Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has revealed a $13 trillion opportunity, which cryptos like XRP and stablecoins could tap into. This came as he highlighted how blockchain technology is disrupting global finance with payments being made on-chain. Ripple CEO Reveals $13 Trillion Opportunity For XRP and Stablecoins In a FOX Business interview, the Ripple CEO revealed that GTreasury, the company they bought last year, processed $13 trillion in payments, and none of these payments were done through a stablecoin or crypto asset such as XRP. He declared that there is an opportunity to integrate crypto and stablecoins as blockchain technology becomes the go-to for payment rails. Related Reading: Expert Says Ripple’s XRP Is Designed For More, Here’s What He Means Garlinghouse also described stablecoins as an entry point to crypto adoption, calling it the “ChatGPT moment” for crypto. Notably, $33 trillion total stablecoin trades happened globally last year. The Ripple CEO also noted that cross-border payments have become faster thanks to blockchain technology. The Ripple CEO recently revealed that they launched the RLUSD stablecoin because their payment operations were contributing up to 20% of USDC flows. As such, they saw it fit to launch their own product. The RLUSD has seen significant adoption as Ripple continues to expand its payment services, boasting a market cap of $1.41 billion. XRP plays a key role in these payment services, as Ripple primarily uses the XRP Ledger to process them. Crypto analyst ChartNerd noted that this is also a big opportunity for XRP, given that the SEC has declared the crypto asset is not a security. As such, institutions could move to adopt the crypto asset for payments. It could also enable Ripple to further integrate the altcoin into its payment services, seeing as it currently serves as the bridge currency. It is worth noting that during the recent interview, Garlinghouse again reiterated that XRP is the “North Star” for Ripple. Crypto Is Now Rewiring The Financial System In an X post, the Ripple CEO said that market participants are now seeing a shift in the perception of the crypto industry from “rat poison” to “pet rock” and then to rewiring the financial system. He added that now, some of the biggest companies worldwide are asking if they are using stablecoins and crypto assets such as XRP. Related Reading: Teucrium Founder Predicts What Will Happen To Ripple If XRP Price Goes To $3 Garlinghouse stated that Ripple has strategically focused their deal-making outside the echo chamber to bridge the gap between traditional finance (TradFi) and the crypto ecosystem and that those bets are paying off. The crypto firm notably acquired Hidden Road and GTreasury, which it is now using to integrate XRP and RLUSD into the TradFi ecosystem. At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.34, up in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Pxfuel, chart from Tradingview.com
A veteran Bitcoin evangelist who entered the market when most people had never heard the word “blockchain” is now pointing the finger at the Trump family, not a crypto exchange, as many think, for the liquidation chaos that shook the crypto industry last October. Davinci Jeremie, one of the earliest known Bitcoin adopters, recently shared his unfiltered take on what he believes caused the October 10, 2025, crash. What Davinci Jeremie Actually Believes The October 10, 2025, crypto market crash is one of the most debated events of the current cycle, with traders still split over what really triggered the sudden collapse in price. In the months since, several theories have surfaced, ranging from Binance-led liquidations to coordinated sell attacks. Related Reading: Expert Analyst Says Bitcoin Expansion Is Over, It Won’t Rally Until This Is Over Speaking on The Sujal Show, Jeremie offered a perspective that was politically charged. In his view, the Trump family’s financial interests provide a simpler explanation for what happened to the crypto market on that day. “I think obviously the Trump family. It’s clear right now that the Trump family wants to push crypto down so that they can get as much as they want,” Jeremie said. According to the early Bitcoin believer, wealthy participants approach markets differently. In his words, short-term thinking dominates retail behavior, with many looking for quick gains or rapid wealth creation. Large players, however, operate on extended timelines, often spanning five to ten years. “If you’re wealthy, you don’t think in short terms as most people do; you think in long terms,” he said. The Binance Theory That Took Over Crypto Jeremie’s take stands in opposition to the explanation that dominated industry discourse in the months following October 10. The October 2025 crypto crash, primarily on October 10, saw over $19 billion in leveraged positions liquidated within 24 hours. The sell-off began shortly after Donald Trump signaled plans to impose an additional 100% tariff on Chinese imports. That caused traders to dump risky investments, from stocks to Bitcoin. However, that crash was much more pronounced on the crypto market than expected. Related Reading: Bitcoin Roadmap To $300,000: Analyst Shares Step-By-Step Guide To The Top After the immediate aftermath of the crash, much of the attention was directed to crypto exchange Binance. The exchange quickly became the focal point of speculation, with many pointing to liquidation cascades on its derivatives platform as the primary reason for the crash. The theory was amplified after OKX CEO Star Xu went public with his criticisms, which were based on Binance’s promotional campaign that offered 12% APY on USDe. According to Star Xu, the campaign by Binance blurred the line between USDe and stablecoins like USDT and USDC, and retail investors were not aware of the systemic risks relating to the synthetic stablecoin ecosystem. Davinci Jeremie is known as one of the earliest Bitcoin adopters, having entered the market when BTC was trading around $1. His reputation grew significantly years later when an old YouTube video resurfaced of him urging viewers to buy at least $1 worth of Bitcoin. The clip has since become one of the most referenced moments in crypto history. Featured image from Pngtree, chart from Tradingview.com
Circle stock, CRCL, experienced a significant decline over the past day following news of a proposed ban on stablecoin yield. Despite this selloff, Bitwise’s CIO maintains that the market reaction was excessive and projects that the company’s valuation will likely double by 2030. Related Reading: Cardano Price At Multi-Year Support That Previously Led To 200% Rally – ADA Recovery Ahead? Circle Selloff Was ‘Overblown’ – Bitwise CIO On Tuesday, Circle Internet Financial, the issuer behind the USDC stablecoin, saw its stock crash 22% to $98 following reports about lawmakers’ decision on the stablecoin yield dispute. CRCL’s selloff was driven by news that a revised draft of the Senate Banking Committee’s crypto market structure bill, known as the CLARITY Act, would prohibit platforms from offering yield, directly or indirectly, for holding a stablecoin, or in a manner that resembles a bank deposit. Despite the selloff, some market experts have made the case for Circle, highlighting it as a good opportunity and “the most obvious choice” to invest in the stablecoins sector. In his weekly memo, Bitwise’s CIO, Matt Hougan, called the market’s reaction “overblown.” He asserted that the latest draft of the CLARITY Act doesn’t alter the base case forecast for Circle. Interest income has not been a primary driver of stablecoin growth to date; the vast majority of stablecoins today are held in ways that don’t pay interest. Stablecoins have exploded in popularity because they let people move money anywhere in the world efficiently and reliably—for trade settlement, as collateral in lending, as an alternative to unstable national currencies, and more. Hougan also emphasized that stablecoins offer convenience, which is “the killer app for money,” pointing out that the average savings account and average checking account yield 0.60% and 0.07%, respectively. “People aren’t parking their money there for the yield,” he noted, adding that as the global financial system increasingly transitions to blockchain-based rails, stablecoins are expected to assume a more significant role in this shift, irrespective of whether they offer interest. The Case For Circle’s $75B Valuation Diving deeper into his outlook for Circle, Hougan shared key projections for the broader stablecoin sector’s market capitalization and the company’s potential market share in the coming years. Citing Citigroup’s report, he asserted that the “base case” for stablecoin‘s assets under management (AUM) projects it will reach $1.9 trillion by 2030, while a “bull case” estimates it at $4 trillion. Bitwise’s CIO also highlighted that Circle’s USDC, the second-largest dollar-pegged token, holds 25% of the overall stablecoin market share, only behind Tether’s USDT, but has a much larger share of the regulated stablecoin market, with an estimated 80%+ share. If you think much of the growth of stablecoin AUM will come from those markets (as banks, fintechs, and major enterprises opt for onshore, regulated stablecoins), you might expect Circle’s market share to increase well beyond its current 25% share. Lastly, he addressed what Circle could potentially earn on deposits in four years. As he explained, the company earns roughly 4% interest on $80 billion of its AUM backing USDC, but shares around 60% with distribution partners like Coinbase, netting a 1.6% take rate. Related Reading: Ethereum Tops $2,100 As BitMine Ramps Up ETH Bet With $137M Purchase While its sustainability hinges on interest rates and competition from rival stablecoins, Hougan projected that the take rate will be cut in half by 2030, to 0.8%. Using these “conservative assumptions” on the broader stablecoins market cap, the company’s market share, and margin, Bitwise’s CIO concluded that Circle could hit “$75 billion by 2030—even with the recent CLARITY Act concerns.” Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com
Onchain investigator ZachXBT flagged that Circle unfrozen the USDC balance held in one of the 16 wallets targeted in an earlier action.
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
Payy's round was led by FirstMark Capital, an early backer of Airbnb, Shopify and Pinterest, and included Robot Ventures and DBA Crypto.
Circle shares fell about 20% on Tuesday amid reports that draft provisions in the CLARITY Act could limit rewards.
Bitget Wallet launched the Onchain Payments Matrix, connecting Ripple, Mastercard, and Tether within a global stablecoin payments network.
Circle shares dropped 20% on Tuesday amid a flurry of news that could negatively impact its stablecoin business.
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
The USDC stablecoin issuer faced headwinds on Tuesday amid developing stablecon legislation that could dent future revenue.
Circle's response leans into interoperability, hinting that EU markets may need to accommodate non-euro stablecoins to stay competitive.
Native USDC could give traders and DeFi apps on Injective a mainstream dollar-denominated asset for collateral, liquidity and settlement.
PayPal has expanded access to its PYUSD stablecoin to 70 markets, enabling wallet access, transfers, and rewards for eligible users.
The stablecoin issuer has rallied as analysts point to growing demand for USDC, a higher interest-rate environment and the rapid expansion of tokenized assets.
Circle’s USD Coin (USDC) has officially unseated Tether’s USDT in transfer volume for the first time in seven years. The shift marks a defining moment for digital assets, cleanly splitting stablecoin leadership into two distinct categories: total supply and transactional velocity. While Tether remains the undisputed heavyweight in the stablecoin market, USDC has become the […]
The post Tether still holds more cash, but Circle’s USDC is now moving more of crypto’s money appeared first on CryptoSlate.
USDC is the more popular option when it comes to everyday, real-world applications, the research analysts said.
Stablecoins are decoupling from crypto market cycles as they are increasingly used for digital payments, Bernstein analysts said, which bodes well for USDC issuer Circle.
Shares of Circle rose nearly 10% to close at $111.84 on Monday, marking their highest level since early November.
Financial services firm Aon accepted USDC and PYUSD stablecoins for Coinbase and Paxos's insurance premium payments.
The firm used USDC on Ethereum and PayPal USD on Solana for insurance premium payments, testing how stablecoins could reshape settlements.
Sonic Labs' USSD stablecoin is backed by tokenized Treasuries products from BlackRock, WisdomTree, and Superstate.
KAST has raised $80 million in a Series A led by QED Investors and Left Lane Capital, valuing the startup at $600 million.
The stablecoin issuer used its Mint platform for intercompany transfers, replacing bank wires that often take days to settle, CEO Jeremy Allaire said.
Billions of dollars in fresh USDC were printed in just the first week of March — a minting pace that, if sustained, could push Circle’s total for the month past $12 billion. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Brief Rally Isn’t The End Of The Bear Market, Analysts Say That surge is one sign of the momentum behind a broader milestone: total stablecoin transfer volume hit $1.8 trillion in February, the highest monthly figure on record. USDC Pulls Far Ahead Of Tether USDC, issued by Circle Internet Group, accounted for roughly 70% of all stablecoin transfers last month — about $1.26 trillion. Tether’s USDT logged $514 billion over the same period. That gap surprised some analysts, given that Tether holds the larger market cap by a wide margin — $184 billion compared to USDC’s $77.4 billion. According to Simon Dedic, founder of Moonrock Capital, USDC has “consistently flipped” Tether on transfer volume over the past several months. The disparity means each dollar of USDC is moving far more often than each dollar of USDT. Data from blockchain analytics firm Allium confirmed the February figures. Circle’s business has been growing fast. The company posted strong earnings for the fourth quarter of 2025, driven by rapid expansion of USDC’s payment operations. Partnerships with platforms such as Polymarket have added to that momentum. Tether’s supply, by comparison, has held relatively flat through the start of March while USDC continues to be printed at speed. What Rising Stablecoin Supply Means For Markets More stablecoins on exchanges generally means more money ready to buy crypto. On March 5 alone, roughly $5.14 billion in stablecoins flowed into exchanges — up from $1.14 billion just four days earlier on March 1. The total stablecoin supply sitting on exchanges climbed to a three-week high of $66.5 billion by Friday. Historically, big jumps in exchange stablecoin supply have preceded crypto price rallies, as sidelined capital gets redeployed into the market. Bitcoin briefly pushed toward $74,000 this week, partly lifted by that stablecoin inflow. The Stablecoin Supply Ratio — which measures Bitcoin’s market cap against total stablecoin market cap — has been recovering after a sharp drop in February. CIRCLE JUST MINTED $250M $USDC Circle just minted another $250M USDC on Solana. They’ve minted over $3 BILLION in just this first week of March. If Circle continue at this pace, they’re on track to mint over $12 Billion USDC by the end of the month. pic.twitter.com/aoQKi6zbFE — Arkham (@arkham) March 7, 2026 A Closer Look At The Numbers The February record was not just about USDC. Overall stablecoin adoption has been climbing. Florida’s state senate passed a stablecoin bill this week, which now awaits the governor’s signature. Related Reading: SEC Vs. Justin Sun Case Ends In $10M Settlement, Traders Eye TRX Price Reaction Regulatory movement at the state level, combined with growing institutional use of dollar-backed tokens for payments and settlement, has kept demand rising. USDC’s $1.26 trillion in February transfers marks the highest monthly total since the stablecoin launched in September 2018. Reports indicate Circle has already minted more than $3 billion in USDC in March’s first week, with Arkham data showing one single mint of $250 million on Solana. Featured image from Bitkub Academy, chart from TradingView
For most of Solana’s short history, meme coin trading defined a large chunk of its activity. That appears to be changing. According to a research note from Grayscale Investments, February’s record volume – $650 billion in stablecoin transactions – was driven by a move toward SOL–stablecoin trading pairs and real payment activity — not speculative bets on short-lived tokens. Related Reading: US Should Act On Bitcoin, Not Just Praise It, Ex-Advisor To Trump Says The network processed more transactions tied to practical money movement than at any point in its existence. The massive figure covers stablecoin transactions recorded on Solana during February 2026. It marks the highest monthly total ever logged on any blockchain — and it arrived in just 28 days. Grayscale’s data shows the number more than doubled the previous peak, which was set only four months earlier in October 2025. Low Fees Drive Small Payment Growth Standard Chartered had previously flagged Solana’s fee structure as a key reason the network was drawing payment-focused users. Low transaction costs make small transfers practical in a way that higher-fee blockchains cannot easily match. Developers have taken notice, building financial tools designed to run entirely on the internet, including micropayment systems that would be unworkable at higher cost per transaction. Stablecoins Power Blockchains Stablecoins — digital tokens pegged to currencies like the US dollar — have become one of the main engines of blockchain activity broadly. On Solana, they are increasingly being used to move money rather than to trade in and out of volatile assets. That distinction matters. Volume built on payments tends to be stickier than volume built on speculation, which can evaporate when market conditions shift. Solana now holds the fourth-largest stablecoin supply of any blockchain. Its ranking in USDC circulation is even more striking: second place, trailing only Ethereum. USDC is widely regarded as the stablecoin most favored by institutional users, which makes Solana’s position in that particular ranking significant. Ethereum Holds Its Ground On High-Value Assets The February data does not suggest Solana has overtaken Ethereum overall. According to figures from rwa.xyz, Ethereum carried $15.57 billion in tokenized real-world assets over the past 30 days. Solana’s comparable figure was $2 billion. Tokenized assets — which can include bonds, real estate, and other financial instruments brought onto a blockchain — represent the higher-value end of on-chain finance, and Ethereum remains the dominant platform for that segment. Related Reading: Iran’s Crypto Market Shaken As Outflows Skyrocket 700% What Solana appears to be winning is the retail and payments layer: fast, cheap, high-frequency transfers that add up quickly in volume even if individual transactions are small. Whether that translates into broader institutional adoption remains an open question, but February’s numbers give the network a data point it did not have before. Featured image from SOPA/Getty Images, chart from TradingView
Solana's record monthly stablecoin transaction volume follows growing appetite for retail payments infrastructure over memecoins.
FATF flagged AML risks from peer-to-peer stablecoin transfers, pointing to freeze and deny-list controls as potential safeguards.
Mizuho said shifting Fed expectations may matter more for Circle’s valuation multiple than for near-term revenue.
Barclays has previously invested in stablecoin settlement infrastructure and consortium efforts, signaling an infrastructure-first approach rather than direct token issuance.