WHAT’S BREWING IN CRYPTO NEWS?

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To make sure you can stay up-to-date as well, we’re delivering key news stories for you to digest with your morning coffee. It’s the exhilarating world of crypto, one byte at a time.

Let’s see what’s brewing.

This week: Bhutan Turns to Green Crypto to Boost Economy

April 23, 2025

The Bhutanese government announced on April 17 that Bhutan is doing something quite remarkable with cryptocurrency: it’s using clean, renewable energy to mine it! The Himalayan nation, which is powered entirely by hydropower, is tapping into green crypto to boost its economy and create jobs. With the help of blockchain technology, Bhutan is hoping to attract global companies and keep its youth from leaving the country in search of better opportunities.

Green cryptocurrencies are mined using energy sources like wind, solar, or, in Bhutan’s case, hydropower, instead of fossil fuels. This makes the process carbon-neutral, which is a big deal when it comes to sustainable development. Since 2019, Bhutan’s sovereign wealth fund has been investing in cryptocurrencies, and the profits have already been used to pay government salaries for two years.

Ujjwal Deep Dahal, CEO of Druk Holding and Investments, explains, “We are a nation that runs 100% on hydropower, and every digital coin we mine using hydropower offsets the coins mined using fossil fuels.” The country’s eco-friendly approach to crypto mining is not only helping it meet sustainability goals but is also attracting big companies that need to meet Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets.

Bhutan is also looking to train its young population in blockchain and AI technologies to create new job opportunities and keep them from leaving. With about 10% of the country’s youth leaving for better prospects between 2022 and 2023, these efforts could make a significant impact.

While expanding its green cryptocurrency initiatives, Bhutan plans to increase its hydropower capacity from 3.5 to 15 gigawatts over the next decade.

This week: Metaplanet Adds 319 BTC to Treasury in $26.3M Purchase

April 16, 2025

Metaplanet, a Japanese tech firm, recently purchased 319 more BTC, bringing its holdings to a total of 4,525 BTC and securing its position as the ninth-largest public Bitcoin holder. With this acquisition, worth about ¥3.78 billion ($26.3 million), they hope to build a stronger Bitcoin treasury. Despite recent market dips, Metaplanet is pushing forward with ambitious plans to acquire 10,000 BTC by 2025 and 21,000 BTC by 2026.

Known for its aggressive Bitcoin strategy, Metaplanet has quickly earned a reputation as Asia’s version of MicroStrategy by putting Bitcoin at the core of its financial operations. But what sets Metaplanet apart is how it funds these large purchases.

Rather than relying on traditional loans, the company has partnered with EVO FUND to issue zero-coupon bonds, which don’t require interest payments. In return, EVO FUND gains the right to buy Metaplanet’s shares at the prevailing market price. This allows the firm to raise capital without the added burden of interest.

What’s more interesting is how they’re doing this despite the ongoing global tensions, especially between the U.S. and China. Still, their stock actually went up 3.71% after the news, so investors clearly like what they see.

With this aggressive Bitcoin buy-up and their unique funding method, Metaplanet’s approach mimics MicroStrategy, which famously turned its treasury into a massive Bitcoin reserve. MicroStrategy has been stockpiling Bitcoin for years, using a mix of debt and equity. Metaplanet is essentially doing the same thing but with its zero-coupon bonds.

Both companies are betting that Bitcoin’s long-term value will outshine traditional assets like cash or bonds, and both are using these assets to hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty.

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This week: Crypto’s Best April Fools’ Day Pranks

April 7, 2025

April Fools’ jokes aren’t reserved for office pranks and sibling shenanigans. Even crypto has a tradition of getting in on the fun. Over the years, exchanges and protocols have had their share of laughter on April 1st with faux coins, features, and launches that feel just real enough to cause a double take. But don’t worry, none of them involved real investments.

In 2020, at the height of the pandemic’s toilet paper craze, CoinMarketCap listed Toilet Paper Token (TPT) at the top of its site, showing a 24-hour rally of over a million and a circulating supply marked as “Out of Stock.” The fake coin came complete with made-up volume stats and a “rolls in circulation” tracker – ba dam tsss.

BunkerCoin took things a step further last year by offering a survivalist’s dream with a cryptocurrency that didn’t need the internet. According to the prank, users could transmit BunkerCoin through radio waves. This would give them unstoppable transactions even in an apocalyptic scenario. If WiFi went down, BunkerCoin would still thrive… if it were real.

CoinMarketCap was at it again in 2018, playing into the long-running “When Lambo?” meme. They playfully added a Lambo pricing option to its site so that users could switch from USD or BTC to LAMBO in the currency dropdown. The LAMBO option revealed how many Lamborghinis (or a percentage of one) each cryptocurrency was worth. Bitcoin holders could finally check if they had enough to roll off the lot or if they still needed to HODL a little longer.

In a space where even the weirdest ideas can go live, these April Fools’ stunts serve as a reminder that sometimes, it’s just a prank, bruh.

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This week: Crypto Firm Canary Takes Flight with First NFT ETF Proposal

April 2, 2025

The SEC has been hogging the headlines lately as it approves spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs and gives a few asset management firms approval to launch crypto products. But while most of these funds stick to coins, Canary Capital is shaking its tail feathers with something different.

Canary just waddled over to the SEC and filed for a new ETF that would bundle together $PENGU, a meme coin, and Pudgy Penguins NFTs. If approved, it would be the first U.S. fund to feature NFTs in its flock of assets.

This fund would let everyday investors flap into both crypto tokens and digital collectibles using the same route they’d take to buy regular stocks. You won’t have to build a fancy nest with a crypto wallet or peck through the details of how NFTs work; you could simply glide in and invest like it’s any old stock. Canary also plans to perch Ethereum and Solana in the fund.

After Canary squawked the news, Pudgy Penguins NFTs puffed up in value, and $PENGU’s market cap soared to $438 million. Not one to rest on its perch, Canary is also eyeing an ETF for Sui, another crypto network. That makes six ETF filings in total, which is more than most birds in the nest.

With Bitcoin funds gaining momentum and Ethereum and several Bitcoin spot ETFs officially gaining SEC approval in the past year, interest in crypto investment options is clearly growing. But NFTs are a different bird entirely, and getting SEC approval for a fund that includes digital collectibles will likely face more scrutiny. Even so, Canary is ruffling its feathers to land a spot on the SEC’s radar with something fresh.

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This Week: Hashdex Files to Add Litecoin, XRP, and More to Its U.S. Crypto ETF

March 27, 2025

Crypto asset management firm Hashdex has filed an amendment with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to let them add a buffet of new cryptocurrencies to their Nasdaq Crypto Index US ETF.

Right now, this ETF mostly holds Bitcoin (BTC) and a bit of Ethereum (ETH), but they want to expand the investment menu by tossing in Litecoin (LTC), XRP, Cardano (ADA), Solana (SOL), Chainlink (LINK), Avalanche (AVAX), and Uniswap (UNI). Basically, they’re trying to make their ETF a one-stop shop for crypto investors who are interested in more than just the big two kahunas.

The firm already has a similar ETF in Bermuda that tracks a wider range of cryptos, so they’re looking to bring that same variety to the U.S. market.

The big deal here is that adding these altcoins could make the ETF more diversified and less risky. For instance, if Bitcoin has a bad day, maybe Litecoin or Solana will have a good one, balancing out the ETF’s holdings. Plus, ETFs are super easy to trade, so this could open the door for more people to get into crypto without having to deal with the hassle of buying and storing coins themselves.

But before we can celebrate, remember this is still in the “if” phase, and the SEC still has to give the thumbs-up. The SEC has been pretty cautious about crypto ETFs in the past, so Hashdex’s proposal isn’t a sure thing. Still, if it gets approved, everyday folks will have a much easier time investing in a whole host of cryptocurrencies through a single, regulated product.

This Week: Coinbase Brings 24/7 Crypto Futures to the U.S.

March 13, 2025

Coinbase Derivatives, a CFTC-regulated futures exchange, is launching 24/7 Bitcoin and Ethereum futures trading in the U.S. in the coming weeks. For the first time, American traders won’t be stuck waiting for market hours to open. They’ll get round-the-clock access to crypto futures, just like in international markets.

Crypto derivatives are contracts that let traders bet on the price of cryptocurrencies without actually owning them. They dominate trading, making up over 75% of all global crypto trades. But in the U.S., traders have had to deal with outdated limitations like fixed hours and contracts that expire at set dates. Coinbase’s new 24/7 futures trading eliminates those roadblocks so traders can buy, sell, and fine-tune their positions in real-time, day or night.

Also, until now, U.S. traders have been stuck with traditional futures that expire. This forces U.S. traders to constantly roll over contracts and rack up extra fees. Meanwhile, international markets have been running on perpetual futures, meaning traders can hold onto a position for as long as they want, adjust their leverage mid-trade, and ride long-term trends without worrying about contract expirations.

For example, if Bitcoin starts surging, international traders can stay in their position without scrambling to roll over a contract, while U.S. traders would have to close and reopen positions, potentially losing momentum and paying extra fees.

To change this, Coinbase is also bringing perpetual-style futures contracts to the U.S. so we can enjoy the same benefits as other global traders.

As for regulation, Coinbase is working with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to ensure compliance.

This Week: Germany’s DekaBank Launches Crypto Trading for Institutions

March 6, 2025

Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives are teaming up to form a Congressional Crypto Caucus to push for better crypto regulations, with representatives Ritchie Torres and Tom Emmer leading the charge. They’re turning it into a voting bloc to rally support for crypto-friendly legislation.

You may remember there was a Congressional Blockchain Caucus in 2017, but that was more about education. This new group is focused on shaping policy and pushing for actionable changes.

One of the caucus’s key priorities is stablecoin regulation. As it stands, there’s no clear federal framework for how stablecoins (like USDT) should be issued, backed, or regulated. Lawmakers are currently working to fix that with the new caucus. On February 7, representatives French Hill and Bryan Steil introduced a bill that would set guidelines for dollar-backed stablecoins, focusing on issues like reserve requirements, oversight, and consumer protections.

Emmer highlights that voters want straightforward, pro-innovation policies. Meanwhile, Torres, who announced the news via X on March 3, stresses the need to protect consumers while making sure the U.S. stays a leader in digital finance.

Investors jumped on the news, sending crypto markets into a rally as Bitcoin and Ethereum prices spiked. Trading volumes jumped, and even some AI-focused crypto projects enjoyed a boost.

While this is great news for crypto regulation, challenges still remain. Achieving a bipartisan consensus isn’t easy, but the fact that this caucus exists shows lawmakers are serious about setting clearer rules. Whether they can actually turn these ideas into law is another story, but this caucus is a giant leap in the right direction.

This Week: Germany’s DekaBank Launches Crypto Trading for Institutions

February 27, 2025

Germany is in the spotlight this week as DekaBank, a major investment bank managing about €377 billion in assets, now offers cryptocurrency trading and custody services for institutional clients.

As one of the most tightly regulated financial markets in the world, Germany didn’t rush into this. DekaBank spent nearly two years prepping for approval, making sure they had the licenses, security, and infrastructure to handle crypto safely and legally. They finally secured a crypto custody license from BaFin, Germany’s financial watchdog, while operating under the supervision of the European Central Bank.

Now, institutional investors, like hedge funds, big companies, and financial firms, can trade and store crypto through a regulated, traditional bank instead of relying on exchanges. But that doesn’t mean everyday Germans can walk into their bank and buy Bitcoin… at least, not yet.

For now, these services are strictly limited to institutional clients, leaving regular folks (retail investors) out of the picture. However, DekaBank is still weighing its options for expanding access, and DZ Bank, Germany’s second-largest bank, plans to launch crypto services for regular customers by summer.

Meanwhile, on this side of the Atlantic, American banks haven’t fully embraced crypto for regular people, either. Most banks steer clear of direct crypto trading, leaving retail investors to use platforms like Coinbase and Kraken.

However, big institutions in the U.S. already have access to crypto through banks like JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs, which offer trading and custody services for wealthy clients. The key difference is that Germany’s regulatory framework allows banks to get official crypto custody licenses, making crypto banking more structured than the patchwork of services in the U.S.

This Week: Hong Kong Dollar-backed Stablecoin is in the Works

February 21, 2025

Standard Chartered, a London-based bank with a strong presence in Asia, is teaming up with Animoca Brands, a Web3 and blockchain investment firm, and HKT, a leading telecom and digital payments company in Hong Kong, to create a new stablecoin backed by the Hong Kong dollar. They’re forming a joint venture and plan to apply for a license from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) to get the green light.

Once approved, businesses and consumers in Hong Kong will benefit from smoother, faster, and more efficient payments, both domestically and across borders. Stablecoins are especially useful for international transactions since they have lower fees and faster settlements than traditional banking.

Each member of this venture brings something different to the table. Standard Chartered has banking expertise and solid infrastructure. They’ve already worked with stablecoin issuers like Paxos and have been involved in Hong Kong’s digital currency projects. Animoca Brands specializes in Web3 and blockchain, so they’ll help tap into crypto-native opportunities and explore new ways to use this stablecoin in the digital economy. HKT provides mobile payment solutions and will integrate the stablecoin into its payment platforms to help drive adoption.

Hong Kong is pushing hard to become a hub for digital assets, and this stablecoin is another brick in that foundation. Like any bold new initiative, there are hurdles to clear, but overcoming them ensures a safer, more reliable system for everyday users. To keep transactions secure and compliant, the HKMA is tackling potential risks with strict regulations, including KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) measures.

This Week: 2025 Crypto Predictions – A Bullish Year Ahead

December 26, 2024

What a year, folks!

The 2024 crypto market was on fire with big moves and breakthroughs. Bitcoin ETFs grabbed the attention of institutions and everyday investors. Ethereum and Solana hit new highs with Layer 2 scaling, and Bitcoin capped off the year by shattering records with over $106,000. With clearer regulations and crypto adoption picking up speed, 2025 is shaping up to be another blockbuster year. Let’s see what’s potentially in store.

1. Bitcoin’s Ascent to $200K

As corporations and governments increasingly show interest in Bitcoin and we see a continuation in ETF inflows, Bitwise Asset Management predicts Bitcoin’s price could reach $200,000 in 2025.

2. Ethereum’s Layer 2 Boom

Layer 2 solutions are getting more popular as companies like Sony and Kraken jump into blockchain projects. These solutions make Ethereum faster and cheaper to use. The Pectra upgrade is also on the horizon, and it’ll boost network efficiency and improve how everything runs.

3. Tokenized Real-World Assets

Tokenization is about to go mainstream. People are already looking at tokenizing unconventional assets like churches. This shift could completely change how we think about investment portfolios. Some say by 2025, the market for tokenized assets could blow past $50 billion.

4. AI-Powered Meme Coins

AI-powered meme coins made a mark in 2024 when a chatbot helped propel one to a shocking 1.5 billion market cap. Some analysts predict 2025 will be their breakout year with smarter designs, real utility like AI-driven trading tools, and a healthy dose of irreverent pop culture.

Here we go! Innovation is building every day, and 2025 will be a pivotal year for cryptocurrency. Hold on to your wallets, and saddle up for the crypto bull ride.

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