The debate that once framed much of mainstream finance as “crypto skepticism” has quietly shifted—at least for some of the most visible skeptics. A handful of prominent figures who previously dismissed digital assets as illegitimate or destructive have either backed crypto-adjacent products, invested in tokenization, or moved from public hostility to selective engagement.

Rather than a single narrative of conversion, the pattern looks more like a split between those who reconsider the technology and those who keep attacking the asset while profiting from the rails. The result: crypto’s credibility continues to spread not only through believers, but through well-positioned skeptics adjusting their strategies.

Key takeaways

• Several top executives have moved from condemning Bitcoin to treating it as a fit within regulated investment channels, helping drive institutional access.
• Some “still skeptical” voices have not changed their public stance on Bitcoin, while simultaneously building or selling blockchain-enabled infrastructure.
• Tokenization appears to be the common thread: even critics often gravitate toward regulated, asset-backed digital formats rather than “unbacked” crypto.
• Opportunistic engagement—whether via products, marketing, or political positioning—has become increasingly lucrative for high-profile figures.

Larry Fink’s pivot: from money-laundering claims to tokenized finance

Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, is often cited as the clearest example of a skeptic moving toward crypto’s mainstream role. In 2017, Fink described Bitcoin as an “index of money laundering,” reflecting a widespread early-finance critique that digital assets were dominated by speculation and illicit activity. A decade later, the tone is notably different.

It is unclear what specifically drove the reassessment, but by 2020 Fink began acknowledging Bitcoin’s potential. By 2023, he was actively defending BlackRock’s crypto push. Today, BlackRock is among the most influential institutional on-ramps for Bitcoin through spot exchange-traded products—an important development because it places exposure to Bitcoin inside frameworks that many traditional investors already understand.

In later communications connected to BlackRock’s investor relations, Fink has also discussed tokenization more directly, portraying it as an effort to modernize financial systems. The key shift is not simply acceptance of Bitcoin as an investment; it is an argument that digital asset rails can be integrated into conventional finance in a more institutional way.

Jamie Dimon’s approach: criticism of Bitcoin, investment in the rails

While Fink’s evolution leaned toward acceptance, JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon illustrates a more conditional stance. Dimon has repeatedly criticized Bitcoin in strong terms—including describing it as a “fraud” and warning that it would blow up. He has also used public platforms, including Congressional hearings, to reiterate his objections.

Yet JPMorgan’s activities suggest an important asymmetry: the bank may dislike Bitcoin as an asset, but still wants control over—if not profit from—the infrastructure that enables tokenized finance. The bank has built out its Onyx division, rolled out JPM Coin, and experimented with connecting bank infrastructure to crypto wallets. It has also developed tokenized collateral platforms aimed at moving cash and securities more efficiently.

For investors and market participants, this distinction matters. The more banks treat blockchain-based workflows as tools worth integrating, the more the ecosystem’s “plumbing” becomes institutional-grade—regardless of whether executives like Dimon endorse Bitcoin’s legitimacy.

Peter Schiff’s consistency: gold first, but tokenization still works

Peter Schiff has largely stayed consistent in his critique of Bitcoin’s market structure and long-term sustainability, and his skepticism appears to intensify during rallies. However, Schiff’s business decisions show that even critics of crypto can embrace tokenization when it aligns with familiar value storage.

According to the article, Schiff launched T-Gold.com in December 2025, a tokenized gold platform that represents physical bullion via blockchain-recorded tokens. The model allows users to buy physical gold and silver held in segregated vaults and receive digital tokens tied to specific quantities, with ownership recorded on a blockchain.

In framing this as a continuation rather than an apostasy, the underlying message is straightforward: keep the rails, swap the asset. Schiff’s move underscores a broader trend—tokenization can be pitched less as “crypto” and more as a transfer-and-custody layer for assets with long-established monetary histories.

Nouriel Roubini’s “Technodollar”: skepticism directed at unbacked assets

Nouriel Roubini, known to crypto audiences as “Dr. Doom,” is not typically associated with pivoting toward digital assets. In prior commentary, he has described many cryptocurrencies as “useless,” warned of a “crypto apocalypse,” and highlighted governance failures and investor harms.

Yet this week, as reported in the source material, he co-authored a whitepaper with Atlas Capital and announced USAFi, a tokenized instrument marketed as a regulated permissionless security intended to reflect what he calls the “Technodollar.” Roubini characterizes the move as not a reversal. He told Cointelegraph he remains skeptical of unbacked crypto assets whose value depends mainly on speculation rather than fundamentals.

What changes, in his view, is the design goal: modernizing the financial system through regulated, asset-backed digital instruments. The stance is telling for market watchers. Even prominent critics are shifting focus away from “Bitcoin versus nothing” toward questions about backing, governance, and investor protection—precisely the areas that regulators and institutional stakeholders have emphasized.

Donald Trump’s strategy: political leverage and profit—without technical precision

Donald Trump’s relationship with crypto is best described as pragmatic rather than technical. The article notes that he previously called Bitcoin “seems like a scam” and warned about its impact on dollar dominance, but later rebranded himself as a “crypto president.”

Trump has also been associated with nonfungible token drops and launched meme coins, including tokens linked to his family. The source further claims that he has pocketed more than $2.3 billion from various crypto endeavors since 2024, citing Reuters for that figure.

In this approach, understanding the mechanics appears less important than reading political incentives. The article argues that crypto has matured into a voting bloc and donors are becoming more strategic—so what matters is language about freedom, innovation, and opposing overreach. For the broader market, the implication is that crypto’s influence can expand through politics even when skeptics maintain that technological comprehension is secondary to adoption and capital formation.

What’s actually changing: belief, incentives, or both?

Across these cases, the common thread isn’t a simple conversion story. It’s a pattern of selective engagement shaped by incentives and fit with established business models.

For executives like Fink, the shift is framed as a reframing of crypto and tokenization as extensions of existing finance missions—helped by demand and by the prospect of new fee streams within huge institutional platforms. For skeptical banking voices like Dimon, the public criticism may remain intact while the bank’s product strategy leans into blockchain-enabled systems that can improve how institutions move value.

For critics like Schiff and Roubini, the direction is toward asset-backed or tokenized representations that resemble traditional value storage or regulated securities. And for political figures like Trump, the signal is that crypto can become part of a broader coalition strategy—where engagement is driven by attention, constituencies, and financial upside.

Whether these developments represent genuine intellectual evolution or an instinct to follow the money is difficult to prove. But for market participants, the practical takeaway is clear: crypto skepticism is no longer a barrier to building crypto-related products. Instead, it’s increasingly being redirected into debates about structure—backing, compliance, custody, and governance.

As more institutions and high-profile actors adapt their strategies, the next question for readers is how far tokenization will spread into regulated products that resemble traditional finance—and which remaining skeptics will adjust their positions as those offerings become more mainstream.

Key Highlights

• PLTR shares advance following enhanced Surf Air Mobility collaboration announcement.
• Partnership acceleration brings additional engineering resources to SurfOS development.
• Enterprise BrokerOS deployment establishes foundation for broader platform expansion.
• Company leverages AIP and Foundry platforms to address private aviation inefficiencies.
• Integrated SurfOS ecosystem designed to connect industry stakeholders on unified platform.

Shares of Palantir Technologies experienced upward momentum during morning sessions following news of an enhanced collaboration with Surf Air Mobility. The stock advanced 3.53% to reach $116.92 after progressing steadily before experiencing minor profit-taking. This strategic expansion reinforces the company’s commitment to aviation technology as the industry continues operating on disconnected legacy infrastructure.

Palantir Technologies Inc., PLTR

Strategic Alliance with Surf Air Mobility Intensifies

Palantir Technologies revealed an enhanced commercial and technical collaboration with Surf Air Mobility. This upgraded arrangement brings additional personnel and capabilities from both organizations to accelerate the SurfOS platform’s evolution. The partnership aims to expedite market introduction throughout private aviation and urban air mobility sectors.

The enhanced collaboration encompasses multiple product lines including OperatorOS, OwnerOS, and SurfOS Enterprise Solutions. These offerings focus on serving aircraft operators, private aircraft owners, charter brokers, and various aviation service companies. Consequently, Surf Air seeks to establish an integrated technology infrastructure for an industry characterized by operational fragmentation.

The SurfOS architecture operates on top of Palantir’s Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) and Foundry infrastructure. This system enables aviation enterprises to streamline operations, reduce overhead expenses, and enhance decision-making capabilities. The platform also positions Surf Air to diversify beyond its core aviation marketplace operations.

BrokerOS Deployment Establishes Framework for Expansion

This partnership enhancement arrives following BrokerOS’s commercial introduction. Surf Air additionally finalized a significant seven-figure agreement with Wheels Up for the Enterprise BrokerOS solution. This arrangement positioned Wheels Up as the inaugural enterprise customer for the platform.

BrokerOS specifically addresses charter broker requirements and facilitates related operational processes. Nevertheless, Surf Air envisions SurfOS extending across additional private aviation segments. The comprehensive platform now targets operators, private aircraft owners, original equipment manufacturers, and maintenance service providers.

Palantir will additionally contribute to commercial strategy execution under this expanded arrangement. The firm has demonstrated expertise deploying solutions in complex industries facing data fragmentation challenges. Surf Air anticipates that Palantir’s involvement will compress development cycles and accelerate market penetration.

Aviation Technology Initiative Extends Commercial Portfolio

This collaboration provides Palantir with an additional enterprise application beyond its traditional defense and government segments. The private aviation sector represents a substantial market opportunity plagued by information silos and outdated technology infrastructure. Accordingly, Palantir can establish its platforms as solutions for process automation and operational visibility.

Surf Air Mobility simultaneously secures a more robust technology collaborator for its software division. The organization envisions SurfOS evolving into the core operating system for air mobility enterprises. This approach connects brokers, operators, owners, and manufacturers within a unified software environment.

Nevertheless, successful deployment hinges on market acceptance and customer uptake. Surf Air must demonstrate that SurfOS delivers measurable cost reductions and operational improvements. Palantir equally requires additional aviation sector clients to transform this collaboration into sustainable commercial momentum.

Prediction-market operators are bringing trading infrastructure in-house, a rapid shift that could trigger a wave of acquisitions across crypto platforms, sportsbooks, brokerages and standalone exchanges, according to analysts at Bernstein. 

In a research report on Monday, Bernstein said the industry is going through “operational consolidation,” with major platforms moving to control more of the prediction-market stack.

“Every consumer platform that matters has merged the front and back end of the prediction-market stack,” they said. This includes distribution, brokerage, exchange and clearing. That convergence had placed businesses that historically operated in separate industries within a single competitive landscape. 

Bernstein pointed to Robinhood routing major World Cup contracts through Rothera, the exchange it jointly owns with Susquehanna, and DraftKings launching DKeX and moving volume away from CME and Crypto.com infrastructure. The firm also cited Coinbase’s acquisition of The Clearing Company and its launch of event contracts as evidence that consumer platforms are seeking to control more of the prediction-market stack.

Owning the infrastructure allows platforms to retain fees that previously flowed to outside partners, making acquisitions a faster route to distribution, licenses, or completing missing parts of the stack. However, the same convergence that strengthens the case for consolidation could also heighten state and federal scrutiny by further blurring the regulatory boundary between financial trading and gambling. 

Timeline of acquisitions. Source: Bernstein

Regulatory clash could constrain consolidation

Bernstein said regulatory scrutiny remains one of the main barriers to larger integrations across the prediction-market sector.

While combining crypto platforms with brokerages, sportsbooks and exchanges could improve margins and reduce reliance on outside partners, Bernstein said such deals could attract antitrust scrutiny and deepen disputes over whether sports event contracts should be regulated as financial derivatives or gambling products. 

Related: About 60% of World Cup bettors on Polymarket are first-time crypto users

That could further stoke the jurisdictional conflict already playing out across several states. Minnesota enacted what the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) described as the first outright ban on prediction markets, while Illinois adopted legislation requiring platforms to obtain a state license before offering sports event contracts. 

Valuation of online sports books compared to leading prediction markets.
Source: Bernstein.

Kalshi challenged both states’ restrictions, arguing that federally regulated exchanges fall under the CFTC’s exclusive authority. 

The growing resistance suggests that consolidation may make commercial sense but remain difficult to execute until regulators and courts settle where federal derivatives oversight ends and state gambling authority begins.

Magazine: Bitcoin slides to $58K, XRP hits $1 but onchain data promising: Market Moves

Strategy has introduced a new “Digital Credit Capital Framework” aimed at monetizing part of its Bitcoin holdings to support dividends, bolster cash reserves, and fund share repurchases—while explicitly keeping a long-term Bitcoin strategy in place. The move was detailed in a Monday 8-K filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

In the filing, Strategy also outlined changes to its STRC preferred stock dividend policy, including an increase in the annual dividend rate to 12% from 11.5%, and authorized separate buyback programs for its preferred securities and its Class A common stock. The company said it may sell Bitcoin to raise as much as $1.25 billion to strengthen liquidity for dividends, debt costs, and additional buybacks.

Key takeaways

• Strategy’s new Digital Credit Capital Framework formalizes a Bitcoin monetization program to generate cash for dividends, interest, and debt payments.
• Cash reserves are reported at $2.55 billion, covering about 17 months of preferred stock dividends and interest under the new rules.
• The annual dividend rate on STRC preferred stock rises to 12% from 11.5%, alongside buyback authorizations for both preferred securities and Class A shares.
• Strategy disclosed the company raised roughly $1.15 billion in net proceeds by selling 12.67 million shares, while also reporting no BTC purchases during the week ended Sunday.

A framework built around dividends, buybacks, and controlled monetization

Strategy’s 8-K filing with the SEC describes the Digital Credit Capital Framework as an approach designed to “monetize part” of its Bitcoin holdings. The stated purpose is to produce funds that can be used for dividends, replenishing cash reserves, and repurchasing securities, while maintaining the company’s broader long-term exposure to Bitcoin.

A central element is the disclosed capacity to sell Bitcoin—up to $1.25 billion—to increase cash reserves and support capital allocation. The company ties this liquidity plan to payments and buybacks rather than positioning it as a shift away from Bitcoin as a core treasury asset.

The filing also includes updated dividend mechanics for STRC preferred stock. Strategy raised the STRC annual dividend rate to 12% from 11.5% and revised aspects of how that dividend policy operates in relation to the company’s liquidity planning.

Cash reserve rules: $2.55 billion earmarked for payment coverage

Strategy said its cash reserve has grown to $2.55 billion. According to the filing, that reserve is intended to cover approximately 17 months of preferred stock dividends and interest payments.

Under the new policy, the reserve is restricted in use: it can only be used for dividend and interest payments, and it must be maintained at a minimum level equivalent to at least 12 months of those obligations unless the board approves changes.

Michael Saylor, Strategy’s executive chairman, said in connection with the framework that the company’s existing cash reserve, together with the $1.25 billion Bitcoin monetization capacity, could provide up to $3.8 billion in dividend coverage—equivalent to nearly 26 months.

For investors and traders, the key implication is that Strategy is trying to reduce uncertainty around short-term funding needs associated with preferred dividends and interest. By placing constraints around the cash reserve’s use and establishing minimum coverage requirements, the company is effectively outlining a “runway” for payments even if market conditions remain volatile.

Dividend increase and buyback authorization raise the stakes for liquidity management

Beyond the framework itself, Strategy adjusted two capital-return levers at the same time: the STRC preferred dividend rate and its ability to repurchase securities.

The filing indicates that the annual dividend rate for STRC preferred stock was increased to 12% from 11.5%. It also authorizes separate buyback programs for preferred securities and for the company’s Class A MSTR common stock.

This combination—higher dividend obligations alongside expanded repurchase permissions—places greater emphasis on the effectiveness of the liquidity plan described in the framework. Strategy’s approach suggests that the company views Bitcoin monetization capacity as a tool to keep both dividend payments and capital returns functioning through market drawdowns.

Strategy’s filings and related messaging also reference discipline in equity issuance under certain trading conditions. In one statement tied to the rollout, Michael Saylor said Strategy expects to remain disciplined in its use of MSTR issuance, particularly when the stock trades at or near 1x mNAV, according to posts on X associated with his remarks.

No BTC purchases reported; holdings unchanged at 847,363 BTC

Strategy’s SEC disclosure also covered its recent Bitcoin buying activity. The company reported that it did not acquire any BTC during the week ended Sunday, leaving its holdings unchanged at 847,363 BTC purchased for a combined $64.1 billion, at an average purchase price of $75,651 per bitcoin.

Cointelegraph previously reported Strategy’s approach to liquidity and treasury operations, including weekly reserve updates; in the context of this filing, the immediate takeaway is that the company’s Bitcoin inventory did not increase over the referenced week. It also reported adding a net 3,625 BTC so far in June after buying 3,657 BTC and selling 32 BTC earlier in the month.

Separately, Strategy disclosed that it raised around $1.15 billion in net proceeds by selling 12.67 million MSTR shares, a financing activity that complements—and may partially offset—the need to sell Bitcoin for cash.

At the same time, market conditions around Strategy’s equity have been pressured. The article cites TradingView data indicating STRC traded at a discount to par, and notes that MSTR shares were down nearly 50% year-to-date at the time of publication. Earlier commentary from Grayscale’s research head Zach Pandl suggested Strategy should consider selling $3 billion in Bitcoin to address cash obligations, as covered by Cointelegraph.

Monday’s market reaction reflected renewed investor interest: ahead of the Nasdaq open, MSTR shares were bid up by more than 5.5%, according to the account in the source article.

What to watch next

Investors should focus on how Strategy implements the framework—especially whether the company actually executes Bitcoin sales up to the stated $1.25 billion capacity and how quickly it uses that cash for dividends, debt costs, and buybacks while keeping the reserve rules intact. The next signals to track are updates on cash reserve levels, execution of repurchase programs, and any further disclosures linking the framework’s monetization plan to market volatility.

Money has undergone a remarkable transformation throughout human history. From trading goods through barter systems to using coins, paper currency, credit cards, and online banking, each innovation has made transactions faster and more efficient. Today, we are witnessing another major shift: the evolution of digital cash.

Digital cash is more than simply paying with a smartphone or making online purchases. It represents a new generation of programmable, decentralized, and borderless financial systems that redefine how value is stored, transferred, and managed. Powered by blockchain technology, digital cash is laying the foundation for a more connected and accessible global economy.

The Journey from Physical to Digital

Traditional cash served societies well for centuries because it offered simplicity and universal acceptance. However, as commerce expanded globally and the internet became central to daily life, physical money revealed several limitations:

• Slow international transfers
• High transaction costs
• Dependence on financial intermediaries
• Limited accessibility for the unbanked
• Vulnerability to inflation and counterfeiting

Electronic banking and digital payment platforms addressed many of these issues by allowing instant payments through centralized financial institutions. Yet these systems still rely heavily on trusted intermediaries that control transactions, maintain user data, and establish access rules.

Bitcoin: The First Truly Digital Cash

The launch of Bitcoin in 2009 introduced a groundbreaking concept: peer-to-peer digital cash without requiring banks or payment processors.

Bitcoin solved the long-standing “double-spending” problem through blockchain technology, enabling users to securely transfer value across the internet while maintaining transparency and decentralization.

Key innovations included:

• Borderless transactions
• Limited supply due to scarcity
• Cryptographic security
• Public verification
• Decentralized consensus

Although Bitcoin has increasingly been recognized as digital gold and a store of value, it has also demonstrated that decentralized money can function on a global scale.

Expanding Beyond Simple Payments

The evolution did not stop with Bitcoin.

New blockchain networks expanded digital cash by introducing programmable assets that can interact with smart contracts. This transformed digital currencies from simple payment tools into components of decentralized financial ecosystems.

Today’s digital assets can:

• Earn yield automatically
• Serve as collateral for loans
• Participate in decentralized governance
• Enable instant cross-border settlements
• Power decentralized applications (dApps)
• Facilitate automated financial services

Money is no longer static—it has become programmable.

The Rise of Stablecoins

One of the most important developments in digital cash has been the emergence of stablecoins.

Unlike cryptocurrencies with highly volatile prices, stablecoins are designed to maintain relatively stable values by being pegged to traditional assets such as the U.S. dollar.

Their benefits include:

• Faster international payments
• Lower transaction fees
• Reduced exchange-rate volatility
• Improved accessibility for businesses
• Efficient settlements for decentralized finance (DeFi)

Stablecoins have become essential infrastructure connecting traditional finance with blockchain ecosystems.

Digital Cash Becomes Intelligent

Artificial intelligence is introducing another layer of evolution.

AI agents can now interact directly with blockchain networks, enabling autonomous financial activities such as:

• Managing digital wallets
• Executing recurring payments
• Optimizing investment strategies
• Monitoring market conditions
• Rebalancing portfolios
• Paying for digital services automatically

This convergence of AI and blockchain is giving rise to autonomous financial systems where software can independently manage economic decisions within predefined parameters.

Cross-Chain Connectivity Changes Everything

Early blockchain ecosystems often operated in isolation, requiring users to remain within a single network.

Modern interoperability solutions now allow assets to move securely across multiple blockchains, creating a more unified financial landscape.

Cross-chain connectivity enables:

• Seamless asset transfers
• Greater liquidity
• Improved user experiences
• Multi-chain decentralized applications
• Broader financial accessibility

Instead of choosing one blockchain, users can benefit from the strengths of many interconnected networks.

Challenges That Remain

Despite rapid innovation, digital cash still faces several obstacles:

Regulation

Governments continue developing frameworks for cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, taxation, and digital asset compliance.

Scalability

Blockchain networks must continue increasing transaction throughput while maintaining decentralization and security.

Security

Protecting wallets, smart contracts, and users from cyber threats remains a top priority.

User Experience

Mass adoption depends on making blockchain technology as intuitive as today’s online banking and payment apps.

The Future of Digital Cash

Digital cash is steadily evolving into a comprehensive financial ecosystem rather than simply replacing physical money.

In the coming years, we can expect:

• Greater institutional adoption
• More widespread use of stablecoins
• AI-powered financial automation
• Tokenized real-world assets
• Enhanced privacy technologies
• Faster cross-border settlements
• Increased integration with everyday commerce

Digital cash will likely become an invisible layer of the internet, seamlessly powering transactions across both digital and physical economies.

Conclusion

The evolution of digital cash reflects humanity’s ongoing pursuit of faster, safer, and more inclusive ways to exchange value. From Bitcoin’s decentralized breakthrough to programmable money, stablecoins, AI-driven finance, and cross-chain interoperability, digital cash has grown into a sophisticated financial infrastructure capable of supporting the next generation of the global economy.

As blockchain technology continues to mature, digital cash will become increasingly embedded in everyday life—not merely as an alternative payment method, but as the foundation of a smarter, more open, and interconnected financial system.

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The monetization program also authorizes Strategy to sell bitcoin to finance up to $1 billion of Digital Credit Securities repurchases and up to $1 billion of Class A common stock buybacks. Any bitcoin monetization beyond these authorized purposes would require additional board approval. The repurchase programs have no expiration date.

The monetization program is part of a broader capital allocation strategy that also includes increasing the dividend on Strategy’s preferred stock STRC to 12%, from 11.5%, adopting a formal USD Reserve policy, and requiring sufficient cash reserves to cover at least 12 months of preferred stock dividends and interest obligations.

Michael Saylor, Founder and Executive Chairman of Strategy said, “At the same time, Digital Credit requires liquidity, discipline, and active capital management. This framework is designed to strengthen credit quality and enable the Company to reduce expected preferred stock dividend payments when accretive. This framework also sets out how we plan to use our capital management toolkit while maintaining our commitment to long-term Bitcoin exposure.”

MSTR shares are up 3% following the announcement, while bitcoin trades below $60,000.

Bitcoin infrastructure company Breez has added a feature to its developer toolkit that lets users send USDC (USDC) and USDt (USDT) across more than 30 blockchain networks directly from a Bitcoin balance, without first converting or holding stablecoins.

According to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph, the feature uses the Lightning Network alongside automated conversion to route payments from Bitcoin (BTC) to USDC or USDT before delivering funds to the recipient’s preferred blockchain.

When a user enters a recipient’s wallet address, the Breez SDK identifies the destination blockchain, calculates a conversion route and displays the amount, network and fees before the payment is confirmed. The transaction is then routed through liquidity providers, including Flashnet and Boltz, which convert the sender’s Bitcoin into stablecoins and deliver it on the recipient’s chosen blockchain.

Roy Sheinfeld, CEO of Breez, told Cointelegraph the feature does not require USDT or USDC to be issued on the Lightning Network. Instead, it relies on “interoperability” to let users spend from a Bitcoin balance while recipients receive stablecoins on supported blockchain networks.

Breez said users continue holding Bitcoin until they initiate a payment, while recipients receive stablecoins on their preferred blockchain without requiring the sender to manage separate stablecoin balances. The feature is non-custodial and initially supports only outbound stablecoin payments, with support for receiving stablecoins from external blockchain networks planned for a future release.

The feature is designed to allow developers to add stablecoin payments without integrating multiple blockchain networks or requiring users to manage separate Bitcoin and stablecoin balances.

Related: Credit unions managing $25B in assets join stablecoin infrastructure program

Bitcoin payment infrastructure expands

The launch comes as companies expand Bitcoin and the Lightning Network, a layer-2 payment network designed to make Bitcoin transactions faster and less expensive, into new financial and commercial applications.

In February, Secure Digital Markets, an institutional trading and lending desk, completed a $1 million Bitcoin payment to Kraken over the Lightning Network in less than half a second, demonstrating the protocol’s potential for high-value institutional transfers. The transaction illustrated how Lightning is increasingly being tested for use cases beyond small retail payments.

That same month, Bitcoin infrastructure company Voltage introduced a US dollar-settled revolving credit line that embeds business credit into Lightning payment flows, allowing companies to settle repayments in either US dollars or Bitcoin. The product is intended to enable businesses to access working capital using Lightning for payments, without holding crypto on their balance sheets.

Event platform Satlantis also launched a Bitcoin-native ticketing platform with embedded Lightning wallets, allowing organizers to sell tickets and accept BTC alongside traditional payment methods.

In March, Tether-backed Bitcoin infrastructure startup Ark Labs in a $5.2 million funding round to develop technology supporting stablecoin issuance, transfers and settlement on Bitcoin.

Lightning adoption has continued to grow. A February report from River estimated the network surpassed $1 billion in monthly transaction volume in late 2025, up from around $12 million in 2021.

Lightning Network transaction volumes continue to grow. Source: River

Magazine: Bitcoin decouples from tech stocks, Ether eyes ‘selling wave’: Market Moves

Strategy is adopting a new capital framework that allows it to monetize part of its Bitcoin holdings to fund dividends, build cash reserves and repurchase securities while maintaining its long-term Bitcoin strategy.

In a Monday 8-K filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Strategy introduced its “Digital Credit Capital Framework,” which includes a Bitcoin monetization program and changes to its STRC preferred stock dividend policy.

The company has raised the STRC annual dividend rate to 12% from 11.5% and authorized separate buyback programs for preferred securities and its Class A MSTR common stock. Strategy said it may sell Bitcoin (BTC) to raise as much as $1.25 billion to increase its cash reserve, pay dividends and debt costs, as well as fund stock buybacks.

The filing comes amid a volatile stretch that has seen the value of MSTR shares slide almost 50% year-to-date while the price of STRC on Friday dropped as low as $71.25, a 28.75% discount to par, according to TradingView data. Grayscale’s research head Zach Pandl last week said Strategy should sell $3 billion in Bitcoin to cover its cash obligations.

Ahead of Monday’s Nasdaq open, investors had bid up MSTR share price more than 5.5%.

Strategy boosts cash reserve to $2.55 billion

A key part of the new framework is the company’s cash reserve, which it said has grown to $2.55 billion, or enough to cover about 17 months of preferred stock dividends and interest payments.

Under the new policy, the reserve can only be used for those payments and must be maintained at a minimum of 12 months unless the board approves otherwise.

Source: Michael Saylor

Strategy executive chairman Michael Saylor said the existing cash reserve, combined with the $1.25 billion Bitcoin monetization capacity, gives Strategy up to $3.8 billion in dividend coverage, or nearly 26 months.

Related: Grayscale’s Pandl says Strategy should sell $3B Bitcoin to restore confidence

“Strategy expects to remain disciplined in its use of MSTR issuance, particularly when the stock trades at or near 1x mNAV,” Saylor added.

No Bitcoin purchases as Strategy raises $1.15 billion

The biggest public Bitcoin treasury company also reported that it did not acquire any BTC during the week ended Sunday, leaving its holdings unchanged at 847,363 BTC purchased for a combined $64.1 billion, at an average of $75,651 apiece. At last look, traders were paying about $60,018 to buy the token.

The company has added a net 3,625 BTC so far in June after buying 3,657 BTC and selling 32 BTC earlier in the month.

Source: SEC

At the same time, the company disclosed raising around $1.15 billion in net proceeds by selling 12.67 million MSTR shares.

Magazine: Bitcoin slides to $58K, XRP hits $1 but onchain data promising: Market Moves