Yazılar

Tether targets $500B valuation in planned $20B raise, report says

/in /tarafından

Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin issuer, is exploring a massive fundraising round that could value the company at $500 billion, according to Bloomberg News.

Fundraising details

  • Tether is seeking $15–20 billion through a private placement, offering roughly a 3% stake.

  • Sources cautioned the figures are top-end targets and could come in lower, depending on investor appetite and final terms.

  • CEO Paolo Ardoino confirmed in a post on X that the company is evaluating a raise from “a selected group of high-profile investors,” but gave no specifics.

Tether’s market position

  • USDT stablecoin: Pegged to the U.S. dollar, with a market cap of $173B (CoinGecko).

  • Dominates global stablecoin trading, enabling crypto-to-crypto transactions with reduced volatility.

  • Recently announced a U.S.-focused stablecoin, USAT, as part of efforts to expand in America.

  • In August, Tether appointed Bo Hines, a former White House crypto policy executive, as a strategic adviser to bolster U.S. presence.

Competitive landscape

  • Circle, issuer of the USDC stablecoin, went public in June in a blockbuster U.S. IPO.

  • A $500B valuation would make Tether one of the most highly valued companies in global finance, exceeding the market caps of many multinational banks.

Political backdrop

Tether’s plans come amid favorable crypto policies under President Donald Trump, whose administration has embraced digital assets and loosened regulatory barriers compared to prior years.

If successful, the raise would not only cement Tether’s dominance in the stablecoin market but also reshape the global crypto industry by making it the highest-valued digital asset firm in history.

Morgan Stanley to add crypto trading to E*Trade via Zerohash partnership

/in /tarafından

Morgan Stanley will enable cryptocurrency trading on its E*Trade platform starting in the first half of 2026, the bank confirmed Tuesday. The service will launch through a partnership with Zerohash, a digital asset infrastructure provider.

At rollout, E*Trade clients will be able to trade bitcoin, ether, and solana, with the potential for more tokens to be added later. A Morgan Stanley spokesperson said the move reflects growing client demand for access to digital assets alongside traditional investments.

The expansion comes as the global crypto market swells to about $3.9 trillion, led by bitcoin ($2.25 trillion) and ether ($506 billion), according to CoinMarketCap. Once dismissed as speculative, crypto has become a mainstream asset class, attracting Wall Street banks, brokers, and retail platforms.

Morgan Stanley’s push follows rivals:

  • Robinhood offers trading in a wide range of tokens.

  • Charles Schwab provides ETFs tied to bitcoin and ether.

The supportive regulatory stance under President Donald Trump has also accelerated Wall Street’s embrace of crypto products.

Meanwhile, Zerohash announced it reached unicorn status after raising $104 million in a funding round led by Interactive Brokers, with Morgan Stanley, SoFi, and others also investing.

By integrating crypto into E*Trade, Morgan Stanley is positioning itself to compete directly with retail trading platforms while tapping into one of finance’s fastest-growing markets.

China tells brokers to pause real-world asset tokenisation in Hong Kong

/in /tarafından

China’s securities regulator (CSRC) has quietly advised several domestic brokerages to halt their real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation activities in Hong Kong, according to sources familiar with the matter. The move highlights Beijing’s caution as Hong Kong accelerates its push to become a regional hub for digital assets.

What’s happening

  • At least two major Chinese brokerages received informal instructions in recent weeks to pause RWA tokenisation businesses offshore.

  • RWA tokenisation converts traditional assets — like stocks, bonds, funds, and real estate — into blockchain-based digital tokens.

  • Regulators are concerned about risk management and whether firms’ claims are backed by “strong, legitimate businesses.”

Market reaction

  • Shares in Chinese brokerages with Hong Kong exposure slumped:

    • Guotai Junan International fell 7.25%

    • GF Securities dropped 2%

  • The broader Hang Seng Index closed down 0.9%.

Regulatory backdrop

  • China banned cryptocurrency trading and mining in 2021, citing financial stability risks.

  • While Hong Kong has rolled out a stablecoin regime and tokenisation “sandbox” (Project Ensemble), Beijing has kept its stance restrictive.

  • Last month, regulators told major Chinese brokers to stop publishing research endorsing stablecoins, signalling unease about speculative hype.

  • The HKMA confirmed it is conducting a legal review of tokenisation, initially focused on bonds.

Virtual asset enthusiasm in Hong Kong

  • GF Securities (HK unit) launched yield-generating “GF tokens” in June, tied to USD, HKD, and offshore RMB.

  • CMBI recently helped Shenzhen Futian Investment raise 500 million yuan through an RWA-based digital bond.

  • Seazen Group, a Chinese property developer, set up an institute in Hong Kong to explore tokenisation.

  • HKMA said 77 firms have expressed interest in applying for a stablecoin license as of August 31.

Global context

  • The RWA market is worth about $29 billion today and could exceed $2 trillion by 2030, according to industry forecasts.

  • Hong Kong wants to capture this growth, but Beijing’s intervention shows cross-border limits remain.

  • It’s unclear how long the CSRC’s guidance will stay in place or whether it will become a formal restriction.