fold Holdings, Inc. ($FLD), a publicly traded Bitcoin financial services company, just announced that its platform is now available in all 50 U.S. states.

The expansion follows a strategic partnership with BitGo Bank & Trust, which recently became one of the first digital asset companies to secure a federal bank charter from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).

The move marks a rare milestone in U.S. consumer Bitcoin services: Fold is the first platform to operate nationwide under a single federally supervised trust framework. 

Previously, state-by-state licensing and regulatory barriers constrained consumer access, particularly in states like New York. With BitGo’s charter, Fold can now provide Bitcoin exchange and custody services across the entire country, including historically restrictive markets, this is according to the company’s statement shared with Bitcoin Magazine. 

Fold wants a ‘national framework’ for Bitcoin

“BitGo B&T’s federal bank charter combined with Fold’s Bitcoin financial products gives the U.S. its first true national framework for Bitcoin access,” said CEO Will Reeves. “It replaces a patchwork of state rules with a single, regulated structure, creating a clear path forward for both companies and consumers.” 

Reeves emphasized that nationwide availability allows the company to scale its offerings and deliver Bitcoin products in line with federal oversight.

The company’s consumer-facing products include its Bitcoin Gift Card and the upcoming Fold Bitcoin Credit Card, which will now reach previously untapped markets. 

BitGo provides the digital asset infrastructure through its Crypto-as-a-Service platform, enabling them to operate within a federally supervised compliance framework while continuing to innovate in rewards, payments, and custody services.

“This is a meaningful moment for both BitGo B&T and Fold,” said Frank Wang, Executive Director of Fintech Sales at BitGo. “Our conversion to a federal bank charter allows us to support consumer platforms at a national level, and Fold is a natural partner in that effort. Access has been limited by geography, but with a national framework, both companies can now operate as intended — responsibly and across the entire U.S.”

This partnership positions FLD to capture a wider audience while aligning consumer crypto services with federal standards. At the same time, reliance on BitGo introduces dependencies: any regulatory or operational issues at BitGo could affect the company’s nationwide offering. 

Fold is beginning to onboard users nationwide, the company said, with details of product availability to be shared as the rollout progresses. 

This post Fold Launches Nationwide Bitcoin Services Across All 50 States With BitGo first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

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Klarna Partners With Privy to Explore Use of Crypto Wallets

Just weeks after announcing a stablecoin, Swedish fintech giant Klarna is taking another step into crypto. The company has teamed up with Privy, a wallet infrastructure platform owned by Stripe, to explore digital asset solutions for its users.

The partnership will focus on research and development of crypto wallet features, the company said. The two aim to make it easier for everyday users to store, use, and send digital assets. The move builds on the company’s recent launch of KlarnaUSD, a U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin issued on the Tempo blockchain.

“Millions already trust Klarna to manage everyday spending, saving, and shopping,” said Sebastian Siemiatkowski, CEO and co-founder. “That puts us in a unique position to bring crypto into the financial lives of normal people, not just early adopters. With Privy, we plan to build products that feel as intuitive as any other Klarna feature.”

KlarnaUSD was launched with Tempo and Bridge, a Stripe-backed stablecoin infrastructure provider. 

The token is live on Tempo’s testnet and expected to launch on mainnet in 2026. The fintech giant said the stablecoin could reduce global cross-border payment costs, currently estimated at $120 billion annually.

JUST IN: Fintech giant Klarna to develop #Bitcoin and crypto wallet features within its financial products.

Bullish pic.twitter.com/UChKCUyOzZ

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) December 11, 2025

100 million accounts coming to crypto via Klarna

Privy powers over 100 million accounts for more than 1,500 developers. The platform supports crypto-native applications like OpenSea and Hyperliquid. 

Henri Stern, CEO and co-founder of Privy, said the partnership will allow users to hold a wide variety of digital assets, trade safely, and transact with friends anywhere in the world.

“We’re proud to partner with world-class fintechs like Klarna, providing the secure, enterprise-ready infrastructure they need,” Stern said. “Privy aims to be the backbone for any business that wants to harness the exciting capabilities crypto and stablecoins offer.”

The initiative reflects a growing trend. Traditional fintechs are now testing ways to integrate crypto tools into everyday consumer finance. The company said any future wallet or crypto product would require the necessary regulatory approvals before launch.

Venture capital firm a16z estimates that 716 million people globally hold cryptocurrencies. Between 40 million and 70 million transact with crypto each month. That figure grows by roughly 10 million users a year.

Klarna’s push into crypto marks a sharp turn for the company. CEO Siemiatkowski was once a vocal skeptic of digital currencies. 

He said the market’s maturity and Klarna’s global reach now justify this entry. Klarna serves 114 million customers and processes $112 billion in annual gross merchandise volume.

The company plans to explore further crypto initiatives. A blog post on Thursday hinted at a new announcement “in a week or so,” suggesting more developments are coming soon.

This post Klarna Partners With Privy to Explore Use of Crypto Wallets first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.