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Ghana selects 11 crypto exchanges for SEC regulatory sandbox pilot

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Ghana selects 11 crypto exchanges for SEC regulatory sandbox pilot

Ghana has selected 11 crypto trading platforms to participate in a regulatory sandbox where they will “pilot their products and services in a controlled environment under the regulatory oversight” of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Summary

  • Ghana’s Securities and Exchange Commission has admitted 11 crypto platforms into a regulatory sandbox to test their services under the country’s new Virtual Asset Service Providers Act.
  • The 12-month pilot will allow platforms with market-ready products to transition to full licenses after six months.
  • Regulators say data gathered during the program will guide future licensing guidelines as Ghana builds a formal regulatory framework for digital asset services.

Starting March 10, Africoin, Blu Penguin, Goldbod, Hanypay, Hyro Exchange, HSB Global, KoinKoin, Whitebits, Vaulta, XChain, and Bsystem will start operating under the country’s Virtual Asset Service Providers Act for the next 12 months.

After the first six months, the SEC will assess which of these platforms have products and services that are market-ready and can transition to a full license to operate. Meanwhile, those that fail to meet the requirements will continue operating within the sandbox for the remaining six months.

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According to the commission, the sandbox has been designed to “support responsible innovation while strengthening investor protection, market integrity, and compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards.”

Data accumulated during this pilot will help shape “future policy and licensing frameworks for virtual assets services,” it added.

The SEC plans to develop guidelines and subsequently publish them for prospective applicants to apply under the various activity-based licensing categories outlined in the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act.

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Ghana’s plans to start licensing crypto platforms were first disclosed in July last year, when Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Johnson Asiama, said regulators had already begun working on a draft framework intended to bring digital asset activity under formal oversight.

“We are actually late in the game,” Asiama said at the time, referring to the growing number of Ghanaians already using cryptocurrencies for transactions despite the absence of a clear regulatory structure.

Subsequently, in December, regulators passed the Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) bill, which established the provisions that would allow crypto trading and related digital asset services to operate legally in the country under the supervision of the Bank of Ghana and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

As one of the larger crypto markets in the region in terms of grassroots adoption, Ghana is expected to see greater migration toward regulated platforms if authorities continue shaping a more structured and industry-friendly environment. 

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Earlier this month, crypto brokerage firm Blockchain.com said it had expanded operations into Ghana as part of a broader push to build digital asset infrastructure across some of the region’s fastest-growing markets.

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Crypto World

Why the RWA Market Is Slowing Down: Is the Boom Over?

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After months of continuous growth, the RWA sector is showing its first signs of a slowdown.

Distributed asset value sits at $27.49 billion with only 1.74% growth over the past 30 days. Stablecoins even recorded a slight decline.

RWA Growth is Dying Out

Current data from RWA.xyz shows the following picture:

  • Distributed Asset Value: $27.49 billion, up 1.74% in a month.
  • Represented Asset Value: $403.28 billion, up 3.33%.
  • Total Asset Holders: 707,564, up 5.7%.
  • Total Stablecoin Value: $299.88 billion, down 0.07%.
  • Total Stablecoin Holders: 241.80 million, up 4.35%.

The number of holders continues to grow, but the value is not keeping pace. New market participants are entering, but bringing less fresh capital than in previous months.

Fun Fact: Despite the slowdown, RWA distributed value has grown from under $5 billion in early 2024 to nearly $28 billion today. The long-term trend remains intact!

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RWA.xyz, Source: X

Which RWA Segments Are Cooling

Several asset categories are contributing to the slowdown:

  • Commodities: Gold prices have stagnated, and tokenized gold follows the underlying asset.
  • US Treasuries: Still the largest segment in the RWA market, but momentum has flattened. Initial demand for tokenized T-bills appears to be stabilizing.
  • Stocks and Asset-Backed Credit: Both categories are also showing reduced growth.

The chart from RWA.xyz displays a clear pattern: explosive growth through 2024 and into early 2025, followed by a gradual flattening in recent months.

A monthly growth rate of 1.74% does not constitute a crash. Annualized, that still represents over 20% growth.

However, compared to the triple-digit percentage gains the RWA sector recorded in 2024, the deceleration is clearly visible.

The slight 0.07% decline in stablecoins deserves particular attention. Stablecoins often serve as an entry point into tokenized assets. A shrinking pool may indicate reduced on-chain activity.

On the positive side: asset holders grew by 5.71%. New participants continue to enter the market, though with more cautious capital allocation.

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The RWA sector appears to be entering a phase of normalization following a period of strong growth. Whether this represents a temporary consolidation or the beginning of a longer trend remains to be seen in the coming months.

The post Why the RWA Market Is Slowing Down: Is the Boom Over? appeared first on BeInCrypto.

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Corporate Bitcoin Split: Strategy Holds, Nakamoto Sells

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Corporate Bitcoin Split: Strategy Holds, Nakamoto Sells

Corporate Bitcoin (BTC) holders are diverging into two distinct paths amid continued market pressure. While Strategy held steady on its massive BTC reserves, Nakamoto Holdings moved in the opposite direction, selling at a loss and trimming exposure as it reworks its balance sheet.

The contrast highlights a growing divide in the corporate Bitcoin treasury model. Some holders have refused to sell, treating BTC as a long-term reserve asset and doubling down through volatility, while others are being forced to unlock liquidity, book losses or rethink capital allocation. 

With Bitcoin down 46% from its peak, the risks behind debt-fueled or aggressive buying strategies are becoming harder to ignore.

Elsewhere, a proposed Bitcoin-backed municipal bond in New Hampshire is moving closer to issuance. It has now received a speculative-grade rating from Moody’s, underscoring both the appeal and the risks of tying public financing to digital assets.

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Nakamoto realizes losses as Bitcoin treasury model comes under pressure

Bitcoin treasury company Nakamoto Holdings sold roughly $20 million worth of Bitcoin in March, executing the sale at prices well below its prior acquisition costs. The transaction reduced its holdings to just over 5,000 BTC and marked a shift from unrealized to realized losses.

The company sold approximately 284 BTC at around $70,400 per coin, significantly less than its average purchase price. The proceeds were earmarked for working capital and business investments tied to recent mergers.

Alongside the crypto sale, Nakamoto also cut its equity exposure to Japanese company Metaplanet, selling millions of shares at a loss. The moves point to a broader balance-sheet reset as digital asset treasury companies come under pressure.

Nakamoto’s Bitcoin holdings over the last year. Source: BitcoinTreasuries.NET

Strategy pauses Bitcoin buys, keeps its treasury intact

Michael Saylor’s Strategy broke a months-long pattern of steady Bitcoin accumulation, reporting no purchases during the latest weekly disclosure period. 

The pause stands out because Strategy has maintained consistent buying as a core part of its corporate identity and capital strategy, especially during the recent market downtrend that has seen Bitcoin fall from $120,000 to below $70,000. 

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Weekly disclosures have become a signal for institutional demand, and even a temporary halt could suggest squeamishness over market conditions, capital availability or the pace of buying. Strategy still holds roughly 762,000 BTC, maintaining its position as the largest corporate holder of the asset.

Strategy’s Form 8-K. Source: SEC

New Hampshire Bitcoin-backed bond inches toward reality after Moody’s rating

A proposed Bitcoin-backed municipal bond in New Hampshire has moved a step closer to issuance after receiving a Ba2 rating, below investment grade, from Moody’s. The structure would give investors exposure to Bitcoin-linked returns within a public finance framework, with proceeds expected to support public infrastructure and development projects.

The planned issuance, reportedly around $100 million, would be backed by Bitcoin collateral rather than traditional tax revenues. Repayments would depend on returns from that collateral, introducing a new approach that ties crypto markets to municipal borrowing.

Bitcoin volatility, cited as a key factor behind the speculative-grade rating, remains elevated compared with traditional asset classes. Source: S&P Global

CoinShares debuts on Nasdaq following SPAC deal

Digital asset manager CoinShares launched on the Nasdaq on Wednesday following a merger with special purpose acquisition company Vine Hill Capital, marking another step in bringing crypto-native companies to US public markets.

The deal gives CoinShares access to a broader investor base and deeper capital markets, while offering public market investors exposure to a company focused on digital asset products and infrastructure. SPAC structures have remained a viable route for crypto companies seeking listings despite shifting market conditions.

As Cointelegraph previously reported, the SPAC merger valued CoinShares at roughly $1.2 billion. 

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