US bank lobby challenges crypto firms’ bids for bank licences

    US banking groups have urged the country’s banking watchdog to postpone its decision on crypto companies’ bank licenses until more details about their plans are public, claiming that allowing the bids would be “a fundamental departure” from current policy. The American Bankers Association and other bank and credit union trade groups said in a letter to the…

    Ethereum is scaling: TPS, gas limit up as validators back 45M target

    Ethereum’s throughput ticked up on Sunday as more validators signalled their support for increasing Ethereum’s gas limit to 45 million units, which will reduce transaction fees and enable improved network scaling. Ethereum’s gas limit rose to over 37.3 million units on Sunday, according to Etherscan, up almost 3% from levels late last week, while several…

    GENIUS Act blocks Big Tech, banks from dominating stablecoins: Circle exec

    The GENIUS Act contains a little-noticed clause that prevents technology giants and Wall Street behemoths from dominating the stablecoin market, according to Circle Chief Strategy Officer Dante Disparte. “The GENIUS Act has what I’d like to call — just for my own legacy sake — a Libra clause,” Disparte told the Unchained podcast on Saturday. Any non-bank…

    Indian crypto exchange CoinDCX hacked, $44 million drained

    Indian cryptocurrency exchange CoinDCX was hacked on Friday, leaving the exchange drained of $44 million. The hackers compromised one of CoinDCX’s internal accounts used for “liquidity provisions” with another exchange through a server breach. No user funds were affected due to the exploit, according to CoinDCX CEO Sumit Gupta. The CEO also said that all customer funds…

    Ether preps record short squeeze as analysis sees $4K ETH price ‘soon’

    Key points: Ether is currently forging a short squeeze that stands out in crypto history, says analysis. A 10% price increase would see another $1 billion in liquidated shorts. Shorts should now fuel a $4,000 ETH price rebound. Ether is “making history” as ETH price gains spark a short squeeze for the record books. Fresh…

    Charles Schwab plans to launch Bitcoin, Ether spot trading, CEO says

    Charles Schwab is preparing to expand its crypto offerings by launching spot trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum, according to CEO Rick Wurster. In an interview with CNBC on Friday, Wurster said Schwab clients already hold significant exposure to crypto via exchange-traded products (ETPs), owning more than 20% of the industry’s crypto ETP market. However, he noted that crypto…

    From Bank to Broker to Crypto: Infrastructure Playbooks for Regulated Companies Entering Digital Assets

    The EU’s MiCA framework is creating a predictable environment for crypto services. Stablecoins are being used for payments, settlements, and cross-border operations. Tokenized assets are being tested by banks and asset managers. As a result, banks, brokers, and fintech platforms are planning to launch crypto services. This can include custody, trading, or stablecoin rails. But…

    SEC Chair Atkins considers innovation exemption to boost tokenization

    The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is considering the creation of an innovation exemption within its regulatory framework to foster tokenization, SEC Chair Paul Atkins said during a press event on Friday, according to Bloomberg. In the Bloomberg report, Atkins said that the SEC staff was considering changes that would promote tokenization, including an innovation…

    Fintech firms will move to DeFi lending within 3 years: Morpho co-founder

    Financial technology (Fintech) companies may move away from traditional lending services, as decentralized alternatives offer more accessible loans with smaller fees. Decentralized finance (DeFi) lending protocols enable users to lend and borrow their cryptocurrency for passive income in a permissionless manner, via smart contracts instead of numerous financial intermediaries. The growing efficiency and accessibility of DeFi lending protocols may…

    XRP cloud mining in 2025: How much can you really earn?

    Key takeaways XRP cloud mining doesn’t mine XRP; it funds BTC or ETH contracts using XRP. Promised returns (100%-800% APR) are often unsustainable and lack transparency. High risks include scams, volatility and hidden fees, with little regulatory oversight. Safer alternatives exist, like wrapped XRP in DeFi or regulated lending platforms. Can you really earn passive…