Stablecoins moved more than $35 trillion on blockchain rails last year, but only about 1% of that was for real-world payments, according to a new report by the consultancy firm McKinsey and the blockchain data firm Artemis Analytics. Their analysis estimated that only $380 billion of activity reflected actual payments, such as paying suppliers, sending … Read more
There is no legal way for Web3 prediction markets to operate in Ukraine under current laws, according to a senior official involved in shaping the country’s digital economy policy. In comments shared with CoinDesk days after Ukraine blocked access to Polymarket and nearly 200 gambling-related websites Dmitry Nikolaievskyi, chief legal officer at the Project Office … Read more
Crypto watchers are speculating that video game retailer GameStop (GME) might be the latest firm to abandon its bitcoin BTC$89,298.71 treasury after moving all its coins to Coinbase this week. Blockchain analytics firm CryptoQuant spotted on Friday that a wallet labeled GameStop had transferred all its stash – some 4,710 BTC, worth about $420 million … Read more
The biggest obstacle to Bitcoin (BTC) being used as a payment method is tax policy, not scaling technology that reduces settlement times and transaction costs, according to Pierre Rochard, a board member for Bitcoin treasury company Strive. “Here’s a metaphor: the best athlete can win against the worst athlete 100% of the time, if the … Read more
As Congress debates crypto market structure legislation, one issue has emerged as especially contentious: whether stablecoins should be allowed to pay yield. On one side, you have banks fighting to protect their traditional hold over consumer deposits that underpin much of the U.S. economy’s credit system. On the other side, crypto industry players are seeking … Read more
In theory, bitcoin should thrive during times of uncertainty as it’s sound money that’s censorship-resistant. In practice, it’s becoming the first thing investors sell when push comes to shove. As geopolitical tensions flared over the past week, following Trump’s threats of tariffs against NATO allies over Greenland and speculation of potential military action in the … Read more
The Nietzschean Penguin (PENGUIN) token, a memecoin launched on the Solana layer-1 blockchain network, surged by about 564% following a social media post from the United States White House. On Friday, the White House published a social media post on X of US President Donald Trump and a penguin holding hands and walking through the … Read more
It’s no secret that bitcoin BTC$89,561.83 is currently failing its many narratives, including the claim that it can serve as an inflation hedge or a safe-haven asset amid uncertainty. While gold has climbed more than 80% during this period of high inflation, geopolitical skirmishes, and interest rate uncertainty, bitcoin has dropped 14% year over year. … Read more
During his trip to Davos for the World Economic Forum, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong shared that a top executive at one of the world’s 10 largest banks told him that crypto is now their “number one priority” — and that they view it as “existential.” Armstrong’s post, shared on X, highlighted a shift in how … Read more
Agora, a startup founded by entrepreneur and VanEck heir Nick van Eck, is positioning itself for a stablecoin market that’s moving beyond crypto-native trading. While decentralized finance (DeFi) remains a key growth engine – Agora’s total value locked (TVL) grew 60% last month from DeFi launches, he said — his focus is shifting toward a … Read more