Stablecoin

The FDIC is scheduled to hold a board meeting on April 7, 2026 to finalize initial federal rules for stablecoin issuance under the GENIUS Act. The law requires 1:1 backing with cash or short-term U.S. Treasuries and bars issuers from paying interest, even as issuers already keep over 80% of a $250 billion-plus reserve pool in Treasuries and repos. The framework also sets staged deadlines through 2028 and raises open questions on redemptions, state-federal authority, and operational risks.

Tether has given potential investors a 14-day window to commit to a funding round that targets a $500 billion valuation, with the company signaling the process could be delayed again if commitments do not arrive. The firm is also pursuing a Big Four audit and pointing to investments beyond USDT, while its USDT circulation is cited at about $184–187 billion alongside discussion of a U.S.-regulated stablecoin effort.

Tether is seeking funding at a $500 billion valuation, with investor commitments expected within roughly two weeks. The proposed level would place the USDT issuer above Bank of America if completed, but the deal could be delayed if demand is not strong enough. USDT remains the largest stablecoin at about $184 billion in market cap as Tether also works on steps aimed at improving transparency.

Charles Schwab, which manages nearly $12 trillion in client assets, says it plans to launch spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading this quarter while offering early access via a "Schwab Crypto" waitlist. The move is framed as a step toward bringing crypto into the same brokerage workflow used for stocks and ETFs, potentially amplifying institutional participation. Meanwhile, stablecoin growth continues to underpin DeFi liquidity, with total stablecoin market cap up 3.3% year-to-date and more than $1 billion added this week.

Ripple said it posted an April 2 update on X about its $15 million RLUSD contribution to Accion Opportunity Fund, outlining lending activity and employment effects tied to U.S. small businesses. The company cited results including $53.6M in capital deployed, 905 loans to 895 borrowers, a $59K average loan size, and 1,003 jobs created with 1,631 retained.

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals is shifting away from its legacy pharma operations and repositioning around crypto, including an on-chain treasury approach tied to token holdings and staking. The company said in a Form 8-K that it will adopt the name Stablecoin Development Corporation and start trading under the ticker SDEV on NYSE American on 3 April.

Solana (SOL) fell nearly 35% in Q1, but its stablecoin market cap still rose by around 5%, signaling a gap between price performance and on-chain conditions. The network’s total transaction volume has crossed 500 billion, while Solana’s RWA value reached a new all-time high of $2 billion, up more than 40% QoQ. The setup suggests liquidity—particularly USDC supply growth—could play a larger role than price action in driving interest this cycle.

Blockchain investigator ZachXBT alleges that since 2022, Circle did not freeze more than $420M in stolen or illicit USDC across 15 incidents. He cites examples including GMX in July 2025 (~$9 million), Cetus in May 2025, and Drift Protocol (~$232 million), where funds were moved within six hours via 100+ transactions.

Onchain investigator ZachXBT alleges Circle did not freeze or blacklist roughly $420 million in illicit USDC flows since 2022 across 15 hack-and-fraud cases. He says Circle sometimes had hours or days to act, including cited incidents tied to GMX, Cetus and Drift Protocol, but took limited action or acted after funds were swapped into ETH.

An on-chain report from ZachXBT alleges more than $420m in USDC-related compliance lapses tied to illicit flows since 2022. Shared on 3 April, it cites cases where funds were not frozen or were frozen only after delays, including activity linked to the $280m Drift Protocol exploit.