Crypto & Digital Euro
Crypto, the digital euro and other CBDCs, with a short English summary and a link to the original article. RSS
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Crypto & Digital Euro
Deel hides contractor balances and payouts with Tempo's privacy Zones
Payroll platform Deel is now using Zones on the Tempo blockchain in production, so its contractors' balances and payout history are not publicly visible. Deel's stablecoin wallet launched in June 2026 in Argentina and by August had expanded to more than 80 countries. Deel's deposit into its Zone is visible on the public network, but who is paid and how much is not. The setup was built together with Stripe's Privy.
What it means: One of the biggest barriers to using blockchains for business payments is that most networks show everyone who paid whom and how much. No company wants rivals to see its payroll, and no worker wants their balance to be public. Tempo's approach, with private spaces where the operator still sees what it needs for audit and reconciliation, comes closer to how a bank account works. For Greek businesses employing freelancers abroad, which is very common in software, stablecoin payouts become more attractive once privacy is addressed. From a GDPR point of view, keeping payment details off a public ledger is close to a precondition. There is another side, though: anti-money laundering authorities will want access, and the EU transfer of funds regulation requires sender and recipient data. The model in which the Zone operator carries bank-like compliance duties shows how a balance between confidentiality and oversight might be struck in practice.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
StraitsX expands stablecoin cards with Visa to over 100 markets
Singapore's StraitsX, which provides stablecoin settlement infrastructure, has announced a partnership with Visa to issue cards linked to stablecoin balances in more than 100 markets. Its activity had been focused on Asia, where its card programmes passed an annualised transaction volume of $6 billion. The service targets fintechs, wallets and digital payment token providers. Rollout in each market depends on local regulatory requirements and Visa's rules.
What it means: Cards that draw on stablecoin balances are currently the most practical way to spend digital dollars in the real world. The merchant usually sees no difference, because it is paid in local currency through the card network. That means consumer use of stablecoins can grow without any change at shop tills. For the Greek market this matters in two ways. Tourists from countries where such cards are popular will pay smoothly at Greek POS terminals. And Greek users may soon get access to similar cards from European providers. MiCA plays a role here: in the EU, providers must use stablecoins authorised under the regulation and hold the right licences, and in many cases each purchase may be treated for tax purposes as a disposal of a crypto asset. For banks the trend is a challenge, as part of everyday spending moves outside traditional accounts. Greek fintechs considering a similar product should study the tax treatment for users carefully.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
Starknet launches Shadow Accounts for private DeFi activity
Layer-2 network Starknet has introduced Shadow Accounts, which let users interact with decentralised finance apps without publicly linking that activity to their main wallet. The feature creates separate persistent addresses for each app, funded from shielded balances in the STRK20 privacy pool. Balances and transactions of shadow accounts stay visible on-chain, but the link to the funding wallet is hidden. The first integration is on the decentralised exchange Ekubo.
What it means: Privacy on blockchains is shifting from controversial mixing tools towards designs that try to combine confidentiality with some transparency. Shadow Accounts do not hide transactions themselves but who stands behind them, which resembles holding several bank accounts for different purposes. For professionals and businesses using DeFi, publicly linking every move to one wallet is a real problem because it reveals strategy, holdings and counterparties. In the EU, however, every privacy tool is treated with suspicion. The new anti-money laundering regulation will bar crypto-asset service providers from 2027 from keeping anonymous accounts or handling privacy-enhancing coins. A Greek exchange would need to consider whether funds coming from such pools call for enhanced due diligence. StarkWare's earlier private KYC demo shows the technology can prove identity without exposing documents, and that direction may prove the most useful for regulators trying to balance privacy with oversight. Greek developers working on wallets should follow this design space closely.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
Sberbank wins Bank of Russia approval to trade crypto
The Bank of Russia has added Sberbank, the country's largest bank, to its register of cryptocurrency exchange providers. Sberbank had already joined the digital depository register, so it can offer both trading and custody-related services. The step follows a law that took effect on 1 September and creates a regulated market involving banks, brokers and exchanges. Domestic crypto payments remain banned, and from July 2027 transactions will have to go through registered intermediaries.
What it means: Russia is pursuing a controlled opening: it allows investment in crypto through large state-linked institutions but bans its use as a means of payment at home. The aim is to bring an informal market into the open and under central bank supervision. For Europe, the development matters mainly for compliance. EU sanctions against Russian banks remain in force, and any transaction that ends up on infrastructure linked to a sanctioned entity is a serious risk. For Greek crypto-asset service providers and banks, blockchain analytics and counterparty checks need to flag flows to or from Russian regulated players. Greek businesses, especially in shipping and trade, that receive offers to settle in stablecoins from counterparties with Russian links should be particularly careful. A market becoming legal in Russia does not make it acceptable under the European framework. The right response is a clear payment acceptance policy and documented checks on every new partner.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
Bank-backed Qivalis wins licence to issue a euro stablecoin
Qivalis, an Amsterdam-based company backed by 37 European banks in 15 countries, has received an electronic money institution licence from the Dutch central bank. The licence allows it to issue euro e-money tokens under MiCA. Before issuance it must publish a white paper and meet the remaining requirements, with a launch targeted in the coming months. Members include BBVA, BNP Paribas, ING and DZ Bank, and distribution will run through banks, exchanges and payment providers.
What it means: The Qivalis licence may be the most serious European answer yet to the dominance of dollar stablecoins. When dozens of large banks put their name behind an on-chain euro, the debate is no longer only about crypto but about the core of payments. For Greek businesses the interest is practical: round-the-clock settlement in euros, programmable payments and possibly lower costs for cross-border transactions with EU partners. The open question is whether a Greek bank will join or whether Greek customers will only get access through foreign institutions. Because e-money tokens cannot pay interest, the product will compete mainly on speed and convenience rather than yield. There is also a link to the ECB's digital euro: the two can coexist, but the banks are clearly signalling that they want their own solution before public digital money arrives. Software firms building ERP or payment platforms should start studying how such payments will be booked and reconciled.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
Polygon completes Coinme deal, adding licensed US payments
Polygon Labs has completed its acquisition of Coinme, gaining regulated money transmission infrastructure in the US. The payments business now covers 48 states with 37 money transmitter licences and 11 exemptions, and is registered with FinCEN. It joins Polygon's Open Money Stack, which links bank deposits, cards and cash with blockchain wallets and payouts. First customers include Tazapay, Mesh, Toku and Kira, for cross-border payments, payroll and dollar access.
What it means: Polygon's move shows that large blockchain platforms understand technology alone is not enough. Without licences to receive and send real money, they cannot serve businesses that need complete payment flows. By buying a company licensed in almost every state, Polygon skips years of paperwork. In Europe the equivalent strategy runs through MiCA licences for crypto-asset service providers and payment institution licences, and similar acquisitions are likely. For Greek businesses paying partners or suppliers in the US or emerging markets, services that combine bank rails with stablecoins could cut both time and fees. Before using them, though, they should check which entity provides the service in Europe and under what licence, because US licensing does not cover EU customers. Greek developers building payroll or freelancer payout apps can see here how a full product is structured, from money coming in to the final payout, behind a single integration point. The same pattern will matter once euro stablecoins under MiCA become widely available to European payment firms.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
DriveWealth teams up with Ripple for RLUSD stablecoin settlement
DriveWealth, which provides brokerage infrastructure to investing apps, is partnering with Ripple to use the RLUSD stablecoin on the XRP Ledger. Settlement will start in Europe and later expand to the US. Clients will be able to fund collateral accounts with stablecoins that convert to cash in near real time instead of waiting for a bank wire. DriveWealth is also moving treasury and custody functions onto Ripple's infrastructure.
What it means: The problem this partnership tackles is very specific: US equities now settle in one business day, but money arriving from another continent gets stuck in bank opening hours and time zones. A stablecoin that moves around the clock closes that gap. For European investors buying US shares through apps, the change could mean faster access to funds and less money tied up as prefunding. For Greek investment firms and fintechs considering access to foreign markets, the news shows that infrastructure providers are already wiring stablecoins in behind the scenes. Compliance is the catch. In the EU, offering services in stablecoins without MiCA authorisation is under growing pressure from ESMA, so any European partner must check the status of the specific token in the EU before using it. The decision to start in Europe will show how supervisors treat such flows. Treasury teams should also weigh the counterparty risk of the issuer before relying on it.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
Breeden: Bank of England in no hurry for a retail digital pound
Bank of England Deputy Governor Sarah Breeden said at an event on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank annual meetings that the UK may not need a retail digital pound quickly. She argued that sterling stablecoins from regulated firms and tokenised bank deposits could deliver similar benefits. She noted that central bank money's share of transactions has fallen to 8%. The Bank aims to finalise its code for systemic stablecoins by the end of 2026, with a temporary issuance cap of £40 billion.
What it means: The Bank of England's stance differs markedly from the ECB's, which is pressing ahead with the digital euro and a pilot programme. London is betting that a tightly regulated private sector can meet the demand for digital money, while the central bank modernises its own settlement system for round-the-clock operation. Europe, by contrast, believes that without public digital money payments will depend on American networks and dollar tokens. Breeden's remark that it would be madness for Britons to access innovation only through dollar stablecoins shows both sides worry about the same thing and simply choose different tools. For Greek businesses trading with the UK, the future may include settlement in sterling stablecoins, while the euro area will see a digital euro, bank tokens and euro stablecoins side by side. Payment software providers should design platforms that handle several forms of digital money at par, as Breeden herself describes. Interoperability will be the key technical challenge.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
Coinbase's Base launches Earn & Borrow for in-app yield and loans
Base, the network developed by Coinbase, has launched Earn & Borrow, a toolkit that lets wallets, exchanges and fintechs offer variable stablecoin yield and loans backed by crypto assets. It relies on third-party lending markets such as Morpho and Aave and is not a protocol of its own. Independent curators choose the markets and set risk limits, and Coinbase says it does not guarantee the vaults. Average yield on dollar stablecoins was reported at about 4.45% before incentives.
What it means: Base's pitch is to make decentralised finance a building block that slots into any app, much as card payments did through APIs. For fintechs that means offering yield or loans without becoming a bank. In Europe the picture is more complicated. MiCA does not fully cover crypto lending, and ESMA and the EBA have already asked for it to be examined in the regulation's review. A Greek app offering such yield to customers would need to check whether it is an investment service, a crypto-asset service or something that is not allowed without a specific licence. The risk for end users is real as well: smart contracts can have bugs, collateral can be liquidated in a sharp price fall and returns are not guaranteed. For Greek businesses holding cash in stablecoins, an attractive yield should not hide the fact that this is a completely different risk profile from an insured bank deposit. A clear treasury policy has to come first.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
Baillie Gifford brings a natively tokenised bond fund to Singapore
Baillie Gifford is offering the Baillie Gifford Enhanced Yield Fund in Singapore, an actively managed short-duration bond fund. The fund is natively tokenised: investors receive tokens on Ethereum and the blockchain is the legal record of ownership. It is a US dollar UK-regulated OEIC investing in government and corporate bonds, with a yield of around 7%, a duration of about two years and an average credit rating of BBB. The firm sees tokenisation as a route to faster settlement and greater transparency.
What it means: Most tokenised funds so far are money market funds or simple wrappers around existing products. The difference here is that the blockchain is not a copy of a traditional register but the register itself. That is a meaningful step, because it moves tokenisation from liquidity tools into actively managed investment products. For the European market, the question is how such a product fits UCITS rules and central securities depository rules, and how the EU's DLT pilot regime applies. For Greek fund managers, the news is a reminder that large competitors are experimenting actively while the Greek market remains largely traditional. For investors, a 7% yield should not hide the fact that these are mid-grade bonds carrying credit risk, regardless of the technology. Tokenisation changes how ownership is recorded and settled, not the nature of investment risk. Greek fintech developers can study how transfer restrictions and investor identification are built into such tokens.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
ANZ completes live corporate payments with tokenised deposits for BHP
Australia's ANZ became the first bank in the country to carry out live cross-border corporate payments in dollars using tokenised deposits, together with Citi, Swift and mining group BHP. BHP paid from its existing ANZ account through standard banking channels. Token processing and interbank messaging took place on Swift's distributed ledger without any extra step from the customer. ANZ has been testing tokenised asset exchanges for years, including in Project Guardian.
What it means: The most interesting detail of the test is that the customer noticed nothing. BHP paid as usual, while behind the scenes the money moved between banks as a token. That is probably how blockchain will enter corporate payments: not as a new app for the accountant but as an infrastructure change that makes settlement faster and liquidity management more efficient. Swift's involvement matters, because it means banks do not have to choose between the existing network and a new blockchain. For Greek banks, already connected to Swift, this path looks more realistic than a standalone system. For Greek exporters and shipping companies that make large dollar payments, faster settlement means less capital tied up in transit. Tokenised deposits also remain a liability of the bank and sit within the existing supervisory framework, which makes them easier for finance directors to accept than stablecoins when setting treasury policy. Banks in Greece could start with intragroup transfers for multinational clients, where the legal questions are simplest.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
First on-chain OTC swap on a tokenized iBoxx index via S&P and Kaiko
S&P Dow Jones Indices, Kaiko and Derivnex announced the first OTC swap on the Canton Network referencing a fully tokenized index. The total-return swap between DRW and Marex references the iBoxx USD Liquid Investment Grade Index tokenized on Canton by Kaiko. The trade lives as a shared digital record for valuations and lifecycle events. The firms present it as a template for institutional derivatives on distributed-ledger infrastructure.
What it means: The deal mainly serves institutional derivatives markets, yet it shows how benchmarks and data licences can move into on-chain workflows without losing IP control. For Greek and European data or fintech firms that sell benchmarks, a token-plus-permissions model may become a licensing pattern. Banks and brokers planning tokenized credit products should study how valuation, margin and future digital cash connect on the same network. Canton is chosen for counterparty privacy, which matters in OTC. Legal analysis of derivatives rules, risk reporting and accounting treatment is needed before adoption. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
Ripple and Privy bring embedded XRPL wallets into apps
Ripple is partnering with Stripe-owned Privy to bring XRP Ledger wallet infrastructure into applications. Developers will be able to create and manage wallets in software and sign transactions for XRP, RLUSD and other ledger assets. The integration also targets payments by AI agents. Ripple said agents have already processed about 13 million payments on the network.
What it means: Privy’s involvement shows embedded wallets becoming a core layer for in-app payments and agentic commerce. For Greek product teams, the question is whether such flows can be offered lawfully to EU customers under MiCA and travel-rule duties. Without a clear crypto-asset service provider and identity checks, compliance risk is high. Agent payment counts should be treated cautiously until independently verified. Teams building stablecoin checkout need recovery paths, transaction limits and human oversight before letting agents pay on their own. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
Ripple and Meritz explore custody and tokenisation in Korea
Ripple announced a strategic partnership with Meritz Securities to explore bringing Ripple Custody and tokenisation infrastructure into South Korea’s capital markets. It is Ripple’s first partnership with a Korean securities firm and its fourth institutional deal in Korea in 2026. Work starts under current securities rules. Meritz is also reviewing topics such as spot ETFs, fractional products, security tokens and won-denominated stablecoins.
What it means: The deal is exploratory, not a product launch, yet it shows Asian institutions preparing before security-token rules change. For Greek and European brokers, the lesson is that custody comes before ETFs and STOs. Without reliable safekeeping and settlement, tokenized products stay in slide decks. Firms planning similar offers under MiCA must separate CASP services, traditional securities licences and the custodian role. Parallel talk of national stablecoins is a reminder that settlement asset and payment medium must be designed together. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
Lynq and TBMC convert client assets to RLUSD in minutes
Lynq, the institutional settlement network operated by tZERO Securities, and The Better Money Company completed a live test converting client assets into RLUSD, Ripple’s dollar stablecoin. The workflow used pre-funded positioning and finished within minutes. The firms called it a successful first phase of their collaboration. Lynq reports more than 30 institutional partners and over $89 million in assets.
What it means: The test links pre-funded or tokenized balances to stablecoin settlement, which matters for institutions more than retail speculation. For European platforms under MiCA, EMT licensing, custody and redeemability matter more than PoC speed. Greek firms serving international clients must separate pilots from production-grade links to bank rails. Lynq’s still-modest asset base shows scale remains limited versus traditional networks. Watch for a phase two, more stablecoins in the clearinghouse and tighter links to tokenized treasuries before treating the model as ready for broader use. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs. It belongs in operational planning for Greek SMEs.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
Commission asked for a phased rollout plan for the digital euro
According to a document seen by MLex, the European Commission is being asked to draw up a plan for a gradual launch of the digital euro. The plan would cover timing and implementation and become part of the regulation governing the currency. EU lawmakers are aiming to agree the law before the ECB's projected issuance in 2029. A phased approach means the new payment method would not appear everywhere at once.
What it means: The idea of a staggered rollout for the digital euro makes sense for a project of this scale, because switching it on at once in every country, shop and bank would create huge operational risk and strain on systems not yet properly tested in real conditions. If the plan is written into the regulation itself, as the document seen by MLex indicates, banks and merchants would know early in which order use cases will go live and could schedule changes to their systems and tills without rushing. This is, however, information from a document that has not been officially published, and the final form will be decided in negotiations between the institutions, so the details may change. For payment software and terminal vendors, the most useful thing is to watch which use cases are switched on first, for example in-store payments, e-commerce or person-to-person transfers, because that will determine where they need to invest first.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
Standard Chartered starts custody for Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin
Standard Chartered has begun holding RLUSD, Ripple's dollar stablecoin, for institutional clients through its Dubai branch. With Ripple and LMAX Group, the bank plans to let RLUSD serve as trading collateral without leaving bank custody. Its value would be mirrored onto the LMAX platform instead. The collateral part has not launched yet and still depends on testing and approvals.
What it means: Standard Chartered holding RLUSD for institutional clients through its Dubai branch shows that large international banks are no longer watching stablecoins from a distance, but offering for them the same custody services they provide for shares, bonds and other traditional assets. For many institutional investors, custody by a regulated bank is a precondition for touching digital currencies at all, because their internal rules and supervisors demand reliable counterparties and clear segregation of assets. The plan with Ripple and LMAX, to use the stablecoin as trading collateral without it leaving the bank, is interesting because it tackles counterparty risk on trading platforms, but it has not launched and depends on testing and approvals, so it should not be taken for granted. In Europe, where MiCA determines which stablecoins are allowed, such services would have to comply with European rules, something investors should check carefully before any use in their own treasury or trading.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
FSB flags cross-border risks from global stablecoins
The Financial Stability Board published a note on global stablecoins on 12 October, ahead of the G20 finance ministers' meeting. It looks at risks such as liquidity mismatches, sudden mass redemptions and operational weaknesses. It points to gaps in the data available and calls for better monitoring and information sharing between authorities. The FSB chair also linked the topic to AI-related risks in the financial system.
What it means: The Financial Stability Board note ahead of the G20 finance ministers' meeting shows authorities now treating global stablecoins as part of the financial system with real consequences, rather than as an experiment on the fringe. The risks it highlights, such as the mismatch between reserve liquidity and the promise of instant redemption, mass withdrawals during panic and operational weaknesses, are the same ones that have historically caused banking crises, except that here they can spread much faster and across borders. The point about data gaps is perhaps the most important, because supervisors cannot oversee what they cannot see, and the call for better information sharing points to stricter reporting duties for issuers and platforms. The FSB chair linking the topic to artificial intelligence risks shows supervisors viewing new technologies as one combined challenge, and firms in the sector should expect more transparency demands in the coming years, along with closer scrutiny of reserves.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
Bitfinex Securities offers tokenized funds built on Tether's Hadron
Bitfinex Securities has opened subscriptions for two tokenized funds from CMCC Global, one in dollars and one with returns measured in Bitcoin. The tokens are issued with Tether's Hadron platform and the raise stays open until 29 October. Both funds use market-neutral strategies such as arbitrage and market making. Transfers require identity checks and anti-money-laundering controls.
What it means: Offering two CMCC Global funds as tokens through Bitfinex Securities is an example of the wider tokenization trend, moving classic investment products onto platforms that run around the clock and allow transfers on blockchain technology instead of traditional settlement channels. Market-neutral strategies such as arbitrage and market making aim for returns that do not depend on prices rising or falling, but that does not make them risk-free, and choosing returns measured in Bitcoin adds another dimension an investor must understand before taking part. The mandatory identity and anti-money-laundering checks show that even tokenized products operate within a regulatory framework, not outside it. Because the platform and framework sit outside the EU, however, European investors should first check whether they are even eligible to take part and what protection they have, since European rules on investment products may not apply to an offering of this kind at all.
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Crypto & Digital Euro
ECB: digital euro pilot in 2027, possible issuance in 2029
In a speech on 6 October, the ECB set out the timeline for the digital euro. The Council agreed its position in December 2025 and the European Parliament in July 2026, and trilogue negotiations are under way. If the legislation is finished by the end of 2026, the ECB aims for a possible first issuance in 2029. A 12-month pilot will start in the second half of 2027 with 36 selected payment providers.
What it means: The timeline set out by the ECB turns the digital euro from a theoretical debate into a planning item for banks, merchants and point-of-sale vendors, since there are now concrete milestones: legislation completed during 2026, a pilot from the second half of 2027 and a possible first issuance in 2029. The pilot with selected payment providers will show in practice how the system works in real conditions and what technical requirements participants will face, which will shape later investment in software and terminals. It must be stressed, however, that everything depends on the trilogue negotiations being concluded, and that the ECB will only decide on issuance once the regulation is adopted, so the dates are targets rather than commitments. For businesses in Greece, the practical step is to ask terminal and payment providers whether their systems will support the new instrument, so that adapting fits into the normal upgrade cycle.
Summaries are ours. Copyright in the original articles remains with their publishers.
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