News Roundup — Visa expands stablecoin settlement in CEMEA

Major news stories this week:‍‍

1. Visa doubles down on stablecoins in Europe, Middle East, Africa with new partnership
2. Global stablecoin market hits $280B as regulators warn of risks
3. UAE’s new financial law pulls DeFi and Web3 into regulatory scope
4. Metaplanet leans into Bitcoin debt play with fresh $130M to buy more BTC
5. Texas buys the Bitcoin dip, acquiring $5M of BlackRock’s IBIT

Story Summaries;

1. Visa is accelerating its integration of stablecoins across the CEMEA region through a strategic partnership with Aquanow. The initiative will allow financial institutions to settle transactions using USDC, aiming to reduce settlement costs and times while increasing efficiency in cross-border payments.
2. The global stablecoin market has surged past $280 billion, prompting warnings from the European Central Bank about systemic risks. Regulators highlight potential threats to financial markets and traditional banking structures, especially as stablecoins increasingly resemble investment fund mechanisms.
3. The UAE has introduced a sweeping new central bank law that formally brings DeFi and Web3 services under regulatory oversight. This law mandates licensing for crypto-related financial services, reinforcing the UAE’s commitment to structured crypto market development.
4. Metaplanet has tapped into an additional $130 million from its Bitcoin-backed credit line, bringing its total borrowing to $230 million. The move reflects a deepening strategy to leverage BTC exposure for both treasury and income purposes, despite currently holding unrealized losses.
5. Texas has made a $5 million investment into BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF and is preparing to self-custody an additional $5 million in Bitcoin. This marks a further step in the state’s broader cryptocurrency adoption and investment strategy.

‍

And that’s all for last week’s news! Wishing you a great week ahead!

‍

‍