This article was first published in The Bit Journal: Does the move by Ondo Finance to bring over 100 US stocks and ETFs to Binance Chain underscore the growing integration between traditional finance and blockchain technology? Read on to understand more.

Real World Asset (RWA) firm Ondo Finance has made a groundbreaking move within the cryptocurrency ecosystem by integrating tokenized US stocks and ETFs within the BNB Chain. The move has coincided with a surge in the tokenized asset market, boasting an impressive $700 million market valuation.

According to an official blog post by Ondo Finance, the move will open access for over 3.4 million BNB Chain users, who will be able to buy and sell tokenized shares of leading companies, such as Apple and Tesla, as well as popular ETFs, 24/7 via Ondo Global Markets. The primary targets are non-US investors seeking exposure to tokenized US stocks and ETFs, despite the challenges posed by geographical and regulatory hurdles.

Fastest-Growing Areas on BNB Chain

Experts believe the expansion of the market will bring competition to other firms offering tokenized asset products on the BNB Chain, like Backed and Kraken’s xStocks. Furthermore, the move is also expected to expand the market’s reach into new areas, such as Latin America and Asia, where the BNB Chain has a strong user base.

The introduction of tokenized US stocks and ETFs comes at a time when the tokenized stock market has more than doubled in value to over $700 million since August 2025. Ondo Finance accounts for about $320 million in total value locked since its September launch. Commenting on the development, Sarah Song, the Head of Business Development at BNB Chain, opined that this was a long-term opportunity for both Ondo Finance and BNB Chain. She said:

“Real-world assets are one of the fastest-growing areas on BNB Chain, and having Ondo Finance join the ecosystem further proves that momentum […] together, we’re making high-quality financial assets more accessible and driving the next wave of adoption that bridges traditional markets with blockchain technology.”

Tokenized Stocks Offer Faster Liquidation

The broader impact of adding tokenized US stocks and ETFs is the potential to influence the correlation between the crypto market and the traditional stock market.

As tokenized assets continue to gain traction, users can expect higher volatility in BTC and ETH during US market hours, a move that could create hedging opportunities, as their tokenized versions on the BNB Chain could offer faster liquidation options and attract swing traders.

Additionally, institutional flows may be another focal point with the market’s doubling to $700 million, attracting inflows from inspired funds from leading entities that could propel BNB Chain’s TVL beyond the current $10 billion.

Conclusion

The initiative by Ondo Finance to introduce tokenized US Stocks and ETFs to BNB Chain has the potential to open doors for more innovative trading strategies. By integrating stock market dynamics with cryptocurrency efficiency, the move fosters a hybrid ecosystem that other firms could explore and advance in the near future.

Glossary to Key Terms

RWAs: Real-World Assets, which are tangible or traditional assets like real estate, commodities, or bonds that are digitized and represented on a blockchain through tokenization.

Tokenized Stocks: Blockchain-based digital assets that represent ownership or exposure to traditional company shares, such as those of Apple or Tesla.

ETFs: Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) issue publicly traded securities that offer exposure to the price movements of bitcoin futures contracts.

Frequently Asked Questions about Tokenized Stocks

What are tokenized stocks?

Tokenized stocks are digital assets on a blockchain that represent exposure to traditional equity shares in publicly traded or privately held companies.

How do they work?

A blockchain-based platform issues an equivalent number of digital tokens (typically on a 1:1 basis) using smart contracts. These tokens are listed on compliant cryptocurrency exchanges or DeFi platforms, where users can buy, sell, or hold them like other crypto assets.

Are tokenized stocks the same as real stocks?

Not exactly. While they track the price of the actual stock, holding a tokenized stock typically provides economic exposure (price movement and sometimes dividends) but not direct legal ownership. Your claim generally is on the issuer or a regulated custodian that holds the actual shares in reserve.

 

Read More: Ondo Finance Brings Tokenized US Stocks and ETFs to BNB Chain">Ondo Finance Brings Tokenized US Stocks and ETFs to BNB Chain

This article was first published on The Bit Journal: What’s inside the plan for the ECB digital Euro, and will the project overcome existing legal obstacles?

The European Central Bank (ECB) will reportedly launch the ECB digital Euro sometime in 2029 if it succeeds in hammering out existing legal and logistical challenges. Officials working on the proposed central bank digital currency (CBDC) are currently laying the groundwork for the launch of the phase, which will conclude at the end of October 2025.

According to a Bloomberg report citing people close to the matter, officials at the European Central Bank are reviewing preparatory activities for the current phase of the ECB Digital Euro project as it nears its end. The ECB began its formal preparations for the proposed central bank digital currency in 2023, following an initial study that took 2 years.

Legal Challenges to be Ironed Out

Should the new CBDC project proceed to maturity, experts fear a new attempt to restrict financial freedom within the EU.  The ECB Digital Euro initiative extends beyond simply updating existing payment systems. Pundits believe there is an underlying political objective to reduce reliance on non-European financial networks and private cryptocurrencies.

At the moment, the plan faces legal challenges, as national governments and the European Parliament have yet to agree on rules governing the issuance of the ECB Digital Euro. There’s fear among proponents of the central bank digital currency project that the European People’s Party’s preference for private firms to have a role may have slowed the legislative process.

Fear Surrounds the Influence of Stablecoins

This comes as policymakers express concern about the heavy reliance on US-based payment providers such as PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard, amid pressure to reduce dependence on foreign networks for daily retail payments. There are also concerns about the growth of dollar-backed stablecoins, including those supported by leading US political figures.

Most European Central Banks and regulators believe the potential spread of stablecoins could threaten regional payment autonomy and the proposed ECB Digital Euro. Officials at the European Central Bank argue that a central bank digital currency would offer users a publicly governed alternative for retail transactions, preserving the legal tender status of banknotes and coins.

Conclusion

While the European Central Bank has set a 2029 launch target for its proposed Digital Euro, the project faces several legal and logistical challenges. ECCB Executive Board Member Piero Cipollone had previously suggested mid-2029 as a realistic timeline, in line with current projections.

Still, progress in aligning legal frameworks remains the key indicator of whether the 2029 launch date target will be feasible. Additionally, the European Commercial Bank is still working on the details of a wholesale CBDC after approving the settlement of distributed ledger technology transactions using central bank money.

Glossary on Key Terms

CBDC: A digital form of a country’s fiat currency that is a direct liability of the central bank, which could be used for payments and complements physical cash rather than replacing it.

Digital Euro: A proposed digital form of central bank money issued and backed by the European Central Bank (similar to physical euro banknotes and coins).

ECB: European Central Bank, which is the central bank for the euro and the monetary authority for the Eurozone countries.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Digital Euro

What is the proposed Digital Euro?

This is a proposed digital form of central bank money, specifically, the euro, that could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, but in virtual form.

When will it be introduced?

It has not yet been decided whether and when the digital euro will be introduced, but the ECB has given a 2029 target launch date.

What would payments using the Digital Euro look like?

The digital euro could be used in all manner of payment scenarios, including at the point of sale or online checkout, and offline in combination with payment cards.

How would a digital euro work?

The digital euro would be stored in an electronic wallet set up with your bank or a public intermediary. They would allow users to make all their usual electronic payments – in their local store, online, or to a friend – with their phone or card, online and offline.

Read More: Will the ECB Digital Euro Plan to Reduce Reliance on US Payment Systems Succeed?">Will the ECB Digital Euro Plan to Reduce Reliance on US Payment Systems Succeed?

This article was first published on The Bit Journal: After completing the final testnet, Ethereum’s Fusaka upgrade heads to Mainnet launch —will it deliver the security and scalability improvements?

The Ethereum Foundation successfully carried out the final dress rehearsal for the Ethereum Fusaka upgrade last Tuesday and is now preparing for the Fusaka hard fork Mainnet launch. If the upgrade is successful, the hard fork is expected to enhance network scalability and integration stability significantly.

Streamline Data Sampling and Verification

According to an X social media post by Stokes, the final testnet went live around 18:53 UTC on the Hoodi testnet and involved passing several code changes designed to make the Ethereum blockchain more scalable and cost-efficient. Following the passing of the final test, the blockchain is now preparing for the Fusaka hard fork Mainnet activation in early December.

A testnet is a replica of a blockchain’s leading network that allows developers to test major upgrades and address emerging issues before going live on Mainnet.

Ethereum’s Fusaka upgrade aims to streamline data sampling and verification from layer 2 networks, thereby enhancing the blockchain’s efficiency. Additionally, the upgrade will help reduce transaction costs and improve the user experience.  The upcoming Fusaka hard fork Mainnet launch is seen as an essential layer of scaling, with pundits believing it will enable Ethereum to handle more transactions more cheaply.

Improve the Network’s Efficiency and Scalability

Hoodi, the final testnet for Ethereum’s Fusaka upgrade, comes soon after the Holesky and Sepolia testnets and will now lead to the Fusaka hard fork Mainnet launch. According to a statement from the Ethereum Foundation, the Fusaka hard fork Mainnet launch will take place at least 30 days after the completion of the Hoodi test.

Ethereum’s Fusaka upgrade is a back-end-focused technical upgrade aimed at improving the network’s efficiency and scalability, while raising the block gas limit, expanding data “blob” capacity, and strengthening node security features. Notably, the upgrade includes EIP-7594, which introduces the PeerDAS (Peer Data Availability Sampling) technology.

This method enables validators to sample and verify only parts of the data rather than the entire structure, thereby enhancing data availability for layer-2 networks and increasing verification efficiency.

Conclusion

Ethereum’s Fusaka upgrade encompasses a major network overhaul coming six months after the network implemented the “Pectra” upgrade last May. Developers are upbeat and already discussing the next move, dubbed the “Glamsterdam” upgrade, aiming to enhance and block production speed and transaction parallel processing.

Suppose the upgrade is completed successfully and the Fusaka hard fork Mainnet launch happens as planned. In that case, users can expect a more mature experience in terms of network scalability and layer-2 integration stability.

Glossary to Key Terms

Fusaka upgrade: A significant update to the Ethereum blockchain designed to increase its scalability and efficiency, primarily by boosting transaction capacity and improving how data is handled.

Hard Fork: A backward-incompatible upgrade that creates a permanent split in the network, resulting in two separate and independent blockchains.

Testnet: A replica blockchain network used by developers to test applications, smart contracts, and protocols without using real funds.

Mainnet: The live, fully functional blockchain network where real-world transactions with actual digital assets take place.

Frequently Asked Questions about Fusaka Upgrade

What is the Fusaka upgrade?

A significant network update: Fusaka combines the Osaka (execution layer) and Fulu (consensus layer) upgrades to improve Ethereum’s performance.

When will it launch?

The targeted date for Mainnet activation is December 3, 2025. Public testnet deployments have preceded the Mainnet launch to ensure everything is coordinated correctly.

What will be the impact on users?

The upgrade is expected to make transactions on Layer-2 rollups cheaper and more affordable, and users should expect smoother transactions on scaling solutions due to improved network efficiency.

What are the benefits of the technical improvements?

The block gas limit will be increased from 45 million to 150 million, allowing for more transactions per block as PeerDAS will improve data availability, which is crucial for Layer-2 rollups.

 

Read More: ETH Upgrade Alert: Fusaka Hard Fork Could Finally Fix Ethereum’s Biggest Problem">ETH Upgrade Alert: Fusaka Hard Fork Could Finally Fix Ethereum’s Biggest Problem

This article was first published on The Bit Journal: Why did the MSTR stock price double despite being given a dismal S&P credit rating, and what does that say about the status of Bitcoin as a financial asset?

The world’s leading Bitcoin treasury firm, Strategy, saw its MSTR stock price double despite receiving a dismal S&P credit rating of B-. The firm maintained that Strategy’s weak liquidity and narrow focus could easily lead to its future collapse.

According to a post by Strategy on the social media platform X, S&P Global Ratings placed the Bitcoin treasury firm in speculative, non-investment-grade territory — aka “junk-bond” status — despite the outlook remaining stable.  However, Strategy CEO Michael Saylor noted that his company was the first digital asset treasury to receive an S&P credit rating, which, he said, was a clear indication of the company’s ongoing success.

Confidence in Strategy’s Long-Term Strategy

Despite the low rating, which indicates a lack of confidence, Strategy’s MSTR stock price turned positive, rising 2.27%, implying about 114% upside from Friday’s close and suggesting that investors had confidence in the firm’s long-term Bitcoin strategy. The special attention from investors at a time when the S&P credit rating took a dim view could serve as a milestone for the cryptocurrency industry.

The firm defended its decision to give a poor S&P credit rating, citing Strategy’s balance sheet as overwhelmingly tied to Bitcoin and stating that its low dollar liquidity and negative risk-adjusted capital outweighed strong access to prudent debt management and capital markets. S&P opines that the company’s structure creates an inherent currency mismatch: most assets are held in bitcoin, while debt and dividend obligations are denominated in U.S. dollars. Commenting on their report, the firm stated in their press release:

“We view Strategy’s high bitcoin concentration, narrow business focus, weak risk-adjusted capitalization, and low U.S. dollar liquidity as weaknesses.”

Facts the S&P Credit Rating Overlooked

In reaction to the rating, Matthew Sigel, head of digital assets research at VanEck, posted on X saying:

“The company can service debt for now, but is vulnerable to shocks.”

However, crypto economics are known to live and die on community hype, and Strategy’s branding could be an “X factor” that the S&P credit rating may not have incorporated into its system. Even now, new digital asset treasury firms are still referred to as “MicroStrategies,” a nod to the original company’s outsized reputation. Also, the S&P credit rating may have overlooked that TradFi is increasingly integrated with the broader crypto industry.

Conclusion

Despite the firm’s dismal S&P credit rating, Strategy assigned it a stable outlook, citing its past success in maintaining access to capital markets and managing debt maturities. With the next major maturity date set for 2028, the Bitcoin treasury firm has room to improve, as long as Bitcoin’s price doesn’t collapse.

Glossary of Key Terms

Strategy: A company that has a dual business model: it sells AI-powered enterprise analytics software, but its primary Strategy is to hold a large amount of Bitcoin on its balance sheet.

MSTR: MSTR is the stock ticker for Strategy Inc. (formerly MicroStrategy).

Bitcoin treasury firm: A publicly traded corporation that holds a significant amount of its corporate assets in Bitcoin as part of its treasury strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions about Strategy and Bitcoin Treasury Companies

What is Strategy (MicroStrategy) famous for?

Initially, the company focused on developing software for data mining and business intelligence. Currently, the firm’s Strategy involves leveraging its balance sheet to acquire BTC as a primary treasury reserve asset.

How do Bitcoin treasury companies work?

At their core, Bitcoin treasury companies are firms dedicated to accumulating a digital asset, regardless of whether that was the business’s original intent.

What is MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin Strategy?

MicroStrategy raises capital through convertible notes to buy Bitcoin, which helps Bitcoin’s price rise as they buy a lot of it. The MSTR stock price rises as the value of their bitcoin assets increases, and with a higher stock price, Strategy can raise even more money and buy more bitcoin.

 

Read More: S&P Calls It Junk, Market Calls It Gold: Why MSTR Soars 114% With Bitcoin">S&P Calls It Junk, Market Calls It Gold: Why MSTR Soars 114% With Bitcoin

This article was first published on The Bit Journal: Why is Ripple CEO emphasizing the role of XRP in Ripple’s future strategy despite the growing influence of stablecoin RLUSD? Read on to discover.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has reaffirmed XRP’s role in Ripple’s future strategy. Saying that XRP wasn’t simply a token, the CEO stated that it was central to Ripple’s entire ecosystem and daily operations.

The Center of Everything Ripple Does

According to a statement by the chief executive on the social media platform X, Garlinghouse said that even as the company continued building other solutions to enable the Internet of Value, the role of XRP remained at the center of everything. He made the statement after completing a $1.25 billion acquisition of the prime brokerage platform Hidden Road, which has since been renamed Ripple Prime. Commenting on Ripple’s future strategy, Garlinghouse stated:

“With today’s close of Hidden Road (now Ripple Prime), Ripple has announced 5 major acquisitions in ~2 years (GTreasury last week, Rail in August, Standard Custody in 2024, Metaco in 2023) […]  As we continue to build solutions to enable an Internet of Value, I’m reminding you all that XRP sits at the center of everything Ripple does. Lock in.”

Grant Greater Access to Traders

Ripple’s future strategy has involved several acquisitions, such as Hidden Road, aimed at strengthening XRP’s role and improving its liquidity. As a result, it will now be easier for users to buy, sell, and use XRP, enabling more individual traders and institutions to access the token.

According to Ripple President Monica Long, “the future ahead is mighty bright,” since the firm intended to use the deal to unlock utility for both XRP and new stablecoin RLUSD. Long noted that RLUSD was already being used as collateral in prime brokerage products and that Ripple Prime was exploring additional ways to use XRP.

The Center of Ripple’s Future Strategy

While stablecoin RLUSD was already receiving increased market focus, Garlinghouse stated that XRP would continue to serve as a bridge asset within its On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) solution, which has now been rebranded as Ripple Payments. Addressing concerns that an emphasis on stablecoin RLUSD would diminish XRP’s role, Garlinghouse reassured the XRP community that XRP would remain at the center of Ripple’s future strategy. He further stated:

“XRP is the heart of Ripple’s strategy. We are committed to ensuring its continued role in our ecosystem.”

Conclusion

Even amid ongoing global expansion and strategic acquisitions, the company’s entire leadership has reassured users that XRP’s role within the Ripple ecosystem remains intact. Garlinghouse states that the token was not simply a cryptocurrency, as Ripple’s future strategy was founded on.

Ripple’s infrastructure has been designed to complement XRP’s utility and ensure that it remains the central cog of the firm’s growing portfolio.

As Ripple’s influence expands globally, it will be interesting to see how the company places the token as central to its success in the digital asset market.

Glossary to Key Terms

Ripple: A blockchain-based digital payment company that has created a network and protocol that uses the cryptocurrency XRP and the XRP Ledger.

XRP: A digital asset that serves as the native cryptocurrency for the XRP Ledger (XRPL), an open-source, decentralized blockchain built for fast and low-cost global payments.

RLUSD: Also known as Ripple USD, it’s the official Ripple stablecoin, pegged 1:1 to the U.S. Dollar and built on the XRP Ledger. Designed for instant payments and institutional use, RLUSD brings together stability, compliance, and speed, connecting the traditional financial world with on-chain liquidity.

Frequently Asked Questions about XRP

 What are the interesting facts about XRP?

XRP is sometimes referred to as “the banker’s coin,” and for that reason, XRP was originally used for sending cross-border remittances. Today, the primary use case for XRP is making high-value cross-border payments.

What Can I Buy or Pay for With XRP?

Online stores, gift card sites, and some businesses accept XRP for goods and services. Many payment gateways (like Bitpay) integrate XRP as a payment method.

Is XRP Used Outside of Crypto Trading?

Yes. Ripple Labs partners with major banks and payment providers to enable XRP for real-world cross-border payments (e.g., remittances and B2B payment services).

Can I use XRP to transfer money overseas?

Yes. XRP is designed for fast, low-cost international transfers. Many remittance services integrate XRP into their workflows.

 

Read More: Why XRP Still Matters in Ripple’s Strategy Despite RLUSD’s Growing Influence">Why XRP Still Matters in Ripple’s Strategy Despite RLUSD’s Growing Influence