‍Hong Kong Unveils Digital Currency Framework The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is developing a robust framework for digital currencies, including a potential digital Hong Kong dollar, tokenized deposits, and stablecoins. HKMA CEO Eddie Yue emphasized exploring CBDCs, building next-gen data infrastructure, and researching tokenization to enhance the financial system. This initiative aims to position Hong Kong as a global fintech hub and foster innovation while ensuring financial stability.
‍Stable Deposit Certificates Trade at 12% Premium on Secondary Markets Stable deposit certificates are experiencing significant demand on secondary markets, trading at a 12% premium. This surge is driven by robust on-chain activity, including a substantial liquidity pool on Uniswap for the ctStableUSDT token. Despite limited initial access to Stable's pre-deposit program, investors are demonstrating a willingness to pay above face value, indicating strong investor confidence in these yield-bearing assets. The upcoming second phase of Stable's pre-deposit program is anticipated to further influence market dynamics.
‍Tron Network Records Peak Active Wallets Driven by Stablecoin Surge Tron blockchain is witnessing unprecedented activity, with daily active addresses reaching a record 5.7 million. This surge is fueled by strong retail adoption and the popularity of stablecoins, particularly Tether (USDT), on the network. Tron's high-speed, low-cost platform facilitates 15-20 million USDT transfers weekly, crucial for financial inclusion in Africa, Asia, and South America. Tether recently surpassed 500 million users, a significant milestone for global financial access.
‍zkPass Unveils ZKP Tokenomics: Nearly Half Allocated to Community Privacy-focused protocol zkPass has revealed the tokenomics for its native ZKP token, an ERC-20 asset with a total supply of 1 billion units. The ZKP token will serve as a settlement medium, validator collateral, network incentive, access key for services, and a tool for cross-system verifiability and governance. A significant 48.5% of the total ZKP supply is allocated to the community, with initial release at TGE and subsequent distribution over five years. Early investors receive 22.5% with a 12-month lock-up, core contributors 14% with a 24-month lock-up, and the DAO treasury receives 10%. Liquidity is allocated 5%, unlocked at TGE.
‍Hong Kong SFC Considers Guidance for Crypto Treasuries and Bitcoin Investments by Listed Firms Hong Kong's SFC is developing formal guidance for digital asset treasuries (DATs) and reviewing the possibility of listed companies acquiring Bitcoin. Chairman Huang Tian佑 emphasized the need for investor diligence, urging thorough understanding of DAT arrangements before investing. This signals a significant step towards integrating digital assets into traditional finance and could attract more institutional capital.
‍AfD Proposes Bitcoin as Strategic Asset, Seeks MiCA Exemption The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has submitted a motion to the Federal Parliament, urging Germany to recognize Bitcoin as a strategic asset. The party advocates for treating Bitcoin separately from other cryptocurrencies under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, arguing that overregulation could harm innovation and financial freedom. The motion highlights the global trend of nations considering Bitcoin for strategic reserves and criticizes the current government's approach. It also proposes maintaining the 12-month tax exemption for Bitcoin holdings, preserving VAT exemptions for transactions, and safeguarding the right to self-custody.
‍Truck Found Carrying $14M in Cash; Driver Claims Crypto Exchange Link Authorities in Huizhou, China are investigating a truck discovered with approximately $14 million USD in cash. The driver initially claimed the funds were related to his cryptocurrency exchange business, but later retracted this statement, calling the money "props." The vehicle was marked "private funds." The driver's shifting narrative has raised suspicions as the investigation into the cash's true origin and purpose continues.
‍Ondo Expands to BNB Chain with 100+ Tokenized US Stocks & ETFs Ondo Global Markets has integrated with BNB Chain, making over 100 tokenized US stocks and ETFs accessible to its 3.4 million daily active users. This move, which utilizes PancakeSwap for trading, aims to democratize access to Wall Street for a global audience. Ondo previously launched tokenized assets on Ethereum, achieving $350 million in TVL and $670 million in on-chain volume. Since July 2021, Ondo has tokenized $1.8 billion in assets.
‍Blockworks Closes News Division to Focus on Data & Analytics Blockworks is shifting its strategy, closing its news division to concentrate on its growing data and analytics business. Co-founder Jason Yanowitz cited market demand for a "data + distribution combination," indicating a move towards dynamic dashboards and institutional analytics tools. The company plans to expand its Blockworks Intelligence platform, aiming to become a key data destination for digital asset professionals. While the newsroom, launched in 2021, is closing, flagship offerings like newsletters, podcasts, and the Digital Asset Summit will continue.
‍IBM's 120-Qubit Quantum Leap Advances Threat to Bitcoin Encryption IBM has achieved a significant milestone with a stable 120-qubit entangled quantum state. This advancement, while not an immediate threat, signals progress toward quantum computers potentially cracking Bitcoin's encryption. Researchers are closely monitoring these developments, which pose challenges to current cryptographic security. The creation of this state, detailed in the paper "Big Cats: Entanglement in 120 Qubits and Beyond," marks a crucial step toward fault-tolerant quantum computers. This positions IBM ahead in the quantum computing race. While not capable of breaking current cryptographic standards, this achievement brings the potential for quantum attacks on digital assets closer. Project 11 estimates millions of BTC are vulnerable. The crypto community must focus on post-quantum cryptography solutions.