Fintechs are increasingly adopting stablecoins—a non-volatile type of cryptocurrency typically pegged to the US dollar. When it comes to payments and money transfers, stablecoins offer clear advantages but developing the infrastructure to support them can be slow and costly.  This is where Levl wants to fill the gap. The startup aims to build a platform where digital wallets and other fintechs can seamlessly send money around the world using stablecoins. Levl announced on Wednesday that it raised $7 mil ...

HONG KONG — Consensus Hong Kong's first day wrapped up with the promise of new financial products tied to crypto in the Special Administrative Region of China. Hong Kong's chief executive and financial secretary and the CEO of the Securities and Futures Commission all laid out their priorities for regulation, saying Hong Kong would begin issuing stablecoin licenses next month, publish a framework for perpetual contracts and otherwise work to develop the local crypto economy. Financial Secretary Paul Cha ...

Despite its long-standing reputation as “digital gold,” bitcoin has sharply diverged from traditional safe havens like gold and silver, but that might not be a bad thing for the digital asset's future, according to JPMorgan analysts. Gold surged more than 60% in 2025 on sustained central bank buying and flight-to-safety demand, while bitcoin has struggled into 2026, posting repeated monthly declines and underperforming major risk assets. JPMorgan’s report suggests this widening gap reflects bitcoin’s fadi ...

Ark Invest, the investment firm of noted tech investor Cathie Wood, upped its exposure to crypto exchange Coinbase, stablecoin issuer Circle, and leading Ethereum treasury firm BitMine Immersion Technologies on Monday following Bitcoin’s weekend slide to its lowest price since 2024. The firm acquired more than $8.7 million worth of shares in Circle (CRCL) and more than $6 million of BitMine on Monday across its actively managed ETFs. It also added to its positions in crypto exchanges Coinbase (COIN) and Bul ...

Regulatory Developments - South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service is enhancing its VISTA system with AI to detect price manipulation automatically [1] - Hong Kong plans to issue its first stablecoin licenses in March, with the Monetary Authority expecting to approve only a limited number initially [1] - The Bank of England is exploring the use of stablecoins and tokenized deposits to reduce merchant costs, potentially bypassing traditional card payments [1] Market Sentiment - The current market sentiment is risk-off, driven by macroeconomic concerns and the nomination of a hawkish Federal Reserve chair, leading capital towards safe havens like gold [2] - Bitcoin has notably decoupled from the tech rally, causing investor anxiety as leverage is removed from the system [2] Federal Reserve Nomination - The nomination of Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve is perceived as a mixed signal, with economists suggesting it may stabilize rather than expand market liquidity [3] Analyst Insights - Bernstein analysts view the current market drawdown as a temporary phase in an "institutional cycle," predicting a reversal by early 2026, which could set the stage for long-term growth [4] - CFTC Chairman Michael Selig's leadership and initiatives, including "Project Crypto," are seen as positive developments that may resolve regulatory uncertainties, benefiting companies like Coinbase Global and Circle [4] - H.C. Wainwright has initiated coverage on Hut 8 with a Buy rating and an $80 price target, highlighting its significant partnership with Anthropic and Fluidstack, which lowers debt costs and strengthens its position in high-performance computing [4] Price Action - As of the latest data, Bitcoin is trading at $79,005.08 and Ether at $2,376.72 [5]

Core Viewpoint - The final legislation needed to integrate the crypto industry with mainstream finance is facing significant challenges, primarily due to a standoff between Coinbase and the US banking sector, prompting intervention from the White House [1][2]. Group 1: Legislative Developments - A meeting hosted by crypto czar David Sacks will involve banking and crypto trade groups, including Coinbase, to negotiate policy matters [2]. - The Clarity Act aims to establish a regulatory framework for crypto in the US, detailing which federal agencies oversee various segments of the crypto market, including stablecoins and decentralized finance products [3][4]. - The Senate Agriculture committee recently passed a portion of the bill with a narrow party-line vote of 12 to 11, indicating potential difficulties in gaining broader support [5]. Group 2: Industry Reactions - Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has expressed concerns over the bill's draft, particularly regarding amendments that would eliminate rewards on stablecoins, leading to his rejection of the latest version [6][7]. - Armstrong's goals at the World Economic Forum include advancing market structure legislation and collaborating with bank CEOs to find mutually beneficial solutions [7].

Top cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced said Friday that it shall switch the stablecoin in its $1 billion emergency user protection fund to bitcoin over the next 30 days. The move targets the Secure asset Fund for Users (SAFU), which is a security fund created to protect users from losses due to unforeseen events such as hacks. The exchange plans to gradually convert the stablecoin holdings within 30 days, committing to regular audits. It added that if bitcoin's price swings drop the fund's value ...

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Renowned investor and media personality Kevin O’Leary said on Friday that the cryptocurrency market structure legislation would be passed before the midterm elections. O’Leary Predicts Legislative Breakthrough During an interview with CoinDesk, O’Leary said he’s “hopeful,” pegging May 15 as the passage date. “I think it has to because these bills are written by staffers…the staffers are spending on this ...

If Congress fails to pass market structure legislation this year, the U.S. crypto market would not revert to the enforcement-heavy environment of 2022 and 2023, but it would remain structurally constrained at a moment when global adoption and institutional interest are accelerating, Wall Street broker Benchmark said. "The absence of legislation would cause a structural risk premium to persist across much of the digital asset ecosystem," wrote analyst Mark Palmer in the Monday report, adding that this wou ...

Core Insights - Visa is actively working to integrate stablecoins into its existing payment systems, aiming to leverage the growing popularity of these digital tokens to maintain its market leadership [1] Group 1: Company Strategy - Visa's head of crypto, Cuy Sheffield, highlighted the company's focus on stablecoins as a strategic opportunity [1] - The integration of stablecoins is seen as a way for Visa to enhance its payment solutions and adapt to evolving market demands [1] Group 2: Market Trends - The increasing traction of stablecoins in the financial ecosystem presents a significant opportunity for Visa to capitalize on [1] - The move towards stablecoin integration reflects broader trends in the payment industry, where digital currencies are becoming more mainstream [1]