News

• The Circle and ICE partnership aims to bridge digital assets and traditional finance.
• Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) is the company that operates the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), among others, and provides clearinghouse services.
• Circle’s stablecoins (USDC and USYC) will help enhance liquidity and efficiency in global finance.

In a groundbreaking move that underscores the growing influence of digital assets, stablecoin issuer Circle and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) have announced a strategic partnership to explore stablecoin integration within ICE’s extensive range of financial services.

This collaboration aims to integrate Circle’s USDC stablecoin and its tokenized money market fund, USYC, into various ICE operations including derivatives exchanges, clearinghouses, and data services.

Circle and ICE aim to bridge crypto and traditional finance

The partnership represents a significant step toward blending the efficiency of blockchain-based digital currencies with established financial market infrastructure.

With USDC’s market capitalization exceeding $60 billion and widespread use across the crypto ecosystem, ICE sees the integration of these stablecoins as a way to promote enhanced liquidity and streamlined operations.

Lynn Martin, president of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), which is operated by the ICE, highlighted the potential for stablecoins to serve as a trusted equivalent to the US dollar, noting that digital assets are poised to play an increasingly important role in capital markets as they gain acceptance among traditional market players.

Notably, the initiative comes at a time when global financial institutions are rethinking market operations to meet the demands of a digital world.

With the recent expansion of trading hours by major exchanges such as Nasdaq and the NYSE itself, the integration of digital assets like USDC and USYC is expected to contribute to more efficient and resilient market mechanisms.

Circle’s recent launch of USDC in Japan through SBI VC Trade further underscores the growing global reach of stablecoins, as regulators and local partners continue to pave the way for crypto innovation.

A vision for the future of finance

The collaboration between ICE and Circle is not just about immediate financial enhancements—it signals a broader trend toward the digitization of traditional financial systems.

By exploring how stablecoins can be embedded into everyday financial operations, both companies are setting the stage for a future where digital currencies and tokenized assets work hand-in-hand with conventional financial instruments.

ICE’s initiative to consider the use of USYC, in particular, highlights a commitment to addressing liquidity challenges while leveraging the transparency and efficiency of blockchain technology.

As the regulatory landscape for digital assets continues to evolve, this partnership is expected to contribute valuable insights and practical solutions that could influence global financial practices.

With traditional institutions increasingly looking to digital assets for stability and efficiency, the collaboration between ICE and Circle stands as a promising example of how old and new financial paradigms can converge to shape the future of global capital markets.

The post Intercontinental Exchange exploring USDC and USYC integration, partners with Circle appeared first on CoinJournal.

• The Circle and ICE partnership aims to bridge digital assets and traditional finance.
• Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) is the company that operates the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), among others, and provides clearinghouse services.
• Circle’s stablecoins (USDC and USYC) will help enhance liquidity and efficiency in global finance.

In a groundbreaking move that underscores the growing influence of digital assets, stablecoin issuer Circle and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) have announced a strategic partnership to explore stablecoin integration within ICE’s extensive range of financial services.

This collaboration aims to integrate Circle’s USDC stablecoin and its tokenized money market fund, USYC, into various ICE operations including derivatives exchanges, clearinghouses, and data services.

Circle and ICE aim to bridge crypto and traditional finance

The partnership represents a significant step toward blending the efficiency of blockchain-based digital currencies with established financial market infrastructure.

With USDC’s market capitalization exceeding $60 billion and widespread use across the crypto ecosystem, ICE sees the integration of these stablecoins as a way to promote enhanced liquidity and streamlined operations.

Lynn Martin, president of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), which is operated by the ICE, highlighted the potential for stablecoins to serve as a trusted equivalent to the US dollar, noting that digital assets are poised to play an increasingly important role in capital markets as they gain acceptance among traditional market players.

Notably, the initiative comes at a time when global financial institutions are rethinking market operations to meet the demands of a digital world.

With the recent expansion of trading hours by major exchanges such as Nasdaq and the NYSE itself, the integration of digital assets like USDC and USYC is expected to contribute to more efficient and resilient market mechanisms.

Circle’s recent launch of USDC in Japan through SBI VC Trade further underscores the growing global reach of stablecoins, as regulators and local partners continue to pave the way for crypto innovation.

A vision for the future of finance

The collaboration between ICE and Circle is not just about immediate financial enhancements—it signals a broader trend toward the digitization of traditional financial systems.

By exploring how stablecoins can be embedded into everyday financial operations, both companies are setting the stage for a future where digital currencies and tokenized assets work hand-in-hand with conventional financial instruments.

ICE’s initiative to consider the use of USYC, in particular, highlights a commitment to addressing liquidity challenges while leveraging the transparency and efficiency of blockchain technology.

As the regulatory landscape for digital assets continues to evolve, this partnership is expected to contribute valuable insights and practical solutions that could influence global financial practices.

With traditional institutions increasingly looking to digital assets for stability and efficiency, the collaboration between ICE and Circle stands as a promising example of how old and new financial paradigms can converge to shape the future of global capital markets.

The post Intercontinental Exchange exploring USDC and USYC integration, partners with Circle appeared first on CoinJournal.

Paul Atkins, the former member of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that President Donald Trump has tapped to run the agency, assured a different direction for the agency on crypto from the last four years, though he wasn't pressed with big-picture digital assets questions during a Thursday confirmation hearing.

Now that Trump has secured the cabinet-level echelon of his government, the White House is working on shepherding top agency chiefs through the Senate confirmation process. While many of the crypto headlines are coming from the administration and Congress these days, those running the regulatory agencies will ultimately be the ones writing the regulations the industry will have to conform with.

Atkins is seeking to be the successor of ex-Chair Gary Gensler, whose years at the agency established him as the digital assets sector's most prominent nemesis. But Trump's nominee is already positioning himself in stark contrast to Gensler, who criticized the industry's history with swindlers and contended that current securities law was sufficient to treat much of the space as if it were in active violation of registration requirements.

"A top priority of my chairmanship will be to work with my fellow commissioners and Congress to provide a firm regulatory foundation for digital assets through a rational, coherent, and principled approach," Atkins said in his prepared testimony for Thursday.

Senator Tim Scott, the South Carolina Republican who chairs the committee, said Atkins will "provide long-overdue clarity for digital assets."

But even before the hearing began, Atkins was being slammed by Senator Elizabether Warren, the Massachusetts lawmaker who is the committee's ranking Democrat, who registered doubt about his ability to be impartial to the digital assets sector he's served as an adviser.

At the hearing table beside Atkins, Gould made his case for taking over the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the regulator for national banks. The OCC has been a significant player in the digital assets sector's campaign against U.S. banking oversight that's pressured banks to keep the industry at an arm's length. Crypto firms and insiders have struggled to maintain banking relationships and have argued that the regulators authored that "debanking" strain.

The first question to Gould was on that situation, with Scott asking whether he'd commit to reversing that previous stance, to which Gould responded, "absolutely."

For the crypto industry, Atkins' responses on crypto matters are potentially more urgent. But he wasn't questioned on his views about next steps for cryptocurrency oversight, nor about the legislative efforts poised to remake U.S. crypto policy.

SBF

At one point, Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana raised the topic of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, who he said looks like a "fourth runner-up in a John Belushi lookalike contest," and asked Atkins whether the SEC appropriately looked into SBF's parents for their involvement in his fraudulent activities.

"I look forward to getting to the SEC to find out what happened," Atkins said. "Like you, I'm concerned about those reports."

But Kennedy took it further, suggesting a lack of accountability that signals "two standards for law and punishment" in the U.S.

"I don't think the SEC has done a damn thing," Kennedy said. "They're crooks!" he shouted. "And I expect the SEC to do something about it."

Few other senators delved into wider crypto matters, and those that may have been expected to, such as Senator Cynthia Lummis, weren't present. The hearing only lasted two hours and included four nominees for various offices, causing some Democrats to lament that this wasn't enough time to speak with each person.

Atkins' most difficult moments revolved around his tenure as an SEC commissioner in the run-up to the 2008 meltdown and the agency's failings in policing the mortgage securities that contributed to that crisis. Atkins deflected the primary responsibility of the crisis as belonging to mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The next step in the confirmation process is for the committee to vote on the nominees and forward them for potential approval by the overall Senate.

Lawmakers in the US Senate Banking Committee questioned prospective Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) member Paul Atkins on his ties to the crypto industry and how he might regulate digital assets if confirmed.

Questioning Atkins at his nomination hearing on March 27, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, the committee’s ranking member, said the former SEC commissioner had had “staggeringly bad judgment” in his role leading up to the 2008 financial crisis — Atkins served at the agency from 2002 to 2008. Sen. Warren also asked Atkins to disclose the buyers of his consulting firm Patomak Global Partners — which advised crypto exchange FTX before its collapse in 2022 — for transparency about potential conflicts of interest with the digital asset industry.

“Your clients pay you north of $1,200 an hour for advice on how to influence regulators like the SEC, and if you’re confirmed, you will be in a prime spot to deliver for all those clients who’ve been paying you millions of dollars for years,” said Sen. Warren, suggesting Atkins’ judgment “will be influenced by more than an objective assessment of the data.”

The Massachusetts senator sent a letter to Donald Trump’s SEC pick on March 23, calling on him to be prepared to answer questions related to his potential role at the agency based on his ties to the crypto industry through Patomak. At the March 27 hearing, Sen. Warren asked Atkins to disclose the consulting firm’s potential buyers — he said he planned to sell the company if confirmed — who might be “buying access to the future chair of the SEC.” 

Atkins said he would “abide by the process” but did not directly answer Sen. Warren’s question. She suggested that the sale of Patomak could be a “pre-bribe” for the former SEC commissioner’s services.

Related: Hester Peirce calls for SEC rulemaking to ‘bake in’ crypto regulation

Sen. Warren’s questions on conflicts of interest over digital assets contrasted with statements from Republican lawmakers like Committee Chair Tim Scott, who criticized the direction of the SEC under former Chair Gary Gensler. In his opening statement at the hearing, Senator Scott claimed Atkins would provide “long overdue clarity for digital assets.” 

“A top priority of my chairmanship will be to work with my fellow Commissioners and Congress to provide a firm regulatory foundation for digital assets through a rational, coherent, and principled approach,” Atkins said in a prepared statement released before the hearing. 

Since Trump nominated Atkins as his pick to replace Gensler as SEC chair in December, many executives in the crypto industry have offered their support. Though members of the Senate Banking Committee had not voted on Atkins’ nomination as of March 27, the SEC seems to have adopted a friendlier approach to crypto firms since Trump took office and appointed Commissioner Mark Uyeda as acting chair of the agency. 

Under Uyeda, the commission has dropped several investigations or enforcement actions against major crypto firms, including Coinbase and Ripple — both of which contributed to political action committees supporting candidates in the 2024 election cycle. Atkins has also disclosed millions of dollars in assets through stakes in Securitize, Pontoro and Patomak.

Magazine: SEC’s U-turn on crypto leaves key questions unanswered

Crosschain US-dollar stablecoin USDT0 has been deployed to Optimism’s Superchain, increasing access to the world’s most widely used stable asset across Ethereum’s layer-2 ecosystem.

On March 27, Optimism announced that the dollar-pegged USDT0 is now live on the OP mainnet. The crosschain stablecoin’s first deployment was on Ink, Kraken’s DeFi-focused layer-2.

USDT0 is essentially a bridged version of Tether’s USDt (USDT), designed to extend the stablecoin’s adoption across various blockchains. It launched within the Tether ecosystem independently in January, with support from Tether and its CEO, Paolo Ardoino.

Superchain is a network of layer-2 chains designed to scale Ethereum through Optimism’s OP Stack. The collective currently accounts for 52% of Ethereum layer-2 transactions, according to data tracked by Superchain.

In February, Optimism Chief Growth Officer Ryan Wyatt told Cointelegraph that Superchain will likely account for 80% of Ethereum L2 transactions this year. At the time, Superchain secured more than $4 billion in total value, which has since grown to $4.2 billion.

Related: Celo, Chainlink, Hyperlane launch crosschain UDT on OP Superchain

Stablecoin adoption heats up

Superchain said deploying USDT0 is expected to attract “more top-tier assets, applications and partners” to the collective, which highlights the role stablecoins play in fueling DeFi adoption.

The total value of all stablecoins in circulation has reached nearly $228 billion, having increased 3.3% over the past 30 days. According to RWA.xyz, there are more than 155 million stablecoin holders worldwide.

Ethereum accounts for 58% of the total stablecoin supply.

Tether has long had a first-mover advantage in the stablecoin market. The company has emerged as one of the world’s largest holders of US Treasury assets, which has helped fuel its record-breaking profits in recent years.

With US President Donald Trump in the White House, dollar-pegged stablecoins have become a major policy driver in the United States.

The head of Trump’s council on digital assets, Bo Hines, recently told a conference in New York that comprehensive stablecoin regulations could arrive on the president’s desk within two months.

Related: Tether’s US Treasury holdings surpass Canada, Taiwan, ranks 7th globally

Stablecoin issuer Circle and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the company that operates the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) among others and provides clearinghouse services, are collaborating to explore stablecoin integration in ICE’s operations.

The companies will explore the potential integration of Circle’s US dollar stablecoin (USDC) and its US Yield Coin (USYC) into ICE’s derivatives exchanges, clearinghouses, data services and other systems, under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) announced March 27.

Lynn Martin, president of the New York Stock Exchange, issued this statement alongside news of the collaborative partnership:

“We believe Circle’s stablecoins and tokenized digital currencies can play a larger role in capital markets as digital currencies become more trusted by market participants as an acceptable equivalent to the US Dollar. We are excited to explore the potential use cases for USDC and USYC across ICE’s markets.”

The potential integration of stablecoins and real-world tokenized products into exchange settlement systems follows Nasdaq announcing 24-hour weekday trading starting in 2026 and the New York Stock Exchange’s plan to extend trading hours during the week as traditional financial markets shift toward a more global orientation.

Related: ‘Stablecoin multiverse’ begins: Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino

Stablecoins emerge as store-of-value in developing regions

According to Bitso’s “Crypto Landscape in Latin America 2024” report, stablecoins, including Tether’s USDt (USDt) and Circle’s USDC, accounted for 39% of crypto purchases in the region, with USDC accounting for 24% of the total stablecoin volume.

The report added that stablecoins have become a store of value against rapidly depreciating local currencies due to significant inflation pressures.

A 2023 report from Chainalysis found that stablecoins comprised the vast majority of crypto value received in the Latin American region, where individuals preferred the tokenized fiat instruments to Bitcoin (BTC) as a store of value.

The low transaction costs, ease and speed of cross-border transfers make stablecoins ideal for remittances and international business.

These features led to a sharp rise in stablecoin adoption in 2024. According to a January 2025 report from CEX.IO, stablecoin transfer volumes surpassed the combined volume of Visa and Mastercard in 2024.

Stablecoins recorded $27.6 trillion in transfer volume during 2024, eclipsing the combined volume of Visa and Mastercard by 7.7%.

Magazine: Unstablecoins: Depegging, bank runs and other risks loom

Bitcoin (BTC) tapped $88,700 this week but has since corrected to just below $87,000 on March 27. 

The recent rejection from the $88,000 resistance level raises questions about whether BTC price could drop further over the next few days.

Could Trump’s tariffs drive Bitcoin prices lower?

On March 26, 2025, President Trump announced a 25% tariff on all cars and light trucks imported into the US, set to take effect on April 3. Market participants are concerned this might trigger another sell-off in cryptocurrencies, pushing prices lower.

Key takeaways:

• The 25% tariff on automobile imports targets major trading partners like Mexico, Canada, Japan, and Germany.

• While Trump touts this as a boon for the American automotive industry, the immediate fallout will likely rattle global markets.

• For instance, when Trump imposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China in early March, Bitcoin dropped from $105,000 to $92,000 overnight before partially recovering. 

• These broader auto tariffs could amplify this effect, especially as markets brace for retaliatory measures from affected nations.

Commenting on the current risk-asset landscape, trading firm QCP Capital emphasized the effects of US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs, saying that they could escalate trade tensions. 

“Any further retaliation from these target economies risks injecting a fresh wave of uncertainty into an already volatile global trade landscape,” it wrote in a Telegram note to investors. 

QCP also pointed out that “sentiment remains subdued despite headline-grabbing catalysts” such as GME’s surprise $1.3 billion capital raise for potential Bitcoin purchases. 

The only positive catalyst is the steady inflow into spot BTC ETFs, totaling $944.9 million since March 11, adding:

“This presents a telling divergence that reflects the market’s bifurcated institutional conviction.”

Bitcoin could drop further on waning demand

Demand for Bitcoin remains relatively low, implying a decline in risk appetite for potential investors, according to market intelligence firm Glassnode.

Related: Bitcoin price prediction markets bet BTC won't go higher than $138K in 2025

What to know:

• This week’s onchain report from Glassnode highlights a contraction in Bitcoin’s demand measured by assessing the volume of realized profit and loss locked in by investors.

• This provides important information on the sell-side forces occurring across spot markets.

• Bitcoin’s combined realized profit and loss volumes have “experienced a major contraction” since the all-time high above $109,000, collapsing by 85% from $3.4 billion to $508 million on March 26.

• This metric is now at similar levels seen during the 2024 accumulation zone between $50,000 and $70,00, suggesting a similar demand profile.

• Sustainable bull markets are typically characterized by consistent and growing inflows of fresh capital entering the network (capital inflow from new investors).

• The difference between long-term holder (LTH) profit taking and short-term holder (STH) loss realization has dropped sharply since the $109,000 record high and returned to a “neutral zone.”

• This means that an equivalent volume of STH losses is now offsetting LTH profits, the report explained, adding:

“This suggests a relative stagnation in new capital inflows, weaker demand-side forces, and a slowing but still meaningful volume of profit taking acting as resistance.”

Glassnode concludes that while the STH cohort is dominating losses taken, the LTH cohort is transitioning back into a period of accumulation, which could be a precursor to Bitcoin’s recovery.

“We expect their aggregate supply to grow in the coming weeks and months as a result.”

As reported by Cointelegraph, Bitcoin LTHs continued to hold profits despite the recent sell-off, indicating a strong belief that the bull market rally would eventually resume.

Key Bitcoin levels to watch

Traders are now focused on key areas around the $88,000 level.

Notably:

• Bitcoin's key levels to watch immediately on the downside are the 200-day simple moving average (SMA) at $85,500 and the major support at around $82,700. 

• The first area of interest lies between two recent range lows: $81,138 (formed on March 18) and $76,600 (formed on March 11).

• BTC will potentially target the liquidity cluster around these levels if support at $82,000 is lost.

• An immediate reprieve for the bulls would be a sharp reversal from this range, indicating buying interest below the 200-day SMA.

• If support is lost, BTC could test the next area of interest between $72,200 and $74,500 before filling the fair gap below it toward $70,000.

• The chart above also shows a key resistance zone between $88,700 and $92,000 (where the 50-day and 100-day SMA currently sit).

• Overcoming this barrier would confirm the end of the downtrend as bulls set their eyes on $100,000 and beyond.

Popular analyst Decode said the 20-weekly exponential moving average (EMA) at $88,600 is the “most important level right now for Bitcoin.”

For co-founder of trading resource Material Indicators, Keith Alan, Bitcoin has to reclaim the 2025 yearly open at around $93,300 to confirm a continuation of the bull cycle.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Remittance app Abound raised $14 million in a seed round following investment from crypto heavyweights Circle Ventures and the Near Foundation.

The app aims to be a financial bridge between non-resident Indians (NRIs) and India, and has processed $150 million worth of remittances with about 500,000 monthly active users. Abound is incubated by the digital arm of the Times of India Group, one of the country's largest news agencies.

“Indians in America have a unique financial reality — one that spans two countries, two economies, and two currencies. Yet, the financial services available today weren’t designed for their needs,” said Nishkaam Mehta, CEO of Abound, in a statement.

The investment will be used to scale the business by hiring in several key roles and enhancing its technology infrastructure, a press release said.

Jeremy Fox-Geen, Circle's CFO, added in a statement that stablecoins and digital payment infrastructure are revolutionizing global finance, especially for diaspora communities.

Circle is the issuer of USDC, a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar that has a market cap of $59 billion. A 2024 report outlined that the stablecoin sector had settled $10.8 trillion worth of transactions in 2023, of which $2.3 trillion were related to payments and cross-border remittances.