Tag Archive: Blockchain

Global Crypto Wealth Surges, Driving 40% Increase in Millionaire Count

2025-10-08

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2025-10-08

Soaring cryptocurrency prices over the past year have pushed the number of crypto millionaires to a record of 241,000 individuals worldwide as of July 2025, marking a remarkable 40% year-over-year (YoY) increase, according to a new report by British investment migration consultancy Henley & Partners.

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SIX to Bring SDX Digital Asset Platform In-House

2025-10-07

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2025-10-07

SIX, the operator of the Swiss Stock Exchange, is set to bring its digital asset division, SDX, in-house as it moves closer to becoming a blockchain-based marketplace. In May, it was announced that digital bonds issued on SDX would be traded exclusively on the SIX Swiss Exchange. Regarding equities, SDX supports both private securities and public assets. “Everyone acknowledges that securities and other assets will eventually become digital....

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US SEC and FINRA Probe 200+ Firms Over Crypto-Treasury Deals

2025-10-03

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2025-10-03

Nearly 200 publicly traded companies are under scrutiny by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over their crypto-focused treasury strategies, which have coincided with significant spikes in their stock prices. According to CCN, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the SEC have launched inquiries into more than 200 firms that announced “crypto-treasury” plans in 2025. These strategies typically involve raising capital...

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Deutsche Bank Conducts First Euro Cross-Border Payment via Partior Blockchain

2025-09-25

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2025-09-25

Deutsche Bank has conducted its first euro-denominated cross-border payment using Partior’s blockchain platform. The transaction was carried out in collaboration with DBS, Southeast Asia’s largest bank by assets, with Deutsche Bank acting as the settlement bank and DBS as the beneficiary bank. Deutsche Bank invested in Partior in 2024 and finalised a platform agreement in May 2025 to provide real-time, secure, and scalable settlement. This live...

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Swiss Banks Complete First Deposit Token Trial on Public Blockchain

2025-09-17

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2025-09-17

The Swiss Bankers Association (SBA), PostFinance, Sygnum and UBS have completed a feasibility study enabling legally compliant payments with digitised bank deposits on a public blockchain. The findings mark a first for the Swiss financial centre. While today’s payment systems are fast and efficient, they face limitations with emerging digital business models. The deposit token concept seeks to address this by bringing bank deposits onto the...

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CFTC Considers Allowing MiCA-Licensed Platforms to Operate in US

2025-09-10

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2025-09-10

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) may permit trading platforms licensed under Europe’s new MiCA framework to operate in American markets, Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham told UK lawmakers. Speaking before the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Blockchain Technologies in London, Pham said the CFTC is examining whether MiCA-authorised venues could qualify under its long-standing cross-border recognition rules. According to Finance...

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US Fed Has Limited Impact on Stablecoin Lending Rates

2025-09-05

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2025-09-05

New research has indicated that the US Federal Reserve’s monetary policy has only a limited effect on stablecoin lending rates, according to a conference at Warwick Business School. Presenting at Warwick Business School’s Gillmore Centre for Financial Technology Academic Conference on DeFi and Digital Currencies, Andrea Barbon of the University of St. Gallen analysed 2.5 million transactions of US dollar-backed stablecoins on the DeFi platform...

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Bitwise Lists 5 Crypto ETPs on SIX Swiss Exchange

2025-09-05

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2025-09-05

Pure-play digital asset manager Bitwise has listed five of its flagship crypto ETPs on the SIX Swiss Exchange this week. The listings provide investors with additional options to gain exposure to the cryptocurrency market, including staking and index ETPs. Bitwise’s range of crypto ETPs consists of financial instruments designed to integrate with traditional portfolios, offering exposure to digital assets as an asset class. In August 2025, Bitwise...

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Boerse Stuttgart Group Launches Pan-European Blockchain Settlement Platform

2025-09-04

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2025-09-04

Boerse Stuttgart Group is developing the infrastructure for the future of the digital capital market with Seturion, a pan-European, blockchain-based platform designed to enable faster and more cost-efficient settlement of tokenised assets across national borders. Seturion is accessible to all market participants in Europe, including banks, brokers, trading venues, both traditional and digital, and tokenisation platforms. Its open architecture and...

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Amina Bank Expands Circle Partnership and Launches Stablecoin Rewards

2025-09-01

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2025-09-01

Switzerland-based Amina Bank announced on X on August 29 that it had expanded its partnership with Circle through the Circle Alliance Programme, reinforcing its position in the stablecoin market. Regulated by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), the bank highlighted the scale of its involvement, stating: “Over the years, Amina has transacted billions in USDC and EURC through our FINMA-regulated banking system.” As reported by...

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Gemini Opens ETH and SOL Staking to UK Users

2025-08-28

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2025-08-28

Gemini, the global digital asset platform, has made staking for Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) available to users in the UK. This development allows UK users to participate in the crypto ecosystem and earn passive income through the Gemini platform, reinforcing the company’s commitment to expanding its presence in the region following the opening of its first permanent UK office in London. Staking is an integral component of the Proof-of-Stake...

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Bitpanda Launches in the UK with Access to 600+ Digital Assets

2025-08-15

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2025-08-15

Bitpanda has officially launched in the UK, offering British investors access to more than 600 digital assets, the most comprehensive selection on the UK market. Bitpanda has over 7 million users across Europe and holds multiple regulatory licenses outside the UK. Its offering includes a wide range of digital assets, from well-known cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum to emerging tokens and stablecoins. Users also have access to selected...

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SPAR Switzerland Launches Crypto Payments with Binance Pay and DFX.swiss

2025-08-15

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2025-08-15

Swiss shoppers can now pay for groceries using stablecoins and other cryptocurrencies following a partnership between SPAR, Binance Pay, and Swiss fintech firm DFX.swiss. Through the collaboration with Binance Pay, a crypto payment service from Binance, and DFX.swiss, customers are able to make payments with cryptocurrency at more than 100 SPAR stores across Switzerland. The rollout marks the first nationwide introduction of a crypto payment system...

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Crypto Crime Surges in 2025, Set to Break Records

2025-08-14

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2025-08-14

Cryptocurrency crime is surging in 2025, with total crypto losses for the first half of the year already exceeding the 2023 total and on track to set a new record, according to a new report by American blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis. This surge is being driven by thefts from cryptocurrency services, and personal wallet compromises. Total crypto losses reached approximately US$2.8 billion in H1 2025, 12% higher than the 2023 total of about...

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Blockstream Acquires Elysium Lab, Launches European HQ in Switzerland

2025-07-28

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2025-07-28

Blockstream, a Canadian global provider of Bitcoin-based financial infrastructure, has announced its acquisition of Swiss digital asset company Elysium Lab. The deal will also mark the launch of Blockstream CH SAGL, the company’s new European headquarters and incubator entity, based in Lugano. The move reflects Blockstream’s continued engagement with Switzerland’s fintech sector and its broader expansion efforts across Europe. The new entity will...

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BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF Becomes Top Revenue Driver, Surpasses S&P 500 Fund

2025-07-16

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2025-07-16

BlackRock’s bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) is becoming a major revenue generator for the asset manager. According to Bloomberg, the roughly US$75 billion iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) earns an estimated US$187.2 million in annual fees at a 0.25% expense ratio, surpassing the US$187.1 million from the firm’s core iShares S&P 500 ETF (IVV). IBIT is now the third highest revenue-generating ETF for BlackRock across nearly 1,200 funds, says...

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SNB Extends Project Helvetia and Broadens Tokenised Asset Settlement Trials

2025-07-14

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2025-07-14

As part of its ongoing exploration into the settlement of tokenised assets using central bank money, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) has announced the extension and expansion of Project Helvetia. Since late 2023, the SNB has been piloting the provision of wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) for financial institutions on the SIX Digital Exchange trading and settlement platform. Following an internal evaluation, the SNB has decided to...

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Despite Major Thefts, Crypto Adoption and Wealth Hit New Highs

2025-07-10

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2025-07-10

The global cryptocurrency market saw some volatility in the first half of 2025, marked by major hacks but also an increase in bitcoin millionaires and wider adoption of bitcoin ATMs, according to a new report by Finbold, a finance and crypto news and data platform. A total of US$2.24 billion was stolen in crypto hacks in H1 2025, driven by major incidents at Bybit, Cetus Protocol, and Libra: Crypto exchange Bybit lost US$1.5 billion to North...

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BX Digital Participates in Swiss National Bank’s Project Helvetia

2025-07-03

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2025-07-03

BX Digital, a Zurich-based firm, is participating in Project Helvetia, a Swiss National Bank (SNB) initiative focused on the settlement of tokenised assets using real-time gross settlement (RTGS) infrastructure. The project is designed to support knowledge exchange and practical learning through the use of the Swiss Interbank Clearing System (SIC-System) for payment processing. Through its involvement, BX Digital contributes its technical expertise...

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Paxos Launches USDG Stablecoin in the EU Under MiCA Compliance

2025-07-03

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2025-07-03

Paxos has launched its stablecoin, Global Dollar (USDG), in the European Union, with the rollout beginning on 1 July. Regulated under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework and overseen by both the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority (FIN-FSA) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), USDG is now accessible to over 450 million consumers across 30 countries. The stablecoin is available through platforms including Kraken, Gate,...

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