Today, March 2, 2025, President Donald Trump announced through his Truth Social platform that his Executive Order on Digital Assets has instructed the Presidential Task Force to move forward in creating a Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserve for the United States, which would specifically include XRP, Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA). This announcement was reported by multiple reliable sources, such as CoinDesk, Cointelegraph, and Crypto Briefing, among others, on March 2, 2025.
Trump emphasized that this initiative aims to position the United States as the "crypto capital of the world" and counter what he describes as "corrupt attacks" against the cryptocurrency industry during the previous administration. It is noteworthy that, although he initially did not mention Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH) in his statement, some sources indicate that he later clarified that these would also be part of the core of the reserve, although the initial focus highlighted XRP, SOL, and ADA.
However, it is important to point out that, while the announcement has been made, the details regarding the implementation, such as the size of the reserve, the process of acquiring these assets, and their actual impact, are still not fully defined and could evolve. The market reaction has been notable, with significant price increases in XRP, SOL, and ADA after the announcement, reflecting the enthusiasm and speculation of investors.
In summary, yes, President Trump has ordered to move in this direction according to his public statements and recent reports, but the complete development of this initiative remains an ongoing story.
In a major victory for the crypto sector, the U.S. Federal Reserve has removed previous rules that restricted banks' participation with cryptocurrencies and dollar-backed tokens, marking a significant shift towards a more supportive stance.
Banks will no longer need to seek prior approval for crypto activities; instead, operations will be overseen through the standard supervision process. The Federal Reserve, along with the FDIC and the OCC, also withdrew previous warnings about crypto risks, signaling plans for new innovation-friendly guidance.
Bitcoin Fundamentals: Consolidation with Catalyst Building
With the technical landscape addressed, it's time to turn the page, and when it comes to Bitcoin fundamentals, the story is becoming much more exciting.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs Surge
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded over $3 billion in inflows last week, their second-best week on record.
Mining Costs Rise
The average cost to mine a Bitcoin among public miners rose to over $82,000 in the fourth quarter of 2024, with total production costs exceeding $137,000. Rising input expenses and potential tariff risks could constrain new supply, adding upward pressure to prices in the medium term.
Fidelity Sees Strong Fundamentals
According to Fidelity, Bitcoin fundamentals remain strong despite short-term price volatility. Their latest report highlights that key technical structures, such as the golden cross formed in late 2024, are intact, while on-chain data shows continued accumulation by long-term holders.
Standard Chartered's Bullish Outlook
Standard Chartered predicts that Bitcoin will reach $120,000 by the second quarter and $200,000 by the end of 2025, citing the shift of capital from U.S. assets, ETF-driven adoption, and Bitcoin's emerging role as a systemic hedge against macro risks.
Strategy Continues to Buy
MicroStrategy continues to double down, adding 15,355 BTC last week at an average price of $92,737. Their holdings now total 553,555 BTC, valued at over $52 billion, indicating that institutional conviction remains strong.
Ethereum is showing strong bullish signs after a significant wave of accumulation and new regulatory gains. Long-term holders raised more than 1.11 million ETH last week, the largest weekly inflow of 2025, while futures data shows that sellers are running out of steam. ETH has recovered nearly 30% from this year's lows, breaking a descending wedge pattern, a classic bullish reversal, according to FXStreet.com.
In addition to the dynamics, the SEC approved the trading of options on spot Ethereum ETFs. And on the topic of ETFs, spot ETH ETFs recorded $157.1 million in weekly net inflows, their best performance since February. The banking giant Fidelity also highlights that the fundamental story is taking a brighter turn.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) of the United States has authorized federally regulated banks to offer custody services for crypto assets, including $XRP, without the need for prior approval. This is derived from Interpretive Letter 1183 published on March 7, 2025, where the OCC clarified that national banks and federal savings associations can engage in activities related to crypto assets, such as the custody of digital assets, certain activities with stablecoins, and participation in distributed ledger networks.
This decision removes previous regulatory barriers, allowing banks to custody cryptocurrencies like $XRP, as long as they maintain robust risk management controls. Several reports, such as those from Reuters, Forbes, and CoinDesk, confirm this new stance of the OCC, which seeks to integrate digital assets into the traditional financial system.
The SEC approves the launch date of ProShares' XRP ETF. In a significant milestone for the crypto industry, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has officially approved a public launch date for the ProShares Trust XRP ETF. According to information shared by Cointelegraph, the ETF is expected to go public on April 30, 2025. The approval, confirmed through a registration statement of Form N-1A, represents a significant expansion of the cryptocurrency ETF landscape. Until now, much of the regulatory progress has focused on Bitcoin and Ethereum products, making XRP's entry into the ETF market a fundamental development. What This Means for XRP and the Crypto Market in General ProShares, a firm known for pioneering the first Bitcoin futures ETF in the United States, is now set to offer investors easier and regulated exposure to XRP, one of the oldest and most established cryptocurrencies in the market. With the public launch date set for April 30, all eyes will be on XRP's market performance as the new ETF becomes available. If past patterns hold, the added liquidity and visibility could provide significant tailwinds for XRP in the following months. For cryptocurrency investors and market watchers alike, April 30 may mark another historic date in the evolution of digital asset investment.
SEC Approves Launch Date for ProShares’ Trust XRP ETF.
In a major milestone for the crypto industry, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has officially approved a public launch date for ProShares Trust’s XRP ETF.
According to information shared by Cointelegraph, the ETF is scheduled to go live on April 30, 2025.
The approval, confirmed through a Form N-1A registration statement, represents a significant expansion of the crypto ETF landscape. Until now, much of the regulatory progress had been centered around Bitcoin and Ethereum products, making XRP’s entry into the ETF market a pivotal development.
What This Means for XRP and the Broader Crypto Market ProShares, a firm known for pioneering the first Bitcoin futures ETF in the United States, is now set to offer investors easier, regulated exposure to XRP — one of the oldest and most established cryptocurrencies in the market.
With the public launch date set for April 30, all eyes will be on XRP’s market performance as the new ETF becomes available.
If past patterns hold, the added liquidity and visibility could offer a significant tailwind for XRP in the months ahead.
For crypto investors and market watchers alike, April 30 may mark another historic date in the evolution of digital asset investing.
Federal Reserve Withdraws Guidelines on Crypto Assets and Adopts a More Flexible Approach for Banks
On April 24, 2025, the Federal Reserve announced the withdrawal of guidelines for banks related to their activities with crypto assets and dollar tokens, along with changes in their expectations for these activities. The Federal Reserve announced the withdrawal of certain guidelines previously issued for banks regarding their activities with crypto assets and dollar tokens (such as stablecoins). Although the official announcement does not thoroughly detail each withdrawn guideline, it mainly refers to the guidance published between 2022 and 2023, which established strict requirements for oversight, compliance, and reporting for banks participating in activities related to cryptocurrencies, such as custody, issuance, or transactions of crypto assets. These guidelines included, for example, the need for banks to notify regulators before engaging in such activities and to ensure that their operations met risk management standards, anti-money laundering (AML), and consumer protection.
"Panama City Embraces the Future: Accepts Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies for Municipal Payments"
$BTC The news that **Panama City has signed an agreement with Towerbank to accept payments in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies (such as Ethereum, USDC, and USDT)** for municipal services, such as taxes, fees, and permits, has significant implications for the crypto world. Below, we analyze the main impacts and their relevance:
### 1. **Increasing institutional and governmental adoption** - **Legitimization of cryptocurrencies**: That a major city like Panama City, the capital of a dollarized economy with a solid banking system, accepts cryptocurrencies for public services reinforces the perception that digital assets are a valid form of payment. This may reduce the stigma of cryptocurrencies as something speculative or solely associated with unregulated markets.
Being a **network token**, like XRP, offers several advantages, both for the network in which it operates and for users and developers. Below are the main highlights:
1. **Transaction Efficiency**: - Network tokens are often designed to process transactions quickly and at low costs. For example, XRP enables cross-border payments in seconds with minimal fees, compared to traditional systems like SWIFT.
2. **Improved Liquidity**: - They act as a bridge between different currencies or assets, facilitating conversions without the need for multiple intermediaries. In the case of XRP, its use in the XRP Ledger helps provide liquidity for global markets.
3. **Native Integration**: - Being native to their blockchain (like XRP on the XRP Ledger), they do not rely on external smart contracts, which reduces complexity, enhances security, and optimizes network performance.
4. **Scalability**: - Networks with native tokens are designed to handle large volumes of transactions, making them ideal for use cases such as mass payments or micropayments.
5. **Incentives for the Network**: - Network tokens often reward participants (nodes, validators, users) for contributing to the maintenance or use of the network, promoting its decentralization and sustainability.
6. **Interoperability**: - They can integrate with other platforms or financial systems, allowing for greater adoption. XRP, for example, is used in Ripple solutions to connect banks and payment providers.
7. **Transparency and Security**: - By operating on a blockchain, network tokens inherit characteristics such as immutability, traceability, and resistance to censorship, which builds trust among users.
In summary, being a network token like XRP provides advantages in terms of speed, cost, scalability, and functionality, especially in global financial and payment applications, where efficiency and trust are key.
XRP is a **network token**. Specifically, it is the native cryptocurrency of the **XRP Ledger**, a decentralized blockchain developed by Ripple Labs. XRP functions as a multi-purpose token within this network:
1. **Medium of exchange**: Facilitates fast and low-cost transactions, especially for cross-border payments. 2. **Liquidity bridge**: Acts as an intermediate asset for conversions between different currencies on the Ripple network. 3. **Incentive for the network**: Nodes and validators use XRP to process transactions efficiently.
Unlike other tokens that depend on smart contracts on blockchains like Ethereum, XRP is an integral part of the XRP Ledger, designed to optimize speed and scalability in global payments.
The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has issued guidance confirming that national banks and federal savings associations may legally engage in certain cryptocurrency-related activities, provided they implement appropriate risk management practices.
In particular, Interpretive Letter 1183, published on March 7, 2025, reaffirms that these institutions may engage in activities such as:
1. **Custody of Crypto Assets**: Banks may hold and manage cryptocurrencies on behalf of their customers, including the associated cryptographic keys. 2. **Stablecoin Activities**: Banks may hold dollar deposits that serve as reserves for stablecoins (cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a stable value, often pegged to the U.S. dollar) under certain conditions. 3. **Participation in Independent Node Verification Networks**: Banks may act as nodes in distributed ledger (blockchain) networks, verifying and processing transactions.
Furthermore, this letter eliminated the prerequisite of obtaining a supervisory no-objection before engaging in these activities, which reduces the regulatory burden and encourages responsible innovation in the banking sector. However, the OCC emphasizes that banks must maintain robust risk management controls, similar to those applied in traditional banking activities, to ensure that these operations are conducted safely and in compliance with applicable laws.
It is important to note that, although these activities are permissible, banks must comply with relevant regulations, such as anti-money laundering (AML) laws and the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), and ensure they have sufficient capital and liquidity to support these operations.
The latest: More than a dozen cryptocurrency and financial technology companies are applying for banking licenses in an effort to expedite access to the Federal Reserve.
Meanwhile, the White House is preparing an executive order that would ask the Federal Reserve to consider cryptocurrency companies for master accounts.
The text describes two significant developments at the intersection of cryptocurrencies, financial technology (fintech), and the traditional banking system in the United States:
1. **Application for banking licenses by cryptocurrency and fintech companies**: More than a dozen of these companies are seeking to obtain banking licenses. This would allow them to operate as regulated banks and gain direct access to services from the Federal Reserve, such as master accounts, payment systems, and other key financial services. This move aims to integrate cryptocurrencies and fintech more deeply into the traditional financial system, accelerating transactions and reducing reliance on banking intermediaries.
2. **Executive order from the White House**: The White House is preparing an executive order that would urge the Federal Reserve to consider granting master accounts to cryptocurrency companies. Master accounts are accounts that financial institutions maintain directly with the Federal Reserve, providing them privileged access to the payment and reserve systems. This could facilitate cryptocurrency companies operating more efficiently and legitimately within the financial system, although it could also spark debates about regulation, financial stability, and risks associated with cryptocurrencies.
**General significance**: These events reflect an effort by cryptocurrency and fintech companies to integrate into the regulated financial system, while the U.S. government appears to be considering policies that could facilitate this integration.