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Binance Leads Major Stablecoins, Not Just USD1

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Binance Leads Major Stablecoins, Not Just USD1


CZ said Binance holding 87% of USD1 reflects user demand, arguing the exchange dominates most major stablecoins.

Binance users hold about 87% of USD1, the Trump-linked stablecoin, according to a Forbes report published on February 9, 2026, putting most of the token’s circulating supply on a single exchange.

The concentration has drawn criticism online, but Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao says the figures reflect user demand across stablecoins rather than special treatment tied to politics.

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Exchange Dominance Draws Focus

The Forbes report found that Binance controls roughly $4.7 billion of the $5.4 billion USD1 supply, based on Arkham Intelligence data. That is a higher share than any single exchange holds of other top-10 stablecoins, with Forbes noting that the holdings include both Binance-controlled wallets and customer balances, though it remains unclear how much belongs to the exchange itself.

World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture backed by several members of President Donald Trump’s family, launched the token in March 2025, with CZ among the first to publicly share the news.

Trump is also listed as co-founder emeritus, and several entities affiliated with him are entitled to a large share of proceeds from the project’s governance token, WLFI.

The custody concentration drew criticism from independent researcher Molly White, who told Forbes it creates “theoretical risk” if assets become tied up in legal or operational disputes. Corey Frayer, a former adviser to the SEC chair, went further, questioning whether USD1 was designed to function as a broad stablecoin at all.

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However, Zhao responded on social media, writing,

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“Binance (users) hold the largest % of most stablecoins (USDT, USDC, USD1, U … you name it) compared to all other CEXs. Not news.”

The backlash around the token sits within wider scrutiny of Zhao and Binance. The former CEO received a presidential pardon in October 2025 after pleading guilty in 2023 to compliance failures tied to anti-money laundering controls.

His attorney said in a November 2025 interview that the case was regulatory in nature and rejected claims of political favors.

A Pattern of FUD and Market Reality

The discussion is also happening amid what CZ and Binance executives are describing as a coordinated campaign of fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD).

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Earlier in the month, Zhao exposed a fake social media account with 863,000 followers that used AI-generated images of him to first pose as a supporter and then spread negative sentiment. Furthermore, a separate AI analysis report alleged a “deliberately organized and coordinated smear campaign” against the exchange.

Market data suggests Binance’s dominance extends far beyond one stablecoin, especially considering that a CryptoQuant report from January showed Binance captured 41% of spot trading volume and 42% of Bitcoin perpetual futures volume among top exchanges in 2025.

According to the report, the exchange also held 72% of the combined USDT and USDC reserves on major platforms, a context that supports Zhao’s argument that large user holdings on the exchange are typical.

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OpenEden Partners with Doppler Finance to Expand RWA Yield on XRP Ledger

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21Shares Introduces JitoSOL ETP to Offer Staking Rewards via Solana

TLDR:

  • Doppler Finance and OpenEden integrate tokenized U.S. Treasuries rated AA+ by S&P Global onto XRPL 
  • USDO stablecoin regulated by Bermuda Monetary Authority offers yield-bearing options for XRP holders 
  • Partnership enables direct access to Treasury-backed yield through XRPL-native infrastructure gateway 
  • Collaboration aims to strengthen RLUSD adoption and expand real-world asset utility on XRP Ledger

 

Doppler Finance and OpenEden announced a strategic partnership on February 10, 2026, to expand institutional-grade real-world asset yield opportunities on the XRP Ledger.

The collaboration will integrate OpenEden’s tokenized U.S. Treasury Bills and regulated stablecoin into Doppler’s XRPL-native yield protocol. This partnership aims to provide XRP and RLUSD holders with access to Treasury-backed yield opportunities.

The initiative centers on making institutional financial products more accessible through blockchain infrastructure.

Integration of Tokenized Assets into XRPL Infrastructure

The partnership focuses on bringing OpenEden’s TBILL and USDO tokens to the XRP Ledger through Doppler’s yield protocol. TBILL represents tokenized U.S. Treasury Bills with an S&P Global rating of AA+.

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Meanwhile, USDO operates as a yield-bearing stablecoin under prudential regulation by the Bermuda Monetary Authority. Both assets will connect to XRPL-native liquidity through Doppler’s on-chain gateway infrastructure.

OpenEden shared details about the partnership on social media platforms. The company emphasized the integration of institutional-grade RWA yield products into Ripple’s ecosystem.

The announcement mentioned RLUSD, which currently trades around $0.99, as a key component of the collaboration.

The technical integration will enable XRP and RLUSD holders to access U.S. Treasury-backed returns directly on-chain.

This approach removes traditional barriers that previously required institutional infrastructure for such financial products. The structure maintains regulatory compliance while expanding access to a broader range of participants.

The collaboration also addresses the growing demand for yield-bearing options within the XRP Ledger ecosystem.

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By connecting real-world assets to blockchain infrastructure, the partnership creates new pathways for capital deployment. This connection bridges traditional finance instruments with decentralized ledger technology.

Ecosystem Development and Market Education Initiatives

Beyond product integration, both organizations plan to collaborate on research and educational initiatives. These efforts will explore how regulated tokenized assets can enhance XRPL’s functionality and liquidity depth. The partnership seeks to establish best practices for RWA implementation within blockchain ecosystems.

Speaking about the partnership’s vision, Rox, Head of Institutions at Doppler Finance, stated that “real-world assets will play a critical role in bringing institutional-grade financial infrastructure on-chain.”

The executive added that “by working with OpenEden, we aim to help make RWA-backed yield opportunities more accessible to XRP and RLUSD holders through transparent, XRPL-native structures.”

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Commenting on the collaboration’s strategic direction, Jeremy Ng, Founder and CEO of OpenEden, explained that “the partnership with Doppler Finance reinforces our view that the next phase of on-chain finance will be driven by regulated, real-world assets integrated into native blockchain ecosystems.”

He further noted that “beyond access to Treasury-backed yield, our joint focus is on making regulated, institutional-grade RWAs composable on XRPL to support its evolution into a more robust financial settlement layer.”

The collaboration reflects a commitment to expanding blockchain finance’s practical applications. Both companies focus on connecting traditional financial instruments with native blockchain infrastructure.

This approach prioritizes transparency and accessibility while supporting long-term ecosystem development. The partnership positions RLUSD as a crucial stablecoin within the XRPL framework through enhanced utility and yield opportunities.

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Hong Kong (HKSAR) to continue support of local digital asset community, chief executive says

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Hong Kong (HKSAR) to continue support of local digital asset community, chief executive says

HONG KONG — Hong Kong is a growing locale for Web3 and crypto innovation, its chief executive said on Wednesday.

John KC Lee, the chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, opened CoinDesk’s Consensus Hong Kong conference with a brief speech about the city’s work to grow its crypto communities and businesses.

“The HKSAR Government is committed to establishing Hong Kong as a global hub for innovation in digital assets,” he said in taped remarks. “That’s why over the past few years, Hong Kong has been actively building the regulatory framework to promote the steady and sustainable development of our Web3 ecosystem.”

Hong Kong is positioned to take advantage of both growing crypto efforts and its existing position operating close to China and the broader financial markets, Lee said.

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“Under the unique ‘one country, two systems’ principle, Hong Kong is the only city that converges both the China advantage and the global advantage,” he said. “… What’s more, Hong Kong’s financial regulatory system is robust, and our financial market stands out for its deep liquidity, innovative products and world-class investor protection.”

More specifically, he pointed to Hong Kong’s efforts in crypto, including last year’s policy statement on digital asset regulation and stablecoin work.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority is close to issuing licenses for stablecoin issuers, he said, saying that the first licenses may come out in the next month.

Similarly, Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission is working to grow the region’s virtual asset market liquidity to further “facilitate the development of this vibrant area of growth.”

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“Hong Kong is in a strong position in promoting Web3 development,” he said. “Hong Kong will continue to go all out to stay at the forefront of this pivotal shift in finance and technology. We welcome companies and institutions from around the world to join hands with us, and build a brighter digital future together.”

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Robinhood Launches Public Testnet for Ethereum Layer 2 Blockchain

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Robinhood Launches Public Testnet for Ethereum Layer 2 Blockchain

The Arbitrum-based network is designed to support tokenized real-world assets and other on-chain financial services.

Robinhood has launched the public testnet for Robinhood Chain, an Ethereum Layer 2 network built on Arbitrum, which has a total value locked (TVL) of over $2.3 billion.

The testnet enables developers to start building apps and infrastructure on Robinhood Chain, which the company said is designed to support tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), lending platforms, perpetual futures exchanges, and other on-chain financial services, according to a press release viewed by The Defiant.

Johann Kerbrat, Robinhood’s head of crypto, said in an exclusive interview with The Defiant that the testnet is an early step toward building a broader on-chain financial ecosystem.

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“We think that it’s really going to accelerate all the development of on-chain financial services and all this tokenization future that we’ve been talking [about] for a long time,” Kerbrat told Camila Russo, founder of The Defiant. “So the testnet is really the first step to lay down the groundwork for an ecosystem that will help define all the tokenized reward assets that we’re planning on launching.”

The move comes as more financial firms adopt on-chain technology and begin integrating products directly on blockchain networks. One area seeing especially fast growth is tokenized RWAs. Distributed Asset Value has reached $23.8 billion, up about 11% over the past month, according to RWAxyz data.

According to the release, the testnet gives developers access to basic network tools, documentation, and Ethereum development software built on Arbitrum. Robinhood said some infrastructure providers are already connecting to the network, with more expected to join as testing continues.

Developers will also gain access to testnet-only assets, including stock tokens, along with direct testing through Robinhood Wallet in the coming months.

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Kerbrat described Robinhood Chain as permissionless, meaning anyone can deploy applications. However, apps that appear inside the Robinhood app would still need to meet internal product requirements, he said.

Robinhood also plans to be one of the first major builders on the network, Kerbrat said, and ultimately wants to move more of its own infrastructure on-chain.

“The first developer to build on the chain is really going to be Robinhood,” he said. “And our vision is not just to have one or two products there, but to have the entire Robinhood infrastructure to be slowly replaced by the blockchain.”

Kerbrat revealed that early partners involved in the launch include Alchemy, LayerZero, and others, which are helping support the first phase of the public testnet.

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“But the more we continue to build, the more we’re going to also launch our own products that are going to be either in partnership or directly revenue-made product,” he added. “But I think for us, the idea is that it’s not just a revenue chain only, but also something that other developers can actually build on top of.”

Robinhood has already rolled out tokenized stock products in Europe, with the offerings expanding quickly – Kerbrat said they grew from about 200 assets at launch last June to roughly 2,000 today.

“So we [grew] 10x in less than a year. And that really shows how flexible our tokenization engine is,” Kerbrat said. “And we think that coming from there, we are really going to be able to use this engine for anything.”

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Robinhood reports Q4 revenue of $1.28b, up 27%

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Robinhood reports Q4 revenue of $1.28b, up 27%

Robinhood Markets Inc. reported fourth-quarter 2025 earnings showing revenue of $1.28 billion, representing a 27% increase compared to the same period in the previous year, according to the company’s financial results.

However, the company missed its $1.33 billion forecast. The shortfall was largely due to a slump in the cryptocurrency market, with crypto-related revenue falling 38% year over year to $221 million.

Summary

  • Robinhood reported $1.28 billion in revenue for Q4 2025, up 27% year-over-year, driven by higher trading activity and subscription services.
  • For all of 2025, Robinhood’s total revenue reached $4.5 billion, a 52% increase compared to 2024.
  • The company’s expansion was fueled by both transaction-based revenue and recurring subscription income, highlighting sustained growth under CEO Vlad Tenev and co-founder Baiju Bhatt.

Still, Robinhood’s Q4 earnings per share came in at 66 cents. That’s slightly above analyst expectations of 63 cents.

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The revenue growth was driven primarily by increased trading activity and subscription services, the company stated.

For the full year 2025, Robinhood reported total revenue of $4.5 billion, a 52% year-over-year increase, according to the earnings report.

The financial technology company, led by CEO Vlad Tenev and co-founder Baiju Bhatt, has seen sustained growth throughout the fiscal year, the results indicated.

The quarterly and annual figures reflect continued expansion in the company’s core business segments, including transaction-based revenue and recurring subscription income, according to the financial disclosures.

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The fact that Robinhood’s revenue from crypto-related transactions plummeted 38% year over year underscores how lower digital asset prices continue to cut into trading activity.

Robinhood’s stock price slipped more than 7% after hours on Tuesday, trading at around $79.48 per share. 

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Bitcoin Top Traders Hold Tight Despite 14% Price Recovery

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Bitcoin Top Traders Hold Tight Despite 14% Price Recovery

Key takeaways:

  • The Bitcoin long-to-short indicator at Binance hit a 30-day low, signaling a sharp decline in bullish leverage demand.

  • US-listed Bitcoin exchange-traded funds reversed a negative trend with $516 million in net inflows following a period of heavy liquidations.

Bitcoin (BTC) has fluctuated within a tight 8% range over the last four days, consolidating near $69,000 after an abrupt slide to $60,130 on Friday. Traders are currently grappling with the primary catalysts for this correction, particularly as the S&P 500 holds near record highs and gold prices have climbed 20% over a two-month period.

The uncertainty following the 52% retreat from Bitcoin’s $126,220 all-time high in October 2025 has likely prompted an ultra-skeptical stance among top traders, stoking concerns of further price declines.

Bitcoin top traders’ long-to-short positions at Binance and OKX. Source: Coinglass

Whales and market makers on Binance have steadily pared back bullish exposure since Wednesday. This shift is reflected in the long-to-short ratio, which dropped to 1.20 from 1.93. This reading represents a 30-day low for the exchange, suggesting that demand for leveraged long positions in margin and futures markets has cooled, even with BTC hitting 15-month lows.

Meanwhile, the long-to-short ratio for top traders at OKX hit 1.7 on Tuesday, a sharp reversal from its 4.3 peak on Thursday. This transition aligns with a $1 billion liquidation event in leveraged bullish BTC futures, where market participants were forced to close positions due to inadequate margin. Importantly, this specific data point reflects forced exits rather than a deliberate directional bet on further downside.

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Strong ETF demand suggests Bitcoin whales are still bullish

Demand for spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) serves as strong evidence that whales haven’t flipped bearish, despite recent price weakness.

Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds daily net flows, USD. Source: CoinGlass

Since Friday, US-listed Bitcoin ETFs have attracted $516 million in net inflows, reversing a trend from the previous three trading days. Consequently, the conditions that triggered the $2.2 billion in net outflows from Jan. 27 to Feb. 5 appear to have faded. A leading theory for that pressure pointed to an Asian fund that collapsed after leveraging ETF options positions via cheap Japanese yen funding.

Franklin Bi, a general partner at Pantera Capital, argued that a non-crypto-native trading company is the most likely culprit. He noted that a broader cross-asset margin unwind coincided with sharp corrections in metals. For instance, silver faced a staggering 45% decline in the seven days ending Feb. 5, erasing two months of gains. However, official data has yet to be released to validate this thesis.

The Bitcoin options market followed a similar trajectory, with a spike in neutral-to-bearish strategies on Thursday. Traders pivoted after Bitcoin’s price slipped below $72,000 rather than anticipating worsening conditions.

Related: Bitcoin sentiment hits record low as contrarian investors say $60K was BTC’s bottom

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Bitcoin options premium volumes at Deribit, USD. Source: Laevitas.ch

The BTC options premium put-to-call ratio at Deribit surged to 3.1 on Thursday, heavily favoring put (sell) instruments, though the indicator has since retreated to 1.7. Overall, the past two weeks have been marked by low demand for bullish positioning through BTC derivatives. While sentiment has worsened, lower leverage provides a healthier setup for sustainable price gains once the tide turns.

It remains unclear what could shift investor perception back toward Bitcoin, as core values like censorship resistance and strict monetary policy stay unchanged. The weak demand for Bitcoin derivatives should not be interpreted as a lack of confidence. Instead, it represents a surge in uncertainty until it becomes clear that exchanges and market makers were unaffected by the price crash.