Binance to launch second reward-bearing margin asset LDUSDt

Binance is launching a new “reward-bearing margin asset” LDUSDt, which the company says is not a stablecoin. According to an April 9 announcement, LDUSDt can be obtained by swapping Tether’s USDt deposited in the firm’s Simple Earn yield product. Binance stated that holders of LDUSDt will continue to earn yield rewards through Simple Earn, even …

ECB exec renews push for digital euro to counter US stablecoin growth

The European Central Bank is intensifying its warnings over stablecoin adoption, with one of its top officials calling for a digital euro to curb the influence of US dollar-pegged stablecoins across the continent. ECB executive board member Piero Cipollone has penned another article highlighting concerns over the growing popularity of US dollar stablecoins, arguing that …

Bitcoin DeFi booms as Core blockchain hits $260M in dual-staked assets

Core, a proof-of-stake blockchain built on Bitcoin, has surpassed $260 million in dual-staked assets as institutional interest in Bitcoin-based decentralized finance (DeFi) continues to grow. Core’s initial contributor, Rich Rines, told Cointelegraph that as of April 7, over 44 million Core tokens have been dual-staked with 3,140 Bitcoin (BTC). At the time of writing, the …

Bitcoin’s safe-haven appeal grows during trade war uncertainty

The global trade war may be a silver lining for Bitcoin’s growing recognition as a safe-haven asset next to gold, thanks to its liquidity and accessibility advantages compared to precious metals. Financial markets have been rattled since US President Donald Trump’s April 2 reciprocal import tariffs announcement, leading to record-breaking sell-offs for traditional stock markets …

New York bill proposes blockchain study for election record security

Blockchain may soon earn itself a role in New York State’s voting processes and procedures. New York Assemblymember Clyde Vanel introduced Bill A07716 on April 8, directing the state Board of Elections to evaluate how blockchain could help protect voter records and election results. The legislation is currently under consideration by the Assembly Election Law …

Real estate not the best asset for RWA tokenization — Michael Sonnenshein

As more institutions explore blockchain-based finance, some industry leaders say tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) may surpass $30 trillion by the 2030s. Others are casting doubt on that projection. In June 2024, Standard Chartered Bank and Synpulse predicted that RWAs may reach over $30 trillion by 2034. The narrative remained strong in the latter part of …

Crypto fintech Taurus launches interbank network for digital assets

Swiss cryptocurrency fintech Taurus has launched an interbank network that is purpose-built for regulated institutions involved in digital asset operations. On April 9, Taurus said in an announcement shared with Cointelegraph that it had launched Taurus-Network (TN), an interbank network designed to simplify and improve digital asset transactions between regulated financial institutions worldwide. The network …

Kraken taps Mastercard to launch crypto debit cards in Europe, UK

Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has partnered with Mastercard to issue crypto debit cards across the United Kingdom and Europe, the company announced on April 8. The partnership will enable the crypto exchange to expand its payment offerings by launching physical crypto debit cards. The partnership comes as Kraken continues to pursue a license under the European …

US gov’t actions give clue about upcoming crypto regulation

The early days of the Trump administration saw a flurry of activity that could give the crypto industry an idea of forthcoming crypto regulations, namely that they may not be regulated as securities.  Practitioners have decried a lack of concrete change in the form of new rules and guidance. The skeptics have their reasons. The …

Thailand targets foreign crypto P2P services in new anti-crime laws

Thailand is beefing up measures to combat online crimes involving digital assets by passing new amendments to several national laws. Thailand’s cabinet on April 8 passed a resolution approving amendments to emergency decrees on digital asset businesses and on measures for cybercrime prevention, the Thai Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced. As part of the …