Tag: Launches

Citrea Bitcoin Rollup Launches Mainnet, ctUSD Stablecoin

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Founders Fund and Galaxy Ventures-backed Bitcoin zero-knowledge rollup (ZK-rollup) Citrea launched its mainnet on Tuesday with BTC collateral lending, BTC-structured products and a new US dollar stablecoin, ctUSD.  The launch is aimed at turning what Citrea calls “economically idle” Bitcoin (BTC) into base collateral for decentralized finance (DeFi) and payments, while anchoring more of that activity to Bitcoin’s base layer. The team expects active DeFi liquidity to reach $50 million in the first few weeks, with BTC lending, BTC-structured products, and decentralized trading already live from day one. The mainnet…

Hang Seng Launches Ethereum Based Tokenized Gold ETF

Key Notes On January 29, Hang Seng Gold ETF, with trading ticker 03170 was launched. The new fund will track the LBMA Gold Price AM. This comes at a time when Hong Kong is promoting itself as a crypto asset hub. Hang Seng Investment, one of Hong Kong’s asset managers, recently debuted its physical gold-pegged exchange traded fund (ETF). The ”Hang Seng Gold ETF” was launched on January 29 on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the ticker “03170.” The new fund has a conventional approach as well as a…

Bybit Launches Retail Bank Accounts With Personal IBANs

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Bybit, one of the world’s biggest crypto exchanges by trading volume, plans to launch retail banking services on its platform starting in February, the company said Thursday. Bybit unveiled the product, “My Bank powered by Bybit,” during a live online keynote on Thursday. Bybit CEO Ben Zhou said the service will offer users a personal IBAN (international bank account number), allowing them to send and receive funds across banks in multiple currencies, with US dollar transfers supported at launch. The move marks Bybit’s latest effort to expand beyond crypto trading,…

Coinbase Launches Prediction Markets in all 50 US States via Kalshi

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More than a month after announcing plans to move deeper into prediction markets, Coinbase said it would launch its offering for ”sports, politics, culture and more.” Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase announced the rollout of prediction markets offering in all 50 US states in partnership with Kalshi. In a Wednesday X post, Coinbase said it was offering trades on “any real-world outcomes across sports, politics, culture and more” following the launch of prediction markets. The announcement followed the exchange’s plans for onchain prediction markets in partnership with Kalshi in December.  Event contracts…

WisdomTree Launches Tokenized Funds on Solana with USDC, PYUSD Support

Key Notes The asset manager now enables minting of all its tokenized investment products directly on Solana’s network. Users can convert between USDC and PYUSD stablecoins while maintaining full on-chain custody of their assets. WisdomTree’s stock surged to decade highs following the announcement despite recent XRP ETF cancellation setback. WisdomTree, a global fintech assets manager and ETF/ETP sponsor, has launched its full suite of tokenized fund products on the Solana blockchain. According to a Jan. 28 press release, WisdomTree Connect and WisdomTree Prime users can now access tokenized funds including…

Fidelity Launches FIDD Stablecoin on Ethereum, Joining Race Under US Stablecoin Law

Key Notes FIDD reserves will consist of cash, cash equivalents, and short-term US Treasuries in compliance with the federal GENIUS Act. The federal banking regulator granted conditional approval on Dec.12, 2025, with additional clearance required before launch. Tether launched its U.S.-compliant USAT stablecoin one day before Fidelity’s announcement, intensifying domestic competition. Fidelity Investments announced on Jan. 28 the launch of its first stablecoin, the Fidelity Digital Dollar (FIDD). The move positions the asset management giant as one of the first major traditional financial institutions to issue a dollar-backed token under…

OKX Launches Compliant Pay and Card Products in Europe

Key Notes OKX has launched OKX Pay and the OKX Card in Europe. Users can deposit euros, convert to fiat-backed stablecoins, and spend them directly. Funds remain in self-custody until checkout, with limited-time crypto rewards of up to 20%. OKX has launched OKX Pay and the OKX Card across Europe, introducing what it describes as the first compliant DeFi-based payments and card system operating within the European Union. The products are issued through OKX’s regulated European entity and are built to meet EU standards for consumer protection, security, and transparency.…

OKX Launches Crypto Payment Card Across the European Economic Area

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OKX has announced the launch of the OKX Card in Europe, expanding its payments footprint across the European Economic Area. The product allows users to pay with stablecoins at merchants that accept Mastercard, positioning crypto balances for direct everyday use rather than requiring prior conversion or preloaded fiat balances. Related Reading The announcement comes at a time when crypto infrastructure is increasingly intersecting with traditional financial rails. While price action across major assets remains volatile, platforms are continuing to build payment and settlement tools aimed at reducing friction between on-chain…

OKX Launches Crypto Card In Europe For Stablecoin Payments

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Cryptocurrency exchange OKX is rolling out a payment card in Europe, allowing users to spend stablecoins at merchants accepting Mastercard. The OKX Card is issued through the company’s Electronic Money Institution (EMI) partner, Monavate, OKX said Wednesday in an announcement shared with Cointelegraph. At launch, the card supports spending in stablecoins including Circle’s USDC (USDC) and the Paxos-issued Global Dollar (USDG). The move comes as crypto companies seek to expand the use of stablecoins for everyday payments under Europe’s evolving crypto regulatory framework. “With OKX Card, we’re making it simple…

Bitcoin ZK-rollup Citrea launches mainnet to expand BTC use

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Citrea has launched its mainnet, introducing a Bitcoin-native application layer built for on-chain trading, lending, and settlement. Summary Citrea went live on Jan. 27 with a ZK-rollup designed to support Bitcoin-native applications The network introduces cBTC and ctUSD for trust-minimized BTC use and stablecoin liquidity Citrea launched with more than 30 Bitcoin-secured applications at mainnet debut Bitcoin ZK-rollup Citrea has launched its mainnet, opening the door for lending, trading, and settlement directly on the Bitcoin network.  The launch was announced on Jan. 27, marking a step toward expanding Bitcoin’s use…