Iran reportedly built up more than $500 million in USDT, according to blockchain-tracking firm Elliptic. This happened while Bitcoin remained near recent highs and the total supply of stablecoins barely changed, suggesting traders are still using dollar-pegged tokens as a place to park money rather than as a trading asset. At the same time, governments and regulators are paying closer attention to stablecoins as part of global finance, not just another corner of crypto. USDT, also known as Tether, closel ...

Core Viewpoint - The recent decline in Visa's stock presents a buying opportunity for investors, as the drop was driven by market fears rather than the company's fundamentals [3]. Business Model - Visa operates as a payment network rather than a lender, processing 329 billion transactions across 220 countries in the year ending September 30 [4]. - The company collects a fee on each transaction, making it resilient against regulatory changes regarding credit card interest rates [5]. Stock Performance - Visa's stock has underperformed the S&P 500 over the past year, with a gain of just over 7% compared to the market's 20% [5]. - The company's dividend yield remains around 0.5%, with a recent dividend hike of 13.6% [6]. Consumer Spending Trends - Despite economic concerns, American consumer spending remains strong, with retail sales increasing by 0.6% in November [8]. - The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment indicator rose for the second consecutive month in January, indicating potential for increased transactions for Visa [8]. Growth Opportunities - Visa is positioning itself to benefit from the growth of stablecoins, which are pegged to the US dollar and facilitate international transactions [9]. - The company launched stablecoin settlement in the US, achieving a monthly settlement volume of $3.5 billion annualized as of November 30 [10]. Financial Health - Visa's management has engaged in significant share buybacks, repurchasing 9% of the company's float over the last five years, which supports earnings per share and dividend growth [12]. - The company maintains a strong balance sheet with $23.2 billion in cash and investments, nearly offsetting its $25.9 billion debt, providing a cushion for continued dividend payments [13].

@bitcoinpolicy WATCH: Banks vs Coinbase: The Fight Over Stablecoins & Crypto Market Structure | Bitcoin Policy Hour Ep. 25Rumble: https://t.co/nBAB6RO5jHSpotify: https://t.co/XK6RrqF3joApple: https://t.co/2iSaBpW7epYoutube: https://t.co/S6NBcfXaYc ...

WATCH - Banks vs Coinbase: The Fight Over Stablecoins & Crypto Market Structure | Bitcoin Policy Hour Ep. 25 🇺🇸@bitcoinpolicy analyzes Brian Armstrong of Coinbase’s role in the latest crypto market structure drama, the crypto economy's growing political capital, and why "no bill" is worse than a bad one.Feat. @btcpolicyorg's @zackbshapiro @zackcohen_ @Bayman11771Chapters:00:00 – Why U.S. Payments Lag Behind the World05:05 – What the Market Structure Bill Is Trying to Do10:10 – Stablecoin Yield and Coinbase’ ...

I think that um right now we are at a decisionmaking point and very close to a recession and I'm worried about something worse than a recession if this isn't handled well. A recession is two negative quarters of GDP and whether it goes slightly there. We always have those things. We have something that's much more profound. We have a breaking down of the monetary order. we are going to change the monetary order because we cannot spend the amounts of money. So we have that problem and when we talk about the ...

Core Insights - A growing number of stablecoins have emerged as conservative alternatives to volatile cryptocurrencies, primarily pegged to the U.S. dollar, facilitating faster and cheaper cross-border transactions, and offering higher yields than traditional savings accounts [1] Group 1: Market Overview - Tether (USDT) is the world's most valuable stablecoin with a market cap of $187 billion, facing competition from smaller stablecoins like Dai (DAI), which has a market cap of $5 billion [2] - Both Tether and Dai trade at $1.00 and are pegged to the U.S. dollar, but they have fundamental differences in their structure and backing [3] Group 2: Token Characteristics - Tether was initially minted on the Omni Layer and later on Ethereum, while Dai is a decentralized token minted via a smart contract on Ethereum, requiring users to deposit approved crypto assets into a Maker Vault [4][5] - Tether is not directly backed by U.S. dollars but uses a mix of cash, commercial paper, and other assets, whereas Dai relies solely on approved crypto assets for its peg [6] Group 3: Risk and Stability - Both Tether and Dai are considered riskier than more conservative stablecoins like USD Coin (USDC), which is directly backed by U.S. dollars and Treasuries, but they are less exposed to government interference [7] - Tether is a centralized token tied to a single company, while Dai is decentralized and relies on a network of "makers" to maintain its stability [8]

The world now places far less trust in us to help shape what comes next. >> This is it. It's happening. Finally, Bitcoin dips below 90,000. 200 million liquidated from crypto markets in 60 minutes. Prepare for a bounce. Prepare for a bounce. Why do I say this? Well, while at the same time we're seeing fundamental metrics at all-time highs across the board, stable coins, tokenized funds, tokenized commodities, tokenized stocks, Black Rockck CEO Larry Frink just sent a chilling warning to the other global eli ...

Capital markets are moving onchain.→ 3x YoY growth in @USDC share of spot trading volume as of Sep 30, 2025→ Stablecoins powering settlement and market liquidity→ 24/7 markets beyond legacy banking hoursWhat was once conceptual is taking flight. https://t.co/rfjjFEVaNz ...

"The solution lies in central banks channeling stablecoin momentum, not fighting it."Matthew Osborne, our Policy Director for UK & Europe, shares his latest with @OMFIF on why integrating stablecoins into the regulated financial "safety net" is a key to global stability and innovation.OMFIF (@OMFIF):#Stablecoins are no longer a niche experiment. They now have a market value in excess of $300bn. Regulated stablecoins could play a key role in financial markets alongside other forms of money.https://t.co/ByshD ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported earnings per share of $1.26, an increase of approximately 18% year-over-year on an adjusted basis [4] - Net interest income increased by 3.3% year-over-year, supported by strong consumer deposit growth [4] - Total net revenue for the fourth quarter was $7.4 billion, a 5.1% increase, while full-year net revenue reached $28.7 billion [4][13] - The return on tangible common equity was 18.4%, and the efficiency ratio improved to 57.4% year-over-year [15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Fee income represented 42% of total net revenues and grew 6.7% year-over-year, with broad-based strength across most fee businesses [7][16] - Average loans totaled $384 billion, up 1.4% from the prior quarter, with commercial and credit card loans growing by 10.1% and 5.7% respectively [15] - Non-interest expense totaled approximately $4.2 billion, up 0.7% linked quarter, influenced by severance charges [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced record consumer deposits this quarter, contributing to net interest income growth [10] - The ratio of non-performing assets to loans improved to 0.41%, indicating better asset quality [17] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on restoring investor confidence and delivering strong financial results through three key priorities [5] - Strategic investments in technology, sales, and marketing are planned for 2026 to drive growth [6] - The acquisition of BTIG is expected to create considerable revenue synergies and enhance the capital markets franchise [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the economic backdrop for 2026, highlighting strong consumer performance and improving credit quality metrics [20][88] - The company is closely monitoring potential policy changes that could impact the banking industry, particularly regarding capital and digital assets [88] Other Important Information - The company expects total net revenue growth of 4%-6% for 2026, with positive operating leverage of 200 basis points or more [18] - The BTIG acquisition is anticipated to contribute $175-$200 million of fee revenue per quarter [19] Q&A Session Summary Question: Share repurchase pace and capital ratios - Management plans to gradually increase share repurchases from $100 million to $200 million, focusing on client and loan growth first [24] Question: Impact of credit card rate caps - Management estimates that over 90% of clients would be negatively impacted by a 10% rate cap on credit cards, emphasizing the importance of financial education [25][26] Question: Revenue growth expectations for 2026 - Management expects mid-single-digit growth for both net interest income and fee revenue, driven by strong business momentum [30][31] Question: Balance sheet growth outlook - Loan growth is expected to be in the 3%-4% range, with a focus on commercial and card loans [40] Question: NIM expansion timeline - Management maintains a path to achieve a 3% net interest margin by 2027, driven by loan mix and fixed asset repricing [43] Question: Drivers of deposit growth - The company is seeing steady growth in consumer deposits, which are expected to be accretive in the long term [48][49] Question: Digital assets organization - The company is actively exploring opportunities in digital assets, particularly in capital markets and cryptocurrency custody [51] Question: BTIG acquisition impact - The acquisition is expected to be PPNR neutral initially, with potential for margin expansion post-merger costs [100]