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Visa Crypto Card Spending Jumps 525%: Is Mainstream Adoption Finally Here?
Yahoo Finance· 2026-01-07 09:13
Core Insights - Visa-linked crypto card spending surged by 525% in 2025, increasing from $14.6 million to $91.3 million in net spend, indicating a significant shift in consumer behavior towards using crypto as a payment method rather than speculation [1] - The growth in Visa crypto spending occurred despite significant price fluctuations in major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, suggesting a transition in usage from speculative assets to practical financial tools [2] Group 1: Visa Crypto Card Spending Growth - The increase in Visa crypto card spending aligns with a broader trend where stablecoins and payment systems are handling trillions of dollars in monthly transactions, transforming crypto into a more stable form of digital cash [1] - Visa's partnership with Bridge to launch stablecoin-linked cards in Latin America has contributed to this growth, as stablecoins like USDC and USDT provide reduced price volatility, making them more appealing for everyday transactions [5] - EtherFi-led cards accounted for $55.4 million in annual spending, indicating a preference among users for cards linked to stable balances rather than volatile cryptocurrencies [5] Group 2: Innovations in Crypto Payment Solutions - The emergence of Avici, a Solana-based Neo bank offering a self-custody Visa crypto card, has further boosted spending, allowing users to spend digital assets without selling them and access instant credit lines backed by their crypto [6] - Since its launch in September 2025, Avici has seen over $7 million spent on its Visa crypto cards, highlighting strong demand for its services [7] Group 3: Usability of Crypto - The surge in Visa crypto spending demonstrates the growing usability of cryptocurrencies for everyday purchases, such as groceries and travel, which lowers the barriers for new users [8]
💥The Great Financial Divorce: Why Your Money is Leaving the Slow Lane.
Medium· 2025-10-20 01:16
Group 1 - The global financial system operates on a T+2 settlement rule, which delays the transfer of funds for two business days, creating inefficiencies and risks [2][4] - The Repo Market experienced a significant crisis in October 2025, leading to a $15 billion cash shortfall as banks lost trust in each other's collateral [5][7] - The underlying issue was the presence of $1.14 trillion in toxic loans from Non-Depository Financial Institutions, which compromised the quality of collateral in the Repo transactions [9][10] Group 2 - The T+2 system was revealed to be fundamentally unstable, unable to cope with modern financial demands, prompting a shift towards T+0 (instantaneous) settlement [12] - The financial crisis was exacerbated by the discovery that highly leveraged hedge funds in the Cayman Islands held an additional $1.4 trillion in U.S. Treasuries, using extreme leverage [16][18] - The Private Credit market, which grew to $5 trillion, became a source of illiquidity and risk, leading to defaults that affected major banks like UBS [21][23] Group 3 - A significant capital exodus occurred, with $304.5 billion moving into USD-pegged digital assets as institutions sought to mitigate risk and ensure liquidity [25][26] - The Central Banks responded to the crisis with unlimited Quantitative Easing, which undermined the value of the currency and led to a loss of trust in the financial system [37][40] - The introduction of the T+0 Settlement Rail by Digital Asset Treasury Firms marked a shift in how transactions are processed, moving away from traditional banking systems [44][47] Group 4 - The Algorithmic Credit Utility Protocol was launched to restore credit functions and facilitate instant verification of collateral, indicating a move towards a more transparent financial system [48][52] - BlackRock's deployment of a Tokenization Operating System signifies a trend towards using tokenized assets as collateral, moving away from opaque debt structures [49][52] - The transition to a T+0 system represents a fundamental change in the financial landscape, emphasizing the need for speed and transparency in transactions [50][53]