Core Viewpoint - The Solana Foundation President Lily Liu emphasizes that blockchains should refocus on their original purpose of finance, rejecting narratives that position the technology as a generalized replacement for the modern internet [1]. Group 1: Blockchain's Purpose - Liu asserts that financialization and open capital markets are the core value propositions of blockchain technology [1]. - She criticizes past attempts to apply blockchains to gaming and broad "web3" narratives, labeling them as intellectually lazy and overly reliant on marketing [2]. - Liu argues that meaningful adoption of blockchain requires the creation of entirely new financial markets rather than merely placing existing applications on a blockchain [2]. Group 2: Market Context - The comments come at a time when cryptocurrency prices are declining, with major tokens like bitcoin and ether experiencing significant drops due to macroeconomic uncertainty and reduced speculative demand [3]. - Despite the downturn in prices, institutional interest in blockchain technology remains strong, with traditional financial firms exploring tokenization and on-chain settlement [3]. Group 3: Industry Trends - Liu's remarks align with a broader trend in the industry where leaders are refining their visions for blockchain utility, as seen with Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin's focus on layer-1 scaling [4]. - This shift indicates a move towards enhancing usability and coherence within fragmented ecosystems, rather than expanding into layer-2 solutions [4]. - Overall, the industry is recalibrating its focus on the fundamental purposes of blockchain technology amidst falling prices [5].

Circle’s 2025 Year in Review is live.For years we have been building toward an internet financial system where value moves as easily as information. In 2025 that vision came into sharper focus.→ Global frameworks in the US and beyond advanced, signaling a clear path for fully reserved digital currencies and onchain settlement to move into mainstream use.→ Circle’s IPO and conditional national trust charter approval reinforced our commitment to transparency, strong governance, and rigorous risk management.→ ...

Integration & Connectivity - Binance integrated USDC on Sei Network, enabling deposits and withdrawals [1] - This integration expands connectivity between global liquidity and real-time onchain settlement for USDC on Sei [1] Binance's Alignment with Sei Ecosystem - Binance strengthens its alignment with the Sei ecosystem through network validation and stablecoin on/offramps [1]

Product Launch - Circle launches StableFX, an institutional-grade stablecoin FX engine combining RFQ execution with onchain settlement [1] - Circle introduces Circle Partner Stablecoins, a program supporting select regional issuers to expand stablecoin currencies available in StableFX [2] StableFX Features - StableFX aims to deliver seamless execution, a wide range of assets, and instant settlement [2] - StableFX is designed for competitive RFQ pricing across liquidity providers, instant onchain settlement, and 24/7 capital-efficient design [3] Partner Stablecoins - Initial participants in Circle Partner Stablecoins include AUDF, BRLA, JPYC, KRW1, MXNB, PHPC, QCAD, and ZARU [4] Technology and Access - StableFX is currently live on @Arc Testnet [2]