Key takeaways MAS has expanded Ripple’s MPI license, allowing the company to offer a much wider range of regulated payment services and marking a notable regulatory milestone for the company’s operations in Singapore. Ripple first secured a full MPI license in 2023, enabling digital payment token services but limiting comprehensive end-to-end payment capabilities until the…
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Key takeaways Texas became the first US state to add Bitcoin exposure to a state-managed investment portfolio by purchasing about $5 million of BlackRock’s IBIT ETF through its newly created Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. SB 21 shifted Texas from a crypto mining hub to an active digital asset investor. The bill authorizes the state comptroller…
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From dominance to ban: The 2021 crackdown Before 2021, China controlled a large share of global Bitcoin (BTC) mining. Data from the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index shows that Chinese miners produced about 65% of the world’s Bitcoin computing power in 2020. In 2021, the Chinese government moved to stop mining activity. Authorities cited concerns…
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Key takeaways For years, US crypto firms operated under overlapping rules from the SEC, CFTC, FTC and FinCEN. The revised 2025 plan signals Washington’s intent to build a more flexible and structured framework tailored to digital assets. The SEC is moving toward a model centered on innovation, capital formation, market efficiency and investor protection. This…
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Inflation, macro cycles and Bitcoin’s dual roles Inflation sits at the center of modern economic cycles. When inflation is high, central banks raise interest rates, reduce liquidity and push investors toward safer assets. When inflation falls, liquidity usually improves, risk appetite returns and markets start to focus on future growth. In this environment, Bitcoin (BTC)…
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Key takeaways With more than 100 million crypto users, India still lacks a comprehensive virtual digital asset (VDA) law. Existing rules address taxation and AML obligations, but they do not fully cover consumer protection or broader market conduct. Issues under discussion include the absence of unified investor-protection rules, unregulated trading practices and concerns that India’s…
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Key takeaways Gold has long met store-of-value standards, while fiat currencies lose purchasing power over time. Bitcoin now meets several of the same store-of-value benchmarks. With a hard cap of 21 million coins and around-the-clock global trading, Bitcoin offers digital scarcity, durability supported by network security and liquidity that rivals many traditional assets. Concerns remain,…
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Senate bill targets crypto’s regulatory paradox: Security vs. commodity Since its inception, the US cryptocurrency industry has faced a regulatory challenge: determining when a digital asset qualifies as a security and when it qualifies as a commodity. This uncertainty has hindered institutional adoption, fueled legal disputes and made it difficult for crypto companies to interpret…
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Key takeaways Square is enabling 4 million merchants to accept fast, low-fee Bitcoin payments through the Lightning Network. The rollout turns Bitcoin into a practical checkout option with instant settlement and no processing fees until 2027. Bitcoin payments can expand customer choice, cut costs and streamline cross-border transactions for online sellers. Merchants must still consider…
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Key takeaways Bitcoin’s rise past $100,000 in 2025 marked a shift from speculative trading to long-term institutional adoption. Banks and governments began viewing BTC as a strategic reserve asset. The GENIUS Act established a unified US framework for payment stablecoins, mandating 1:1 reserve backing, stricter issuer qualifications and stronger consumer protections. Real-world asset tokenization surpassed…
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