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Chinese banks freeze accounts over crypto memos

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Chinese banks freeze accounts over crypto memos

While regulation continues to loosen around crypto in the United States, largely thanks to a president who accepts bribes via his own meme and stablecoins, the opposite is occurring in China.

Indeed, dozens of Chinese nationals have taken to social media to report that just putting “Dogecoin” or “USDT” in the memo field of a transfer ends with the bank account being frozen — and the individuals have almost no recourse for their money getting unfrozen thereafter.

Drastic difference in banking regulations

Despite the near total normalization of buying, selling, trading, and creating cryptocurrencies in the US — including a stablecoin endorsed and partially owned by the president — China and its retail banks have taken on a much stricter set of rules and regulations.

In one instance, according to a site called Techub.info in China, two clients of China Construction Bank (the third largest bank in the world) had their accounts frozen after transferring a mere 250 yuan, or $35, between one another with the memo “Dogecoin this week.”

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After sending the money the bank flagged the transfer under its virtual currency control risk management program.

Rednote users warn Chinese citizens

On Rednote, users are sharing the story with words of warning for others in China: never put bitcoin, virtual currency, any memecoin, or USDT as the reason for a fund transfer or you will absolutely face an account freeze.

Rednote users are warning others to never put BTC or any memecoin as the reason for a fund transfer.

Read more: China’s Regulation 42 forces Tether to kill its CNHT stablecoin

They add that the only way to get one’s bank account unfrozen is to prove to to bank officials that money wasn’t in fact used to purchase cryptocurrencies, write a statement as to why a cryptocurrency was referenced, and wait for the statements to be reviewed.

The entire process can take weeks to occur, if the account is unfrozen at all.

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Needless to say, Chinese citizens are being more cautious than ever before when it comes to using their bank accounts for cryptocurrency trading.

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Crypto World

Fold retires $66M debt, frees 521 BTC collateral

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Fold retires $66M debt, frees 521 BTC collateral

Fold, a publicly traded Bitcoin financial services company, has eliminated $66.3 million in convertible debt, removing a potential source of share dilution and simplifying its balance sheet as it prepares to expand its product lineup.

In a recent disclosure, Fold said it retired two outstanding convertible notes, which are debt instruments that can be converted into equity at a later date. By paying them off, the company reduces the risk that new shares would be issued in the future, which may dilute existing shareholders.

Fold also said it released 521 Bitcoin (BTC) that had been pledged as collateral against the debt. With the notes retired, those Bitcoin holdings are no longer encumbered and can now be used for corporate purposes.

The company said the restructuring leaves it with fewer financing restrictions and greater operational flexibility. Fold plans to use that flexibility to support growth initiatives, including the rollout of a consumer-targeted Bitcoin rewards credit card that offers BTC instead of traditional points or cash-back rewards.

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Founded in 2019, Fold went public on the Nasdaq in February 2025 through a SPAC merger with FTAC Emerald Acquisition, becoming one of the first Bitcoin-focused financial services companies to trade on a major US exchange.

Fold (FLD) shares are down more than 84% since their public debut. Source: Yahoo Finance

Related: ProCap boosts Bitcoin holdings to 5,457 BTC, aims to narrow NAV discount

Crypto rewards cards compete for users

Fold built its brand as a Bitcoin rewards platform, offering a debit card that allows users to spend US dollars while earning Bitcoin cashback on everyday purchases. Over time, the company expanded its services to include savings features and merchant partnerships aimed at encouraging Bitcoin accumulation rather than direct crypto spending.

Competition is fierce in the crypto rewards space, with a number of other companies offering similar products.

The Coinbase Card, for example, allows users to spend cryptocurrency balances directly and earn crypto rewards on purchases. It is now part of Coinbase’s broader “super app” strategy announced last fall, which aims to integrate payments, trading and other financial services into a single platform.

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Rival offering Nexo Card lets customers borrow against their crypto holdings to make purchases without selling their assets, while earning rewards. Bybit and Crypto.com offer Visa-branded cards that provide cashback in crypto tokens tied to their platforms.

Source: MetaMask

More recently, Mastercard and MetaMask launched a US crypto-linked card that allows users to spend digital assets at any merchant that accepts Mastercard, with crypto converted to fiat at the point of sale.

Related: PayPal draws takeover interest following 46% stock slide: Report