Singapore’s OCBC has established a US$1 billion digital US commercial paper programme using blockchain technology. OCBC says the programme unlocks near-instantaneous short-term US dollar funding capabilities. This near-instant settlement is made possible by tokenised securities and funds being on-chain, enabling OCBC to receive funds within minutes. Besides issuance and settlement, the programme’s record-keeping and servicing will also be done on-chain. JP Morgan’s Digital Debt Service application, built on its Kinexys platform, will facilitate OCBC programme, with the US giant also acting as sole dealer. Kenneth Lai, head, global markets, OCBC, says: “Singapore’s blockchain ecosystem is advancing fast, and asset tokenisation is gaining real momentum. Our focus is now firmly on commercialisation.
Singapore’s OCBC bank launches a $1B digital commercial paper program, using tokenized securities and on‑chain cash to settle in minutes, with J.P. Morgan as sole dealer on Kinexys.
Singapore’s OCBC has established a US$1 billion digital US commercial paper programme using blockchain technology. OCBC says the programme unlocks near-instantaneous short-term US dollar funding capabilities. This near-instant settlement is made possible by tokenised securities and funds being on-chain, enabling OCBC to receive funds within minutes. Besides issuance and settlement, the programme’s record-keeping and servicing will also be done on-chain. JP Morgan’s Digital Debt Service application, built on its Kinexys platform, will facilitate OCBC programme, with the US giant also acting as sole dealer. Kenneth Lai, head, global markets, OCBC, says: “Singapore’s blockchain ecosystem is advancing fast, and asset tokenisation is gaining real momentum. Our focus is now firmly on commercialisation.
Paybis enhances near‑instant USDT purchase across Europe, UK, US, Brazil and Southeast Asia by integrating regional instant rails (Instant SEPA, Faster Payments) and local wallets (Pix, GrabPay, InstaPay, Apple Pay)
Paybis announced a major enhancement to its platform, making it easier for users worldwide to buy USDT through a broader and faster range of payment methods. With these updates, Paybis offers users an easier way to access and use stablecoins worldwide: Instant SEPA, Faster Payments, and Fedwire. Bank transfers (such as Instant SEPA in the EU, Faster Payments in the UK, and Fedwire in the U.S.) now allow users to buy USDT nearly instantly from their bank accounts in supported regions; GrabPay in Malaysia and the Philippines. Users in Southeast Asia can now purchase USDT in under 10 minutes using GrabPay, a widely adopted mobile wallet in the region; InstaPay in the Philippines. Filipino users can leverage real-time electronic payments through InstaPay to acquire USDT instantly, backed by regulated and secure infrastructure; Pix in Brazil. Brazilian users benefit from the fast, low-cost Pix payment system to buy Tether in just a few clicks; Credit and Debit Cards, including Apple Pay. Retail users globally can continue using familiar options like cards and Apple Pay for rapid USDT purchases.
Splendor Labs is building a “marketplace economy” for AI that runs on blockchain; usage events (like a query or an agent task) automatically trigger tiny crypto payments to whoever provided the model, data, or compute
Splendor Labs announced progress on its mission to build the world’s first blockchain-native AI infrastructure and economy, enabling a new era of decentralized intelligence where model creators, inference providers, data providers, compute and storage providers, tool developers, AI agents, enterprises, marketplaces, investors, and end users can transact seamlessly through on-chain settlement and crypto micropayments. The Splendor roadmap introduces a suite of interoperable platforms that bring the AI economy to life: Splendor Search – Wallet-native, AI-powered search engine (public test live); Splendor Coder – A next-generation secure AI coding environment with lightweight interaction and enterprise-grade security enhancements, enabling developers to build, audit, and deploy applications directly into the Splendor ecosystem; AI Studio – Wallet-based AI environment with 630+ models available on demand; Agent Factory – Marketplace for creating, sharing, and monetizing autonomous AI agents; Splendor OS & Wallet – Operating system and wallet designed for AI-native transactions; Together, these products are shaping the first self-sustaining AI economy, where every interaction—search, query, line of code, subscription, or agent execution—can trigger instant crypto micropayments between participants.
XRP’s future growth is tied to real transaction volume in high‑fee remittance corridors; currently it supports SBI Remit’s Japan-to-Asian countries flows and Onafriq’s 27‑country African network
The stakes for XRP go beyond crypto trading. Global remittances to low- and middle-income countries reached $685 billion in 2024, with average fees of about 6%, far above the UN’s target of 3%. That fee gap translates into billions in lost income for recipients, space where blockchain rails could make a measurable difference. XRP is positioned for such flows because it can bridge two illiquid currency pairs without pre-funding nostro/vostro accounts, freeing up working capital for banks and PSPs. Whether regulators, treasurers and end-users choose XRP over stablecoins or CBDCs will largely determine its real-world market share by 2030. Liquidity trends are also key. Kaiko data shows XRP’s order-book depth improved notably in late 2024 and 2025, a prerequisite for the tighter spreads and execution quality that institutional players require. Legal clarity from the case dismissal removes a significant barrier for institutional integration. Ripple’s global reach and corridor optionality mean clients can start with stablecoins or fiat and shift to XRP when it delivers better economics. The XRPL’s AMM functionality could deepen on-chain liquidity, reducing volatility and slippage, making XRP more attractive for high-volume payments and DeFi integrations. If U.S. spot ETFs launch and custody solutions expand, demand could be bolstered by passive investment flows alongside utility-driven transactions. Key Factors That Could Impact XRP’s Price in 5 Years Institutional Adoption: Ripple has quietly built a network of production corridors using XRP as a settlement bridge. SBI Remit in Japan uses XRP for real-time payments to the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia. In Africa, Onafriq (formerly MFS Africa) connects 27 countries to Ripple’s rails, enabling faster remittances across the continent. If more banks and PSPs integrate XRP into high-cost corridors, particularly in emerging markets, utility demand could rise significantly.
VersaBank launches bank issued tokenized deposits; positioning a regulated, programmable alternative to stablecoins with vault custody and e‑wallet access, pending OCC clearance
VersaBank announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, VersaBank USA, has launched an internal pilot program in the United States for its USDVBs, the US-dollar version of its proprietary Digital Deposit Receipts (“DDRs”) (the “USDVB Pilot Program”). Developed exclusively by VersaBank using its proprietary technology, DDRs are bank-issued tokenized deposits, which are highly encrypted 1:1 digital representations of actual cash deposits that provide superior security, stability, and regulatory compliance compared to stablecoins. They combine the safety and soundness of traditional banking with the efficiency, cost savings, security, and programmability of blockchain technology. The purpose of the USDVB Pilot Program is to demonstrate the functionality, security, and operational integrity of VersaBank USA DDRs in a US dollar environment and to ensure compliance with US banking regulations, including the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The launch of the USDVB Pilot Program is a critical milestone in VersaBank USA’s preparations to commercialize its USDVB in the United States. VersaBank USA will seek the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s (OCC’s) “non-objection” prior to launching commercially. VersaBank USA’s USDVB Pilot Program will follow a phased testing program involving thousands of transactions of de minimis value with controlled internal testing and expanding to include limited external deployment with designated deposit partners and their clients. USDVBs will be issued at a rate of 1 USDVB for each US$1.00 on deposit with VersaBank USA. Issuance and redemption and basic management of USDVBs will occur through VersaBank’s proprietary VersaVault digital vault platform on the Algorand, Ethereum and Stellar blockchains and access to and control of USDVBs will be managed through its VersaView e-wallet platform. VersaBank USA expects the USDVB Pilot Program to be completed by the end of calendar 2025 with commercial launch to occur as soon as possible thereafter.
Google details its Universal Ledger: a neutral, Python‑programmable L1 for institutional finance, positioned against Stripe’s Tempo and Circle’s Arc.
Google Cloud is moving forward with plans to launch its own layer-1 (L1) blockchain, positioning the network as neutral infrastructure for global finance at a time when fintech competitors are developing out their own distributed ledgers. Rich Widmann, Google’s head of Web3 strategy, provided fresh details on the project, known as the Google Cloud Universal Ledger (GCUL). He described the platform as a credibly neutral, high-performance blockchain designed for institutions, supporting Python-based smart contracts to make it more accessible to developers and financial engineers. “Any financial institution can build with GCUL,” Widmann said, arguing that while companies like Tether may be unlikely to adopt Circle’s blockchain and payment firms like Adyen may hesitate to use Stripe’s, Google’s neutral infrastructure removes those barriers. He also expanded on a comparative chart by fintech strategist Chuk Okpalugo, highlighting how GCUL differs from Stripe’s Tempo and Circle’s Arc, two other high-profile L1 efforts. Universal Ledger is designed as a shared infrastructure layer, intended to be credibly neutral and accessible to any institution rather than bound to a single payments ecosystem. Google brings the reach of its cloud platform, along with the promise of scaling a ledger that can support billions of users and hundreds of institutions. Stripe’s and Circle’s ledgers may serve their own ecosystems well but risk deterring competitors, while Google is pitching GCUL as neutral ground — a ledger that anyone, from exchanges to payment providers, can use without fear of strengthening a rival.
Institutional rails and political pipelines redefine the altcoin rally; with ETF narratives and tokenized RWAs funneling funds to top‑tier assets
FBS, has published a new market analysis highlighting that the upcoming alt season will look very different from past cycles. According to FBS analysts, liquidity is concentrating at the top — in tokens with both strong fundamentals and political leverage. By mid-2025, the top 10 altcoins already captured over 70% of the total altcoin market cap, compared to less than 50% in 2021. The turning point, analysts note, has been U.S. policy. “Altseason 2025 won’t be defined by retail speculation. Political pipelines and institutional flows are shaping it,” FBS analysts explain. “The winners are likely to be projects with direct access to this liquidity, not random microcaps.” Among the tokens positioned to benefit are: Solana (SOL), boosted by political ties, ETF narratives, and strong technical momentum. Ondo (ONDO), a leader in tokenized real-world assets with backing from Coinbase, BlackRock, and regulatory alignment. Sui (SUI) — recently added to WLFI’s strategic reserve, with backing from Trump-linked investors. WLFI (World Liberty Financial) — a Trump-branded project preparing a publicly listed treasury vehicle, potentially opening the door to wider institutional access. Dogecoin (DOGE), retaining cultural staying power with support from high-profile figures. The analysis stresses that while altseason is still ahead, traders should not expect “buy anything and it goes 100x” scenarios. Instead, liquidity will be directed toward a curated shortlist of politically connected and institutionally viable tokens.
Stablecoin settlement Mastercard deepens Circle partnership, marrying compliance tooling with programmable money for merchants and cross‑border digital trade
Mastercard and Circle are deepening their longstanding partnership to enable USDC and EURC settlement for acquirers in the Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) region. This expanded effort marks the first time that the acquiring ecosystem in EEMEA will be able to settle transactions in stablecoins, further cementing Mastercard’s role in connecting blockchain-native crypto assets with traditional fiat commerce infrastructure. This move will empower acquiring institutions to get their settlement in USDC or EURC – fully-reserved stablecoins issued by regulated affiliates of Circle – which they can then use to settle with merchants and help pave the way for a new era of efficient and trusted digital trade across emerging markets. This builds upon existing efforts between Circle and Mastercard in the region on crypto card solutions, such as Bybit and S1LKPAY, which use USDC to settle transactions. Our strategic goal is to integrate stablecoins into the financial mainstream by investing in the infrastructure, governance, and partnerships to support this exciting payment evolution from fiat to tokenized and programmable money. Through our expanded partnership with Circle, we are taking bold steps in integrating their innovative use across our global network,” said Dimitrios Dosis, president, Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Mastercard. “Our expanded partnership with Mastercard will enable wider reach, global access, and scaled impact, so that USDC can become as ubiquitous as traditional payments. Together with Mastercard, we are advancing the role of stablecoins as a foundational tool for everyday financial activity worldwide,” said Kash Razzaghi, Chief Business Officer at Circle.
U.S. Government Starts pushing economic data onto Blockchains for “making America’s economic truth immutable and globally accessible”
The U.S. government has begun using blockchains to disseminate key economic data, starting with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s release of gross-domestic product (GDP) numbers, which was described as a “proof of concept” for doing more of this in the future. “We are making America’s economic truth immutable and globally accessible like never before, cementing our role as the blockchain capital of the world,” said Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, in a statement that announced the new approach to spinning out government data. In a deliberate effort not to pick blockchain favorites, the department put out Thursday’s data via Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, TRON, Stellar, Avalanche, Arbitrum One. Polygon PoS and Optimism, identifying the transaction hashes for each in its announcement. The agency said that it also sent the data through Chainlink and Pyth and noted that exchanges Coinbase, Gemini and Kraken helped out. Lutnick’s department credited President Donald Trump’s fostering of crypto and blockchain technology with what it described as a “landmark effort.” The U.S. government issues a number of economic reports on a routine basis that have tremendous weight with the financial markets, including the Department of Labor’s jobs report and the consumer price index. According to its statement, the Commerce Department “will continue to innovate and broaden the scope of publishing future datasets like GDP to include the use of other blockchains, oracles, and exchanges.”