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With markets worldwide facing restrictive monetary policy, businessman and one-time presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy foresees a significant shift in corporate financial tactics. According to him, bitcoin will increasingly feature in institutional treasuries as firms adapt to a high-rate environment. On 18 February 2025, Ramaswamy opined on X, underlining that companies, governments, and investors will have to rethink their investment strategies in the face of a changing economic environment. “Now that the era of easy money is over, companies [and]other institutions (even state actors) will have to rethink their hurdle rates for internal capital investment,” he argued. He also added that in this setting, Bitcoin “is likely to become a more common corporate treasury holding.” This means a change in the way institutions hold reserves. Whilst, with the Federal Reserve keeping its benchmark interest rates in President Donald Trump’s second term, corporate treasurers are said to be considering bitcoin as a diversification asset. As mentioned in our previous story, the strategy follows the model led by companies such as MicroStrategy, which has long held BTC as a fundamental component of its treasury reserves. Meanwhile, Ramaswamy, who is a well-known Bitcoin supporter, has in the past pointed to its use as a hedge against economic uncertainty, such as inflation and tight monetary policy. His latest remark supports the view that companies might increasingly use BTC as conventional investment vehicles struggle in a high-interest-rate environment. Not only corporates but 20 US states are now mulling to build their strategic Bitcoin reserves, as noted by CNF. Ramaswamy’s remarks elicited reactions from key players in the financial and cryptocurrency industries. Preston Pysh, co-founder of The Investor’s Podcast, confirmed the prognosis, saying, “100%.” He went on to say that firms are now paying attention to the amount of bitcoin they can build up instead of traditional earnings measures. Pysh noted , The amount of Bitcoin the company can acquire and hold long-term COMPARED to the amount that they already have on their balance sheet is the new EPS. The smart ones are already publishing this metric: MSTR, Metaplanet, etc. Another one of the respondents employed a nautical metaphor to contend that firms need to adjust or face fiscal instability. “Bitcoin is the tide that raises all ships. It’s sink or swim time for all companies. No point in holding toxic sludge on your balance sheet (U.S. treasuries) that get debased over time,” they stated on X. While others criticized it, others approved of Ramaswamy’s stance. One user opined, “Thank you for helping the U.S. and the world usher into a more positive and hopeful place powered by Bitcoin.”

Ripple CTO David Schwartz recently addressed the ongoing debates surrounding the decentralization of the XRP Ledger (XRPL), shedding light on the platform’s design and its role in the crypto market. Schwartz’s comments came amid growing discussions on the future of Bitcoin and XRP, particularly regarding their scalability and trustless bridging solutions. His statements have reignited the debate over whether XRPL is truly decentralized or still relies on centralized elements. Schwartz revealed that one of the initial purposes of XRPL was to facilitate faster and more cost-effective Bitcoin transactions. However, he also pointed out a major limitation in this early use case, the necessity of custodians to hold the actual Bitcoin. This raised concerns over trust issues, as custodial solutions counter the decentralization principles central to blockchain technology. Consider any realistic hypothetical: Some large contingent of XRPL users and developers want to add privacy features to XRPL that Ripple thinks will harm its business interests. What will happen? Do you think you know because I don't. — David "JoelKatz" Schwartz (@JoelKatz) February 19, 2025 He emphasized that while custodians can speed up Bitcoin transactions, they introduce centralized elements that undermine the core ideals of trustlessness. The Ripple CTO stressed the need for a solution to provide fast, cheap, and trustless bridging between assets like Bitcoin and XRP, which remains an ongoing challenge in the crypto market. Schwartz’s commentary didn’t stop at technical challenges. He also highlighted the uncertainty surrounding decentralization in any blockchain network. In a thought-provoking tweet, Schwartz posed a fictive scenario where many XRPL users wanted to add privacy features that could conflict with Ripple’s business interests. He noted that Ripple, while a key contributor to XRPL, does not have the power to enforce changes independently and must instead rely on persuasion. This raises questions about how decentralized the decision-making process is within the XRPL ecosystem. However, while Ripple plays a major role, it must persuade other network participants to agree on proposed changes. Schwartz clarified that Ripple would not directly control the network but instead aim to convince the community that certain features benefit everyone. In response to concerns about the system’s centralization, Schwartz provided insight into the XRP Ledger’s validation and consensus process. He explained that a certain level of scarcity among validators is necessary to address the double-spend problem. As reported in our previous post, the XRP Ledger is designed with decentralization in mind. Any changes that affect transaction processing or consensus require approval from 80% of the network. Despite Ripple’s involvement in the network, it operates with over 150 validators, and Ripple runs only one of these nodes. According to a CNF report , the Ripple CTO also addressed the ongoing debate over Bitcoin and XRP’s value and utility. Schwartz stated that Bitcoin’s value is largely driven by speculation, and its worth increases as people speculate on its future price. While he acknowledged Bitcoin’s role in the financial ecosystem, he argued that its value doesn’t come from scarcity. On the other hand, XRP’s supply is much larger, with 100 billion tokens available compared to Bitcoin’s 21 million. Schwartz dismissed comparisons based solely on numbers, emphasizing that such arguments lack context. However, he conceded that Bitcoin could benefit from innovations like the Lightning Network, which may improve its payment usefulness. The recent market activity surrounding XRP shows some price fluctuations. XRP is currently priced at $2.59 and has recorded a decline of 0.52% in the past 24 hours. However, trading has recorded an increase of 6%, sitting at $5.13 billion. Despite price volatility, XRP maintains a market cap of $149.86 billion, with a fully diluted valuation of $259.2 billion.

Societe Generale-FORGE, a subsidiary of Societe Generale Group and licensed investment firm, has deployed its euro-backed stablecoin on the Stellar network. With several stablecoin issuers getting regulatory approval to offer the Markets in Crypto Assets-compliant stablecoins in Europe, SG-FORGE announced it selected Stellar ( XLM ) blockchain network for its own launch. On Feb. 20, Societe Generale-FORGE said its multi-chain strategy takes flight with the deployment of the MiCA-compliant stablecoin EURCV CoinVertible on Stellar. The digital euro stablecoin will leverage Stellar’s fast, scalable and cost-effective network, with the overall benefit to users being the boost this product will give to the blockchain platform’s cross-border payments ecosystem. In this case, SG-FORGE’s stablecoin will see further adoption across financial institutions and asset managers. “Our upcoming integration with Stellar represents a pivotal moment in bridging traditional finance with the digital asset ecosystem. Stellar’s approach and established connections with asset managers and TradFi institutions align perfectly with our mission to achieve broader adoption of stablecoins within the financial system,” Guillaume Chatain, chief revenue officer at SG-FORGE, said. The integration will also not just bring EURCV to traditional finance users, but also bolster XLM utility in the broader decentralized finance and web3 space. One of the big developments the partnership will power is asset tokenization, a sector that continues to grow in leaps amid the entry of global behemoths such as BlackRock, Fidelity Investments and Franklin Templeton. Societe Generale-FORGE, founded in 2018, operates under Societe Generale Group. The firm’s operations includes digital asset and blockchain services and solutions, with these offered to institutional issuers and investors. It launched the EURCV stablecoin on Ethereum in April 2023. SG-FORGE previously revealed plans to debut the stablecoin on the XRP Ledger, with this targeted for 2025. The company has regulatory approval as an electronic money institution from the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution. It also holds a digital asset service provider license. DASP is a registration authorized by the financial markets regulator Autorité des Marchés Financiers.

$IP the native cryptocurrency of Story Protocol, a layer -1 blockchain focused on intellectual property on the internet, has jumped by 20% in the last 24 hours. This price increase makes it one of the top gainers among the top 300 cryptos. Interestingly, this rebound comes five days after Story Protocol launched on Mainnet. During the same period, it distributed rewards to early users as an airdrop. But like most projects with such a launch style, IP ’s price slumped moments after. But with this bounce, could the cryptocurrency hit higher highs? On Feb. 13, Story Protocol launched on Mainnet alongside the IP utility token. While IP has a maximum supply of 1 billion tokens, the initial ones in circulation amounted to 25% of the total, which is 250 million. On launch day, IP debuted at a market value of $2.89,However, two days later, its price plunged to $1.37 as eligible airdrop recipients—allocated 10% of the total supply—triggered a wave of sell-offs. Today, the altcoin’s value has risen above $2 amid the double-digit upswing. According to Santiment, the price increase can be attributed to the rise in the sentiment around the project. Some days back, the Weighted Sent

The number strikes like a thunderclap: 30% of Mastercard transactions are now tokenized. A silent revolution, almost sneaky, that redraws the boundaries of finance. Behind this percentage lies a strategic shift, a cheeky response to skeptics. But this metamorphosis is merely a prelude. The real burning question is: what financial world emerges when a traditional giant embraces crypto to this extent? In 2024, Mastercard swallowed a third of its transactions to transform them into tokens. Not an experiment, but a calculated plan. In its report to the SEC, the firm reveals a two-faced strategy: taming risks while nurturing the crypto ecosystem. Collaborations with exchanges, integration of crypto payments, open doors to stablecoins… A complex ballet where each step is choreographed. The results speak: $28.2 billion in net revenues, or +12% in one year. Yet, Mastercard makes a rare admission: “Stablecoins and cryptos are serious competitors.” A paradox? No. Strategic lucidity. By tokenizing its flows, the giant is not fighting crypto — it is digesting it. As if, in order to survive, it must become what it claimed to regulate. But tokenization is just a tool. The real issue? Rethinking trust. Blockchains offer transparency and speed, but Mastercard adds its network, its regulation, its security muscle. A mismatched marriage? Perhaps. But when 30% of your transactions silently switch, divorce is no longer an option. The elephant in the room? $27,600 billion in transactions in stablecoins in 2024, surpassing Visa and Mastercard combined. A seismic shift. American lawmakers are in a tizzy: French Hill and Bryan Steil are proposing a regulatory framework for stablecoins, with a clear objective — to protect the dollar, not innovation. Yet, Mastercard envisions 2025 as the year of forced symbiosis. Regulations clarified, banks adopting blockchain, stablecoins becoming bridges between fiat and crypto worlds. Idyllic scenario? Not quite. Because in the shadows, a battle is being fought: stablecoins threaten the margins of credit cards, nibble at transaction fees, challenge settlement times. But here’s the twist: Mastercard bets on disruption to reinvent itself. By tokenizing its own flows, the firm transforms a threat into a lever. Imagine: cross-border payments in stablecoins settled in 3 seconds, secured by its network. A monstrous hybrid, half-traditional half-crypto, that could suffocate the pure players. Mastercard has learned an essential lesson: crypto is not an adversary, but an DNA to integrate. Tokenizing 30% of its transactions is just a prelude. The next step? A complete overhaul where cards, stablecoins, and blockchains converge into a fluid and interconnected ecosystem. Will regulators keep up? Will banks withstand the wave? One certainty remains: in 2025, the financial landscape will be unrecognizable, despite a bitcoin whose consolidation is starting to bore.