Crypto Pulse—Industry Perspectives

OverviewA bipartisan agreement on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act carries a provision that would bar the Federal Reserve from issuing a retail central bank digital currency through December 31, 2030. The measure has cleared key votes but is not yet law, and its enactment faces real procedural obstacles, including the President's stated refusal to sign legislation ahead of a separate voter-identification bill. Assuming it holds, the freeze removes the option value of a state-issued digital d

OverviewSpot HYPE ETFs from 21Shares, Bitwise, and Grayscale have drawn close to $900 million in cumulative trading volume and roughly $153 million in net inflows in their first month, an unusually strong institutional debut for an asset tied to a decentralized perpetuals exchange. The appeal rests on Hyperliquid's structure: a purpose-built Layer 1 that sustains centralized-grade order-book depth, a fee mechanism routing roughly 97% of trading fees into open-market HYPE buybacks, and staking th

For years, the stablecoin market was largely dominated by two names: USDT and USDC. These dollar-pegged digital assets became essential tools for traders, investors, and businesses seeking stability within the highly volatile cryptocurrency ecosystem. However, 2026 has ushered in a new chapter for the sector. Emerging players such as RLUSD, USDe, and USD1 are rapidly gaining attention, sparking what many analysts describe as a new race for dominance in the digital dollar economy.1.Why Stablecoin

On June 15, 2026, the United States and Iran announced a preliminary peace framework agreement aimed at ending months of military conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important oil transit routes in the world. While the agreement is not yet a fully ratified treaty, it has already triggered immediate reactions across global financial markets.A formal signing ceremony is scheduled for June 19, 2026, in Switzerland, according to multiple official statements and mediator upda

Zodia Custody has been granted a Payment Institution license by Luxembourg’s financial regulator (CSSF Luxembourg), allowing it to provide custody and transfer services for stablecoins under the European Union’s MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) regulatory framework. This marks a significant step in the standardization of digital asset infrastructure in Europe, particularly as stablecoins are increasingly evolving into a core settlement layer of the blockchain economy. Beyond regulatory approval,

Japan's three largest commercial banks—MUFG Bank, Mizuho Bank, and SMBC—have announced plans to issue a joint stablecoin under a trust-based structure, with the goal of supporting real-world commercial transactions before March 2027. This is widely regarded as one of the most significant developments in Japan's financial sector within the digital asset space. Not only does it mark the first time that the country's three largest banks have collaborated on a stablecoin project, but it also reflect

On Wednesday, June 17, the Federal Reserve will hand down its latest interest-rate decision — and it lands at a pivotal moment for crypto. It is one of the first meetings chaired by Kevin Warsh, who took over from Jerome Powell in May, and it comes just as Bitcoin tries to recover from a 53% drawdown to around $59,000. Markets are pricing at roughly an 86% chance . The Fed holds rates at 3.50%–3.75%, where they've sat since December. But with April inflation still running at 3.8% and oil elevate

This week delivered a split-screen verdict on putting Wall Street on the blockchain. On June 12, the same day SpaceX became the biggest IPO in history, a 1:1-backed tokenized version of its stock, SPCX went live on Solana, giving anyone with a wallet 24/7 access to the hottest equity on the planet. A day earlier, a very different "crypto stock" Avalanche Treasury Co. (AVAT) — crashed 38% on its Nasdaq debut.Same theme, opposite outcomes. One is tokenized-equity infrastructure maturing into somet

After a brutal stretch that knocked Bitcoin from its $126,000 record down to roughly $59,000, one of the most closely watched voices in traditional finance has called the bottom. On June 12, 2026, Standard Chartered's global head of digital assets research, Geoffrey Kendrick, told clients: "Winter is over. Welcome back to crypto Spring." His view is that Bitcoin's $59,000 low printed on June 5 is the definitive cycle floor, and that BTC is on track for $100,000 by year-end.It's a bold call at a

1.IntroductionThe United Kingdom financial regulator is considering a significant policy shift that could expand access to cryptocurrency-linked investments for everyday investors. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has proposed allowing certain retail investment funds to allocate a limited portion of their portfolios to crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs) marking another milestone in the country’s gradual integration of digital assets into traditional finance.The proposal, published as part