BIS Study Flags Key Blind Spot in Bitcoin On-Chain Transfer Data

Estimates of how much economic activity flows through crypto networks can diverge dramatically depending on how analysts measure onchain activity. A new study from researchers at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) finds that calculations of Bitcoin transfer values can v...

• A BIS study highlights significant discrepancies in on-chain data, particularly for Bitcoin, due to varying measurement methodologies.
• The research indicates that on-chain metrics like transfer value and market capitalization can be misleading and should be treated as 'noisy approximations' of economic activity.
• The study also points out complexities with stablecoins and smart contract activity on Ethereum, emphasizing the need for greater transparency in data definitions.

Topics: Blockchain usage, Scalability, Transparency audits, Ethereum evm l 1 s, Growth metrics, On chain verification

Tags: #bis #bitcoin #onchaindata #measurementchallenges #stablecoins #marketcapitalization #realizedcapitalization #ethereum #transactionvalue #visa

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Circle’s Arc launch ties Wall Street firms to the network without making them its safety net

Circle's Arc launch model gives institutions operational influence without extending that protection to every app or asset on the network.

• Circle is launching its Arc blockchain with major financial institutions acting as validators, investors, and users, aiming to secure settlements while maintaining control.
• The Arc model grants operational influence to institutions but does not extend protection to third-party applications or user losses, with recourse tied to individual apps.
• The launch will test validator participation and governance, with a future transition to a Proof-of-Stake model planned, subject to token delivery and regulatory conditions.

Topics: Infrastructure providers, Blockchain usage, Institutional adoption, Tokenization platforms, Ethereum evm l 1 s, Asset manager initiatives, Banking depository pilots

Tags: #circlearc #blockchainlaunch #financialinstitutions #validators #settlement #governance #blackrock #dtcc #visa #mastercard

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Visa onchain lending makes card settlement collateral

Visa onchain lending uses private settlement data and smart contracts to fund card programs, but loss terms remain undisclosed.

• Visa is leveraging onchain lending, utilizing private settlement data and smart contracts via Credit Coop, to fund daily stablecoin-card obligations.
• This initiative has financed $2.5 billion since 2023, with smart contracts managing repayment, though specific loss terms remain undisclosed.
• The model acts as a bridge into private credit, using settlement receivables as collateral and enhancing Visa's market position by providing crucial underwriting data.

Topics: Institutional adoption, Integration with defi, Payment system integration, Banking depository pilots, Rwa collateral lending, Payment network integration

Tags: #visa #onchainlending #creditcoop #stablecoin #cardsettlement #smartcontracts #receivablesfinance #revolvingfacility #creditrisk #rain

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Capital Flows in Agentic AI: The Six-Jurisdiction Unlock

As the CLARITY Act's passage odds crater to 14%, Circle launches Arc with BlackRock, DTCC, and Visa as validators. Six jurisdictions enacted stablecoin frameworks in 12 months—and the money stopped waiting for Washington.

• Despite legislative uncertainty in the U.S. regarding the CLARITY Act, major financial institutions like Circle, BlackRock, DTCC, and Visa are launching and validating new stablecoin infrastructure (Circle Arc).
• Six key jurisdictions have enacted stablecoin frameworks, indicating global regulatory convergence and a shift in capital towards clearer environments, bypassing U.S. legislative delays.
• The article highlights the growing utility of stablecoins beyond volatility trading, with significant settlement volumes and increasing adoption of tokenized treasuries, suggesting a move of capital to where regulatory clarity exists.

Topics: Jurisdictions, Institutional adoption, Blockchain usage, Emerging hubs, Cross jurisdictional policy, Asset manager initiatives, Banking depository pilots, Ethereum evm l 1 s

Tags: #circlearc #stablecoinframeworks #blackrock #dtcc #visa #clarityact #tokenizedtreasuries #regulatoryconvergence #b2bpayments #yieldban

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Visa Stablecoin-Linked Cards Hit Hypergrowth With 160+ Programs Live Worldwide

Visa's stablecoin-linked cards surge past 160 programs as new lending data tools target blockchain issuers.

• Visa is experiencing hypergrowth in its stablecoin-linked card programs, with over 160 programs live globally and a nearly 200% increase in volume year-over-year.
• The company is expanding its offerings with new data tools for blockchain lenders and a successful pilot program with Credit Coop that has processed $2.7 billion with zero defaults.
• This expansion is driven by increased demand for stablecoin products and supportive legislation, positioning Visa as a key player in integrating traditional finance with blockchain technology.

Topics: Asset types, Infrastructure providers, Integration with defi, Stablecoins digital cash, Tokenization platforms, Rwa collateral lending

Tags: #visa #stablecoin #cards #hypergrowth #blockchain #lending #fintech #credit #onchain #payments

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Payment Networks Hold the Key to Stablecoin Scale

The stablecoin market is beginning to resemble cards: The most valuable businesses could eventually be the networks and infrastructure.

• The stablecoin market is evolving from a focus on issuance to the development of underlying networks and infrastructure, aiming for interoperability across fragmented ecosystems.
• Major financial institutions are collaborating on stablecoin ventures, while regulatory bodies like the SEC are preparing rules for tokenized securities, highlighting the growing importance of connective layers for digital assets.
• The future value in the stablecoin space is shifting towards entities that can provide the 'Visa and Mastercard layer' – the infrastructure for routing, converting, and settling value across diverse digital asset markets.

Topics: Asset types, Infrastructure providers, Integration with defi, Stablecoins digital cash, Tokenization platforms, Payment network integration, Rwa collateral lending

Tags: #stablecoins #interoperability #visa #mastercard #network #infrastructure #tokenizedassets #financialinstitutions #liquidity #compliance

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Circle Internet Is Still Down 10% in 2026. What Will It Take to Get CRCL Stock Back Up to $100?

Shares of Circle Internet Group (NYSE:CRCL) are trading near $70.91 Tuesday afternoon, still down 10% year to date (YTD) in 2026. That leaves CRCL stock well below the $100 mark bulls keep circling. Here’s the setup: $100 sits comfortably inside of CRCL stock’s 52-week range of $49.90 to $189.92. Moreover, the shares trade at a ... Circle Internet Is Still Down 10% in 2026. What Will It Take to Get CRCL Stock Back Up to $100?

• Circle Internet's stock (CRCL) is down 10% YTD in 2026, despite positive Q2 results showing USDC circulation growth and a swing to net income.
• The company is launching its institutional Layer-1 blockchain, Arc, on September 16 with major partners like BlackRock, Mastercard, and Visa, which CEO Jeremy Allaire sees as a significant opportunity.
• Despite sector-wide drawdowns, CRCL's path back to $100 relies on continued USDC growth, Arc's traction, monetizing payments, and diversifying services, while facing risks from competition and market volatility.

Topics: Asset types, Infrastructure providers, Institutional adoption, Stablecoins digital cash, Tokenization platforms, Asset manager initiatives

Tags: #circleinternet #usdc #arcblockchain #crclstock #blackrock #mastercard #visa #jeremyallaire #q22026results #institutionaladoption

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Circle Names Founding Validators for Permissioned Arc Blockchain

• Circle has announced 11 founding validators for its upcoming Arc Layer 1 blockchain, including major financial institutions like BlackRock, Mastercard, and Visa, ahead of its September 16th mainnet launch.
• The article highlights various other developments in tokenization, including Wellington and Nomura tokenizing credit, Wells Fargo launching tokenized deposits, and Mastercard integrating its Crypto Credential into stablecoin payments.
• Real-world asset (RWA) perpetuals are increasingly dominating trading volume on platforms like Hyperliquid, surpassing crypto pairs, indicating a significant shift in market focus.

Topics: Infrastructure providers, Institutional adoption, Integration with defi, Tokenization platforms, Asset manager initiatives, Rwa collateral lending

Tags: #circle #arcblockchain #validators #tokenization #stablecoins #realworldassets #blackrock #mastercard #visa #dtcc

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El estándar que enseña a la IA a comprar en tu nombre

El comercio agéntico llega con el UCP: un estándar que respalda cada compra de la IA con firma criptográfica y el aval de las grandes redes de tarjetas.

• Google introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard co-developed with major retailers and payment networks, to enable AI agents to conduct purchases on behalf of users.
• UCP integrates cryptographic signatures for verifiable consent, bringing Web3's verifiable authorization principles to mass-market e-commerce, backed by giants like Visa and Mastercard.
• The development raises questions about genuine decentralization of trust versus recentralization within tech giants, focusing on who controls and stores proof of user consent.

Topics: Infrastructure providers, Compliance, Blockchain usage, Tokenization platforms, Automated compliance reporting, Private enterprise ledgers

Tags: #universalcommerceprotocolucp #agentcommerce #artificialintelligence #cryptographicsignature #consentverification #web3 #google #mastercard #visa #paymentauthorization

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Visa Outlines Stablecoin Strategy After Q3 Earnings

• Visa is strategically investing across the stablecoin ecosystem, including blockchain, issuance, wallets, and infrastructure, as part of its Q3 earnings report.
• The company has joined the OpenStandard consortium to issue the OpenUSD stablecoin for global money movement and is integrating tokenized deposits into its platform.
• Visa sees stablecoins and AI as complementary technologies, with stablecoins reshaping commerce backends and AI transforming frontends, driving future growth.

Topics: Asset types, Infrastructure providers, Payment system integration, Stablecoins digital cash, Major financial incumbents, Stablecoin payments remittances, Payment network integration

Tags: #visa #stablecoin #openusd #tokenizeddeposits #blockchain #crossbordervolume #aipoweredcommerce #paymentsvolume #processedtransactions #openstandardconsortium

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Weekly Recap: The Week Wall Street Bought In

• Major financial players like Stripe and Visa are making significant moves into stablecoins and tokenized assets, signaling a shift from experimentation to core infrastructure adoption.
• The DTCC has begun live tokenized-securities trades, and regulatory developments like the Clarity Act are progressing, indicating a maturing market.
• The article highlights the increasing integration of tokenized assets across various sectors, including payments, derivatives, and traditional finance, with a focus on institutional adoption and infrastructure build-out.

Topics: Asset types, Infrastructure providers, Institutional adoption, Stablecoins digital cash, Tokenization platforms, Major financial incumbents, Payment network integration

Tags: #stripe #paypal #visa #stablecoin #tokenizedsecurities #dtcc #clarityact #hyperliquid #okx #usdc

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Circle President Defends USDC Moat as Stock Crumbles From $260 to $62

After Circle shares collapsed from $260 to $62, President Heath Tarbert argued that USDC's $73 billion circulation and native deployment on 34 blockchains.

• Circle's stock has plummeted, prompting President Heath Tarbert to defend USDC's market position based on its circulation and multi-chain deployment.
• A new consortium including Visa and Mastercard poses a competitive threat with a focus on interoperability and existing payment rails.
• The article highlights the tension between Circle's regulated approach and market skepticism, as well as the evolving landscape of stablecoins towards RWA integration.

Topics: Asset types, Infrastructure providers, Legal regulatory, Stablecoins digital cash, Tokenization platforms, Securities law classification

Tags: #circle #usdc #stablecoin #stockprice #heathtarbert #openusdconsortium #visa #mastercard #blockchain #regulation

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Circle President Defends USDC's Moat Amid 76% Stock Drop

Circle’s stock price has become a pressure gauge for the company’s claim that regulated stablecoins can build durable moats. A 76% drop from $260 to $62 doesn’t

• Circle's President Heath Tarbert defended USDC's market position amidst a significant stock price drop, emphasizing its extensive blockchain support and transaction volume as a competitive moat.
• A new Open USD consortium, backed by major payment players like Visa and Mastercard, poses a challenge to Circle's dominance with a focus on interoperability and existing payment rails.
• The article highlights the ongoing 'stablecoin wars,' the evolving regulatory landscape in Washington, and the market's uncertainty about Circle's long-term valuation despite its infrastructure claims.

Topics: Asset types, Infrastructure providers, Institutional adoption, Stablecoins digital cash, Tokenization platforms, Asset manager initiatives

Tags: #circle #usdc #stablecoin #heathtarbert #openusdconsortium #visa #mastercard #defi #blockchain #regulatory

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Startale Unveils Onchain Visa Card as Institutions Enter Crypto Finance

Startale launches a self-custodial Visa card and OFK suite, connecting consumers and institutions with onchain finance solutions.

• Startale has launched a self-custodial Visa card allowing users to spend Soneium-based assets globally while continuing to earn yield.
• The company also introduced Startale Onchain Finance Kits (OFK), an institutional-grade blockchain infrastructure suite for financial entities.
• These launches aim to bridge consumer crypto spending with enterprise-grade onchain solutions, targeting both everyday payments and institutional adoption.

Topics: Asset types, Infrastructure providers, Institutional adoption, Stablecoins digital cash, Tokenization platforms, Asset manager initiatives, Payment network integration

Tags: #startalecard #onchainfinance #visa #soneium #stablecoin #usdsc #selfcustody #institutionalinfrastructure #ofk #yieldgeneration

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Tempo daily active users surpass 10K, up over 100% in a month

• Tempo, a new payments-focused Layer 1 blockchain, has rapidly surpassed 10,000 daily active users within six weeks of its mainnet launch, demonstrating significant growth.
• The platform's expansion is driven by practical integrations like wallet support, gas sponsorship, recurring billing, and stablecoin partnerships, with backing from major institutions including Stripe, Paradigm, Visa, and Deutsche Bank.
• Tempo's focus on its Machine Payments Protocol for AI agent-to-agent transactions and its current lack of a native token differentiate it, making sustained user growth and transaction volume key metrics for investors to monitor.

Topics: Blockchain usage, Scalability, Institutional adoption, Layer 2 scaling, Growth metrics, Banking depository pilots

Tags: #tempo #dailyactiveusers #mainnetlaunch #stripe #paradigm #visa #deutschebank #machinepaymentsprotocol #stablecoin #aiagents

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Polygon processes $80B in stablecoin volume, leads all blockchains in transactions

• Polygon processed $79.25 billion in stablecoin volume in May 2026, its second-highest month ever, and led all blockchains in transaction count with 198 million USD stablecoin transfers.
• The network's cumulative stablecoin transfer volume has surpassed $2.4 trillion, with low transaction fees and fast settlement times contributing to its growth.
• Strategic moves, including acquisitions and integrations with Visa and Meta for stablecoin settlement and creator payouts, have significantly boosted payment-focused project volume on Polygon.

Topics: Asset types, Blockchain usage, Scalability, Stablecoins digital cash, Layer 2 scaling, Growth metrics

Tags: #polygon #stablecoinvolume #usdc #usdt #transactions #blockchain #visa #meta #paymentfocusedprojects #transactionfees

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X expands access to X Money for premium users as Musk pushes ‘everything app’ vision

• X is expanding its 'X Money' feature to premium subscribers, offering P2P payments, savings, and debit cards powered by Visa.
• The service will focus exclusively on traditional fiat currency transactions, excluding cryptocurrency, and is inspired by WeChat's 'everything app' model.
• This move aims to reduce friction for users by integrating financial services directly into the X platform, leveraging its large user base and distribution.

Topics: Institutional adoption, Payment system integration, Scalability, Payment network integration, Stablecoin payments remittances, Retail global adoption

Tags: #xmoney #elonmusk #everythingapp #premiumusers #p2ppayments #visa #fiatcurrency #moneytransmitterlicenses #wechat #venmo

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Weekly crypto card transaction volumes surpass $200M as stablecoins fuel everyday spending

• Weekly crypto card transaction volumes have exceeded $200 million, with stablecoins like USDT and USDC dominating 90% of spending.
• Visa leads the market with 90-97% of on-chain crypto card transaction volume, facilitating seamless crypto-to-fiat conversions for merchants.
• Growth is driven by expanded card programs, regulatory clarity (e.g., GENIUS Act), and an inflection point in adoption, though risks related to stablecoin stability and counterparty concentration exist.

Topics: Asset types, Payment system integration, Scalability, Stablecoins digital cash, Stablecoin payments remittances, Retail global adoption

Tags: #stablecoins #cryptocards #visa #transactionvolumes #usdt #usdc #tronblockchain #mainstreamadoption #everydayspending #paymentnetwork

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Allium Raises $40 Million to Help Enterprises Embrace the Blockchain

Enterprise-focused blockchain data platform Allium has raised $40 million in new funding in its Series B round on Tuesday (June 23).

• Allium, an enterprise blockchain data platform, has secured $40 million in Series B funding to help institutions navigate fragmented blockchain data.
• The company aims to provide an institutional-grade system of record for on-chain finance, standardizing and enriching data across over 150 chains.
• Allium's funding comes amid growing institutional interest in blockchain, stablecoins, and tokenized financial instruments, with partnerships including Visa.

Topics: Infrastructure providers, Blockchain usage, Scalability, Tokenization platforms, Ethereum evm l 1 s, Growth metrics

Tags: #allium #blockchaindata #enterprise #funding #seriesb #stablecoins #onchainpayments #tokenizedfinancialinstruments #visa #onchainanalyticsdashboard

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SOL Remains 70% Below Its All-Time High as Institutions Quietly Build on Solana - Crypto Economy

SOL trades far below its peak even as JPMorgan, Visa, PayPal, Franklin Templeton and BlackRock build on Solana rails.

• Major financial institutions like JPMorgan, Visa, PayPal, Franklin Templeton, and BlackRock are actively building on Solana's infrastructure, utilizing its speed, low fees, and compliance features for various financial operations, including commercial paper issuance and tokenized ETFs.
• Despite significant institutional adoption and infrastructure development, the price of Solana's native token (SOL) remains substantially below its all-time high, trading like a bear-market altcoin.
• This disconnect between on-chain infrastructure progress and SOL's market price suggests a market pricing in execution risk or a longer-term capital markets buildout, with current institutional use focused on operational fees rather than direct token demand.

Topics: Infrastructure providers, Institutional adoption, Blockchain usage, Major financial incumbents, Banking depository pilots, Ethereum evm l 1 s

Tags: #solana #sol #jpmorgan #visa #paypal #franklintempleton #blackrock #tokenizedetfs #commercialpaper #token2022

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