Cryptocurrency
40May 2025: Bitcoin Exceeds $100,000, Influx of Institutional Funds and Policy Changes Drive the Market to New Heights
In May 2025, the price of Bitcoin surpassed $100,000, and market sentiment was optimistic, with analysts predicting the next target would be $160,000. Institutional investors entered the market via ETFs, and some U.S. state governments changed their policies to support Bitcoin. On the technical side, core developers proposed removing the OP_Return limit, which sparked a debate on decentralization. The Ordinals craze continued, boosting miners' revenue, but it challenged Bitcoin's role as a financial platform.
70Stripe introduces stablecoin support for USDC and USDB, available in over 100 countries but not available in Taiwan.
Global payment giant Stripe announced the launch of "Stablecoin Financial Accounts" at their annual developer conference "Stripe Sessions" in May 2025. These accounts, which support USDC issued by Circle and USDB issued by Bridge, are available in over 100 countries. This feature allows businesses and users to hold, receive, and send USD stablecoins, enhancing the efficiency and security of cross-border payments. However, Taiwan is not included in the list of supported countries.
50BlackRock Meets with the SEC: Focus on Crypto ETF Staking and Options Regulation, Regulatory Direction Shifts Towards Collaboration
On May 9, 2025, BlackRock Inc. held a meeting with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) cryptocurrency task force to discuss cryptocurrency staking, options, and asset tokenization of exchange-traded products (ETPs) related to cryptocurrencies. The meeting reflected a shift towards a collaborative regulatory approach under the new leadership of SEC Chairman Paul Atkins. BlackRock Inc. submitted revised documents for the Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) and Ethereum ETF (ETHA), advocating for the inclusion of mechanisms for the physical creation and redemption of assets.
70Coinbase launches the first 24/7 Bitcoin and Ethereum futures trading platform in the US, marking a market innovation under CFTC regulation.
On May 9, 2025, Coinbase became the first cryptocurrency exchange in the United States to offer 24/7 Bitcoin and Ethereum futures trading regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). This move breaks the traditional financial markets' trading time limitations and marks a significant institutional change in the U.S. crypto derivatives market. Coinbase Derivatives is collaborating with Nodal Clear, Virtu Financial, and others to offer flexible trading options and market access for both retail and institutional investors.