Chinese tech giants rushed to secure stablecoin licenses in Hong Kong after it adopted new laws, but Beijing has now stepped in, suspending these plans.
The post China halts Alibaba, JD.com’s stablecoin plans in HK: report appeared first on CoinGeek.
The Federal Reserve’s quantitative tightening (QT) program may soon come to an end. Strategists at JPMorgan and the Bank of America believe that the central bank will stop shrinking its roughly $6.6 trillion balance sheet this month, bringing an end to the Fed quantitative tightening.
According to a recent Bloomberg report, these Wall Street giants have moved up their QT program predictions due to a surge in dollar funding costs. They initially anticipated the move in December or early 2026.
JPMorgan and Bank of America strategists predict that the development will occur this month, effectively ending the $6.6 trillion balance sheet unwind from the Federal Reserve.
The Fed QT program, a large and influential market factor since it began in 2022, allows the Fed’s balance sheet of $6.6 trillion to be reduced without replacing maturing Treasury and mortgage-backed securities to gradually remove excess liquidity from the financial system to fight inflation and achieve economic stability. However, with rising borrowing costs in repo and funding markets, concerns are growing about reserve scarcity in the banking system.
In a client note, Bank of America’s Mark Cabana and Katie Craig wrote, “Money markets at current or higher levels should signal to the Fed that reserves are no longer ‘abundant.’” They urged to “cut the crap before things snap.”
At the same time, JPMorgan strategist Teresa Ho noted that markets have become increasingly frictional, highlighting the Fed’s dwindling reverse repo facility as a key warning sign. “Markets have been operating with much more friction,” noted the strategist. This development has led TD Securities and Wrightson ICAP to revise their expectations for the end of quantitative tightening to October. However, Barclays and Goldman Sachs anticipate a slightly later conclusion to the runoff.
Several other Wall Street analysts, including those from Wrightson ICAP, Evercore ISI, and Jefferies, also predict that the Federal Reserve will conclude its QT program by the end of October.
Notably, the central bank chair, Jerome Powell, indicated that the balance sheet reduction is likely to conclude when reserves reach a level “somewhat above” what’s considered ample, aiming to prevent market disruptions. He added, “We may approach that point in the coming months.” This suggests the bank is nearing the end of the Fed quantitative tightening program.
Another noteworthy event the market is watching closely in the wake of the QT program is whether the Fed will do anything about interest rates at the FOMC meeting later this month, scheduled for October 28-29. Powell and some others have mentioned the possibility of rate cuts at previous meetings.
But it is uncertain if a rate cuts may occur at the FOMC meeting, as the government shutdown has now entered the 23rd day with no signs of resolution. The lack of major data releases, starting with the jobs report among others, is putting the Federal Reserve in a challenging position.
If the Fed stops QT, liquidity would dry up, and we would experience a monetary loosening that would bring forth more investment, lower Treasury yields, and demand risk assets like Bitcoin.
Historically, Bitcoin has performed well during QE periods and poorly during QT periods. For instance, during QE from 2020-2021, Bitcoin moved from $7,000 to $69,000. However, once QT began in 2022, as liquidity was tightening, Bitcoin moved from $47,000 down to $15,000. Now, many analysts believe that if the Fed quantitative tightening were to go away, there is a possibility that fresh inflows into Bitcoin may rise and the price may surge.
According to the long-standing analyst Michaël van de Poppe, Bitcoin has been trapped in a sideways move between $100,000 $120,000 in the last six months, which indicates that it is likely going to create a major break either way. Additionally, he expects the next movements of the currency to come from the FOMC meeting, potential rate cuts in the future, and monetary policy changes.
The expected cessation of the Fed’s quantitative tightening and the possible cuts in rates will be a strong factor for the inflow of liquidity into the financial system, raising the risk appetite that in turn might drive the prices of Bitcoin higher.
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Read More: JPMorgan, BofA Predict Fed Ending $6.6T QT in October and Bitcoin May Win">JPMorgan, BofA Predict Fed Ending $6.6T QT in October and Bitcoin May Win
Bitcoin Magazine
JPMorgan to Accept Bitcoin as Loan Collateral by Year-End
JPMorgan Chase plans to let institutional clients use Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) as collateral for loans by the end of 2025, according to a Bloomberg report.
The new program, expected to roll out globally, will rely on a third-party custodian to safeguard pledged assets. The bank already allows crypto-linked exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as collateral, but this expansion would enable clients to borrow against their direct crypto holdings.
The shift could make it easier for institutions to access liquidity without selling long-term digital asset positions — a use case that has gained traction among hedge funds and family offices.
The development represents a broader acceptance of digital assets across the financial sector. Other major banks, including Morgan Stanley, BNY Mellon, State Street, and Fidelity, have been expanding crypto custody and trading services amid increasing regulatory clarity in the U.S. and abroad.
JPMorgan first began exploring lending against Bitcoin in 2022 but the project was delayed, according to Bloomberg.
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has long been one of crypto’s most vocal skeptics, previously calling Bitcoin a “fraud” and a “pet rock.” In 2023, he said he was “deeply opposed” to Bitcoin and claimed it was used mainly for illicit activity.
However, his tone has recently softened. “I don’t think we should smoke, but I defend your right to smoke,” Dimon said earlier this year. “I defend your right to buy Bitcoin, go at it.”
In 2023, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said he was "deeply opposed" to Bitcoin and that it was for criminals.
— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) October 24, 2025
Today, JPMorgan plans to allow institutional clients to use Bitcoin as collateral. pic.twitter.com/WMPg8qy9UW
Despite Dimon’s reservations, JPMorgan has steadily increased its crypto exposure. The bank has launched the J.P. Morgan Deposit Token (JPMD) — a blockchain-based alternative to stablecoins — and expanded its Kinexys blockchain network, which now processes more than $2 billion in daily transactions across carbon markets, supply chain finance, and cross-border payments.
Following the news, Bitcoin rose in the past 24 hours to trade above $111,000, while Ethereum gained 2% to hover just below $4,000, according to Bitcoin Magazine Pro data.
Back in July, JPMorganChase and Coinbase announced a strategic partnership to make Bitcoin and crypto access easier for their customers.
The deal included a direct bank-to-wallet connection, the ability to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for crypto, and credit card funding for Coinbase accounts. Both the bank-to-wallet and rewards features were set to launch in 2026.
This post JPMorgan to Accept Bitcoin as Loan Collateral by Year-End first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.
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