Coinpedia - Fintech & Cryptocurreny News Media| Crypto Guide

Ripple Payments Europe S.A. has received preliminary approval from Luxembourg’s financial regulator, the CSSF, to operate as an Electronic Money Institution (EMI). Once all requirements are met, Ripple will be able to issue e-money and offer regulated payment services across the European Economic Area under MiCA rules. This follows Ripple’s recent EMI license and crypto registration in the UK. With over 75 licenses globally and $95 billion in payments processed, Ripple continues to strengthen its presence in Europe.

Visa has partnered with payments firm BVNK to support stablecoin payouts, allowing businesses to send stablecoins directly to digital wallets. The collaboration could channel up to $30 billion in stablecoin flows from BVNK into Visa’s global payments network, which processes around $1.7 trillion in transactions. The move highlights Visa’s growing focus on blockchain-based payments and reflects rising demand from businesses for faster, more efficient digital settlement using stablecoins.

Pakistan has signed an MOU with SC Financial Technologies, affiliated with the Trump family’s World Liberty Financial, to pilot the USD1 stablecoin, pegged one-to-one to the U.S. dollar, within its payment system. The central bank aims to accelerate $30 billion in annual remittances while cutting high fees. Set for an official announcement in Islamabad, this is one of the first sovereign partnerships for the DeFi platform, launched in September 2024 by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, advancing Pakistan’s digital finance initiatives.

On Jan. 13, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a huge $754 million in inflows, marking the strongest single day since October. Fidelity’s FBTC led with $351 million, followed by Bitwise’s BITB and BlackRock’s IBIT. Other crypto ETFs also saw gains, including Ethereum ($130M), Solana ($5.9M), and XRP ($13M). The surge pushed total ETF assets near $123 billion, reflecting renewed institutional interest as Bitcoin climbed above $95,000 amid softer U.S. inflation data.

Germany’s second-largest banking group, DZ Bank, received MiCAR authorization from BaFin in late December 2025 to launch its crypto platform meinKrypto, a significant step toward regulated digital asset access in Europe’s mainstream banking. Under the EU’s Markets in Crypto‑Assets rules, the platform lets around 700 Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken offer Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Cardano trading inside the VR Banking App. Custody is handled by Boerse Stuttgart Digital Custody, and each bank must submit its own BaFin notification before going live.

Polygon has earned over $1.7 million in fees in 2026, driven in large part by Polymarket’s 15-minute high-frequency prediction markets, which introduced transaction fees that reward liquidity providers and increase network activity. On one day, these markets contributed up to $100,000 in fees. Polygon also achieved a throughput of 16.67 million gas per second and $1.45 million in revenue over the past week, marking a 171% week-over-week increase, signaling growing adoption, stronger on-chain activity, and the ecosystem’s expanding utility.

On January 13, 21Shares’ Bitcoin Gold ETP (BOLD) began trading on the London Stock Exchange, marking the UK’s first exchange‑traded product that blends Bitcoin and gold in one fund. The ETP uses a volatility‑based monthly rebalance to adjust exposure, aiming to give Bitcoin’s growth potential while keeping gold’s stability. The underlying assets are 100% physically backed and held in cold storage. BOLD’s strategy and strong past performance appeal to investors after the UK opened retail access to crypto ETPs, though risks remain high.

Ex-New York City Mayor Eric Adams, known as the pro-crypto “Bitcoin Mayor,” launched the $NYC token on January 12, 2026, in Times Square via X. He pledged 70 percent of the token supply to a reserve wallet to support causes like fighting antisemitism, anti-Americanism, HBCUs, and youth scholarships. The memecoin quickly reached a $600 million market cap before plummeting over 80 percent to around $108 million, amid liquidity withdrawals and top wallets taking $1 to $2.5 million in profits. On-chain analysis revealed heavy concentration among early holders and red flags for potential rug pulls. Fake clones also appeared on Pump.fun, and Adams has remained silent since the crash, highlighting the risks of memecoins even with celebrity backing.

After months of negotiation, Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott released the text of the nearly 280‑page Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025, a bipartisan proposal to bring clarity to U.S. crypto regulation. The bill draws a clearer line between SEC oversight for early‑stage tokens and CFTC control for ‘digital commodities’, aiming to resolve long‑standing regulatory uncertainty. It also includes DeFi exemptions and self‑custody protections to support innovation. Supporters like Sen. Cynthia Lummis and former CFTC Chair Atkins back the approach, while Democrats, including Sens. Jack Reed and Elizabeth Warren, express concerns about the timeline and possible loopholes ahead of the upcoming markup.

Nigeria has implemented sweeping tax reforms that require crypto activity to be linked to Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) and National Identity Numbers (NINs), allowing authorities to trace digital asset transactions for taxation and enforcement purposes without compromising blockchain security. Under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, virtual asset service providers are required to collect detailed customer information, including names, addresses, TINs, and NINs, and submit monthly reports to the tax authorities. Firms must also flag large or suspicious transactions, bringing previously opaque crypto markets into formal oversight.