TCP Weekly Crypto Report

Weekly Crypto Update: August 10–17, 20251.

Major News

1. SEC-Ripple Legal Resolution: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Ripple Labs finalized their legal dispute with a joint dismissal of appeals, removing a significant regulatory uncertainty for XRP and boosting confidence in its ecosystem.

   
   

2. Wisconsin Bitcoin ATM Regulation: A proposed bill in Wisconsin aims to implement stricter Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements for Bitcoin ATMs, balancing compliance with user accessibility, which could influence retail crypto adoption.

   
   

3. South Korea Crypto Lending Scrutiny: South Korean regulators expressed concerns over high-leverage crypto lending and margin trading services introduced by major exchanges like Upbit and Bithumb, highlighting potential risks to market stability and investor protection.

   
   

4. El Salvador’s Bitcoin Banks: El Salvador approved the establishment of Bitcoin investment banks, reinforcing its position as a crypto-friendly jurisdiction and encouraging institutional adoption of digital assets.

Partnerships

1. Chainlink and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE): Chainlink partnered with ICE, a leading market infrastructure provider, to bring forex and precious metals data on-chain. This collaboration supports over 2,000 DeFi applications, enhancing data reliability for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), a key focus for platforms like Ondo Finance.

   
   

2. VivoPower and Crypto.com: XRP treasury company VivoPower partnered with Crypto.com to provide institutional custody for its digital asset holdings and mining operations, signaling growing trust in XRP-based solutions for institutional use.

   
   

3. Safety Shot and BONK: Safety Shot, a NASDAQ-listed company, entered a $25M strategic alliance with BONK, a meme coin, to explore blockchain-based financial solutions, showcasing cross-sector interest in cryptocurrency applications.

   
   

4. Ondo Finance Institutional Moves: Ondo Finance highlighted significant institutional activity, including JPMorgan’s expansion into on-chain repo trading, which strengthens the infrastructure for RWA tokenization and aligns with Ondo’s mission to bridge traditional finance (TradFi) and DeFi.

Legislative Updates

1. U.S. Legislative Momentum: Following “Crypto Week” (July 14–18, 2025), the U.S. House passed three landmark crypto bills, advancing regulatory clarity:GENIUS Act: Signed into law on July 18, 2025, this establishes a federal framework for stablecoins, requiring 1:1 reserve backing and monthly disclosures. It fosters trust in stablecoins, which are critical for RWA platforms like Ondo.

   
   

2. CLARITY Act: Passed the House with bipartisan support, this bill defines digital assets as securities or commodities based on decentralization and function, clarifying SEC and CFTC jurisdictions. It awaits Senate consideration, with potential amendments expected by October 2025.

   
   

3. Anti-CBDC Act: Narrowly passed and attached to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), this prohibits the Federal Reserve from issuing a retail central bank digital currency (CBDC), citing privacy concerns.

   
   

4. SEC’s Project Crypto: The SEC launched “Project Crypto” to modernize securities regulations and promote on-chain financial markets. New ETF standards could enable major tokens, potentially including RWA-focused tokens like ONDO, to gain ETF approval by October 2025, driving institutional adoption.

Global Developments

1. Hong Kong Stablecoin Regulation: Hong Kong’s Stablecoin Bill, effective August 1, 2025, established a licensing regime for fiat-referenced stablecoin issuers, enhancing global regulatory alignment and supporting cross-border adoption.

   
   

2. Ukraine Crypto Policy: Ukraine’s central bank supports crypto legalization but opposes its use as legal tender, favoring a CBDC pilot (e-hryvnia) to modernize its financial system.

   
   

3. Indonesia Tax Growth: Indonesia’s crypto tax revenue surged 181% in 2024, reflecting growing adoption but raising concerns about market volatility and regulatory oversight.

Adoption Trends

1. Institutional Engagement: Citigroup announced plans to explore stablecoin custody, payments, and crypto ETF services, leveraging new U.S. legislation to expand its digital asset offerings, signaling deeper TradFi integration.

   
   

2. 401(k) Crypto Access: An executive order opened the $12.5T U.S. 401(k) market to crypto investments, potentially driving retail and institutional adoption by making digital assets accessible to mainstream investors.

   
   

3. Hong Kong Solana Trading: Hong Kong granted its first retail Solana (SOL) trading license, increasing accessibility for retail investors and supporting broader crypto adoption in Asia.

   
   

4. RWA Tokenization Growth: The RWA tokenization sector continues to gain traction, with Ondo Finance reporting strong institutional interest, driven by JPMorgan’s on-chain repo trading and partnerships with firms like BlackRock and Mastercard. This aligns with the growing tokenized asset market, which is expanding due to regulatory clarity and institutional demand.

Events and Ecosystem Innovations

1. Crypto Week Impact: The legislative focus during “Crypto Week” in July 2025 continued to reverberate, with industry leaders praising the GENIUS and CLARITY Acts for providing a foundation for mainstream adoption. The Anti-CBDC Act’s passage reflects ongoing debates about privacy in digital finance.

   
   

2. SEC ETF Standards: The SEC’s new crypto ETF standards, announced on July 31, 2025, could pave the way for a dozen major tokens to gain ETF approval, enhancing liquidity and investor access to crypto markets.

   
   

3. Chainlink’s Data Integration: Chainlink’s partnership with ICE to bring high-quality financial data on-chain supports the infrastructure for tokenized assets, enabling seamless integration into DeFi protocols.

Conclusion

The week of August 10–17, 2025, marked significant progress in cryptocurrency adoption, driven by the resolution of the SEC-Ripple lawsuit, institutional partnerships like Chainlink-ICE and VivoPower-Crypto.com, and global legislative advancements in the U.S. and Hong Kong. The GENIUS Act and SEC’s Project Crypto signal a shift toward regulatory clarity, fostering institutional and retail adoption, particularly in RWA tokenization.

DISCLAIMER

This update is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Cryptocurrency investments are highly volatile and risky. Consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.