GM!
Here are the highlights for today:
- Major cryptocurrencies have dipped by about 1-2% as we approach the FOMC meeting. BTC stands at $113,200.
- Bitwise’s SOL ETF has broken the record for launch day volume in 2025.
- Western Union has unveiled a Solana-based stablecoin.
- MetaMask is launching Season 1 Rewards, offering $30 million in prizes.
- Monad has kicked off a public campaign for a three-day airdrop.
💸 Western Union Selects Solana for Stablecoin
The leading remittance company is transitioning to blockchain.
Interestingly, it didn’t choose Ethereum or Bitcoin.
📌 What happened
Western Union, which has been around for 173 years, announced plans to launch a stablecoin on the Solana blockchain.
This stablecoin, named USDPT, is pegged to the US dollar and is supported by Anchorage Digital for custody.
The rollout is set to begin in 2026, aiming at hundreds of millions across Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, regions where stablecoins are increasingly in everyday use.
The new stablecoin will integrate with Western Union’s licensed fiat infrastructure, facilitating dollar transactions across borders without the usual banking delays or high exchange fees.
Additionally, they’re planning to sustain cash deposit and withdrawal options, essentially becoming Solana’s global gateway.
🗣️ What they are saying
“For 175 years, we’ve connected people and facilitated $150 billion annually. Digital assets are the next evolution. After evaluating our options, we determined Solana was the optimal choice,” said Devin McGranahan, CEO of Western Union.
🧠 Why is this significant?
The world’s largest money transfer service is diving into stablecoins, which is monumental for both Solana and the broader stablecoin market.
This development provides Solana with a significant endorsement from a key player in the global payments landscape.
Currently, payments represent the largest practical application of cryptocurrencies, and Solana is at the forefront of a significant remittance trend.
Moreover, if just 10% of the $860 billion global remittance market transitions to stablecoins in the coming two years, that could translate into $86 billion in on-chain volume.
Clearly, stablecoins are foreseen as the future, and Solana is a vital part of that landscape.
Coincidentally, on the same day, Bitwise’s Solana ETF achieved record volumes for a new launch in 2025, marking a notable win.
It’s curious to think if BlackRock is keeping tabs on this…
🌎 Macro Codes and Memes
Some crypto and Web3 news that stood out:
- Bitcoin’s performance has been lackluster ahead of today’s FOMC meeting, with BTC down 1% at $113,100.
- Playing cards are up 19%, while Pi has seen a 14% increase, and AERO is up 6%.
- Trump Media has rolled out a new prediction market called Truth Predict.
- Visa is now accepting payments in four different stablecoins across various blockchains, allowing conversions back to fiat.
- Circle’s Arc Blockchain showcased a live show involving the testnet.
- BlackRock’s tokenization platform Securitize has announced plans to go public through a $1.25 billion SPAC.
- Ethereum’s Fusaka upgrade has successfully passed its final test for Layer 2 scaling.
- Terra Wolf stocks jumped as AI-enhanced miners shifted focus to AI infrastructure.
- Indiana State Police recovered 1,000 stolen BTC miners and $75,000 worth of frozen turkeys during an unusual raid.
💰 Tokens, Airdrops and Protocol Trackers
Here’s a wrap-up of today’s important token, protocol, and airdrop news:
- MetaMask has announced Season 1 rewards worth up to $30 million over 90 days, requiring users to update to the latest iOS version.
- Mega ETH has already surpassed $700 million in fundraising with just over a day remaining (oversubscribed by 15 times).
- Polymarket teased a sports-centric release set for the US in the coming weeks.
- Monad’s airdrop claim was revealed, with performance data shown on the first day of their three-day event.
- Countless has recently launched on BNB, creating a new market focused on BNB with automated resolutions based on price fluctuations.
🚚 What’s Happening with NFTs?
Here’s a quick overview of notable NFT-related news from today:
- NFT leader saw flat performance overall, with Punk at 39 ETH and Pudgy at 6.95 ETH.
- Fly a Kite has seen a notable increase of 17%.
- NFT strategy PNKSTR dropped 15% and is in the red zone.
- Graffiti has announced a new Universal Monsters Creepy Telegram Drop.
