Tether, the company behind the world’s most widely used stablecoin USDT, has announced that it will no longer support CNH₮, its offshore Chinese yuan stablecoin.The company has already stopped the minting of new CNH₮ tokens and will completely stop redemption support within the next year. No New CNH₮ Tokens, Redemption Deadline Set On 20th Feb, …
Markets have put more gold on blockchains, And the shift has been rapid. Reports say the tokenized commodities sector grew about 53% in under six weeks, pushing its size to just over $6 billion. That jump has been led by a small group of gold tokens, and the move has traders and some big banks watching closely. Related Reading: Cardano May Be At A Prime Buying Point, Analyst Says Gold Tokens Drive The Rally According to on-chain data, most of the fresh value is sitting in Tether’s XAU₮ and Paxos’s PAXG. Together they hold close to $6 billion of the sector’s market worth. Investors are treating these tokens as a quick way to own a claim on bullion without needing to move bars or deal with vault paperwork. Some buyers want a safe haven that moves easily across borders. Others want to trade fractions of an ounce in online markets. Tether Moves Toward Physical Integration Reports say Tether has not stopped at issuing a token. The firm took a $150 million stake in Gold.com with plans to fold XAU₮ into that platform and to let customers pay for actual gold with stablecoins. This is a step toward tying token balances more directly to physical holdings and sales channels. If it works, retail buyers could use familiar crypto tools to buy and collect real metal, which would change how ordinary people access bullion. Analysts See Big Upside Based on reports, Geoffrey Kendrick of Standard Chartered has sketched a huge growth path: from roughly $35 billion in tokenized real-world assets today to as much as $2 trillion by 2028. Alvin Foo, a crypto analyst, has argued that tokenized commodities — gold on public chains in particular — could scale to trillion-dollar values someday, as markets adopt fractional ownership and new trading rails. Those projections require many pieces to fall into place: clear rules, reliable custody proofs, and wide demand from non-crypto investors. Ambitious goals are being set, but they rest on a chain of technical and legal fixes that are still in progress. How The System Works And Why It Matters Stablecoin liquidity and decentralized finance plumbing are being pointed to as the plumbing that can support larger markets. Reports note that having quick settlement, low minimums, and easy custody opens bullion to smaller investors and traders who were locked out before. Related Reading: After Predicting XRP’s Drop, Analyst Says The Bottom May Be In Fractional ownership is already possible, which means someone can own a slice of a bar without ever visiting a vault. Yet trust must be earned. Custodial audits, insured storage, and transparent minting and redemption rules will shape whether token holders feel secure. Featured image from Private Banker International, chart from TradingView
Robinhood’s Johann Kerbrat took the stage along with Bullish CEO Tom Farley to speak of his platform's views on stablecoin yields and traditional financial systems.
Ethereum’s outlook for 2026 has become increasingly contested after the most recent downturn in the entire crypto market. Earlier this year, research from Standard Chartered suggested that Ethereum could end 2026 near $7,500, a target that implies significant upside from current levels. However, recent price action, with ETH languishing around $2,000 and lacking clear bullish momentum, puts such projections against a very different realistic outlook. Standard Chartered’s Ethereum Long-Term View In a January research note, Standard Chartered’s digital assets team trimmed its medium-term outlook for Ethereum while keeping a highly optimistic vision for the years ahead. The bank now sees ether closing 2026 near $7,500, down from an earlier forecast of around $12,000, and expects the asset to climb to $15,000 in 2027, $22,000 in 2028, and eventually $40,000 by the end of 2030. Related Reading: Ethereum Price Is Not Going To Keep Falling Forever, Analyst Says According to the note, the change is due to weak performance from Bitcoin dragging broader dollar-denominated crypto valuations, even as the bank pointed to Ethereum’s strengths in stablecoins, decentralized finance, and tokenized assets as positives to hold on to. In the research note, digital assets analyst Geoff Kendrick noted that 2026 is important not just for price but also for Ethereum’s performance relative to bitcoin. Therefore, the most important thing for gains is a rebound in the ETH/BTC ratio to levels last seen in 2021. The Odds – Current Price Action Against Bullish Case The path from roughly $2,000 to the mid-$7,000s looks very tough compared to what it was at the start of the year. This, in turn, has seen the odds of the Ethereum price reaching $7,500 reduce drastically. Ethereum started 2026 on a good foot, with a rally to $3,370 in the first two weeks of the year. Notably, it failed to sustain this rally and has since fallen by about 40% in the past 30 days. Related Reading: Analyst Says You’re Not Bullish Enough On Ethereum – What Does He Mean? As it stands, Ethereum is now trading around $2,000, and the price has repeatedly failed to close convincingly above the $2,100-$2,150 zone in recent sessions. Although the leading altcoin is now back to trading above $2,000 after a break below during last week’s sell-offs, bulls are yet to establish any control of price momentum. On-chain data also shows the transfer activity surrounding Ethereum is pointing to elevated stress conditions. Fortunately for bullish traders, it is still too early in the year to rule out the possibility of Ethereum trading at $7,500 in 2026. Several things would need to change for an outcome close to Standard Chartered’s 2026 estimate to become plausible. One of them is the return of demand and steady inflows into Spot Ethereum ETFs. At the time of writing, Ethereum is trading at $2,025. Right now, the cryptocurrency needs to clear the $2,150 resistance and hold above it in order to continue the steady push up. Featured image from Pxfuel, chart from Tradingview.com
The crypto market has come under intense selling pressure, with more than $350 billion wiped off total market capitalization. Similar downturns in the past have usually been accompanied by falling participation and capital exiting the space. This time, however, the setup looks different. Instead of drying up, capital has surged, with stablecoin inflows doubling even …
The crypto market has entered a fragile phase as Bitcoin dropped under the critical $70,000 level and bounced off $60,000, a zone that has increasingly acted as a gravitational pull rather than a launchpad. This subdued price action came as the stablecoin market has surged, with Tether and Circle minting billions of dollars’ worth of […]
The post Did Tether and Circle’s $3 billion token minting spree protect Bitcoin from losing $60k? appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Tether closed out the year with numbers that turned a few heads in finance circles. Reports say the firm posted net profits above $10 billion for 2025 while the stablecoin USDT grew to roughly $186 billion in circulation — a new high for the token and a sign of how central it has become to crypto markets. Related Reading: Bitcoin Suppression? Analyst Claims Single Force Keeping Price Under $90K Strong Balance Sheet And Big Reserves Reports note that Tether’s balance sheet shows solid backing after dividends and payouts. The issuer reportedly ended the year with several billion in excess reserves and total assets that comfortably outmatched liabilities. That cushion has calmed investors who worry about backing for so much stablecoin. Tether’s cash and short-term holdings are heavy on US Treasury exposure. Based on reports, a large slice of its reserves sits in Treasuries and similar instruments that generate steady interest income. That income helped drive the large profit number, even as the company moved into other assets. The numbers came from Tether’s most recent annual attestation, prepared by independent accountants at BDO, highlighting the company’s status as one of the top earners in the digital asset sector. Gold Buys And A Shift In Mix Reports say Tether has been increasing its holdings of physical gold alongside Treasuries. Recent filings and public comments show roughly 27 tons of gold purchased in the final quarter of the year, and the firm has said it may aim for between 10% and 15% of its portfolio in gold over time. That move is meant to diversify reserves and trim exposure to any single market. Stock And Market Effects The profit and the increase in the USDT supply have spillover effects. Market makers and exchanges usually use Tether as the primary dollar substitute in the crypto market, and the increased USDT supply improves trading and payment liquidity. On the other hand, some rating agencies and analyst firms have pointed out some concerns. There are potential issues with transparency and risk if markets turn against them due to increased allocations to non-Treasury assets. What This Means For Users And Regulators For users, the first thing to note is that the increased supply of USDT in the market typically means improved on-ramps for trading and moving value between platforms. For regulators and big lenders, the numbers underline why stablecoins attract scrutiny. Reports note that watchdogs want clearer, repeatable disclosures to match the scale of these holdings. Related Reading: Ethereum Boost: Vitalik Buterin Sets Aside $45M In ETH For Privacy And Open Tech Tether’s recent performance frames a larger story about how crypto handles dollar-like liquidity in practice. The company says its reserves and reporting meet its own standards, while independent commentators push for still greater clarity. Either way, USDT’s role has grown, and the conversation about risk, disclosure, and where those backing assets sit is only getting louder. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Ripple’s new stablecoin rollout has put a bright spotlight on a simple fact: most RLUSD is living on Ethereum right now. That imbalance has stirred worry among long-time XRP supporters. Some feel the company’s heart might be shifting away from the ledger that gave it a base. Others say the move is practical and short-term. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Slide To $82K Sets Off A $1.7 Billion Chain Reaction Exchange Rollouts And Technical Gaps According to Luke Judges, Ripple’s Global Partner Success Lead, the choice of which chain goes live first often comes down to plumbing — the systems exchanges already run. He told followers that Ripple talks about XRPL every time it speaks with an exchange, and that many trading platforms have promised to add XRPL support. Still, existing tools on Ethereum can make listings happen faster. That speed matters when liquidity and market access are the goals. What The On-Chain Numbers Show Reports note RLUSD’s circulating supply sits at roughly $1.45 billion across both chains. About $1.11 billion of that amount is on Ethereum, leaving around $337 million on XRPL. That split — roughly 77% on Ethereum — is a big part of why people worry. Numbers are blunt. They shape how investors react, and they shape headlines. When a major exchange launches support only on one chain, the signaled path is hard to ignore. Community Reaction And Company Tone Binance’s decision to enable RLUSD trading first on Ethereum raised the heat. Many XRP fans saw that as proof of a preference. Judges answered that some launches are a function of readiness, not preference. To ensure complete clarity: the RLUSD team consistently prioritizes the XRPL in every centralised exchange engagement. While some exchanges may complete their Ethereum technical integration first, simply because they have existing infrastructure for that network, making it a… — LJ (@luke_judges) January 29, 2026 He used plain language and made a short, clear point: Ripple “loves” XRP and the ledger it runs on. That line was meant to calm nerves. It did, for some. Others remain skeptical because commitments on paper do not always match activity on the ground. What Comes Next For XRPL What will settle this argument is data. If trading activity, transfers, and custody flows begin to move onto XRPL in meaningful ways, perception will shift. If XRPL volumes stay small, the worry will grow. Exchanges can keep their promises. They can also delay. Some technical work will be needed on both sides to make the experience as smooth for XRPL users as it is for those on Ethereum. Related Reading: Gold, Silver Steal The Spotlight As Crypto Hype Fades On Social Media: Santiment Ripple’s message, at least for now, is meant to be simple and firm. Judges pushed back on the idea that his comments were an apology, saying there was nothing to walk back. He framed the statement as a response to noise, not a change in direction. “We love XRP and XRPL” was not offered as a slogan, but as a reminder of where Ripple says its roots still sit. Whether that sentiment carries weight will depend less on words and more on how quickly XRPL sees real growth tied to RLUSD in the months ahead. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
The Trump-linked USD1 stablecoin has surged past a $5 billion market capitalization, quickly cementing its place as the fifth-largest stablecoin globally. In doing so, USD1 has overtaken PayPal’s PYUSD and climbed into the top 25 cryptocurrencies by overall market value, according to CoinMarketCap data. The rapid rise has caught the market’s attention, especially given that …
The USDU stablecoin is issued by Universal Digital, a crypto firm regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).
Founders Fund and Galaxy-backed Citrea is aiming to unlock Bitcoin-denominated credit markets with a new mainnet and a Treasury-backed stablecoin designed for USD settlement.
With EU banks exploring stablecoin issuance and regulators laying ground rules, OKX says its card marks a turning point in crypto’s integration into everyday finance.
USDC leads the decline in the market cap of top stablecoins, posing risk to crypto market valuations.
White House crypto advisor Patrick Witt said stablecoins are the “gateway drug” for global finance and that Washington is racing to deliver regulatory clarity.
Data shows the ERC-20 stablecoin market cap has just seen a notable drop for the first time in years, something that could have a knock-on effect on Bitcoin. ERC-20 Stablecoin Market Cap Has Gone Down During The Past Week As highlighted by CryptoQuant author Darkfrost in an X post, stablecoins have witnessed outflows over the past week. A “stablecoin” is a cryptocurrency that has its price pegged to a fiat currency, with tokens based on the US Dollar being the most popular. Generally, investors store their capital in the form of these assets when they want to avoid the volatility associated with Bitcoin and other coins. Traders who keep stablecoins usually plan to venture back into the volatile side of the market, however, which is why the supply of these coins is often considered as a sort of “dry powder” reserve for BTC and company. Related Reading: XRP, Ethereum Now ‘Undervalued’ On MVRV, Says Santiment Stablecoins are available on several blockchains, but the ones of relevance here are specifically the ERC-20 tokens running on the Ethereum network. Below is the chart shared by Darkfrost that shows the trend in the combined market cap of the assets of this type over the last few years. As displayed in the graph, the supply of the ERC-20 stablecoins saw a phase of growth during the second phase of 2025, indicating that capital was flowing into these assets. At the same time as this growth, Bitcoin and other assets rallied, suggesting that the sector as a whole was witnessing net capital inflows. When the volatile coins saw a bearish shift, however, the stables also observed a change in trajectory. From the chart, it’s apparent that these tokens hit a plateau alongside the market mood swing. This means that while capital wasn’t flowing out of the stables, it wasn’t flowing in, either. In the past week, though, this sideways movement has broken, with the market cap of the ERC-20 stablecoins registering a drop. More specifically, $7 billion in capital has flowed out of these assets, taking the market cap from $162 billion to $155 billion. Whenever the stablecoin supply declines, one possibility is always that investors are simply rotating into Bitcoin. The original cryptocurrency’s price has also gone down in this window, however, a potential sign that the drop represents outflows to fiat. Related Reading: Dogecoin Wedge Breakout Could Be “Powerful,” Analyst Says As the analyst explained: This is a very negative signal, explained by the fact that some investors are choosing to fully exit the crypto market, which continues to correct, while precious metals keep surging and equity markets maintain a strong underlying uptrend. This is the first time this cycle that such a rapid decline in the stablecoin market cap has occurred. It now remains to be seen whether this is a temporary deviation or the start of a new trend. BTC Price Bitcoin has bounced up a bit since its Sunday low as its price is now back at $88,300. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com
Agora CEO Nick van Eck sees stablecoin adoption shifting to real-world business for cross-border payments.
Elliptic says the ruble-pegged A7A5 processed nearly 250,000 onchain transactions, demonstrating how stablecoins facilitate cross-border flows under sanctions pressure.
The American Bankers Association’s latest priorities aim to limit how digital dollars earn returns and how financial data is shared as lawmakers debate U.S. crypto market structure legislation.
For a market that usually moves in one direction, some voices are starting to say this time might look a little different. Canary Capital CEO Steven McClurg said XRP could move on a different path from Bitcoin this year, pointing to enterprise use cases as a key reason. Related Reading: Futures Frenzy Pushed Crypto Exchange Volume To Nearly $80 Trillion In 2025 He made the remarks during a podcast with host Paul Barron, and outlined a cautious view of Bitcoin while singling out protocols tied to real-world tokenization. According to McClurg, the shift in focus toward practical applications may help a small set of tokens behave differently than the wider market. XRP And Hedera Seen As Practical Picks McClurg named the XRP Ledger and Hedera as examples of networks that could benefit from enterprise adoption and tokenization efforts. He argued that platforms with clear utility — like payment rails, tokenized assets, or stablecoin infrastructure — have a better chance of holding value when speculative momentum fades. Reports have disclosed that he does not expect these assets to race higher; instead, modest gains are the likeliest outcome, with growth described as low double-digit rather than explosive. Bitcoin Faces Additional Downside McClurg turned more negative on Bitcoin. He said he believes Bitcoin peaked on October 6, 2025, at $126,200. Since that date Bitcoin has slipped roughly 35% to about $95,800. He warned that prices could fall another 20–30% over the next six to nine months, which would place BTC roughly between $65,000 and $77,000 before the end of the cycle. Based on his view, a new all-time high is not expected in 2026 and the market may be entering a deeper correction. Markets Could Still Move Together Critics point out that altcoins often suffer greater losses when the market experiences a downturn, and history supports that caution. Liquidity tends to dry up during big Bitcoin sell-offs, and even assets with real use cases can be pushed lower in a broad risk-off episode. In layman’s phrasing, XRP might fall less than Bitcoin and therefore look stronger in comparison, but outright independence from Bitcoin is rare and usually temporary. Related Reading: Ethereum Staking Hits Record Levels As Buterin Urges Builders To Deliver Real Apps Relative Outperformance The More Likely Outcome According to McClurg’s perspective, what is most realistic is relative outperformance rather than complete separation. That means XRP and similar tokens could remain flat or show modest positive returns while Bitcoin weakens. Such a pattern would still be notable for holders and for enterprises planning tokenization projects, but it falls short of a dramatic price surge. Featured image from Bitpanda Blog, chart from TradingView
The market mood in crypto cooled sharply after a quick spike in optimism. According to the Crypto Fear & Greed Index, the reading fell by 12 points on Friday, dropping from 61 to 49. Related Reading: Altcoin Rallies Are Getting Shorter, And Wintermute Has The Data That swing moved the gauge from “greed” into a “neutral” zone in a single session. Bitcoin had jumped about 4.5% earlier in the week to roughly $97,700, which helped push sentiment higher, but the focus shifted toward politics and lawmaking in Washington. Regulatory Concerns Shake Markets Based on reports, the main trigger was debate over a Senate version of a long-awaited crypto market structure bill. The measure would set out how US regulators oversee digital assets and includes language that would tighten rules around stablecoin yields. Several lobbyists and executives raised alarms about those provisions. Brian Armstrong, the CEO of Coinbase, withdrew his backing, saying the proposal would be worse than the current setup and that a bad law would be harmful. After the backlash, the Senate Banking Committee cancelled its planned markup and the Senate Agriculture Committee moved its session to late January while lawmakers seek more support. Social Media Sentiment Shifts As Traders React According to crypto analytics firm Santiment, the market activity had two different trends at once: larger holders were building positions while smaller, retail traders were selling. Social chatter began to reflect worry after the regulatory news, even as on-chain data showed accumulation by more experienced wallets. The index’s peak earlier in the week was the highest since it reached 64 on October 10, the same day a market crash triggered over $19 billion in liquidations. Those past losses still hang in investors’ memories. Smart Money Buys While Retail Sells Reports have disclosed that smart money accumulation can support prices, but headlines shape short-term moods. Bitcoin was trading at about $95,642 at the time of publication, down around 0.02% over the past 24 hours, according to CoinGecko. That small move shows market resilience, yet the sentiment measure’s drop demonstrates how fragile confidence can be when policy doubts emerge. Many traders watch Washington closely, sometimes even more closely than charts. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s New Power Buyers: Companies Bought 3 Times What Miners Produced Delay Seen As Chance By Some Industry Players A segment of the industry read the postponements as constructive. David Sacks, who advises on crypto matters at the White House, said the pause could help close gaps between stakeholders and bring the bill closer to something workable. Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, kept engaging with lawmakers and described the delay as an opening to improve the text. Those views contrast with more alarmed voices and help explain the mixed market reaction. Featured image from The Drive, chart from TradingView
The deal will see LMAX embed Ripple's $1.4 billion U.S. dollar stablecoin into the exchange's infrastructure.
The banking lobby’s efforts to revisit or reinterpret Congress’ decisions regarding stablecoin rewards are driven by attempts to re-litigate settled law and blunt competition after the fact, argues Blockchain Association’s Summer Mersinger.
The move comes as crypto projects increasingly position themselves as offering payment platforms that resemble traditional digital banks, but operate on blockchain rails.
The firm said it has agreed to acquire Distributed Technologies Research, a blockchain-based payment infrastructure provider.
The Trump family–backed crypto venture has rolled out World Liberty Markets, a new DeFi app built on Dolomite. DOLO rose by 57% following the announcement.
In a world where financial systems are becoming fragile, XRP stands out as the intersection of a financial infrastructure designed for instant global value transfer, speed, reliability, and global accessibility. XRP’s ability to move value instantly across borders, with minimal cost and without reliance on fragile banking systems, positions it as both a long-term wealth tool and a potential life-saving instrument. XRP should be considered as part of life-saving plans. An analyst known as Bird on X has pointed out that most people keep their money in the bank, earning around 4-6% a year, and feel comfortable with it, but they rarely factor in the impact of inflation. Over time, the purchasing power of currencies like the US dollar and the British pound has been quietly eroded to the point where your money can grow on paper while losing value in the real world. XRP’s Role In The Next Phase Of Global Payments Although savings accounts are safe, many people are actually standing still or falling massively behind without even realizing it, which is why XRP comes in as a long-term life-saving strategy. XRP has spent years held back by legal uncertainty, and during that time, the technology continued to mature. Currently, there’s clarity, and what was being built has become visible. Related Reading: XRP Ledger May Get A Tokenized Gold Upgrade, Web3 Founder Reveals Real-world usage is arriving in cross-border payments, institutions are engaging, stablecoins like RLUSD are being introduced, and real-world assets are being tokenized on the chain. As the utility is increasing, capital is flowing into the ecosystem. More usage creates more demand, and sustained demand is what drives long-term value growth. According to Bird, XRP is to be trusted more than fiat, which is why it is a long-term savings vehicle rather than a short-term trade. XRP can be reserved for self-custody, stored on a cold wallet, removing reliance on banks altogether. Instead of earning a few percentages while fighting inflation, you’re holding a digital asset positioned at the centre of growing global financial infrastructure, which is more likely to increase in value over time. In comparison, it is unclear whether inflation will ever pause to make cash worth more. The analyst views this scenario as a long-term wealth investment and believes that XRP will become one of the most utilised digital assets in the world. Thus, building a savings position now could prove to be one of the smartest financial decisions someone could make over the long run. A Bridge Between Old Money And New Rails ChartNerd noted that Ripple is not built to be a traditional crypto company that aims to destroy the old money. Instead, Ripple acts as the bridge between the old and new financial worlds, and this will be a more successful long-term strategy. Related Reading: XRP Whale Deposits To Binance Ease: Data Points To Lower Distribution Risk A sustainable financial change will emerge gradually, not through a knee-jerk move or total disruption in just one cycle. XRP is clearly the long-game asset, while 2025 was the most productive year for Ripple, nothing is priced in yet. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com
A major U.S. crypto market structure bill, known as the CLARITY Act, is heading into a critical Senate Banking Committee markup session this week. At the center of the debate is whether stablecoin issuers should be barred from offering rewards through crypto exchanges and other platforms. According to reports, Coinbase is signaling that it may …
For years, stablecoins have been crypto’s most useful invention and its most awkward dinner guest. Useful because they turn blockchains into 24/7 dollar rails, and awkward because while the promise is simple, securing trust rarely is. A digital token worth exactly a dollar sounds reassuring to non-crypto folk right up until someone asks where the […]
The post One US location just banned CBDCs, but its new state token is doing something even more surprising appeared first on CryptoSlate.
The era of the hooded hacker hoarding Bitcoin in a dark web wallet is over. In 2025, the center of gravity in the illicit cryptocurrency economy shifted decisively away from the volatility of the original cryptocurrency and toward a dense, dollar-linked shadow system. According to new Chainalysis data shared with CryptoSlate, stablecoins accounted for 84% […]
The post Stablecoins just replaced Bitcoin for crime on the dark web – and the reason why is a $154 billion nightmare appeared first on CryptoSlate.
On Jan. 7, Donald Trump’s World Liberty Financial (WLFI) formally applied for a national banking charter to establish the “World Liberty Trust Company.” This is a proposed national trust bank specifically designed to handle USD1 stablecoin issuance, custody, redemption, and reserve management. USD1 is WLFI's flagship product, with more than $3.3 billion in supply across […]
The post Why is Donald Trump’s World Liberty Financial (WLFI) is applying for a banking license right now? appeared first on CryptoSlate.