IBIT options open interest topped Deribit on Friday, signaling rapid institutional adoption of regulated crypto derivatives in the U.S.
Odelia Torteman, the Director of Corporate Adoption at XRPL Commons, has revealed that BlackRock and Mastercard are showing interest in the XRP Ledger (XRPL). She also explained how the network is the right fit for these institutions as they look to move on-chain. BlackRock and Mastercard Are Showing Interest In XRP XRP pundit Xaif shared a video in which Torteman confirmed that BlackRock and Mastercard were showing interest in the XRP Ledger, signaling that they could consider launching a product on the network. She also noted that the XRPL was designed from the beginning to support several use cases, which could align with these institutions’goals. Related Reading: Ripple CEO Breaks Down How XRP Ledger DeFi Users Are Protected From Attacks Like KelpDAO Torteman further remarked that the XRP Ledger has pre-embedded features that support enterprise-grade use cases. She alluded to the pre-built AMM, DEX, and other features that developers are currently working on as part of the institutional DeFi roadmap, which could help onboard institutions such as BlackRock and Mastercard. It is worth noting that the XRP Ledger recently added zero-knowledge (ZK) proof technology, which XRPL Commons announced in partnership with Boundless. XRPL Commons stated that on-chain privacy was the missing piece for institutional adoption, indicating that the network could now see greater adoption with the addition of on-chain privacy. BlackRock and Mastercard already have ties to the XRP ecosystem through their collaboration with Ripple. Last year, Ripple and Securitize, the issuer of BlackRock’s BUIDL fund, partnered to add RLUSD as a stablecoin off-ramp for the tokenized fund. Meanwhile, Ripple has collaborated with Mastercard for its Crypto Partner program. The firm revealed that the collaboration includes testing RLUSD on the XRPL to enable faster, regulated stablecoin settlement for Mastercard transactions. Companies Set To Drive The Next Wave Of Adoption Xaif shared another video in which Ripple’s President Monica Long signaled that companies will drive the next wave of adoption for XRP and XRPL. She highlighted that her firm is already working with several partners who use its infrastructure for activities such as dollar clearing. Related Reading: Ripple’s Tokenization Bet: Will XRP Price Explode As It Enters This Trillion-Dollar Industry? She also revealed that they are seeing more use cases for internal treasury management, with companies and banks looking for more efficient ways to move money across different entities in real time across the world. The Ripple president also opined that there is a significant use case with their Ripple Treasury product. Notably, Ripple recently integrated XRP and RLUSD into the Ripple Treasury management system, enabling institutions to use these crypto assets in the same environment. Long highlighted how the focus for these institutions is to be able to manage payments efficiently, which is something crypto assets and stablecoins help with. At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.42, up in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com
A partnership between BlackRock, Mastercard, Gemini, and Ripple recently completed tests using a regulated stablecoin to settle card payments on the XRP Ledger. This move shows how traditional financial giants are shifting from watching blockchain technology to actually putting it to work. Related Reading: XRP Poised To Dominate New DeFi Cycle, XRPL Validator Says The trial focused on RLUSD, a stablecoin designed to help banks process payments with more transparency and speed than current systems allow. Major Institutions Explore Blockchain Infrastructure Ripple executive Odelia Torteman shared details about these developments during a recent industry forum in London. While many people view XRP as a token for trading, firms like BlackRock and Franklin Templeton are looking at the underlying ledger as a tool for institutional finance. The network was built to handle cross-border transactions and move multiple types of assets at once. It includes a built-in decentralized exchange and an automated market maker. These features allow large companies to trade and move value without being fully reliant on traditional middlemen. Last September, Franklin Templeton joined forces with Ripple and DBS Bank to introduce new ways to lend and trade. They used money market funds that were turned into digital tokens to increase liquidity. By combining these tokens with regulated stablecoins, the firms aim to make capital move more efficiently while staying within legal rules. This approach helps build trust for large investors who are often wary of the volatile nature of the broader crypto market. BlackRock And Ripple Link Investment Funds Reports indicate that the reach of this technology is expanding into the world of Treasury products. Ripple worked with Securitize to create a system where investors in BlackRock’s BUIDL fund can turn their holdings into RLUSD. This setup allows for liquidity 24 hours a day through the use of smart contracts. Normally, pulling money out of these types of funds can take time and only happens during banking hours. This new method changes that by allowing constant access to funds. Future Growth For Bridge Assets Data shows that the XRP Ledger is being positioned as a primary choice for firms that need to meet strict identity and compliance standards. It uses “trust lines” and specific tools to handle know-your-customer requirements. Related Reading: $1.4 Billion Pours Into Crypto — What’s Driving The Surge? It is evident that the actual application of XRP is changing as more institutions start participating in its operations. The coin has traditionally been used for speculative purposes by individual traders through exchanges; however, it is currently being applied as a technical medium of liquidity. As a digital asset, XRP acts as a mediator for banks and facilitates transactions in various forms of value worldwide in a matter of seconds. Featured image from The Wall Street Experience, chart from TradingView
Strategy, the Michael Saylor-led company formerly known as MicroStrategy, has surpassed BlackRock’s flagship spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) to become the world’s largest institutional holder of Bitcoin. According to an April 20 regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Strategy acquired an additional 34,164 Bitcoin over the past week at an average price […]
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The latest Bitcoin (BTC) price rebound above $78,000 has sparked renewed optimism across the market, as investor sentiment has flipped bullish. However, not all market watchers are convinced that the momentum will last. Crypto analyst Marmot is warning that the recent price surge may be masking deeper weakness underneath, urging investors and traders not to trust it. As bullish forecasts continue to spread across the market, Marmot believes traders may overlook signals that often precede sharp reversals and major shifts in market direction. Why Bitcoin’s Rally Above $78,000 Could Be A Trap Marmot has warned that Bitcoin’s recent price rally could be a major bull trap rather than a sustained breakout. According to him, the rebound resembles a classic distribution pattern designed to shake out retail traders before a sharp decline occurs. Related Reading: This Indicator Used To Predict Bitcoin Bottoms Is Flashing Below $50,000 In his post on X, the analyst cautioned investors and traders against trusting BTC’s bounce above $78,000, as market participants increasingly call for a price of $100,000 even as the cryptocurrency may still be in a bear market. He argued that Bitcoin’s real market move remains undetected and unknown to virtually 99% of traders despite growing bullish sentiment. Supporting his bearish forecast, Marmot highlighted two identical structures on a Bitcoin price chart, showing that the cryptocurrency had experienced a massive price surge between December 2025 and January 2026 after its all-time high above $126,000. At the time, BTC formed a triangle wedge pattern, where prices climbed to a range between $96,000 and $100,000 before a massive price crash to below $65,000 in February 2026. Marmot’s chart shows that the same pattern is now unfolding in real time. Bitcoin is currently grinding inside a consolidation triangle wedge between roughly $72,000 and $80,000 following its recent price spike. If historical patterns repeat, the analyst expects Bitcoin to experience another major correction, this time down to the $50,000 range. This would represent a more than 33.5% crash from levels above $75,200, at the time of writing. ETF Flows And Liquidity Add Pressure To BTC In his post, Marmot also pointed to several factors that continue to add more pressure on Bitcoin’s price and outlook. He pointed to Spot Bitcoin ETF activity, noting that they had recently recorded their largest outflows in months. He stated that approximately $300 million was withdrawn in a single day, with outflows also seen in Fidelity’s ETF. Related Reading: Iran Ceasefire Drives Bitcoin Above $75,000, But Can It Push BTC To $100,000? Moreover, while retail investors continue buying the dip, Marmot argued that institutions are selling into the strength. Rather than fully exiting the market, the analyst said that large players are rotating capital elsewhere, as part of a broader repositioning. Marmot also claimed that liquidity walls imposed by investment firms such as BlackRock are helping to hold prices up artificially. He noted that the reason is likely to create exit liquidity for smart money while demand from smaller traders remains active. While Marmot has acknowledged that a Bitcoin price crash may not happen immediately, he warned that once liquidity leaves the market, the cryptocurrency’s downside move could be fast and severe. As a result, he has urged traders not to buy near the top while funds are still rebalancing. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
Most crypto investors develop convictions through price charts and market cycles. XRP Bags, a widely followed XRP enthusiast on X, holds his through something else entirely, which is a documented paper trail connecting Ripple to nearly every major institution currently building a new financial system. In a post that has circulated across the XRP community, the analyst laid out a short version of why he has never wavered on XRP, regardless of market conditions. XRP Has A Seat On Every Table That Matters XRP Bags’ conviction on XRP is mostly due to its access. Ripple, he notes, was the only crypto company invited to the Federal Reserve’s payments task force, the only one featured by the World Bank’s Better Than Cash Alliance, and the first ISO 20022 member focused on distributed ledger technology. Related Reading: Pundit Says This Chart Paints The Clearest Macro Picture For XRP In July 2025, the US Federal Reserve officially adopted ISO 20022 for its FedWire Funds Service, requiring all financial institutions using FedWire to send and receive messages in the new format. Ripple had already positioned itself ahead of that transition. In 2020, it became the first blockchain company to join the ISO 20022 Standards Body and has since aligned its infrastructure, particularly RippleNet, to meet the standard’s requirements. The analyst also pointed to Ripple’s seats on the IMF’s fintech advisory board, the World Economic Forum, the Digital Dollar Project, the Digital Pound Foundation, and the Digital Euro Association as reasons why he keeps holding XRP through everything. The mention of Ripple’s participation in the Federal Reserve’s Faster Payments Task Force is often cited within the XRP community as a key milestone. These partnerships were also noted at WEF 2026 in Davos, where Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse participated in discussions around blockchain, CBDCs, and cross-border payments. The Talent Strategy Behind Ripple XRP Bags is not relying on Ripple’s partnerships alone on its conviction, but also on the talent behind Ripple’s workings and who the company has chosen to hire. Related Reading: Ripple CEO’s Comments Stir Up A Wave, Here’s What He Said Over time, Ripple has brought in individuals with backgrounds tied to regulators. The list he cited includes former US Treasury officials, former Federal Reserve attorneys, former SWIFT board members, former SEC chairs, former BlackRock digital asset executives, and former Obama and Clinton administration advisors. According to the pundit, this list is composed of people who were chosen to build the new financial system before most people knew a new financial system was being built. He summed it up by asserting that “the people building the future already made their choice.” There’s no denying the fact that Ripple is positioning itself as a top contender in the future of finance. In 2025, Ripple engaged in an acquisition spree, spending nearly $4 billion in total ecosystem investments and strategic deals, including almost $3 billion on major acquisitions. These moves are expected to strengthen the foundation of XRP’s long-term value. According to CEO Brad Garlinghouse, improving XRP utility is Ripple’s North Star, and some of its major acquisitions from last year have already surpassed internal projections. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com
Michael Saylor has signaled that Strategy, formerly MicroStrategy, may be preparing to buy more Bitcoin, reviving a pattern investors now treat as an early marker for another weekly treasury announcement. On April 19, the company’s executive chairman posted a screenshot of Strategy’s Bitcoin portfolio tracker on X with the phrase “Think Even ₿igger.” Historically, Saylor […]
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US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded their largest single-day capital inflow since January on April 17, as the reopening of a critical Middle Eastern shipping route sparked a broader market rotation into risk assets. According to SoSoValue data, the 12 products drew approximately $664 million in fresh capital on April 17. The surge was […]
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Goldman Sachs, the $3.5 trillion banking giant, has filed to launch an actively managed exchange-traded fund (ETF) that uses covered calls to generate income from Bitcoin. The April 14 filing for the Goldman Sachs Bitcoin Premium Income ETF marks a strategic pivot for the investment bank, which previously had a hostile relationship with the flagship digital […]
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Is Coinbase too big to fail? It has to be now ETFs rely on it daily Wall Street spent two years selling investors on a clean vision of Bitcoin: a regulated exchange-traded fund, cleared and settled through the same institutional machinery that handles equities and bonds, scrubbed of the Wild West baggage that haunted crypto's […]
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Benchmark’s base case notes that even 0.01% of NYSE’s roughly $44 trillion market could exceed Securitize’s $4 billion asset base.
On April 8, Morgan Stanley’s spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund began trading on the NYSE Arca under the ticker MSBT, logging 1.6 million shares and roughly $34 million in volume on its highly anticipated first day. The MSBT fund purchased 430 Bitcoin on day one, following $30.6 million in net inflows. Speaking on this performance, Bloomberg […]
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While BlackRock’s spot bitcoin ETF currently reigns as the liquidity king of crypto, Morgan Stanley’s MSBT will leverage a market-low 0.14% fee and $7 trillion wealth management engine to possibly challenge that dominance.
While BlackRock’s spot bitcoin ETF currently reigns as the liquidity king of crypto, Morgan Stanley’s MSBT will leverage a market-low 0.14% fee and $7 trillion wealth management engine to possibly challenge that dominance.
For years, many have viewed XRP through the lens of price speculation, hoping it would remain cheap long enough to accumulate massive holdings. However, David Schwartz is pushing back on that narrative, making it clear that XRP was never designed to stay cheap. Instead, its value is deeply tied to its role as a high-efficiency bridge asset for global payments, where utility drives long-term pricing. David Schwartz Challenges The Cheap XRP Narrative In a recent X post, Diana revealed that the Ripple ex-CTO David Joelkatz Schwartz has revisited one of his most widely discussed statements from 2017, that XRP “can’t be dirt cheap,” and clarified that the community has long misunderstood it. Many interpreted the comment through the lens of investor gains, but Schwartz now emphasized that this was from a payments perspective. Related Reading: XRP Analyst Shares What To Expect Once Ripple Taps This $12.5 Trillion Industry He explained that the statement was rooted in XRP’s role as a payment tool, not from a holder’s perspective. At the same time, he referred specifically to the mechanics of using XRP to move value across borders. From a payments standpoint, the dollar value of a transaction remains constant regardless of the XRP price. However, if XRP is priced too low, significantly more tokens are required to process the same transactions. This creates more friction, slippage, and inefficiency for large flows. In contrast, a higher XRP price can make large-scale payment use efficient, not because holders need a pump, but because the system works better with fewer tokens. REAL Token Powers The Next Phase Of XRP Ledger Growth Momentum around XRP continues to build as major players double down on its long-term prospects. An influencer and ambassador known as Ledger Man on X has noted that Yoshitaka Kitao, the CEO of Japan’s SBI Holdings, has reportedly expressed strong confidence in XRP’s future, even suggesting that the asset could become very expensive as adoption grows. Related Reading: XRP Ledger Linked To SWIFT In New Wave Of Backend Integration Speculation This outlook comes as SBI deepens its collaboration with Ripple, exploring new initiatives including RLUSD integration and blockchain-based bond solutions. Meanwhile, attention is turning to the expanding ecosystem around the XRP Ledger. In less than 10 days, RealFi is expected to unveil a major partnership, an announcement aimed at expanding XRPL globally. Powered by the REAL Token, the initiative is designed to introduce payment rewards across multiple industries, signaling a broader push to bring real-world utility to blockchain technology. Ledger Man emphasized that these developments highlight a growing convergence, and RealFi is rapidly gaining momentum. The conversation around tokenization is gaining urgency at the highest levels of finance. According to Amelie’s post, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink had recently argued that the industry may be underestimating how rapidly every financial asset could become tokenized. This broader vision appears to align with the developments on the XRP Ledger. On April 17th, a major global partnership is expected to launch on the XRPL, with REAL Token built on XRPL, it’s positioned to help power the ecosystem. Featured image from Vectorstock, chart from Tradingview.com
Wall Street spent years talking about tokenization, but never seemed to move beyond vague plans and pilot projects. This week, however, we've seen a culmination of various efforts and incentives that showed it's finally taking things seriously. BMO said it plans to launch tokenized cash capabilities with CME Group and Google Cloud for real-time payments […]
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The Ethereum Foundation brought together some of the world’s most influential financial players in New York City for an exclusive, invitation-only institutional forum on how traditional finance is engaging with ETH. This gathering signals a growing focus on bridging the gap between decentralized technologies and traditional finance, as major players increasingly explore blockchain integration. Institutional Participation Signals Growing Confidence In Ethereum The Ethereum Foundation hosted a high-level invite-only institutional forum in New York City, drawing participation from hundreds of banks, asset managers, and infrastructure providers representing a combined $250 trillion in assets under management (AUM). An investor known as Milk Road on X revealed that major players, including BlackRock, Western Union, Robinhood, Moody’s, Baillie Gifford, and Securitize, took part in panels as builders, actively working on solutions within the ETH ecosystem. Related Reading: Ethereum Foundation Launches Bold New Push To Accelerate DeFi Growth Before now, institutional adoption used to be a bumper sticker, a story investors told themselves to feel better about the asset they already held. This move is different because the firms managing a combined $250 trillion in assets sat in rooms and talked about what they’re actually building on ETH. In addition, the ETH Foundation used the event to unveil its post-quantum security strategy and launch a dedicated resource hub. Addressing such forward-looking challenges in a room filled with major financial institutions sends a signal. Milk Road noted that the ETH Foundation is positioning its infrastructure to evolve over decades, not just short-term market cycles. For those who have questioned whether major institutions would move beyond experimentation, the developments in New York offered a compelling counterpoint. Bitmine Launches Staking Model, ETH Network Activity Surges Tom Lee, alongside Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR), has officially launched MAVAN, the made-in-America Validator Network. According to Tom Lee Tracker, MAVAN is set to become the largest Ethereum staking platform globally, with approximately 3,142,643 ETH already staked, valued at around $6.8 billion based on an estimated price of $2,148 per ETH. Related Reading: Ethereum Sees Increased Whale Activity Following Optimistic Remarks From Tom Lee The scale of growth is accelerating, with over 101,776 ETH, worth around $219 million, staked in the past week alone. At full deployment, the network is projected to generate nearly $300 million in annualized staking rewards. Beyond ETH, MAVAN is also expected to expand into additional proof-of-stake chains and broader blockchain infrastructure. Activity on the Ethereum network is surging, with daily transactions rising at an explosive pace. Crypto investor known as CW on X has stated that despite the price weakness, the network activity still remains at an all-time high level. Such a growth is not a signal of a bear market, as the price has dropped, but some investors are working very hard under the surface. Featured image from iStock, chart from Tradingview.com
BlackRock's BUIDL is the largest tokenized fund with about $1.7 billion worth of Treasuries, overnight repos, and cash under management.
Morgan Stanley’s spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) appears close to launch, giving Wall Street one of its clearest signs yet that a major US bank is ready to put its own name directly on a BTC product. On March 25, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) posted a listing notice for the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin […]
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Ripple is being viewed as a key player in the evolving push toward tokenized financial markets, as the New York Stock Exchange advances its plans to bring traditional assets onto blockchain rails. This development signals a broader shift on Wall Street, where traditional infrastructure is beginning to intersect with blockchain-driven innovation, settlement layer, and transition from legacy systems to faster and more transparent digital infrastructure. How Ripple Is Positioned At The Core Of Financial Transformation Wall Street has just surrendered to Ripple, as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) takes a decisive step to launch the tokenized securities era. Crypto analyst Pumpius has revealed on X that the exchange overseeing $30 trillion in market capitalization has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Securitize. Related Reading: Ripple Pushes XRP Global With Multi-Continent Expansion Drive They named it the first official transfer agent allowed to mint blockchain native securities on its upcoming NYSE digital trading platform. However, this infrastructure is being built for all activity to move on-chain. The shift will be bullish for XRP and Ripple because, for years, the firm has long focused on tokenizing real-world assets and building institutional-grade blockchain rails. Within that framework, XRP was built as the neutral bridge asset for value transfer in a tokenized world, facilitating fast, low-cost, and regulatory-friendly transactions that are already battle-tested by banks. While narrative was speculating, Ripple was positioning XRP as the liquidity engine that allows tokenized securities to move across borders and chains without friction. Furthermore, Pumpius argues that adding the NYSE and Securitize will result in the expansion of tokenized equities. Meanwhile, major players such as BlackRock, JPMorgan, and SWIFT continue to explore tokenization and blockchain settlement, and the entire $100 trillion real-world assets market needs a global settlement layer. Here, XRP sits between this shift with On-Demand Liquidity (ODL), RLUSD, and partnerships that have reached the world’s biggest financial institutions. Pumpius emphasized that XRP might be the bridge they will use when the first tokenized Apple or BlackRock ETF settles on-chain and needs instant global rails. Ripple Custody Bridges Traditional Finance And Blockchain The February 2026 report reveals how institutions are actively leveraging Ripple Custody. An analyst known as SMQKE on X noted that Ripple Custody supported DZ Bank in launching a digital custody service for crypto securities in under 10 months, through the deployment of a robust digital asset infrastructure. Related Reading: Ripple’s New Whitepaper Shows What’s Coming For XRP Meanwhile, at the core of these solutions are XRP and Ripple’s stablecoin RLUSD. With these capabilities, financial institutions across over 20 jurisdictions have been able to develop, expand, and scale digital asset business models with confidence. Meanwhile, Ripple Custody is now used across these jurisdictions, and XRP and RLUSD are allowed to support the entire lifecycle of a tokenized asset. Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com
BlackRock's Chief Executive Larry Fink told shareholders this year that digital assets, alongside private markets, insurance, and active ETFs, could each become $500 million revenue generators for the firm within five years. According to him: “Private markets to insurance, private markets to wealth, digital assets, and active ETFs, we think these can all be $500 […]
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In his 2026 annual shareholder letter, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink laid out an ambitious outlook for the firm’s presence in digital assets, forecasting that BlackRock’s crypto business — and the broader market — could be generating roughly $500 million in annual revenue within the next five years. Tokenization Will ‘Update The Plumbing’ Of Finance As reported by Forbes, BlackRock has positioned itself as a market leader in Bitcoin (BTC), handling about 800,000 BTC worth approximately $55 billion for its clients through its iShares Bitcoin Trust exchange-traded fund (ETF). Beyond Bitcoin exposure, BlackRock has expanded into tokenized funds: its USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund, known as BUIDL, became the world’s largest tokenized fund last year after surpassing $2 billion in assets under management (AuM). Related Reading: Circle (CRCL) Crashes Below $100 After Senate Revises Crypto Bill To Ban Stablecoin Rewards Fink singled out tokenized products and stablecoin operations as major pillars of the firm’s strategy, disclosing that BlackRock manages $65 billion of stablecoin reserves and nearly $80 billion of digital-asset exchange-traded products (ETPs). Those figures, the executive said, reflect how BlackRock has moved quickly to establish institutional-quality offerings in the digital markets. Additionally, the CEO argued that tokenization has the potential to “update the plumbing of the financial system,” broadening access to investments in the same way the internet expanded commerce in the 1990s. BlackRock CEO Warns US Risks Losing Crypto Lead Citing research from Juniper, Fink noted that about half the world’s population already carries a digital wallet on their phone, and suggested that those same wallets could one day be used to invest in diversified portfolios as easily as sending a payment. Fink painted tokenization as a generational opportunity and warned of strategic risk if the US falls behind. Last year, he urged faster adoption of digitization and tokenization, arguing that other nations could overtake the US if it lags. Related Reading: Bitcoin Expert Predicts ‘Golden Entry Window’ For Next Bull Market In October 2026 At the same time, the BlackRock CEO pushed back on skeptics like Warren Buffett who dub Bitcoin “worthless,” characterizing the asset instead as one that people hold for reasons tied to insecurity. “You own bitcoin because you’re frightened of your physical security. You own it because you’re frightened of your financial security,” he wrote in its shareholders letter, adding that a longer-term rationale for holding Bitcoin is protection against the debasement of financial assets driven by fiscal deficits. At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at $69,420, down 2% over the last 24 hours and down 7% over the last seven days, amid a broader market sell-off on Tuesday. This follows last week’s rejection at the $76,000 resistance level, which the cryptocurrency failed to surpass. Featured image from the Wall Street Journal, chart from TradingView.com
The asset management giant's Robbie Mitchnic said clients are focused on bitcoin, ether and only a few other tokens, and aren't looking for broad exposure. Rather, they see opportunity for crypto in artificial intelligence.
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
Fink's comments come as Congress and regulators explore how tokenization — using blockchain technology — could improve markets.
In his annual letter, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink argues that digital wallets and tokenized assets could modernize markets and expand investor access.
Fresh ETF inflows, digital asset treasury buying and a shift away from bitcoin to altcoins are helping lift the second-largest cryptocurrency.
The institutional access to Ethereum continues to expand as traditional finance deepens its involvement in digital asset markets. A new development drawing attention is the launch of BlackRock’s ETHB, which introduces another potential channel for capital to flow into the ETH ecosystem. This product provides investors with regulated exposure to ETH through familiar market infrastructure. BlackRock has opened a new potential inflow channel for Ethereum with the launch of its staked ETH Trust, ETHB, which has begun trading. Analyst Milk Road has revealed on X that this ETHB is not just another ETH ETF, but one that actually pays investors while holding it. The development follows the rapid growth of BlackRock’s earlier crypto funds. The firm’s IBIT Bitcoin ETF has grown to roughly $55 billion in assets, while its first ETH ETF product, iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA), reached about $6.5 billion in assets shortly after launch. Both funds are ranked among the fastest-growing ETF launches in history, and ETHB is attempting to achieve what neither product couldn’t by combining ETH price exposure with staking rewards, which is the closest thing crypto has to a dividend. How The New Product Provides Exposure To Ethereum Staking For many investors, direct staking can be complicated, and participating typically requires 32 ETH, a technical setup, and acceptance of certain lock-up risks. ETHB aims to simplify that process by packaging staking within a regulated investment product that can be purchased through a standard brokerage account. The fund also introduces a relatively low management fee set at 0.12% on the first $2.5 billion in assets. Related Reading: Ethereum Staking Reaches Historic Levels, Price Hovers Near $2K Milk Road explains that if this move is successful, ETH could increasingly be treated as a yield-generating digital asset within a 401(k). Retirement accounts and pension funds can now gain access to staking rewards without directly interacting with wallets. For many, ETH is a technology bet and a narrative that takes a real hit, but it is now an income-generating digital asset. Thus, the first wave of spot ETH ETFs launched without staking functionality was rejected by the regulators. Now, they’ve accepted it because the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) effectively says that staking rewards are not securities, at least when wrapped inside a BlockRock product. Related Reading: Ethereum Breakout Alert: Corrective Channel Flip Sparks Impulsive Wave With BlackRock already managing tens of billions of dollars in BTC and ETH, ETHB presents a third channel for investor flow. Milk Road believes that if the product follows the same trajectory, it could become a significant new driver of institutional demand for ETH. Ethereum Sees Another Wave Of Aggressive Long Position Accumulation An analyst known as CW highlighted that Ethereum has continued to experience strong net buying pressure in long positions, following a surge that first appeared the previous day. The buying pattern closely mirrors the wave that occurred earlier, where large-scale purchases were executed within a short timeframe. Currently, the market appears to be taking a brief pause after the surge in long positions. Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com
Circle’s USYC tokenized U.S. Treasury fund has grown to $2.2 billion, surpassing BlackRock’s BUIDL fund as investors increasingly seek onchain yield and collateral.
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.