Impactful Cryptocurrency Events for Finance Professionals

There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen. July felt like a month where decades happened in a matter weeks - at least in the Crypto industry. Never before, we’ve seen this level of alignment between regulators, institutions, and market momentum in the largest economy of the world: → GENIUS Act passed — stablecoin innovation officially backed by Congress → Fed, FDIC & OCC jointly approved banks holding digital assets → BTC crossed $120k, crypto market cap topped $4T → The White House published a 160-page policy report — stablecoins mentioned 163 times → JPMorganChase & Coinbase launched a crypto credit card with USDC rewards → Security Exchange Commission launched Project Crypto — the most significant modernization of securities law in a generation In the words of SEC Chair Paul Atkins: "We must not force intermediation where markets can function without it." Three major breakthroughs from Project Crypto will include: ✅ Legal clarity for token distributions — founders can finally build without regulatory exile, pure development of code is considered as such and not as any investment contract or similar, clarifying the legal circumstances for developers of DeFi protocols 🔐 Modern custody rules — paving the way for true institutional adoption, Banks are allowed to hold digital assets 🪪 Unified licensing — crypto and traditional assets, one regulatory path, no need for several licenses anymore, no matter, if you're building a broker or exchange for traditional or digital assets Even staking tax reform is on the table — with the White House urging the IRS to move from taxing staking rewards at receipt to disposition, a change that could eliminate phantom income and unlock institutional staking. The U.S. is serious about becoming the Crypto capital of the world — the focus is now to lead in the on-chain financial era. Other parts of the world, e.g. Europe or APAC, need to think how to position themselves — hopping on the train, compete and trying to win or loose, as simple as that. And 2025 is not over yet... image credits: ratex42

🚨 How Recent Macro Events Impacted Ethereum Staking Rewards 🚨 We, together with our friends at Figment, recently dove deep into how traditional finance moves—like the Yen carry trade unwind—are shaking up the crypto space. 🌍💥 The result? A detailed paper exploring how these macro events supercharged Ethereum staking rewards. In times of market volatility, it's clear that traditional finance and crypto aren't operating in isolation. The Yen carry trade unwinding, for instance, triggered a series of events that sent shockwaves through the Ethereum ecosystem, leading to a 26% sell-off. But that’s not all—it also highlighted the growing importance of Ethereum staking rewards. 📉🔗 Why This Matters: A Proper Benchmark Is Crucial 🧐 As we examined these events, we realized that understanding Ethereum staking rewards requires more than just surface-level insights. That's why we've emphasized the need for a comprehensive benchmark—one that covers 100% of the Ethereum chain and includes all components of consensus and execution layer rewards. 🔍 Breaking Down Complex Concepts Like MEV We also recognize that concepts like Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) can be confusing for the average investor. So, we've dedicated a portion of our paper to breaking it down in simple, digestible terms. MEV plays a crucial role in how Ethereum validators earn rewards, and understanding this can make a significant difference in navigating the crypto space. If you're using an index to measure Ethereum staking rewards, it must cover the entire chain—consensus and execution layer rewards included. Anything less gives you an incomplete picture. 🧩 📚 Education for All Our goal with this paper is to educate and empower you, whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out. With the right knowledge, you can navigate these turbulent markets and make informed decisions. If you’re curious about how global financial strategies are influencing crypto or just want to understand Ethereum staking rewards better, this is for you. MarketVector Indexes Steven Schoenfeld Figment Josh Deems Eva Lawrence Colton Campbell Raline Sexton Jonas Weber Dennis Bree Max Webster-Dowsing

𝗖𝗿𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲. 2025 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹 - 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁. The PwC Global Crypto Regulation Report 2025 unpacks where the world’s financial markets stand, and how leaders in finance should prepare for impact. If you think crypto is still fringe, think again. The rules are coming - and they will reshape the way you do business. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 1. 93 percent of FSB members are advancing crypto regulations. 2. The US ends “regulation by enforcement” and fast-tracks ETF and stablecoin frameworks. 3. MiCAR is live in the EU. The transition ends 2026, but some Member States are moving faster. 4. Stablecoins are the new battleground - from the US GENIUS Act to Hong Kong's licensing regimes. 5. Global integration is accelerating - tokenized securities, sandboxes, and DeFi rules are creating bridges between crypto and TradFi. 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 1. Review jurisdiction-specific compliance timelines under MiCAR and global equivalents. 2. Evaluate digital asset custody models in light of new safeguarding rules. 3. Prepare for data governance, AML upgrades, and auditability requirements. 4. Assess the strategic impact of tokenized ETFs, RWAs, and stablecoins on your investment services. 5. Start engaging now with national regulators and international guidance bodies to anticipate local divergence. 𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 The landscape is aligning, but it’s not uniform. Financial institutions that act early - not just react - will be best positioned to innovate with confidence. How are you preparing your organization to operate in a world where crypto is no longer optional - but regulated, integrated, and institutionalized? Full report - PwC Global Crypto Regulation Report 2025 - Navigating the Global Landscape Authors: Matt Blumenfeld (Global / US Digital Assets Lead, PwC US) Laura Talvitie (UK Digital Assets Regulatory Lead, PwC UK) Michael Huertas (Global & European FS Legal Leader, PwC Germany) Pedro Malheiro (UK Digital Assets Driver, PwC UK) With contributions from global PwC regulatory and legal teams. Jean Diederich Tommaso Cervellati, MBA, CAIA Petra Krizan Laurent Marochini Dr. Nida Khan Boika Deleva Jeremy Evans Thomas Campione, CFA Tobias Seidl Richard Russell Brice Vandevoorde Ekaterina Kasakina Tomas Marty Latisha Tublani 🌍Norbert PALFALVI♻️ Niamkey Kouamé Mikhail Baichikov Vasilika Klimova Radek Pawlowski Coline Martins Yves Schmit, M.A. Nazim Morera Miron Rozov, CFA, CAIA Sébastien Hans Nathalie Gulyaeva Alexandru Dan Jean-Sébastien Richard Bénédicte Keith Jean-Paul Rosette

Stablecoins are at the forefront of global finance—evolving from crypto experiments into geopolitical instruments and a new financial asset class. Since 2020, their market cap has soared from $5 billion to over $200 billion, rising relevance and increasing institutional adoption. Here’s why they now sit at the core of today’s financial and geopolitical debate: 🔹 Dollar hegemony reimagined: U.S. Treasury officials now view stablecoins like USDT and USDC as strategic tools to uphold dollar dominance amid de-dollarization efforts by BRICS nations. In emerging markets, they act as lifelines—used by up to 40% of holders solely as a store of value.. 🔹 New rails for global payments: Stablecoins offer an alternative to traditional cross-border payments, enabling instant wallet-to-wallet transfers across jurisdictions. However, they raise legal, accounting, and control challenges, as they bypass the correspondent banking system. 🔹 Wall Street joins the party: Institutional momentum is accelerating—Circle is building cross-border infrastructure, PayPal offers rewards on stablecoin holdings, and giants like BlackRock and Fidelity are tokenizing money market funds. Stablecoins are becoming an integral part of the evolving financial architecture. 🔹 Risks & opportunities on the rise: stablecoins offer innovative financial solutions and new revenue streams, but also carry systemic risks—such as run scenarios, weakened monetary policy transmission, and competition with bank deposits that could limit credit creation and economic growth. Their ultimate impact will hinge on regulatory approaches, the design of each stablecoin, and how banks strategically respond. 🔹 A shifting regulatory landscape: The U.S. is moving forward with the GENIUS and STABLE Acts, injecting fresh momentum into the global regulatory debate. This proactive stance could prompt the EU to revisit its MiCA framework, originally centered on financial stability, and move toward a more balanced “MiCA 2.0”—one that embraces innovation while maintaining robust safeguards. Multiple regulatory paths are emerging, each with the potential to shape the global trajectory of stablecoins in very different ways.    In my view, the digital asset landscape - particularly stablecoins - has matured significantly, becoming instrumental to global finance. It is now that these instruments are being regulated everywhere, the perfect momentum for banks to be competitive and delve into this promising market. Key use cases include improving payments functionalities like real-time, cross-border transactions, enhancing client retention competing with fintech and neobanks through programmable money or supporting inclusion connecting with underbanked or restricted currency regions. Ultimately, entering this space will meet the expectations of tech-savvy and younger generations seeking innovative, seamless financial services.   #Stablecoins

If you work in financial services and serve institutions holding digital assets, this was the week that tested your conviction. Bitcoin briefly broke $60K on Thursday, a 45%+ drawdown from October’s #ATH before snapping back above $68K. Over $2B in liquidations. #ETFs that were aggressively accumulating last year are now net sellers. But here’s what I’m watching more closely than price: The regulatory pipeline is moving, just not fast enough. The White House stablecoin meeting ended without a deal. Crypto firms are now offering bank concessions to advance market structure legislation. The Treasury Secretary confirmed there’s no authority to backstop bitcoin. These are the conversations that will shape the next cycle for banks and credit unions looking at digital asset services. Earnings tell the real story: - Tether.io posted $10B in Q4 profit with $192B in assets. - Kraken hit $2.2B in revenue (+33% YoY) with $2T in platform volume. Even in a downturn, infrastructure companies continue to generate strong revenue. And the one headline everyone’s sleeping on: a UAE intelligence figure reportedly acquired 49% of World Liberty Financial for $500M. The geopolitical dimension of crypto ownership is becoming impossible to ignore. At InvestiFi, we’re seeing this firsthand: the uptake from banks and credit unions into digital assets and securities continues to pick up speed. Weeks like this reinforce what we hear from our partners: they’re not waiting for the next bull market to build their digital asset capabilities. They’re doing it now. Markets cycle. Infrastructure compounds. The institutions built through this downturn will define the next phase. #Bitcoin #DigitalAssets #Crypto #FinancialServices #Banking #Stablecoins #CreditUnions

Jobs Numbers Plunge: Implications for Markets - 73k July nonfarm payrolls missed expectations by 30% - 89% cumulative downward jobs revisions from May and June reports - Sept rate cut odds have jumped to 81% per CME Fed Watch Tool - Asset Performance: - BTC: -1.4% - SPY: -1.5% - Gold: +1.8% - US Agg Bonds: +0.8% Implications for Crypto: Enhanced rate cut odds → positive for crypto risk appetite - Crypto assets—particularly BTC—have displayed strong positive beta to Fed easing expectations. A pivot toward rate cuts typically reduces the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets like BTC, supporting price upside over the medium-term. Lower Yields & Weaker USD - As Treasury yields retreat and the dollar softens, dollar-denominated crypto becomes more attractive to both U.S. and offshore investors seeking alternative stores of value and diversification. Volatility & Tactical Trading Opportunities - Crypto tends to amplify broader macro-driven swings. The miss in job numbers and shift in market expectations of Fed rate cuts may trigger heightened intraday volatility, creating short-term trading opportunities around major support/resistance levels. Structural Growth Narrative Intact Despite labor-market softness, the long-term thesis for crypto adoption—including DeFi, institutional adoption, tokenization—remains intact. Broader Asset Implications: - Equities: Weak payrolls bolster the case for Fed rate cuts as soon as Sept. While stocks dipped on the headline miss, lower-for-longer rates typically underpin equity rallies. - Fixed Income: Bond yields have already retraced sharply, with the 10Y Treasury yield sliding as markets price in a higher probability of Fed easing. - Currency: The U.S. dollar index has weakened in response to diminished rate-hike prospects, providing additional tailwinds for dollar-priced commodities, emerging markets, and crypto.

Big moves this week point to a clear trend: traditional finance and crypto are merging in exciting ways. Deutsche Bank is preparing a crypto custody platform for 2026, built with heavyweights like Taurus and Bitpanda. Think of it as Wall Street meets Web3—a secure, compliant way for institutions to manage digital assets. With backing from MiCA (EU) and OCC (U.S.), it’s not just a pilot—it’s a statement that crypto custody is moving out of the shadows. On the startup side, Erebor Crypto Bank is launching for AI, blockchain, and defense firms—helping fill a void left by traditional banks. Meanwhile, tokenized stocks are gaining traction. Major names like Coinbase and Robinhood are tokenizing equities for easier, 24/7, blockchain-based trading. What ties all this together? It’s not hype—it’s utility. Crypto is transitioning from niche to foundational. When secure custody, tailored startup banking, and digital equity trading align, everyday finance starts changing. For people new to the space: this isn’t about flash—it’s about building safe, practical bridges between finance as it was and what it can become. How are these shifts showing up in your world? Whether it’s compliance, tech infrastructure, or new financial tools—share your experience or the impact you see coming.

We’re not just seeing headlines — we’re witnessing a systemic shift. From eToro’s tokenized securities offering and Eurex Clearing's move on collateral mobility (echoing The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC)’s vision), to JPMorganChase evolving the conversation from permissioned to public ledgers for tokenized deposits — the pace and direction of change is undeniable. Robinhood’s entry into tokenized securities and derivatives, Coinbase’s wholesale crypto banking services for Tier 1 and 2 banks, and the regulatory tailwinds from the GENIUS and CLARITY Acts (now in motion in the House) — all signal something deeper: Blockchain and digital assets are fast becoming foundational to the next era of financial infrastructure. And just this week, the appointment of Paul Atkins as U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair and his announcement of Project Crypto sets the tone for what’s ahead: a strategic embrace, not avoidance. Proud to have contributed to this timely and pivotal report by The Digital Economist — “Industry Outlook: Blockchain & Digital Assets 2025–26.” It offers a clear, multi-dimensional view of where we are, and where we’re headed — across technology, regulation, and public-private collaboration. It’s not just a report — it’s a call to engage. Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/gtF9RBxR #DigitalAssets #Blockchain #Tokenization #Modularity #Stablecoins #CBDCs #DeFi #FinTech #DigitalTransformation #PolicyInnovation #CollateralMobility #CapitalMarkets #ProjectCrypto #Interoperability #RegTech #InclusiveFinance #GeniusAct #ClarityAct #PublicInfrastructure #SEC #TokenizedDeposits #Web3Finance #DigitalEconomy

Institutional money didn't sit and wait for perfect crypto regulation. It created a $550B market instead. The below report by Block looks at how traditional finance and crypto markets collided this year, impacting both sectors. Here are my key takeaways: 🔶 BlackRock's BUIDL program amassed $520M in assets within months, surpassing Franklin Templeton to become the largest tokenized fund. 🔶 Pro-crypto political spending hit $135M through super PACs, securing victories for 48 candidates and shifting the regulatory conversation. 🔶 Layer-2 networks saw record growth after EIP-4844, with Base reaching 8.8M daily transactions and $3.6B in locked value. 🔶 Solana's market share in DEX trading volumes surpassed Ethereum's for the first time, driven by retail demand and memecoin activity. 🔶 Real-world asset tokenisation crossed $4B, with government securities and commodities leading institutional adoption. 🔶 The Bitcoin mining sector maintained profitability post-halving through efficiency gains, pushing hashrate to 750 EH/s. 🔶 Venture funding reached $14.3B across 2,974 deals, with infrastructure and early-stage projects drawing the most capital. Digital assets are officially becoming a core part of financial markets. #traditionalfinance #crypto #digitalassets #couchonomics #payments #fintech #embeddedfinance #digitalassets #futureofmoney #futureoffinance Couchonomics with Arjun - ⁠- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 👍 Hit like ♻️ Share it with your network 📢 Drop a comment 🎙️ Check out my podcast Couchonomics with Arjun on YouTube 📖 Get my weekly newsletter on LinkedIn: Couchonomics Crunch 🕺💃 In the MENA region? Join our Fintech Tuesdays community! 🤝 Let's connect! - ⁠- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -