Author: Ian Mutwiri

Circle reports $2.4 trillion in stablecoin activity, Asia-Pacific adoption surged 69%. Singapore and Hong Kong rank globally behind the U.S. as leading stablecoin hubs. Institutional adoption reaches 56% in Asia, boosting payments, settlements, and treasury transactions. Circle has stated that it has seen unprecedented adoption of stablecoins in Asia-Pacific, making the region the fastest-growing center in the world. The company has disclosed on-chain stablecoin operations of a combined 2.4 trillion from June 2024 to June 2025. Singapore and Hong Kong are currently the second and third-largest stablecoin hubs in the world, only after the United States. According to industry experts,…

Treasury exempts Bitcoin from CAMT, removing tax on unrealized corporate crypto gains. Strategy avoids billions in liabilities, holding 640,000 Bitcoin with $27B paper profits. IRS issues relief guidance as Senate prepares hearing on broader crypto tax rules. The U.S. Treasury has moved to exempt Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies from the 15% Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax (CAMT), a rule originally enacted under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The change removes the risk of taxing unrealized gains on digital assets, a measure that could have cost crypto-heavy corporations billions in federal liabilities. Companies such as Strategy and Coinbase had warned that…

The judge narrowed but did not dismiss the shareholder lawsuit, rejecting claims based only on group pleading. Shareholders allege Coinbase concealed SEC enforcement risks and the possibility of customer losses in bankruptcy. The case adds to Coinbase’s mounting legal challenges, including state actions and lawsuits over its 2025 data breach. Judge Allows Narrowed Coinbase Lawsuit According to a decision of a U.S. federal judge, Coinbase is liable to go through a truncated shareholder lawsuit alleging that the exchange is hiding regulatory and bankruptcy risk. In Newark, New Jersey, U.S. District Judge Brian Martinotti denied demands of a complete dismissal of…

BOK proposes mandatory central bank deposits for stablecoin reserves to curb risks and protect users. Stablecoin issuer profits may shrink as reserves earn only policy-rate returns. Korea’s stablecoin bill due in October may limit issuance to bank-led consortia. South Korea’s central bank has called for stronger controls on won-denominated stablecoins, recommending that issuers deposit their reserve assets directly with the Bank of Korea. Officials argued that this approach would reduce systemic risks, prevent excessive money supply growth outside central bank oversight, and ensure public ownership of seigniorage. The move comes as lawmakers prepare to review the country’s first legislative proposal…

Tether boosted its reserves with 8,888 BTC worth $1B, raising total holdings to 86,335 BTC and becoming the sixth-largest Bitcoin wallet. USDT dominated stablecoin inflows in Q3 with $19.6B out of $45B, maintaining a 59% market share. Tether’s Bitcoin exposure rose by 11%, giving the asset close to a 10% share of its balance sheet and $5.5B in unrealized profit. Tether, the issuer of the world’s largest stablecoin USDT, has strengthened its reserves with the purchase of 8,888.889 Bitcoin worth $1 billion. The acquisition, completed on the final day of Q3 2025, raises Tether’s total Bitcoin holdings to 86,335 BTC.…

The SEC removed 19b-4 filings, making S-1 forms the only step for crypto ETF approvals. Analysts say approval odds for Solana and XRP ETFs are now near 100 percent. The change could speed up ETF launches, boosting liquidity and institutional adoption. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reshaped the approval process for crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mandating issuers to withdraw their 19b-4 filings. The regulatory shift centers approval exclusively on S-1 filings, which analysts suggest could fast-track the timeline for launches. The change impacts major cryptocurrency ETFs, including Solana (SOL), XRP, Cardano (ADA), Litecoin (LTC), and Polkadot (DOT).…

FalconX’s Electronic Options platform gives institutions 24/7 access to OTC crypto options via UI and API. It improves efficiency by using a liquidity network and RFQ model to fix market fragmentation. The launch aligns with rising institutional demand and growth in crypto derivatives. Solving fragmentation in crypto options The institutional digital asset prime broker, FalconX, claimed the Electronic Options platform was built to address the historical inefficiencies that have limited the trading of crypto derivatives. Fragmentation in over the counter markets and limited access through exchanges remained strong obstacles to hedge funds, market makers and fintech platforms according to the…

Arizona enacts new crypto ATM laws to reduce rising fraud and scam losses. New regulation forces operators to issue refunds to reported cryptocurrency scam victims. Daily transaction limits aim to protect new users from large-scale crypto fraud schemes New Law Targets Crypto Kiosks Used in Scams The state of Arizona has introduced new laws to curb the increase in crypto ATM scams or crypto kiosks. Based in malls and local businesses, these machines enable users to exchange cash in Bitcoin and other digital currencies, which makes them an easy weapon for scammers. To lure victims into putting huge amounts of…

Paul Atkins rejects CFTC leadership role, urging SEC-CFTC cooperation and clearer crypto oversight rules. Congress prepares reforms to split digital asset regulation; Atkins calls the Howey test outdated and unclear. White House demands market structure changes by year-end, adding urgency to SEC and CFTC coordination. SEC Chair Paul Atkins has dismissed being the head of CFTC, emphasizing collaboration between regulators. Atkin Instead is driving the push for more defined crypto regulations, ease of reporting among publicly traded corporations, and alignment with the White House push to reform financial markets.  These remarks by Atkins occur as Washington discusses transformations in leadership…