What happened this week in the world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies? The most relevant local and international events as well as appealing background reports in a concise and compact weekly review.
Selected articles of the week:
The Crypto Valley Journal has established itself as Switzerland’s leading crypto portal since its launch in 2019. With the independent news platform CVJ.AI, the editorial team expands its offering with a standalone news portal for digital assets. The new platform leverages artificial intelligence to capture relevant market news in real time, categorize it thematically, and present it in a structured format. CVJ.AI targets an international audience and is currently available in English. CVJ.CH remains the central hub for those who wish to closely follow and contextualize developments in blockchain and digital assets. The editorial team stands for independent, high-quality reporting with a focus on analysis, context, and relevance.
The newly launched CVJ.CH sibling portal CVJ.AI offers access to a news flow analyzed by an AI.
Trillion-dollar market gains crypto access
According to reports, Donald Trump plans to open the $9 trillion US retirement market to investments in cryptocurrencies, gold, and private equity. An upcoming executive order is expected to allow 401(k) plans to expand beyond traditional investments such as stocks and bonds to include alternative assets. US citizens can choose between 401(k) plans, IRAs, Roth IRAs, and pension funds for their retirement savings. A 401(k) is a tax-advantaged retirement account supported by employers and often includes matching contributions. It roughly corresponds to the second pillar in Switzerland, while IRAs are comparable to the third pillar and offer individual retirement planning options. Providers like Fidelity already offer niche solutions for crypto investments within these frameworks. However, these products are limited in availability and typically capped at a small portfolio share. The Trump administration has already taken initial steps to ease regulations for crypto investments in retirement accounts. The executive order aims to accelerate this process.
The US wants to open up the $9 trillion retirement market to investments in cryptocurrencies, gold, and private equity.
Ethereum benefits from regulatory progress
Last week, the US Congress passed the GENIUS Act, introducing clear regulations for stablecoins for the first time. The legislation requires full reserves and removes compliant issuers from the oversight of the SEC and CFTC. At the same time, the House of Representatives is working on bills to strengthen crypto market structure (CLARITY Act) and to ban a central bank digital currency (CBDC). These developments primarily benefit alternative digital assets (altcoins), which serve as the technological foundation for stablecoins, real-world assets (RWAs), and DeFi applications. Ethereum, the leading platform for institutional blockchain applications, has surged by over 50% since the beginning of the month.
Bitcoin once again defends the 100.000 USD mark despite conflict in the Middle East, while Ethereum and altcoins weaken.
US aims to ban CBDCs
Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are digital forms of government-issued currencies, issued directly by central banks. There are two types: retail CBDCs for individuals and wholesale CBDCs for banks and institutional users. Countries like China have been testing them for years, while the EU, India, and Brazil are working on concrete implementations and legal frameworks. CBDCs are considered attractive for faster transactions, improved financial inclusion, and more efficient monetary policy. At the same time, criticism is growing – mainly due to concerns over privacy intrusion, risks to banking system stability, and cybersecurity. In the US, the House of Representatives aims to block the introduction of a CBDC with new legislation.
Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are government-backed digital assets that replace cash and modernize central banks.
History of the XRP Ledger
Also: The XRP Ledger was founded in 2012 by computer engineers David Schwartz, Jed McCaleb, and Arthur Britto. The project initially launched under the names Newcoin, later Opencoin and Ripple Labs, before settling on Ripple in 2015. Since then, Ripple has repeatedly faced legal challenges. James Butterfill, Head of Research at CoinShares, examines the project’s development and its current status.
Ripple expands its institutional reach with Hidden Road deal, as XRP Ledger ecosystem matures with RLUSD and fast cross-border payments.
