The European Central Bank (ECB) has approved a two-track plan to settle distributed ledger technology (DLT) transactions using central bank money, which could pave the way to modernizing Europe’s financial system. The first track, dubbed Pontes, will focus on a short-term solution by linking blockchain-based DLT platforms with TARGET Services, a suite of financial services developed and…

Crypto firm Ripple Labs is applying for a banking license in the US, following a similar move by stablecoin issuer Circle Internet Group as crypto firms look to be regulated to deepen ties with traditional finance. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse confirmed on X on Wednesday that the company is applying for a license with the US Office…

The United States’ first Solana staking exchange-traded fund (ETF) ended its debut trading day with $12 million in inflows — a positive sign for crypto staking-enabled ETFs. The REX-Osprey Solana Staking ETF debuted on the Cboe BZX Exchange on Wednesday, recording $33 million in trading volume and $12 million in inflows, according to Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas. The fund, trading…