Decentralized finance: lending, DEXs, stablecoins, yield, and liquidity. 435 stories curated by CryptoCatalyst.
Aave V4 on the Base network has added tokenized stocks from Coinbase as collateral for USDC loans. Non-U.S. users can now use stocks like Apple, Nvidia, and Tesla to secure loans. This move bridges traditional finance and DeFi lending.
US prosecutors are targeting a payments firm and a Caribbean bank for allegedly moving money without a license, seeking $84.2 million in penalties. The case involves Tether and Bitfinex, which used the bank for transactions.
Bitget has lost $387.5 million in a hack where attackers faked internal transfer requests. The exchange's CEO suspects North Korean hackers. Stablecoin issuers froze some funds, but most were swapped into ETH.
The Federal Reserve has proposed new rules for stablecoin issuers, mandating full backing with safe assets and introducing a two-day redemption window. These rules are part of the implementation of the GENIUS Act, which aims to regulate stablecoins more strictly. The proposals are now open for public comment.
Tron has become the primary settlement layer for a significant portion of global USDT transfers, processing $150 billion to $190 billion weekly. Stablecoin cross-border flows surged 78% despite a 37% crypto market decline, highlighting their growing use in trade and remittances.
Reap, a fintech company supported by Payward, is expanding its stablecoin offerings to include Mexican pesos and potentially other currencies. This move aims to enable 24/7 cross-border foreign exchange settlements outside traditional banking hours.
European central banks are pushing to extend a ban on stablecoin yields to include crypto lending and staking. They argue that these indirect yield structures blur the lines between electronic payment tokens and traditional bank deposits, potentially distorting financial competition. The European Central Bank (ECB) and other EU central banks also want to replace MiCA’s stablecoin bank-deposit requirements with liquidity thresholds, warning of potential risks to lenders.
Circle has launched a new service enabling institutional clients to borrow USDC by using their Bitcoin holdings as collateral. This allows them to access liquidity without selling their Bitcoin, a move that could attract more institutional interest in stablecoins.
Hyperliquid has launched perpetual futures tied to the 'Bitcoin VIX,' enabling traders to go long or short on Bitcoin's 30-day volatility. This marks a significant step in crypto derivatives, offering new hedging and speculation opportunities.
Google and Apple are actively hiring experts in stablecoins and tokenized deposits, signaling potential future projects in these areas. This move indicates Big Tech's growing interest in crypto infrastructure. The roles cover consumer payment products and institutional blockchain services, particularly in Asia.
Coinbase has filed with the CFTC to offer perpetual futures on individual US stocks like Apple, Tesla, and Nvidia, allowing 24/5 leveraged trading without ownership. The filing follows Coinbase's earlier launch of pre-IPO perpetual futures starting with SpaceX.
Bastion Platforms National Trust Company has received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust bank charter. This allows them to offer stablecoin custody, wallets, and payment infrastructure under federal regulation. The approval is a significant step in integrating crypto services with traditional banking.
World Money, a new self-custodial app, is now available in over 150 countries. It offers stablecoin payments, digital asset rewards, and trading. The app integrates with Stripe, Kalshi, and Morpho, and offers boosted rewards for users who verify with World ID.
WisdomTree and MoonPay are collaborating to expand access to WisdomTree's $1.2 billion tokenized money market fund, WTGXX, for US investors. MoonPay will also use the fund as part of its stablecoin reserves.
Circle has launched its Arc mainnet, making USDC the native gas token for transaction fees. The network supports more than 20 fiat stablecoins and connects to over 20 blockchains. Circle has also minted 10 billion ARC tokens, though a public launch is still undecided. Major institutions including BlackRock, DTCC, and Visa serve as validators on the permissioned network.
Kamino, a DeFi lender on the Solana blockchain, has appointed Michael Weisz, co-founder of Yieldstreet, as its new CEO. Weisz will lead Kamino's expansion into tokenized assets from its new New York headquarters. This move signals Kamino's ambition to tap into the growing market for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs).
Ethena has navigated recent crypto market downturns by using foundation treasury funds to buy back tens of millions of dollars in tokens from early investors. The protocol is now expanding its yield mechanisms into real-world asset perpetuals and launching a consumer neo-banking app on Avalanche.
Standard Chartered Bank has initiated coverage of Sky, dubbing it 'DeFi's federal bank' and predicting its token (SKY) will reach $0.325 by the end of 2028. The bank highlights Sky's role in simplifying decentralized finance (DeFi) for users and institutions alike.
Circle has acquired Tazapay for $400 million to expand the reach of its USDC stablecoin in emerging markets. This move is seen as a strategic push to compete with Tether, which has a strong foothold in these regions.
Traders on Robinhood Chain are exchanging healthcare stocks for the BONER memecoin, a trend driven by DeFi degens. This unusual swap highlights the growing intersection of traditional finance and meme-driven crypto assets.
MoneyGram has introduced its first stablecoin-backed Visa card in collaboration with Rain, initially available in Colombia. This card allows users to spend stablecoins for daily transactions, marking a significant step in mainstream crypto adoption. The card is designed to simplify crypto payments and bridge the gap between digital assets and traditional finance.
Anchorage Digital, a US federally chartered crypto bank, has added support for Frgmnt’s fUSD stablecoin. Institutional clients can now hold, mint, redeem, and stake fUSD through Anchorage’s custody platform. This move is part of a broader trend of institutional adoption of stablecoins.
Coinbase and Moov are partnering to integrate stablecoin payment infrastructure into community banks and credit unions. This will allow these institutions to offer stablecoin-based transactions using Coinbase's Payments API and custodial wallets.
Uniswap Labs has launched StablePair Hook, a Uniswap v4 tool that uses dynamic fees for stablecoin pairs such as USDC/USDT, helping liquidity providers capture more trading value.