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An empirical analysis of cross-border Bitcoin, Ether and stablecoin flows
An empirical analysis of cross-border Bitcoin, Ether and stablecoin flows
The BIS published the results of an empirical investigation of trends and drivers of cross-border flows of Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) between 184 countries from 2017 to 2024. These flows are substantial, peaking at around $2.6 trillion in 2021, with the two stablecoins (USDT and USDC) accounting for close to half the volume. The unique bilateral data allow for the estimation the drivers of these flows in a gravity framework, and how they differ across different types of crypto-assets. The findings highlight speculative motives and global funding conditions as key drivers of native crypto-asset flows. Transactional motives play a significant role in cross-border flows for stablecoins and low-value BTC transactions, where a strong association with higher costs of traditional remittances is found.
·bis.org·
An empirical analysis of cross-border Bitcoin, Ether and stablecoin flows
Kyrgyzstan's Gold-Backed USD-Pegged Stablecoin USDKG to Debut in Q3
Kyrgyzstan's Gold-Backed USD-Pegged Stablecoin USDKG to Debut in Q3
The Kyrgyz Ministry of Finance reportedly plans to launch a gold-backed stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar in Q3 2025. The Gold Dollar (USDKG) will initially be backed by $500 million and be designed to facilitate seamless cross-border transfers. The Ministry aims to expand the gold reserves to as much as $2 billion, with independent audits planned to ensure trust and transparency in the collateral backing. All operational responsibilities—including gold custody, collateralization processes, and token issuance controls— will be handled by an independent Kyrgyz-registered private entity. https://www.usdkg.com/
·coindesk.com·
Kyrgyzstan's Gold-Backed USD-Pegged Stablecoin USDKG to Debut in Q3
The Stablecoin Wars
The Stablecoin Wars
Forbes published an article by Christian Catalini that examines the intensifying competition in the stablecoin market, where companies like PayPal, Coinbase, Circle, Tether, and even traditional financial giants like Visa and Mastercard are vying for dominance. Drawing an analogy to the commoditization of electricity, Catalini argues that stablecoins risk becoming undifferentiated utilities, with margins squeezed by competition and regulatory pressures. The two primary revenue levers for issuers -- reserve yields and transaction fees -- are both under threat as users demand higher returns and payment rails become commoditized. The "stablecoin sandwich" model (converting local currency to stablecoins for cross-border transfers, then back to local currency) represents current momentum, but Catalini predicts that only institutions closest to central banking, like banks themselves, will ultimately have the cost advantage in minting stablecoins. He concludes that the real winners won't necessarily be those creating the best stablecoins, but rather those controlling the distribution channels—the wallets, apps, and merchant relationships—through which these digital currencies flow.
·forbes.com·
The Stablecoin Wars
Ripple $4B-$5B reported bid to purchase Circle rejected
Ripple $4B-$5B reported bid to purchase Circle rejected
Ripple has reportedly bid up to $5 billion in an effort to acquire stablecoin issuer Circle, but the offer was rejected because it was too low. The reported attempt came less than 30 days after Circle applied for an initial public offering (IPO) in the US. Ripple reportedly had an $11 billion valuation in 2024, an estimate CEO Brad Garlinghouse called “outdated” as of January. The blockchain company purchased prime broker Hidden Road for roughly $1.2 billion in April, claiming the move would help scale activity for XRP and XRP Ledger.
·cointelegraph.com·
Ripple $4B-$5B reported bid to purchase Circle rejected
UK Treasury Unveils Draft Cryptoasset Regulations, Seeks Feedback by May 2025
UK Treasury Unveils Draft Cryptoasset Regulations, Seeks Feedback by May 2025
"The UK Treasury (HMT) published a draft Statutory Instrument (SI) and a Policy Note detailing the UK’s upcoming financial services regulatory framework for crypto-assets, including stablecoins. Following proposals outlined in October 2023 and reaffirmed in November 2024, the draft SI establishes new regulated activities, such as operating crypto-asset trading platforms and issuing stablecoins, mandating authorization and oversight by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The Policy Note clarifies the intended policy outcomes, with additional provisions for market abuse and admissions and disclosures regimes to follow. The UK Treasury welcomes technical feedback on the draft SI until May 23, 2025, to refine the regulations." https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-cryptoasset-rules-to-drive-growth-and-protect-consumers
·news.bitcoin.com·
UK Treasury Unveils Draft Cryptoasset Regulations, Seeks Feedback by May 2025
Stablecoins and Crypto Shocks: An Update
Stablecoins and Crypto Shocks: An Update
The New York Federal Reserve Bank (NY Fed) published an article that discusses the evolution and growth of stablecoins, noting their significant increase in market capitalization since 2019, primarily concentrated in Tether and USDCoin. It highlights a shift in collateral towards U.S. Treasury securities and reverse repurchase agreements and finds that stablecoins, especially riskier ones, experience capital inflows following large increases in bitcoin prices, reflecting a link between stablecoin demand and overall crypto ecosystem activity, which updates previous findings about outflows during negative bitcoin price shocks for riskier stablecoins.
·libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org·
Stablecoins and Crypto Shocks: An Update
Mastercard unveils end-to-end capabilities to power stablecoin transactions
Mastercard unveils end-to-end capabilities to power stablecoin transactions
"Mastercard is advancing the future of payments, finance and technology with new, global end-to-end stablecoin acceptance and payments capabilities, to ensure that people and businesses can make and receive stablecoin payments – anytime, anywhere. While banks and fintechs are increasingly engaging with solutions built on stablecoins, global ubiquity and scale is contingent on everyday utility, seamless integration into existing financial systems, and an intuitive user experience. To allow consumers and businesses to use stablecoins as easily as the money in their bank accounts, Mastercard is providing an integrated, 360-degree approach..."The company has partnered with a host of crypto natives such as MetaMask, Kraken, Gemini, Bybit, Crypto.com and Binance on wallet enablement and card issuance and acceptance. Now it is working with OKX to launch the OKX Card.
·mastercard.com·
Mastercard unveils end-to-end capabilities to power stablecoin transactions
Stripe starts testing stablecoin product based on Bridge
Stripe starts testing stablecoin product based on Bridge
"Last year Stripe spent $1.1 billion acquiring Bridge, the company that provides cross border API infrastructure for stablecoin payments. On April 25, 2025 a member of Stripe’s crypto product team, Jennifer Lee, announced on X that the company is starting to test its Bridge-based product and invited companies outside the US, UK and EU who want to access dollars. She didn’t mention which stablecoins solutions would be offered initially."
·ledgerinsights.com·
Stripe starts testing stablecoin product based on Bridge
Caitlin Long slams US Fed over stablecoin policy favoring big banks
Caitlin Long slams US Fed over stablecoin policy favoring big banks
Unlike the other U.S. banking regulators, the Fed did not roll back its guidance that blocks banks from engaging directly with crypto-assets. This creates operational challenges for banks looking to offer crypto custody services, particularly around covering gas fees for on-chain transactions — a standard practice for crypto custodians but restricted under guidance that was left in place. The Fed also continues to prohibit banks from issuing stablecoins on permissionless blockchains, while the other regulatory agencies rolled that back. https://x.com/CaitlinLong_/status/1916570716880933266
·cointelegraph.com·
Caitlin Long slams US Fed over stablecoin policy favoring big banks
U.S. FRB withdraws guidance for banks related to their crypto activities
U.S. FRB withdraws guidance for banks related to their crypto activities
The U.S. Federal Reserve Board (FRB) rescinded its 2022 supervisory letter establishing an expectation that the banks it regulates and supervises provide advance notification of planned or current crypto-asset activities. As a result, the FRB will no longer expect banks to provide notification and will instead monitor banks' crypto-asset activities through the normal supervisory process. The FRB is also rescinding its 2023 supervisory letter regarding the supervisory nonobjection process for state member bank engagement in dollar token activities.
·federalreserve.gov·
U.S. FRB withdraws guidance for banks related to their crypto activities
PayPal Unlocks Rewards for Holding PayPal USD
PayPal Unlocks Rewards for Holding PayPal USD
Starting in Summer 2025, PayPal will pay U.S. users 3.7% annually in rewards on holdings of PayPal USD (PYUSD) in their PayPal or Venmo wallets. Users will be able to immediately use any rewards received to send to other users, fund international transfers, exchange for fiat, or make purchases at millions of merchants with PayPal Checkout.
·newsroom.paypal-corp.com·
PayPal Unlocks Rewards for Holding PayPal USD
Circle Announces Payments Network to Transform Global Money Movement
Circle Announces Payments Network to Transform Global Money Movement
Circle will be launching the Circle Payments Network (CPN) to connect financial institutions to enable real-time settlement of cross-border payments using regulated stablecoins. CPN will require participants to meet strict eligibility standards, including licensing, AML/CFT compliance, financial risk management, and cybersecurity protocols. By leveraging USDC, EURC, and other regulated stablecoins, CPN will enable seamless connectivity to domestic real-time payment systems worldwide, while upholding the compliance, security, and trust required for financial institutions to meet their regulatory obligations. Powered by smart contract infrastructure and modular APIs, the network will enable third-party developers to build advanced modules, app services, and automated financial workflows directly on top of CPN.
·circle.com·
Circle Announces Payments Network to Transform Global Money Movement
Some Perspectives on the Regulation of Stablecoins
Some Perspectives on the Regulation of Stablecoins
The BIS's Jon Frost co-authored a paper that explores the emerging regulatory landscape for stablecoins. It outlines their rapid growth and potential systemic risks they pose, especially as they become more integrated into payment systems and financial markets. The paper advocates for a balanced regulatory approach that ensures financial stability, consumer protection, and innovation. It examines existing regulatory frameworks, including banking, securities, and payments laws, and suggest that a tailored regulatory regime may be necessary to effectively oversee stablecoin issuers and related service providers. The paper also highlights international efforts and the importance of global coordination in regulating stablecoins.
·scholarship.law.duke.edu·
Some Perspectives on the Regulation of Stablecoins
On the Coexistence of Stablecoins and Central Bank Digital Currencies
On the Coexistence of Stablecoins and Central Bank Digital Currencies
Our exploration into the coexistence of stablecoins and CBDCs reveals a complex and evolving landscape of technological innovation in the payment and financial sectors. We underscore the need for a nuanced understanding of both private and public digital money, highlighting their distinct roles, potential benefits, and inherent risks within the global financial ecosystem. While stablecoins offer innovative solutions and contribute to diversification within the financial and payment sectors, their regulatory challenges and risk factors necessitate careful oversight. Conversely, the emergence of CBDCs represents a significant step by central banks in modernizing monetary systems and potentially enhancing financial inclusion, but these developments raise their own sets of challenges and risks.
·papers.ssrn.com·
On the Coexistence of Stablecoins and Central Bank Digital Currencies
Ripple Acquires Prime Broker Hidden Road
Ripple Acquires Prime Broker Hidden Road
Ripple is acquiring prime broker Hidden Road for $1.25 billion. With the acquisition, Ripple becomes the first crypto company to own and operate a global, multi-asset prime broker. Hidden Road offers institutions a one-stop-shop of advanced services including clearing, prime brokerage, and financing across foreign exchange (FX), digital assets, derivatives, swaps, and fixed income. The acquisition will make Ripple's RLUSD the first stablecoin to enable efficient cross-margining between the digital asset space and traditional markets, and increase XRP Ledger usage.
·ripple.com·
Ripple Acquires Prime Broker Hidden Road
Certain stablecoins aren't securities, SEC says in new guidance
Certain stablecoins aren't securities, SEC says in new guidance
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission published a notice that deems that "covered stablecoins" are considered "non-securities" and exempt from the agency's transaction reporting requirements. Covered stablecoins are those that don't offer holders the right to receive any interest, profit, or other returns, don't reflect any investment or other ownership interest in the stablecoin issuer or any other third party, don't afford holders any governance rights with respect to the issuer or stablecoin, and/or don't provide holders with any financial benefit or loss based on the issuer or any third party’s financial performance. The SEC's criteria for covered stablecoins are consistent with regulations stipulated in the Senate's GENIUS stablecoin bill, and the House of Representatives' Stable Act of 2025. https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/speeches-statements/statement-stablecoins-040425
·cointelegraph.com·
Certain stablecoins aren't securities, SEC says in new guidance
Binance-Backed FDUSD Stablecoin Loses Dollar Peg Following Justin Sun Accusations
Binance-Backed FDUSD Stablecoin Loses Dollar Peg Following Justin Sun Accusations
The First Digital USD (FDUSD) stablecoin lost its U.S. dollar peg after Tron founder Justin Sun claimed that its issuer, First Digital Trust, is effectively insolvent. First Digital Trust denied the allegation, saying that its stablecoin is backed one-to-one with U.S. Treasuries. FDUSD, which is prominently used by Binance after it dropped support for its own BUSD USD stablecoin in 2023, plunged as low as $0.95 in the wake of the allegations. Despite its small market capitalization (about $2.5 billion), it's trading volume is second only to Tether (market cap of about $144 billion) and ahead of USDC ($60 billion).
·decrypt.co·
Binance-Backed FDUSD Stablecoin Loses Dollar Peg Following Justin Sun Accusations
Ripple integrates RLUSD into Ripple Payments
Ripple integrates RLUSD into Ripple Payments
Ripple has integrated its enterprise-grade Ripple USD (RLUSD) USD-denominated stablecoin into its Ripple Payments cross-border payments solution. RLUSD allows enterprises to facilitate instant settlement of cross-border payments, access liquidity for remittance and treasury operations, integrate with decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, bridge between traditional fiat currencies and the crypto ecosystem, and provide collateralization for trading tokenized real-world assets on-chain. Since launching in December 2024, RLUSD is nearing $250 million in market capitalization and $10 billion in trading.
·ripple.com·
Ripple integrates RLUSD into Ripple Payments
Can Stablecoins Reshape Global Finance?
Can Stablecoins Reshape Global Finance?
Stablecoin circulation has exceeded $215 billion globally as of Q1 2025, with on-chain transaction volume hitting $5.6 trillion in 2024—equivalent to 40% of Visa’s payments volume. Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) remain the giants – with ~$140B and ~$55B circulating respectively – but their combined ~90% share in 2024 is slowly diluting as new issuers emerge. Notably, PayPal USD (PYUSD) launched in late 2023, FDUSD (First Digital USD) out of Hong Kong, Agora’s AUSD,Ethena’s USDe, and others like TrueUSD (TUSD) and DAI collectively make up the remaining ~10%. By 2030, stablecoins are expected to be integral to global finance, especially in cross-border payments, B2B transactions, and digital asset settlement.
·insights4vc.substack.com·
Can Stablecoins Reshape Global Finance?
Stablecoin Update Mar 2025
Stablecoin Update Mar 2025
Stablecoin supply continues to hit all time highs of $230 billion, up 68% Y/Y. Supply continues to increase despite the overall crypto market cap being down YTD. Q1 2025 was a record for stablecoin launches and was the first time 100 stablecoins have over $10mn in supply. Majority of stablecoins launched are crypto or fiat backed as DeFi shifts away from algorithmic backed stablecoins.
·docs.google.com·
Stablecoin Update Mar 2025
Interoperability of Blockchain Systems and the Future of Payments
Interoperability of Blockchain Systems and the Future of Payments
The New York Fed published research that provides empirical evidence of limited interoperability in crypto-asset markets. It examined the price relation between native and bridged USDC and USDT stablecoins on multiple blockchains and bridges. Stablecoins are good candidates for studying interoperability because they are nonspeculative by design (each is intended to represent $1), and in principle, a bridged representation of an asset represents value that is identical to the original asset. A higher degree of interoperability in blockchain systems would allow traders to compress any divergence in prices between stablecoins and their bridged representations and push the correlation between the prices of two stablecoins closer to one. However, it found surprisingly high price variation across all of them, suggesting limited interoperability.
·libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org·
Interoperability of Blockchain Systems and the Future of Payments
Wyoming Governor Expects State to Issue Its Own Stablecoin by July
Wyoming Governor Expects State to Issue Its Own Stablecoin by July
Wyoming plans launch its own U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin as soon as July 2025. The WYST token will be fully backed by US Treasuries, cash and repurchase agreements, and maintain a statutory requirement of no less than 102% capitalization. The income generated through interest income on the reserve assets will be used to fund education and infrastructure. They have been tested on Avalanche, Solana, Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon, and Base testnets. in collaboration with token issuance partner LayerZero. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WYGOV/bulletins/3d8d97a
·bloomberg.com·
Wyoming Governor Expects State to Issue Its Own Stablecoin by July
Senate Banking panel advances stablecoin bill
Senate Banking panel advances stablecoin bill
On 13 March, 2025, the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs voted to advance the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. In his opening remarks, Chairman Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said that the Act establishes common-sense rules that require stablecoin issuers to maintain reserves backed 1:1, comply with anti-money laundering laws, and ultimately protect American consumers while promoting the U.S. dollar’s strength in the global economy. Five Democrats on the panel — Sens. Mark Warner (Va.), Andy Kim (N.J.), Ruben Gallego (Ariz.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (Del.) and Angela Alsobrooks (Md.) — joined their Republican colleagues in voting to advance Sen. Bill Hagerty’s (R-Tenn.) stablecoin bill. The bill now heads to the Senate floor for consideration.https://www.banking.senate.gov/newsroom/majority/scott-advances-stablecoin-debanking-legislation-out-of-banking-committee
·msn.com·
Senate Banking panel advances stablecoin bill
The GENIUS Act: Insolvency Risk with Stablecoins
The GENIUS Act: Insolvency Risk with Stablecoins
The GENIUS Act tries to mitigate credit risk on stablecoins by declaring their property of the investor vis-a-vis custodians, and prioritizing the investors' claims vis-a-vis creditors of the issuer. But neither is really a fix, and the truth is that absent a government guaranty, there's no way around this problem. No matter how much stablecoins are prioritized in bankruptcy, bankruptcy is a slow process, and time is money. And there are limits to how far stablecoins can be prioritized in bankruptcy without rendering the bankruptcy system unworkable. (Making stablecoins the property of the investors is no help in an issuer bankruptcy because all the investor gets is a digital token that is worthless without the redemption right, and that's just a bankruptcy claim; this is different than in the custodian bankruptcy scenario.) The only real way to ensure 100% timely repayment is a government backstop, but that's not something the industry wants (because it goes with regulation). (Adam Levitin)
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·creditslips.org·
The GENIUS Act: Insolvency Risk with Stablecoins
Reflections on a maturing stablecoin market
Reflections on a maturing stablecoin market
U.S. Federal Reserve Board (FRB) Governor Christopher J. Waller spoke about the maturing stablecoin market and the potential challenges that could impede it from reaching its full potential. Stablecoins must demonstrate not only clear use cases, but also a clear commercial case to be economically viable. Plus, the public sector needs to set clear and targeted legal and regulatory frameworks and coordinate those frameworks across states and national boundaries to enable private sector innovation at a global scale.
·federalreserve.gov·
Reflections on a maturing stablecoin market
Figure launches SEC regulated, yield bearing stablecoin
Figure launches SEC regulated, yield bearing stablecoin
Figure Markets has launched YLDS, a public blockchain-based interest-bearing stablecoin that is reportedly registered as a public security with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). YLDS accrues interest daily based on the U.S. Federal Reserve's Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) minus 0.50% with a 0.00% minimum, and pays monthly in USD or YLDS. YLDS is backed by the same securities that prime money market funds hold, which are riskier than securities that money market funds hold, because ‘Prime’ means including private assets such as asset backed securities, not just government securities. Also, YLDS’ assets are not ringfenced: “Figure Certificates are unsecured and solely backed by the assets of Figure Certificate Company (FCC), who is the issuer of the Certificates”.
·ledgerinsights.com·
Figure launches SEC regulated, yield bearing stablecoin
Figure launches yield-bearing SEC-registered stablecoin
Figure launches yield-bearing SEC-registered stablecoin
Figure Markets has launched YLDS, a public blockchain-based interest-bearing stablecoin that is reportedly registered as a public security with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). YLDS accrues interest daily based on the U.S. Federal Reserve’s Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) minus 0.50% with a 0.00% minimum, and pays monthly in USD or YLDS. Holders can buy/sell YLDS using USD and other stablecoins 24x7 on Figure Markets, and can off-ramp to fiat during US banking hours. YLDS can be transferred peer-to-peer on the Provenance Blockchain. YLDS is backed by the same securities that prime money market funds hold. https://www.newyorkfed.org/markets/reference-rates/sofr https://www.figuremarkets.com/c/ylds https://www.investopedia.com/articles/mutualfund/10/a-safer-money-market-2a7.asp
·prnewswire.com·
Figure launches yield-bearing SEC-registered stablecoin
Former CFTC chair Massad critiques House stablecoin legislation
Former CFTC chair Massad critiques House stablecoin legislation
Timothy Massad, former Chair of the Commodities and Futures Commission (CFTC), has provided a detailed critique of the STABLE Act, the U.S. House of Representative's stablecoin bill. (The Senate also has the GENIUS Act Bill which is somewhat similar.) https://docs.house.gov/meetings/BA/BA21/20250211/117872/HHRG-119-BA21-Wstate-MassadT-20250211.pdf
·ledgerinsights.com·
Former CFTC chair Massad critiques House stablecoin legislation
CFTC Announces Crypto CEO Forum to Launch Digital Asset Markets Pilot
CFTC Announces Crypto CEO Forum to Launch Digital Asset Markets Pilot
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission will hold a CEO Forum of industry-leading firms to discuss the launch of the CFTC’s digital asset markets pilot program for tokenized non-cash collateral such as stablecoins. Participants will include Circle, Coinbase, Crypto.com, MoonPay and Ripple. Further information on the CEO Forum will be released once details are finalized.
·cftc.gov·
CFTC Announces Crypto CEO Forum to Launch Digital Asset Markets Pilot
House publishes draft Stablecoin Bill - comparison with Senate GENIUS Bill
House publishes draft Stablecoin Bill - comparison with Senate GENIUS Bill
A discussion draft of the Stablecoin Transparency and Accountability for a Better Ledger Economy (STABLE) Bill was tabled in the U.S. House of Representatives by French Hill and Bryan Steil. It is substantially similar to the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Bill published by the Senate earlier in the week. For example, GENIUS Bill requires that stablecoins with more than $10 billion outstanding be federally regulated, unless the relevant state framework is substantially similar to the federal one, but the STABLE Bill allows large stablecoins to remain state regulated. https://files.constantcontact.com/9f2b5e3d701/6c1f8aa0-095c-4a22-9982-2f4380d0b531.pdf
·ledgerinsights.com·
House publishes draft Stablecoin Bill - comparison with Senate GENIUS Bill