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Stablecoin Settlement Expands Across Payments

Stablecoins are moving beyond trading liquidity into broader payment and settlement activity.

In 2025, payment-related stablecoin flows were estimated at $350 billion to $550 billion across more than 1.1 billion transactions, while total stablecoin-linked economic volume reached about $28 trillion, supported by stronger cross-border transfers, merchant settlement, and card-linked usage.

Average transaction size near $342 points to higher frequency usage across smaller-value transfers, which suggests stablecoins are gaining traction in everyday payment.

This showcases a stronger settlement infrastructure as transaction costs remain lower and transfer speeds continue to improve across supported networks.

If large consumer platforms integrate stablecoin payments at scale, especially social media platforms, the effect would extend beyond transaction volume.

Distribution through messaging, commerce, or creator platforms would strengthen stablecoins as a practical settlement layer and accelerate their role in global digital payments.

Gracy Chen, CEO at Bitget


Disclosure:This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Kriptoworld.com accepts no liability for any errors in the articles or for any financial loss resulting from incorrect information.

Senator Tillis Sets Hard Line as Senate Crypto Bill Faces New Vote Push

US Senator Thom Tillis said he will push the Senate Banking Committee to advance the stalled Senate crypto bill, as lawmakers continue to debate stablecoin yield, crypto developer protections, and ethics rules.

Tillis, a Republican member of the Senate Banking Committee, told reporters on Wednesday that he would ask Chairman Tim Scott to schedule a markup when the Senate returns on May 11.

A markup is the committee process where lawmakers review a bill, debate changes, and vote on whether to move it forward. For the crypto market structure bill, that step could decide whether the Senate version moves past months of delay.

Thom Tillis Pushes Senate Crypto Bill Toward Markup

Thom Tillis said the Senate crypto bill has made progress. However, he said lawmakers now need a committee vote to move the process forward.

“I think that we’ve made a lot of progress,”

Tillis said.

“But at the end of the day, until you have a forcing mechanism of a markup, everybody that really doesn’t want it done is going to have one more thing that they want to talk about, and I think it’s time to get it before the committee, move it forward.”

The crypto market structure bill would create clearer rules for the US crypto industry. It would set how the country’s main financial regulators oversee crypto markets.

Those regulators include the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The bill would help define which agency supervises different crypto assets and trading activities.

CLARITY Act Faces Delays in the Senate Banking Committee

The House of Representatives passed its version of the legislation, called the CLARITY Act, in July. However, the Senate version has remained stuck in negotiations.

The Senate Banking Committee delayed the bill’s markup in January. The delay came after disputes among lawmakers, crypto firms, and banking groups.

One major dispute involved stablecoin yield. Stablecoin yield means returns paid to users who hold or use stablecoins through certain platforms.

Major crypto lobbyist Coinbase pulled its support for the bill over a provision that would ban crypto exchanges from paying stablecoin yields. That decision added more pressure to the Senate crypto bill negotiations.

Banking lobbyists have pushed to keep the stablecoin yield ban in the legislation. They argue that the ban closes a perceived loophole in the GENIUS Act.

Stablecoin Yield Ban Remains Central to Crypto Market Structure Bill

The GENIUS Act bars stablecoin issuers from paying yield. Banking groups say exchanges and other third parties should not avoid that restriction by offering stablecoin yield themselves.

Thom Tillis said lawmakers have already responded to several banking sector concerns. He also said more discussions could happen if banking groups continue talks in good faith.

“I believe we’ve heard the concerns [and] addressed a lot of the concerns of the bank,”

Tillis said.

“There may be a few more that we can get there if they want to come and work in good faith; otherwise, I’m going to encourage the chair to move forward with the markup.”

The stablecoin yield provision remains one of the main issues in the crypto market structure bill. It affects crypto exchanges, stablecoin services, and banking groups.

Stablecoins play a major role in crypto trading and payments. They are digital tokens usually designed to track the value of assets such as the US dollar.

Senate Crypto Bill Text Could Arrive Before May 11 Markup

Thom Tillis said he hopes lawmakers release the updated Senate crypto bill text at least four days before the markup.

He also said crypto and banking stakeholders could receive a preview before the public release. That would allow them to review the latest version before the Senate Banking Committee vote.

The final bill text remains important because several issues remain under discussion. These include stablecoin yield, crypto developer protections, and crypto ethics rules.

Crypto developer protections have become another key part of the talks. These protections would limit legal risk for software developers when other people use their platforms for illegal activity.

According to Politico, Tillis said on Tuesday that the crypto market structure bill would “need to address the law enforcement concerns” around that provision.

Crypto Developer Protections and Ethics Rules Shape the Debate

Thom Tillis told reporters on Wednesday that he was “generally in support” of the progress Senator Cynthia Lummis had made on the crypto developer protections language.

Cynthia Lummis has worked on crypto policy in the Senate. Her role in the developer language has become part of the wider Senate crypto bill negotiations.

The ethics section has also become a major issue. On Monday, Tillis backed a demand supported by many Senate Banking Democrats.

He said the bill must include crypto ethics rules before it leaves the Senate. These rules would limit how government officials can use and promote crypto.

“There has to be ethics language in the bill before it leaves the Senate, or I’ll go from one of the people working on negotiating it to voting against it,” Tillis said.

The next step now depends on whether Tim Scott schedules the markup after the Senate returns on May 11.


Disclosure:This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Kriptoworld.com accepts no liability for any errors in the articles or for any financial loss resulting from incorrect information.

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Stable Sea Makes Sharp Move With WisdomTree Tokenized Treasury Fund

Stable Sea has added WisdomTree’s tokenized Treasury fund to its corporate cash management platform, giving businesses a regulated way to move idle cash into a government-backed money market fund.

The integration brings the WisdomTree Government Money Market Digital Fund, known as WTGXX, to Stable Sea’s platform. The fund invests mainly in short-term U.S. government securities, including Treasury bills.

Stable Sea announced the move on April 29, 2026. The company said businesses can use the platform to allocate excess cash to WTGXX instead of leaving it in low-yield bank accounts.

Stable Sea Adds WTGXX to Corporate Cash Management

Stable Sea provides software for corporate treasury teams. Its platform can automatically move company cash balances into yield-bearing products.

This process is often called a “sweep.” In simple terms, the system moves unused business cash into an instrument that can earn returns.

With WTGXX, Stable Sea now connects corporate cash management with a tokenized money market fund. The fund uses blockchain infrastructure to record ownership shares.

Companies can access the WisdomTree tokenized Treasury fund through Stable Sea’s platform. The system connects with existing financial tools used by corporate finance teams.

However, businesses must still complete onboarding and compliance checks. These checks apply because WTGXX is a regulated fund.

WisdomTree Tokenized Treasury Fund Holds $857.64 Million

WTGXX is a money market fund that invests mainly in short-term U.S. government securities. These securities include Treasury bills, which companies often use for cash management.

The fund’s tokenized structure means ownership shares are recorded onchain. This can support faster settlement and more automated transactions than older fund systems.

According to WisdomTree, WTGXX had $857.64 million in total assets as of April 28, 2026. The fund also showed a daily yield of 3.43%.

The fund targets businesses and institutional clients that need liquidity. Liquidity means they can access or move cash without long delays.

For corporate treasury teams, the main use case is idle cash. Companies often hold extra cash for payroll, vendor payments, reserves, or future expenses.

Tokenized Money Market Funds Gain Institutional Use

Tokenized money market funds have gained more attention from institutions. These products combine traditional government-backed assets with blockchain-based settlement systems.

WisdomTree recently received approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for 24/7 trading of WTGXX. That allows investors to access and move fund shares outside normal market hours.

This matters for tokenized fund shares because blockchain systems can operate at any time. Traditional fund systems usually follow fixed market schedules.

The Stable Sea integration follows that broader shift. Corporate cash management platforms are now starting to connect with tokenized Treasury products.

As a result, businesses can use tokenized money market funds inside treasury workflows. They can also keep compliance checks tied to the regulated fund structure.

Franklin Templeton, Binance and Standard Chartered Expand Tokenized Treasury Use

The use of tokenized Treasury funds is also moving into collateral markets. Collateral means an asset pledged to support another financial activity.

Franklin Templeton and Binance have partnered to let eligible institutions use tokenized money market fund shares as off-exchange collateral. The shares come through Franklin Templeton’s Benji platform.

This setup allows institutions to pledge tokenized fund shares while supporting trading activity on Binance.

Standard Chartered also launched a framework this week for institutional clients. The framework allows clients to use BlackRock’s tokenized short-term Treasurys fund as collateral for trading on OKX.

After the launch, Richard Baker, CEO and founder of Tokenovate, said Standard Chartered’s move “signals another instance of tokenization’s transition into the heart of core market infrastructure, elevating it from innovation to something structurally transformative.”

Northern Trust Enters Tokenized Money Market Fund Market

Northern Trust Asset Management has also entered the tokenized fund market. The firm recently launched a tokenized share class of its Treasury Instruments Portfolio.

The launch marked Northern Trust’s entry into blockchain-based fund infrastructure. It also added another traditional finance company to the tokenized money market fund sector.

Stable Sea’s integration of WisdomTree WTGXX now places corporate cash management inside the same trend. The platform gives businesses access to a tokenized Treasury fund while keeping the fund tied to regulated onboarding.

The development also shows how tokenized Treasury products are moving across different institutional uses, including idle cash, blockchain settlement, and collateral.


Disclosure:This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Kriptoworld.com accepts no liability for any errors in the articles or for any financial loss resulting from incorrect information.

Tatevik Avetisyan
Tatevik Avetisyan
Editor at Kriptoworld
LinkedIn | X (Twitter)

Tatevik Avetisyan is an editor at Kriptoworld who covers emerging crypto trends, blockchain innovation, and altcoin developments. She is passionate about breaking down complex stories for a global audience and making digital finance more accessible.

📅 Published: April 30, 2026 • 🕓 Last updated: April 30, 2026

Judge Shuts Down Sam Bankman-Fried’s New Trial Bid

A Manhattan federal judge rejected Sam Bankman-Fried’s request for a new trial, saying the former FTX CEO failed to show new evidence.

Judge Lewis Kaplan issued the order on Tuesday. He also criticized the request as part of a broader effort by Bankman-Fried to rebuild his public image after FTX collapsed.

“This motion appears to be one part of a plan to rescue his reputation that Bankman-Fried hatched and even committed to writing after FTX declared bankruptcy but before he was indicted,” Kaplan wrote.

Bankman-Fried co-founded FTX and led the crypto exchange before its collapse. A jury convicted him in 2023 on seven criminal charges tied to fraud and money laundering. Kaplan later sentenced him to 25 years in prison in early 2024.

Sam Bankman-Fried New Trial Request Fails in Court

Bankman-Fried filed the new trial request in February. He asked for another trial before a different judge.

The filing came while an appeals court was already reviewing his conviction and sentence. Bankman-Fried made the rare move without consulting his lawyers, according to the court order.

On Wednesday, Bankman-Fried asked to withdraw the request. He told Kaplan he did not believe he would “get a fair hearing on this topic in front of you.”

Kaplan denied that request. He then rejected Bankman-Fried’s claims about new evidence and new witnesses.

The judge said the arguments did not meet the legal standard for a new trial. In court terms, “newly discovered evidence” usually means evidence that was not known during the original trial.

Kaplan said Bankman-Fried already knew the people he now wanted to rely on. He also knew what he hoped they would say before the first trial began.

FTX Executives Named in Sam Bankman-Fried Motion

Bankman-Fried argued that three former FTX executives could challenge the government’s case. He said they could counter claims about FTX’s financial condition before its collapse.

The names included Ryan Salame, former CEO of FTX’s Bahamian arm, and Daniel Chapsky, FTX’s former head of data science. Neither testified at Bankman-Fried’s trial.

Bankman-Fried also pointed to Nishad Singh, FTX’s former engineering lead. Singh reached a plea deal with prosecutors and testified against Bankman-Fried during the trial.

Bankman-Fried claimed Singh changed his testimony “following threats from the government.” Kaplan rejected that claim in direct language.

The judge wrote that the argument was “wildly conspiratorial and entirely contradicted by the record.”

Kaplan also said Bankman-Fried could have tried to compel testimony from the three witnesses during the trial. However, he did not do so.

Judge Lewis Kaplan Rejects FTX Evidence Claims

Kaplan called Bankman-Fried’s claims about the three witnesses “baseless on multiple independently sufficient levels.”

“None of the witnesses, for example, is ‘newly discovered.’ Bankman-Fried well before trial knew all three of them and purportedly knew also what he hoped they would say were they to testify,” Kaplan wrote.

The order also addressed Bankman-Fried’s claim that the witnesses could dispute the government’s arguments about FTX insolvency.

Insolvency means a company cannot meet its financial obligations. In the FTX case, prosecutors argued that the exchange lacked enough funds because customer money moved to Alameda Research.

Alameda Research was the trading firm linked to Bankman-Fried. Prosecutors said FTX customer money funded Alameda’s risky trades and other spending.

The jury found that Bankman-Fried illegally transferred billions of dollars of customer funds from FTX to Alameda. Those transfers became central to the criminal case.

Sam Bankman-Fried Remains in Federal Prison

Bankman-Fried’s conviction covered seven criminal charges. The charges related to fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering.

The case followed the collapse of FTX, once one of the largest crypto exchanges. Its failure left customers unable to access large amounts of money.

Ryan Salame, one of the former executives named in Bankman-Fried’s motion, separately pleaded guilty in his own case.

Salame admitted to violating campaign finance laws and operating an illegal money transmitting business. He received a seven and a half year prison sentence in May 2024.

Bankman-Fried remains in federal custody. He is being held at a federal prison in Lompoc, California.


Disclosure:This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Kriptoworld.com accepts no liability for any errors in the articles or for any financial loss resulting from incorrect information.

Tatevik Avetisyan
Tatevik Avetisyan
Editor at Kriptoworld
LinkedIn | X (Twitter)

Tatevik Avetisyan is an editor at Kriptoworld who covers emerging crypto trends, blockchain innovation, and altcoin developments. She is passionate about breaking down complex stories for a global audience and making digital finance more accessible.

📅 Published: April 29, 2026 • 🕓 Last updated: April 29, 2026

CFTC Escalates Prediction Market Fight With Wisconsin Lawsuit

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission has sued Wisconsin in federal court, marking its fifth lawsuit against a US state over prediction market jurisdiction.

The CFTC filed the case on Tuesday after Wisconsin took legal action against Kalshi, Polymarket, Crypto.com, Robinhood, and Coinbase. The agency said those companies operate CFTC regulated prediction markets.

The lawsuit adds Wisconsin to a growing state level fight over event contracts, sports related markets, and federal oversight. Several states argue that some prediction market products look like illegal betting. However, the CFTC says federally regulated markets fall under its authority.

CFTC Prediction Market Lawsuit Targets Wisconsin

The CFTC said it filed the Wisconsin lawsuit after the state sued the five prediction market platforms. In its statement, the agency said Wisconsin’s action interfered with federally regulated markets.

“States cannot circumvent the clear directive of Congress,” CFTC Chairman Michael Selig said. “Our message to Wisconsin is the same as to New York, Arizona, and others: if you interfere with the operation of federal law in regulating financial markets, we will sue you.”

The CFTC has now sued five US states in this jurisdiction dispute. It sued New York on Friday. Earlier in April, it also filed lawsuits against Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois.

Wisconsin sued the platforms on Thursday. The state argued that prediction markets offering sports related event contracts amount to illegal betting without state gaming licenses.

That position has created a direct conflict with the CFTC. The agency says these contracts trade on federally regulated markets and fall under federal commodities law.

Wisconsin Prediction Market Case Names Five Platforms

Wisconsin’s lawsuit targeted Kalshi, Polymarket, Crypto.com, Robinhood, and Coinbase. The CFTC described the companies as CFTC regulated prediction markets in its statement.

Prediction markets allow users to trade contracts tied to event outcomes. These can include political events, economic data, entertainment results, or sports related outcomes. The legal dispute centers on whether certain contracts fall under state gambling law or federal market regulation.

The CFTC said Wisconsin cannot apply state gambling rules to shut down designated contract markets. In its complaint, the agency argued that it has “exclusive jurisdiction” over these event contracts.

The complaint was filed in a Wisconsin federal court. The Justice Department’s Civil Division joined the filing, according to the agency’s statement.

The case also named Wisconsin Governor Anthony Evers, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, the Wisconsin Gaming Division, and its administrator, John Dillett.

Prediction Market Jurisdiction Fight Expands Across US States

The CFTC asked the court to rule that Wisconsin gambling laws do not apply to CFTC regulated designated contract markets. It also asked for a permanent injunction that would stop Wisconsin from taking action against the platforms.

“Wisconsin’s attempt to criminalize and shut down federally regulated markets intrudes on the exclusive federal scheme Congress designed to oversee national swaps markets,” the CFTC wrote in its complaint.

The agency’s broader legal push now covers Wisconsin, New York, Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois. Each case centers on state action against prediction market platforms.

The state lawsuits focus heavily on sports related event contracts. State authorities have argued that those products require gaming licenses. The platforms and the CFTC have rejected that view.

The CFTC says Congress gave the agency authority over these markets under federal law. The states say their gambling laws still apply when platforms offer sports related contracts to users inside their borders.

Michael Selig Leads CFTC Push on Prediction Markets

The Wisconsin case came one day after Michael Selig appeared on stage at Bitcoin 2026 in Las Vegas on Monday, according to the video source cited with the original report.

Selig’s comments in the Wisconsin statement showed the agency’s position clearly. He said the CFTC would continue suing states that interfere with federal market regulation.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice, the state’s Division of Gaming, and Governor Evers’ office were contacted for comment, according to the original report.

The lawsuit now places Wisconsin inside a wider legal battle over prediction markets, sports contracts, and the boundary between federal commodities oversight and state gambling enforcement.


Disclosure:This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Kriptoworld.com accepts no liability for any errors in the articles or for any financial loss resulting from incorrect information.

Tatevik Avetisyan
Tatevik Avetisyan
Editor at Kriptoworld
LinkedIn | X (Twitter)

Tatevik Avetisyan is an editor at Kriptoworld who covers emerging crypto trends, blockchain innovation, and altcoin developments. She is passionate about breaking down complex stories for a global audience and making digital finance more accessible.

📅 Published: April 29, 2026 • 🕓 Last updated: April 29, 2026

Anthropic’s $1 Trillion Valuation Strengthens AI Pricing Across Markets

Anthropic’s implied $1 trillion valuation shows how aggressively private capital is pricing companies that are converting AI demand into revenue.

Reported annualized revenue has reached $30 billion in April 2026, up from $14 billion in February and about $1 billion at the end of 2024.

At current levels, the valuation implies roughly 33 times annualized revenue, which indicates investors are still willing to pay a premium for sustained enterprise growth in frontier AI.

Funding also remains a major part of that pricing. Anthropic has raised about $64 billion so far, and current secondary market activity suggests investors continue to treat advanced AI infrastructure as a long-term strategic asset class.

Valuation at this scale reflects expectations around enterprise deployment, compute demand, and model distribution rather than near-term profitability.

Across markets, the signal is supporting broader AI-linked positioning. Semiconductor and platform names such as NVIDIA, Broadcom, and Alphabet are drawing renewed buying interest as investors interpret Anthropic’s revenue expansion as evidence that AI infrastructure spending is translating into commercial returns.

In digital assets, AI-linked tokens tied to decentralized compute, inference, and agentic systems are also attracting flows, which suggests AI remains one of the few themes currently influencing private capital, public equities, and crypto positioning at the same time.

Ignacio Aguirre, CMO at Bitget


Disclosure:This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Kriptoworld.com accepts no liability for any errors in the articles or for any financial loss resulting from incorrect information.

MARA Foundation Launches With $100,000 Bitcoin Vote

MARA Holdings launched the MARA Foundation to support the Bitcoin network, expand Bitcoin adoption, and fund education linked to financial sovereignty.

The Bitcoin mining company announced the MARA Foundation on Monday at the Bitcoin 2026 conference in Las Vegas. The foundation said it will focus on Bitcoin security, self custody, education, and network health.

The MARA Foundation also opened a public vote for a $100,000 contribution. Voters will choose between 256 Foundation, Libreria de Satoshi, and SafeNet.

MARA Foundation Targets Bitcoin Network Health

The MARA Foundation said it plans to support work that protects the Bitcoin network from security risks. The group named quantum computing as one area of concern.

Quantum computing refers to a type of computing that could affect some cryptographic systems in the future. Bitcoin uses cryptography to protect addresses, signatures, and transactions.

MARA said the foundation will take measures to “harden Bitcoin against security threats.” The company linked that goal to its wider support for Bitcoin’s core design.

The MARA Foundation also plans to support self custodial Bitcoin. Self custody means users hold their own private keys and control their own Bitcoin.

That focus matters because many users rely on third parties to hold crypto. With self custody, users take direct control of access and storage.

The foundation also said it will support the “development of a robust and healthy fee market for Bitcoin transactions.” A Bitcoin fee market means users pay transaction fees to miners for including transactions in blocks.

MARA Foundation Opens $100,000 Bitcoin Vote

The MARA Foundation will begin with a $100,000 contribution fund. MARA asked the public to vote on which Bitcoin group should receive the money.

The first candidate is 256 Foundation, an open source Bitcoin mining platform. The group works on Bitcoin mining tools and related open infrastructure.

The second candidate is Libreria de Satoshi, a Latin American Bitcoin education platform. It helps Spanish speaking users and developers learn about Bitcoin.

The third candidate is SafeNet, a Bitcoin powered, community operated wireless network. It serves underprivileged communities through local connectivity.

MARA said the vote matches the foundation’s goal of supporting Bitcoin access and education. The company also said the foundation will work with communities that use Bitcoin outside traditional financial systems.

The MARA Foundation described financial sovereignty as one of its main goals. In simple terms, financial sovereignty means people can hold and move money without full dependence on banks or local restrictions.

MARA Holdings Links Bitcoin Adoption To Global South

MARA Holdings said the MARA Foundation will support communities in the Global South, mainly in Africa and Latin America.

The company said Bitcoin is used in some places affected by hyperinflation, confiscatory policy, and limits on financial freedom. Hyperinflation means prices rise very fast and local money loses value quickly.

MARA said, “We believe Bitcoin embodies the most powerful tool for financial sovereignty, economic resilience, and human freedom in the world.”

The company also said it wants to protect the “core properties that make Bitcoin sound, durable money.”

“We are committed to supporting communities using Bitcoin to expand access to sound money and strengthen local economies,”

MARA added.

The MARA Foundation also plans to provide educational resources for Bitcoin developers and policymakers. Developers build and maintain Bitcoin related tools, while policymakers shape rules that can affect Bitcoin use.

MARA Foundation Arrives As Bitcoin Mining Changes

The MARA Foundation launched as many corporate Bitcoin mining firms expand into AI and high performance computing.

These companies have large data center operations. Some miners now use that infrastructure for other computing services to seek higher revenue.

MARA’s launch also comes as Bitcoin hashrate has fallen 28.8% since September. Hashrate measures the computing power miners use to secure the Bitcoin network.

A higher hashrate usually means more mining power supports the network. A lower hashrate shows less total computing power at that time.

The MARA Foundation gives MARA Holdings a separate channel for Bitcoin security, Bitcoin education, and Bitcoin adoption work. The foundation’s first public step is the $100,000 Bitcoin vote.


Disclosure:This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Kriptoworld.com accepts no liability for any errors in the articles or for any financial loss resulting from incorrect information.

Tatevik Avetisyan
Tatevik Avetisyan
Editor at Kriptoworld
LinkedIn | X (Twitter)

Tatevik Avetisyan is an editor at Kriptoworld who covers emerging crypto trends, blockchain innovation, and altcoin developments. She is passionate about breaking down complex stories for a global audience and making digital finance more accessible.

📅 Published: April 28, 2026 • 🕓 Last updated: April 28, 2026

Block Faces Scrutiny With Public Bitcoin Proof of Reserves

Block, the payments company led by Jack Dorsey, has launched a Bitcoin proof of reserves system for its corporate Bitcoin treasury, Cash App, and Square.

The Block Bitcoin proof of reserves system allows anyone to verify the company’s reported 8,883 Bitcoin holdings through on chain signatures. The holdings were worth about $681.4 million at the time of the announcement.

Block announced the update in Las Vegas on Monday and later posted details on X. The company said users should be able to verify Bitcoin holdings directly instead of relying only on trust.

“People shouldn’t have to trust that their bitcoin is there, they should be able to verify it,”

Block said in its post on X.

Block Bitcoin Proof of Reserves Shows 8,883 BTC Holdings

The Block Bitcoin proof of reserves feature lets people check the company’s Bitcoin holdings through on chain signatures. In simple terms, this means Block can prove it controls specific Bitcoin addresses without moving the funds.

Block said anyone can “independently confirm Block’s holdings” through the new system. The company also said its Bitcoin reserves are “actively controlled, not just historically observed.”

That means the system does not only point to past wallet activity. Instead, it aims to show that Block still controls the Bitcoin linked to its treasury, Cash App Bitcoin, and Square Bitcoin products.

The proof of reserves covers the 8,883 BTC shown on Block’s balance sheet. Based on the data in the report, that makes Block the 14th largest corporate Bitcoin holder.

The value of the Block Bitcoin stash stood at about $681.4 million. The figure places Block among the public companies with major corporate Bitcoin holdings.

Proof of Reserves Became More Common After FTX

Proof of reserves became more common after the collapse of FTX in November 2022. Crypto companies began using reserve disclosures to show that assets were backed by visible holdings.

The system usually lets users check whether a company holds the crypto it claims to hold. It also gives the public a way to review wallet based data.

Several major crypto trading platforms have adopted proof of reserves disclosures. The list includes Binance, Kraken, OKX, Bitfinex, and Bitget.

Block has now brought a similar transparency tool to its Bitcoin treasury, Cash App Bitcoin, and Square Bitcoin operations. The company linked the launch to on chain verification.

The Block Bitcoin proof of reserves update also comes as corporate Bitcoin holdings remain a major part of market tracking. Investors and users often follow which companies hold BTC and how much they report.

Michael Saylor Raised Security Concerns Over Proof of Reserves

Not all major corporate Bitcoin holders use proof of reserves. Strategy, the largest corporate Bitcoin holder, has not released a public proof of reserves system.

In May 2025, Michael Saylor, Strategy’s executive chairman, criticized the idea. He said proof of reserves can create security risks for issuers, custodians, exchanges, and investors.

“It actually dilutes the security of the issuer, the custodians, the exchanges and the investors,” Saylor said at the time. “It’s not a good idea. It’s a bad idea.”

His comments showed the main debate around Bitcoin proof of reserves. Some firms use it for public verification, while others avoid it because it may reveal sensitive custody information.

Block’s launch takes a different approach from Strategy. The company chose to make its Bitcoin reserves verifiable through on chain signatures.

Cash App Bitcoin and Square Bitcoin Get New Features

Block also announced other Bitcoin related updates alongside the proof of reserves launch. The company introduced a Bitkey wallet with a touchscreen for transaction verification.

The Bitkey wallet allows users to check transaction details on the device screen. Block added the hardware wallet update as part of its wider Bitcoin product rollout.

The company also added a Cash App Bitcoin feature for certain users. The feature allows payments to convert into Bitcoin automatically.

Block also introduced 5% Bitcoin cash back rewards at Square merchants. In addition, the company raised Bitcoin withdrawal limits for customers.

Users can now withdraw up to $10,000 per day and $25,000 per week. The report said this marked a fivefold increase in withdrawal limits.

Jack Dorsey Keeps Bitcoin Payments in Focus

Jack Dorsey has repeatedly supported Bitcoin payments. He has said Bitcoin should gain wider payment use to match Satoshi Nakamoto’s original idea of peer to peer electronic cash.

The latest Block update connects Bitcoin proof of reserves with several product changes. Those include the Bitkey wallet, automatic Cash App Bitcoin conversion, Square Bitcoin rewards, and higher withdrawal limits.

Block’s announcement places on chain verification at the center of its Bitcoin update. It also gives users a public way to check the company’s reported 8,883 BTC holdings.

The company’s Bitcoin treasury now sits alongside its product based Bitcoin services. Through the new system, Block says users can review its reserves without depending only on company statements.


Disclosure:This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Kriptoworld.com accepts no liability for any errors in the articles or for any financial loss resulting from incorrect information.

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Crypto Holds Uptrend as Institutional Flows Offset Broader Commodity Pressure

Bitcoin and Ethereum remain supported by steady institutional allocation, with ETF demand, lower leverage, and improving spot participation keeping both assets in a constructive short-term trend.

The current move is not being driven by aggressive speculative positioning, which gives the rally a firmer base than earlier cycles shaped mainly by retail momentum.

In the short term, BTC is expected to break above $80,000-$85,000 with sustained inflows, while ETH follows with gains toward $2,800-$3,000, driven by ecosystem upgrades and broader adoption.

Gold holding near elevated levels reflects continued demand for defensive assets as markets price geopolitical uncertainty, sticky inflation expectations, and slower policy easing across major economies.

This increasingly shows that capital is being distributed across multiple stores of value rather than concentrated in a single hedge.

Oil staying elevated adds another layer of macro pressure because higher energy costs can delay rate-cut expectations and tighten liquidity conditions.

For digital assets, this means upside remains linked to whether institutional inflows continue absorbing macro volatility rather than reacting to it.

If that continues, crypto remains positioned as part of broader portfolio construction.

Ryan Lee, Chief Analyst at Bitget Research


Disclosure:This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Kriptoworld.com accepts no liability for any errors in the articles or for any financial loss resulting from incorrect information.

Western Union Stablecoin Push Gains Steam With May USDPT Rollout

Western Union plans to roll out its new USDPT stablecoin in May, as the money transfer company moves deeper into digital assets, settlement tools, and stablecoin-based payments.

The company outlined the plan during its first-quarter earnings call on Friday. Western Union President and CEO Devin McGranahan said the company has moved past early testing and now wants to scale its digital asset strategy.

“Over the last few months, we’ve crossed an important threshold. It is no longer a question of if Western Union will be active in digital assets, it is now how fast can we scale,”

McGranahan said.

Western Union USDPT Stablecoin Nears May Launch

USDPT will serve as Western Union’s US dollar-backed stablecoin. A stablecoin is a digital token designed to keep a steady value, usually by linking it to a currency such as the US dollar.

“At the foundation of our strategy is USDPT, our US dollar-backed stablecoin. USDPT is now in its final stages of readiness and is expected to go live next month,”

McGranahan said.

Western Union first announced USDPT in October. The company said the stablecoin would run on Solana and would be issued by Anchorage Digital Bank.

The company plans to connect USDPT with its digital asset network. That setup would allow users and partners to move funds through digital rails while still linking to Western Union’s broader payment system.

McGranahan said exchange partners will support access, conversion, and distribution of USDPT. He also said banking and financial institution partners in priority corridors will support direct settlement and treasury use cases.

“Together, these relationships position USDPT as a foundational asset for scaling digital payments and settlement across our platform,”

he said.

Western Union Digital Asset Network Adds First Partner

Western Union also said its digital asset network, known as DAN, will add its first partner this week. The network aims to let stablecoins and other cryptocurrencies move across Western Union’s global payment system.

The system also links digital assets to real-world cash access. That matters for users who hold crypto but still need local currency through physical payout locations.

“Our partner pipeline represents tens of millions of crypto wallets globally, creating a powerful distribution channel that brings digital asset users directly into Western Union’s retail and digital network, solving an industry-wide issue of ramping from crypto to cash as a safe and effective utility,”

McGranahan said.

Last month, Western Union said DAN would allow users to convert digital dollars into local currency at more than 360,000 collection points worldwide.

That structure places Western Union’s retail network inside its digital asset plan. The company already operates in money movement, remittances, and cross-border payments, so the network links stablecoins with existing payout infrastructure.

Western Union’s plan also includes exchange partners, banking partners, and financial institutions. These groups will help users access USDPT, convert it, distribute it, and settle payments.

Stablecoin Market Tops $320 Billion As Western Union Enters

Western Union is moving into a stablecoin market worth about $320 billion, according to DefiLlama data cited in the report.

US dollar-denominated stablecoins hold most of that market. Tether’s USDt, also known as USDT, leads with more than $189.7 billion in market capitalization.

Circle’s USDC follows with about $77.7 billion. Sky Dollar ranks behind them with around $8.2 billion.

Stablecoins have gained more attention from banks, payment firms, and corporations. Earlier this month, Lamine Brahimi, co-founder of crypto custody provider Taurus, said banks and companies across Europe were choosing infrastructure partners for stablecoin adoption.

For Western Union, the strategy includes more than one product. Along with USDPT and DAN, the company plans to launch a US dollar stable card later this year.

The card would let users hold and spend stablecoins. Western Union said the product fits into its wider plan to add digital assets to its core money movement platform.

“The focus ahead is scaling, expanding adoption, increasing velocity, and embedding digital assets more deeply into Western Union’s core money movement platform,”

McGranahan said.


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Tatevik Avetisyan
Tatevik Avetisyan
Editor at Kriptoworld
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Tatevik Avetisyan is an editor at Kriptoworld who covers emerging crypto trends, blockchain innovation, and altcoin developments. She is passionate about breaking down complex stories for a global audience and making digital finance more accessible.

📅 Published: April 27, 2026 • 🕓 Last updated: April 27, 2026