Latest news with #DigitalAsset
Finextra
4 days ago
- Business
- Finextra
Digital Asset appoints Jonathan Isaac as chief marketing officer
Digital Asset, pioneers in institutional blockchain infrastructure and creators of the Canton Network, today named Jonathan Isaac as Chief Marketing Officer. 0 Isaac will lead global marketing efforts across brand, product marketing, and communications, with a focus on growing awareness and adoption of the Canton Network, an emerging infrastructure layer for financial markets. 'What drew me to Digital Asset is simple: they've built something real,' said Isaac. 'The Canton Network is already live, and I see it as a game-changer for global finance. My time at CoinMarketCap gave me a front-row seat to everything happening in crypto, and this feels like the next chapter. I'm excited to join a world-class team with exceptional technology, partners, and investors, and help bring this story to the right people.' 'Jonathan has developed a reputation as a bold, visionary leader with a proven ability to scale brands and develop communities,' said Yuval Rooz, Co-Founder and CEO of Digital Asset. 'He brings the expertise, energy, and creativity we need to take our story to the world and show why what we've built matters.'' Isaac brings over two decades of experience in brand transformation, product marketing, and creative leadership. Most recently, he served as CMO at CoinMarketCap, the world's most visited crypto website. He was previously Head of Marketing at the crypto exchange Gemini. Earlier in his career, Isaac held senior strategy and marketing roles at global agencies and media companies, including JWT, Anomaly, Digitas (LBi), Lagardère, Goodby Silverstein and Barbarian, transforming marketing for brands such as the BBC, Sony, HP, GE, Coca-Cola, Disney, J&J, and Metlife. He has also advised fintechs, biotech firms, and luxury brands as a fractional CMO focused on brand reinvention and growth.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is XRP (Ripple) a Millionaire-Maker Cryptocurrency?
XRP's value is soaring after a series of regulatory wins in the U.S. Can the cryptocurrency maintain its momentum over the long term? 10 stocks we like better than XRP › If you'd bought $10,000 worth of XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) back in 2021, your position would be worth a jaw-dropping $118,000 today, highlighting the life-changing potential of cryptocurrency investing. The S&P 500 would have returned a comparably measly $20,000 during that same time frame. However, with its market cap now exceeding $138 billion, XRP will find it more challenging to maintain the same explosive momentum as in the past. Let's explore whether recent regulatory wins and increasing institutional adoption could be the key to the cryptocurrency's long-term success. While XRP is still down roughly 38% from its all-time high of $3.84 (reached in 2018), momentum is picking up -- with the token's price up more than double during the past six months. It isn't hard to see why investors are getting optimistic again. Under the Trump administration, the U.S. government has demonstrated a much softer stance toward the industry. In March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. to create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile to store cryptocurrencies, which the government typically seizes in civil or criminal asset forfeitures. This move would not only help to legitimize these assets, but it could also reduce selling pressure; both the Reserve and the Stockpile would holding the cryptos rather than liquidate them for cash. The cryptocurrency industry has also enjoyed recent wins on the regulatory front. In March, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) decided to drop its appeal against a favorable ruling for XRP's developer, Ripple Labs, which established that its tokens are not securities when sold to retail investors on public exchanges. While Ripple still faces fines related to its sales of XRP to institutional investors, this decision removes a significant overhang for XRP. XRP's long-term success will depend on its mainstream adoption, both as a financial asset and in real-world use cases. The good news is that it has some advantages over its biggest rivals. While Bitcoin was created to function as a store of value and medium of exchange, XRP targets the potentially lucrative market of international payments, currently served by arguably archaic platforms such as the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), which was established in 1973. Although Ripple and XRP are unlikely to replace SWIFT anytime soon, they could provide an alternative for small companies and individuals who prioritize speed and low costs. According to Business Insider, an outgoing international wire transfer currently costs about $15 to $30 (settling in as long as five days). Using different currencies could add further costs and complexities. XRP solves this problem by acting as a bridge. If someone in the U.S. wants to transfer dollars to Japan (where the yen is used), they could convert their dollars to XRP and use that XRP to buy the Japanese yen. To be fair, pretty much all cryptocurrencies can fill this role, but XRP sets itself apart with its extremely low fee of 0.00001 XRP per transaction, which is a fraction of a cent. For context, Bitcoin currently costs about $1.50 per transaction, while Ethereum costs $0.25 per transaction. These numbers can spike dramatically depending on network traffic. With a token price of just $2.38 each at the time of writing, XRP looks extremely cheap compared to other leading cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, which trade for $105,500 and $2,520, respectively. But this tells only half the story. With a market cap of $138 billion, XRP is already the world's fourth-largest crypto. The asset's immense size means it is unlikely to repeat the explosive multibagger returns it enjoyed during the past five years. The larger something is, the harder it is to grow. That said, XRP's recent regulatory wins and potential for mainstream adoption in the international payments industry could set it up for continued market-beating success. Before you buy stock in XRP, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and XRP wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $642,582!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $829,879!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 975% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 Will Ebiefung has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is XRP (Ripple) a Millionaire-Maker Cryptocurrency? was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is XRP (Ripple) a Millionaire-Maker Cryptocurrency?
XRP's value is soaring after a series of regulatory wins in the U.S. Can the cryptocurrency maintain its momentum over the long term? 10 stocks we like better than XRP › If you'd bought $10,000 worth of XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) back in 2021, your position would be worth a jaw-dropping $118,000 today, highlighting the life-changing potential of cryptocurrency investing. The S&P 500 would have returned a comparably measly $20,000 during that same time frame. However, with its market cap now exceeding $138 billion, XRP will find it more challenging to maintain the same explosive momentum as in the past. Let's explore whether recent regulatory wins and increasing institutional adoption could be the key to the cryptocurrency's long-term success. While XRP is still down roughly 38% from its all-time high of $3.84 (reached in 2018), momentum is picking up -- with the token's price up more than double during the past six months. It isn't hard to see why investors are getting optimistic again. Under the Trump administration, the U.S. government has demonstrated a much softer stance toward the industry. In March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. to create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile to store cryptocurrencies, which the government typically seizes in civil or criminal asset forfeitures. This move would not only help to legitimize these assets, but it could also reduce selling pressure; both the Reserve and the Stockpile would holding the cryptos rather than liquidate them for cash. The cryptocurrency industry has also enjoyed recent wins on the regulatory front. In March, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) decided to drop its appeal against a favorable ruling for XRP's developer, Ripple Labs, which established that its tokens are not securities when sold to retail investors on public exchanges. While Ripple still faces fines related to its sales of XRP to institutional investors, this decision removes a significant overhang for XRP. XRP's long-term success will depend on its mainstream adoption, both as a financial asset and in real-world use cases. The good news is that it has some advantages over its biggest rivals. While Bitcoin was created to function as a store of value and medium of exchange, XRP targets the potentially lucrative market of international payments, currently served by arguably archaic platforms such as the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), which was established in 1973. Although Ripple and XRP are unlikely to replace SWIFT anytime soon, they could provide an alternative for small companies and individuals who prioritize speed and low costs. According to Business Insider, an outgoing international wire transfer currently costs about $15 to $30 (settling in as long as five days). Using different currencies could add further costs and complexities. XRP solves this problem by acting as a bridge. If someone in the U.S. wants to transfer dollars to Japan (where the yen is used), they could convert their dollars to XRP and use that XRP to buy the Japanese yen. To be fair, pretty much all cryptocurrencies can fill this role, but XRP sets itself apart with its extremely low fee of 0.00001 XRP per transaction, which is a fraction of a cent. For context, Bitcoin currently costs about $1.50 per transaction, while Ethereum costs $0.25 per transaction. These numbers can spike dramatically depending on network traffic. With a token price of just $2.38 each at the time of writing, XRP looks extremely cheap compared to other leading cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, which trade for $105,500 and $2,520, respectively. But this tells only half the story. With a market cap of $138 billion, XRP is already the world's fourth-largest crypto. The asset's immense size means it is unlikely to repeat the explosive multibagger returns it enjoyed during the past five years. The larger something is, the harder it is to grow. That said, XRP's recent regulatory wins and potential for mainstream adoption in the international payments industry could set it up for continued market-beating success. Before you buy stock in XRP, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and XRP wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $642,582!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $829,879!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 975% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 Will Ebiefung has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is XRP (Ripple) a Millionaire-Maker Cryptocurrency? was originally published by The Motley Fool
Malay Mail
08-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Government forms Digital Asset and AI Advisory Council to drive digital economy
KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — The government has established the Digital Asset and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Advisory Council, a strategic entity that will be the main driver of the country's digital economic growth, said the prime minister's senior press secretary. Tunku Nashrul Abaidah said the move is in line with the rapid development of digital assets and AI technologies, which are now among the main catalysts for global economic growth and a determinant of a country's competitiveness. 'The council will play a role in providing strategic advice and guidance to ensure that Malaysia is able to harness these high-impact technologies and compete at the forefront of the global digital economic landscape,' he said during a Prime Minister's Office briefing, which was broadcast live on Facebook today. Tunku Nashrul explained that the council will comprise members from various backgrounds including local and foreign experts, industry players, academics, and policy thinkers. He said this is to ensure that the approach taken is not only in line with international best practices but also suitable for Malaysia's context and needs.
Business Recorder
27-04-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
PCC & the new economic arms race
The world is changing fast – Trump is isolating the US from its former allies, withdrawing from multilateral agreements and moving the country onto a path of isolationism and deregulation. His administration has departed from the economic doctrine of his predecessor (Bidenomics), and he's treating America more like a streamlined corporation, slashing jobs, and recalibrating the market orientation, and challenging the very institutions America had strived to create. In a post-pandemic world, the US is insulating itself from the global economy so that it can continue its plans for a radical domestic liberalization. Amid his deregulation drive, the inclusion of several cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, XRP, Solana etc.) in the 'Digital Asset Stockpile' and the placement of Bitcoin (acquired through forfeiture proceedings) in the 'Strategic Bitcoin Reserve' signals strongly how the monetary system could evolve in due course. Amid these developments, Pakistan has officially launched the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) in March 2025. Although long overdue, it is a move in the right direction given these global developments. A walk down the memory lane might help us draw some parallels to the current geopolitical economic developments that are happening. As Winston Churchill once said, 'The further back you can look the further forward you are likely to see.' These words remind us of the fact that history has its own way of repeating itself, even if it comes to economic or monetary history. In the 19th century, the US had more than 8000 bank notes much like the unregulated cryptocurrencies today that are highly volatile. The creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913 centralized the distribution of bank notes, essentially creating the dollar as we know it today. Later, the Bretton Woods Conference cemented the hegemony of the dollar by pegging other currencies to it. Another significant move changed global politics: the confiscation of gold from the American public by Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration and revaluing it higher to maintain economic stability. The Petrodollar Agreement (1973-75) with OPEC countries was devised after the collapse of the gold standard. Under this arrangement, oil was to be sold exclusively in US dollars by OPEC countries. This helped maintain the dollar's dominance in the global economic landscape. These historic events have become more relevant today as Trump is initiating changes that could challenge the global monetary order. As Bitcoin strikingly exhibits a volatility trajectory reminiscent of gold's early days, the emergence of a new global monetary order, where countries transition to Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, seems highly plausible. If such a shift is underway, will Pakistan seize this opportunity or be left behind the economic arms race? Countries are increasingly moving away from petrodollars, as the world transitions to a multi-polar economic order. Digital currencies such as Bitcoin and XRP have already been widely adopted. El Salvador has already adopted it as legal tender, Russia and Iran leverages it to bypass sanctions, and China, while restricting domestic use, encourages crypto innovation via Hong Kong. Meanwhile, BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) are actively exploring alternatives to the US dollar for international trade. In 2023, 90% of bilateral trade between Russia and China, amounting to $200 billion, was settled in local currencies, and could transition to digital currencies in the future. The Bank of Japan has just recently adopted XRP, another emerging cryptocurrency. The leader, it appears, will be the country that is quickest to embrace and integrate digital currencies. Several nations are actively accumulating Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, with some incorporating digital assets into their national financial strategies. As of February 2025, the US holds approximately 207,189 Bitcoins, mostly acquired through seizures, a figure corroborated by mainstream financial sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters. China holds an estimated 194,000 Bitcoins, primarily through confiscations, followed by the United Kingdom with approximately 61,000 Bitcoins. Surprisingly, Bhutan, a SAARC nation, has emerged as the fifth-largest Bitcoin holder (13,000 coins), with its holdings valued at $1.1 billion as of February 2025 — constituting 35% of its GDP. While Pakistan still lags behind in this new economic arms race, the PCC's inaugural meeting on 21st March signaled early intent, with a proposal to mine Bitcoin using surplus electricity. Bitcoin's fixed supply of 21 million enhances its scarcity, leading proponents to view it as a hedge against inflation. Elon Musk's recent remarks questioning the transparency of US gold reserves at Fort Knox have sensitized the debate over the reliability of traditional reserve assets. As Bitcoin reserves can be audited 24/7, its popular appeal has grown as a potential reserve asset. If governments integrate Bitcoin into their economic frameworks, its value could surge exponentially, though regulatory and adoption hurdles would remain. Bhutan, for instance, has already established a significant Bitcoin reserve, which now constitutes 35% of its GDP. If the US and other nations take a similar approach, Bitcoin reserves could serve as a strategic tool for alleviating national debt — particularly relevant as the US grapples with its staggering $34 trillion debt burden. In an unprecedented historical move, Trump addressed the Digital Asset Summit on 21st March 2025 — marking the first time a sitting US President has attended such an event. These developments clearly underscore America's intent to lead the global crypto arms race. The geopolitical implications of the US establishing itself as the 'crypto capital of the world' would be profound. Central banks across the globe could race to accumulate Bitcoin, mirroring the historical rush for gold reserves. If the US succeeds, it would mark a new Bretton Woods moment. However, if it hesitates, another nation — or a coalition of financial actors—may seize the opportunity to define this transformation. Nations like the UAE, China and Singapore are already trying to position themselves as digital asset powerhouses. In March 2025, a state backed firm in the UAE (MGX) invested $2 billion in Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange. This clearly demonstrates that the new crypto 'gold rush' has only just begun. Pakistan already lags behind India in this new economic arms race. The blocking of the Virtual Assets Bill 2025, which was introduced in the Senate of Pakistan, signifies a step backward in this shifting financial landscape. India, on the other hand, has not only recognized virtual assets such as Bitcoin but has also established a taxation framework for investors. Under the New Income Tax Bill 2025, income from the transfer of virtual digital assets (VDAs) is subject to a flat tax rate of 30%, with capital gains also taxed at 30%. Only time will tell how effective the PCC will truly be. Its success would largely depend on political and legal will coupled with the strength of its leadership and their technical expertise. Pakistan needs to build its own Bitcoin or cryptocurrency stock with the support of top-tier crypto experts. Ignoring this financial evolution could place Pakistan at a severe disadvantage while neighboring nations capitalize on digital assets. The time for regulatory clarity, investment in block chain infrastructure and digital financial integration is now — before Pakistan falls irreversibly behind in this emerging monetary order. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
