Itau, Brazil’s largest bank, now recommends allocating up to 3% of investment portfolios to bitcoin, despite the cryptocurrency’s underwhelming performance in 2025. The bank’s recent report emphasizes bitcoin’s potential as a portfolio diversifier and hedge against fluctuations in Brazilian reais. Itau Unibanco’s Latest Report Advises Investors to Hold up to 3% of Their Portfolios in […] Original
Key Notes Federal banking regulator greenlit applications from top crypto platforms to operate as nationally chartered institutions. Charter approvals signal Washington’s evolving stance on integrating digital assets into traditional banking frameworks. Companies must fulfill specific regulatory requirements before launching full-scale trust banking operations. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced conditional approval for five national trust bank charter applications from five major crypto companies on Dec. 12. Benefiting from this announcement are Ripple, Fidelity Digital Assets, BitGo, Paxos, and Circle. According to a press release, the OCC…
The payments subsidiary of blockchain services company Ripple has partnered with Swiss bank Amina to provide it with access to its payment infrastructure. According to a Friday Ripple Payments announcement, the company will allow Amina to “settle transactions more efficiently without relying on traditional payment infrastructure, making transactions faster, lower cost, and with increased reliability and transparency.” This builds on a previous relationship between the companies, with the bank’s integration of the Ripple USD (RLUSD) stablecoin happening back in July. The move also reinforces Ripple’s presence in Europe, with Amina…
Norges Bank, the central bank of Norway, concluded that introducing a central bank digital currency (CBDC) is “not warranted at this time,” marking a clear signal that the country is reconsidering the urgency of retail and wholesale CBDCs. The central bank said Wednesday that Norway’s existing payment system already offers secure, efficient and low-cost transactions, reducing the need for a CBDC in the near term. Still, the bank remains open to launching a CBDC in the future. “Norges Bank has concluded that introducing a central bank digital currency is currently…
Key Notes PNC Bank partners with Coinbase to enable institutional clients to trade Bitcoin directly through their banking platform. The ninth-largest US bank by assets eliminates the need for customers to maintain separate cryptocurrency exchange accounts. This move reflects growing institutional adoption as traditional banks integrate digital assets into their services. US banking giant PNC Bank has launched direct Bitcoin BTC $94 281 24h volatility: 4.9% Market cap: $1.88 T Vol. 24h: $50.11 B trading for qualified institutional clients, making it the first major US-based banking firm to do so.…
Key Notes Top banking executives convene with lawmakers amid ongoing debates over digital-asset custody and stablecoin supervision frameworks. Bitcoin trading volume surged 34 percent while open interest remained flat, signaling cautious positioning ahead of policy developments. Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan and Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf are scheduled to meet senators on Thursday for a closed-door discussion on crypto market structure legislation. News: A trio of big bank CEOs will meet with senators this week to discuss crypto market structure legislation. Citigroup CEO Jane…
Key Notes BPCE will let 2 million clients buy BTC, ETH, SOL, and USDC directly through its apps starting December 8. Four regional banks begin the rollout, with full expansion across 29 banks planned for 2026. Launch aligns with France’s MiCA momentum as the country weighs a new “unproductive wealth” tax on crypto assets. BPCE, France’s €1 trillion banking giant and the country’s second-largest financial group, will allow customers to buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and USDC directly inside its mobile banking apps beginning Monday, Dec. 8. The move, first reported…
They say journalists never truly clock out. But for Christian, that’s not just a metaphor, it’s a lifestyle. By day, he navigates the ever-shifting tides of the cryptocurrency market, wielding words like a seasoned editor and crafting articles that decipher the jargon for the masses. When the PC goes on hibernate mode, however, his pursuits take a more mechanical (and sometimes philosophical) turn. Christian’s journey with the written word began long before the age of Bitcoin. In the hallowed halls of academia, he honed his craft as a feature writer…
Key Notes Woori Bank makes a crucial statement by demonstrating Bitcoin prices in its Seoul dealing room. This marks further integration of TradFi and crypto and a significant advancement in the firm’s crypto push. Hana Financial Group and Dunamu signed an agreement to introduce blockchain technology to services such as overseas remittances. On Dec. 5, South Korean multinational financial institution Woori Bank announced that it had begun to display the prices of Bitcoin BTC $91 264 24h volatility: 2.3% Market cap: $1.82 T Vol. 24h: $44.61 B in its main…
Bitcoin has joined Woori Bank’s main Seoul trading room dashboard, displayed alongside FX and stock indicators as Korea tightens crypto rules and eyes bank-led stablecoins. Summary Woori Bank now shows live Bitcoin prices in its primary dealing room, treating BTC as a key market sentiment gauge next to FX and equity data. Korean banks deepen crypto ties, with Hana partnering Upbit’s operator and policymakers pushing bank-controlled won stablecoin consortia. Regulators plan stricter travel rule thresholds and pre-emptive account freezes for suspicious crypto flows, aligning with FATF standards by 2026. Woori…