🚨 UPDATE: Gold-backed stablecoins have surged past $4B in market cap, tripling this year, with Tether’s XAUT and Paxos Gold now controlling nearly 90% of the sector. ...

Market Dynamics - Stablecoins, with a market capitalization of approximately $300 billion and growing, are becoming a matter of national economic interest [1] - Issuers like Tether export USD to new markets, aiding in distribution [1] Regulatory & Policy - The GENIUS Act could transform stablecoin issuers into structural U S T-bill buyers, impacting financing [1]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The report highlights 15 key debates for 2025 that are likely to continue into 2026, focusing on various sectors including artificial intelligence, private credit, and macroeconomic factors [1] - There is a significant focus on the potential risks associated with alternative debt structures and high-leverage companies within the artificial intelligence ecosystem [4] - The report anticipates a further expansion of artificial intelligence transactions into platform stocks and productivity beneficiaries [9] - Concerns regarding private credit have arisen due to major losses and fraud allegations, indicating increasing risks in non-bank lending [12][13] - The recent rebound in the U.S. cyclical stock market reflects optimistic expectations for the macroeconomic outlook in 2026, with anticipated acceleration in economic growth and fiscal stimulus [15] - The report predicts a favorable fiscal stimulus environment for the upcoming year, driven by tax cuts, investment incentives, and new spending [17] - The K-shaped economic recovery is highlighted, showing disparities in consumer sentiment and sales growth between low-income and high-income segments [21] - The report suggests that 2026 may be a year of recovery for traditional economies, with rising commodity prices driven by a weaker dollar and increased inflation [23] - The outlook for Brent crude oil prices indicates significant downside potential compared to market expectations for 2026 [25] - The stablecoin market is currently valued at approximately $307 billion, dominated by Tether and Circle [29] - Despite strong economic performance in Europe, capital inflows remain notably sluggish [30] - The report has adjusted China's GDP growth forecast upward, which may negatively impact global GDP growth outside of China [36] - The report anticipates further strengthening of the euro against the dollar, which could adversely affect companies with high international sales [38] - South Korea is identified as the best-performing market year-to-date, with ongoing improvements in corporate sectors [40] - The ongoing technological competition between the U.S. and China remains intense, with both countries pursuing self-sufficient technology policies [42]

Core Viewpoint - The price of gold is expected to reach $5,000 per ounce by 2026, driven by a growing investor base and various geopolitical factors, despite the historical context suggesting a potential market correction [2][7]. Group 1: Gold Price Trends - Gold prices have doubled over the past two years, reaching a historical high of $4,381 in October, with predictions for further increases to $5,000 by 2026 [2][6]. - Analysts from Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan expect gold prices to average $4,500 and $4,600 respectively in 2026, with a potential peak above $5,000 in the fourth quarter [7][8]. Group 2: Central Bank Influence - Central banks have shifted their foreign exchange reserves from dollar assets to diversified allocations for five consecutive years, laying the groundwork for the gold market in 2026 [3][6]. - Global central banks purchased 634 tons of gold in the first nine months of the year, indicating strong demand that supports higher gold prices [6]. Group 3: Investor Behavior - The proportion of gold assets held by investors has increased from 1.5% to 2.8% of total managed assets, suggesting a growing interest in gold as a safe-haven asset [6]. - The demand for gold is partly driven by investors seeking to hedge against potential stock market downturns, with geopolitical tensions further fueling this trend [8][9]. Group 4: Market Dynamics - The demand for gold jewelry has declined by 23% in the third quarter, although retail demand for gold bars and coins has partially offset this decline [9][12]. - The global gold demand is projected to grow by 11% in 2025, reaching 5,150 tons, before declining to 4,815 tons in 2026 [12]. Group 5: Expansion of Investor Base - The gold investment community is expanding, particularly in Asia, with India allowing pension funds to invest in gold and silver ETFs, and China permitting certain insurance funds to invest in gold [13].

Uniform Labs, a blockchain infrastructure company founded by former Standard Chartered, UniCredit and other digital banking executives, has put its institutional liquidity protocol Multiliquid into production following build, audit and testing phases, the company said in a press release Wednesday. Multiliquid is designed to allow institutions to swap instantly, around the clock, between blue-chip tokenized money market funds and stablecoins, aiming to remove the days-long redemption lags and liquidity con ...

Product Launch - Tether launches peer-to-peer password manager PearPass [1] Security Focus - PearPass aims to curb cloud breach risks [1]

⚡️ JUST IN: Tether rolls out PearPass, a decentralized password manager designed to keep encrypted data off the cloud. https://t.co/5TFJFtfBJ5 ...

The Morning Minute (12.17)Powered by @yeet⏰Top News:-Crypto majors mostly chop on day; BTC at $87,000-Visa expanded its stablecoin settlement to U.S. banks, leveraging Solana-FDIC greenlights proposal showing how U.S. banks can issue their own stables-Rainbow Wallet announces TGE for Feb 5, 2026 along with airdrop-Cantor Fitzgerald calls for $200B+ price target on HYPE in new report🌎 Macro Crypto and Memes-Crypto majors were mostly flat; BTC -0.3% at $87,000; ETH -1% at $2,930, BNB -1% at $858, SOL even at ...

Tether announced the launch of PearPass, a peer-to-peer password manager. The app does not rely on cloud servers, with all credentials stored locally on users’ devices and synchronized between devices via encrypted peer-to-peer connections. PearPass is open source and has completed an independent third-party security audit. https://t.co/CurCAI2Uxx ...

Market Overview - Tokenized gold market capitalization has exceeded $42 billion [1] - The tokenized gold market has grown by 147% in six months [1] Market Share - Tether's XAUT and Paxos' PAXG control approximately 90% of the tokenized gold market [1]