Delaware Life Launches Index Annuity With Bitcoin Exposure

Delaware Life Insurance Company has become the first U.S. insurance carrier to offer a fixed index annuity (FIA) linked to a cryptocurrency-focused index, the BlackRock U.S. Equity Bitcoin Balanced Risk 12% Index. 

The move allows retirement investors to gain indirect exposure to Bitcoin while retaining principal protection, a hallmark of traditional annuity products.

The newly launched index blends 74% exposure to the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF with 25% exposure to the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) and a 1% cash allocation. It is designed with a 12% target volatility, using dynamic cash adjustments to moderate BTC’s price swings.

“This launch builds around the…

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Banks Push Back Against Yield-Bearing Stablecoins—Why Regulators Are Paying Attention Now – Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN)

Yield-bearing stablecoins are drawing attention from U.S. banks and regulators as the gap between bank deposits and digital cash products narrows. These tokens began as tools for trading and settlement inside crypto markets. Some now offer returns, placing them closer to instruments long associated with the banking system.

That shift carries weight for investors. Regulatory treatment of yield-bearing stablecoins can shape capital movement, influence DeFi liquidity design, and affect which platforms gain access to deeper pools of funding.

Why Yield-bearing Stablecoins Are Under Pressure

Pressure has grown as banks warn that interest-paying digital dollars may compete with deposits at scale….

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Steak ‘n Shake Announces A Bitcoin Bonus For Employees

Fast-food chain Steak ‘n Shake is rolling out a bitcoin bonus program for hourly workers, deepening its embrace of bitcoin just days after disclosing a $10 million bitcoin purchase for its corporate treasury.

Starting March 1, hourly employees at company-operated Steak ’n Shake locations will earn a bitcoin bonus worth $0.21 for every hour worked. The rewards will vest after two years, meaning workers must remain employed for that period before they can access the accumulated bitcoin.

The bonus is roughly equivalent to about 1% of the U.S. federal minimum wage and will be administered in partnership with Fold, a bitcoin rewards application.

Employees will continue to…

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Trump Vows To Sign Major Bitcoin Bill ‘Very Soon’

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he wants to sign sweeping cryptocurrency market structure legislation “very soon,” arguing that digital assets are both a political priority and a strategic battleground in the United States’ economic competition with China.

Speaking during a wide-ranging address to world leaders and financial executives at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump framed his administration’s embrace of crypto as central to preserving U.S. leadership in financial innovation. 

His comments came as bitcoin surged above $90,000, extending gains amid optimism that clearer U.S. regulation could further legitimize the asset… Read more on BitcoinMagazine

Ripple President: Half Of Fortune 500 Will Have Crypto Strategies By Year-End

Monica Long, president of Ripple (CRYPTO: XRP), predicts half of Fortune 500 companies will adopt formal crypto strategies by the end of 2026 as stablecoins become the default for global payments.

Stablecoins Become The Default Payment Rail

Long says stablecoins will replace traditional payment systems within five years, not as an alternative but as the foundation.

The shift is already happening. Visa Inc (NYSE:V) and Stripe are building stablecoin infrastructure into their core systems. 

The GENIUS Act legalized compliant U.S. stablecoins, making them the standard for 24/7 global payments.

Ripple’s recent conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to charter a…

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Bitcoin Will Catch Up To Gold Eventually, But Michael Saylor’s A Risk, Analysts Say

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) tapped $88,000 on Wednesday amid heightened geopolitical tensions, though some analysts argue the weakness is temporary rather than structural.

Analyst Says Bitcoin–Gold Divergence Is Cyclical, Not Structural

Crypto trader Ansem said Bitcoin’s recent lag relative to gold is driven by cyclical and structural factors, not a breakdown of the long-term thesis.

He attributed the divergence to early Bitcoin holders taking profits, four-year cycle dynamics, and portfolio rebalancing as gold and silver break out of a decade-long consolidation.

According to Ansem, renewed demand from high-net-worth individuals and institutions, is driven by Bitcoin’s advantages as a “digital…

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Coinbase CEO Clashes With French Banker Over Bitcoin

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong challenged skepticism earlier today toward Bitcoin from the head of France’s central bank during a World Economic Forum panel in Davos.

Armstrong took a public stand on stage arguing that the asset’s lack of centralized control makes it more independent than traditional monetary authorities.

The exchange unfolded after Banque de France Governor François Villeroy de Galhau questioned Bitcoin’s credibility, saying he places more trust in independent central banks with democratic mandates than in what he described as “private issuers” of Bitcoin. 

Armstrong pushed back, emphasizing that BTC has no issuer at all. He described it as a…

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Bitcoin Down 11% After Trump’s First Year—Why Did BTC Perform Better Under Biden?

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is down 11% since Donald Trump took office in January 2025, while the Trump family added $1.4 billion to their fortune through crypto ventures—exposing the gap between political promises and market performance.

The Performance Gap Nobody Expected

Bitcoin traded at $101,000 when Trump took office one year ago. Today it sits below $90,000—an 11% decline.

The comparison to Biden’s first year makes it even more striking. 

Under Biden, Bitcoin climbed from $36,000 to $41,700—a 16% gain—even as his administration sued crypto companies and pushed enforcement-heavy regulation.

The irony: Trump promised to make America the “crypto capital of the world,” appointed…

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Cardano Founder Slams Ripple CEO Over Clarity Act: ‘You’re Handing Keys To The SEC’

Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA) founder Charles Hoskinson slammed Ripple (CRYPTO: XRP) CEO Brad Garlinghouse for backing the Senate’s Clarity Act draft, warning the bill hands too much power to the SEC and locks crypto into flawed regulation that favors banks over innovation.

The Fight Over “Clarity Beats Chaos”

Garlinghouse praised the Senate Banking Committee’s version of the Clarity Act on January 14, calling it a massive step forward despite imperfections.

“Ripple and I know firsthand that clarity beats chaos, and this bill’s success is crypto’s success,” Garlinghouse wrote on X. 

“I remain optimistic that issues can be resolved through the mark-up process,” he added.

Hoskinson…

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