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Prediction markets battle escalates after president Donald Trump sides with CFTC

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Prediction markets battle escalates after president Donald Trump sides with CFTC

The CFTC has moved a proposed rule on prediction-markets event contracts into White House review as federal and state officials fight over who should police the fast-growing sector.

Summary

  • The CFTC’s proposed prediction-market rule is under White House review before it can be released for public comment.
  • The rule could create the first comprehensive federal framework for event contracts and affect platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket.
  • Trump backed CFTC control over prediction markets, while Illinois Governor JB Pritzker defended state action against insider trading.

Bloomberg first reported that the proposal is now before the White House Office of Management and Budget, a step that precedes the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s release of the plan for public comment. The details have not yet been published.

CFTC pushes toward event contract rules

The proposed rule is expected to draw from a CFTC consultation held in the spring, which attracted more than 3,000 public comments. Those responses covered insider trading, barred contracts, market safeguards, and the legal structure around event contracts.

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If adopted, the rule would give the US its first full federal framework for prediction-market contracts. It could also affect how platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket serve US users, especially as the industry faces rising legal pressure from state regulators.

At the center of the issue is whether contracts tied to elections, sports, and public events should be treated as federally regulated derivatives or as gambling products subject to state law.

States challenge federal control

Nevada, New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Montana, Illinois, and other states have taken action against prediction-market operators. State officials have argued that some contracts resemble sports betting or other gambling products and should follow local gaming, tax, and consumer-protection rules.

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Kalshi and other operators have said their event contracts are allowed under the Commodity Exchange Act. State regulators have rejected that view in several disputes, saying federal approval should not block enforcement of state gambling laws.

The question is now moving through the courts, where judges have split on whether CFTC jurisdiction overrides state gaming authority. Those cases could shape how much room states have to regulate platforms that list event-based contracts.

Pritzker criticizes Trump over prediction markets

President Donald Trump entered the dispute on Tuesday, publicly supporting Brian Selig and arguing that the CFTC should have exclusive authority over prediction markets. Trump said the issue was “critically important” and framed federal control as necessary for clear national rules.

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In his post, Trump also attacked former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, New York Attorney General Letitia James, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Trump said his administration was setting “rules of the road” for states and used harsh language against the officials. 

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker responded on X, saying that Illinois had taken action to stop and ban insider trading in online prediction markets. Pritzker accused Trump of trying to stop states from regulating the sector so people close to him could benefit.

Donald Trump Jr. has ties to the industry. He invested in Polymarket through venture capital firm 1789 Capital and also serves as a strategic adviser to Kalshi.

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Ethereum price hits $1,680 as exchange supply drops to 14.5M ETH

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Ethereum price hits $1,680 as exchange supply drops to 14.5M ETH - 2

During today’s Asian trading session, Ethereum opened at $1628.

Summary

  • Ethereum price climbed 2.87% to $1,680 after a late-session rally.
  • CryptoQuant data shows exchange supply fell to 14.5M ETH.
  • Staking, private wallets, and treasury holdings reduced exchange balances.

The opening price was at lower levels before the channel turned and traced an upward trend of highs and lows. This opening price has made market participants weigh in on the next targets as exchange supply hits low levels.

Ethereum price jumps 2.87% as late rally lifts price to $1,680

Tracking the ongoing price trend at the time of press, CoinMarketCap data reveals that Ethereum traded at $1,680.01, posting a 2.87% gain over the past 24 hours. The chart showed a volatile session that developed into a broader upward trend. Price activity remained under pressure during the early hours, with Ethereum falling below the $1,620 region before finding support and stabilizing. After that decline, the market gradually recovered and reclaimed lost ground through a steady sequence of higher moves.

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Ethereum price hits $1,680 as exchange supply drops to 14.5M ETH - 2

Source: CoinMarketCap

Momentum strengthened during the morning period as Ethereum pushed above $1,640 and continued climbing. The advance extended through several intraday swings, with price maintaining a generally positive structure despite short pullbacks. By midday, Ethereum price traded near the $1,660 area and held most of its gains. The trend remained constructive throughout the afternoon, although price movements became more uneven and ranged within a relatively narrow band.

Later in the session, the Ethereum price briefly retreated from local highs and moved lower toward the mid-$1,630s. The decline proved temporary as the market reversed sharply near the end of the period. A strong late-session rally lifted the Ethereum price above previous intraday levels and drove a rapid breakout toward $1,690. Price then eased slightly from that peak and settled around $1,680, ending the session near its highest levels of the day.

Ethereum exchange supply drops to a record low at 14.5 million ETH

The ongoing Ethereum price trend comes at a time when Ethereum exchange reserves have fallen to a record low of 14.5 million ETH, according to CryptoQuant data. The decline began around July 2025 and has continued without a sustained recovery. The drop came as investors moved coins into staking contracts and private wallets. CryptoQuant data shows exchange balances stayed near 20 million ETH through most of 2024. 

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However, withdrawals accelerated in July 2025 and pushed reserves lower. CryptoQuant commentary stated that “exchange reserves continue to decline at a fast pace.” The metric tracks ETH held on trading platforms and available for immediate trading. Data shows outflows from major platforms, including Binance and Coinbase. As a result, the visible supply on exchanges dropped to its lowest recorded level. 

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Investors also moved more ETH into staking contracts during the same period. These locked balances remain outside immediate trading activity. Therefore, staking reduced the amount of Ethereum available on exchanges. Corporate treasury activity added to the decline in exchange holdings. BitMine expanded its ETH position after a $250 million capital raise in 2025. Market reports show BitMine holds over 5.5 million ETH. SharpLink also holds 868,699 ETH in its treasury structure.

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eToro Integrates Grok-Powered Real-Time Market Sentiment Into AI Investing Assistant Tori

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Crypto Breaking News

eToro has expanded its AI capabilities by integrating real-time market sentiment from X into its AI investing companion, Tori, through a partnership with xAI and Grok.

According to an announcement published by xAI on June 10, Tori can now access real-time information from X, allowing the AI assistant to monitor market sentiment, identify emerging trends and analyze investor reactions as they happen.

The move represents another step in eToro’s broader strategy to bring artificial intelligence deeper into the investing experience, giving users access to live market intelligence directly within the platform.

Bringing Real-Time Market Intelligence to Investors

Markets increasingly react to information shared across social media platforms before it reaches traditional news outlets. Through the integration with Grok, Tori can analyze conversations, sentiment shifts and breaking developments occurring on X in real time.

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According to xAI, Tori can now “read market moods as they shift, track live signals and analyze information” using the company’s latest AI models.

The capability aims to simplify market research by allowing investors to ask questions about specific assets, trends or news events and receive insights based on real-time discussions happening across X.

Part of eToro’s AI-First Strategy

While the latest announcement from xAI focuses on real-time sentiment analysis, the integration builds on a broader relaunch of Tori that eToro unveiled earlier this year.

In April, eToro announced three major upgrades for its AI investing companion:

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  • Real-time market sentiment from X powered by Grok 4.2
  • Persistent memory across conversations
  • AI-powered Agent Portfolios that can be managed through natural language interactions

The platform says Tori can remember user preferences, portfolio information and previous interactions, allowing the assistant to provide increasingly personalized insights over time.

From Research to Execution

One of the most notable additions introduced by eToro is the concept of Agent Portfolios, dedicated sub-portfolios designed specifically for AI-driven investing strategies.

Users can allocate capital to a separate portfolio, define operating rules and allow AI agents to execute strategies within those predefined limits while keeping their primary portfolio under direct control.

According to eToro CEO and co-founder Yoni Assia, the objective is not to replace investors but to enhance their capabilities through intelligent automation and real-time analysis.

Growing Role of AI in Investing

The partnership between eToro and xAI highlights a broader trend across the financial industry, where AI tools are increasingly being used to process large volumes of market data, social sentiment and news flow in real time.

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With more than 40 million registered users across 75 countries, eToro is among the largest retail investing platforms adopting AI-powered market intelligence at scale.

As competition intensifies among AI providers and fintech platforms, the integration of Grok’s real-time awareness of X conversations into Tori could offer investors faster access to market sentiment and emerging narratives that often influence asset prices before traditional analysis catches up.

Whether real-time social sentiment ultimately translates into better investment outcomes remains to be seen, but eToro’s latest move demonstrates how AI is rapidly becoming a core component of the modern investing experience.

About eToro

Founded in 2007, eToro is a global trading and investing platform offering access to stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies, commodities and other financial assets. The company serves more than 40 million registered users worldwide and has been actively expanding its AI capabilities through Tori, its proprietary investing assistant.

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Risk & affiliate notice: Crypto assets are volatile and capital is at risk. This article may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

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MassPay joins Coinbase to challenge costly cross-border wires

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MassPay joins Coinbase to challenge costly cross-border wires

MassPay has partnered with Coinbase to integrate stablecoin funding and settlement into its cross-border payout network, giving enterprise customers access to USDC-based payments across 180 countries.

Summary

  • MassPay has integrated Coinbase’s payment infrastructure to enable USDC-powered cross-border payouts across 180 countries.
  • Corporate clients can fund in USD, convert to USDC through Coinbase, and distribute payments in crypto or local fiat currencies.
  • Coinbase will provide custody, wallets, settlement, and payment orchestration, while MassPay manages payout delivery through its global network.

According to the companies’ announcement, eligible MassPay clients can send USDC globally, manage treasury operations through Coinbase Prime custody, and settle transactions on-chain instead of relying on traditional international payment rails.

The integration brings Coinbase’s payment infrastructure directly into MassPay’s platform. Coinbase said its payment APIs will provide wallet services, custody, payment orchestration, and payout functionality, allowing businesses to access stablecoin payments without building their own crypto infrastructure.

MassPay and Coinbase stated that the arrangement is designed to address longstanding challenges in cross-border payments, where companies often need to prefund accounts across multiple markets, tying up working capital and delaying settlements.

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Stablecoin funding is integrated into payout operations

Under the integration, corporate customers can fund transactions in U.S. dollars and convert those funds into USDC through Coinbase. According to the announcement, businesses can then distribute funds through a single payment flow to recipients receiving USDC, other digital assets, or local fiat currencies.

Coinbase said the system removes the need for businesses to assemble separate crypto on-ramps, custody providers, wallet infrastructure, liquidity sources, and compliance solutions before using stablecoins for international payments.

At the operational level, Coinbase will provide custody services, wallet infrastructure, settlement capabilities, and regulatory coverage through its licensing framework. MassPay will continue handling payout delivery to recipients through its existing network.

According to the companies, eliminating prefunding requirements allows capital to remain available for business operations instead of sitting idle across payment corridors while awaiting settlement.

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Coinbase expands its payments infrastructure strategy

The partnership adds another payments-focused initiative to Coinbase’s growing stablecoin business. In the announcement, Coinbase described itself as offering an end-to-end crypto payments stack that includes the Base blockchain network, USDC and other stablecoins, wallet services, payment tools, on-ramps, off-ramps, and payout infrastructure.

Coinbase also highlighted its position as a major USDC distributor. The company said USDC was co-created alongside Circle and noted that nearly $20 billion of the stablecoin is held on its platform.

Institutional infrastructure remains another focus. Coinbase stated that it serves as a primary custodian for leading spot crypto ETF issuers while maintaining what it described as one of the industry’s largest regulatory licensing footprints.

The latest payment partnership comes as Coinbase continues expanding services beyond exchange trading. Recently, the company received regulatory approval to offer access to global crypto perpetual futures for U.S. users, with Coinbase Chief Executive Brian Armstrong stating that the development would connect American traders to global perpetual futures liquidity through a regulated domestic platform.

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At the same time, Coinbase has been advocating for stablecoin-friendly regulations in Washington. The company recently urged U.S. lawmakers to remove capital gains tax requirements on stablecoin payments and exempt small crypto transactions from certain reporting obligations, arguing that such changes could reduce friction for digital payment adoption.

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Bitcoin Jumps, Oil Drops as Trump Calls Off Planned Iran Strikes

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Bitcoin’s price experienced a noteworthy uptick over the past hour or so, jumping from $62,300 to a multi-day peak of $63,700. At the same time, oil prices dropped hard from over $91 to under $87 within minutes.

The main culprit for this is US President Donald Trump’s statement from less than an hour ago that his country will not execute the scheduled attacks against Iran. Interestingly, it came shortly after his latest threats, in which he warned that the US might take out bridges and energy infrastructure.

“Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening. Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others.”

However, he noted that the naval blockade will remain in place until the permanent deal is reached. Answering a question from a reporter, the POTUS said that the agreement is “pretty much wrapped up.”

The ever-volatile cryptocurrency market reacted with an immediate price uptick to the promising statement, with BTC jumping by about a grand and a half. ETH has neared $1,700 once again, BNB reclaimed the $600 level, while SOL has risen by 5% daily to $67.

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US oil prices have extended the losses as mentioned above, dropping below $87 within minutes.

The post Bitcoin Jumps, Oil Drops as Trump Calls Off Planned Iran Strikes appeared first on CryptoPotato.

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Polish President Nawrocki stalls MiCA rollout despite deadline

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Polish President Nawrocki stalls MiCA rollout despite deadline

Polish President Karol Nawrocki has vetoed the country’s crypto assets bill for a third time, delaying the implementation of the European Union’s MiCA framework just weeks before the bloc’s July compliance deadline.

Summary

  • Karol Nawrocki has vetoed Poland’s MiCA implementation bill for the third time ahead of the EU’s July deadline.
  • The proposed law would have given the KNF licensing, reporting, and enforcement powers over crypto firms.
  • Concerns over oversight intensified after the collapse of Zondacrypto, Poland’s largest crypto exchange.

According to Reuters, Nawrocki rejected legislation that would have aligned Poland’s crypto rules with the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) framework despite lawmakers approving the bill in May. The proposed law was designed to establish a domestic regulatory framework for crypto firms and bring the country in line with EU requirements.

Speaking on the legislation, Nawrocki said the bill failed to address concerns previously raised by his office. Reuters reported that while the president supports regulation of the crypto sector, he believes the current version does not provide sufficient safeguards and requires further changes before it can become law.

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His latest veto extends a dispute that has already delayed Poland’s MiCA implementation for months. Earlier measures intended to introduce the EU framework were also blocked after Nawrocki raised objections to the powers granted to regulators and the potential burden on local crypto businesses.

The bill would have expanded KNF oversight

Back in mid-May, Poland’s lower house approved the long-awaited crypto assets bill amid mounting pressure to meet the EU’s implementation timeline. As previously reported by crypto.news, the legislation would have granted Poland’s Financial Supervision Authority, known as the KNF, authority over crypto-asset service providers operating in the country.

Under the proposed framework, crypto firms would have been required to obtain licenses, comply with reporting obligations, and follow new operational standards. The bill also included criminal penalties for serious violations connected to token issuance and exchange activities.

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Earlier objections from Nawrocki focused on what he viewed as excessive regulatory powers for the KNF and supervisory fees that could discourage domestic crypto companies. According to Reuters, the president argued that overly restrictive rules could drive innovation and crypto businesses outside Poland.

Although he vetoed the legislation, Nawrocki indicated that he remains open to approving a revised version if lawmakers incorporate changes recommended by his administration.

“I support ​regulating ⁠this market. I support consumer protection, but it must be done effectively. The bill will be ​signed into law if it is amended.”

Exchange collapse has intensified pressure for regulation

Recent events in Poland’s crypto market have increased scrutiny of the sector. Public concern grew after the collapse of Zondacrypto, widely reported as the country’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, exposed weaknesses in oversight and investor protections.

The failure prompted lawmakers to accelerate work on the MiCA-aligned legislation, with supporters arguing that stronger supervision could help prevent similar incidents and restore confidence among users. Nawrocki, however, maintained that the current draft still falls short of addressing key structural risks despite those concerns.

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Elsewhere in Europe, MiCA adoption continues to move forward as member states implement the framework and crypto companies prepare for the new rules. Reuters noted that Poland’s latest delay creates uncertainty over how quickly the country can complete the transition before EU requirements take full effect.

Outside Europe, policymakers in the U.S. are debating their own crypto market legislation. Several industry participants, including Ripple and Coinbase, have backed the CLARITY Act, though its progress remains uncertain due to ongoing disagreements among lawmakers over ethics-related provisions.

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MassPay Partners with Coinbase to Scale Stablecoin Payouts

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Crypto Breaking News

Cross-border payout platform MassPay and Coinbase announced a partnership to enable stablecoin-based cross-border payouts, merging MassPay’s global payout network with Coinbase’s crypto infrastructure. The collaboration links MassPay’s network spanning 180 countries with Coinbase’s wallet, custody and on-chain settlement capabilities, enabling customers to move between fiat, USDC and other digital assets.

MassPay CEO Ran Grushkowsky told Cointelegraph that stablecoins are still a small slice of the company’s transaction volume, but the joint rails are expected to support nine-figure payouts in the first year. He added that clients using the system have seen costs fall by roughly 40% to 70% versus traditional international wires, with settlement near instant rather than taking days on legacy rails.

Key takeaways

  • MassPay’s network in 180 countries now interfaces with Coinbase’s custodial and settlement rails to enable fiat/crypto cross-border payouts.
  • The collaboration targets nine-figure payout volumes in the first 12 months, signaling a scaling push for stablecoin-based cross-border payments.
  • Cost reductions of 40% to 70% versus traditional international wires accompany near-instant settlement, potentially improving cash flow for global businesses.
  • Compliance duties are divided: Coinbase provides regulated custodial infrastructure and licensing, while MassPay handles Know Your Customer checks, sanctions screening and tax documentation across its network.
  • This move aligns with a broader industry transition toward stablecoin-enabled cross-border rails, echoed by Stripe’s Bridge acquisition and Circle’s Payments Network.

MassPay deepens stablecoin payout push

Under the agreement, Coinbase will supply wallet infrastructure, custody and on-chain settlement, while MassPay orchestrates last-mile payouts through bank transfers, mobile wallets and digital asset channels. The two firms split compliance responsibilities, with Coinbase contributing regulated custodial infrastructure and licensing, and MassPay handling KYC, sanctions screening and tax documentation across its expansive network. Grushkowsky noted that MassPay already offers stablecoin payout capabilities via other providers, and this collaboration with Coinbase aims to expand capacity and credibility.

Stablecoins accelerating cross-border rails

The MassPay–Coinbase partnership sits within a broader trend of traditional payments players building stablecoin-focused infrastructure for cross-border flows. In February 2025, Stripe completed the acquisition of Bridge, a startup focused on scaling stablecoins for business use, underscoring expectations that tokenized money will accelerate cross-border commerce. Circle has also advanced its own roadmap, announcing in April 2025 the Circle Payments Network to connect banks, payment companies and digital wallets for real-time cross-border settlement using USDC, EURC and other regulated stablecoins.

Related context: Stripe’s expansion into stablecoin rails and Circle’s network development illustrate how mainstream payment incumbents are reorganizing to accommodate tokenized money across borders.

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As these rails mature, investors and merchants are watching how quickly they can scale to mid-sized and enterprise payouts, and whether regulatory clarity keeps pace with the evolving payments landscape. The current collaboration signals a meaningful vote of confidence from established players in favor of stablecoins as a cross-border settlement layer.

As more payments incumbents experiment with stablecoins, observers will watch how adoption scales across mid-market payouts and whether regulatory clarity keeps pace with the technology. Next milestones include broader currency coverage and geographic reach, as well as real-world impact on costs and settlement times across the network.

Risk & affiliate notice: Crypto assets are volatile and capital is at risk. This article may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

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XRP Ledger generated less than $400 in fees yesterday

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XRP Ledger generated less than $400 in fees yesterday

Chain fees on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) were less than $400 on Wednesday, according to DefiLlama, which tracks fees across major blockchains.

Bithomp, another explorer, estimated users of the blockchain burned 327 XRP over the past 24 hours, confirming the total as worth less than $400.

Expanding the timeframe to a week doesn’t do much to improve the figure. XRPL generated $3,100 in chain fees over the past week, and roughly $16,000 over the past month.

For a sense of scale, Bitcoin users paid miners $183,000 worth of transaction fees yesterday. On the same day, Ethereum generated more than $323,000, while Solana pulled in $358,000.

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Tron cleared more than $1 million.

Embarrassingly, the entire trailing 12 months of XRPL chain fees sum to less than a single day at Tron.

A busy network earns almost no fees

To be strictly accurate, XRPL chain fees are burned, a minor distinction from the customary practice of coin payments to miners or validators.

Still, the value of XRP burned to conduct transactions on XRPL is comparable to the value of transaction or chain fees paid to miners or validators on other blockchains.

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The explanation for the tiny figure is as simple as it is devastating. Every XRPL transaction destroys a tiny, minimum amount of XRP as an anti-spam measure.

The base cost is 0.00001 XRP, or 10 drops, as the network’s own documentation confirms.

At yesterday’s XRP price near $1.11, that rounds to one thousandth of one cent per transaction.

This contrasts starkly with market-fluctuating, demand-based transaction fees like Bitcoin where chain fees fluctuate in value wildly by day. Indeed, although Bitcoin users typically pay a few hundred thousand dollars worth of daily transaction fees to miners, on a day like April 19, 2024, they paid over $80 million.

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On XRPL, fees stay microscopic even when the network is busy. Indeed, the network is quite busy, routinely processing more than a million transactions a day, including many computational, non-payment data requests.

Unfortunately, even an impressive million transactions at the base rate of 10 drops burns just 10 XRP. Run the math at current XRP prices, and a million transactions costs less than $20.

Read more: David Schwartz says don’t invest in Ripple

XRP Ledger fees slow to a trickle

XRPL chain fees are burned, not paid to validators, so no one has any particular motivation to buy XRP on the basis of earning chain fees.

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Although burns do reward all token holders equally by reducing supply, their tiny dollar value mostly exists to deter spam.

As a result, the mechanism of chain fees captures only a de minimis measure of the network’s activity, which is dwarfed by its $69 billion market capitalization — almost all of which is speculative investment.

Even by its own low standards, the XRPL is slowing down. Analytics firm Glassnode found that daily fees fell about 89% over the course of 2025.

Last December was “the lowest level seen since December 2020.”

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Protos previously documented the same decline from another angle, with active XRP Ledger addresses down 80% during the first half of 2025. The pattern is consistent.

At time of writing, XRP trades at $1.11, down 40% year-to-date and 52% over the past 12 months. The blockchain underneath it earned less than $400 in chain fees yesterday.

Got a tip? Send us an email securely via Protos Leaks. For more informed news and investigations, follow us on XBluesky, and Google News, or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Franklin Templeton, BNP Paribas See Tokenization Boosting EU’s Capital Efficiency

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Franklin Templeton, BNP Paribas See Tokenization Boosting EU's Capital Efficiency

Large financial institutions are turning to tokenization to improve capital efficiency and liquidity, according to representatives from Franklin Templeton and BNP Paribas.

Speaking at a panel at the WAIB Summit 2026 in Monaco, industry executives discussed how tokenized assets and stablecoins could modernize Europe’s capital markets by streamlining settlement, improving collateral mobility and creating new opportunities for cross-border financial activity.

Tokenization offers institutions more “optionality and flexibility,” a development that is driving interest from banks and large corporations to launch their own offerings, said Rafael Mastroberardino, head of digital assets partnership development at investment manager  Franklin Templeton.

Julien Clausse, the head of BNP Paribas CIB’s tokenization platform, said blockchain’s ability to host multiple assets on the same chain could unlock new institutional use cases, provided those assets are able to interact with one another.

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Institutional interest in tokenization has accelerated in recent months. Some of the largest US banks, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, are reportedly planning a tokenized deposit network for launch in the first half of 2027, seeking to keep deposits within regulated banking channels while offering some of the speed and programmability associated with blockchain-based assets.

Executives discuss stablecoins and tokenized assets during a panel at WAIB Summit 2026 in Monaco. Photo: Cointelegraph

Wall Street pushes deeper into tokenization

On March 18, the US Securities and Exchange Commission approved Nasdaq’s pilot proposal to support the trading of tokenized versions of high-volume stocks and securities.

Days later, on March 24, the New York Stock Exchange partnered with tokenization platform Securitize to develop blockchain-based trading infrastructure for Wall Street, including tokenized shares of stocks and exchange-traded funds.

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Related: Equipment finance platform Trad.Fi to bring $650M in private credit onchain

The initiative forms part of parent company Intercontinental Exchange’s plans for a tokenized securities venue featuring 24/7 trading, instant settlement, stablecoin-based funding and onchain settlement.

The sector has also attracted significant investment. On Thursday, Digital Asset Holdings raised $355 million in a round led by Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto arm. The deal reportedly valued the company at around $2 billion. The capital will be used to expand Canton Network, a platform designed for financial institutions to tokenize and settle traditional securities while keeping sensitive data private.

Canton has already been piloted by institutions including Goldman Sachs, BNY Mellon, BNP Paribas, Standard Chartered, Société Générale and Deutsche Börse.

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Magazine: Can Robinhood or Kraken’s tokenized stocks ever be truly decentralized? 

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Early SpaceX investors will now reap the rewards

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SpaceX’s Super Heavy booster is seen on the launch pad, as Starship is prepared to be placed on top, at the company’s Boca Chica complex, ahead of Starship’s eighth test flight which is targeted for March 3, from Starbase, near Brownsville, Texas, U.S. March 2, 2025.

Kaylee Greenlee | Reuters

For nearly two decades, some of the world’s most prominent investors quietly accumulated stakes in SpaceX while the rocket maker remained largely off-limits to the public markets.

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Now, with Elon Musk’s company seeking a valuation of roughly $1.8 trillion in its initial public offering, those early bets are poised to generate some of the largest paper gains in venture capital history.

Among the biggest beneficiaries are veteran stock picker Ron Baron, Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest and mutual fund giant Fidelity Investments. Also poised to win are venture firms including Founders Fund, Sequoia Capital and Andreessen Horowitz, as well as hedge funds such as D1 Capital Partners and Coatue Management. Select pension funds and endowments are also set to share in the windfall.

The gains are striking for investors who backed SpaceX before its success became obvious. Baron first invested in 2017 through employee tender offers when the company was valued at less than $22 billion and has since participated in 27 funding rounds.

By the end of March, SpaceX accounted for 33% of assets in the $10.4 billion Baron Partners Fund and 23% of the Baron Asset Fund, making it one of the firm’s most consequential investments.

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“We think that SpaceX will become the largest, most profitable company on the planet,” Baron said during an investor webcast this week. His firm has invested about $2 billion in the company over the years, a stake that has grown to roughly $12 billion, he said.

Still early in its value creation

Wood’s ARK Venture Fund has also been a major beneficiary of SpaceX’s rapid rise. The rocket maker accounted for 11.4% of the fund’s net assets as of March 31, making it the largest holding in the portfolio.

Wood said ARK views SpaceX as far more than a launch provider. “Through Starship, Starlink and the acquisition of xAI, we believe SpaceX is building vertically integrated AI infrastructure for a much larger space economy,” she told CNBC.

The investment also reflects ARK’s broader thesis around technological convergence. SpaceX sits at the intersection of several of the firm’s core innovation themes, including artificial intelligence, robotics and energy storage. Wood believes the company’s next phase of growth could be driven not only by its existing Falcon 9 launch business and Starlink satellite network, but also by Starship, the next-generation rocket system that could open new commercial opportunities in space.

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“For long-term shareholders, an IPO would provide broader access to a company that we believe remains early in its value creation,” Wood said.

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Ark Venture Fund 1 year

No traditional asset manager may have benefited more from SpaceX’s rise than Fidelity Investments. The Boston-based firm got in early through former portfolio manager Gavin Baker, who began buying shares in 2015 when SpaceX was valued at just about $10 billion.

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As of March 31, SpaceX accounted for 4.7% of the $177 billion Fidelity Contrafund, one of the largest actively managed mutual funds in the world. The company also represented 3.3% of the $103 billion Fidelity Blue Chip Growth Fund and 2.6% of the nearly $99 billion Fidelity Growth Company Fund.

Fidelity declined to comment for this story.

Coming up aces

The extraordinary returns reflect not only the company’s growth, but also the scarcity value of access.

“They were taking a chance on Elon, and it came up aces for them,” said Greg Martin, co-founder and managing director of Rainmaker Securities. “Once they took the chance on Elon, the long-term cap table position turned out to be very scarce because the cap table is managed very tightly.” The cap table, or capitalization table, refers to a written breakdown of a company’s equity ownership.

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Unlike many venture-backed companies that routinely broaden their shareholder base, SpaceX maintained tight control over who could invest, Martin said. As a result, investors who secured positions early often received opportunities to participate in later funding rounds that were unavailable to most institutions.

“Their early bet on Elon not only paid off for their initial investment, but enabled them to deploy a lot more capital when the business became more and more of an obvious success,” Martin said.

That dynamic helped transform relatively modest early investments into positions worth billions of dollar. Venture firms Founders Fund first backed SpaceX in 2008, while hedge funds such as Coatue and D1 gained exposure through later private rounds.

“Our success is almost by thinking all the things that other people do that don’t make sense, and just, hopefully, by doing those, it’s like 75% of the work,” said Philippe Laffont, founder of Coatue Management, at Global Alts conference in New York this week.

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Pensions and endowments

Pension funds and university endowments are also poised to reap substantial gains from SpaceX’s debut, underscoring how the company’s rise has rewarded institutions responsible for funding retirements, scholarships and academic research.

The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan invested more than $200 million in SpaceX in 2019 through a newly created technology-focused investment vehicle at the time. Back then, the pension manager described SpaceX as “a compelling investment opportunity” because of its “proven track record of technology disruption in the launch space and significant future growth potential in the satellite broadband market.”

University endowments have also emerged as major beneficiaries. Washington University in St. Louis invested roughly $50 million in SpaceX nearly a decade ago, a stake that has appreciated dramatically as the company climbed toward its IPO valuation. The holding now accounts for more than 10% of the university’s approximately $17 billion endowment, according to Bloomberg News.

Washington University declined to comment, and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan didn’t respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

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Crypto World

XRP stays around $1.10 as ETF inflows persist

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Traders analyzing XRP as it stays below $1.12
Traders analyzing XRP as it stays below $1.12

Key takeaways

  • XRP continues to consolidate around the $1.10 mark.
  • The bulls are holding the price above the $1.05 support level.

Ripple’s XRP is trading lower on Thursday, staying around $1.10 as the token attempted to reverse a downtrend that has persisted since mid-May. 

The downtrend comes as institutional demand for XRP-linked investment products continues to strengthen, even as retail traders remain cautious amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Geopolitical uncertainty continues to weigh on markets

Risk sentiment remains fragile as tensions between the United States and Iran continue to escalate.

Recent developments have included renewed military exchanges between the two nations, with US President Donald Trump stating that Iran has been slow to agree to a peace deal. Following those remarks, the US military conducted additional strikes that it described as defensive actions.

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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) subsequently launched attacks targeting US military facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.

The uncertainty has contributed to volatility across financial and cryptocurrency markets, limiting investor risk appetite.

Despite the uncertain macro environment, institutional investors continue to add exposure to XRP.

Data from CoinGlass shows that XRP spot ETFs attracted nearly $1.2 million in net inflows on Wednesday, following approximately $7.44 million in inflows on Tuesday.

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According to CoinGlass data, XRP futures Open Interest (OI) stood at approximately $2.43 billion on Thursday.

A falling Open Interest environment typically signals reduced speculative activity and limited conviction among short-term market participants.

XRP price analysis: Recovery attempt faces major resistance

XRP is currently trading around $1.10, but the broader technical picture remains bearish.

The token continues to trade below several major trend indicators. Remaining below all three moving averages suggests that the longer-term downtrend remains intact.

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Technical momentum indicators suggest selling pressure is easing, but not yet reversing.

The RSI is hovering near 44, indicating weak demand while remaining just above oversold territory.

The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) histogram remains in negative territory, signaling that bearish momentum continues to dominate despite the recent bounce.

If the bulls regain control, XRP could surge towards the 50-day EMA at $1.30, with additional hurdles at $1.40 and $1.61. 

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A break above $1.26 would be the first sign that bullish momentum is beginning to strengthen.

However, if the bearish trend persists, XRP could retest the $1.05 support level before dropping below $1.0 to test lower demand zones at $0.95

XRP/USD 4H Chart

XRP’s latest rebound is being supported by steady ETF inflows and growing institutional interest. However, declining futures activity, persistent geopolitical uncertainty, and a bearish technical structure suggest that the recovery remains tentative.

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