# Settlement Related Articles

Ethereum is Building an 'Economic Special Zone', the Archipelago Era is Over

Ethereum is shifting from its fragmented "archipelago" model of Layer-2 solutions to a unified "Ethereum Economic Zone" (EEZ), a new initiative backed by the Ethereum Foundation and key protocols like Aave. This move aims to enable seamless, synchronous transactions across L2s, eliminating the delays and risks of bridges by allowing atomic cross-chain executions settled on Ethereum with ETH gas. However, this comes amid a significant decline in Ethereum’s activity and ETH price, which has dropped over 60% from its 2025 peak. While on-chain data shows Ethereum still holds the largest share of institutional capital—including $163.3B in stablecoins, 58% of real-world assets, and a $53B DeFi TVL—the economic model is struggling. With most activity moving to L2s, mainnet gas fees have collapsed, turning ETH inflationary and undermining its "ultrasound money" narrative. The article suggests Ethereum is becoming a "vault" or utility pipeline—secure and fundamental to global crypto finance, but increasingly boring and unable to capture value through fees. If Ethereum evolves into pure infrastructure like SWIFT, ETH may be revalued based on its utility as a settlement layer rather than speculative growth, challenging current investor expectations.

marsbit2h ago

Ethereum secures 58% of $16.5B RWA market – Will ETH prices follow?

Ethereum is consolidating its role as a capital and settlement hub, with $163.3 billion in stablecoin supply and a dominant 58% share of the $16.5 billion RWA market. While user activity is fragmenting across L2s—evidenced by a declining L2-to-L1 daily active user ratio—liquidity remains strongly anchored to the base layer due to its superior security and finality. This is further reinforced by institutional demand, as seen in substantial ETF inflows and growing RWA adoption. However, softer fee generation and minimal ETH burn suggest that if capital remains passive and user activity continues migrating to L2s, it may not directly translate to stronger ETH price performance.

ambcrypto2 days ago 19:02

Is South Korea set to get its own KRW-pegged stablecoin soon?

South Korea is moving closer to potentially launching its own KRW-pegged stablecoin, driven by its large and active retail crypto market. With over 18 million citizens already participating in crypto trading, the market is fast-moving and retail-focused, at times rivalling traditional equity markets. However, inefficiencies like the "Kimchi Premium"—where crypto assets trade at higher prices on local exchanges—highlight strong local demand and limited capital flow flexibility. A KRW-backed stablecoin could reduce reliance on USD-based stablecoins, improve liquidity in KRW trading pairs, enable faster settlement, and leverage existing market support from large players on Korean exchanges. Despite the potential benefits, regulatory hurdles remain a significant challenge.

ambcrypto03/28 05:06

Pharos Network Partners with Circle to Promote the Construction of an Open and Inclusive Global RealFi Settlement System

Pharos Network, a financial-grade Layer1 blockchain, has announced the integration of USDC and Circle's Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) into its mainnet, The Pacific Ocean. This move introduces institutional-grade stablecoin settlement capabilities and enables seamless cross-chain liquidity across more than 20 supported blockchains. USDC, a fully reserved and transparent dollar-backed stablecoin, will serve as a core asset for real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, DeFi trading, lending, and global payments. By eliminating the need for third-party bridges or wrapped assets, CCTP enhances security and capital efficiency. The integration allows developers to build lending markets, structured products, and global payment networks on Pharos Network. It also gain access to compliant on-chain RWA markets, while users benefit from broader real-world financial opportunities. Additionally, Pharos Network has launched a $10 million ecosystem incubation program to support native application development. The foundation aims to build an open, transparent, and inclusive global RealFi settlement infrastructure, facilitating the flow of institutional-grade assets on-chain.

marsbit03/27 12:07

a16z Crypto Operating Partner: Wall Street Is Undergoing Its Biggest Infrastructure Upgrade in 30 Years

Wall Street is undergoing its largest infrastructure upgrade in 30 years by migrating to on-chain systems, moving beyond mere blockchain exploration. This shift is driven by the promise of significantly faster capital movement, similar to the electronic trading revolution of the 1990s which reduced costs, expanded participation, and increased market size. Tokenization—digital representations of real-world assets like Treasuries and stocks on blockchain—enables 24/7 markets, instant settlement, fractional ownership, and global accessibility. Major institutions are already adopting this: DTCC plans to tokenize U.S. Treasuries by 2026, NYSE is launching a platform for on-chain stock trading, and Tradeweb has executed real-time blockchain-based Treasury trades. The current financial system’s inefficiencies—high fees, slow settlement, and intermediary dependencies—create opportunities for disruption. Smart contracts and atomic settlement eliminate these frictions, turning existing profit margins into avenues for innovation. Regulatory clarity, such as the CLARITY Act, is further accelerating this transition. Established institutions are not competitors but potential customers for new infrastructure products. Founders have a window to build the next generation of financial services atop this emerging regulated, institutional-grade framework. The outcome will be a larger, more liquid, and accessible global market.

marsbit03/26 03:59

Ripple Enters Singapore Central Bank Initiative With RLUSD Pilot

Ripple has joined the Monetary Authority of Singapore's (MAS) BLOOM initiative, partnering with Unloq to pilot a programmable cross-border trade settlement system using RLUSD and the XRP Ledger. The pilot, part of MAS's effort to expand tokenized settlement capabilities, aims to reduce friction in trade finance by automating payments upon meeting commercial conditions like shipment verification. This initiative highlights Ripple's focus on positioning RLUSD as an institutional settlement asset within regulated frameworks, enhancing efficiency and transparency for global trade, particularly for SMEs.

bitcoinist03/26 03:01

XRP volume surges to $3.6B as Ripple expands Asia strategy

Ripple's expansion in Singapore, including broader regulatory approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and participation in the BLOOM initiative, has brought XRP back into focus. The company is piloting programmable trade settlement using the XRP Ledger and RLUSD to improve cross-border trade efficiency. Market reaction was swift, with XRP's trading volume surging to $3.6 billion and its price rising to $1.42. While this signals strong bullish interest, the long-term impact depends on whether these regulated initiatives translate into sustained real-world utility and transaction demand.

ambcrypto03/26 02:31

Stablecoins move into payment infrastructure as Triple-A integrates Circle network

ambcrypto03/25 21:02

Australia Central Bank Moves Toward Execution on Digital Token Use

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is advancing from research to execution in implementing digital tokens within the financial system, as announced by Assistant Governor Brad Jones. The RBA emphasized that digital tokens can enhance efficiency, transparency, and settlement automation in financial transactions. The initiative, part of a broader exploration into central bank digital currencies, aims to validate practical use cases and ensure compatibility with traditional financial systems. The move reflects growing global interest in adopting blockchain and tokenized assets, highlighting increased collaboration between regulators and financial institutions to integrate emerging technologies.

TheNewsCrypto03/25 13:10

NYSE and Nasdaq Enter the Fray, U.S. Stock Tokenization Begins Close Combat

On March 24, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) announced a partnership with tokenization platform Securitize to develop a digital trading platform for tokenized securities. Just six days earlier, the SEC approved Nasdaq’s rule amendments to enable tokenized versions of Russell 1000 stocks and major index ETFs. The two largest U.S. stock exchanges unveiled their tokenization strategies in the same month, marking a significant acceleration in institutional adoption. Throughout March, multiple major players advanced tokenization initiatives. Nasdaq partnered with Kraken’s parent company Payward to offer tokenized stock distribution for non-U.S. users. S&P Dow Jones licensed its flagship S&P 500 to on-chain protocol Trade.xyz for perpetual contracts on Hyperliquid. Invesco, managing $2.2 trillion in assets, took over Superstate’s $967 million on-chain treasury fund. The House Financial Services Committee also held a hearing titled "Tokenization and the Future of Securities." Notably, Nasdaq and NYSE are pursuing different technical approaches. Nasdaq’s model integrates with the existing Depository Trust Company (DTC) system, using blockchain as an optional layer while maintaining unified liquidity and settlement. In contrast, NYSE is building a separate, blockchain-native infrastructure with Securitize as its digital transfer agent, aiming for 24/7 trading and near-instant settlement. Regulatory progress is also advancing, including the CLARITY Act moving toward markup and an SEC no-action letter allowing DTC to offer tokenization services. Compared to global peers like Switzerland’s SDX and London’s LSEG, which took years to launch limited tokenization platforms, U.S. exchanges are moving at an unprecedented pace—Nasdaq plans to begin tokenized trading as early as Q3 2026.

marsbit03/25 08:34