Stablecoins Set to Surge Toward $2T?

👋 Welcome to PayFi Weekly, where we cover the crypto news that matters to real-world finance.

This week’s stories feel straight out of a thriller:

• Stablecoin supremacy.

• Russian spies now accepting Bitcoin

• Bitcoin rewards… from AmEx?! Read till the end to unfold all the stories.

Starting today, we’re launching a brand-new section: Stablecoin Snapshot– your quick pulse check on the $250B digital dollar market that’s quietly powering everything from DeFi to remittances.

Stablecoin Snapshot

The stablecoin market is up 16.5% in six months (from $204B to $238B). Tether leads with $152B (64%), followed by USDC at $59B.

With $10B added in the last month alone, growth is fueled by DeFi, trading, and emerging market use for remittances and savings. Experts project a $2T market by 2028, driven by U.S. regulation and fintech adoption. Despite ongoing reserve concerns, stablecoins are fast becoming Web3’s digital cash.

⚖️ Regulation

🇹🇭 Thailand has waived capital gains tax on crypto investments via regulated exchanges until Dec 2029. Aiming to boost innovation, support tokenization, and position itself as a regional crypto hub. Full policy details

🇻🇳 Vietnam passed a landmark law to regulate digital assets, enabling taxation, licensing, and consumer protection starting January 1, 2026. Read about Vietnam’s new crypto law

🇪🇺 Coinbase & Gemini nearing EU MiCA licenses. Coinbase (via Luxembourg) and Gemini (via Malta) are close to securing MiCA-based crypto licenses to operate EU-wide, reflecting national regulatory competition and wider MiCA rollout. See how EU regulation is shifting

🌍 Adoption

💳 Coinbase x AmEx: introduces Bitcoin cashback card. Launching Fall 2025, Coinbase’s new One Card (via AmEx) offers 2–4% Bitcoin rewards and travel perks. It’s a loyalty play for the crypto-native economy. Check what the new card offers

🛒 Shopify, Base, Stripe push stablecoin pay. Shopify now accepts USDC on Base. Stripe adds stablecoin checkout. Together, they’re nudging stablecoins closer to mainstream payments. Full breakdown

💵 Stablecoins poised for their “iPhone moment”. Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire predicts stablecoins will soon draw developers like smartphones did after the iPhone’s debut. Discover why digital dollars matter now

🛠 Tech & Partnerships

💡 Saylor wants Apple to buy Bitcoin. MicroStrategy’s Saylor wants Apple to allocate part of its $110B buyback fund to Bitcoin, noting BTC’s 17% YTD gain vs. an 18% drop in AAPL shares, potentially unlocking shareholder value. Read Saylor’s full rationale

📊 Mercurity plans $800 M Bitcoin reserve. Nasdaq‑listed Mercurity Fintech aims to raise $800 M to purchase ~7,433 BTC for a blockchain‑native treasury with staking and custody. See Mercurity’s Bitcoin strategy

🌍 Everything Else

📬 Metaplanet surpasses Coinbase's BTC reserves. Japan’s Metaplanet bought 1,112 BTC, bringing its total to 10,000 BTC, overtaking Coinbase’s 9,267 holdings. Explore Metaplanet’s bold BTC strategy

💰 Trump earns $57M from crypto venture. President Trump disclosed earning $57.4M in 2024 from World Liberty Financial token sales, holding 15.75 Bn governance tokens; his $TRUMP memecoin also netted $320M in fees. Dive into Trump’s crypto earnings breakdown

🕵️♂️ Russia pays spies with Bitcoin. A report suggests Russia is recruiting teenagers spies and paying them using Bitcoin to fund covert ops. Read about crypto‑funded intelligence tactics

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