Tether (USDT) has emerged as the preferred currency for salary payments and savings on the European crypto banking platform Brighty throughout 2024. The latest “Crypto Earners’ Money Habits” report shows that USDt dominated crypto deposits with an astounding 85% share far surpassing other stablecoins like USD Coin which captured just 5%.

Remarkably USDt also secured a strong position as a savings asset with 33% of business-to-customer savings trailing only the euro. The prominence of USDt particularly in its TRC-20 form issued on the Tron blockchain is mainly due to its lower transaction fees. According to the report over 60% of USDt transactions on Brighty benefited from these reduced costs.

Despite potential regulatory challenges under the European Markets in Crypto-Assets framework Tether’s USDt continues to hold significant appeal among crypto users. The survey accompanying the report highlights that 70% of participants prefer using crypto for its lower fees signaling a robust future for USDt in digital transactions.

Yesterday, President Trump signed a full pardon for Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht. This was a tremendous victory for the Bitcoin (and Libertarian) movement.

It proved with some time, effort and political coordination, the Bitcoin network state, to borrow a term from Balaji Srinivasan, can facilitate real and important change via the highest levels of power at the nation-state level.

While we should surely take a moment to celebrate, we should also keep in mind others in the Bitcoin and broader crypto space are currently facing unfair sentencing and we should be acting on their behalf. These others include the developers of Samourai Wallet, who are currently wrongfully being charged with…

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The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has overturned the Treasury Department’s sanctions on Tornado Cash, ruling that the agency exceeded its authority under IEEPA. The court found that Tornado Cash’s immutable smart contracts cannot be considered “property” and are not subject to government sanctions. The case is remanded to the District Court to rule in favor of the plaintiffs.

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Robinhood has officially expanded its services to Spain marking a significant step in its broader European Union strategy. The US-based trading platform now offers Spanish users the opportunity to engage in trading staking and investment services through Robinhood Crypto EU. This launch aligns with the company’s commitment to increasing accessibility to crypto markets across the globe.

CEO Vlad Tenev expressed enthusiasm about their ongoing efforts to innovate and expand internationally. The company aims to continue disrupting the financial industry by introducing robust products that cater extensively to customer needs and by capturing more of the global market.

The expansion into Spain coincides with the introduction of MiCA regulations in Europe designed to enhance transparency in digital assets. Robinhood’s move into the Spanish market not only reflects its adaptive strategies in response to regulatory landscapes but also its ambition to lead in the burgeoning crypto sector.

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In a landmark decision that sent waves through the Bitcoin community, President Donald Trump has granted a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road darknet marketplace. Delivered on January 21, 2025—one day later than his campaign promise—this pardon goes beyond merely commuting Ulbricht’s sentence. It’s a symbolic gesture, perhaps acknowledging the delay with goodwill. For Bitcoiners, this…

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