BT Money Hacks: Are Stablecoins a Smarter Way to Hold Your Cash?
In this episode of Money Hacks by The Business Times, host Howie Lim speaks with Amy Zhang, head of APAC at Fireblocks, and Koen Hoorelbeke, investment strategist at Saxo, to demystify what stablecoins really are and what role, if any, they should play in a typical investor's portfolio.
Singapore's Monetary Authority has just rolled out one of the most advanced stablecoin regulatory frameworks in the world, far ahead of peers like Hong Kong and the US. That's fuelling optimism but also raising questions about risks, use cases, and whether stablecoins are truly as 'stable' as advertised.
Why listen?
Because stable doesn't mean safe Stablecoins can still fluctuate in value, depending on demand and the exchange you're using.
Because Singapore's regulatory edge matters Clear rules mean more trust and opens the door to institutional adoption and better retail platforms.
BT in your inbox
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
Sign Up
Sign Up
Because they're a payments game, not an investment Think low-cost, cross-border transactions. Not passive income or capital gains.
Because retail adoption is growing fast Especially in emerging markets, where stablecoins can offer dollar exposure in places where banking access is limited.
Because due diligence still matters Who issues the coin? How are reserves held? What happens when regulation shifts? These are the questions investors should be asking.
Listen now as Howie Lim cuts through the crypto gloss to help listeners understand how stablecoins work, where they fit into the financial landscape, and when to approach with caution.
Find more great content at bt.sg/podcasts . For feedback or episode ideas, email the team at btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.
---
Send us your questions, thoughts, story ideas, and feedback to btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.
---
Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg)
With Amy Zhang, head of APAC at Fireblocks and Koen Hoorelbeke, investment strategist at Saxo
Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro
Produced by: Howie Lim
A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media
Follow BT Money Hacks podcasts every Monday:
Channel: bt.sg/btmoneyhacks
Amazon: bt.sg/mham
Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/oeXe
Spotify: bt.sg/oeGN
YouTube Music: bt.sg/mhyt
Website: bt.sg/moneyhacks
Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party's products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice.
---
Discover more BT podcast series:
BT Mark To Market Podcast at: bt.sg/btmark2mkt
WealthBT at: bt.sg/btwealthbt
PropertyBT at: bt.sg/btpropertybt
BT Market Focus at: bt.sg/btmktfocus
BT Podcasts at: bt.sg/pcOM
BT Branded Podcasts at : bt.sg/brpod
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Times
5 hours ago
- Business Times
Daily Debrief: What Happened Today (Jul 25)
Stories you might have missed Singapore manufacturing output grows by better-than-expected 8% in June Output in the key electronics sector is up 6.6%, extending May's 3.4% increase. Private home prices up 1% in Q2, rents rise 0.8%: URA The latest index figure is higher than the flash estimate released earlier; new home sales halve to 1,520 units, from 3,139 units in Q1. Median resale prices top S$1 million for 4-room HDB flats in three towns in Q2 BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Overall resale flat prices continue to moderate in the quarter with 0.9% rise. Most Singaporeans are unprepared and underinsured for long-term care: Singlife While long-term care costs close to S$3,000 a month on average, the insurance provider finds that more than half of those surveyed underestimate the amount. Home-based pet boarding in Singapore grows on low cost, high demand Unlicensed but in demand, informal pet sitters are reshaping the scene. But with regulatory hurdles, does this micro-industry have a future?
Business Times
6 hours ago
- Business Times
Japan's trade win, bond yields and Singapore's big bet on the STI
Japan's new trade pact with the US has sent the Nikkei soaring. But is the euphoria justified? In this episode of Market Focus Weekly, a podcast from The Business Times hosted by Emily Liu, Endowus CIO Hugh Chung joins the show to unpack the headlines moving Asian markets this week from bond market jitters and central bank silence to a billion-dollar boost for Singapore's Straits Times Index (STI). And if you're wondering whether the de-dollarisation narrative holds water, or where retail investors are looking beyond the US, we've got you covered. Why listen? Because Japan just bagged a trade win but is the rally overcooked? Markets love momentum, but some parts of the Nikkei are already looking pricey. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Because bond yields are climbing quietly but steadily Japan's 30-year yield just breached 3 per cent. That's not nothing. Because Singapore's MAS is putting real money on the table A S$1.1 billion injection to lift market participation? It's a move worth watching. Because everyone's talking about de-dollarisation but should you care? The noise is loud, but the fundamentals may tell a different story. Market Focus Weekly is a markets podcast from The Business Times, hosted by Emily Liu. Catch past episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or at Do you have a market mystery you want decoded? Drop us a note at btpodcasts@ --- Written and hosted by: Emily Liu (emilyliu@ With Hugh Chung, chief investment officer, Endowus Edited by: Chai Pei Chieh & Claressa Monteiro Produced by: Emily & Chai Pei Chieh A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media --- Follow Market Focus Weekly podcasts every Friday: Channel: Amazon: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: YouTube Music: Website: Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party's products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice. Discover more BT podcast series: BT Money Hacks at: BT Correspondents: BT Podcasts: BT Branded Podcasts: BT Lens On:
Business Times
9 hours ago
- Business Times
China's 1.2 trillion yuan dam project lifts metals markets, but isn't a quick fix for glut
[SINGAPORE] China's launch of a 1.2 trillion yuan (S$218.5 billion) mega-dam project in Tibet has energised metal markets, though analysts warn that its long timeline and China's construction downturn would limit the impact of immediate demand. Ferrous markets rallied sharply this week following the Saturday (Jul 19) groundbreaking ceremony attended by Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Iron ore futures for October delivery on the Singapore Exchange surged as much as 4.9 per cent this week, and Shanghai steel futures jumped almost 4 per cent on Thursday from pre-announcement levels. As the world's largest and most costly hydropower dam, the output of the Yarlung Tsangpo River project would treble that of the Three Gorges Dam and generate an estimated 300 trillion watt-hours of electricity annually, supporting power demand in Tibet and the rest of China. The electricity generated each year would be more than five times the amount of electricity consumed in Singapore in 2024. According to estimates by Chinese ferrous markets trade monitor LGMI Steel, the dam is expected to drive six million tonnes of steel consumption – far surpassing the Three Gorges Dam's steel usage of 70,000 tonnes – due to the Tibetan Plateau's complex landscape and harsher climate conditions requiring greater steel intensity. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Macquarie Group's commodities strategist Florence Sun estimated that demand for steel could be around three to five million tonnes, featuring a mix of rebar and various special steels, given the unique geographical environment. She also noted that the cost of the new dam would be 4.5 times that of the Three Gorges Dam. While the project will generate substantial demand for ferrous metals such as iron ore and steel, its five- to seven-year construction timeline on the Yarlung Zangbo River means the impact will be gradual rather than immediate, given staggered procurement over the build period, noted Edward Meir, senior metals analyst at Marex. He expects steel and cement to see the biggest demand boost from the project, with modest growth of copper demand for power transmission. Meanwhile, a struggling construction sector continues to drag on ferrous metal demand, said Sabrin Chowdhury, head of commodities at BMI. 'More such projects will be necessary to bring about a sustained rise in metals demand,' she noted. Similarly, in a note on Tuesday, Citi Research highlighted the long construction timeline and limited front-loaded demand, with the usage of metal to be spread over many years. However, the project still reflects China's medium to long-term plans for large-scale, long-distance power transmission infrastructure. 'Although precise copper and aluminium consumption from the associated transmission lines remains unclear, ultra-high voltage corridors, especially aluminium-intensive ones, will be needed to deliver power to eastern and southern China,' wrote the team. Power-grid related metals would thus see continued demand growth over the coming years, noted the team. 'Anti-involution' (fan nei juan) rhetoric Beyond the mega-hydropower project, the recent ferrous complex rally has been fuelled in part by China's 'anti-involution' campaign targeting industrial overcapacity. Over the past fortnight, iron ore, coking coal and coke all posted gains as markets anticipated supply-side reforms. Citi Research wrote in a Jul 15 note: 'The anti-involution campaign aims to break the cycle of destructive price wars and chronic overcapacity that have plagued Chinese industry profitability.' This policy push has drawn comparisons to the 2016-2017 supply reforms that sparked a historic iron ore rally. China's ferrous complex has been struggling with a persistent supply-demand imbalance, particularly as property sector weakness continues to weigh on demand for construction materials, while supply expands amid damaging price wars. With production capacity still outstripping demand, traders appear to be pricing in expectations that Beijing will force meaningful capacity rationalisation. However, the research team does not expect a repeat of the 2016-2017 playbook, given different fundamentals. 'We see the current rally in the steelmaking ingredient as unsustainable and short-lived.' China's policymakers have been advocating a more measured approach to urban planning and upgrades, which are expected to be less steel-intensive than the full demolitions and property upcycles that spurred the previous ferrous rally. The 'anti-involution' rhetoric has been emphasised directly by China's top leaders, underscoring the country's urgent need to break out of the deflationary cycle. In a meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping on Jul 1, the Central Finance and Economic Affairs Commission said Beijing needed to 'guide enterprises to improve product quality and promote the orderly exit of outdated production capacity'.
