Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

ZAMA: Earn rewards by supplying to the Steakhouse Confidential Prime USDC V2 vault on Morpho

PANews July 4 news, according to on-chain analyst Yu Jin's monitoring, the crypto market has been in a downturn for half a year. The total market capitalization of dollar stablecoins shrank by about $10 billion, currently standing at $300 billion. A large amount of outflow capital shifted to the U.S. stock market, which has shown a more pronounced wealth effect this year.

The latest quarterly fund movements show clear polarization:

Tether (USDT): total decreased from about $189.8 billion to $184.1 billion, net outflow of about $5.7 billion

USD Coin (USDC): total decreased from about $79.6 billion to $73 billion, net outflow of about $6.6 billion, making it the stablecoin with the largest outflow this cycle

Circle, the issuer of USDC, saw related token performance under pressure, with its stock price also falling from around $136 back to near $64. Market growth expectations have cooled.

In contrast, the stablecoin USD1 recorded a net inflow of about $500 million over the same period, with its total rising from around $4.1 billion to $4.6 billion, becoming one of the few assets to grow against the trend. However, this growth is partly attributed to interest rate subsidy incentive mechanisms on trading platforms, such as activities on some exchanges that guide user holdings and trading behavior.

Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.

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Open Standard’s announcement of its Open USD stablecoin initiative has sparked debate in South Korea, with several major companies raising objections. Despite being listed as consortium members, some firms have stated they never officially joined the project and only saw their names mentioned after the news spread in local media.

Back-to-back statements from listed companiesOn June 30, Open Standard declared that Open USD, a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar, is set for launch in the coming months. The company revealed that over 140 organizations—including financial institutions, payment service providers, tech leaders, and crypto firms—would participate in the venture.

The announcement named international powerhouses such as Visa, Mastercard, BlackRock, and Google, alongside Korean heavyweights like Samsung Electronics, Dunamu, Shinhan Financial Group, KakaoBank, K Bank, Hyundai Card, KB Kookmin Card, BC Card, Hana Card, Samsung Card, Woori Card, NH Nonghyup Card, and Hanwha. However, numerous Korean companies on the list have emphasized that their participation is not finalized.

Samsung Electronics clarified there have been no official talks with Open Standard and that it has no information about any prospective role within the consortium. Dunamu, Shinhan Financial Group, and K Bank issued similar statements distancing themselves from the project.

According to company representatives, they were merely approached to gauge interest in the initiative. While these firms confirmed they might consider the offer, they made it clear that this does not constitute official approval or partnership. The situation has heightened questions about the actual status of several names highlighted in the Open USD announcement.

The structure behind Open USDOpen Standard stated that Open USD is being developed as a utility-focused stablecoin, with management shared by participating companies during the development phase. Importantly, the company stressed that the project would not function as a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) or use a profit-sharing partnership model.

In the proposed system, participants can mint Open USD tokens by depositing US dollars into a reserve account. Conversely, they can return tokens to the issuing institution to redeem their cash. Open Standard assured that there will be no fees for these transactions and no restrictions on the number of operations that can be performed.

Mini glossary: A stablecoin is a type of digital token typically pegged to an asset like the US dollar. In reserve-backed models, the issuer aims to hold cash or similar assets that match the value of tokens in circulation.

Revenue sharing model stands outOpen Standard explained that its revenue model will be built around profits generated from reserve assets. After deducting operational expenses, earnings from the reserves will be distributed among participating members. This diverges from the Tether and Circle models, where issuers keep reserve-generated income internally.

Industry circles in South Korea see this project as a potential competitor to USDT and USDC. Nonetheless, companies named in the initial announcement stress that the nature of Open USD’s partnerships remains unclear and is yet to be finalized.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.

Samsung Electronics and several major Korean financial companies deny formal ties to Open USD, the dollar-pegged stablecoin that launched this week with a claimed alliance of more than 140 corporate partners.

The pushback, first reported by Chosun Biz on July 3, tests the credibility of one of the largest partner rosters ever assembled in the stablecoin sector.

Alleged Open USD stablecoin partner list Korean Partners Say They Never Signed OnOpen Standard announced Open USD (OUSD) on June 30, promising members fee-free minting and a share of reserve income. Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, BlackRock, and Coinbase headline the roster.

The list also names 13 Korean entities, including Samsung Electronics, Dunamu, Shinhan Financial Group, K Bank, and seven card issuers. Within days, at least four of them distanced themselves.

“There were no official consultations, and we do not even know what role we would play (in the consortium),” local media Chosun Biz reported, citing a Samsung Electronics official.

Meanwhile, Shinhan, Dunamu, and KBank said Open Standard had simply floated the idea of joining. They replied that they would review it, yet their names appeared as members.

An official at another listed firm described a similar experience to the outlet.

“We learned that we were included as members of the OUSD consortium through domestic news… We are perplexed to be included as members.”

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Open USD Faces Credibility Test Before LaunchThe case echoes a costly precedent. Facebook’s Libra consortium debuted in 2019 with 28 founding members, including Visa, Mastercard, and Stripe. All three quit within four months, and the renamed Diem sold its assets in 2022.

How Libra Was Killed.

I never shared this publicly before, but since @pmarca opened the floodgates on @joerogan’s pod, it feels appropriate to shed more light on this.

As a reminder, Libra (then Diem) was an advanced, high-performance, payments-centric blockchain paired with a…

— David Marcus (@davidmarcus) November 30, 2024 The stakes are high because the debut dragged Circle stock down 17% on launch day. Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) control over 80% of a market worth some $311 billion, per DefiLlama data.

OUSD’s revenue sharing could also pressure USDC yields in decentralized finance (DeFi).

Some commitments look firm, however. Stripe Technology President Will Gaybrick confirmed OUSD will become the default stablecoin for businesses on its platform.

That pledge follows Stripe’s $1.1 billion purchase of Bridge, the stablecoin firm founded by Open Standard chief Zach Abrams.

Circle, for its part, continues to deepen its bank distribution, with Standard Chartered expanding institutional USDC access in Dubai.

Regarding the OUSD consortium logos, I also spoke to a few companies from the list as a number of them are clients of ours (OpenAssets) and they said they never signed or agreed to anything. Either the media deeply twisted something or the participant list is misleading. https://t.co/xhQa28snBJ

— Gabor Gurbacs (@gaborgurbacs) July 3, 2026 For the Korean firms, caution has context. The debate over stablecoins backed by the South Korean won remains unresolved at home, and listed companies already face tightening domestic crypto rules.

Open Standard has yet to address the Korean accounts or define what partnership means publicly. They have also not immediately responded to BeInCrypto’s request for comment.

17h05 ▪ 3 min read ▪ by Eddy S.

Summarize this article with:

Europe is moving backward. Three years after MiCA, its crypto framework is already obsolete. Brussels is trying to catch up with the dominance of dollar-backed stablecoins and the US GENIUS law. But is there still time to avoid the exodus of platforms and the reign of the dollar?

In brief The EU updates its MiCA crypto framework to include stablecoins and compete with the United States. The United States leads the stablecoin market thanks to more flexible rules regarding public debt reserves, notably through the GENIUS law. Binance is leaving Europe, while Kraken and OKX take advantage of the departure of crypto platforms. The Emergence of Stablecoins Causes MiCA to be Revised The European Commission has officially started revising MiCA, its crypto regulatory framework, facing two major challenges: the explosion of stablecoins and the US GENIUS law. MiCA was implemented in 2023 to regulate spot cryptos, but it struggles to adapt to the evolving financial sector. Meanwhile, stablecoins divert billions of euros and threaten the stability of the banking system. In the United States, the GENIUS law accelerated this trend by allowing stablecoin issuers to keep their reserves in US public debt. This strengthens the dollar as the dominant currency.

On its side, the EU still requires stablecoin issuers to deposit their reserves in the traditional banking system, a measure considered too restrictive by industry players. Consequently, euro stablecoins, including EUROC, struggle to compete with USDC or USDT. With MiCA 2.0, Brussels aims to broaden its scope to include stablecoins and tokenization, but time is running out… Already, crypto platforms are fleeing to friendlier jurisdictions, far from Europe.

Giants Profit while Hundreds of Crypto Platforms are Lost in Europe As of July 1, 2026, ESMA published the official list of 244 MiCA-authorized crypto platforms out of the 3,389 previously registered, that are authorized to operate within the EU. Binance, which failed to obtain its license on time, has suspended its services for European residents. This situation caused a massive influx of users to compliant platforms such as Kraken and OKX, who are currently running aggressive campaigns to attract these new customers.

Crypto platforms with or without MiCA licenses after July 1, 2026. Moreover, some European startups are considering moving part of their operations to Switzerland or Singapore, where regulations are more flexible. Europe is thus increasingly losing its market share in stablecoin exchanges to the United States and Asia, due to its strict regulation. MiCA, intended to protect crypto investors, risks killing European innovation.

The EU is racing against the clock. Without an ambitious MiCA 2.0, its crypto market risks disappearing. But Brussels will have to choose between investor protection and competitiveness. Especially right now as the Bank of France demands a tightening of MiCA rules.

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Eddy S.

The world is evolving and adaptation is the best weapon to survive in this undulating universe. Originally a crypto community manager, I am interested in anything that is directly or indirectly related to blockchain and its derivatives. To share my experience and promote a field that I am passionate about, nothing is better than writing informative and relaxed articles.

DISCLAIMER

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.

The Real State of Tokenization: Experts React to the RWA Market’s Liquidity Problem

Standard Chartered and Circle are bringing USD Coin [USDC] closer to traditional banking. This new partnership will help institutions mint and redeem USDC through bank-led rails, starting in Dubai’s DIFC.

USDC minting moves to Standard Chartered’s banking platform Standard Chartered and Circle have created a way for institutional clients to mint and redeem USDC through a bank-led process. This would be instead of setting up separate accounts directly with Circle.

The financial giant has stated that it is the first Global Systemically Important Bank to offer this kind of USDC service. According to its statement, the company announced,

By embedding USDC access directly within Standard Chartered’s institutional offering, Standard Chartered will bring together banking, custody, and digital asset services within one integrated offering…

The first rollout will happen through the Dubai International Financial Centre, with expansion to other markets planned. The service is said to also support payment-related use cases later.

The scale makes it that much important This development comes at a good time though, especially since stablecoins are no longer a niche product. In fact, Artemis showed that USD-pegged stablecoin supply has nearly doubled over the past 24 months. We went from about $160 billion to around $300 billion by July 2026.

Source: Artemis While USDT [Tether] still leads the market, Circle’s USDC is still the second-largest stablecoin. It is also one of the greater corporate plays in the space. That becomes important when you think of Standard Chartered’s move, with the bank building access around a stablecoin that already has scale.

USDC supply has stayed around the $70 billion-$80 billion range in recent months, so that demand has held up even with new issuers entering the market. So, while stablecoins may have multiple long-term winners, Circle is still one of the names institutions are most likely to work with.

Final Summary Standard Chartered and Circle will let institutions mint and redeem USDC. USDC is the second-largest stablecoin, with 70B-$80B in supply.

Source: Binance EN

This is a general announcement. Products and services referred to here may not be available in your region. Terms and conditions apply. Fellow Binancians, Binance is excited to launch the July Referral Tournament! Invite friends to join Binance and complete required tasks to compete for a share of the 50,000 USDC leaderboard prize pool or unlock up to 100 USDC in milestone rewards. Top referrers can win up to 5,000 USDC in token vouchers. Promotion Period: 2026-07-03 08:00 (UTC) to 2026-07-31 23:59 (UTC) Join the Tournament Now! Promotion A: Invite Friends & Compete for Up to 5,000 USDC Eligible Binance users can participate in the Leaderboard Competition by inviting the highest number of Qualified New Traders during the Promotion Period. How to Participate: Step 1: Click [Join Now] on the activity page.Step 2: Invite new users to register using your Referral Pro Link/ID.Step 3: Encourage your referrals to become Qualified New Traders to climb the leaderboard. *A Qualified New Trader is a new user who registers via the participant's Referral Pro Link/ID during the Promotion Period and completes all of the following tasks: Logs in to the Binance App at least once;Top up at least 20 USD equivalent via Fiat deposit, Buy Crypto or P2P; andCompletes at least 100 USD equivalent in trading volume via Convert or Spot. Leaderboard Reward Structure To qualify for leaderboard rewards, participants must meet both the minimum number of Qualified New Traders and the minimum cumulative trading volume generated by new referred friends. The leaderboard is updated by T+2 basis. The final leaderboard, reflecting the total number of new traders after completing risk check, will be confirmed by 2026-08-03 (T+2). Eligible Users’ Rankings Based on the Number of Qualified New Traders Invited During the Promotion PeriodReward Per Eligible User(in USDC Token Voucher)Eligible Referrer’s RequirementsMinimum Qualified New Traders invited During the Promotion PeriodAndMinimum Cumulative Trading Volume (USD) via Spot & Convert Generated by New Referrals Invited During the Promotion Period 1 Place5,000 USDC300$1,000,0002 Place4,000 USDC250$800,0003 Place3,000 USDC200$600,0004 - 10 Places1,500 USDC each100$300,00011 - 30 Places625 USDC each50$100,00031 - 50 Places450 USDC each25$50,000Remaining Eligible ParticipantsEqually share 6,000 USDC (capped at 100 USDC each)5$3,000 Notes: Participants will be ranked based on the number of Qualified New Traders invited during the Promotion Period.If two or more participants invite the same number of Qualified New Traders, the participant who joined this promotion earlier will rank higher. Promotion B: Invite Friends & Unlock Milestone Rewards During the Promotion Period, eligible Binance users (excluding Affiliate users) can invite Qualified New Traders to unlock milestone rewards. Rewards are limited and available on a basis based on the participation time. Milestone Reward Structure Qualified New Traders Invited During the Promotion PeriodReward Per Eligible Referrer (in USDC Token Voucher)Reward Cap15 USDCFirst 1,000 Eligible Referrers320 USDCFirst 500 Eligible Referrers10100 USDCFirst 200 Eligible Referrers Notes: Each participant may receive one Milestone Reward only. Rewards are not cumulative.Participants who qualify for multiple milestones will receive the reward for the highest milestone achieved.Promotions A and B are mutually exclusive, and users who qualify for rewards under both promotions will only receive the reward with the higher value. Promotion C: New Referral Exclusive – Complete Tasks to Receive Up to 15 USDC The first 10,000 eligible new users who register using a participant's Referral Pro Link/ID and complete all required tasks will be able to claim a reward valued between 2 USDC and 10 USDC on the activity page during the Promotion Period, while supplies last. How to Participate: Eligible new users must complete all of the following tasks during the Promotion Period and pass Binance's risk assessment: Log in to the Binance App.Top up at least 20 USD equivalent via Fiat deposit, Buy Crypto or P2P; andCompletes at least 100 USD equivalent in trading volume via Convert or Spot. Earn Extra 5 USDC in Reward by Competing bStocks Trade Tasks: In addition to the above, the first 5,000 eligible new referrals who complete all required tasks and subsequently trade at least 50 USD equivalent of bStocks during the Promotion Period will each receive an additional 5 USDC token voucher. Terms & Conditions: Only users in certain regions are eligible to join this Promotion. Users may refer to the activity page for their eligibility to participate. Users in restricted regions are disqualified from participating in the Binance Referral Program as referrers or referred users.These terms and conditions (“Activity Terms”) govern users’ participation in the Referral Campaign (“Activity”). By participating in this Activity, users agree to these Activity Terms, and the following additional terms: (a) Binance Terms and Conditions for Prize Promotions; (b) Binance Terms of Use; and (c) Binance Privacy Notice; all of which are incorporated by reference into these terms and conditions. In the case of any inconsistency or conflict between these Activity Terms, and any other incorporated terms, the provisions of these Activity Terms shall prevail, followed by the following in this order of precedence, and to the extent of such conflict: (a) Binance Terms and Conditions for Prize Promotions; (b) Binance Terms of Use; and (c) Binance Privacy Notice.Rewards from this Promotion are mutually exclusive with certain Affiliate-exclusive campaign rewards. If a user earns a reward in an Affiliate-exclusive campaign, they will not be eligible to receive rewards from this Promotion. Binance reserves the right of final decision.Binance will use the price of the USDC trading pair at the time of trading to calculate the value of the trades completed on Binance Spot and Convert during the Promotion Period. If there is no USDC pair for a specific cryptocurrency, it will be converted to another token or coin with a USDC pair to determine its value. Trading volume from Spot zero-fee trading pairs and the excluded token conversion via Convert during the Promotion Period will not be counted toward the leaderboard calculation and new user’s trade task. Excluded Spot zero-fee trading pairs: FDUSD/USDT，AEUR/USDT，BTC/U，EUR/EURI，EURI/USDT，FDUSD/USDC，KGST/USDT，RLUSD/U，RLUSD/USDT，TUSD/USDT，U/USDC，U/USDT，USD1/U，USD1/USDC，USD1/USDT，USDC/USD，USDC/USDT，USDP/USDT，USDT/USD，XUSD/USDTExcluded Convert trade: FDUSD/USDT，USDC/USDT，TUSD/USDT，U/USDT，BUSD/USDT，USDP/USDT，DAI/USDT，GUSD/USDT，EURS/USDT，USDN/USDT，RSV/USDT，U/USDC，USDC/BUSD，BUSD/USDP，USDC/TUSD，DAI/USDC，FDUSD/TUSD，DAI/TUSD，FDUSD/USDC，DAI/FDUSD，AEUR/EUR，BUSD/FDUSD，EUR/EURIIf multiple users have an equal achievement in Promotions A & B, their rankings will be determined by the time they opted in, with earlier opt-ins receiving higher priority. And if a user at a certain rank on the leaderboard does not meet the minimum criteria required for that rank, the reward for that rank will be forfeited. The user will instead receive the reward for the highest rank for which they meet the minimum criteria, and all subsequent ranks will be adjusted accordingly.Each new user can only be referred to Binance via one referral mode. If a new user registers for a Binance account via Referral Pro mode, the referrer will not be eligible for any rewards from limited-time activity referral ID/link nor Referral mode.Sub-accounts cannot be used to participate in this Promotion as either a referrer or a referral. Spot trades that are completed with a sub-account will not count toward the trading volume requirement.Any references to “$” means “United States Dollar”, unless otherwise stated.Reward Distribution:Eligible users must complete account verification (KYC) during the Promotion Period to receive the corresponding rewards. Rewards for Promotion A & B and the additional 5 USDC rewards will be distributed in token vouchers by 2026-08-21 after the Promotions end. Users will be able to log in and redeem their token voucher rewards via Profile > Rewards Hub. The rewards worth up to 10 USDC for new invited referrals in Promotion C are available to be claimed on the activity page during Promotion Period on a first-come, first-served basis, determined by user’s task completion time. The validity period to claim the token voucher is set at 7 days from the day of distribution. Users should redeem the token vouchers before the expiry date. Thereafter, the token vouchers will become invalid. Learn how to redeem a voucher. Binance reserves the right to disqualify any participants who tamper with Binance program code, or interfere with the operation of Binance program code with other software.Binance reserves the right to disqualify and revoke rewards for participants who engage in dishonest or abusive activities during the Promotion, including but not limited to registering from the same IP or device, bulk-account registrations to farm additional bonuses and any other activity in connection with unlawful, fraudulent, or harmful purposes.At Binance's sole discretion, user participation will be considered without effect and users will automatically be excluded, disqualified and prevented from accumulating benefits, in cases where it is identified: Any violations of Binance's Terms of Use and other legal terms, as well as attempted or proven fraud, human and/or through the use of technology; Manipulation of results or failure to fulfill the requirements and provisions set forth in these Terms and Conditions; Completion, by the user, of incorrect, outdated, mistaken information or filled with untrue information, and may also be liable for the crime of ideological or documental falsehood; Registrations and participations for which any technological means have been used or there are indications of their use, whether electronic, computerized, digital, robotic, repetitive, automatic, mechanical and/or analogous, with the intention of automatic and/or repetitive reproduction of registrations, identical or not, which will also result in the nullity of all registrations and participations made by the user who has used one of the aforementioned means or for one of the aforementioned purposes, even if not all registrations or participations have resulted from the use of such means and/or were carried out with such purpose.Binance reserves the right at any time in its sole and absolute discretion to determine and/or amend or vary these terms and conditions without prior notice, including but not limited to canceling, extending, terminating, or suspending these activities, the eligibility terms and criteria, the selection and number of winners, and the timing of any act to be done, and all Participants shall be bound by these amendments.There may be discrepancies between this original content in English and any translated versions. Please refer to the original English version for the most accurate information, in case any discrepancies arise. Thank you for your support! Binance Team 2026-07-03 Disclaimers: USDC is an e-money token issued by Circle Internet Financial Europe SAS (https://www.circle.com/). USDC’s whitepaper is available here. You may contact Circle using the following contact information: +33(1)59000130 and [email protected]. Holders of USDC have a legal claim against Circle SAS as the EU issuer of USDC. These holders are entitled to request redemption of their USDC from Circle SAS. Such redemption will be made at any time and at par value.EURI is an e-money token issued by Banking Circle S.A (https://www.bankingcircle.com/). EURI’s whitepaper is available here. You may contact Banking Circle using the following contact information: +44 (0)7867254482 and [email protected]. EURI purchasers can exchange their EURI at par value for funds denominated in the official currency that the EURI is referencing (EUR) for the monetary value of the EUR held by Banking Circle for the purchaser of the EURI. Trade on-the-go with Binance’s crypto trading app (iOS/Android) Find us on TelegramXFacebookInstagram Binance reserves the right in its sole discretion to amend or cancel this announcement at any time and for any reasons without prior notice. Disclaimer: Digital asset prices are subject to high market risk and price volatility. The value of your investment can go down or up, and you may not get back the amount invested. You are solely responsible for your investment decisions and Binance is not liable for any losses you may incur. Past performance is not a reliable predictor of future performance. You should only invest in products you are familiar with and where you understand the risks. You should carefully consider your investment experience, financial situation, investment objectives and risk tolerance and consult an independent financial adviser prior to making any investment. This material should not be construed as financial advice. For more information, see our Terms of Use and Risk Warning. BStocks Tokenized Securities are Certificates representing Financial Instruments (paragraph 92, Schedule 1 to FSMR), traded on Nest Exchange Limited. BStocks represent an interest in underlying securities held by the Issuer and do not confer direct ownership of the underlying shares or stock. Ensure trading is lawful in your jurisdiction before proceeding. Tokenized Securities are high-risk products subject to market, liquidity, and price volatility risk — you could lose your entire investment. They do not represent ownership of, or any affiliation with, the underlying asset's issuer. Redemption, fees, and pricing adjustments are subject to the relevant Prospectus. This is not financial advice; seek independent advice before trading. See Responsible Trading page, Terms of Use, Exchange Rules, Exchange Procedures, relevant Prospectus, Admission to Trading Notice and Risk Warning.

Hedera has announced that Fireblocks now supports the Hedera Token Service (HTS), opening up institutional-grade custody for native HTS assets through the Fireblocks platform.

What the Integration CoversThe move allows Fireblocks clients to hold HTS tokens alongside their existing digital asset portfolios, with no separate infrastructure or additional setup required. USDC support is live globally from day one, and new wallets no longer need upfront $HBAR funding to get started, removing a longstanding friction point for institutions entering the Hedera ecosystem.

The Hedera Token Service is Hedera's native token issuance and management layer. According to Hedera, it enables the creation of fungible and non-fungible tokens using simple APIs, without relying on smart contracts, and is built for high-throughput operations with predictable fees and fast settlement. Built-in compliance controls include KYC, freeze, and wipe functions, all handled at the consensus layer.

Why Fireblocks Matters for Institutional AccessFireblocks is one of the most widely used institutional digital asset infrastructure platforms available today. The company provides custody, payments, tokenization, treasury management, and network connectivity across 150-plus blockchains to more than 2,400 organizations. Its client base includes major banks, asset managers, and fintechs that rely on the platform for custody and settlement at scale.

For Hedera, landing a Fireblocks integration puts HTS assets directly in front of that institutional client base. The simplified onboarding, particularly the removal of the upfront $HBAR wallet funding requirement, should reduce the operational overhead that has historically made Hedera accounts more cumbersome to provision at scale.

The announcement reflects a broader push by Hedera to build institutional-grade infrastructure partnerships as demand for regulated, on-chain asset management continues to grow.

Sources
Hedera Token Service, Hedera.com
Fireblocks: Leader in Public Blockchain Support Coverage, Fireblocks Blog

The working group's final term committed $450,000 in USDC and 72.5 ETH to Ethereum infrastructure projects including Vyper, Argot Collective and Remix Labs before it was wound down.

The ENS DAO Public Goods Working Group has been sunset after four and a half years of funding Ethereum infrastructure, working group lead Simona Pop said on X Thursday morning.

The group's final term committed $450,000 in USDC and 72.5 ETH, worth roughly $123,000 at current prices, across Builder Grants, Strategic Grants and advocacy work, according to Pop and the working group's term 6 report posted to the ENS governance forum. Strategic Grants alone totaled $375,000 USDC in the term, co-funded with the Ethereum Foundation at roughly a 1-to-1.2 ratio.

Recipients included Vyper, the alternate smart-contract language whose deployments secure $2.3 billion in TVL across 23 chains, Argot Collective, the group of 25 former Ethereum Foundation employees now independently maintaining Solidity and Sourcify, and Remix Labs, the team behind the Remix IDE used to deploy more than 12 million contracts.

Pop credited BuidlGuidl founder Austin Griffith with building the rolling, milestone-based platform that let Builder Grants run continuously rather than in seasonal rounds. She framed the closure against ENS's own origin: ENS founder Nick Johnson secured a $1 million grant from the Ethereum Foundation in 2018 to build what became ENS, work that spun out into True Names Ltd.

Pop argued the DAO is walking away from a larger opportunity. ENS holds one of the largest treasuries in crypto and was positioned to become one of the ecosystem's "other heroes," a term Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has used, she wrote.

The sunset lands amid a broader restructuring of ENS DAO's governance and treasury. The DAO recently opened a temp-check vote on handing treasury and day-to-day authority to the ENS Foundation, following delegate disputes over a separate foundation proposal and a push to dissolve the DAO after Johnson blocked a security council renewal.

No new funding round has been announced to replace the working group's grants pipeline.

Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.

Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.

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Circle just published the official USDC method specification for the Machine Payments Protocol, and Stacks’ USDCx is the first stablecoin built under that framework. The move positions Bitcoin’s leading layer 2 as a hub for standardized machine-to-machine payments, the kind of infrastructure that makes AI agents capable of settling transactions on their own.

What USDCx actually is and how it works USDCx is a stablecoin pegged 1:1 to USDC, fully backed by reserves held in Circle’s xReserve infrastructure. It launched on Stacks mainnet on December 17-18, 2025, with a specific contract ID (SP120SBRBQJ00MCWS7TM5R8WJNTTKD5K0HFRC2CNE.usdcx) that anyone can verify on-chain.

USDCx doesn’t rely on third-party bridges to function. It connects directly with Circle Gateway and CCTP (Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol), which means moving value between chains doesn’t require trusting some random bridge operator with your funds.

The stablecoin maintains its peg near $1 and is actively traded on platforms tracked by CoinGecko. Ethereum bridging was already supported at launch, with plans to expand CCTP network support that kicked off in Q1 2026.

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The machine payments angle The MPP spec is where things get genuinely interesting. The Machine Payments Protocol establishes a standardized way for machines, think AI agents, automated services, and IoT devices, to send and receive payments without human intervention. The MPP spec was published by Circle on June 23, 2026.

USDCx being the first USDC-backed stablecoin under this spec means Stacks is effectively positioning itself as the settlement layer for AI commerce on Bitcoin. Cross-chain machine-to-machine payments on Bitcoin through Stacks are now technically possible.

Ecosystem adoption and DeFi implications Major wallets including Asigna, Fordefi, Leather, and Xverse all adopted USDCx shortly after launch. On the DeFi side, protocols like Zest and Granite integrated the stablecoin, enabling lending, borrowing, and trading with dollar liquidity on Stacks.

For Bitcoin holders specifically, USDCx creates an option that didn’t cleanly exist before: accessing stablecoin functionality without leaving the Bitcoin economy entirely. You can collateralize Bitcoin-backed assets, borrow against them in a dollar-denominated stablecoin, and do it all within an ecosystem that settles on Bitcoin through Stacks’ Proof of Transfer consensus mechanism.

Stacks uses PoX to anchor its security to Bitcoin’s blockchain, and runs Clarity smart contracts, a language designed to be decidable, meaning you can mathematically verify what a contract will do before executing it.

What this means for investors Institutional players care about two things above all else: compliance and security in cross-chain interactions. Circle’s direct involvement through xReserve and CCTP addresses both concerns in ways that third-party wrapped tokens simply cannot. The 1:1 USDC backing, verified through Circle’s own infrastructure rather than an independent bridge, reduces counterparty risk substantially.

Trading volumes and user growth across Stacks DeFi protocols will be the metrics to watch. If USDCx drives meaningful increases in total value locked and daily active users on platforms like Zest and Granite, it validates the thesis that Bitcoin users want native stablecoin liquidity.

The risk worth monitoring is concentration. USDCx’s entire value proposition depends on Circle’s continued support and the stability of the xReserve infrastructure. Any disruption to Circle’s operations, whether regulatory or technical, would cascade directly into USDCx’s functionality.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.

Standard Chartered has launched a new service that gives eligible institutional clients access to USDC minting and redemption through its own banking platform. 

Summary

Standard Chartered now lets eligible institutions access USDC minting and redemption without direct Circle accounts globally. The service starts through DIFC operations and may expand to more markets after approvals. Circle said the partnership supports institutional use cases across settlement, treasury, liquidity management, and payments. The product was developed with Circle, the issuer of USDC. Meanwhile, the bank said the setup lets clients use one onboarding and service experience instead of opening direct accounts with Circle. It connects fiat banking, custody, digital asset infrastructure, and public blockchain networks inside one bank-led offering.

The service starts through Standard Chartered’s DIFC operations in Dubai. The bank plans to expand it into other markets, subject to local approvals and market readiness.

Standard Chartered offers USDC access through one bank platform The Standard Chartered and Circle launch makes the bank the first Global Systemically Important Bank licensed to offer institutional clients integrated USDC minting and redemption access. Circle said clients can use the service without holding direct Circle accounts.

https://twitter.com/circle/status/2072591108102586595

The product targets use cases such as onchain settlement, treasury operations, and liquidity management. It also gives Standard Chartered a path to support payment-related use cases in the future as stablecoin infrastructure becomes part of institutional workflows.

Roberto Hoornweg, Chief Executive Officer for Corporate and Investment Banking at Standard Chartered, said, “Digital assets are becoming an increasingly important component of global financial infrastructure.” He added that clients want the same trust and governance standards that support traditional markets.

Circle links USDC to regulated banking channels Circle Chief Commercial Officer Kash Razzaghi said financial institutions want trusted access to stablecoins and blockchain-based markets. He said integrating Circle’s infrastructure into Standard Chartered’s platform can help institutions use USDC across payments, settlement, and treasury operations.

The launch follows other bank-linked USDC moves. As previously reported, BNY unlocked USDC minting and redemption for clients, allowing them to convert U.S. dollars into USDC and redeem the stablecoin back into dollars from within its platform.

Circle has also been widening its institutional payment network. Crypto.news reported that Circle Payments Network launched for banks, giving banks and fintechs a managed USDC settlement option without requiring them to manage custody systems or blockchain operations directly.

UAE role grows in stablecoin infrastructure Standard Chartered said the launch reinforces the UAE’s role as a hub for regulated digital asset activity. The service begins in DIFC, where many global banks and digital asset firms already serve institutional clients across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

The UAE has also moved to build local stablecoin rules and products. Moreover, the UAE unveiled its first central bank-approved stablecoin, creating a locally regulated dollar-backed token that competes with USDC in certain institutional use cases.

Standard Chartered has also expanded digital asset payment rails in the region. Previously, Singapore Gulf Bank tapped Standard Chartered to improve cross-border settlement and multi-currency payment services across Middle East and Asia corridors.

Stablecoin competition keeps rising The bank-led USDC service comes as competition around stablecoin access grows. As crypto.news reported, Circle shares fell 17.5% after Russell Growth removals and the launch of Open USD, a rival stablecoin backed by a large group of partners.

Banks and fintechs are also building more stablecoin infrastructure directly. Checker raised $8 million to help banks and fintechs launch stablecoin products through a single API.

TL;DR Standard Chartered has become the first G-SIB to offer institutional clients direct USDC minting and redemption services. The new solution allows eligible clients to access USDC without opening a separate account with Circle. Initially launching through the bank’s DIFC operations, the service supports settlement, treasury, and liquidity management. The partnership underscores growing institutional demand for regulated stablecoin infrastructure despite rising competition in the sector. Standard Chartered, currently at the fore front of the stablecoin adoption campaign, has introduced a new service that enables institutional clients to mint and redeem USDC directly through the bank, marking a significant step in the integration of traditional banking with digital assets. 

Developed in partnership with Circle Internet Group, the issuer of USDC, the offering makes Standard Chartered the first Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) to provide institutional access to USDC minting and redemption through a single banking relationship.

Unlike existing arrangements, eligible clients will not need to open separate accounts with Circle. Instead, they can access USDC minting and redemption through Standard Chartered’s institutional platform, allowing them to move between fiat currencies and blockchain-based assets within a unified banking environment.

Circle 🤝 Standard Chartered@StanChart has launched institutional USDC minting and redemption through DIFC, becoming the first G-SIB to offer institutional access to USDC through a regulated banking channel.

A major milestone for institutional stablecoin adoption.… pic.twitter.com/SufjFOqjyk

— Circle (@circle) July 2, 2026

The service will initially be available through the bank’s Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) operations, with plans to expand into additional markets as regulatory approvals are secured.

New Service Aims to Bridge Traditional Banking and Digital Assets Standard Chartered said the new capability is designed to simplify how institutions interact with regulated stablecoins by combining banking services, custody, and digital asset infrastructure into a single offering.

The bank expects the solution to support a wide range of institutional activities, including on-chain settlement, treasury operations, and liquidity management, while also laying the foundation for future payment-related use cases. By embedding USDC access into its existing institutional banking platform, Standard Chartered aims to provide clients with the governance, compliance, and risk management standards associated with a global financial institution.

The launch also reflects growing demand among corporations and financial institutions for regulated stablecoin infrastructure capable of supporting cross-border transactions and digital asset operations. Starting in the UAE further reinforces the country’s position as an emerging hub for regulated blockchain and digital asset innovation.

Partnership Highlights Stablecoin Adoption Despite Growing Competition The partnership, just barely a month after another one with CoinMENA, represents another milestone for Circle as it continues expanding the reach of USDC through established financial institutions. Bringing a global systemically important bank into its ecosystem could strengthen USDC’s position among institutional users seeking regulated access to stablecoins.

The announcement also comes just hours after renewed attention on Circle’s competitive position in the stablecoin market. As earlier reported, Circle’s shares recovered modestly after a sharp selloff triggered by the launch of the OpenUSD consortium, an initiative backed by more than 140 organizations, including major financial and technology companies such as Stripe, Coinbase, Visa, Mastercard, and BlackRock.

While some analysts have warned that increasing competition could pressure USDC’s market position over time, Standard Chartered’s decision to integrate USDC into its institutional banking services signals that demand for regulated stablecoin infrastructure continues to grow. 

Circle’s USDC is well on its way to a massive growth in institutional usage following the launch of a new offering by Standard Chartered.

In a major partnership update, the bank revealed that it will now allow eligible institutional clients to directly mint and redeem the USDC stablecoin.

Standard Chartered Backs USDC For Institutional Clients It marks the first time that a Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) is offering the institutional minting and redemption of USDC under a single onboarding process. Under the Circle-Standard Chartered partnership, clients aren’t required to hold direct accounts with Circle for USDC minting and redemption.

Standard Chartered will initially roll out the USDC offering in its Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Interestingly, this move aims to integrate traditional banking, digital asset infrastructure, and blockchain connectivity on a single platform.

Moreover, Standard Chartered also plans to expand the product into other markets as it gets regulatory approvals.

Circle 🤝 Standard Chartered@StanChart has launched institutional USDC minting and redemption through DIFC, becoming the first G-SIB to offer institutional access to USDC through a regulated banking channel.

A major milestone for institutional stablecoin adoption.… pic.twitter.com/SufjFOqjyk

— Circle (@circle) July 2, 2026

The infrastructure is intended for institutional applications such as on-chain settlement, treasury management and liquidity operations. Further, in later stages, it eyes adding payment applications for Circle’s USDC. After this announcement, the CRCL stock price gained 4.25% to $64.58 in pre-market trading on Thursday.

Institutional investors are seeking trusted digital asset infrastructure, said Roberto Hoornweg, the Chief Executive Officer of Corporate and Investment Banking at Standard Chartered. In the official release, he said, “Digital assets are becoming an increasingly important component of global financial infrastructure, and institutional clients are seeking the same levels of trust and governance that underpin traditional markets.”

The collaboration follows Standard Chartered bagging its MiCA license via its Luxembourg branch just days before the EU transition deadline in July.

Boost For USDC In Dubai Region Meanwhile, as Standard Chartered continues to roll out access to the USDC, Circle is also making moves to counter competition from Open USD (OUSD). For context, the rival stablecoin OUSD was introduced by the Open Standard consortium on June 30.

OUSD’s consortium consists of over 140 companies. These include Visa, Mastercard, BlackRock, BNY, Standard Chartered, Google, Shopify, Coinbase, Ripple, and Solana.

However, Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire dismissed concerns related to OUSD. On Wednesday, July 1, he stated that the market share of USDC is based on years of ecosystem building. On X, he wrote, “Stablecoin networks are platform and network effect businesses that are established over a long period of time.”

USDC’s developer ecosystem, its liquidity and regulatory quality in the European Union and Japan were among its competitive advantages, he added.

Other Articles... Meanwhile, the Standard Chartered partnership can boost in the Dubai region. The launch is expected to strengthen USDC’s institutional presence in Dubai. It eyes giving eligible clients in the DIFC direct access to minting and redemption through a global bank.

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It also reinforces Dubai’s position as a leading hub for regulated digital asset activity. Recently, VARA made a milestone by issuing 50th license, hence, continuing to seal Dubai’s status as a global crypto hub.

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Standard Chartered and USDC issuer Circle have developed a system that lets institutional clients mint and redeem the USDC stablecoin through a bank-led onboarding process.

Standard Chartered said Thursday it is the first Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) to offer such services for USDC, bringing stablecoin access into the same risk, compliance and governance frameworks used in traditional banking. Clients will be able to mint and redeem the US dollar-backed stablecoin directly through StanChart's platform instead of opening separate accounts with Circle.

“By embedding USDC access directly within Standard Chartered’s institutional offering, Standard Chartered will bring together banking, custody, and digital asset services within one integrated offering,” the announcement said. The initial rollout will be through the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

The collaboration comes as stablecoin infrastructure is increasingly integrated into traditional banking systems, as issuers and financial institutions compete to control how digital assets such as USDC are distributed and accessed.

Source: Circle on X.com

The capability supports institutional use cases such as onchain settlement, treasury, and liquidity management, while also providing the infrastructure to support payment-related use cases in the future.

Initial rollout via Dubai International Financial CentreWhile the service is initially rolling out through Standard Chartered’s operations in the DIFC, the bank said it intends to expand the capability to other markets, depending on regulatory approval and demand from clients.

Source: Standard Chartered

Roberto Hoornweg, CEO of corporate and investment banking at StanChart, said the goal is to bring traditional banking standards into crypto markets as demand for regulated infrastructure increases.

“Ultimately, this is about enabling broader institutional participation in digital asset markets through the frameworks, controls and regulatory oversight that have long supported confidence in global financial markets,” he said.

The news came in the wake of Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire's statement defending USDC’s network effects against new stablecoin entrants like Open USD (OUSD), pointing to growing competition over distribution, liquidity and revenue models in the stablecoin market.

“With OUSD, we work closely with many of the founding members, and we expect that those same members will remain large USDC partners and customers,” he said on Wednesday.

Magazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight

Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.

Fintech

2 July 2026 | 15:20 Standard Chartered has integrated stablecoin access directly into its banking infrastructure through a partnership with Circle, announced on July 2, 2026.

Key Takeaways Standard Chartered launched institutional USDC minting and redemption with Circle. Clients access USDC through the bank, without holding direct Circle accounts. It combines fiat banking, custody, and blockchain settlement in one regulated flow. The rollout starts in the UAE through Standard Chartered’s DIFC operations. What Was Launched The core of the announcement is access. Eligible institutional clients can now mint and redeem USDC through a single onboarding and service experience within Standard Chartered’s existing institutional banking setup. According to Circle, this makes Standard Chartered the first Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) licensed to offer institutional clients access to USDC minting and redemption through a single onboarding and service experience, without requiring clients to hold direct accounts with Circle.

That qualifier matters, other large banks have been moving into USDC custody and settlement, so the distinction here is the specific licensed, bank-led minting-and-redemption model delivered without a direct Circle relationship, not simply “a bank touching USDC first.”

How It Works The capability connects three layers that usually sit apart: fiat banking, digital asset infrastructure and public blockchain networks within a single, bank-led solution. In practice, that lets institutions convert dollars to USDC and back, and use the stablecoin for on-chain work, inside one regulated environment with the bank’s compliance and custody wrapped around it.

The stated use cases are institutional plumbing rather than trading: on-chain settlement, treasury, and liquidity management, while providing the infrastructure to support payment-related use cases in the future. The pitch is that institutions get USDC access delivered through the risk, compliance, and governance standards they already expect from a major international bank.

Circle 🤝 Standard Chartered@StanChart has launched institutional USDC minting and redemption through DIFC, becoming the first G-SIB to offer institutional access to USDC through a regulated banking channel.

A major milestone for institutional stablecoin adoption.… pic.twitter.com/SufjFOqjyk

— Circle (@circle) July 2, 2026

Where It Starts The rollout is geographically staged. It’s initially available to eligible clients through Standard Chartered’s DIFC operations, based in the UAE, which the bank frames as the first phase of a broader global stablecoin proposition. Standard Chartered says it intends to expand the capability into additional markets, subject to regulatory approvals and market readiness. The UAE launch also reinforces the country’s positioning as a hub for regulated digital-asset activity.

Roberto Hoornweg, CEO of Corporate and Investment Banking at Standard Chartered, framed it as extending traditional standards into a new segment:

Digital assets are becoming an increasingly important component of global financial infrastructure, and institutional clients are seeking the same levels of trust and governance that underpin traditional markets.

Kash Razzaghi, Chief Commercial Officer at Circle, tied it to institutional demand:

Financial institutions are increasingly looking for trusted ways to access stablecoins and participate in blockchain-enabled financial markets.

The significance is structural, not speculative. USDC is fully backed 1:1 by cash and short-term US Treasuries, minted when fiat is deposited and burned on redemption, so it behaves as a demand-driven digital dollar, not an inflationary asset. What changes here is who controls the on-ramp: a G-SIB is now a direct gateway to minting and redeeming those digital dollars.

That pushes stablecoins further from being trading instruments toward being settlement infrastructure. It deepens USDC’s positioning as regulated, bank-integrated digital cash, applies competitive pressure to other stablecoins, and lays groundwork for tokenized treasury, payment, and liquidity systems running on-chain. It also fits a clear 2026 pattern: major banks, from custody players to G-SIBs, racing to build regulated USDC infrastructure as institutional demand for on-chain dollars grows. This is one of the more concrete steps in stablecoins becoming, in effect, regulated financial plumbing.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Consult a professional before making investment decisions.

Author

Alexander Zdravkov is a market analyst and crypto journalist with interests in economics, broader financial markets and digital assets. His journey into crypto began more than four years ago, driven by a fascination with the rapid evolution of blockchain technology and the transformative potential of decentralized finance. He began analyzing market cycles and identifying emerging trends before they reach the mainstream. He holds a degree in International Relations - a background that helped shape his broader perspective on global economics, geopolitics, and the interconnected nature of modern financial markets. Whether covering the latest developments in the crypto sector or exploring broader macroeconomic themes, Alexander focuses on giving readers context rather than simply repeating headlines. During his career, he has authored more than 5,000 articles covering cryptocurrencies, traditional finance, and global market developments. His work spans everything from Bitcoin and altcoins to macroeconomic trends influencing risk assets worldwide.

In brief Standard Chartered has become the first Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) to offer institutional clients direct access to mint and redeem USDC. The service, launching first through the bank's Dubai (DIFC) operations, targets uses like on-chain settlement, treasury, and liquidity management, with payment features planned later. The launch is the first phase of a broader global stablecoin strategy, with Standard Chartered planning to expand to other markets pending regulatory approval. Standard Chartered announced Wednesday that it has launched a service allowing institutional clients to mint and redeem USDC, the stablecoin issued by Circle Internet Group, directly through the bank rather than opening separate accounts with the crypto firm.

The bank said the launch makes it the first Global Systemically Important Bank licensed to offer institutional clients integrated access to USDC minting and redemption through a single onboarding and service experience, without requiring clients to hold direct accounts with Circle.

The designation places Standard Chartered, one of roughly 30 banks worldwide deemed critical enough to the global financial system to face heightened regulatory scrutiny, at the forefront of banks moving to fold stablecoins into mainstream institutional finance.

The service, developed with Circle, is designed to let institutions move value across traditional and digital financial ecosystems with greater speed and transparency by connecting fiat banking, digital asset infrastructure and public blockchain networks within a single, bank-led solution. Standard Chartered said the offering is aimed at uses including on-chain settlement, treasury operations and liquidity management, with payment applications planned for later.

“Financial institutions are increasingly looking for trusted ways to access stablecoins and participate in blockchain-enabled financial markets,” said Circle Chief Commercial Officer Kash Razzaghi, in a statement. “By integrating Circle’s regulated stablecoin infrastructure into Standard Chartered’s global banking platform, we are helping institutions access new opportunities to use USDC across payments, settlement and treasury operations while maintaining the compliance, governance, and risk management standards they expect.”

The rollout begins in the bank's Dubai International Financial Center operations, part of what Standard Chartered described as the first phase of a broader global stablecoin strategy it intends to extend to other markets pending regulatory clearance.

The announcement comes as banks worldwide race to build stablecoin infrastructure following a wave of regulatory clarity in major markets—including last year’s GENIUS Act signing in the U.S.—with traditional lenders increasingly positioning themselves as intermediaries between conventional finance and blockchain-based assets.

Circle (CRCL) stock popped soon after markets opened Thursday, rising to a recent price of $67.75—a more than 9% gain on the day, per data from Yahoo Finance.

CRCL shares fell earlier this week following the announcement of Open USD, a rival, upcoming stablecoin with backing from more than 140 major crypto and financial industry firms—including Circle's close ally, Coinbase. Shares remain down about 33% over the last month amid a broader crypto market swoon.

Daily Debrief NewsletterStart every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.

Grass, a Solana-based DePIN protocol monetizing contributor’s unused bandwidth, has once again come under fire from disgruntled farmers.

With Grass opting to distribute nearly $3M to Season 2 participants in $USDC, crypto traders and investors are torn over the role and necessity of the protocol’s native token, $GRASS.

Investors and farmers alike now eagerly await next week’s Tokenholder call, in which Grass is expected to communicate more information about its recent revenue growth.

Grass Farmers Disappointed by Season 2 Rewards The Grass Foundation has unveiled its Stage 2 rewards checker, allowing network contributors to see what they’ve earned in exchange for sharing their unused bandwidth to power Grass’ web-crawling data sales to AI labs. 

Estimates suggest that Grass is distributing just under $3M USDC to users, who ran the DePIN protocol’s browser extension on the devices in exchange for points throughout Stage 2, which ran from October 2024 to June 2026.

As is often the case in incentive campaigns with no capital requirement, contributors are seething over their allocations. Thousands of frustrated users expressed their complaints on Grass’ social media accounts, with many threatening to delete and uninstall the application.

This is not the first time that Grass contributors have been left disappointed by reward allocations. Users voiced similar concerns during the $GRASS TGE in 2024, which saw thousands of network contributors slandering the protocol for exploiting users.

Analysts Argue over Role of $GRASS Token Furious farmers aside, yesterday’s Grass Foundation announcement sparked fresh debate between crypto analysts and investors over the role of tokens. Where typically, most DePIN networks distribute rewards in the protocol’s native token, Grass instead chose to reward its contributors in $USDC.

According to Grass co-founder Andrej Radonjic, contributors have been paid out in $USDC because the DePIN protocol has reached profitability. Radonjic asserts this places Grass in “the unusual position of being able to compensate contributors directly from the revenue the network generates.”

While some investors proclaimed that $USDC payouts will reduce sell pressure on $GRASS itself, detractors are arguing that the token now serves no effective purpose.

With $GRASS no longer being used to incentivize network participation, concerns are mounting over the role and utility of the token. Despite having strong revenue figures, which have been independently verified under NDA by Messari and EV3 Ventures, Grass has not announced any means of token value accrual outside $350,000 in buybacks executed in December 2025.

On the side of the fence, advocates claim that Grass is heading into what was previously uncharted territory for the majority of for DePIN protocols.

Contributors Seek Answers in Upcoming Tokenholder Call With the crypto community divided on the role of the $GRASS token, all eyes now turn to the protocol’s upcoming token holder call, scheduled for July 7th. The raging debate over the common dual equity-token has been exacerbated this week, with Venice announcing a $65M Series A round led by Dragonfly. Critics argue that the raise dilutes and devalues the product’s native token, enriching equity holders at the expense of tokenholders.

For $GRASS, supporters and critics alike are eager to learn more about potential $GRASS utility, as well as confirmation of the network’s financials. Estimates based on recent growth and previous quarterly records suggest that Grass could be on track to generate between $50-$100M in annual revenue, which tokenholders are desperately hoping will begin flowing to protocol’s native asset.

Read More on SolanaFloor Solana’s DeFi-native prediction market is finally here

World Launches Solana-Native Prediction Market, Powered by Chainlink

Solana Foundation’s Seraphim Joins The Big Picture [​​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXSvrv2G8LE&t=4s]

Institutions will be able to combine custody, banking and stablecoin services through a single onboarding process.

Standard Chartered has become the first global systematically important bank (G-SIB) to let institutional clients mint and redeem USDC directly through its banking platform, the lender has said.

The service removes the need for eligible clients to open separate accounts with Circle, the issuer of USDC, giving them a single onboarding process for both traditional banking and stablecoin access.

Standard Chartered Brings USDC Services Into Its Banking Platform The new service, announced on July 2, has been developed in collaboration with Circle and will let institutional clients that qualify to mint and redeem USDC through Standard Chartered’s operations in the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC). According to the bank, clients will be able to access banking, custody and digital asset services through one integrated platform while using USDC for on-chain settlement and treasury management.

Initially, the offering will be available only through the bank’s DIFC business. However, Standard Chartered said it plans to expand it to more markets once it receives regulatory approvals.

“Digital assets are becoming an increasingly important component of global financial infrastructure, and institutional clients are seeking the same levels of trust and governance that underpin traditional markets,” said Roberto Hoornweg, Standard Chartered’s chief of corporate and investment banking.

Furthermore, he noted that the launch is meant to support wider institutional participation in crypto markets through established compliance and risk management standards.

Crypto market watchers viewed the announcement as another sign that the stablecoin infrastructure is moving further into regulated finance, with Spot On Chain’s Hupzy writing on X that placing a G-SIB directly into the USDC minting process will remove a major operational hurdle for institutions that in the past relied on exchanges or over-the-counter desks to get stablecoins. According to the analyst, the arrangement has the potential to increase the use of USDC among institutions, deepening on-chain liquidity in the process.

Stablecoin Competition Growing Standard Chartered’s announcement came just a day after the introduction of OpenUSD, a new stablecoin backed by more than 140 companies, including Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, Coinbase, Ripple, and BlackRock. The project, designed around collaborative governance and revenue sharing, has added another competitor to the race to build institutional stablecoin infrastructure.

You may also like: Can Circle Defend Its Stablecoin Lead Against OpenUSD? Experts Weigh In Ripple’s OpenUSD Move: Payment Infrastructure Push or XRP Value Catalyst? What is OpenUSD (OUSD)? Visa, BlackRock, Coinbase, and 140+ Firms Fuel Buzz Around New Stablecoin The bank has already been expanding its presence in regulated digital assets, including in April this year, when it was among the first groups to get a Hong Kong stablecoin issuer license, allowing it to mint Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoins for cross-border payments.

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Binance Stocks, the official stock investment feature of Binance, has officially disseminated first dividend payouts for Broadcom ($AVGO) shares. Binance Stocks has distributed the Broadcom ($AVGO) shares dividends for the qualified users in their funding wallets. As per Binance’s official X announcement, the dividend payments are being issued in the form of $USDC for the users. The selected consumers include those who held $AVGO shares from 22nd of June or before.

Binance Stocks Feature Distributes First Broadcom (AVGO) Dividend Payments to User’s Wallets

AVGO dividends are now in your Funding Wallet ✅

If you were holding shares before 22 June 2026, your dividend should now be available.

→ $0.65 USD dividend per share
→ Distributed in USDC

Thank you for being part of Binance Stocks. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/06WV6E6qq3

— Binance (@binance) July 1, 2026 What Are Stock Dividends? A stock dividend denotes a payment that a company provides to the shareholders in the form of a reward for possessing its shares. Usually, a platform pays these dividends from its reserves of profits and permits investors to get returns without the need to sell their stocks.

Binance Stocks Bridges Investment in Digital Assets and Traditional Equities Binance Stocks’ earliest $AVGO dividend distribution delivers a simplified method to the shareholders to claim stock earnings without the need for conventional brokerage procedure. Consumers meeting the eligibility criteria can leverage dividend funds from funding wallets. In this respect, the platform has credited these wallets with $USDC payments. Broadcom ($AVGO) is a key semiconductor as well as infrastructure software entity. It has attracted investors based on its leading position in top technology sectors, taking into account AI, data infrastructure, and networking.

Dividend payments made by prominent entities such as Broadcom often play the role of an extra advantage for shareholders. They deliver returns beyond likely price appreciation. Additionally, Binance Stocks permits consumers to gain seamless exposure to the chosen conventional market assets. With the integration of stock-related services and digital asset infrastructure, the company attempts to offer a widely accessible investment environment for consumers seeking exposure to crypto markets and traditional equities.

Accelerating Digital Stock Investment Growth Apart from that, for Binance Stocks consumers, the $AVGo dividend payment reflects the practical utility of the stock investment service of the platform. The distribution also indicates the way digital platforms are endeavoring to enable seamless investment operations by merging asset management, payment, and trading services in an inclusive environment. Overall, as the financial network keeps evolving, such integration between the conventional markets and blockchain platforms are anticipated to remain a crucial zone of development.

AUTHOR

Umair Younas is a cryptocurrency-related content writer linked with this work since 2019. Here, at Blockchainreporter, he serves as a news and article writer. He is a crypto, blockchain, NFTs, DeFi, and FinTech enthusiast. He has strong command over writing authentic reviews about brokers and exchanges and he has collaborated with our education team to write educational content as well. He has a dream to raise awareness among people about digital currencies. His works are well-researched and brimmed with information hence they provide fresh insights. Stay tuned to his posts if you want to stay up-to-date with the crypto-verse.

Standard Chartered has rolled out institutional USDC minting and redemption services through the Dubai International Financial Centre, giving its large-scale clients the ability to convert between dollars and stablecoins.

The move extends a relationship with Circle, the issuer of USDC, that has turned Standard Chartered into one of the most crypto-forward legacy banks on the planet. The bank already serves as a reserve bank for USDC’s cash holdings and advises on Circle’s payments network.

From custody license to full-stack stablecoin services Standard Chartered secured a custody license in the DIFC back in September 2024, initially covering just Bitcoin and Ether.

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By January 2026, the bank had expanded to offering USDC custody on permissionless chains. Institutional clients could hold and move USDC on public blockchains like Ethereum rather than being restricted to walled-garden environments.

Zodia Markets, a trading platform linked to Standard Chartered, recorded $4 billion in net USDC minting volume during 2024.

Why DIFC matters for this play Dubai’s financial free zone has become a magnet for crypto-adjacent financial services, and Standard Chartered’s choice of jurisdiction is deliberate. The DIFC operates under its own regulatory framework, separate from the broader UAE, offering a legal and compliance structure that institutional players generally find more comfortable than the patchwork of rules governing crypto in most other jurisdictions.

The stablecoin thesis gets louder Standard Chartered has publicly projected that the total stablecoin market cap could reach $2 trillion by the end of 2028.

Circle has been positioning USDC as the regulated stablecoin of choice for institutions. Having Standard Chartered as both a reserve bank and an active minting and redemption partner strengthens that positioning. It’s one thing for a crypto-native company to claim institutional readiness. It’s another thing entirely when a 170-year-old bank is vouching for you with its own infrastructure.

What this means for investors When institutional investors can mint and redeem USDC through a bank they already have a relationship with, the barriers to entering and exiting crypto positions drop substantially. That matters for hedge funds, family offices, and corporate treasuries that have been interested in digital assets but unwilling to navigate the operational complexity of crypto-native platforms.

If Standard Chartered’s services attract the kind of institutional volume that Zodia Markets’ $4 billion minting figure suggests is possible, the downstream effects on trading conditions could be meaningful.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.

Umbra Privacy has launched a private payroll system on Solana, giving businesses a way to pay employees in $USDC without exposing transaction details on the public blockchain. The product is the latest feature to emerge from the protocol's broader push to make on-chain finance safe for corporate use.

How It Works The payroll system is built on top of Umbra's existing privacy infrastructure. Operating as the first live consumer application deployed on Arcium's Mainnet Alpha, Umbra's environment is engineered on top of Arcium's multi-party computation (MPC) encrypted execution engine and zero-knowledge cryptographic proofs, hiding the identities of the sender and recipient, alongside total transaction values, from public scrutiny by default.

The platform supports multichain funding and offers instant withdrawals to either a crypto wallet or a traditional bank account. The integration introduces native, private fiat onramping and offramping alongside a corporate payroll engine directly inside the Umbra application, enabling users to fund digital asset wallets and accept corporate compensation without exposing their physical identity or bank routing details to public blockchain trackers. This is handled through a partnership with Onramper. "It's about giving people genuine control over their financial lives," said Krutarth Shah, CEO of Umbra. "Integrating Onramper means our users can fund their wallets and receive payroll with the same level of discretion they expect from every other part of the Umbra experience."

Under the newly activated framework, Umbra users can natively purchase digital assets utilizing 24 major fiat currencies without departing the application's secure perimeter. The financial transaction layer relies on Onramper's algorithmic aggregation engine, which dynamically routes each localized payment flow to the most competitive fiat-to-crypto onramp provider worldwide.

Compliance Built In A recurring concern with privacy protocols is regulatory risk. Umbra has addressed this by embedding compliance tooling directly into the product. This structural privacy does not compromise regulatory compliance. Umbra preserves critical enterprise oversight utilities, natively retaining institutional compliance tools such as developer viewing keys and automated transaction risk screening. The payroll product also includes payroll history tracking for internal record-keeping.

Umbra includes a voluntary audit feature allowing transaction history disclosure to regulators. The Solana Foundation's framing of "confidentiality, not anonymity" is deliberate regulatory positioning. Confidentiality around hidden amounts with visible addresses is defensible for business, payroll, and institutional use.

The launch addresses a structural problem that has long made on-chain payroll impractical for businesses. Solana is one of the most transparent blockchains ever built, with every transaction, including sender, recipient, and amount, publicly readable by anyone with a block explorer and a wallet address. DAOs and businesses risk exposing operational data, payroll, or treasury activity on a public ledger. Umbra's payroll feature is designed to close that gap, giving crypto-native companies a viable path to paying staff in digital assets without broadcasting compensation details to competitors or the wider market.

Sources
The Fintech Times: Umbra Integrates Onramper for Private Fiat Ramps and Crypto Payroll
Onramper: Umbra Integration Announcement
Crypto Economy: Umbra Launches Privacy Wallet on Arcium