In a high-stakes meeting this week, major Wall Street institutions confronted the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over its plans to grant sweeping regulatory exemptions for tokenized securities and decentralized finance (DeFi) projects. Led by the powerful Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), with representatives from JPMorgan and Citadel, the group warned that such permissive rules could destabilize financial markets and undermine investor protection, citing October’s historic $19 billion crypto flash crash as a cautionary tale. This clash highlights the deepening rift between traditional finance and the crypto industry as the SEC, under Chair Paul Atkins, moves to formalize innovation exemptions by month’s end, even as parallel legislative efforts in Congress have stalled.
about Wall Street Meets SEC Over Crypto Exemptions, Warns of Market RisksJPMorgan
1 in Finance and 0 in Crypto last weekTether Gold Outpaces USDT Growth as Investors Seek Gold Exposure
Tether’s gold-backed stablecoin, XAUT, is growing at five times the rate of its flagship USDT product, signaling a strategic pivot toward precious metals as a hedge against monetary instability. According to a recent attestation report from BDO Italia, XAUT’s supply surged 38% in the fourth quarter of 2024, reaching 375,000 tokens, while USDT’s market cap grew just 7% to $187 billion. This divergence comes as gold prices shattered records, surpassing $5,100 per ounce, and reflects a broader investor flight toward tangible assets amid concerns over government debt and inflation.
about Tether Gold Outpaces USDT Growth as Investors Seek Gold ExposureBitcoin 2026 Forecasts: Banks Predict $75K-$250K Amid ETF Uncertainty
Major financial institutions have released sharply divergent Bitcoin price forecasts for 2026, with targets spanning from $75,000 to $250,000. This wide range underscores a fundamental debate: whether sustained institutional demand, primarily through spot ETFs, can overcome softer retail participation and reassert Bitcoin’s sensitivity to macroeconomic liquidity. The contrasting outlooks from banks like Standard Chartered, JPMorgan, and Bernstein reveal a market at a crossroads, where the trajectory hinges on the persistence of capital inflows versus emerging bearish on-chain signals.
about Bitcoin 2026 Forecasts: Banks Predict $75K-$250K Amid ETF UncertaintyChainlink Social Volume Hits 5-Week High After Data Streams Upgrade
Chainlink (LINK) has surged back into the crypto spotlight, registering a five-week high in social media volume as its upgraded infrastructure promises to bridge traditional finance and blockchain networks more seamlessly. This renewed attention, occurring amid broader market pressure, underscores a growing focus on Chainlink’s foundational role in tokenized finance rather than mere speculative price action. While online sentiment shows increasing caution, development activity remains robust, and prominent voices argue the project is critically undervalued.
about Chainlink Social Volume Hits 5-Week High After Data Streams UpgradeBNY Mellon Launches Tokenized Deposits on Private Blockchain
In a landmark move for institutional finance, BNY Mellon, the world’s largest custodian bank, has announced it will begin issuing tokenized deposits on its private, permissioned blockchain. This initiative, described by the bank as creating “programmable, on‑chain cash,” represents a significant step in Wall Street’s adoption of digital asset technology to enhance traditional services like collateral management and settlement. With $57.8 trillion in assets under its custody, BNY’s foray into tokenization signals a pivotal shift towards using blockchain to improve liquidity efficiency and reduce operational friction for both institutions and crypto-native firms.
about BNY Mellon Launches Tokenized Deposits on Private BlockchainJapan Integrates XRP Into Regulated Capital Markets Infrastructure
Japan is embedding XRP into its core capital flow infrastructure, signaling a structural shift for the digital asset. This integration moves XRP beyond cross-border payments into regulated settlement layers aligned with institutional standards. The development opens access to trillions in equity rails and structured financial products, marking a decisive inflection point for the cryptocurrency’s role in modern finance.
about Japan Integrates XRP Into Regulated Capital Markets InfrastructureMicroStrategy’s Bitcoin Bet Faces MSCI Delisting Threat
MicroStrategy’s aggressive Bitcoin accumulation strategy is colliding with traditional finance rules as the company faces potential removal from the MSCI index. While the firm now holds nearly 680,000 BTC, its stock has plummeted over 50% in 2025. This clash between crypto adoption and institutional frameworks could trigger billions in forced selling.
about MicroStrategy's Bitcoin Bet Faces MSCI Delisting ThreatStrategy Boosts Bitcoin Holdings to 673,800 BTC, Expands Cash Reserve
Strategy, the Virginia-based firm synonymous with corporate Bitcoin accumulation, has deployed another $116 million to purchase the cryptocurrency while significantly expanding its cash war chest. The company announced its USD Reserve has grown to $2.25 billion, funded exclusively through common stock issuance—a shift from its recent reliance on preferred shares. This dual move comes as Strategy navigates a steep stock price decline and the looming threat of exclusion from major financial indices, a scenario analysts warn could trigger billions in investor outflows.
about Strategy Boosts Bitcoin Holdings to 673,800 BTC, Expands Cash ReserveCrypto 2026 Outlook: Bullish Forecasts Amid Regulatory Shift
The cryptocurrency market enters 2026 with cautious optimism after a challenging 2025, as major institutions release bullish price forecasts for Bitcoin and Ethereum. New regulatory clarity and favorable macroeconomic conditions are expected to drive institutional participation and market recovery in the coming year.
about Crypto 2026 Outlook: Bullish Forecasts Amid Regulatory ShiftJPMorgan’s XRP Ledger Move Reshapes Global Payments Infrastructure
JPMorgan’s integration of its GTreasury system with the XRP Ledger marks a pivotal shift in how global banks approach digital asset settlement. This move signals growing institutional validation of XRP’s underlying technology for real-world financial applications, challenging long-standing assumptions about the role of banks in digital asset infrastructure and accelerating the transformation of cross-border payment systems worldwide.
about JPMorgan's XRP Ledger Move Reshapes Global Payments InfrastructureBitcoin’s 2026 Outlook: Caution vs. Bullish Forecasts
The cryptocurrency market is facing a stark divergence in sentiment as 2026 approaches. While prediction markets reflect deep-seated trader caution about Bitcoin’s near-term potential, a chorus of prominent analysts and executives continues to project significant gains, creating a tension between immediate skepticism and long-term optimism. This split highlights the market’s uncertainty over regulatory shifts, the breakdown of historical patterns, and the timing of institutional adoption.
about Bitcoin's 2026 Outlook: Caution vs. Bullish ForecastsEthereum TVL Could 10X by 2026: Sharplink CEO’s Bold Prediction
Sharplink co-CEO Joseph Chalom has issued a striking projection: Ethereum’s Total Value Locked could surge tenfold by 2026. This forecast hinges on accelerating onchain trends, including booming stablecoin use and the tokenization of real-world assets, backed by growing institutional interest from giants like JPMorgan and BlackRock. However, this bullish fundamental outlook contrasts with near-term technical indicators showing Ethereum range-bound with significant liquidation risks, underscoring the complex dynamics between network growth and token price action.
about Ethereum TVL Could 10X by 2026: Sharplink CEO's Bold Prediction