
With stablecoin rules taking shape and tokenized assets entering the market, blockchain’s foundation is being tested and layer-1s are proving their staying power.
In 2025, the crypto industry is shifting from hype to utility. Stablecoin frameworks are taking shape, tokenized assets are entering mainstream markets, and artificial intelligence is beginning to transact on-chain.
At the center of these changes, layer-1 blockchains are being redefined not as experiments, but as the infrastructure powering real-world adoption.
“Layer-1s are still the backbone of the industry,” said Marc Vanlerberghe, chief strategy and marketing officer at the Algorand Foundation, on this week’s episode of Decentralize with Cointelegraph.
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Lawmakers in the US House of Representatives and Senate met with cryptocurrency industry leaders in three separate roundtable events this week. Members of the US Congress met with key figures in the cryptocurrency industry to discuss issues and potential laws related to the establishment of a strategic Bitcoin reserve and a market structure.On Tuesday, a group of lawmakers that included Alaska Representative Nick Begich and Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno met with Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor and others in a roundtable event regarding the BITCOIN Act, a bill to establish a strategic Bitcoin (BTC) reserve. The discussion was hosted by the advocacy organization Digital Chamber and its affiliates, the Digital Power Network and Bitcoin Treasury Council.“Legislators and the executives at yesterday’s roundtable agree, there is a need [for] a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve law to ensure its longevity for America’s financial future,” Hailey Miller, director of government affairs and public policy at Digital Power Network, told Cointelegraph. “Most attendees are looking for next steps, which may mean including the SBR within the broader policy frameworks already advancing.“Read more

