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😮 How I Obtained Mexican Pesos In Cash Using The Digital Dollar USDC Pedro Chira (Senior Manager Circle) 😮

👉 Anyone traveling in the world can do this using Pedros methods below, using nothing more than Coinbase, Stellar and Moneygram. ~D

👉 Here Is The Problem:

It always starts with a pain point. You are heading to a new country and need cash. The truth is that in most places around the world cash is still (and will remain) king. There’s no way around it.

There are a million methods to get your hands on local currency, all with its pros and cons. Do you exchange your local currency (in this case, US dollars) with your bank before you depart? Or do you exchange your USD at the airport? Or maybe you wait until you land and exchange your cash USD there, either at the airport or at a currency exchange in town? How about at the hotel or maybe you decide to just take out cash from an ATM using your debit card? Airports seem like they would give you a bad exchange rate, but that’s the case with hotels and with your banks back home as well…

👉 Here Is The Solution:

On this trip to CDMX, I did none of the above. Instead, I exchanged my digital dollars (USDC) for pesos. Here’s how I did it:

1️⃣ I purchased some USDC-on-Stellar on Coinbase, my preferred exchange. Coinbase, or any major crypto exchange, will ask you to verify your identity and connect your bank account/debit card to their platform to do these cryptocurrency purchases.

2️⃣ I downloaded the Vibrant wallet, a Stellar wallet. You can also use other Stellar wallets like Lobstr or Decaf. I sent my USDC from Coinbase to my Vibrant wallet, it took about a second to settle.

3️⃣ In the Vibrant wallet app, I selected the withdraw option: Cash pick-up at MoneyGram International. It transparently showed me the exchange rate on the screen and the exact amount I’d get in cash - and at this moment, MoneyGram is not charging any fees for this service (zero additional intermediary/bank fees!)

4️⃣ The app asked for my ID info, and then it provided a MoneyGram reference number.

5️⃣ I took my ID (passport) to a MoneyGram location and provided the reference number. In Mexico, I found the Banco Azteca locations located inside of Elektra stores to be the most convenient, they are open 9am-9pm, which is longer than the typical banking hours. Also they are a true bank, so they have cash on hand for larger amounts.

6️⃣ The MoneyGram teller makes me sign a receipt and then hands me my Mexican pesos. I essentially sold my USDC to MoneyGram in exchange for Mexican pesos.

As a Peruvian, a Latin American, and a first generation US immigrant I think about FX rates all the time. I think about sending money to my family in Lima for birthday gifts, I think about the safe and legal ways to do this, I think about fees, the amount I’m able to send, and about the speed of it all. This real and tangible use case for USDC is a very attractive option.

If you’re curious but want to understand the pros and cons, please continue reading the rest of this thread for my honest assessment.

👉 Here Are The Cons:

1️⃣ MoneyGram accessibility: in Peru you find MoneyGram locations anywhere, but in Mexico I was not able to find any MoneyGram locations as easily. I was told that I could do this at some OXXO locations but their systems didn’t work. Banco Azteca and Elektra were lifesavers in Mexico. So it will depend on the country you’re in.

2️⃣ Credit Card exchange rate: if your destination country accepts credit cards widely, even in taxi cabs or corner snack shops, then you might be ok to just use a credit card. I love my Amex or Chase Sapphire cards - they give me exchange rates that are closer to the official ones. Obviously this won’t work with remittances or money transfers though, just for in-country purchases.

👉 Here Are The Pros:

1️⃣ Better exchange rates: exchange rates matter. One percentage or a one cent difference is important, especially with larger amounts. It means more hard-earned money in your pocket! I tested this in CDMX using various methods, take a look:

💠- Scotiabank ATM + BOA debit card: 1 USD = 15.71 MXN
💠- CDMX Airport Exchange: 1 USD = 16.70 MXN
💠- USDC + Moneygram: 1 USD = 17.59 MXN
💠- Official Rate: 1 USD = 17.92 MXN

2️⃣ Smaller/Exact Amounts: with a lot of currency exchanges, they give you a better exchange rate if you transact a larger amount. In some countries, you have minimum to abide by and you can’t exchange just $5 USD. This method allows you to exchange small amounts, and even exact amounts. I can technically exchange $20.35 USD to pesos if I wanted.

Pedro's Disclaimer:
(Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer)

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🚀 Bitcoin Hits New All-Time High – What’s Next?

Bitcoin reached a new peak of $118,254 on July 11, 2025, driven by institutional demand, favorable macro conditions, and supportive crypto regulations. With a 100%+ year-over-year surge, what's next for BTC?

🔮 Bitcoin Outlook

📆 Short Term (6–12 Months)

  • Expect volatility post-ATH
  • Spot BTC ETFs attract significant capital
  • Potential range: $95K–$135K

🕰 Medium Term (1–3 Years)

  • 2024 halving impact continues
  • More institutions may adopt BTC as reserve/collateral
  • Global regulatory clarity boosts confidence
  • Potential range: $120K–$200K+

🌐 Long Term (5–10+ Years)

  • BTC may solidify as digital gold
  • Used in cross-border settlements and emerging markets
  • Scarcity (21M cap) drives value
  • Bullish case: $250K–$1M+
  • Bearish case: $20K–$50K (if tech/regulatory risks rise)

📌 Key Drivers

  • Institutional adoption
  • Spot ETF flows
  • Crypto regulations
  • Fed interest rate policy
  • Lightning Network & Layer 2 scaling
  • Geopolitical uncertainty

💬 TL;DR:
Bitcoin’s $118K breakout ...

00:00:07
Ripple CEO on partnership with BNY to serve as custodian of stablecoin
00:01:12
Brad Garlinghouse In Washington 🚀

It’s time for a fair and open level playing field.

Under Gary Gensler it was quite the opposite.

  • Brad Garlinghouse
    July 9, 2025
00:01:56
👉 Coinbase just launched an AI agent for Crypto Trading

Custom AI assistants that print money in your sleep? 🔜

The future of Crypto x AI is about to go crazy.

👉 Here’s what you need to know:

💠 'Based Agent' enables creation of custom AI agents
💠 Users set up personalized agents in < 3 minutes
💠 Equipped w/ crypto wallet and on-chain functions
💠 Capable of completing trades, swaps, and staking
💠 Integrates with Coinbase’s SDK, OpenAI, & Replit

👉 What this means for the future of Crypto:

1. Open Access: Democratized access to advanced trading
2. Automated Txns: Complex trades + streamlined on-chain activity
3. AI Dominance: Est ~80% of crypto 👉txns done by AI agents by 2025

🚨 I personally wouldn't bet against Brian Armstrong and Jesse Pollak.

👉 Coinbase just launched an AI agent for Crypto Trading
🚨 BREAKING NEWS: Ripple National Trust Bank! 🏦 🇺🇸

Ripple has officially filed an application to become a national trust bank, aiming to launch what would be called Ripple National Trust Bank.

This move is designed to bring Ripple’s crypto and stablecoin operations under direct federal regulation and marks a major step toward mainstream integration with the U.S. financial system.

🤔 What This Means:

🔹 If approved by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Ripple would be able to operate nationwide under federal oversight, expanding its crypto services and allowing it to settle payments faster and more efficiently—without relying on intermediary banks.

🔹 Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin would be regulated at both the state and federal level, setting a new benchmark for transparency and compliance in the stablecoin market.

🔹 Ripple has also applied for a Federal Reserve master account, which would let it hold reserves directly at the Fed and issue or redeem stablecoins outside normal banking hours, further strengthening ...

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PERSISTENCE Q2 SUMMARY & WHATS TO COME IN Q3 👀

Q2’25 was a significant one as we laid the groundwork for multiple initiatives on our orange-themed road to BTCFi 🛣️🧡

From being one of the first DEXs to deploy on Babylon, to going live with the beta-mainnet & onboarding new Persisters.

Read more 👉 https://blog.persistence.one/2025/07/10/persistence-one-a-look-back-on-q2-2025-and-an-overview-of-whats-to-come-in-q3/

BTC Interop beta mainnet is back 🧡
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Musk Turns On Starlink to Save Iranians from Regime’s Internet Crackdown

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a visionary behind SpaceX, has flipped the switch on Starlink, delivering internet to Iranians amid a brutal regime crackdown.

This move comes on the heels of Israeli strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, as the Islamic Republic cuts off online access.

The former Department of Government Efficiency chief activated Starlink satellite internet service for Iranians on Saturday following the Islamic Republic's decision to impose nationwide internet restrictions.

As the Jerusalem Post reports, that the Islamic Republic’s Communications Ministry announced the move, stating, "In view of the special conditions of the country, temporary restrictions have been imposed on the country’s internet."

This action followed a series of Israeli attacks on Iranian targets.

Starlink, a SpaceX-developed satellite constellation, provides high-speed internet to regions with limited connectivity, such as remote areas or conflict zones.

Elizabeth MacDonald, a Fox News contributor, highlighted its impact, noting, "Elon Musk turning on Starlink for Iran in 2022 was a game changer. Starlink connects directly to SpaceX satellites, bypassing Iran’s ground infrastructure. That means even during government-imposed shutdowns or censorship, users can still get online, and reportedly more than 100,000 inside Iran are doing that."

During the 2022 "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests, Starlink enabled Iranians to communicate and share footage globally despite network blackouts," she added.

MacDonald also mentioned ongoing tests of "direct-to-cell" capabilities, which could allow smartphone connections without a dish, potentially expanding access and supporting free expression and protest coordination.

Musk confirmed the activation, noting on Saturday, "The beams are on."

This follows the regime’s internet shutdowns, which were triggered by Israeli military actions.

Adding to the tension, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Iranian people on Friday, urging resistance against the regime.

"Israel's fight is not against the Iranian people. Our fight is against the murderous Islamic regime that oppresses and impoverishes you,” he said.

Meanwhile, Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last monarch, called on military and security forces to abandon the regime, accusing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a Persian-language social media post of forcing Iranians into an unwanted war.

Starlink has been a beacon in other crises. Beyond Iran, Musk has leveraged Starlink to assist people during natural disasters and conflicts.

In the wake of hurricanes and earthquakes, Starlink has provided critical internet access to affected communities, enabling emergency communications and coordination.

Similarly, during the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Musk activated Starlink to support Ukrainian forces and civilians, ensuring they could maintain contact and access vital information under dire circumstances.

The genius entrepreneur, is throwing a lifeline to the oppressed in Iran, and the libs can’t stand it.

Conservative talk show host Mark Levin praised Musk’s action, reposting a message stating that Starlink would "reconnect the Iranian people with the internet and put the final nail in the coffin of the Iranian regime."

"God bless you, Elon. The Starlink beams are on in Iran!" Levin wrote.

Musk, who recently stepped down from leading the DOGE in the Trump administration, has apologized to President Trump for past criticisms, including his stance on the One Big Beautiful Bill.

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GENIUS Act lets State banks conduct some business nationwide. Regulators object

The Senate passed the GENIUS Act for stablecoins last week, but significant work remains before it becomes law. The House has a different bill, the STABLE Act, with notable differences that must be reconciled. State banking regulators have raised strong objections to a provision in the GENIUS Act that would allow state banks to operate nationwide without authorization from host states or a federal regulator.

The controversial clause permits a state bank with a regulated stablecoin subsidiary to provide money transmitter and custodial services in any other state. While host states can impose consumer protection laws, they cannot require the usual authorization and oversight typically needed for out-of-state banking operations.

The Conference of State Bank Supervisors welcomed some changes in the GENIUS Act but remains adamantly opposed to this particular provision. In a statement, CSBS said:

“Critical changes must be made during House consideration of the legislation to prevent unintended consequences and further mitigate financial stability risks. CSBS remains concerned with the dramatic and unsupported expansion of the authority of uninsured banks to conduct money transmission or custody activities nationwide without the approval or oversight of host state supervisors (Sec. 16(d)).”

The National Conference of State Legislatures expressed similar concerns in early June, stating:

“We urge you to oppose Section 16(d) and support state authority to regulate financial services in a manner that reflects local conditions, priorities and risk tolerances. Preserving the dual banking system and respecting state autonomy is essential to the safety, soundness and diversity of our nation’s financial sector.”

Evolution of nationwide authorization

Section 16 addresses several issues beyond stablecoins, including preventing a recurrence of the SEC’s SAB 121, which forced crypto assets held in custody onto balance sheets. However, the nationwide authorization subsection was added after the legislation cleared the Senate Banking Committee, with two significant modifications since then.

Originally, the provision applied only to special bank charters like Wyoming’s Special Purpose Depository Institutions or Connecticut’s Innovation Banks. Examples include crypto-focused Custodia Bank and crypto exchange Kraken in Wyoming, plus traditional finance player Fnality US in Connecticut. Recently the scope was expanded to cover most state chartered banks with stablecoin subsidiaries, possibly due to concerns about competitive advantages.

Simultaneously, the clause was substantially tightened. The initial version allowed state chartered banks to provide money transmission and custody services nationwide for any type of asset, which would include cryptocurrencies. Now these activities can only be conducted by the stablecoin subsidiary, and while Section 16(d) doesn’t explicitly limit services to stablecoins, the GENIUS Act currently restricts issuers to stablecoin related activities.

However, the House STABLE Act takes a more permissive approach, allowing regulators to decide which non-stablecoin activities are permitted. If the House version prevails in reconciliation, it could result in a significant expansion of allowed nationwide banking activities beyond stablecoins.

Is it that bad?

As originally drafted, the clause seemed overly permissive.

The amended clause makes sense for stablecoin issuers. They want to have a single regulator and be able to provide the stablecoin services throughout the United States. But it also leans into the perception outside of crypto that this is just another form of regulatory arbitrage.

The controversy over Section 16(d) reflects concerns about creating a regulatory gap that allows banks to operate interstate without the oversight typically required from either federal or state authorities. As the two Congressional chambers work toward reconciliation, lawmakers must decide whether stablecoin legislation should include provisions that effectively reduce traditional banking oversight requirements.

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If you find value in my content, consider showing your support via:

💳 PayPal: 
1) Simply scan the QR code below 📲
2) or visit https://www.paypal.me/thedinarian

🔗 Crypto – Support via Coinbase Wallet to: [email protected]

Or Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thedinarian

Your generosity keeps this mission alive, for all! Namasté 🙏 Crypto Michael ⚡  The Dinarian

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Dubai regulator VARA classifies RWA issuance as licensed activity
Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) leads global regulatory framework - makes RWA issuance licensed activity in Dubai.

Real-world assets (RWAs) issuance is now licensed activity in Dubai.

~ Actual law.
~ Not a legal gray zone.
~ Not a whitepaper fantasy.

RWA issuance and listing on secondary markets is defined under binding crypto regulation.

It’s execution by Dubai.

Irina Heaver explained:

“RWA issuance is no longer theoretical. It’s now a regulatory reality.”

VARA defined:

- RWAs are classified as Asset-Referenced Virtual Assets (ARVAs)

- Secondary market trading is permitted under VARA license

- Issuers need capital, audits, and legal disclosures

- Regulated broker-dealers and exchanges can now onboard and trade them

This closes the gap that killed STOs in 2018.

No more tokenization without venues.
No more assets without liquidity.

UAE is doing what Switzerland, Singapore, and Europe still haven’t:

Creating enforceable frameworks for RWA tokenization that actually work.

Matthew White, CEO of VARA, said it perfectly:

“Tokenization will redefine global finance in 2025.”

He’s not exaggerating.

$500B+ market predicted next year.

And the UAE just gave it legal rails.

~Real estate.
~Private credit.
~Shariah-compliant products.

Everything is in play.

This is how you turn hype into infrastructure.

What Dubai is doing now is 3 years ahead of everyone else.

Founders, investors, ecosystem builders:

You want to build real-world assets onchain.

Don’t waste another year waiting for clarity.

Come to Dubai.

It’s already here.

 

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🙏 Donations Accepted 🙏

If you find value in my content, consider showing your support via:

💳 PayPal: 
1) Simply scan the QR code below 📲
2) or visit https://www.paypal.me/thedinarian

🔗 Crypto – Support via Coinbase Wallet to: [email protected]

Or Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thedinarian

Your generosity keeps this mission alive, for all! Namasté 🙏 Crypto Michael ⚡  The Dinarian

 

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