Day: May 20, 2025

This post was originally published on this site

Stablecoin regulation took a major step forward this week as the U.S. Senate voted to move ahead with the long-stalled GENIUS Act, a bipartisan bill that would establish a framework for overseeing digital stablecoins in the United States. After initially blocking the measure earlier in May, Senate Democrats dropped their opposition following key amendments addressing consumer protection and ethical concerns.

The legislation, officially titled the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act), passed a crucial procedural vote 66–32 on Monday, clearing the way for full debate on the Senate floor later this week. The shift represents a significant breakthrough in stablecoin regulation, a topic that has divided lawmakers along party and ideological lines.

Political Tensions Give Way to Compromise

The earlier filibuster by Democrats was largely rooted in concerns about former President Donald Trump’s growing involvement in the cryptocurrency space, including stablecoins tied to ventures linked to his family. However, a bloc of crypto-friendly Democrats, led by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), helped negotiate new provisions that ultimately softened opposition within their party.

“These digital assets aren’t going away,” said Senator Mark Warner (D-VA). “This bill isn’t perfect, but it’s far better than the status quo, and it ensures stablecoin regulation reflects our national interests.”

Not all Democrats are on board. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), a longtime critic of cryptocurrencies, remained a vocal opponent. “Passing this bill means more anonymous buyers and more opportunities for foreign governments to funnel money through Trump’s stablecoin,” Warren said, calling the legislation a “Trojan horse” for corruption.

According to NBC News, a last-minute amendment eased tensions by introducing additional consumer protections and placing limits on tech companies—such as Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META)—from dominating stablecoin issuance without sufficient oversight. The amendment also imposed government ethics standards on special employees, like Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), and investor David Sacks, who have both advised the Trump campaign on crypto policy.

Stablecoin Regulation: A Necessity in a Growing Market

Supporters of the bill argue that stablecoin regulation is long overdue. With over $230 billion worth of stablecoins circulating globally, digital tokens like USDC and USDT are increasingly embedded in global payments and financial infrastructure.

As reported by PYMNTS, “These tokens are quickly becoming a cornerstone of modern finance. Policymakers face the dual challenge of fostering innovation while protecting consumers and national security.”

The GENIUS Act sets federal standards for reserve backing, audit transparency, and licensing for issuers. It also grants regulatory oversight to the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Treasury, ending the current patchwork of inconsistent state-level rules.

Critics worry that the bill’s current form does not go far enough in ensuring issuers are held accountable, especially if political allies of the sitting president are behind those companies. But proponents maintain that the amendment process has addressed those issues and that delaying further would create additional risk.

What’s Next for Stablecoin Regulation?

If passed by the Senate, the GENIUS Act will move to the House of Representatives, where its fate is less certain. Some Republicans have voiced concerns about increased regulatory burdens, while progressive Democrats remain wary of Trump’s personal involvement in digital finance.

Nevertheless, industry insiders view the Senate vote as a major win for stablecoin regulation and the broader crypto economy. “This is the most serious step Congress has taken to create clear rules for stablecoins,” said a spokesperson for the Blockchain Association. “It gives the U.S. a real chance to lead in financial innovation—safely.”

Whether or not the GENIUS Act becomes law, one thing is clear: stablecoins have arrived, and Washington can no longer afford to ignore them.

Featured Image: Freepik

Please See Disclaimer

This post was originally published on this site

Justin Sun — a name both celebrated and scrutinized in the digital asset world — has once again made headlines. This time, the Chinese-born crypto entrepreneur and founder of the Tron blockchain is in the spotlight for winning a dinner with former U.S. President Donald Trump, thanks to a controversial crypto contest. The twist? This dinner isn’t just a social event — it’s a convergence of politics, power, and the world of cryptocurrency.

Trump Gala Ticket Paid with $TRUMP Coins

The prize was simple: whoever bought the most $TRUMP meme coins would earn a seat at the table during a crypto-focused gala dinner with Trump. And the winner? An account labeled “SUN,” now confirmed to be owned by Justin Sun. On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Sun wrote, “Honored to support @POTUS… excited to connect with everyone, talk crypto, and discuss the future of our industry.”

This latest stunt further solidifies Sun’s persona as a master of headline-grabbing moves — someone who blends blockchain ambition with media spectacle. But the situation becomes more complicated considering Sun’s legal baggage.

Justin Sun Crypto Charges and SEC Trouble

In 2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Justin Sun with market manipulation and selling unregistered securities. The charges stemmed from activities surrounding his various crypto assets and platforms, including his flagship Tron blockchain. Additionally, The Verge reported Sun was under FBI investigation, though no formal criminal charges have emerged.

Interestingly, since Trump’s return to power, his administration has taken a notably hands-off approach to crypto enforcement. Many ongoing cases, including Sun’s, have been paused. In February, the SEC agreed to a 60-day halt in its proceedings against Sun — a move interpreted by many as politically motivated.

World Liberty Financial and $75 Million Investment

Justin Sun’s crypto connection to Trump runs deeper than meme coins. In late 2023, Sun reportedly invested $30 million in tokens from World Liberty Financial (WLF) — a Trump family–backed crypto venture. By early 2024, Sun’s total investment had reached $75 million, making him the largest publicly disclosed backer of the project.

According to Bloomberg News, World Liberty’s token structure sends 75% of proceeds directly to the Trump family. That means Sun’s purchases may have yielded the Trumps as much as $56 million in fees.

This tight relationship raises ethical and legal questions about political fundraising through cryptocurrencies — especially when linked to ongoing SEC investigations.

A History of Stunts and Billion-Dollar Moves

Sun is no stranger to high-stakes PR plays. In 2019, he made waves for purchasing a $4.57 million charity lunch with Warren Buffett, although he later postponed the meeting citing health issues. He also paid $6.2 million for a duct-taped banana art piece titled “Comedian,” demonstrating his flair for spectacle.

According to Forbes, Sun now boasts a net worth of $8.5 billion. But not all that glitters is digital gold — in 2022, he allegedly had to inject $2 billion into one of his own crypto firms to prevent collapse.

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal recently noted that Sun’s Tron blockchain is linked to over half of all illicit crypto activity. His team has called these “baseless allegations,” denying that Tron facilitates crime.

Crypto, Politics, and the Price of Influence

Sun’s win — and Trump’s silence — highlights a troubling blend of money, influence, and under-regulated digital finance. Critics have called the dinner-for-coins contest corrupt and possibly unconstitutional. Yet for Sun, the optics matter less than the access.

What will Sun discuss over dinner? He hasn’t said. But given the $75 million he’s invested in Trump-linked ventures and the paused SEC charges, it’s likely to be more than small talk.

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) may be leading AI innovation, but it’s the Justin Sun crypto story that shows just how intertwined tech, politics, and money have become.

Whether Sun’s influence is lasting or fleeting remains to be seen — but for now, he’s seated at the table.

Featured Image: depositphotos @ zoomteam

Disclaimer

This post was originally published on this site

SINGAPORE, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As mid-May unfolds, crypto market sentiment continues to rise. While major assets trend steadily upward, capital is beginning to rotate into fundamentally solid altcoins. In this edition of HTX DeepThink, Chloe (@ChloeTalk1) from HTX Research shares her macro outlook and strategic insights, with a spotlight on rotation opportunities across the SUI ecosystem and the emerging AttentionFi sector.

Macro Outlook: Rising Bullish Sentiment Amidst Steady Short-Term Uptrend

This week’s U.S. economic calendar is light on major data releases. Market attention is primarily directed towards Federal Reserve officials’ interpretations of recent commentary suggesting a possible single interest rate cut in 2025.

Analysis of options market data shows a prevailing bullish sentiment: the Call/Put open interest ratio has reached 1.55, accompanied by increasing premiums for call options. At the same time, short-term implied volatility (IV) has dropped to a new 18-month low of 35–40%.

In short: the market is experiencing “euphoric sentiment amid calm volatility.” Under such conditions, Bitcoin could retest new highs within the next 30–45 days, targeting the $105K–$115K range. However, this mix of high sentiment and low volatility often conceals the build-up of excessive leverage. A sudden surge in IV or a meaningful drop below $100K could trigger a sharp deleveraging event.

Strategic Positioning: Capital Rotation into High-Quality Altcoins for Momentum Capture

From a capital allocation perspective, rotating a portion of capital into fundamentally strong and liquid altcoins may present an opportunity to capitalize on potential spillover momentum from Bitcoin’s upward trajectory. This edition of HTX DeepThink highlights promising sectors and projects worthy of investor attention.

SUI Ecosystem: All-Time High Market Cap, Undervalued Core Project

The SUI chain has reached an all-time high in market cap, but its ecosystem projects have yet to follow with substantial gains. This opens a window for early positioning in undervalued ecosystem leaders. HTX has listed two standout projects within the SUI ecosystem: Haedal and Bluefin.

• Haedal is the dominant LST (liquid staking) protocol on SUI, commanding 76% of market share and benefiting from strong network effects.
• Bluefin, SUI’s flagship perpetual DEX, currently holds a market cap of only $31.6M yet has achieved an annualized revenue of $8.2M, implying a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of just 3.8x—far lower than GMX (9.1x) and Drift (12.4x). The upcoming V2 upgrade will introduce veTokenomics and new trading incentives, potentially boosting both user activity and protocol revenues.

Given the rising attention on SUI’s mainnet, Haedal and Bluefin appear to exhibit dual potential for valuation recovery and Beta-driven upside, which may warrant mid-term attention from market participants.

AttentionFi: Capitalizing on Bull Market User Acquisition Premium

New Web3 projects are launching rapidly, and the cost of user acquisition is soaring. In traditional channels like Telegram, Google, or Red Note, user acquisition cost (UAC) is calculated via “traffic × conversion rate.” With CPCs at $0.5–1.0 and conversion rates around 10%, it can cost $5–10 to acquire a real, retained user.

Kaito offers a far more efficient “attention engine.” Its API charges based on a combination of reputation score and meaningful engagement. As a result, project teams can acquire real users with 3–4x higher retention at just $2–3 per user—much lower than traditional channels. With this model, Kaito has grown rapidly, expanding from 30 to 120 integrated projects in the past three months, and quadrupling API call volume.

Meanwhile, $KAITO staking has surged to 19.7M tokens, and the protocol has cumulatively bought back and burned 3.7M tokens, creating a strong demand-supply mismatch and deflationary pressure that supports higher price ceilings.

On Base chain’s IDO platform Virtuals, users who stake ≥5,000 $KAITO can earn Virgen Points to redeem IDO allocations. Several recent IDOs have seen 10–30x returns on day one, forming a lucrative loop: stake → points → arbitrage.

With the recent listing of $KAITO on HTX, its liquidity is expanding—and in a bull market where competition for user attention intensifies, Kaito’s combination of low-cost, high-precision targeting and deflationary tokenomics makes it a promising asset to watch.

*The above content  is not an investment advice and does not constitute any offer or solicitation to offer or recommendation of any investment product.

About HTX DeepThink:

HTX DeepThink is a flagship market insights column created by HTX, dedicated to exploring global macro trends, key economic indicators, and major developments across the crypto industry. In a world where volatility is the norm, HTX DeepThink aims to help readers “Find Order in Chaos.”

About HTX Research

HTX Research is the dedicated research arm of HTX Group, responsible for conducting in-depth analyses, producing comprehensive reports, and delivering expert evaluations across a broad spectrum of topics, including cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and emerging market trends.

Photo – https://megastockalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/image_838145_19857848.jpg
Logo – https://megastockalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/image_ID__Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/htx-deepthink-bullish-sentiment-builds-as-btc-holds-steadywhich-altcoins-will-lead-the-rotation-302460283.html

Featured Image: depositphotos @ ayo888

Disclaimer