Institutional crypto adoption remains to be robust, with AMINA Bank reporting record revenue and assets, and U.S. authorities easing restrictions on banks, retirement plans, and token listings amid political support for digital assets. Meanwhile, the NFT market displays divergent trends—sales are rebounding, but lending activity has collapsed—highlighting ongoing volatility and attempts to stabilize. Technological innovation continues apace, from AI-powered crypto models in Korea to new mining rigs and secure wallet solutions, even as security concerns and exploits persist, underscoring both the industry’s rapid progress and its ongoing vulnerabilities.
Swiss crypto bank AMINA Bank AG, formerly SEBA Bank AG, announced that its 2024 revenue rose 69% year-over-year to $40.4 million. The bank’s assets under management increased by 136% to $4.2 billion, attributed to strong institutional demand and strategic expansion. AMINA Bank cited its multi-jurisdictional presence, 24/7 trading services, and a lending book with zero defaults over five years as key drivers of its performance.
NFT sales rebounded in May 2025, rising 15% to $430 million after months of decline, according to CryptoSlam. In contrast, the NFT lending market has plummeted 97% from its January 2024 peak, with monthly volume dropping from nearly $1 billion to just over $50 million as user participation and loan sizes shrink. CryptoSlate’s latest report highlights this boom-and-bust cycle, noting the NFT sector’s euphoric rise, sharp collapse, and its ongoing struggle to find stability and renewed purpose. These trends underscore the divergent paths within the NFT ecosystem as it adapts to shifting market dynamics.
Online trading platform eToro has added 12 previously delisted tokens back to its U.S. platform, following a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission and as the company pursues an IPO. The move comes amid a regulatory easing in the U.S. after the Trump administration.
Boston-based cross-border payments company Conduit has raised $36 million in a Series A funding round led by Dragonfly and Altos Ventures, with participation from Circle Ventures, Sound Ventures, Commerce Ventures, and Digital Currency Group. The funding will be used to scale Conduit's payment system, expand its currency offerings across fiat and stablecoins, and position its platform as an alternative to the SWIFT network for global payments.
Coinbase has introduced CDP Wallets, a new solution that allows developers to create secure, programmable wallets through an API without the need to manage private keys, offering greater control and security.
Bitmain has introduced the Antminer S23 Hydro series, a new cryptocurrency mining rig delivering 580 terahash per second (TH/s) and consuming 5,510 watts of power. The company claims this model is the most efficient mining rig currently available.
OpenLedger and Xangle have announced a partnership to create South Korea’s first crypto-native artificial intelligence model. This AI will be specifically designed to address the regulatory, linguistic, and market requirements unique to the Korean cryptocurrency sector, aiming to enhance transparency and prevent future crypto collapses.
BIMA, a Bitcoin-native decentralized finance platform, has partnered with exSat Network to promote the use of Bitcoin in DeFi. The collaboration begins with a $100 million deployment, equivalent to 1,000 BTC, aimed at enabling permissionless yield strategies.
Brian Quintenz, Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), has disclosed significant financial holdings and board positions within the cryptocurrency sector, totaling millions in assets. This comes as the Trump family’s expanding activities in crypto—including meme coins, NFTs, stablecoins, and DeFi projects—draw increased ethical and regulatory scrutiny. Donald Trump himself, has been actively supporting and engaging with digital assets in both political and personal spheres. The convergence of these developments is raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest and investor risks.
At the 2025 Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas, U.S. Vice President JD Vance declared the Trump administration a strong ally of the cryptocurrency industry, announcing the end of 'Operation Chokepoint 2.0' and opposing prior regulatory crackdowns. Vance emphasized the administration’s commitment to establishing a clear, pro-innovation regulatory framework for crypto via a market structure bill, prioritizing financial innovation. This stance includes pledges to end the SEC’s enforcement-driven approach to crypto regulation. Meanwhile, a new YouGov/The Economist poll shows Donald Trump’s approval rating rising to 44% among U.S. adults and 46% among voters.
Crypto advocacy groups, including the DeFi Education Fund and Uniswap Foundation, have urged the SEC to avoid regulating most DAOs, arguing that sufficiently decentralized DAOs should not be classified as securities under the Howey test. Meanwhile, former CFTC Chair Rostin Behnam warned that the crypto market will remain vulnerable to regulatory gaps unless the CFTC receives expanded authority, reiterating that major tokens like Bitcoin and Ether are commodities outside SEC jurisdiction. These debates come as the SEC prepares to host a roundtable titled 'DeFi and the American Spirit' on June 9 in Washington, D.C., focusing on regulatory autonomy in decentralized finance.
The US Department of Labor has rescinded its 2022 guidance urging caution on crypto in 401(k) retirement plans, giving asset managers more flexibility to offer crypto investment options. Bergen County, New Jersey, signed a five-year deal with Balcony to tokenize 370,000 property deeds worth $240 billion on Avalanche, marking the largest blockchain-based deed tokenization project in US history. Meanwhile, states are beginning to establish their own Bitcoin reserves, a trend that could pressure federal authorities to respond to increasing digital asset adoption. These moves reflect accelerating crypto integration at both state and local levels.
The United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has requested public comments on its proposed regulations for stablecoins and cryptocurrency custody. The draft rules, developed with the Bank of England and informed by prior industry feedback, set out requirements for reserves, disclosure, and safeguarding to enhance transparency and prevent firm failures. The FCA's consultation is open until July 31, 2025, with final rules expected in 2026.
Russia's central bank has announced that qualified investors will be permitted to trade crypto-linked derivatives under strict regulations, representing a cautious move toward regulated digital asset markets in the country.
Big U.S. banks are holding internal discussions about expanding into cryptocurrencies, encouraged by stronger endorsements from regulators. According to four industry executives, these banks are taking tentative initial steps, focusing on pilot programs, partnerships, or limited crypto trading. Wall Street firms, previously restricted by strict regulations, are now positioned to grow quickly in the crypto sector as regulatory barriers begin to ease.
At Bitcoin 2025, New York City Mayor Eric Adams urged cryptocurrency users to return to the city and oppose restrictive regulations, specifically calling for the repeal of the state's BitLicense framework.
The market capitalization of artificial intelligence (AI) crypto tokens has risen from $4.5 billion in 2023 to $20 billion over two years, according to Grayscale. Despite the overall increase, growth in 2024 has slowed, with Bittensor's TAO token leading at only 2% growth, while Elizaos has dropped by 80%.
Recent developments indicate that the period known as "altseason," during which alternative cryptocurrencies (altcoins) consistently outperformed Bitcoin, may have ended. The market's attention has now turned to a series of smaller, short-lived rallies among select altcoins.
Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev has suggested that companies operated by a single individual could soon become a reality, indicating a potential shift in how businesses are structured and managed.
Decentralized finance platform Cork Protocol was hacked on May 28, 2024, resulting in the theft of approximately $12 million in digital assets, primarily wrapped staked ether (wstETH). The exploit was executed via a malicious smart contract, with the attacker stealing around 3,761 wstETH, which was quickly converted to ether (ETH). Following the incident, Cork Protocol paused its smart contracts and trading operations to prevent further losses.
A new Linux malware campaign is compromising unsecured Docker infrastructure globally, converting exposed servers into nodes of a decentralized cryptojacking network that mines the privacy-focused cryptocurrency Dero (DERO).
Binance has issued a high-impact security alert, warning of escalating physical threats to cryptocurrency holders as bitcoin's bull run continues. The company has introduced a five-pronged defense plan aimed at protecting users worldwide and urges crypto holders to take immediate precautions.
Ugandan law enforcement has arrested Phineous Biira, a suspect in the abduction of crypto trader and educator Festo Ivaibi, which took place on May 17. Biira reportedly has a criminal record.
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