Bitcoin may inspire bold visions of a global payments network, but that’s not what is driving the bulk of institutional money into the asset today, according to Robbie Mitchnick, BlackRock’s head of digital assets. Key Takeaways: Institutional investors are treating Bitcoin primarily as a store of value, not a future payments network. Mitchnick says Bitcoin’s payments role remains speculative and would require major scaling progress to become practical. Stablecoins are rapidly gaining ground in payme ...

Circle Payments Network partner @tazapay uses USDC as the bridge currency for money movement from Brazil to India, rooted in compliance and banking infrastructure. https://t.co/vmHNtN0LZ4 ...

Circle 🤝 @RedotPayRedotPay, one of our first Circle Payments Network partners is making @USDC usable for everyday spending across more than 130 million merchants in 100 countries.They are bringing USDC into real-world commerce, from multi-market payouts to in-store payments.Together, we’re turning digital dollars into something you can actually use.Discover how RedotPay and USDC are redefining inclusive finance: https://t.co/7crsr0TVly ...

Core Viewpoint - The Justice Department is nearing a decision to allow Capital One's acquisition of Discover, focusing on consumer impact rather than subprime sector concerns [1][2]. Company Overview - Capital One announced its intention to acquire Discover in February of the previous year, aiming to create a global payments platform with 70 million merchant acceptance points across over 200 countries and territories [3]. - The CEO of Capital One, Richard Fairbank, emphasized the merger as a unique opportunity to combine two successful companies to build a competitive payments network [4]. Shareholder Approval - In February, it was reported that over 99% of shareholders from both Capital One and Discover approved the merger, with expectations to close the transaction early this year, pending regulatory approvals [5]. Regulatory Scrutiny - The merger faces scrutiny at the state level, particularly from New York Attorney General Letitia James, who indicated that the deal could significantly impact New Yorkers, potentially giving the combined companies a 30% market share among subprime consumers [6]. Consumer Behavior Trends - The potential merger coincides with a trend where consumers increasingly rely on credit to manage unexpected expenses, highlighting the importance of credit access for financial flexibility [7][8].