Top American retailers like Amazon, Walmart and travel company Expedia are exploring the launch of their own stablecoins to reduce payment processing expenses. This move could help merchants save billions in fees paid to credit card networks such as Visa and Mastercard. These fees typically range between 1 to 3% per transaction which adds up quickly for companies handling massive payment volumes.

Stablecoins offer faster and cheaper transactions allowing merchants to receive funds instantly rather than waiting up to three business days. Faster settlements could improve cash flow and help businesses manage global supply chains more efficiently especially for international supplier payments. Companies are considering developing their own coins or using external stablecoins issued by a consortium.

Major US banks like JPMorgan and Wells Fargo are also exploring stablecoin strategies to compete with digital asset platforms. The future of these initiatives hinges on the GENIUS Act which aims to set a stablecoin regulatory framework. A final Senate vote on the bill is expected on June 17.

The Wall Street Journal

Japan-listed tech firm Remixpoint has boosted its cryptocurrency portfolio by purchasing an additional 56.87 Bitcoin. The company revealed this strategic move through an official announcement highlighting a total investment of approximately $5,915,000 dollars. The purchase was made at an average price of $104,000 per Bitcoin signaling strong confidence in the future of digital assets.

With this latest acquisition Remixpoint’s total Bitcoin holdings now stand at 1,038.27 BTC. The growing interest of institutional players like Remixpoint underscores the increasing acceptance of Bitcoin as a legitimate financial asset. This move also reflects a broader trend among companies looking to hedge against traditional market volatility by turning to cryptocurrency.

Source

Shopify is launching native stablecoin payments this month allowing select US merchants to accept USDC through its platform. This marks the company’s biggest crypto step yet powered by partnerships with Coinbase and Stripe. Merchants accepting USDC will get up to 0.5% cashback on transactions while customers paying in USDC will soon enjoy cash-back rewards too.

The program will be opt-out meaning all eligible merchants will automatically accept USDC unless they manually disable it. Shopify aims to expand this feature to all merchants across the US and Europe by the end of 2025. Coinbase built the crypto payments system on its Base blockchain handling refunds and chargebacks. Stripe has added USDC support directly into Shopify’s payment tools.

This integration signals a major leap for stablecoins in mainstream retail. Monthly stablecoin payments have surged to over $6 billion. With crypto infrastructure adopted by giants like Visa PayPal and JPMorgan Shopify is helping bring fast secure borderless payments to millions of businesses.

Source

Coinbase has unveiled the Coinbase One Card its first-ever credit card powered by the American Express network. Announced at the State of Crypto conference the card offers up to 4% back in bitcoin on purchases. Available only to Coinbase One members in the United States the card is issued by First Electronic Bank and offered in partnership with fintech firm Cardless.

American Express leaders emphasized the innovation behind the launch. Will Stredwick from Amex said the card blends crypto rewards with exclusive benefits and protections through the Amex network. Luke Gebb EVP at Amex Digital Labs called crypto and blockchain part of the evolving financial infrastructure highlighting Amex’s focus on real world compliant use cases.

Coinbase also introduced Coinbase Business a new suite designed as an all-in-one crypto account for companies. The dual announcements underline Coinbase and Amex’s commitment to shaping the future of digital payments and financial innovation.

Source

Today, Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz told CNBC that Bitcoin is on a path to replace gold and could eventually reach a value of $1,000,000.

“Bitcoin has become a macro asset,” said Novogratz. “And some of the great things is most people have it on their screens next to gold and silver and the S&P. And you think back ten years ago when people thought we were crazy. And now it’s an institutionalized macro asset… It’s just becoming institutionalized.”

He emphasized that Bitcoin is no longer a fringe investment but part of the mainstream financial landscape. He pointed out that its volatility is now seen as normal compared to traditional assets.

“We are in…

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Coinbase is launching its first-ever branded credit card in partnership with American Express, set to roll out this fall. Called the Coinbase One Card, it will be available only to U.S. members of Coinbase One, the platform’s monthly subscription service. The card will offer 2% to 4% back in Bitcoin on everyday purchases, along with access to American Express perks.  

This is a first-of-its-kind product for Coinbase, which previously only offered a prepaid debit card with Visa in 2020. 

“We see real potential in the combination of Coinbase and crypto with the powerful backing of American Express, and what the card offers is an excellent mix of what customers are…

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Today, The Blockchain Group (ALTBG), listed on Euronext Growth Paris and recognized as Europe’s first Bitcoin Treasury Company, announced it has raised around €9.7 million through a mix of equity and convertible bond issuances. This move is part of their continued push to build out their Bitcoin Treasury Company strategy.

The funding comes from multiple sources and was carried out through their wholly-owned Luxembourg subsidiary, “The Blockchain Group Luxembourg SA.” A major portion, about €6 million, was raised through a convertible bond issuance to TOBAM, with bonds priced at €6.24 per share. That price reflects a 30 percent premium over ALTBG’s closing price on…

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Student loans continue to trouble millions of Americans, with a total of $1.77 trillion already owed. This crisis has been a major political issue for a while, especially after former President Biden promised to wipe out all of the student loan debt and ended up only fulfilling half of the promise. These billions of dollars are not just numbers on a spreadsheet; they represent people who repay their debt, every month, year in and year out. While the standard repayment plan spans 10 years, the reality is far more daunting: The average borrower takes 20-30 years to repay their loans. 

There are over two million new undergraduates every year, and, on average, they graduate with…

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