TheDinarian
News • Business • Investing & Finance
? The Dinarian on Locals brings you the latest in news, interviews, in-depth conversations, and stories from across the blockchain and global communities—within and beyond cryptocurrency ?. Experts delve into how blockchain technology is reshaping industries, enhancing business networks ?, transforming transaction workflows, and advancing distributed ledger systems ??. We also explore intriguing topics that may venture into the realm of conspiracies—and so much more!
Interested? Want to learn more about the community?
Experts Discuss What Trump’s USD1 Stablecoin Needs to Survive the EU’s MiCA Regulation ⚖️

Since its launch in late March, World Liberty Financial’s stablecoin USD1 has achieved an impressive market capitalization, reflecting strong investor interest. If the creators want to maximize USD1’s reach by accessing markets abroad, particularly in Europe, they must confront MiCA’s extensive compliance list.

In a BeInCrypto interview, experts from Foresight Ventures, Kaiko, and Brickken stressed the importance of stablecoin issuers having substantial European bank reserves, operational volume caps protecting the euro, and transparent USD1 information to ensure transparency and avoid conflicts of interest.

🔹️USD1’s Search for Dollar Dominance

World Liberty Financial (WLF), a decentralized finance (DeFi) project heavily associated with the Trump family, officially launched USD1 a month ago. Through this stablecoin, WLF aims to promote dollar dominance worldwide.

So far, this initiative has been working well for WLF. According to CoinGecko, USD1 has now surpassed a market capitalization of $128 million and reached a 24-hour trading volume of nearly $41.6 million. The project has already released 100% of its total supply of 127,971,165 tokens.

For WLF to seriously establish dollar dominance across the globe, it will have to move fast and efficiently. This urgency stems from the need to surpass its main competitors, USDT and USDC. These rivals currently hold a massive market share advantage.

Additionally, there’s a need to maintain a competitive advantage against established currencies like the euro.

USD1 needs to access foreign markets and stand out from established competitors to achieve this. Should Europe become a primary target, USD1 must prepare to tackle numerous challenges head-on.

🔹️The EU’s Stringent Compliance Demands

The European Union (EU) became the first jurisdiction in the world to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets across its 27 member states. This regulation, known as Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA), has been in effect for nearly four months. Through this legislation, the EU has confirmed how seriously it takes compliance with a defined regulatory regime.

“MiCA’s‬‭ main‬‭ requirements‬‭ for‬‭ stablecoins‬‭ are:‬‭ full‬‭ reserve‬‭ backing‬‭ with‬‭ liquid‬‭ assets,‬‭ strict‬‭ reporting‬‭ and‬‭ transparency‬‭ rules,‬‭ a‬‭ cap‬‭ of‬‭ 1‬‭ million‬‭ daily‬‭ transactions‬‭ for‬‭ non-EU‬‭ currency‬‭ stablecoins,‬‭ a‬‭ significant‬‭ part‬‭ of‬‭ reserves‬‭ (30%‬‭ to‬‭ 60%)‬‭ must‬‭ be‬‭ held‬‭ in‬‭ EU-regulated‬‭ banks,” Dessislava Ianeva-Aubert, Senior Research Analyst at Kaiko, told BeInCrypto.

The regulation is detailed and clear, leaving no room for interpretation. If USD1 wants to operate in this crypto market of 31 million users, it must ensure it meets every demand.

🔹️US Senators Flag Risks of Presidential Involvement in USD1

WLF’s announcement of a USD1 stablecoin immediately raised regulatory questions surrounding President Trump’s role in the project. Three days after the announcement, a group of lawmakers led by Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to the Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

In the letter, the group asked both agencies to clarify how they plan to uphold regulatory integrity following the issuance of USD1.

The Senators cautioned that letting a president personally benefit from a digital currency overseen by federal agencies he has sway over is a big risk to the financial system. They argued that an unprecedented situation like this one could hurt people’s trust in how regulations are made.

“The launch of a stablecoin directly tied to a sitting President who stands to benefit financially from the stablecoin’s success presents unprecedented risks to our financial system,” they argued.

The letter further detailed situations where Trump could directly or indirectly affect decisions regarding USD1.

As things stand, USD1 isn’t well-prepared to follow MiCA’s strict reporting and transparency rules.

🔹️How Do Concerns Over USD1 Impact MiCA Acquisition?

According to Ianeva-Aubert, if USD1 doesn’t clear up doubts over potential conflicts of interest, this would affect its ability to apply for an operating license in the European Union.

“MiCA‬‭ requires‬‭ strong‬‭ governance,‬‭ including‬‭ independent‬‭ directors‬‭ and‬‭ clear‬‭ separation‬ between‬‭ owners‬‭ and‬‭ managers.‬‭ Issuers‬‭ must‬‭ have‬‭ clear‬‭ rules‬‭ to‬‭ handle‬‭ conflicts‬‭ of‬ interest. If USD1 has any conflicts, this could make it harder to comply,” she said.

Ianeva-Aubert also highlighted that WLF still hasn’t released enough public information on USD1 to assess the degree of its compliance effectively. In particular, the stablecoin issuer has not disclosed the measures it would take to safeguard against market manipulation.

“‬While‬‭ USD1‬‭ has‬‭ announced‬‭ partnerships‬‭ with‬‭ established‬‭ providers‬‭ like‬‭ BitGo‬‭ for‬‭ custody,‬‭ it‬‭ is‬‭ not‬‭ clear‬‭ if‬‭ it‬‭ currently‬‭ meets‬‭ all‬‭ of‬‭ MiCA’s‬‭ anti-manipulation‬‭ requirements,‬‭ which‬‭ include‬‭ having‬‭ market‬‭ surveillance‬‭ systems‬‭ to‬‭ detect‬‭ suspicious‬‭ trading‬‭ patterns,‬‭ regular‬‭ transaction‬‭ monitoring‬‭ and‬‭ auditing,‬‭ clear‬‭ policies‬‭ for‬‭ preventing‬‭ insider‬‭ trading,‬‭ and other strict controls,” she added.

As of now, USD1 would likely fail MiCA’s transparency tests. However, industry experts pointed out other parts of the framework that might be even larger obstacles for USD1 to operate across the European Union.

🔹️Impact of the EU’s Reserve Mandate on USD1

When asked about the biggest regulatory hurdles USD1 would face in securing a MiCA license, experts’ responses were unanimous. The stablecoin would need to store a large portion of its reserves in a European bank.

This mandate has proven difficult for established stablecoin issuers seeking operations across the region.

“For‬‭ example,‬‭ Circle‬‭ (issuer‬‭ of‬‭ USDC)‬‭ had‬‭ to‬‭ create‬‭ an‬‭ EU‬‭ entity‬‭ and‬‭ keep‬‭ EU-issued‬‭ USDC‬‭ reserves‬‭ with‬‭ EU-authorized‬‭ banks.‬‭ For‬‭ issuers‬‭ meeting‬‭ these‬‭ rules‬‭ could‬‭ require‬‭ some‬‭ level‬‭ of‬‭ restructuring,‬‭ strong‬‭ EU‬‭ bank‬‭ relationships‬‭ and‬‭ more‬‭ complex‬‭ reserve‬‭ management.‬‭ This‬‭ also‬‭ means‬‭ lower‬‭ interest‬‭ revenue,‬‭ since‬‭ EU‬‭ banks usually pay less interest than US or offshore banks,” Ianeva-Aubert said.

This regulation aims to ensure seamless accessibility for European crypto users and traders. For Forest Bai, Co-founder of Foresight Ventures, USD1 could capitalize on this opportunity during the early stages of its development. By doing so, it could avoid some of the obstacles its competitors had to endure.

“‬While‬‭ consolidating‬‭ the‬‭ token’s‬‭ reserves‬‭ in‬‭ EU‬‭ banks‬‭ may‬‭ prove‬‭ difficult,‬‭ USD1’s‬‭ relatively‬‭ small‬‭ market‬‭ size‬‭ could‬‭ work‬‭ in‬‭ its‬‭ favor‬‭ for‬‭ MiCA‬‭ compliance‬‭ at‬‭ this‬‭ stage.‬‭ Unlike‬‭ established‬‭ tokens,‬‭ like‬‭ USDT,‬‭ that‬‭ struggle‬‭ to‬‭ adapt,‬‭ newer‬‭ entrants‬‭ that‬‭ emerged‬‭ from‬‭ Circle‬‭ demonstrate‬‭ compliance‬‭ feasibility,” Bai told BeInCrypto.

Yet, even as USD1 scales and its demand grows, other mandatory requirements could restrict its scope of success.

🔹️MiCA’s Transaction Volume Caps to Preserve Euro Dominance

As part of the MiCA regulation, the European Union has taken specific measures to safeguard the euro’s dominance. If a digital currency not denominated in euros were to become extensively adopted for daily payments within Europe, it could present a potential risk to the European Union’s financial sovereignty and the stability of the euro.

To contain this possibility, MiCA places volume caps on transactions used as a means of exchange within the EU.

“‭A‬‭ key‬‭ provision‬‭ of‬‭ MiCA‬‭ that‬‭ is‬‭ often‬‭ overlooked,‬‭ but‬‭ critically‬‭ important,‬‭ relates‬‭ to‬‭ transaction‬‭ volume‬‭ limitations‬‭ for‬‭ EMTs‬‭ denominated‬‭ in‬‭ non-euro‬‭ currencies.‬‭ Where‬‭ the‬‭ daily‬‭ average‬‭ number‬‭ of‬‭ transactions‬‭ used‬‭ for‬‭ payment‬‭ purposes‬‭ exceeds‬‭ 1‬‭ million,‬‭ or‬‭ the‬‭ average‬‭ daily‬‭ transaction‬‭ volume‬‭ surpasses‬‭ €200‬‭ million,‬‭ the‬‭ issuer‬‭ must‬‭ cease‬‭ new‬‭ issuance‬‭ and‬‭ present‬‭ a‬‭ remediation‬‭ plan‬‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ regulator.‬‭ These‬‭ thresholds‬‭ are‬‭ designed‬‭ to‬‭ prevent‬‭ systemic‬‭ reliance‬‭ on‬‭ foreign-denominated‬‭ EMTs‬‭ and‬‭ to‬‭ protect‬‭ the‬‭ euro’s role in the Union’s monetary system,” Elisenda Fabrega, General Council at Brickken, told BeInCrypto.

In other words, MiCA establishes predefined limits on the transactional volume of such currencies. The EU initiates regulatory measures when these limits are exceeded due to widespread payment usage.

“Stablecoins‬‭ such‬‭ as‬‭ TRUMP‬‭ USD1‬‭ must‬‭ implement‬‭ monitoring‬‭ tools‬‭ and‬‭ usage‬‭ controls‬‭ to‬‭ avoid‬‭ breaching‬‭ these‬‭ limits‬‭ unintentionally.‬‭ Issuers‬‭ may‬‭ be‬‭ required‬‭ to‬‭ geo-fence,‬‭ restrict‬‭ retail‬‭ adoption,‬‭ or‬‭ structure‬‭ distribution‬‭ to‬‭ mitigate‬‭ risk‬‭ of‬‭ triggering‬‭ supervisory action,” she added.

Specifically, USD1 issuers must suspend any further digital currency issuance and provide a remediation plan to the relevant regulator, outlining steps to ensure their usage does not negatively impact the euro.

If USD1 wants to work in places where it can experience uninhibited growth, the European market might not be the best fit for this stablecoin. Other parts of MiCA also suggest this could be the case.

🔹️MiCA Limitations to Stablecoins as Investment Vehicles

EU regulators have been clear that stablecoins, or e-money tokens (EMTs), as the regulation refers to them, are payment instruments that should not be confused with investment vehicles. The MiCA framework has a few rules in place to prevent this.

“MiCA‬‭ prohibits‬‭ EMTs‬‭ from‬‭ offering‬‭ any‬‭ form‬‭ of‬‭ interest‬‭ or‬‭ benefit‬‭ to‬‭ holders‬‭ based‬‭ on‬‭ the‬‭ duration‬‭ of‬‭ their‬‭ holdings.‬‭ This‬‭ restriction‬‭ reinforces‬‭ the‬‭ classification‬‭ of‬‭ EMTs‬‭ as‬‭ payment‬‭ instruments,‬‭ not‬‭ investment‬‭ vehicles,‬‭ and‬‭ limits‬‭ their‬‭ use‬‭ in‬‭ structured‬‭ products,‬‭ yield-generating‬‭ services,‬‭ or‬‭ decentralized‬‭ finance‬‭ platforms‬‭ unless‬‭ those platforms are also regulated under EU law,” Fabrega told BeInCrypto.

These limitations and the volume caps may make Europe an undesirable target for USD1.

“While‬‭ MiCA‬‭ creates‬‭ a‬‭ clear‬‭ pathway‬‭ for‬‭ the‬‭ issuance‬‭ and‬‭ trading‬‭ of‬‭ stablecoins‬‭ within‬‭ the‬‭ EU,‬‭ it‬‭ also‬‭ introduces‬‭ operational‬‭ restrictions‬‭ that‬‭ are‬‭ material‬ and‬‭ enforceable.‬‭ The‬‭ transaction‬‭ volume‬‭ thresholds‬‭ for‬‭ EMTs,‬‭ in‬‭ particular,‬‭ may‬‭ constrain‬‭ market‬‭ expansion‬‭ for‬‭ non-euro-denominated‬‭ tokens‬‭ such‬‭ as‬‭ TRUMP‬‭ USD1,” Fabrega concluded.

Given the circumstances, experts like Bai think WLF might want to focus on countries with better market conditions for stablecoin issuers.

🔹️Should WLF Consider the EU Market for USD1 Operations?

While the European Union has an undeniable crypto market presence, other jurisdictions have an even larger footprint.

‭”The EU’s crypto market remains comparatively small, with just 31‬‭ million users versus Asia’s 263 million and North America’s 38 million users,‬‭ according to a‬‭ report from Euronews‬‭. This limited‬‭ market size may not justify‬‭ MiCA compliance costs for projects, like WLFI,” Bai told BeInCrypto, adding that “Projects‬‭ ultimately‬‭ determine‬‭ their‬‭ own‬‭ growth‬‭ strategy.‬ Given‬ that,‬‭ currently,‬‭ the‬‭ EU‬‭ represents‬‭ a‬‭ secondary‬‭ market‬‭ for‬‭ USD1,‬‭ the‬‭ project’s‬‭ strategic‬‭ priorities‬‭ may‬‭ naturally‬‭ shift‬‭ toward‬‭ regions‬‭ with‬‭ less‬‭ stringent‬‭ stablecoin‬‭ regulations to drive its adoption.”

These circumstances alone may prompt USD1 to reconsider its options.

“Although‬‭ the‬‭ EU‬‭ has‬‭ limited‬‭ competition‬‭ among‬‭ stablecoin‬‭ issuers,‬‭ WLFI‬‭ can‬‭ make‬‭ up‬‭ for‬‭ noncompliance,‬‭ with‬‭ aggressive‬‭ expansion‬‭ in‬‭ regions,‬‭ such‬‭ as‬‭ Asia‬‭ and‬‭ Africa.‬‭ The‬‭ USDT‬‭ precedent‬‭ has‬‭ demonstrated‬‭ that‬‭ dominant‬‭ players‬‭ can‬‭ maintain‬‭ position‬‭ while‬‭ boycotting‬‭ MiCA‬‭ and‬‭ the‬‭ EU‬‭ market.‬‭ For‬‭ USD1,‬‭ MiCA‬‭ compliance‬‭ does‬‭ offer‬‭ EU‬‭ access‬‭ but‬‭ appears‬‭ non-essential‬‭ to‬‭ long-term‬‭ viability,‬ ‭ given alternative growth markets,” Bai added.

In fact, USD1 could start by gaining a competitive edge right at home.

🔹️USD1’s Political Backing at Home

With a crypto-friendly president in office –whose very crypto project officially announced the launch of USD1– the stablecoin has sufficient backing to make its mark.

“The‬‭ bigger‬‭ question‬‭ here,‬‭ however,‬‭ is‬‭ whether‬‭ WLFI‬‭ will‬‭ want‬‭ to‬‭ push‬‭ for‬‭ a‬‭ MiCA‬‭ license‬‭ at‬‭ all,‬‭ given‬‭ it‬‭ has‬‭ the‬‭ right‬‭ set-up‬‭ to‬‭ thrive‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ US‬‭ with‬‭ its‬‭ strong‬‭ political‬‭ leaning,” Bai emphasized.

Looking past the immediate future, Bai underlined that if the US doesn’t keep developing supportive crypto regulations, USD1’s growth in the country could be held back following a government shift.

“For‬‭ USD1,‬‭ policy‬‭ longevity‬‭ is‬‭ worth‬‭ watching,‬‭ as‬‭ its‬‭ post-Trump‬‭ viability‬‭ faces‬‭ uncertainty,‬‭ given‬‭ potential‬‭ US‬‭ political‬‭ shifts‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ coming‬‭ years.‬‭ Even‬‭ if‬‭ WLFI‬‭ strives‬‭ to‬‭ comply‬‭ with‬‭ MiCA‬‭ now,‬‭ the‬‭ question‬‭ is‬‭ what‬‭ about‬‭ the‬‭ years‬‭ succeeding Trump’s tenure,” he said.

Nonetheless, failure to comply with a comprehensive framework like MiCA would be a blow to USD1.

🔹️USD1’s Path Amid Growing Appeal of Regulated Stablecoins

Based on Kaiko’s research, users are growing in preference for regulated stablecoins.

‭“MiCA-compliant‬‭ stablecoins‬‭ have‬‭ shown‬‭ robust‬‭ growth‬‭ during‬‭ recent‬‭ market‬‭ turbulence,‬‭ according‬‭ to‬‭ Kaiko‬‭ data‬‭ (as‬‭ opposed‬‭ to‬‭ non-compliant options), showing that users increasingly prefer regulated options,” Ianeva-Aubert revealed.

Given this reality, USD1’s failure to comply with the EU’s regulations, should it ever even consider applying for a MiCA license in the first place, could have negative consequences for the project’s long-term viability.

“If‬‭ USD1‬‭ can’t‬‭ meet‬‭ MiCA’s‬‭ rules,‬‭ it‬‭ would‬‭ likely‬‭ be‬‭ blocked‬‭ from‬‭ the‬‭ EU‬‭ market,‬‭ just‬‭ like‬‭ USDT‬‭ was‬‭ for‬‭ most‬‭ European‬‭ users.‬‭ This‬‭ would‬‭ limit‬‭ its‬‭ growth‬‭ and‬‭ potentially‬‭ impact‬‭ its‬‭ credibility‬‭ amongst‬‭ institutional‬‭ users,” Ianeva-Aubert concluded.

Regardless of the markets WLF evaluates in its efforts to increase the reach of USD1, compliance with general stipulations concerning transparency, legal architecture, and real-time transaction oversight could be conducive to its eventual success.

https://beincrypto.com/experts-discuss-trump-usd1-stablecoin-eu/

Interested? Want to learn more about the community?
What else you may like…
Videos
Podcasts
Posts
Articles
🚨NEW: Watch @BoHines sit down with @CryptoAmerica_

Watch @BoHines sit down with @CryptoAmerica_ to discuss key details of the White House crypto report including anticipated new DOJ guidance, as well as fresh commentary on the @rstormsf trial, and the nomination of @BrianQuintenz to lead the @CFTC.

00:28:43
Why Invest In XRP?

Because Ripple Is EVERYWHERE!

This is on Wall Street... NY

00:00:06
👉"You're gonna be told that there is a craft on its way to Earth.

"That 100 fxxxing percent is the lie you are going to be told."

Jeremy Corbell in January 2025

00:02:38
👉 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

On avantis, there's something for everyone

fuelled by instinct and flash-level speed

powered by @PythNetwork

🔮 🐆

https://x.com/avantisfi/status/1951129700056871240?s=19

In the latest episode of the XDC MENA Podcast, host Rebecah Dausen is joined by Amir Neghabian, founder of Vital Veda, to explore how blockchain is modernizing the way we approach Fitness.

Why you should tune in:
-Learn how decentralized systems can verify the authenticity of Fitness
-Discover how Web3 opens access to Fitness knowledge
-Understand XDC’s role in enabling trusted, wellness-driven ecosystems

🎥 Watch now:

Still the best infographic about total #XRP circulation, updated. (SBI Holdings fiscal year end report)

~36b left in escrow..

post photo preview
post photo preview
PYTH: We'll Always Have Coldplay

Welcome back to The Epicenter, where crypto chaos meets corporate cringe.

But surprisingly, crypto has not been the most chaotic corner of the internet as of late.

That honor goes to the startup Astronomer, whose CEO’s cheating scandal broke the web in a glorious meme-fueled media frenzy. The company’s damage control? Hiring Gwyneth Paltrow as a “temporary spokesperson.” Do we think they’re grasping at straws or setting a new standard for PR?

Meanwhile, the markets didn’t blink. BTC is still flexing near its all-time highs. Michael Saylor’s bringing a bitcoin-adjacent money-market product to Wall Street. A pharma company just earmarked $700M to stack BNB, and analysts are calling time of death on the four-year crypto cycle. It’s a steady boom now, kittens.

A few things that are also worth noting: Winklevoss vs. JPMorgan, Visa’s take on stablecoins, and Robinhood’s Euro drama that defies the chillness of eurosummer.

Let’s get into it 👇

⛓️ The On-Chain Pulse: What’s Happening on the Front Lines of Finance

This week’s biggest news in crypto and all things digital assets

🗣️ Word on the Street: What the Experts are Saying

Stuff you should repost (or maybe even cough reword and take credit for)

Meme of the Week

🏦 Kiss my SaaS: What’s Changing the Game for Fintech

Things you should care about if you want to impress your coworkers

Closing Thoughts

From meme-fueled PR stunts to Bitcoin-backed money-market funds, this week reminded us that markets move fast—and headlines move faster. With Wall Street automating itself, fintechs beefing with banks, and even your smartphone becoming a miner, anything is possible. Stay curious, stay cynical, and as always—stay sharp and stay liquid. We’ll see you back here in two weeks.

— The Epicenter, powered by Pyth Network

 

🙏 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]

 

Read full Article
post photo preview
4 Fintech Companies 💸& Things To Know About 🤔

The fintech revolution is reshaping the way we manage, invest, and move money, breaking down traditional barriers and empowering individuals worldwide. As financial technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, a select group of innovative companies are leading the charge by offering groundbreaking solutions that redefine banking, payments, and digital assets. Whether you’re a savvy investor, an industry professional, or simply curious about the future of finance, discovering these trailblazing fintech companies is essential to understanding today’s dynamic financial landscape.

 

  1.  Alina Invest - The AI Wealth Manager for GenZ Women

Alina is aimed at women under 25 who identify as beginner investors. They're an SEC-registered investment advisor that charges $120/year for membership. The service "buys and sells for you" and gives up notification updates of recent transactions like a wealth manager would.

👉 Getting people to invest early is crucial to building long-term wealth. One thing that holds them back is a lack of confidence and experience. Being targetted "for beginners" and people who live on TikTok should appeal. I love the sense of "we're buying and selling for you." Funds always do that, but making it an engagement mechanic is very smart. The risk here is that building a wealth business will take decades for the AUM to compound. But the next generations, Wealthfront or Betterment, will look something like Alina.

2. Blue layer - The Carbon project funding platform

Bluelayer allows Carbon project developers to take from feasibility studies to issuing credits, tracking inventory, and managing orders. Developers of reforestation, conservation, direct air capture, and other projects can also directly report to industry registries. 

👉 Carbon investing and tax credits are heavily incentivized but need transparent data. By focusing on the developers, Bluelayer can ensure the data, reporting, and credits lifecycle is all managed at the source. This is smart.

3. Akirolabs - Modern Procurement for enterprise

Akiro is a "strategic" procurement platform aiming to help enterprise customers identify risks, value drivers, and strategic levers before issuing an RFP. It aims to bring in multiple stakeholders for complex purchasing decisions at multinationals. 

👉 Procurement is a great wedge for multinational corporate transformation. Buying anything in an enterprise that uses large-scale ERPs is a nightmare of committees and spreadsheets. Turning an oil tanker-sized organization around is difficult, but the right suppliers can have a meaningful impact in the short term. That only works if you can buy from them. Getting people on the same page with a single platform is a great start.

4. NeoTax - Automated Tax R&D Credits

NeoTax allows companies to connect their engineering tools to calculate available tax advantages automatically. Once calculated, the tax fillings are clearly labeled with supporting evidence for the IRS.

👉 AWS and GCP log files and data are a goldmine. Last week, I covered Bilanc, which uses log files to figure out per-account unit economics. Now, we calculate R&D tax credits. The unlock here is LLM's ability to understand unstructured data. The hard part is understanding the moat, but time will tell.

In an era where technology and finance are increasingly intertwined, these four fintech companies stand out as catalysts for positive change. By driving progress in digital payments, asset management, lending, and decentralized finance, they are not only making financial services more accessible and efficient—they are also paving the way for a more inclusive and empowered global economy. Staying informed about their innovations can help you seize new opportunities and take part in the future of finance.

 

👀Things to know 👀

 

PayPal issued low guidance and warned of a “transition year.” The stock is down 8% in extended trading despite PayPal reporting a 9% growth in revenue and 23% EBITDA. Gross profit is down 4% YoY. PayPal's total revenues were $29Bn for the year

Adyen reported 22% revenue growth and an EBITDA margin of 46% for the full year. Adyen's total revenues were $1.75bn for the full year. The margin was down from 55% the previous year, impacted by hiring ahead of growth.

🤔 PayPal’s Braintree (unbranded) is losing market share in the US, while Adyen is winning it. eCommerce is growing ~9 to 10% YoY, and PayPal’s transaction revenue grew by 6.7%. The higher interest rate environment meant interest on balances dragged up the total revenue figure. Their core business is losing market share. Adyen is outgrowing the market by ~12%.

🤔 The PayPal button (branded) is losing to SHOP Pay and Apple Pay. The branded experience from Apple and Shopify is delightful for users; it’s fast and helps with small details like delivery tracking. That experience translates to higher conversion (and more revenue) for merchants.

🤔 The lack of a single global platform hurts PayPal, but it helps Adyen. In the earnings call, the new CEO admitted their mix of platforms like Venmo, PayPal, and Braintree are holding them back. They aim to combine and simplify, but that’s easier said than done.

🤔 Making a single platform from PayPal, Venmo, and Braintree won’t be easy. There’s a graveyard of payment company CEOs who tried to make “one platform” from things they acquired years ago. It’s crucial if they’re going to grow that they get their innovation edge back. Adyen has one platform in every market.

🤔 PayPal’s UK and European acquiring business is a bright spot. The UK and EU delivered 20% of overall revenue, growing 11% YoY. Square and Toast don’t have market share here, while iZettle, which PayPal acquired in 2018, is a strong market player. Overall though, it’s yet another tech stack and business that’s not part of a single global platform.

The two banks provided accounts to UK front companies secretly owned by an Iranian petrochemicals company. PCC has used these entities to receive funds from Iranian entities in China, concealed with trustee agreements and nominee directors. 

🤔 This is the headline every bank CEO fears. Oof. Shares of both banks have been down since the news broke, but this will no doubt involve crisis calls, committees, appearing in front of the regulator, and, finally, some sort of fine.

🤔 The "risk-based approach" has been arbitraged. A UK company with relatively low annual revenue would look "low risk" at onboarding. One business the FT covered looked like a small company at a residential address to compliance staff. They'd likely apply branch-level controls instead of the enterprise-grade controls you'd see for a large corporation. 

🤔 Hiring more staff won't fix this problem; it's a mindset and technology challenge. In theory, all of the skill and technology that exists to manage risks with large corporate customers (in the transaction banking divisions) are available to the other parts of a bank. In practice, they're not. Most banks lack a single data set and the ability for compliance officers in one team to see data from another part of the org. Getting the basics right with data and tooling is incredibly hard and will involve a multi-year effort. 

🤔 These things are rarely the failure of an individual or department; the issue is systemic. While two banks are named in this headline, the issue is everywhere. Banks need more data and better data to train better AI and machine learning. That all needs to happen in real-time as a compliment to the human staff. Throwing bodies at this won't solve the visibility issue teams have.

 🙏 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

 

Read full Article
post photo preview
What is XAH and Xahau?

If you're new to XRP, you may have noticed some of us discussing another network named 'Xahau'.

It's Like XRP ... But Different

The Xahau network was created in 2023, and its starting point was the open-source code for the XRP Ledger. A small team of researchers and entrepreneurs decided to add smart contracts to the network code.


The XRP Ledger has no smart contract capabilities, by default.

To integrate smart contracts, the team decided to use an architecture that includes 'WASM' or 'web assembly' code. Each account can have up to 10 'hooks' installed that are triggered for transactions that match specific criteria. They can run before or after a transaction is processed. This enables a variety of use cases that do not involve the need to change the network's core code.

Hooks

A 'hook' is what is known as a smart contract that can be triggered in relation to a specific account and its transactions.

The term arises from the programming world, where it generally means "code that runs based on triggering conditions." In Xahau's case, it indicates code that is run before, or after, a transaction is processed.
 
Each hook must be installed on a specific account by the party that controls the account - i.e., the secret key holder.
 
What Can XAH Do That XRP Cannot?
 
The primary benefit from the use of hooks, is that the core network code does not need to be changed every time a new use case is identified. This means that additional use cases can be addressed immediately, with no requirement for intervening steps, such as:
  • Community review
  • Community approval
  • Amendment voting
All of those steps are eliminated with the use of hooks; new use cases can be addressed as fast as the code can be developed.
 
To read more about how hooks enables Xahau to handle more use cases than even the XRPL, you can read this article:
 
Key Differences From XRP
 
Other unique differences from the XRP Ledger include:
  • Much smaller supply ~612 million coins vs. 100 billion coins
  • XAH hodlers are rewarded at 4% of their account balance. There are no rewards for XRP.
  • Governance participants are incentivized
  • Payment channels available for user-created tokens (IOUs)
  • URI tokens instead of NFT tokens
Who's Who of Xahau?
 
The list of those that are either founders, or closely associated with the founding organizations, is extensive. Here are the names of three organizations mentioned in the whitepaper, or their current moniker:
  • Xaman (a.k.a. XRPL Labs)
  • Gatehub
  • InFTF (Inclusive Financial Technology Foundation)
There exists a long list of impressive developers, architects, and technologists among the Xahau inner circle. But the three names that people associate most prominently with the leadership of the Xahau network are Wietse Wind, Richard Holland, and Denis Angell. The links to their 'X' accounts are:
 
Friend Or Foe?
 
This topic is one of the most contentious.
 
While Ripple, the company with the largest stake of XRP, showed interest in hooks early on, they ultimately decided to advocate for a different approach; the use of an EVM-based solution (Ethereum Virtual Machine) to handle smart contracts on the XRP Ledger. This decision was met with consternation by the Xaman team that had worked with them for several years to advocate for the use of hooks.
 
You can read more about the 'business politics' part of this topic here:
 
So how do Xahau fans view the relationship between XRP and XAH?
 
The Xahau team - and many of its community members - advocate for the use of a 'dual-chain' solution to implement smart contracts. This can be accomplished by the use of 'listener' software, along with native Xahau hooks.
 
A proof of concept, developed by Denis Angell, has demonstrated that bi-lateral communication can work with a simple approach.
 
From an economic standpoint, every chain that has its own digital asset is a competitor; but the simple way to think about Xahau, is that a 'bunch of XRP geeks' decided to implement smart contracts on their own version of the XRP Ledger.
 
The team emphasized transparency along the way, and initially received support from the primary XRP stakeholder, Ripple. They published Xahau as open-source code that could, in theory, be back-engineered and integrated with the XRP Ledger. You can clearly observe the team's idealistic mindset in early marketing mistakes, where they named their digital asset 'XRP Plus' in an effort to emphasize the way that they viewed their creation. While this resulted in confusion - and even suspicion - in its early days, the team quickly pivoted, and named their digital asset 'XAH', which became its ticker symbol.
 
Synergy effects between the two camps speak to a genuine camaraderie, with many Xahau developers being open and willing to help with changes to the core XRP Ledger protocol. You can find many examples of this open dialogue on the 'X' platform.
 
How To Purchase XAH
 
If you wish to speculate by buying XAH directly, it is available in a variety of convenient locations, depending on where you are located. If you're in a country that is supported by Bitrue, you can directly purchase or trade XAH by using that exchange.
 
On January 20th, 2025, Bitmart announced that it supports trading of XAH for customers in their list of supported countries; And in late March, another major exchange announced that they would be supporting XAH trading pairs: Coinex.
 
If you're located in the United States, you can purchase XAH directly from a vendor known as 'C14'. The xApp for C14 is located in the Xaman wallet.
 
XRP Ledger geeks can also purchase XAH IOUs on the XRPL Dex and then convert them to 'real' XAH using a Gatehub bridge. This is available in countries that Gatehub supports.
 
Which XAH Accounts Should I Follow?
 
On the 'X' platform, there exists two major community groups for XAH fans:
In addition to the Xahau notables I've already mentioned in this article, my advice is to take a look at who is posting in the above two communities. There are many impressive leaders and entrepreneurs included. You should be able to find multiple 'X' accounts that reflect your interests.
 
Xahau Development Roadmap
 
Xahau leaders have published a roadmap for 2025 that lists their various goals for the ecosystem:
 
To read a detailed explanation for each item, refer to this: Xahau Roadmap Super Thread
 
One of the most incredible waypoints listed is 'JavaScript Hooks Implementation.' 🤯
JavaScript!
 
With the 'JavaScript Hooks Implementation', Xahau is making history; it will enable anybody that knows JavaScript to easily create and install a smart contract. While networks like Ethereum are impressive early movers, they require developers to learn a new language and syntax.
 
Xahau will soon open 'crypto smart contracts' to a group of developers that number in the tens of millions.
 
Project L-10K
 
Project L-10K is one of the most important items in the pipeline. L-10K refers to the effort to boost the throughput of Xahau consensus to over 10,000 transactions per ledger! This will benefit hosted projects such as Evernode, and future issued assets. Heading up the effort is Richard Holland, who provided a progress update to the community in late May of 2025:
 
To learn more about this ambitious effort, you can watch his full presentation here:
The Future Of Defi And Payments
 
Once you've seen the extensive list of use cases that XAH easily handles, it's truly inspiring. Xahau is everything that you love about XRP, plus a long list of more things to love. ❤️
 
Be an early adopter of XAH and the Xahau network! Join the community groups listed and follow the accounts that seem to reflect your own interest - speculator, developer, or crypto fan. You have a place in our community, no matter what your background or interests are. Welcome to the future of crypto Defi and Payments
 
Sources:
 
 
NOTE: Payment channels for IOUs is currently in amendment status for the XRP Ledger, authored by Denis Angel here:
 
 

🙏 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

 
 
Read full Article
See More
Available on mobile and TV devices
google store google store app store app store
google store google store app tv store app tv store amazon store amazon store roku store roku store
Powered by Locals