Fresh accusations of market manipulation are surrounding XRP after a wave of unusual whale activity triggered sharp liquidity shifts across major exchanges. On-chain analysts claim that large XRP holders may be strategically moving billions of tokens to influence price action, target leveraged positions, and exploit weak liquidity zones during critical market sessions. Is XRP Becoming A Whale-Controlled Market? XRP whales have now confirmed strategic manipulation of liquidity, turning what appears to be resistance into a calculated market trap. A crypto trader and investor known as Cheeky Crypto on X noted that as XRP tests the $1.45 resistance level for the fourth time, new data suggests this ceiling is a deliberate liquidity zone engineered by large holders. Related Reading: XRP Market Now Controlled By Whales? Dominance Reaches 91% On Binance At the core of this setup lies a staggering 1.16 billion XRP token supply overhang and a hidden market pipe. While retail investors interpret repeated rejections as weakness at the resistance zone, institutional players are reportedly absorbing sell pressure through ETFs. On-chain data adds weight to this narrative. In a single day, 34.94 million XRP tokens were withdrawn from exchanges, while the XRP native automated market maker is creating a supply-demand imbalance. Furthermore, regulatory developments could act as a major catalyst. The United States Senate Banking Committee’s ongoing work on the Clarity Act could become a major turning point for XRP resistance if lawmakers officially classify the asset as a digital commodity. Cheeky Crypto believes that the Goldman Sachs disclosure of a $153.8 million position in spot XRP ETFs marks the beginning of the institutional era for the ledger. Stablecoin Activity On XRP Ledger Continues Accelerating Rapidly Multiple bullish signals are aligning for XRP and its broader ecosystem. The CTO and founder of House of Cauliman, Mr. Cauliman, has highlighted that one of the strongest indicators came from exchange flow data showing that more than $115 million worth of XRP was withdrawn from exchanges within 24 hours. These large exchange outflows are often interpreted as a sign that big holders are moving assets into private wallets rather than preparing them for immediate sale. Related Reading: This New Move Just Opened XRP To 44 Million New Users At the same time, activity surrounding real-world assets on the XRPL is rapidly accelerating. Tokenized assets on XRPL have surged to approximately $3.03 billion, representing a roughly 45% increase over the past 30 days. At the same time, stablecoin adoption is also expanding across the network, with value nearing $498 million, and transfer volume continues to rise. Furthermore, institutional adoption is also becoming more tangible. In a notable development, Ondo Finance, JPMorgan Kinexys, Mastercard, and Ripple successfully executed a near real-time cross-border redemption of tokenized US Treasuries using XRPL. Despite whales steadily removing XRP from exchanges, institutions testing real settlement with RWA, and stablecoin activity rapidly expanding, the network continues to operate efficiently. This growing appeal is coming from buyers, but the reason people are paying attention is utility. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com
Bitcoin is back in a place where bold upside calls are starting to circulate again, and while short-term sentiment is still mixed, one analyst believes the cryptocurrency is setting up for a powerful move that sends the price action all the way to $200,000. The call is built around a long-term cycle structure on the monthly candlestick timeframe chart that treats Bitcoin’s recent price action as part of a larger repeating pattern. The Monthly Chart Case For $200,000 The chart Bitcoin Teddy shared is a monthly Bitcoin chart that maps out three major cycle phases using large green expansion boxes and blue-circled buy zones. These buy zones are situated around a curved support line that connects previous lows. Related Reading: Why You Should Be Paying Attention To The Bitcoin Monthly MACD The first buy zone appeared in 2019, ahead of the move that eventually carried Bitcoin above $69,000. The second buy zone was in late 2022, just before the rally that eventually pushed Bitcoin’s price action to $126,000 in October 2025. The third is the current setup, labeled as a 2026 buy zone near the long-term curved support line, with the projected next peak sitting at $200,000. Each rally is gradually shrinking in percentage terms. The move from 2019 to 2021’s peak was over 2,000%. The move from 2022 to the current peak was over 700%. The expected move from the current accumulation zone to $200,000 is around 233%. When The Chart Says To Buy The “when to buy” part of the forecast is just as important as the $200,000 target itself. Bitcoin Teddy’s chart points to the current region, which is the zone between the long-term curve and the lower part of the latest green box, as the preferred entry window. That area sits around the $60,000s up into the $70,000s, with the blue circle placed close to the latest corrective low in February. Related Reading: Analyst Sounds Bitcoin Warning: This Surge Above $78,000 Should Not Be Trusted Bitcoin has since rebounded from that February low, and the broader market has started to stabilize, with Spot ETF inflows returning to more consistent levels. Despite that recovery, price action has not fully broken away from the highlighted accumulation band. It is still within the same broader zone identified on the chart, meaning the setup to the $200,000 projection is still technically in place. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $77,880. Therefore, the path from current levels to $200,000 would require approximately a 156% gain from around $77,000, a move that several institutional analysts believe is achievable within the current cycle window. Goldman Sachs filed for its first Bitcoin ETF product shortly after Morgan Stanley launched its own spot Bitcoin ETF, showing that large financial firms are still pushing deeper into Bitcoin-linked products. Featured image from Pngtree, chart from Tradingview.com
Anthony Scaramucci, the financier and SkyBridge Capital founder who briefly served as White House communications director, has made a bold case for Bitcoin’s long-term value. According to him, Bitcoin’s market cap is well on track to reach $21 trillion, and this is because of its fixed supply, its growing institutional footprint, and a monetary trust system built over 16 years without any central authority. But if Bitcoin were to reach a market cap of $21 trillion, how much would 1 BTC be worth? The $21 Trillion Logic Bitcoin has a fixed supply cap of 21 million BTC baked into its protocol and is immutable by design. This means there will never be more than 21 million Bitcoin in existence, and at a point, investors will be able to only own fractions of Bitcoin. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Could See Another Crash, But What Is The Long-Term Prognosis? According to Scaramucci, Bitcoin has checked every characteristic that has defined money throughout human history. Bitcoin’s edge is that its trust model is decentralized, its supply is fixed, and its network has now operated long enough to gain credibility with both retail and institutional investors. That is why there is a high possibility of its market cap reaching as high as $21 trillion. Scaramucci positions this as a ceiling still below gold’s total market capitalization, which currently stands at approximately $33 trillion according to data from CompaniesMarketCap. This gap is closable, and Bitcoin offers structural advantages in the process. “You can move it faster, you can store it more easily,” he said. “ On a fully diluted basis, the math lands exactly at a round figure for BTC. A $21 trillion market cap divided by Bitcoin’s maximum supply of 21 million coins gives a price of $1 million per BTC. At the time of writing, only 20,018,784 BTC have been mined, which means there are about 981,216 Bitcoin still left to be mined. That’s less than 5% of the total supply. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at about $76,534, which means a rise to $1 million will translate to a 1,200% increase from here. Wall Street Is Coming To Bitcoin Institutional inflow is the most important factor when it comes to the possibility of the Bitcoin price hitting extravagant price targets like $1 million. Notably, Scaramucci cited institutional momentum as evidence that the structural shift is already in progress. Related Reading: Analyst Sounds Bitcoin Warning: This Surge Above $78,000 Should Not Be Trusted Morgan Stanley launched its own Spot Bitcoin ETF on April 8, 2026, trading under the ticker MSBT on NYSE Arca, making it the first major US commercial bank to issue such a product directly. Goldman Sachs is also in the process of launching its Spot Bitcoin ETF, having submitted paperwork to the SEC for the Goldman Sachs Bitcoin Premium Income ETF. Therefore, the question of whether Bitcoin eventually reaches $1 million per coin and a $21 trillion market cap is ultimately a question about the pace and durability of institutional adoption. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
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 […]
The post New Goldman Sachs Bitcoin fund is built for advisers seeking yield, not traders chasing the next rally appeared first on CryptoSlate.
The fund would provide exposure to ETPs that hold bitcoin, options on spot Bitcoin ETPs and options on “Bitcoin ETP Indices."
Institutions are quietly accumulating large amounts of XRP, suggesting a wave of strategic buying that could influence prices as available tokens become scarcer. Recent reports show that major financial players have already invested hundreds of millions of dollars in XRP, potentially signaling a looming supply crunch. Analyst Says XRP Supply Shock Incoming On April 4, market analyst @CryptoCupra on X reported that major institutions are silently loading up on XRP, with over $200 million already committed. The analyst stated that this “is only the beginning,” implying that more institutional investors will continue buying XRP en masse. Related Reading: What Does The Japanese Bond Gap Have To Do With The XRP Price Reaching $150? @CryptoCupra noted that prominent players, including Goldman Sachs, have already entered the markets alongside several top investment funds. He emphasized that this accumulation differs from typical retail participation, reflecting strategic positioning by experienced large-scale investors with enough resources to influence XRP’s supply. The analyst stated that as more institutions buy XRP, the number of tokens available for trading continues to decrease. He explained that such accumulation often precedes a supply shock, which occurs when demand exceeds the tokens sellers are willing to offer. Usually, a supply shock can influence a cryptocurrency’s price, often triggering sharp rallies as buying pressure increases while liquidity remains limited. @CryptoCupra claims that institutional investors are deliberately buying XRP ahead of a potential price surge, highlighting their confidence in the cryptocurrency’s future potential. Among the firms outlined in his post, Goldman Sachs has the highest exposure to XRP, holding more than 83.63 million tokens worth over $153.8 million. Following directly behind it is Millennium Management LLC, which has purchased approximately 12.54 million XRP, valued at more than $23 million. Institutions Buy The Dip As Exchange Liquidity Plummets Notably, the recent accumulation activity comes even as XRP faces significant volatility and price declines toward $1.3. The cryptocurrency has already recorded six consecutive months of losses since October 2025. The ongoing downtrend has placed severe pressure on its price and market structure, contributing to this extensive losing streak. Related Reading: Why XRP Supply Crashing On Coinbase Is A Good Thing For The Price Despite this poor performance, institutional investors continue to accumulate, likely viewing the lower prices as an opportunity to buy the dip and stay ahead of any potential price rebound. Further supporting the thesis of a possible supply shock, XRP liquidity on Binance has crashed to its lowest levels. CIO of RoyalPeakCap Arthur has reported that XRP’s 30-day liquidity index on Binance has fallen to zero. Additionally, trading volumes have declined from $200 million in January 2025 to almost nothing today. This development comes after news of XRP holders boycotting Coinbase spread across the market. As more holders withdrew their XRP from the exchange, rumors of a potential supply shock emerged, with hopes that continued outflows could positively impact the price. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com
Crypto pundit X Finance Bull has highlighted XRP’s mass adoption and its use across several continents. Given the altcoin’s global utility, the analyst noted that the token won’t remain undervalued forever, hinting it could still reach higher prices. Pundit Points To XRP’s Global Adoption Among Different Countries In an X post, X Finance Bull said that the estimated global distribution of XRP holders paints a picture most people miss. He revealed that Asia-Pacific leads with roughly 35% to 40% of holders and holds an average of 4,200 XRP. The primary uses of the altcoin among these Asia-Pacific holders are remittances and trading. The pundit noted that this is real people moving money across borders using XRP, highlighting the token’s utility. Related Reading: XRP Season About To Start? Historical Oversold Levels Point To Major Rally Furthermore, North America accounts for 25% to 30% of XRP holders globally, with smaller average holdings of around 1,850 XRP. The use case for the token among these holders is shifting towards institutional positioning, the pundit stated. Notably, demand for the altcoin has increased since the XRP ETFs launched last year. Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs is currently the largest XRP holder among these institutional investors. X Finance Bull also revealed that Europe accounts for 20% to 25% of holders, with an average of 2,100 XRP. These holders are said to be holding the token for portfolio diversification. Latin America is behind, accounting for between 8% to 12% of holders. As in the Asia-Pacific region, the primary use case in Latin America is cross-border payments. In line with this, the pundit said that the altcoin isn’t limited to a single country and is a global asset, solving different problems for different people depending on where they live. He added that this kind of global utility doesn’t stay undervalued forever. Bull Case For The Altcoin In another X post, X Finance Bull made a bullish case for XRP, noting that 12 of the 30 banks SWIFT is collaborating with on a blockchain-based shared ledger for real-time, 24/7 cross-border payments are confirmed Ripple partners. He described this development as the moment he had been watching for. Related Reading: Analyst Reveals The Plan For XRP Price Using The Bitcoin Chart The pundit remarked that these 12 banks are linked to Ripple through payment networks, custody, steering groups, or banking consortia. He noted that the regulatory framework and the infrastructure are arriving at the same time and that the banks designing SWIFT’s blockchain future are the same ones that have partnered with Ripple. X Finance Bull added that the architecture of the future is being built by institutions that already know the XRP Ledger inside and out. At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.32, down over 2% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com
Crypto pundit X Finance Bull has explained how XRP is positioned to absorb a share of the $100 trillion in assets that the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) has in custody. He notably mentioned Ripple and the role the crypto firm is playing in making this possible for XRP. How XRP Is Positioned To Take A Share of DTCC’s $100 Trillion Assets In an X post, X Finance Bull noted that in 2025, DTCC filed patents that named Ripple and the XRP Ledger as compatible infrastructure for tokenized finance. Following that, Ripple acquired Hidden Road, a prime brokerage that clears $3 trillion annually for over 300 institutional clients, for $1.25 billion. Related Reading: Why SWIFT’s Latest Global Payments Infrastructure Is Bullish For XRP Holders The pundit then mentioned that earlier this month, Hidden Road, which is now Ripple Prime, was added to the DTCC’s NSCC directory. He noted that this is the same clearing infrastructure used by Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan. X Finance Bull added that no crypto company has ever achieved this feat, with Ripple now embedded inside Wall Street’s machinery. The pundit believes that these developments position XRP to gain a share of DTCC’s custody assets. X Finance Bull noted that the tokenization market is projected to hit between $16 and $30 trillion by 2030. Meanwhile, the DTCC’s director has spoken about a $100 trillion tokenization goal. He added that Ripple is inside the system and alleged that there are stated plans to migrate post-trade activity to the XRP Ledger. The pundit stated that noting that is guaranteed for XRP, but that the positioning is undeniable. In line with this, he remarked that XRP holders aren’t betting on hype but on infrastructure that is already built from the inside out. Ripple Working To Improve XRP Ledger’s Security Ripple has unveiled new plans to improve the XRP Ledger’s security as more institutions adopt the network and tokenize real-world assets on it. Ripple’s Head of Engineering, Ayo Akinyele, announced in an X post that they are taking a more proactive, AI-driven approach to strengthen the network’s security. Related Reading: Why The XRP Supply In The Billions Is Not A Problem This approach will include AI-assisted testing across the development lifecycle, a dedicated red team, and higher standards for how they evaluate changes before they go live. The Ripple executive noted that the goal is to continuously strengthen the XRP Ledger’s reliability as the network scales to support global payments, tokenized assets, and institutional use cases. It is worth noting that the XRP Ledger currently ranks 8th in tokenized RWA, with a total tokenized value of $1.9 billion on the network, according to RWA.xyz. Ripple has continued to secure partnerships with institutions that it has onboarded to tokenize their financial products on the network. At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.36, down over 2% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com
Even as crypto sentiment remains weak, JPMorgan analysts see the possible mid-year approval of U.S. market structure legislation as a positive catalyst.
BlackRock, Apollo, and Citadel have acquired or agreed to acquire DeFi tokens. Here’s why and what it really signals.
Reports say Goldman Sachs now holds a mix of crypto exposures that go beyond Bitcoin alone. Its chief executive, David Solomon, told an audience he owns a very small amount of Bitcoin while he watches how the market behaves. Related Reading: XRP On The Spotlight As Arizona Advances Landmark Digital Asset Bill That personal detail grabbed attention after investor Grant Cardone amplified the comment on social media, and it added another layer to what appears to be a deliberate, measured shift inside the firm. Token Holdings And Paper Losses Based on filings, Goldman Sach’s positions are spread across several major tokens. The firm shows exposure to about 13,740 Bitcoin held through US-listed spot ETFs, a stake worth roughly $920 million after a recent price slide. Ethereum accounts for about $1 billion of exposure. Smaller stakes in XRP and Solana come in at about $153 million and $108 million, respectively. David Solomon @GoldmanSachs just said at World Liberty Forum, “I’m still trying to figure out how Bitcoin behaves. I own a little bitcoin, very little.”@MarALago @worldlibertyfi pic.twitter.com/iepTMeE6lL — Grant Cardone (@GrantCardone) February 18, 2026 Altogether, crypto-linked ETF holdings add up to roughly $2.36 billion, according to the disclosure. These numbers mean the bank is carrying unrealized losses on some positions since prices fell sharply. Yet the holdings remain, which suggests an institutional view that does not chase every short-term move. Some of those choices were made after new spot ETF options launched for certain tokens, pushing the bank to broaden its lineup beyond Bitcoin and Ether. Exploring What Works Reports note that Goldman has also been quietly building out teams focused on tokenization, stablecoins, and other blockchain-based tools. Work on prediction markets and experiments with putting tokenized assets into parts of the balance sheet has been underway. Employees are testing ways these technologies might fit into existing services rather than upending them. The CEO’s phrasing was cautious. He said his firm is evaluating how these systems could be folded into core operations where they make sense, rather than rushing in just to be first. “I’m still trying to figure out how Bitcoin behaves. I own a little bitcoin, very little,” Solomon said. That tone lines up with a strategy of measured adoption — try, test, and integrate only when the fit is clear. A Public Signal With Private Limits World Liberty Forum provided the stage where Solomon shared his remarks, and the public nature of the comment matters. High-level executives admitting any personal crypto holdings is still newsworthy. It signals interest but not a full personal endorsement; he emphasized that his stake is small and that he remains in observation mode. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Powerful Rally Signal Is Back — Is History About To Repeat? Regulatory And Market Context The disclosure also comes as lawmakers and regulators continue to shape rules that could affect how banks use crypto tools. Clearer rules in Washington could accelerate practical uses, or at least make trial programs easier to run. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
Speaking at the World Liberty Forum in Mar-a-Lago on Wednesday, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon called for the United States to establish a clearly defined, rules-based framework governing how crypto markets operate. Goldman CEO Urges Clear Rules In an interview with CNBC, Solomon said it is essential that lawmakers take a long‑term view as they shape crypto legislation. “As an American, I think it is very important that as we put legislation in place, we get it right for the long term,” he said. Related Reading: Macro Wobbles May Send Bitcoin Back To The $50,000s, Industry CEO Claims “I believe that to operate markets safely and soundly, we need to have a rules‑based system,” he added. Solomon emphasized that the US banking system is distinct and must function alongside emerging technologies rather than be displaced by them. He also dismissed the notion that crypto can thrive in a “regulatory vacuum.” “If there are people who think we are going to operate in this environment without rules, they are probably wrong, and they should move to El Salvador,” Solomon remarked, underscoring his view that structure and oversight are non‑negotiable. At the same time, Solomon made clear that Goldman Sachs is paying attention to digital assets. He described himself as “super‑interested in” crypto‑related business and noted that the firm is active in areas such as digitization and tokenization. “We obviously are doing a bunch of things around digitization and tokenization,” he said. “We touch all that stuff.” Still, the bank’s CEO cautioned that digital assets remain a relatively small slice of Goldman’s overall operations. Crypto Market Structure Bill To Be Signed By End Of April? Solomon’s comments came as debate intensifies in Washington over the fate of the anticipated crypto market structure bill, often referred to as the CLARITY Act. Earlier in the day, Senator Bernie Moreno acknowledged that he still has “some concerns” about the bill. Nevertheless, he expressed optimism that Congress could pass the measure “hopefully by April,” clearing the way for President Donald Trump to sign it into law. Moreno also dismissed concerns that delays could jeopardize the bill if Democrats were to regain control of Congress in November’s midterm elections. With some Republicans worried about potentially losing at least the House, Moreno projected confidence. “The House isn’t going to go Democrat, and neither is the Senate,” he predicted. Related Reading: $274 Billion In Potential Bitcoin Selling Could Hit Markets, Expert Says Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse also suggested on Tuesday that once remaining disputes over stablecoin rewards between banking and crypto sectors are resolved, the CLARITY Act could move quickly toward passage. While acknowledging that the bill is not flawless, he maintained that no legislation ever is. He went further, estimating there is an 80% chance the market structure bill will be signed into law by the end of April. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
This is the first time Solomon has said he owns the cryptocurrency, something he previusly said could be "a store of value case."
“I’m an observer of bitcoin,” Solomon said at the World Liberty Forum on Wednesday, saying he's still trying to understand how it moves.
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
Ethereum ETF investors are sitting on a far uglier entry point than their bitcoin counterparts, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst James Seyffart, with spot ETH funds now absorbing a drawdown that has left many buyers deep underwater. “Ethereum ETF holders are sitting in a worse position than their Bitcoin ETF brethren,” Seyffart wrote on X late Tuesday. “The current ETH price of $2,000 is way below their average cost basis of ETF holders at about ~$3,500. It’s a painful proposition. But it’s one that Eth ETF holders have experienced already.” Seyffart added that the most recent ETH ETF trough pushed the drawdown “beyond 60%,” roughly matching the percentage decline ETH saw at its April 2025 low, framing the move as severe but not unprecedented for ether’s investor base. Related Reading: Ethereum Holders Shift To Self-Custody As Market Consolidates Near $2K Even so, he argued the investor response has been more stoic than the price action implies. “Still, the vast majority of buyers have stayed put,” he wrote, pointing to net inflows across the ETH ETF complex falling from roughly $15 billion to below $12 billion — a materially larger deterioration than bitcoin ETFs “on a relative basis,” but, in his words, “still fairly decent diamond hands in grand scheme (for now).” Fresh flow data suggests the bleeding has slowed, but not flipped decisively. SoSoValue data shows US spot ether ETFs took in about $13.82 million in net inflows on Feb. 10. That followed a week of net redemptions totaling roughly $166 million, extending a multi-week outflow streak. On a monthly basis, SoSoValue figures peg last month’s net flow at about $350 million in outflows. Cumulatively, total net assets are at $11.76 billion as of Feb.10. Goldman Sachs Is Bullish On Ethereum Against that backdrop, Goldman Sachs’ latest 13F disclosure added a different kind of signal: traditional finance’s exposure is increasingly visible, and not confined to bitcoin. On Tuesday, Goldman disclosed about $2.36 billion in crypto-related positions, including roughly $1.06 billion tied to spot bitcoin ETFs and about $1.0 billion to spot ether ETFs, alongside smaller exposures of about $153 million in XRP and $108 million in Solana — a roughly 0.33% allocation in the context of its broader holdings. Related Reading: Can Ethereum Price Still Hit $7,600 In 2026? Here Are The Odds The reactions on X leaned into the optics. Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao framed the filing as a positioning gap between crypto natives and banks: “Crypto is probably the only place you had an earlier start than the banks. But if you sold your crypto last quarter, while the banks are buying, then…” MoonRock Capital founder Simon Dedic focused on the ETH sizing itself: “Very interesting to see them holding almost as much ETH as Bitcoin. For a conservative investment bank that typically sticks to standard portfolio structures like market cap weighting, this speaks volumes on how they’re significantly more bullish on Ethereum than Bitcoin, which would normally be 4–6x larger in such portfolios. This is the institutional supercycle, and ETH is clearly the institutional darling.” At press time, ETH traded at $1,949. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
It held $1.06 billion in spot bitcoin ETFs and $1 billion in spot Ethereum ETFs as of the end of last year, according to its 13F filing.
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said the firm is devoting significant resources to tokenization, stablecoins, and prediction markets.
The firm is exploring how these technologies can fit into its business and has met with prediction market platforms.
Regulatory clarity and expanding use cases beyond trading are setting the stage for deeper institutional participation in digital assets, the bank said.
Although the acquisition of Innovator Capital Management does not directly mention crypto, it does inherently imply that Goldman Sachs is expanding into the digital assets arena.
DBS said the deal involved trading cash-settled OTC bitcoin and ether options.
Stablecoin market is currently dominated by crypto-native firms like Tether and Circle, both of which issue USD-pegged tokens.
As traditional financial firms increasingly explore the integration of stablecoins into their operations, Goldman Sachs has made a bold prediction: the stablecoin sector could soon reach valuations in the trillions. This optimism comes on the heels of significant regulatory developments, most notably the recent introduction of the GENIUS Act, which aligns state and federal frameworks for stablecoin regulation. ‘Stablecoin Gold Rush’ US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed confidence in the role of stablecoins, suggesting they could significantly boost the market for US Treasuries. According to a report from the Financial Times, Bessent has indicated that the government may increase the sale of short-term debt to meet the anticipated demand for these cryptocurrencies. Related Reading: Expert Touts Chainlink Advantage Over XRP In Institutional Adoption Race Goldman Sachs views this moment as the dawn of a “stablecoin gold rush.” In a recent research paper authored by Will Nance and his team, the bank noted that the global market for stablecoins currently stands at approximately $271 billion. They anticipate significant growth, particularly for Circle’s USD Coin (USDC) stablecoin, which they believe will gain market share both on and off the Binance platform. The report estimates that USDC could see an impressive $77 billion increase, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 40% from 2024 to 2027. The Potential Impact Of Dollar-Pegged Cryptocurrencies The potential market for stablecoins is vast, with Goldman Sachs highlighting that Visa estimates the addressable market for payments at around $240 trillion in annual payment volume. Consumer payments alone account for about $40 trillion, while business-to-business (B2B) payments and person-to-person (P2P) transactions make up the remainder. The unique structure of stablecoins—requiring them to be backed one-to-one with US dollars or government bonds—means that each stablecoin issued directly increases demand for the bonds that back them. Some market analysts believe this approach will have a profound impact on the bond market, particularly for short-dated bonds, which often yield low interest rates. Related Reading: Shiba Inu Takes Major Step With Community Governance Model — Details A research paper from the Bank for International Settlements also supports Goldman Sach’s view, suggesting that significant inflows into the stablecoin market could lower three-month Treasury yields by 2 to 2.5 basis points within a short time frame. However, the bank’s paper also notes that the effects of stablecoin outflows are disproportionately greater, causing yields to rise by two to three times as much. Amid significant regulatory progress from the Trump administration, including the passage of the GENIUS Act for stablecoins, the CLARITY Act, and the Anti-CBDC bill, there have been increased inflows in the broader crypto market. Significant capital has entered Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and there is a new trend of adopting cryptocurrencies as treasury reserves. These factors have led to a new all-time high in total crypto market capitalization of $4.17 trillion. As of this writing, the figure has dropped to $3.81 trillion, as the market’s largest cryptocurrencies have led the correction witnessed since last week. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
Crypto firm has entered into a credit agreement with crypto exchange Gemini ahead of the latter’s initial public offering (IPO). The crypto exchange revealed the details of this agreement in its IPO filing, with the amount expected to be used to finance some costs that may arise during the public offering. Details Of Ripple’s Agreement With Gemini In its IPO filing with the SEC, Gemini revealed that it entered into a credit agreement with Ripple in July. Under the agreement, the crypto exchange can make lending requests of no less than $5 million each, and up to an aggregate commitment amount of $75 million. Furthermore, the initial commitment of $75 million can be increased or decreased from time to time, subject to the attainment of certain metrics that both parties have agreed on. Related Reading: Ripple CTO Says Next Project Is ‘Production Ready’, What Is It? However, the aggregate commitment of the credit agreement between Gemini and Ripple cannot exceed $150 million, meaning that is the maximum credit that the crypto exchange can request from the crypto firm. Once Gemini exceeds the initial commitment of $75 million, then it will need to make lending requests in the form of Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, which the crypto firm has to consent to. Gemini revealed that all its lending requests under the Ripple credit agreement must be secured by collateral. It shall also bear an interest rate per annum of 6.50% or 8.50% and must be repaid in USD. Although some details were redacted, the crypto exchange indicated that it has also received some amount from Ripple under the agreement. With this, Ripple has become a major backer for Gemini’s IPO, which is expected to take place soon. Notably, the crypto exchange’s financials in the IPO show that it posted net losses over the quarters that span back to March 2023. In just the first half of this year alone, Gemini has recorded a net loss of $282 million. Details Of The Gemini IPO With Ripple’s backing, Gemini plans to offer shares of its Class A common stock, although it has yet to reveal how many shares will be available in the IPO. The crypto exchange has yet to provide details on how much these IPO shares are likely to sell for each. However, it revealed that it has applied to list these Class A common stock on the Nasdaq stock market under the symbol “GEMI.” Related Reading: Ripple CTO Says XRP Ledger Has Been Battle-Tested To Power World’s Financial System Furthermore, the lead underwriters for the Gemini IPO are Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, with support from other firms such as Morgan Stanley and Cantor. Gemini’s IPO plans follow the successful execution of crypto exchange Bullish’s IPO, in which the exchange raised $1.15 billion after selling its shares for $37 each. Gemini will be looking to record similar success, considering the massive crypto demand among traditional finance (TradFi) investors. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com
Jürgen Blumberg, who spent over two decades at Goldman Sachs, Invesco and BlackRock heading ETF businesses, will focus on bridging DeFi and traditional finance.
The long-standing debate over XRP’s price ceiling is still a strong discussion. In a recent post on social media platform X, fintech analyst Armando Pantoja argued that the notion of market capitalization limiting XRP’s rise to $1,000 is fundamentally flawed. His comment came alongside a short video clip in which he draws comparisons between crypto and early-stage technology companies like Microsoft. Why Market Cap Doesn’t Cap Technology In his video, Pantoja dismissed the idea among many investors that XRP’s market cap should be used as a rigid barrier against long-term price appreciation to the $1,000 price level. He noted that while technical analysis may be useful in the short term, it becomes less relevant when evaluating a token’s potential over an extended period. Related Reading: Pundit Says XRP’s Rise To $1,000 Will Happen A Lot Sooner Than Anticipated To drive his point home, he invoked a hypothetical scenario from the early 1990s, asking viewers to imagine those who doubted Microsoft’s growth because of its market cap. That kind of logic, he suggested, would have missed the wave of mass adoption driven by Microsoft. Pantoja insisted that applying stock market valuation metrics to crypto leads to misunderstandings, especially since tokens like XRP are more akin to technologies than companies. “Always the market cap is too high. What does that matter? It’s the technology that’s going to be adopted regardless,” he said. This means that XRP is expected to follow a different trajectory, one based more on network usage, utility, and long-term integration into global systems. This, in turn, would see increased demand for XRP and cause its price to barrel to $1,000. Community Reactions: XRP Battling With Momentum It is easy to point to the mathematical implications of XRP reaching $1,000, a valuation that would place its market cap in the tens of trillions. However, supporters like Pantoja counter that such thinking is based on outdated comparisons. Related Reading: Analyst Says XRP Price Is Now In Wave 4 — What To Expect As such, it is not surprising that Pantoja’s post has resonated well within the XRP community, especially among those who believe the token has far more room to grow than mainstream narratives allow. Nonetheless, the post also attracted some dissenters from those who believe that the price projection may be too high. Rather than focusing on circulating supply or market cap figures, Pantoja argued that long-term XRP valuation will hinge on the real-world adoption of its underlying technology. XRP, through its cross-border use cases, will undoubtedly gain much traction among banks and institutions, especially once the SEC-Ripple lawsuit is finally over. Interestingly, the $1,000 price target is more of a general consensus among a few other crypto analysts. BarriC, a crypto commentator, also posted on the social media platform X that there is a clear path for XRP to first move through $4, then $10 to $20, surpass $100, and finally reach $1,000. He frames it as a multi-stage trajectory based on institutional adoption and XRP’s infrastructure role in cross‑border payments. Dom Kwok, a former Goldman Sachs analyst and co‑founder of EasyA, projected long‑term targets stretching as high as $1,000 by 2030, also contingent on mass adoption. Anders, another XRP proponent, also floated $1,000 as a possible long‑term ceiling in comparison to Bitcoin’s potential of hitting the $1million target. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
The Wall Street banking giants are joining to a growing roster of traditional financial firms to offer tokenized versions of assets.