The week’s developments highlight how crypto continues to pressure traditional finance worldwide. From the idea of Bitcoin as a future interplanetary currency to Generation Alpha embracing it as a natural store of value, the narrative of mass adoption continues to grow. The late Charlie Kirk is honoured this week as a visionary who saw Bitcoin as a cornerstone of liberty. Washington, meanwhile, views stablecoins as a strategic tool to defend dollar dominance, illustrating how crypto is reshaping the balance of economic and political power.
Banks face challenge from rising stablecoin yields
Bitwise’s chief investment officer, Matt Hougan, argued that U.S. banks should improve deposit rewards instead of lobbying against stablecoins. He noted that stablecoins offering yields of 4–5% easily outcompete the national average savings rate of 0.6%.
Hougan criticised banks for treating depositors as “a free source of capital for decades” and dismissed fears that stablecoins would starve local lending markets. Instead, he said the real impact is on bank profits, not credit availability, as decentralised finance (DeFi) can provide direct lending opportunities for savers.
Crypto ownership shows sharp gender divide
Fresh polling from NBC News and SurveyMonkey shows crypto remains most popular among young men. Around 20% of U.S. men under 30 reported owning or trading crypto, compared with just 6% of women in the same age group. Across all age groups, men were more than twice as likely as women to be active in crypto markets.
Political affiliation also shapes adoption, with Republicans (18%) nearly doubling Democrats (9%). For younger men, the main motivation is seeing crypto as “a fast way to make money,” while young women cite its ease of entry compared to traditional investing.
Russia prepares to expand crypto derivatives
The Bank of Russia announced plans to allow investment funds to access crypto derivatives starting in 2026. Currently, only brokers can offer these products to qualified investors. Valery Krasinsky, deputy head of the CBR’s investment finance department, explained that the move will “level the playing field” and bring mutual funds into the market.
Access will remain limited to highly qualified investors with significant assets or income, though the Ministry of Finance recently suggested easing the criteria. While the central bank still favors traditional stock and bond markets, the step signals a cautious but notable expansion of Russia’s crypto investment landscape.
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Rodcas Consulting Group