Global Payments Network Expansion

Mastercard said the new capabilities will allow partners to settle card transactions using both fiat currencies and on chain stablecoins across Mastercard’s global payments network.

Initially, stablecoin settlement infrastructure will support USDC, PYUSD, USDG, USDP, RLUSD and SoFiUSD.

The rollout initially targets the U.S. and Latin America, with broader expansion planned through 2026.

Besides stablecoin settlement, the company’s new enhancements also include intraday, weekend and holiday settlement.

Why It Matters

Raj Dhamodharan, Mastercard’s executive vice president for Blockchain & Digital Assets, said the next phase of stablecoin adoption centers on…

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U.S. spot Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) ETFs shed $519 million on Tuesday while altcoin ETFs stayed green across the board as Bitcoin crashed to $66,000 overnight.

BlackRock Alone Sold $440M As Five-Week Outflow Total Hits $5B

The broader picture is worse. Bitcoin ETFs have shed $5 billion over the past four weeks while Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) ETFs recorded $911.75 million in outflows over five weeks. 

Tuesday’s selling alone represented 17 days worth of mined Bitcoin supply exiting through U.S. spot ETFs in a single session.

Ethereum ETFs lost an additional $90.15 million, with BlackRock selling 23,765 ETH for $45.25 million and Grayscale selling 15,370 ETH for $29.28 million.

HYPE, SOL, DOGE ETFs… Read more on Benzinga

The “Lull In Crypto”

Speaking on the Milk Road Show on June 2, Coutts argued the next 12 to 24 months could mark the beginning of an “agentic” economy powered by blockchain infrastructure rather than speculative meme-driven narratives.

Coutts believes liquidity continues flowing into AI equities because those businesses currently have stronger earnings and growth narratives than crypto.

On the other hand, the global cryptocurrency market capitalization fell to $2.3 trillion from nearly $2.7 trillion less than a month ago.

Coutts added that Bitcoin failed to reclaim key resistance around $85,000, while on-chain activity across major blockchains stayed muted. He noted that crypto remains stuck…

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Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA) founder Charles Hoskinson said in an interview aired Tuesday that the future of cryptocurrency lies in the hands of AI agents.

Blockchain And AI Agents Compliment Each Other, Says Hoskinson

Speaking with cryptocurrency influencer Michaël van de Poppe, Hoskinson deemed the cryptocurrency space a “near-perfect complement” to agentic commerce.

He said that AI agents are “creative” and don’t have rules by default, in contrast to blockchains, which are “rigid” and rule-based.

“So, if you put these two things together, you basically create a perfect neutral symbolic AI system where you get the best of both worlds.

Hoskinson, who also co-founded Ethereum…

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Cryptocurrency bettors are raising the possibility of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) diving below $50,000 this year as sentiment toward the leading digital asset continues to deteriorate.

Bookmakers Turn Bearish On BTC

Bearish expectations intensified overall, with the odds of Bitcoin falling below $45,000 rising to 38%, while the probability of a move below $55,000 jumping to 66%.

Nearly $40 million has been wagered on the outcome, making it one of the most keenly watched bets on Polymarket.

Bitcoin Struggles After High-Profile Exits

The jump in odds coincided with fresh turmoil in the Bitcoin market, with the leading cryptocurrency plunging below $65,000 for the first time in over two months….

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Grayscale Investments said its exchange-traded fund tracking the price of the Hyperliquid (CRYPTO: HYPE) token will begin trading on Wall Street starting Wednesday.

HYPE Grows On Wall Street

The Grayscale Hyperliquid Staking ETF will list on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange under the ticker GHYP.

The fund offers exposure to HYPE’s price performance—a token boasting a market capitalization of over $18 billion—as well as potential staking rewards that have historically averaged between 2.2% and 2.3% annually.

The ETF offers a competitive gross management fee of 0.29%, below that of current HYPE-linked funds on Wall Street.

Grayscale is the world’s largest cryptocurrency-focused asset manager…

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Economist and market commentator Peter Schiff speculated on Tuesday on the potential implications of Bitcoin’s (CRYPTO: BTC) latest crash on the broader risk asset market.

Will It Get Worse For Risk-On Assets?

In an X post, Schiff wondered if the decline is a “harbinger” of a broader downturn in risk assets, or if it would remain a “one-off” event within the cryptocurrency sphere.

“Whichever it is, we should find out soon enough. Maybe it will also be a catalyst to drive investors into value and safety.” the Bitcoin critic said.

Schiff’s remarks appeared to suggest capital reallocation into precious metals such as gold and silver, which he views as safe havens.

Bitcoin’s… Read more on Benzinga

Leading cryptocurrencies crashed on Tuesday as geopolitical uncertainty and Strategy Inc.‘s (NASDAQ:MSTR) sale of Bitcoin hammered sentiment.

Crypto Market In Blood Red

Bitcoin nearly fell below $66,000, as the apex cryptocurrency’s decline triggered an aggressive sell-off across the broader market. Ethereum plunged to a nearly three-month low, while XRP and Dogecoin also posted sharp declines.

The drop accelerated after Strategy reported selling BTC worth $2.5 million, flipping from being Bitcoin’s largest hoarder to a seller. 

A whopping $1.78 billion was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market in the last 24 hours, with $1.59 billion in long positions erased, according to…

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