Crypto World
Grayscale Files for Near Protocol ETF
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Grayscale Investments has officially submitted an S-1 registration statement to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a groundbreaking Near Protocol (NEAR) exchange-traded fund (ETF).
According to the submitted S-1, Grayscale intends to convert the Near Trust into an ETF and rename the Trust as Grayscale Near Trust ETF.
This filing now represents a strategic expansion beyond BTC and ETH products, challenging the established regulatory perimeter for altcoin-based investment vehicles. As a result, the application could pave the way for a new era of institutional access to layer-1 blockchain assets, provided it navigates the SEC’s rigorous review process successfully.
BREAKING: Grayscale has filed to convert its Grayscale Near Trust into a spot NEAR ETF ( $GSNR)
Grayscale Trust holds ~$900K in $NEAR and Trades at a premium to NAV.
If Approved, it Would follow Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF moves, Highlighting Rising Institutional interest in… pic.twitter.com/NsB4YbMW88
— Crypto Patel (@CryptoPatel) January 21, 2026
When approved, it plans to list shares under the ticker GSNR, currently traded on the OTCQB market, on the NYSE Arca. However, the firm is set to announce fees and other details in a later filing with the SEC.
CSC Delaware Trust Company is the trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon is the transfer agent and the administrator, and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company is the co-transfer agent of the trust.
The prime broker and the custodian will be Coinbase and the custody arm of the American exchange.
In the filing, Grayscale also hinted at a likelihood of staking. If the staking condition is satisfied, “The sponsor anticipates that the Trust would enter into written arrangements with the Custodian to stake the Trust’s NEAR to one or more vetted third-party staking providers.”
After the filing, James Seyffart, a popular Bloomberg ETF analyst, believes that Crypto ETP filings with the SEC are set to continue.
Crypto ETP filings continue to come across the SEC’s desk. https://t.co/wJhFQcGMtM
— James Seyffart (@JSeyff) January 20, 2026
NEAR Price Recovers To Jump Over 3%
After the announcement, the Near Protocol token price jumped 3% in the last few hours, despite a 1.5% drop in the previous day to trade at $1.54 as of 1:58 a.m. EST, with an intraday high of around $1.56 and a low of $1.50, according to Congecko data.
The slight surge comes even as jitters run through the crypto market, with the space shedding nearly 2% over the last 24 hours to a market cap of $3.10 trillion.
The NEAR trading volume has also gained over 14% to $211 million, a signal of increased trading activity.
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SBI Holdings’ digital asset arm, SBI VC Trade, said it will launch a USDC lending service in Japan on Thursday, allowing retail users to lend stablecoins to the platform under fixed-term agreements in exchange for returns.
On Wednesday, the company said users will be able to lend Circle’s USDC (USDC) stablecoin to the platform and receive interest payments, with a maximum application of 5,000 USDC per offering. The product is structured as a loan to SBI VC Trade rather than a deposit, meaning users take direct counterparty risk. SBI said it may also re-lend the borrowed USDC as part of its operations.
The launch marks a further step in Japan’s stablecoin rollout, bringing a consumer-accessible USDC yield product to market through a licensed domestic platform.
SBI said the product is intended as an alternative to traditional US dollar deposits in Japan, though, unlike bank deposits, segregation protections do not cover user assets and may not be fully recoverable in the event of insolvency. Users are also unable to withdraw or transfer funds during the fixed lending term, limiting their ability to respond to market conditions.
SBI expands stablecoin footprint
The launch follows an initial announcement in November, when SBI VC Trade said it planned to launch a USDC lending product and was exploring exchange-traded fund (ETF) products, according to Reuters.
The development comes as SBI has been expanding its stablecoin strategy. SBI VC Trade began a full-scale USDC launch in Japan on March 26, 2025, after receiving regulatory approval earlier that month. Circle said the approval made USDC the first approved global dollar stablecoin for use in Japan.
Related: SBI Holdings targets majority stake in Singapore crypto exchange Coinhako
On Aug. 22, SBI announced the establishment of a joint venture with Circle, aiming to promote the use of USDC in Japan and create new use cases for the stablecoin in digital finance.
On Dec. 16, the company partnered with Startale to develop a regulated yen-denominated stablecoin aimed at tokenized assets and global settlement, with a planned launch in the second quarter of 2026.
Magazine: Metaplanet’s Japan Bitcoin bet, Bithumb ordered suspension: Asia Express
[PRESS RELEASE – Tel Aviv, Israel, March 18th, 2026]
Today, Playnance has officially launched GCOIN trading, marking a significant milestone in the expansion of its Web3 entertainment ecosystem. The token is now live on MEXC, with GCOIN/USDT trading opening on March 18, 2026, at 13:00 UTC following the project’s Token Generation Event earlier the same day.
The listing introduces GCOIN to the open market, unlocking broader access to the Playnance ecosystem and opening the door to a potentially enormous global user base. The launch follows strong early momentum, including high participation in MEXC’s Kickstarter campaign, where users competed for a share of a 50,000 USDT airdrop.
Ahead of the Token Generation Event, the GCOIN community demonstrated strong demand, with over 1 billion GCOIN locked in staking within hours of the staking program going live.
As the Exosystem’s native token, GCOIN powers transactions, rewards, and participation across a rapidly growing Web3 entertainment network. Beyond adoption metrics, GCOIN is designed to bridge Web2 and Web3 by offering seamless, Web2-like on-chain experiences that lower the barrier to entry for mainstream users. This approach is already enabling Playnance to onboard large volumes of new users, converting them into active participants within the ecosystem. The ecosystem already includes over 300,000 GCOIN holders, reflecting strong early adoption and continued expansion at scale.
The exchange debut represents a major step forward in accessibility, allowing global users to engage with the ecosystem through a liquid and scalable market environment. Deposits for GCOIN are already open on MEXC, with withdrawals scheduled to begin on March 19, providing users with full flexibility to trade and manage their holdings.
“Today marks a defining moment for Playnance,” said Pini Peter, CEO of Playnance. “We identified early the opportunity to bring real scale into Web3 entertainment, and we’re building one of the leading ecosystems to support it. With GCOIN now live, we’re opening the door to what comes next – a new wave of users, new models, and a much larger shift in how entertainment moves on-chain. This is just the beginning.”
Playnance has built its token model around ecosystem-driven rewards, linking value distribution directly to platform activity rather than relying on fixed emissions. The platform already supports more than 10,000 on-chain games and processes over 2 million on-chain transactions daily, reflecting strong user engagement and growing adoption across its network.
With GCOIN now live, Playnance is entering a new phase focused on accelerating growth, expanding its global reach, and driving deeper participation across its Web3 entertainment ecosystem.
About Playnance
Founded in 2020, Playnance is a Web3 infrastructure company developing live, non-custodial, on-chain products designed to onboard mainstream Web2 users into blockchain environments. The company develops consumer-facing platforms built on shared wallet systems and high-volume on-chain execution, currently processing approximately 2 million transactions per day. Playnance focuses on reducing friction between user experience and blockchain infrastructure by abstracting complexity while maintaining full on-chain transparency and non-custodial architecture.
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Despite reduced miner selling, Bitcoin demand is yet to respond.
Bitcoin was mostly stable on Wednesday at $74,000 before it started to lose value gradually, dipping below $72,000 minutes ago.
And while supply pressure has eased significantly, demand remains muted as data revealed that “the rules of the game have quietly changed.”
Direction Still Unclear
In its latest report, CryptoQuant stated that Bitcoin’s supply-side activity has entered a subdued phase, while demand has yet to respond similarly. The MVRV Ratio, which compares market value to realized value, currently stands at 1.3, placing it just above the accumulation zone and indicating a minimal speculative premium.
This level means that Bitcoin is trading close to its aggregate cost basis, and reflects a reset phase rather than confirming either a market bottom or a recovery trend. On the supply side, miner behavior provides additional context. During the sharp price decline in early February, miner outflows climbed to almost 28,000 BTC, as selling pressure rose.
However, as prices stabilized and began to recover, outflows declined significantly, reaching almost 6,800 BTC by mid-March. Interestingly, this was the lowest level observed in the measured period.
Additionally, the Puell Multiple, currently around 0.69, further aligned with this trend, demonstrating that miners are operating within a post-halving normalization range without signs of financial stress or excessive profit-taking, and without urgency to increase supply in the market.
Beyond Old Patterns
Despite this muted supply activity, other structural factors remain relevant. For instance, SoSoValue recorded a steady 7-day non-stop inflow from spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds. CryptoQuant also pointed to increasing adoption of Bitcoin as a reserve asset by institutional treasuries, and its gradual acceptance at the nation-state level, which may have contributed to elevating the cycle’s price floor compared to previous market cycles.
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It is also important to note that the MVRV Ratio has not fallen below 1.0, a level which is historically associated with deeper corrections. This deviation implies that traditional cycle patterns, including revisits to lower valuation zones, may not occur in the same manner.
“For that reason, on-chain accumulation patterns, institutional flows, and miner behavior all warrant closer attention than usual, because the signals may look familiar while the rules of the game have quietly changed.”
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The wall between Wall Street and crypto is coming down under Trump Administration.
Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould has reportedly greenlighted major crypto firms including Ripple and Crypto.com to pursue national banking charters. He is actively encouraging payment technology companies to enter the federal banking system.
On top of that, Gould is moving to rescind Biden-era guidance that forced banks to seek supervisory approval before touching digital assets. The Chokepoint 2.0 era is effectively over.
For traders this is not just regulatory housekeeping. Access to Federal Reserve payment rails and the ability to hold direct deposits is the single biggest bottleneck keeping institutional capital out of crypto.
That bottleneck is being removed.
- Jonathan Gould is actively inviting crypto firms like Ripple and Crypto.com to apply for national banking charters.
- The move rescinds 2021 guidance requiring “supervisory nonobjection,” streamlining custody and stablecoin operations.
- Traditional banks are pushing back, arguing these new entrants will bypass strict capital requirements while accessing Fed payment rails.
What the Trump Administration’s Banking Crypto Push Actually Involves
The OCC’s old approach was simple. Want to touch crypto? Get written permission first. That nonobjection requirement acted as a pocket veto, killing bank-crypto partnerships before they started.
Gould is flipping the default. Permissible unless prohibited. Firms like Ripple can now build banks directly, bypass third-party intermediaries, and settle transactions through the Federal Reserve via FedNow or Fedwire. Lower costs. Faster settlement. No middleman.
The policy aligns with the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets, which mandates a stablecoin integration report by July 2025. The OCC is not waiting for legislation. It is using existing authority to front-run the process.
—
BREAKING: Banks just REVEALED where crypto's REAL ENDGAME is! 
Caitlin Long, CEO of Custodia Bank, says the REAL PRIZE isn't today's $313 BILLION in Stablecoins — it's the $5.7 TRILLION in U.S Demand Deposits that are about to be turned into "Tokenized Bank Deposits" 
pic.twitter.com/W4gCOUZIRy
ChartNerd 
(@ChartNerdTA) March 15, 2026
The timing is driven by two things. Political capital and competitive panic.
The crypto industry spent over $250 million electing pro-innovation candidates in 2024. With up to 278 pro-crypto members now in Congress, the political will to obstruct has evaporated. Agencies are racing to align.
The offshore threat is the other pressure point. Stablecoin liquidity has been bleeding to jurisdictions with clearer rules. The EU’s MiCA framework is moving fast. The OCC is trying to onshore that liquidity before Europe captures it permanently.
The administration is not being subtle about any of this. The wall is coming down fast.
The $3 Trillion Opportunity — and the Risk Banks Face
The stakes for traditional banks are existential.
Crypto firms with national charters are no longer just clients. They become direct competitors for deposits. Five major regional banks already saw this coming and launched the Cari Network, a private blockchain payment rail, specifically to defend their settlement market share.
The prize everyone is fighting over is a projected $3 trillion stablecoin market by 2030. Banks that cannot custody crypto or settle stablecoin payments directly will lose the fastest growing segment of the payments industry to fintech challengers. That is not a small loss.
The risk for crypto is the flipside of the same coin. A regulatory backlash is possible. The banking lobby is already arguing that crypto banks will not face the same capital requirements as traditional lenders. If Congress moves to level the playing field too aggressively, the utility of these new charters gets strangled before it can be realized.
The green light is on. But the road still has obstacles.
Discover: The best new crypto in the world
The post Trump Administration Official Pushes Crypto Into US Banking System appeared first on Cryptonews.
The payments-focused L1 launches with a slew of fintech and TradFi partners, while MPP is aimed at enabling agentic commerce.
Payments-focused blockchain Tempo, developed by Stripe and Paradigm, announced the launch of its mainnet today, March 18. Also today, Stripe and Tempo revealed a new open standard for AI agent payments, Machine Payments Protocol (MPP), per a separate X post.
Today’s mainnet launch opens public RPC endpoints to developers. The headline addition is the MPP, an open, rail-agnostic standard for autonomous agent-to-service payments. MPP introduces a “sessions” primitive that lets agents authorize a spending limit upfront and stream micropayments continuously without an on-chain transaction per interaction.
Stripe, Visa, and Lightspark have already extended MPP to support cards, wallets, and Bitcoin Lightning payments respectively. A payments directory launching alongside mainnet lists over 100 compatible services.
Unveiled by Stripe and crypto VC Paradigm last September, Tempo was purpose-built as settlement infrastructure for high-volume stablecoin payments — emphasizing predictable low fees, instant finality, and throughput suited to commercial-scale workloads. The project launched its public testnet in December, as The Defiant reported at the time.
Tempo’s backers are pitching the chain as infrastructure for both emerging agentic commerce and more traditional payment flows including cross-border remittances, global payouts, and tokenized deposits. Partners named include Anthropic, OpenAI, DoorDash, Mastercard, Nubank, Revolut, Shopify, and Standard Chartered.
The project hasn’t been without skeptics in the crypto-native community — crypto and web3 researchers have raised questions about the trade-offs of corporate-backed chains like Tempo, particularly around decentralization and permissioning.
Tempo’s mainnet launch arrives amid growing institutional momentum around stablecoin infrastructure, including Klarna’s recent debut of its own stablecoin as it pushes deeper into on-chain payments.
This article was written with the assistance of AI workflows. All our stories are curated, edited and fact-checked by a human.
Tempo, the payments-focused blockchain developed by payments giant Stripe and crypto investment firm Paradigm, launched its mainnet on Wednesday, bringing its stablecoin payment system out of testing and into live use.
The network is built to process large numbers of transactions quickly and at low cost. It aims to make sending money with stablecoins — digital tokens tied to currencies like the U.S. dollar — feel as simple as using a card or bank transfer, but faster and available at all times.
The launch follows a public testnet that began in December, when companies including Mastercard, UBS, Klarna and Visa started experimenting with sending payments on the network. That phase allowed developers to test how stablecoins could handle everyday financial activity, such as payouts and cross-border transfers.
Alongside the mainnet launch, Tempo introduced the Machine Payments Protocol, a system co-developed with Stripe that lets software programs make payments on their own. This allows applications or artificial intelligence (AI) tools to pay for services such as data or computing power without human approval at each step.
Tempo is also targeting more familiar uses, such as sending money across borders or paying large groups of workers at once. These processes often take days and involve multiple intermediaries.
The launch comes as global payments processing firms increasingly see blockchain rails and stablecoins as a key piece of plumbing for cross-border finances. Mastercard said this week it will acquire stablecoin infrastructure startup BVNK for $1.8 billion to embed digital dollars into its payment network. That deal followed Stripe’s buying of stablecoin startup Bridge and crypto wallet firm Privy.
Tempo also seeks to establish a foothold in agentic finance, an emerging trend in which AI agents use blockchains to pay for certain services that require micro payments.
Read more: Visa is ready for AI agents. So is Coinbase. They’re building very different internets
Crypto World
Nvidia (NVDA) Stock Dips as Jensen Huang Declares OpenClaw the Next Major AI Breakthrough
Key Takeaways
- At Nvidia’s GTC conference in California, CEO Jensen Huang declared OpenClaw is “definitely the next ChatGPT” in a televised interview.
- OpenClaw operates as an open-source platform for autonomous AI agents that execute tasks and make independent decisions without constant user guidance.
- The company unveiled NemoClaw, an enterprise-focused version of OpenClaw integrated with Nvidia’s proprietary software infrastructure and enhanced security features.
- Hong Kong-traded Chinese technology firms associated with OpenClaw experienced significant gains Wednesday, including MiniMax Group surging 14% and Zhipu advancing 11%.
- Shares of Nvidia (NVDA) declined 0.26% when the coverage was published.
During a Tuesday evening “Mad Money” segment with Jim Cramer at Nvidia’s GTC conference in California, Jensen Huang generated significant buzz by declaring OpenClaw is “definitely the next ChatGPT.”
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Tuesday pointed to a fast-rising AI project called OpenClaw as a major step forward in how people interact with artificial intelligence.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says OpenClaw could be the next ChatGPT as AI shifts from answering questions to taking… pic.twitter.com/nSE0Azq1F4
— CNBC International (@CNBCi) March 18, 2026
The Nvidia chief executive characterized OpenClaw as “the largest, most popular, the most successful open-sourced project in the history of humanity.” Such forceful language immediately captured investor attention.
OpenClaw represents an open-source platform for autonomous AI agents. Rather than simply responding to queries like conventional chatbots, it independently executes tasks, renders judgments, and implements actions.
Huang offered a straightforward value proposition: “In one line of code, you can create for yourself your own agent. Then after that, just ask the agent to do whatever you want.”
He illustrated the concept using kitchen design. An OpenClaw-powered agent could analyze photographs, master design software, experiment with various configurations, and enhance its own creations — all functioning autonomously after initial deployment.
“Every carpenter can now be an architect. Every plumber will become an architect,” Huang proclaimed.
NemoClaw Enterprise Solution Debuts
One day prior to the interview on Monday, Nvidia revealed NemoClaw — the company’s enterprise-optimized interpretation of OpenClaw. This offering integrates Nvidia’s proprietary software infrastructure with the open-source foundation.
NemoClaw targets business environments by delivering AI agents with enhanced security, scalability, and deployment readiness. The platform incorporates data privacy safeguards, monitoring capabilities, and enterprise-standard security frameworks.
This strategic initiative establishes Nvidia as more than a semiconductor manufacturer — it positions the firm as a comprehensive AI infrastructure provider.
Autonomous AI agents have generated apprehension regarding security vulnerabilities and governance challenges. NemoClaw represents Nvidia’s solution to these concerns, providing safety mechanisms for organizations planning large-scale agent deployment.
Chinese Technology Stocks Surge
Huang’s endorsement sparked a Wednesday rally among Chinese equities linked to OpenClaw technology.
MiniMax Group, which previously introduced its proprietary AI agent, jumped as high as 14% during Hong Kong trading. Knowledge Atlas Technology, operating as Zhipu, advanced as much as 11%.
Shanghai-listed cloud infrastructure provider UCloud Technology similarly registered positive movement.
These price increases followed immediately after Huang’s remarks gained widespread circulation, demonstrating the substantial influence his statements currently command in financial markets.
Nvidia shares traded marginally lower at publication time, with NVDA declining 0.26%, equivalent to $0.48, when the interview became publicly available.
The GTC conference remains a critical venue for Nvidia to reveal strategic partnerships and future product initiatives.
Nvidia acknowledged its partnership with OpenClaw’s development team as part of Monday’s NemoClaw launch disclosure.
The post Nvidia (NVDA) Stock Dips as Jensen Huang Declares OpenClaw the Next Major AI Breakthrough appeared first on Blockonomi.
RedotPay, a Hong Kong-based stablecoin payments platform, says it has consolidated its teams to improve efficiency as it scales, following market chatter about executive turnover and sensitivities tied to its ties with mainland China. A Bloomberg report on March 18, 2026, flagged at least five senior departures in the past year, including two heads of compliance, amid a demanding work culture and marathon hours. The company has been pursuing a US initial public offering that could exceed $1 billion in proceeds and values the firm at over $4 billion, according to Bloomberg. RedotPay publicly framed the moves as part of transitioning from an early-stage startup to a unicorn, while insisting its leadership core remains intact.
Key takeaways
- RedotPay is reorganizing its organizational structure and talent pool to support continued growth and an anticipated scale-up toward a potential IPO, signaling prioritization of governance and operational efficiency.
- Bloomberg reported significant leadership churn over the past year, including multiple senior departures, with the report noting a demanding culture and long working hours tied to rapid expansion.
- The company continues to pursue a U.S. listing, with reports suggesting a deal could raise more than $1 billion and value the company above $4 billion, backed by banks named by sources as advisers.
- RedotPay says it has not yet appointed a chief financial officer, and its co-founders still oversee core functions as the company grows to more than 250 employees globally, anchored in Hong Kong.
- Despite heavy fundraising in 2025, RedotPay asserts no urgent need for additional capital, citing strong cash flow and liquidity while remaining open to investor participation.
Sentiment: Neutral
Market context: The story unfolds as stablecoins and crypto-enabled payments continue to attract capital and regulatory attention. The market cap of stablecoins has risen above $300 billion, reflecting expanding use cases in everyday transactions and remittances. Within this backdrop, major banks and advisory firms have been linked to potential crypto-related listings, including a hypothetical U.S. IPO for RedotPay that could involve banks such as JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and Jefferies.
Why it matters
RedotPay’s pivot from an early-stage startup toward what some sources describe as unicorn status underscores the broader tension between rapid scale and governance in the fast-growing stablecoin payments space. A successful US listing would place the company among a cohort of crypto-native firms seeking mainstream access to capital, potentially validating a model that blends card-based spending with yield-generating stablecoins and cross-border remittances. The involvement of established banks as advisers—if confirmed—could lend credibility to a sector that has faced intense regulatory scrutiny in recent years, particularly around stablecoins’ reserve structures and cross-border settlement capabilities.
From a governance perspective, the reported leadership churn raises questions about talent retention and organizational culture at scale. Five senior departures within a year—per the Bloomberg report—include two compliance chiefs, highlighting the delicate balance between rapid deployment of new products and rigorous compliance controls. RedotPay’s response emphasizes ongoing leadership by its co-founders and a strategic restructuring intended to support growth while preserving core leadership responsibilities. In a market where investor confidence often hinges on governance transparency, how the company manages talent and internal controls may influence investor appetite for a potential IPO.
On the funding front, the company has demonstrated a capacity to sustain growth through multiple rounds of financing. The 2025 fundraising wave totaled $194 million across three rounds, beginning with a $40 million Series A in March led by Lightspeed, followed by a $47 million strategic round in September that brought in Coinbase Ventures and helped push the company toward unicorn status, and culminating in a $107 million Series B in December led by Goodwater Capital with participation from Pantera Capital, Blockchain Capital and Circle Ventures. RedotPay states that its current operating cash flow remains robust and that liquidity is ample, which it says dampens the urgency for additional fundraising, even as it remains open to investor interest. The financing momentum a year ago signals strong market appetite for well-capitalized fintechs operating in the crypto payments space, even as the sector navigates a complex regulatory environment.
The market backdrop for stablecoins—central to RedotPay’s value proposition—adds another layer of significance. The DefiLlama data embedded in industry discourse shows a stablecoin market that has surpassed a substantial value threshold, underscoring the demand for programmable money that can underpin everyday transactions. As more users seek frictionless ways to spend and transfer value across borders, platforms that can demonstrate sustainable growth, resilient liquidity, and credible risk management are likely to command heightened investor attention. In this context, RedotPay’s stated roadmap toward an IPO and its organizational evolution will be watched closely by investors seeking to gauge how well the company translates a disruptive business model into long-term financial and governance discipline.
Beyond the immediate corporate drama and fundraising cadence, the company’s plan to scale operations—anchored by a global workforce of more than 250 employees and a growing footprint in Hong Kong—will be a litmus test for how crypto-enabled payments platforms balance rapid expansion with regulatory compliance, particularly in a climate of heightened scrutiny toward cross-border crypto activity. If RedotPay can demonstrate consistent cash flow generation, robust internal controls, and a credible pathway to public markets, it could become a reference point for other issuers pursuing US-listed exits from the Asia-Pacific stablecoin and payments ecosystems. Conversely, persistent leadership instability or material regulatory challenges could complicate its IPO trajectory, even amid strong market demand for crypto-enabled payments solutions.
The company’s public statements emphasize that the leadership remains intact and that the organizational shifts are deliberate steps in a broader growth strategy. As market participants parse the evolving narrative, the balance between ambition and governance will be the defining factor shaping RedotPay’s reception among investors and potential partners on the path to a public listing.
What to watch next
- Whether RedotPay appoints a chief financial officer and when that appointment would occur.
- Updates on the U.S. IPO timeline, including any formal filings or regulatory milestones in 2026.
- Any further disclosures about leadership changes or organizational restructuring and their rationale.
- Additional fundraising activity or investor commitments beyond the 2025 momentum.
- Regulatory developments affecting cross-border crypto payments and stablecoins that could impact the listing process.
Sources & verification
RedotPay navigates expansion amid churn rumors as it eyes a US IPO
RedotPay, a Hong Kong-based stablecoin payments platform, has told investors it is consolidating its teams to bolster efficiency as it scales, a move that follows a February-March wave of press coverage about leadership churn and sensitivities linked to the company’s China connections. The company’s public communications frame the organizational changes as a natural part of maturing from an early-stage startup into a unicorn while preserving the leadership of its co-founders, including CEO Michael Gao, who remain at the helm of critical functions. This narrative aligns with a broader push in the crypto payments space to translate rapid growth into governance discipline, a prerequisite for any public market ambitions.
According to Bloomberg’s March 18 report, at least five senior hires departed RedotPay within the last year, including two roles in compliance. The account of churn highlights the strains that can accompany aggressive scaling, particularly in an industry sensitive to regulatory scrutiny and mainland China associations. RedotPay’s rebuttal stresses that the departures are part of a broader organizational evolution designed to support ongoing growth while the core leadership team continues to guide the business through its next phase.
Turning to the potential IPO, Bloomberg noted that a US listing could exceed $1 billion in proceeds and value the company at more than $4 billion. The report cited the involvement of established banks—JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, and Jefferies—as advisers on a potential New York listing that could come as early as this year. RedotPay did not confirm these details in a standalone interview with Cointelegraph, but its public statements reiterate a message of strategic transition aimed at sustaining growth and expanding its geographic reach and product capabilities. The claim of an IPO pathway underscores how market signals about public-market readiness remain intertwined with perceptions of governance and execution risk in a high-growth crypto fintech.
On the financial front, RedotPay has demonstrated fundraising resilience. The company disclosed that it raised a total of $194 million in 2025, delivering a sequence of rounds that fortified its balance sheet and expanded its global footprint. The March 2025 Series A of $40 million, led by Lightspeed, established a foundation for subsequent rounds. In September, a $47 million strategic round brought in Coinbase Ventures and helped cement unicorn status, while December’s $107 million Series B, led by Goodwater Capital with participation from Pantera Capital, Blockchain Capital, and Circle Ventures, extended its capital runway. RedotPay has positioned itself as a payments-enabled platform that allows users to spend stablecoins through a Visa-enabled card, while offering yield products and remittance services, which adds a revenue diversification angle beyond pure exchange or fee-based models.
Despite this fundraising cadence, RedotPay says there is no urgency to secure additional capital, pointing to strong cash flow and liquidity. It notes ongoing openness to investor dialogue but emphasizes that management will prioritize organic growth and profitability where possible. The company’s stance highlights a broader debate in the crypto-fintech space: how growth-stage firms balance ambitious capital-intensive expansion with disciplined capital management and a clear path to profitability, particularly when courting public-market investors. In RedotPay’s case, the question now shifts from fundraising momentum to execution credibility—can the platform translate its growth story into consistent earnings, a robust governance framework, and a credible, timely IPO plan within a still-evolving regulatory landscape?
Market dynamics surrounding stablecoins—an essential pillar of RedotPay’s business—also influence how the market will interpret its next moves. The sector’s scale, underscored by a market cap that has surpassed notable thresholds in recent months, suggests a durable demand for crypto-enabled payments and cross-border financial flows. That demand is tempered by regulatory expectations and the need for transparent reserve practices, especially as more institutional capital seeks exposure to tokenized cash equivalents and on-chain settlement capabilities. RedotPay’s ability to articulate a clear governance and risk framework, alongside a credible IPO timeline, will be a critical test for the company and for investors evaluating the viability of stablecoin-centric fintechs in the public market arena.
Key Takeaways
- DocuSign’s price target reduced to $86 from $124 by Citizens, which maintains Market Outperform rating amid revenue growth worries
- Wells Fargo lowered its price target from $75 to $60 while keeping Equal Weight rating
- Shares have plummeted 44% in the last half-year, trading near $47.54
- Fourth quarter FY2026 earnings per share reached $1.01 versus $0.95 consensus; revenue of $837M exceeded $827.9M expectations
- IAM platform generated $350M in Q4 (representing 11% of total revenue), with projections targeting $600M (18% of total) by FY2027 conclusion
The past half-year has proven challenging for DocuSign, prompting Wall Street analysts to recalibrate their forecasts. This week witnessed two prominent investment firms reducing their stock price projections — including one particularly significant cut.
Citizens slashed its projection from $124 down to $86, representing a substantial 31% decrease, while maintaining its Market Outperform stance. The firm highlighted worries surrounding revenue acceleration as the primary catalyst for this adjustment.
Currently hovering around $47.54, the stock trades significantly beneath even these reduced projections — reflecting a 44% decline over the preceding six-month period. This represents a considerable valuation compression for an enterprise that continues delivering 79.5% gross margins while maintaining a cash position exceeding its debt load.
Wells Fargo adopted a less aggressive revision, lowering its target from $75 down to $60 while preserving an Equal Weight designation. The firm characterized Q4 performance as generally aligned with expectations, albeit “a touch below” the magnitude of previous quarterly surprises.
Wells highlighted that elevated R&D spending will probably constrain margin improvement in upcoming quarters. Additional disclosure changes introduced by the company necessitate recalibration of analyst forecasting models.
Fourth Quarter Performance Surpasses Forecasts
Notwithstanding the pessimistic target revisions, DocuSign’s fourth quarter FY2026 performance proved respectable. Earnings per share registered at $1.01, surpassing the $0.95 analyst consensus. Quarterly revenue totaled $837 million, modestly exceeding the $827.9 million projection.
The positive earnings surprise failed to alleviate anxieties regarding future growth momentum, which remains the fundamental concern underpinning the target reductions.
IAM Platform Growth and Artificial Intelligence Advances
Optimistic investors are concentrating on the company’s IAM offering, which generated $350 million during Q4, accounting for 11% of aggregate revenue. Management has provided guidance projecting this figure to reach $600 million, representing 18% of total revenue, by fiscal year 2027’s conclusion.
The organization is transitioning toward consumption-based subscription models beginning in the first quarter.
Regarding artificial intelligence development, the company’s Iris engine now processes over 200 million privately consented agreements through Navigator, advancing from 150 million in December. Management claims achieving AI processing cost reductions up to 50 times compared with executing direct prompts on large language models.
DocuSign addresses a $50 billion total addressable market opportunity, equally distributed between electronic signature and contract lifecycle management segments, serving 1.8 million customers throughout its ecosystem.
Wells Fargo observed that updated ARR guidance projects approximately 50 basis points of growth acceleration entering FY2027.
The post DocuSign (DOCU) Stock Sees Analyst Price Targets Slashed Following Q4 Results appeared first on Blockonomi.
Kraken Pro has rolled out its largest single margin leverage expansion, adding support across 44 trading pairs including stablecoins, gold tokens, BTC and ETH regional pairs, mid-cap assets, and DeFi blue-chips.
Kraken Pro has expanded margin leverage across 44 trading pairs, marking the exchange’s largest single leverage expansion to date. The expansion spans four distinct asset categories: stablecoins, gold tokens, BTC and ETH regional pairs, mid-cap assets, and DeFi blue-chips. The rollout is designed to allow traders to size positions that better reflect their conviction without hitting leverage limits.
The expansion builds on Kraken’s recent push to grow its margin trading offerings. The exchange previously increased collateral currency options and added new margin pairs including MON and NIGHT, bringing the total number of available margin markets to over 240. The latest expansion reinforces Kraken Pro’s positioning as a platform for advanced traders seeking deeper leverage access across multiple asset classes.
Sources: Kraken Blog | Kraken Pro
This article was generated automatically by The Defiant’s AI news system from publicly available sources.
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