With the CLARITY Act scheduled for a markup on Thursday, some lawmakers could still be at odds over decentralized finance, stablecoins and ethical concerns. As US senators prepare to mark up a major crypto market structure bill this week, industry leaders are weighing in on proposed changes that could shape whether stablecoin holders can earn interest and rewards. According to an amended draft of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act released on Monday, the bill states that “a digital asset service provider may not pay any form of interest or yield [...] solely in connection with the holding of a payment stablecoin,” effectively barring passive, deposit-like returns on stablecoin balances. The draft leaves room for structured reward mechanisms, as stablecoin rewards would not be prohibited under certain circumstances, including “providing liquidity or collateral” or “governance, validation, staking, or other ecosystem participation.” Read more
Crypto venture capitalists have tipped stablecoin card adoption to take off in 2026 after fintech startup Rain secured $250 million in funding to push stablecoin payments. An industry leader said stablecoin-powered cards are shaping up to be one of the biggest crypto themes of 2026, which seek to provide the benefits of blockchain while keeping the payment experience familiar for consumers. “This is one of the big themes of 2026: crypto becomes enmeshed more deeply into how payments flow through the global economy,“ Haseeb Qureshi, a managing partner at crypto-focused venture capital firm Dragonfly, posted to X Friday. “Stablecoin cards are growing like crazy, everywhere in the world,” the VC added after stablecoin startup Rain raised $250 million in a funding round that pushed its valuation to nearly $2 billion. Read more
The investment from the stablecoin giant coincides with accelerating institutional interest and Wall Street participation in the crypto-backed loans sector. Stablecoin issuer Tether has invested in Ledn, a platform providing consumer loans collateralized by Bitcoin, the company said Tuesday. The funding is targeted toward developing financial infrastructure that allows businesses and individuals to access liquidity and credit against their Bitcoin (BTC) without needing to sell their holdings. Ledn, founded in 2018, provides users in over 100 countries with custody, risk management and liquidation services. In October, the company reported it had originated $392 million in Bitcoin-backed loans for the third quarter of 2025. Read more
Stablecoin laws are popping up all over the globe, but their differences could spell trouble for cross-border crypto projects. Stablecoins have been regulated in different ways across the globe, raising concerns about their viability and possibly putting up barriers for newcomers. Europe’s framework, Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA), varies significantly from the US’s GENIUS Act. Both are distinct from Hong Kong’s own stablecoin rules, which were finalized just two weeks ago. These three regulatory frameworks have provided clear standards for stablecoins. Reserve requirements, issuer licensing and permit schemes now have cut-and-dry conditions, which have undoubtedly made it easier for stablecoins to flourish. Read more
Agora, founded by Nick van Eck, aims to boost adoption of its white-label stablecoin platform with $50 million from Paradigm and Dragonfly. Stablecoin issuer Agora raised $50 million in a Series A funding round led by crypto venture firm Paradigm. The investment sets the stage for Agora to expand its white-label stablecoin offering, AUSD, amid growing interest in dollar-backed digital assets. Agora enables companies to launch their own branded stablecoins using AUSD’s underlying infrastructure, benefiting from shared liquidity and interoperability. The project is founded by Nick van Eck, son of VanEck CEO Jan van Eck, alongside crypto veterans Drake Evans and Joe McGrady. “What we wanted to do is really something novel, which is start by building the network,” van Eck told Fortune. “We always had the view that we were going to do white-labeled issuance in a different way to how existing peers had done it.” Read more
USDC issuer Circle has again upsized its initial public offering above the marketed range, selling 34 million shares at $31 each. Update (June 5, 12:50 am UTC): This article has been updated to include more information about Circles’ IPO. Stablecoin issuer Circle Internet Group, Inc. has again boosted its initial public offering to $1.05 billion, pricing its shares above its previous marketed range. The USDC (USDC) stablecoin manager said on June 4 that it will now look to offer 34 million shares at a price of $31 each when it debuts on the New York Stock Exchange on June 5. Read more
Stablecoins could create new crypto use cases, especially for enthusiasts in developing countries, Aptos' head of ecosystem said. Stablecoin regulation is “the next catalyst” for the crypto industry and could lead to unprecedented “appetite from institutional investors,” according to Ash Pampati, head of ecosystem at the Aptos Foundation. In an interview with Cointelegraph at Consensus 2025 in Toronto, Pampati said that “the whole world outside of the United States […] has already jumped onto this [stablecoins],” adding that “the US is [...] at the doorstep.” “I really think about new use cases that can emerge because of the borderless nature of stablecoins, because of the efficiency of the dollar onchain,” he said. “If you're trying to send money to your friend in Nigeria, why do you have to go through a bunch of hoops?” Read more