$15.19M LINK transfer coincides with channel break – Will $9.60 fall next?

From Trading to Payment: Circle and Mastercard's Stablecoin Strategy

Summarized from an interview with Circle's Chief Commercial Officer Kash Razzaghi, this article discusses Circle’s strategic partnership with Mastercard to advance the adoption of stablecoins and blockchain-based payments. While best known for its USDC stablecoin, which has a market cap exceeding $77 billion, Circle aims to build broader financial infrastructure that enables faster, cheaper, and more transparent value transfer using blockchain technology. Razzaghi highlights that the current crypto market remains speculative but emphasizes a shift toward real-world utility, particularly in payments, remittances, and as a store of value in inflation-hit economies. He identifies three major use cases for stablecoins: trading and investing, cross-border payments, and dollar-based savings in unstable monetary environments. The collaboration with Mastercard is framed as essential for scaling trust, reducing friction, and accelerating mainstream adoption. Razzaghi believes that true adoption will occur when users transact in stablecoins without even realizing the underlying technology—similar to how people use the internet without understanding HTTP. The interview also touches on regulatory progress and growing institutional interest, signaling that blockchain infrastructure is increasingly seen as a tool to upgrade traditional financial systems rather than replace them.

比推8m ago

TURBO Rockets 27%: Will the Rally Accelerate or Face a Pullback Soon?

TheNewsCrypto24m ago

Vitalik Wrote a Proposal Teaching You How to Stealthily Use AI Large Models

Vitalik Buterin and Ethereum Foundation's AI lead Davide Crapis proposed a system called "ZK API Usage Credits" that enables anonymous access to AI models like ChatGPT using zero-knowledge proofs. Instead of registering with personal details, users deposit funds (e.g., 100 USDC) into a smart contract. Each API request is accompanied by a ZK proof verifying the user is on the approved list and has sufficient balance—without revealing their identity. This approach prioritizes privacy in an AI-dominated era where user interactions are increasingly personal. Vitalik has been actively discussing AI, emphasizing Ethereum’s role as an immutable, censorship-resistant data layer in a world flooded with AI-generated content. He argues that as AI makes fabrication easier, trusted public ledges become essential. The Ethereum Foundation has expanded its privacy research team and integrated AI and privacy into its roadmap, signaling a strategic alignment with future demands for verifiable and private digital infrastructure. Although the proposal is still theoretical and faces skepticism, it highlights a growing need for privacy-preserving technologies as AI usage escalates.

marsbit25m ago

Multicoin Co-founder: Is Decentralization Always Slower Than Centralization? PropAMM Is Breaking This Bias

In a recent article, Multicoin Capital co-founder Kyle Samani argues that PropAMM (Proactive Automated Market Maker) on Solana represents one of the most significant innovations in market microstructure in decades. It challenges the long-held belief that decentralized systems are inherently slower than centralized ones due to global node communication. In traditional centralized exchanges (CEXs), market makers co-locate servers and engage in constant bidirectional communication with the exchange to update orders, resulting in latency. In contrast, PropAMM runs market-making algorithms directly on the Solana blockchain, eliminating the need for inter-server messaging. Price updates occur within the same physical silicon, drastically reducing latency. PropAMM already offers narrower spreads for SOL-USDC spot trading than major CEXs. Samani predicts it will dominate on-chain trading across spots, perpetuals, and prediction markets in 2024. Current challenges include non-deterministic routing and lack of guaranteed best execution for takers, but solutions from aggregators like Jupiter and dFlow are expected. Upcoming Solana upgrades—such as higher compute limits, reduced slot times, and lower network latency—will further enhance PropAMM performance, solidifying its advantage over traditional systems.

marsbit28m ago

Dialogue with Circle's Chief Commercial Officer: Partnering with Mastercard to Accelerate the Adoption of Crypto Payments, Stablecoins' Future Extends Beyond Trading

Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin with a market cap exceeding $77 billion, is expanding its focus beyond stablecoins to build a comprehensive internet financial platform. The company is developing infrastructure—including developer tools, a payment network, and its own blockchain, Arc—to facilitate the transition of financial services to blockchain technology. This shift promises faster, cheaper, and more transparent global payments. In a recent interview, Circle's Chief Business Officer Kash Razzaghi emphasized that modernizing the financial ecosystem is too large a task for any single entity, highlighting the importance of partnerships, such as with Mastercard. He noted that Mastercard’s involvement lends credibility and accelerates the adoption of blockchain-based payments. Razzaghi identified three primary use cases for stablecoins: trading and investment (currently the dominant use), cross-border payments (due to lower costs and faster settlement), and store of value (especially in countries experiencing hyperinflation). He believes mainstream adoption will occur when the underlying technology becomes so seamless that users are unaware they are using stablecoins—similar to how people use the internet without understanding HTTP. Reflecting on his diverse career spanning sports, media, and fashion, Razzaghi underscored that his passion for mission-driven problem-solving and business development prepared him for his role in advancing blockchain-based financial infrastructure.

marsbit38m ago