Expanding the stablecoin yield prohibition to include the application layer is an anti-competitive practice, industry advocacy groups say.
The FDIC has proposed a framework allowing insured banks to issue payment stablecoins through subsidiaries under the GENIUS Act, requiring approvals, reserve backing, and compliance with issuance standards to ensure stability and regulatory oversight in the digital asset space. FDIC's GENIUS Act framework enables banks to mint stablecoins via subsidiaries, promoting safer integration of digital [...]
Centibillionaire Elon Musk has echoed the Bitcoin maximalist mantra in his recent social media post.
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Could a soft inflation print be the spark that kickstarts a crypto rally in early Q1 2026?
Ripple’s U.S. dollar–backed stablecoin RLUSD has reached a $1 billion market capitalization just one year after launch, marking another milestone for XRP and the broader Ripple ecosystem. The milestone was highlighted by Ripple executive Jack McDonald, who pointed to a combination of regulatory compliance, institutional infrastructure, practical usage, global expansion, and multichain interoperability as the key factors driving RLUSD’s growth. Together, these developments justify the stablecoin’s rapid ascent. Building RLUSD Into A $1 Billion Trusted Asset With Ripple And XRP RLUSD’s rise to a $1 billion valuation on its first anniversary was shaped by deliberate structural decisions before launch. Ripple designed the stablecoin to operate within U.S. regulatory frameworks, combining state-level licensing with federal oversight via the OCC’s conditional approval of its national trust bank charter. This dual-layer compliance gave financial institutions immediate clarity on governance, reserve management, and operational standards, paving the way for quick adoption. As institutional demand grew, RLUSD issuance expanded in line with actual usage, helping it surpass the $1 billion market cap in November 2025 and secure a position among the top five USD-backed stablecoins globally. Confidence in the stablecoin was reinforced through robust infrastructure choices: Ripple selected BNY Mellon to custody RLUSD reserves, while Deloitte’s independent attestations provided transparency into its backing and operational controls. These measures strengthened institutional trust and enabled RLUSD’s steady expansion into professional financial environments. Moreover, within Ripple’s ecosystem, RLUSD complements XRP by providing a regulated dollar instrument for settlement, liquidity management, and institutional treasury functions, while XRP continues to support cross-border transfers and on-chain liquidity. Together, two assets form an integrated framework that has underpinned RLUSD’s expansion and milestone achievement. Institutional Adoption And Global Market Integration Beyond compliance, RLUSD’s growth has been driven by practical adoption and real-world financial usage. The stablecoin serves as a 24/7 off-ramp for tokenized products, including funds issued by BlackRock and VanEck, allowing smooth movement between tokenized assets and traditional cash positions. Its role extends into capital markets activity, with repo trades and money market fund operations enabled through partnerships with global banks and asset managers , embedding RLUSD directly into institutional workflows rather than peripheral use cases. RLUSD’s international footprint has expanded alongside its domestic adoption. Recognition in financial hubs such as Dubai (DFSA) and Abu Dhabi (FSRA) enables cross-border operations while maintaining regulatory consistency. Ripple has also extended RLUSD across multiple layer-two blockchain networks, including Optimism, Base, Ink, and Unichain via Wormhole’s NTT standard, increasing interoperability and access to liquidity throughout the ecosystem. By its one-year anniversary, RLUSD has established itself as a core component of Ripple’s financial infrastructure, demonstrating that trust, compliance, structural design, institutional adoption, and cross-chain expansion can drive rapid, sustainable market growth while achieving a top-five USD stablecoin status.
XRP-linked exchange-traded funds reached about $60 million in assets under management on December 17, according to market reports, even as XRP’s spot price slid. Related Reading: 5,606 Bitcoin: Lightning Network Sets Fresh Capacity Record At the time of reporting, XRP was trading around $1.86, down more than 8% in the last week. That gap between ETF growth and a falling spot price has left some investors puzzled. ETF Flows And How They Work According to Chad Steingraber, the way ETFs operate helps explain the disconnect. ETF shares trade on exchanges like regular stocks during market hours. Fund managers then tally net flows at the end of the trading day and arrange purchases of the underlying XRP after the market closes. Because of that timing, ETF inflows do not always translate into instant buying pressure on the spot market. Officially crossed $60Million! Record day! https://t.co/Nub2m5MK0Y pic.twitter.com/xg2zgecq24 — Chad Steingraber (@ChadSteingraber) December 18, 2025 Institutional Processes Take Time Based on reports, part of the picture is the nature of institutional decision-making. Large funds tend to move slowly. They run checks, review risk, and take time to approve new positions. That process can take months or longer. So an increase in ETF AUM can reflect careful planning and staged capital allocations rather than a rush of short-term bets. Price Action Shows Technical Weakness On charts, XRP has been under pressure for months. Traders watching longer time frames point to a steady downtrend and multiple warnings of a broader pullback since mid-year. The token has slid about 12% over the past month. Support between $1.80 and $1.90 is now being tested. A sustained break below $1.80 would likely shift focus to $1.60, and then to a wider support band near $1.30 to $1.40 if selling continues. ETF Growth Still Small In Context While $60 million sounds meaningful, that sum is small compared with AUM levels seen in larger crypto ETFs, and it may not be enough on its own to move markets. ETF structures differ, too. Some managers may hedge, use staged buys, or employ other tactics that change how and when they add XRP to reserves. These operational choices can mute any immediate impact on price. 📊 Among top cap assets, here are the amount of non-empty wallets on each network currently: 🪙 Ethereum $ETH: 167.96M 🪙 Bitcoin $BTC: 57.62M 🪙 Tether $USDT: 9.63M 🪙 Dogecoin $DOGE: 8.13M 🪙 XRP Ledger $XRP: 7.41M 🪙 Cardano $ADA: 4.54M 🪙 USD Coin $USDC: 4.39M 🪙 ChainLink… pic.twitter.com/ciRBUp4GxE — Santiment (@santimentfeed) December 18, 2025 Non-Empty XRP Wallets Steadily Climbing Meanwhile, reports show that the number of non-empty wallets on the XRP Ledger has been climbing. Santiment has highlighted rising counts of addresses holding some XRP. Over the past month, while the token fell in price, on-chain wallet activity suggested accumulation by some holders. That pattern raises questions about whether larger buyers are quietly adding to positions. Related Reading: UK Crypto Ownership Takes Biggest Hit Since 2021, Regulator Says What This Means For Traders For now, markets show mixed signals. ETF AUM growth points to rising institutional involvement over time. Price action, however, signals caution. Traders and investors will be watching whether end-of-day ETF purchases increase demand on the spot market, and whether the $1.80 level holds. The coming days and weeks may help reveal whether AUM gains translate into broader buying or if technical pressure continues to dominate. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
FDIC reveals a path for bank-issued stablecoins under the GENIUS Act as corporate BTC treasuries expand, Anchorage buys Securitize’s RIA arm and Bhutan taps reserves.
The EU convened to issue a 90-billion-euro loan ($105 billion) to support the Ukrainian cause against Russia during the next two years, which will be financed by most of the union countries. There was no agreement on leveraging Russian assets, as Belgium strongly opposed. EU To Lend Ukraine $105B During The Next 2 Years; Russian
In its annual predictions report, Galaxy’s analysts said onchain dollar transfers could process more volume next year than the US bank system that handles payroll and bill payments.