Industry News

Vietnam Crypto Payments Field Report: From Street Stalls to Coffee Shops

Vietnam, a top-ranked country in global crypto adoption, presents a fascinating case study in real-world use of digital currencies. This on-the-ground exploration reveals a complex ecosystem where crypto payment adoption is both emerging and encountering hurdles. The author's experience began when a spa owner in Nha Trang offered a discount for cash over credit card payments, citing high fees and tax implications. This preference for cash hinted at a potential openness to dollar-denominated stablecoins like USDT. Subsequent testing showed that using a crypto wallet (Bitget Wallet) for everyday purchases—from ride-hailing and street food to massages—was often seamless, thanks to widespread acceptance of the VietQR system. The experience was described as nearly equivalent to using Alipay. However, a failed payment at a seafood restaurant exposed a critical vulnerability. A transaction from the crypto wallet showed as completed on-chain but failed to register on the merchant’s older, non-standard QR system, highlighting compatibility issues and the "last mile" problem for crypto payments. Public perception also varies greatly. In northern cities like Hanoi, crypto is often viewed negatively, associated with money laundering and gambling. This contrasts sharply with the vibrant, tech-savvy crypto culture observed in the south, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City, where young people in cafes are seen trading on Binance or even writing Solidity code. This creates a "Vietnamese crypto fold": a dichotomy between a surface-level skepticism and a deep, grassroots penetration of digital assets, driven by a young population eager for financial advancement. The author concludes that Vietnam’s demographic trends and open attitude position it as a key economy to watch for Web3 growth in the next decade.

比推12/22 15:07

Cardano Founder Shades XRP And Solana, What’s Going On?

In a recent development, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson highlighted the Midnight (NIGHT) token's trading volume surge, which reportedly exceeded the combined daily trading volumes of XRP and Solana. According to data, NIGHT recorded over $6 billion in daily volume, compared to $2.4 billion for XRP and $2.07 billion for Solana. The Midnight token, a privacy-focused sidechain of Cardano, initially crashed over 90% after its airdrop but has since rebounded strongly, rising over 30% in 24 hours and 44% weekly. Its launch reignited interest in the Cardano network, generating over 122,000 transactions. Despite this, Cardano itself remains in 10th place by market cap, with a daily trading volume of $405 million, while XRP and Solana hold 5th and 7th positions respectively.

bitcoinist12/22 15:02

MoonPay President warns banks: ‘Can’t freeze progress’ on tokenization

MoonPay President Keith Grossman asserts that tokenization is an unstoppable force, warning traditional financial institutions that they cannot freeze progress to protect legacy systems. He compares its disruptive potential to digitization's impact on the media industry, stating it will transform finance's distribution, monetization, and power dynamics. Despite opposition from entities like the World Federation of Exchanges and Citadel Securities, the trend is deemed inevitable. The tokenized market, already exceeding $700 billion and eyeing $1 trillion, is experiencing significant growth in areas like credit and equities. Grayscale projects it could expand 1000x by 2030, with major blockchains and assets like ETH and SOL poised to benefit.

ambcrypto12/22 14:01

Crypto Exec Warns Tokenization Is Moving Faster Than Expected

bitcoinist12/22 13:32

MEXC Partners With ether.fi To Launch the Enhanced Payment Card With up to 4% Cashback

MEXC has partnered with ether.fi to launch the enhanced MEXC × ether.fi Card, offering users up to 4% instant cashback on purchases globally via Apple Pay or Google Pay. The card provides multiple benefits, including global payment access at over 150 million Visa-accepted locations, flexible crypto spending from ether.fi balances, on-chain asset control, and various top-up options. Cardholders also gain exclusive rewards such as travel perks, DeFi incentives, and additional cashback from referrals. This collaboration aims to advance the spending experience using cryptocurrency, making it more accessible and rewarding for the global crypto community.

TheNewsCrypto12/22 10:18

MEXC Upgrades 0-Fee Spot Trading To Cover All Pairs

MEXC, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, has officially upgraded its 0-fee Spot trading program to cover all trading pairs on the platform, with no eligibility requirements. All users now enjoy 0% Maker and Taker fees on all Spot trades. This initiative is a long-term strategic pillar, not a short-term promotion, aimed at reducing transaction friction and leveraging liquidity advantages to create a more efficient and competitive trading environment. The strategy, already validated in Futures markets, is now extended to Spot, forming a cohesive ecosystem. Data from Q1 and Q2 2025 shows significant market share gains for key pairs like SOLUSDT and TONUSDC, demonstrating the program's success in lowering costs, deepening liquidity, and increasing activity. Key highlights include comprehensive asset coverage from major cryptos to Meme tokens, zero entry requirements, and enhanced cost efficiency for all traders. The COO emphasized this move as a commitment to empowering users and positioning MEXC as foundational infrastructure for global digital asset investors.

TheNewsCrypto12/22 10:16

EU’s Largest Bitcoin Miner Northern Data Sold to Tether-run Companies, But There’s a Twist

EU's largest Bitcoin miner, Northern Data, sold its mining subsidiary Peak Mining in November for up to $200 million to three companies. An investigation reveals that two of these buyers are controlled by Tether's founders, Giancarlo Devasini and CEO Paolo Ardoino. This raises conflict of interest concerns as Tether already holds a 54% controlling stake in Northern Data and has provided it with a €610 million loan. The sale, not initially disclosed as a related-party transaction due to lighter German market rules, occurred just before Tether-backed Rumble announced a major acquisition of Northern Data. This was the second attempt to sell Peak Mining, following a collapsed $235 million deal with another Devasini-linked entity.

ccn.com12/22 10:09

Hyperliquid says ex-employee responsible for HYPE token shorting

Hyperliquid co-founder Iliensinc clarified on Discord that a wallet accused of shorting the HYPE token belonged to a former employee terminated in Q1 2024, not a current team member. The address sold around 4,000 HYPE tokens ($134,000) in a single day. Iliensinc emphasized that all employees and contractors are prohibited from derivatives trading involving HYPE or using material non-public information. Despite a 24% price drop this year, HYPE has risen 290% since its November 2024 launch. Arthur Hayes recently praised Hyperliquid as this cycle’s “best story,” noting its growth from $2–3 to over $60 at its peak. The platform dominated the perp DEX market with $653 billion volume in Q2 2025.

cointelegraph12/22 09:14

Buying Seafood with USDT in Vietnam: Has Web3 Truly Achieved Mass Adoption?

In Vietnam, a country consistently ranked among the top in global cryptocurrency adoption, the author explores whether Web3 and crypto payments have achieved mass adoption beyond reports and whitepapers. During a two-week trip, the author avoided formal industry events and instead tested crypto payments in everyday scenarios like spas, street food stalls, and taxi rides. Key observations include: - Many local merchants prefer cash over international cards due to high fees and tax avoidance, creating an opening for stablecoins like USDT. - Using Bitget Wallet, the author successfully paid via VietQR—Vietnam’s ubiquitous payment QR system—at many locations, with transactions feeling nearly as seamless as Alipay. - However, a failed payment at a seafood restaurant revealed compatibility issues between crypto wallets and older, non-standard QR systems, highlighting remaining technical barriers. - Public perception of crypto remains mixed: in northern cities like Hanoi, it is often associated with crime and gambling, while southern hubs like Ho Chi Minh City show more enthusiasm, with young people trading or developing crypto projects in cafes. - Despite low visible crypto infrastructure (e.g., few Bitcoin ATMs), underlying adoption is significant, driven by a young, tech-savvy population eager for financial mobility. The author concludes that Vietnam’s combination of demographic youth, high mobile internet use, and informal financial vitality makes it a fertile ground for Web3 growth, though real-world usability and cultural acceptance vary widely. The journey continues into southern Vietnam for deeper exploration.

深潮12/22 08:50

Bitcoin Momentum Builds In Brazil As Average Investment Breaks $1,000

Cryptocurrency trading activity in Brazil surged by 43% year-over-year in 2025, with the average investment exceeding $1,000. Bitcoin remained the most traded asset, followed by USDT, Ether, and Solana. Stablecoin transaction volumes tripled, indicating increased use for trading and as cash-like holdings. Tokenized fixed-income products saw 108% growth in volume, reflecting a shift toward yield-seeking strategies. Younger investors under 24 drove significant growth, with participation rising 56%. The market shows signs of maturation, with broader asset diversification and growing use of stablecoins.

bitcoinist12/22 07:02