Coinbase announced a partnership with money market Morpho on Jan. 16 to offer on-chain USD Coin (USDC) loans backed by Bitcoin (BTC), according to a Jan. 16 release.

The service will allow Coinbase users to borrow USDC by pledging Bitcoin as collateral. Loans are processed through the layer-2 blockchain Base. The collateral is automatically converted to Coinbase Wrapped Bitcoin (cbBTC) on a 1:1 basis and then transferred to Morpho. 

Borrowers can access up to $100,000 in USDC, with interest rates determined dynamically by Morpho’s market-driven mechanism.  

On-chain loans offer flexibility with no fixed repayment schedule, but users must monitor their loan-to-value ratio to avoid liquidation if the collateral’s value drops.

Morpho is now the 12th-largest decentralized application by total value locked, reaching over $3.2 billion in 2024 with a 444% growth, according to DefiLlama data.

DeFi expansion

Coinbase’s initiative reflects the importance of decentralized finance (DeFi) tools to the firm’s expansion plans.

In the announcement, the exchange framed the new service as a step toward bringing traditional financial tools into the crypto market. Users can convert borrowed USDC to US dollars for free.  

The service is also positioned as a tax-efficient alternative to selling Bitcoin, potentially enabling users to defer capital gains or losses. This aspect may appeal to investors seeking to unlock liquidity without triggering taxable events.   

This move follows Coinbase’s September launch of cbBTC, which allowed customers to move Bitcoin into on-chain environments. 

According to a Dune Analytics dashboard created user eekeyguy, cbBTC has surpassed $2.1 billion in supply since its launch, equivalent to 21,495.46 BTC. Meanwhile, Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) fell 13.4% in supply over the same period, although its market size is over 132,000 BTC.

Link

A new Bloomberg report suggests that Trump intends to prioritize crypto through an executive order. Details circulating among industry participants suggest this action could influence agencies and shape enforcement across several digital asset sectors.

However, Executive Orders are limited due to the checks and balances within the US Constitution. Trump is reportedly seeking to action the following policies via Executive Order:

• Designate crypto as a national priority.
• Establish a crypto advisory council.
• Direct agencies to review digital asset policies.
• Pause or halt litigation against crypto companies.
• Create a national Bitcoin stockpile.

What does this mean, and how much can he change via Executive Order alone?

According to Bloomberg’s anonymous sources, the draft order is expected to declare crypto a key initiative and establish an advisory council. This council would encourage collaboration among agencies, although it would primarily issue recommendations rather than enact binding regulations.

Presidential directives often rely on the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which mandates transparency and public accountability when new advisory groups are formed. Such a step typically faces fewer legal hurdles, letting the executive branch promote a broader focus on crypto-related policy matters without waiting for new legislation.

Another component under discussion is a directive for agencies to review regulations and enforcement strategies concerning digital assets. Such internal audits and policy reviews sit comfortably within typical executive authority, particularly when they involve producing reports or recommendations.

Past administrations have employed similar strategies to highlight emerging issues and prompt coordinated responses. Market participants expect that an official review could drive more consistent approaches across the Treasury, Justice Department, and other entities overseeing crypto.

Some policies may be problematic to do via EO

However, proposals to halt litigation involving crypto companies indicate a more contested approach. Enforcement actions against industry players, including those by the SEC and CFTC, derive from mandates that afford these agencies a measure of independence.

Direct intervention may conflict with statutory obligations and established prosecutorial norms, raising concerns about judicial interference. Executive influence on the Department of Justice does exist, but instructing it to suspend active cases would invite extensive legal and political pushback.

The possibility of expanding a government-held Bitcoin stockpile remains under consideration but is likely to face congressional scrutiny. Existing laws typically direct the disposal or auction of seized assets, with funds routed into government accounts or used for law-enforcement activities.

Accumulating a long-term reserve of Bitcoin raises questions about the power of the purse since budgets and appropriations lie within Congress’s authority. Supporters see such a stockpile as a strategic move, noting the government already holds around $20 billion worth of Bitcoin seized through various investigations. Skeptics argue that an effort to formalize these holdings would demand explicit statutory approval, given constitutional constraints on executive spending.

TLDR;

Specific actions—such as designating crypto as a priority, forming advisory bodies, and ordering agency reviews—fit within standard executive powers. More sweeping endeavors, including halting enforcement across independent agencies or creating a permanent Bitcoin reserve, lean toward matters that require Congress’s cooperation. These distinctions could shape the scope of the forthcoming order and determine whether its impact extends beyond advisory measures into substantive regulatory change.

Although the final text has not yet been released, stakeholders are preparing for guidelines that may redefine how the federal government interacts with the crypto industry as early as Monday, Jan. 20.

Implementation will rely on existing agency frameworks and any statutory limitations that govern specific areas of enforcement or treasury operations. The extent of the order’s reach remains uncertain, but clarifying the administration’s stance on digital assets may spur closer coordination among regulators and market participants.

Link

The memecoin you just can’t afford to miss this cycle. I breakdown the ultimate bull thesis on what could be the next Shiba Inu. Literally. Let’s dive in:

Firstly id like to state that I spent much of the bear market researching the topics in this thread, spending time in relevant communities and networking to understand as much as I could heading into this bull market.

Why you ask?

The simple reason being that the story of Shiba, fascinated me and so did the mysterious figure that went by the Pseudonym- Ryoshi. The best performing asset of last bull run and its creator imo should be studied.

Now onto the opportunity ahead…..

Will Ryoshi return and if so, will they still be relevant in the market? There has been some movements in wallets linked to the $SHIB deployer, some way or another but never has the deployer itself made a transaction since the disappearance of Ryoshi across all social media in May 2022.

Many people think they are gone forever, however I think not. April 2023 Osaka Protocol launched ticker $OSAK, coined the rebirth of true decentralization launched by a mysterious anon by the name of Mephisto.

It launched with a 30% of supply airdrop for those that sold $SHIB early, before its giga pump.

Mephisto released a medium article with more details on the project you can view here: 

You may notice some similarities in writing styles with the aforementioned SHIB founder, but that’s for another time.

Key takeaways from the article:

• Decentralization reborn
• Same liquidity added as SHIB
• Same contract and supply as SHIB
• Airdrop for SHIB early sellers
• 50% of $OSAK and lp sent to Ryoshi SHIB Deployer shown below

The article also talks about following the original rules of Shiba, before Shytoshi took the reins and not to ‘paperhand’ this anon. Ryoshi is the godfather of memecoins. Any onchain movement from the SHIB Deployer would be one of the largest catalysts for any coin this bullrun. Period.

In my opinion (nfa) $OSAK was created simply to reward those that missed SHIB, the burn is inevitable and timing is everything. Asking is Ryoshi still relevant is like asking is Elon & Doge still relevant. Elon shills are hitting billions and so did the new $DOGE - $NEIRO.

A domino effect of potential catalysts: SHIB deployer burn confirms Ryoshi support/involement. Will be extensive media coverage and a huge story. Remember the idea for Shiba was conceived at Devcon in OSAKA! I expect this to get coverage too.

How will 9/10 figure $SHIB whales react when they hear their founder is back? Twaps inevitable

You only have to go back to the origins of SHIB and who was involved in sending it - GCR, SBF etc. Will these type of characters support upon $SHIB deployer movement?

Tiktokkers and redditors find out that Ryoshi is back and start discussing why their 1,000,000 $OSAK is cheaper than their 1,000,000 $SHIB. What happens if it goes to $1 bull posts.

The world expo in 2025 is where? You guessed it - Osaka.The World Expo 2025 is scheduled to take place in Osaka, Japan from April 13 to October 13, 2025. The theme of the Expo is "Designing Future Society for Our Lives" and it is expected to attract millions of visitors from around the world.

Rumours for years Ryoshi is Elon or indeed close with Elon… a potential shill not off the cards A cascade of CEX listings will come. The ONLY central exchange it is listed on right now is  @MEXC_Official , there is no doubt this will list on tier 1s eventually. Phase 2 has been hinted at as coming soon, I expect more retail friendly elements to the coin. The best way to get the coin is through one of the 6 other chains offered other than Ethereum on their website: Osaka.win

Why is no one talking about it?

They aren’t yet. Just like they weren’t with SHIB in January 2021.

Go check the charts and the volume that SHIB was doing back then. No this cycle isn’t the same as 2021, however the coverage and impact a Ryoshi return will have will be unprecedented. $OSAK is currently $50 million mcap. @OsakaProtocol That’s a 1000x to $SHIB ath.

ASK YOURSELF, What if?