TLDR Crypto 2025-03-26

World Network is in discussions with Visa to integrate onchain card features into its self-custody crypto wallet. If integrated, World Wallet would be capable of stablecoin payments, fiat on and offramping, and transactions with merchants worldwide. The move builds on recent developments like the World Chat application and crypto-based transfers, positioning World Network as an all-in-one fintech solution.

Circle has announced local partnerships, including a joint venture with SBI Holdings, to drive USDC adoption in Japan. Major exchanges in the region are planning to launch support for USDC, which will be the first global dollar stablecoin approved under Japan's stablecoin framework. The goal of the initiative is to improve digital payment solutions and liquidity within Japan's digital finance ecosystem.

Mizu and Hyperbeat have launched HyperEVM Vaults, a new way to automate liquidity deployment into top Hyperliquid protocols, offering yield and rewards from asset issuers and ecosystem partners. By depositing assets into these vaults, users can access diversified DeFi opportunities while supporting emerging protocols with liquidity solutions.

BlackRock is expanding its blockchain-based money market fund, BUIDL, to Solana, allowing crypto investors to park cash with yield-earning capabilities on a fast-growing blockchain. This move aligns with the broader trend of financial tokenization, as BlackRock and other major firms push to integrate traditional finance with blockchain technology.

The “Where Money Moves” newsletter highlights major trends in stablecoins, including Stripe's $1.1B acquisition of Bridge, Trump's push for stablecoin legislation, and Tether's massive US Treasury holdings. With stablecoin adoption surging past $229B in supply and transaction volumes hitting trillions, the industry is evolving into a parallel financial system.

Web3 venture funding has declined significantly from its 2022 peak, with early-stage capital still available but concentrated in fewer, higher-value deals. As token liquidity dries up, investors are focusing more on long-term growth and profitability, making it harder for founders to raise funds without clear market potential.

Several VC-backed crypto projects are deliberately obscuring the true circulating supply by maintaining a high reported float while keeping the real float artificially low. Examples such as Mantra and Movement illustrate tactics like centralized token control, manipulated airdrop claims, and strategic backroom deals to facilitate price manipulation. Crypto is in dire need of transparent reporting and stricter regulatory oversight.

Crypto AI and DeFI enable autonomous agents to optimize capital flows, yields, and risk management onchain, surpassing the capabilities of traditional Web2 systems. Nascent agents are leveraging decentralized data sources, token incentives, and open infrastructure to create unique moats that empower them to operate autonomously and with a higher level of intelligence than standard models or frameworks allow by default. AI furthers the programmability and capabilities of onchain primitives like stablecoins, real-world assets, and lending markets, potentially paving the way for a “Darwinian evolution” of decentralized agents moving value across the internet.

Patrick Collins, a security researcher, tested nine popular cryptocurrency hardware wallets, evaluating them on security, open-source transparency, and ease of verifying transaction data.

The SEC has officially dropped its inquiry into Immutable with no enforcement action, marking a major win for Web3 gaming and digital ownership rights.

Nikita Bier shares a shift in perspective on crypto, citing a more favorable regulatory environment, increased App Store support, and Solana's growing mobile adoption as key factors making the space more attractive for consumer product builders.

Crypto investing involves strong emotional signals, with early-stage investors betting primarily on founders and information asymmetry, fully aware that most projects will fail but the few successful ones will more than compensate.