Latin Americans are using stablecoins and crypto to combat inflation and access banking services where traditional systems have failed, according to the co-CEO of Bybit LATAM. The Latin American region is tapping into blockchain-based services for payments and access to financial services, signaling that the crypto industry serves more than just financial speculators chasing the next memecoin pump. Latin American citizens are increasingly using cryptocurrency to replace the region’s inadequate banking infrastructure, allowing them to facilitate digital payments and create stablecoin-based savings accounts. “LATAM adoption is quite high. People are using stablecoins for daily life, so it’s a whole different market,” said Patricio Mesri, co-CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Bybit’s Latin American division. “Crypto is actually changing the lives of people. You see adoption in Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia and Mexico increasing rapidly,” he told Cointelegraph during an interview at the European Blockchain Convention...
Andreessen Horowitz is reportedly raising about $10 billion for new AI and defense investments, notably excluding crypto, despite its bullish stance on decentralization. Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is reportedly seeking to raise about $10 billion to invest in the artificial intelligence and defense industries, but crypto, long one of its flagship sectors, is notably missing. According to a Thursday Financial Times report citing anonymous sources, a16z is aiming to raise about $10 billion for new investments, including $6 billion for investing in more mature companies, $1.5 billion for each of the company’s AI applications and AI infrastructure funds, and over $1 billion for a defense and manufacturing-focused vehicle. No crypto-focused fund was mentioned, marking a rare omission for one of Silicon Valley’s most influential backers of the digital asset industry. Read more
Turkey’s $200 billion crypto market leads the MENA region, but has been fueled more by speculative activity than by sustainable adoption, according to Chainalysis. Turkey has emerged as the leading crypto market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in 2025, with volumes significantly outpacing those of other markets, including the United Arab Emirates. Turkey, which has grappled with high inflation in recent years, dominated MENA’s crypto market in the past year, recording almost $200 billion in annual transactions, according to the latest regional report by Chainalysis published Thursday. The UAE, the region’s second-largest market, lagged far behind, with crypto volumes of $53 billion, almost four times smaller than those of Turkey. Read more
Ripple co-founder and former CEO Chris Larsen has amassed millions in realized profits from XRP since 2018, potentially putting the price recovery at risk. Key takeaways: Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen has realized $764,209,610 in profit from XRP sales since 2018. XRP must reclaim the 200-day SMA at $2.60 to end a downtrend. Read more
Revolut also revealed its Crypto 2.0 platform, which will feature over 280 tokens, zero-fee staking up to 22% APY and 1:1 stablecoin-to-US dollar conversion. Revolut obtained a Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) license from the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), enabling it to offer regulated crypto services across all 30 markets in the European Economic Area (EEA). The move boosts Revolut’s expansion in the crypto market as the fintech prepares to launch its next-generation “Crypto 2.0” platform, the company said in a news release shared with Cointelegraph. “This authorisation enables us to deliver groundbreaking crypto products with enhanced transparency and trust for our growing customer base, while further reiterating our commitment to crypto as an asset class,” said Costas Michael, CEO of Revolut Digital Assets Europe. Read more