Author: Tristan Lodenberg

Eric Trump, co-founder of World Liberty Financial and son of Donald Trump, has sharply criticized major U.S. banks amid ongoing negotiations over stablecoin regulation in Congress. In a public statement, Trump accused large financial institutions including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo of lobbying against provisions that would allow stablecoin issuers to offer yield or customer rewards. He argued that banks benefit from interest paid by the Federal Reserve while offering comparatively low returns to depositors. The debate centers on proposed market structure legislation, including the Clarity Act, which addresses how stablecoins should be regulated and whether issuers…

Donald Trump has formally submitted the nomination of Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve, setting up a Senate confirmation vote that could reshape U.S. monetary policy leadership. Warsh has been nominated to serve a four-year term as chair of the Board of Governors and a 14-year term as a member of the board. The nomination follows earlier public remarks by Trump signaling his intention to replace current Fed Chair Jerome Powell, whose term as chair concludes in May. Powell may continue serving as a governor until 2028. Warsh previously served as a Federal Reserve governor from 2006 to 2011…

Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, argued on the All-In Podcast that bitcoin should not be compared to gold, citing its lack of central bank backing, limited privacy, and potential vulnerability to quantum computing. “There is only one gold,” Dalio said, describing gold as the most established monetary asset and a primary reserve held by central banks. Despite his critique, Dalio maintains a small exposure to bitcoin, holding approximately 1% of his portfolio in the cryptocurrency, and has previously suggested a combined 15% allocation to gold or bitcoin as a diversification strategy. Bitcoin Shows Relative Stability During US-Iran Conflict Dalio’s…

Western Union has partnered with Crossmint to support the launch of its USDPT stablecoin on the Solana network. The collaboration aims to connect blockchain based payments with Western Union’s established global payout infrastructure. Under the agreement, Crossmint will integrate its wallet and payment APIs into Western Union’s systems, enabling fintech platforms to transact using USDPT and access the company’s Digital Asset Network. The network is designed to bridge stablecoins with traditional payout channels, allowing users to convert digital dollars into local currencies through more than 360,000 cash pickup locations worldwide. USDPT is scheduled to launch in the first half of…

Bitcoin briefly climbed above $74,000 on March 4, marking its first return to that level in roughly a month. The world’s largest cryptocurrency gained about 8% over 24 hours after weeks of trading below the $70,000 threshold. Ethereum followed with a jump of more than 9%, pushing past $2,200 before easing slightly. Among major altcoins, Dogecoin surged over 15% to move back above $0.10, while Zcash rose around 13% to trade near $250, rebounding from levels close to $200 in early February. Spot Bitcoin ETF Inflows Support Momentum Institutional flows appear to be reinforcing the rally. More than $680 million…

Morgan Stanley has named BNY Mellon and Coinbase as custodians for its proposed Bitcoin exchange-traded fund, according to a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The move formalizes the bank’s entry into the spot Bitcoin ETF market as institutional demand for digital assets shows renewed momentum. Under the filing, both custodians will safeguard the fund’s Bitcoin holdings primarily in cold storage, an offline method designed to reduce cybersecurity risks. A limited portion of assets may be transferred to hot wallets to facilitate share creation and redemption. BNY Mellon will act in its capacity as a New York–chartered…

Tether, the company behind the $183 billion USDT stablecoin, has invested $50 million in sleep technology startup Eight Sleep at a reported $1.5 billion valuation. The deal reflects Tether’s broader push to diversify beyond digital assets and into emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence and health innovation. Eight Sleep develops sensor-based sleep systems that monitor biometrics including heart rate and temperature. Its flagship Pod product automatically adjusts mattress conditions and delivers personalized sleep insights. AI Health Features Powered by QVAC Architecture The new funding will support AI-driven health tools built on Tether’s QVAC architecture, which processes data directly on devices…

Bitcoin is approaching a key technical area as on chain data points to an unusually thin band of supply between $72,000 and $80,000. According to analytics from Glassnode, only around 1% of bitcoin’s circulating supply last moved within this price range, creating what traders often describe as an “air pocket.” This low concentration of previously traded coins suggests limited resistance if price momentum carries bitcoin decisively above $72,000. With fewer holders positioned in that band, selling pressure may be relatively subdued compared to more densely traded zones. On-Chain Data Shows Strong Support Below The supply structure is reflected in Glassnode’s…

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has raised fresh concerns that stablecoins are increasingly being used to circumvent sanctions and anti-money laundering controls, particularly through peer-to-peer transfers conducted via self-custody wallets. FATF Report on Stablecoins and AML Gaps In its latest targeted review, the FATF highlighted structural vulnerabilities within the stablecoin ecosystem. Transactions executed directly between users through unhosted, or self-custody, wallets can take place without the involvement of regulated intermediaries such as exchanges or custodians. This absence of oversight creates potential blind spots in Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and counterterrorism financing frameworks. While blockchain transactions remain permanently recorded on public…

Nobitex, Iran’s largest digital asset platform, has shown no evidence of sustained user-driven capital flight following US-Israeli strikes that began on Feb. 28, according to blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs. TRM’s onchain review identified a short-term spike in activity, including more than $35 million transferred from hot wallets to cold storage. However, the firm concluded that these movements were consistent with internal liquidity management rather than mass withdrawals. Nobitex has processed tens of billions of dollars in transaction volume since 2019, including over $5 billion since 2025 alone. Broader Iranian Crypto Outflows Rise Separate data from Chainalysis showed approximately $10.3…