??? The rise and rise of crypto

In today's edition, we're following crypto's journey from speculative asset to essential financial infrastructure. Join us as we unpack how plummeting costs, surging adoption, and determined builders are reshaping the future of money.

Join us as we break down how millions of users and builders are rewiring the future of finance.

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??? The rise and rise of crypto

Crypto hit quite the milestone in 2024: 220 million monthly active addresses. To put this in perspective, the internet in 1995 had 16 million users worldwide.

But unlike the dot-com boom, this growth is happening across multiple blockchains, each finding its own niche and audience.

Base, Coinbase's layer-2 solution, and Solana are leading this expansion, together accounting for over 120 million active addresses. Their growth mirrors the internet's early explosive trajectory, suggesting we might be at a similar inflection point.

From Trading to Real Money Movement

The signs of crypto's practical adoption are everywhere, starting with stablecoins. In Q2 2024, stablecoin networks moved $8.5 trillion – dwarfing Visa's $3.96 trillion and PayPal's $420 billion. People are using these digital dollars for what traditional finance struggles with: fast, cheap, borderless transactions.

Look at Argentina. Local residents are turning to stablecoins faster than any other crypto asset, seeking shelter from their crashing peso. When a $44 international wire transfer now costs less than a penny through Base L2, the choice becomes obvious.

Breaking Down Barriers

Crypto's biggest roadblock used to be its transaction fees. Ethereum's Layer 2 solutions have demolished this barrier, cutting costs by 99%. Base L2, launched by Coinbase, exemplifies this shift. A transfer that cost $12 in 2021 now runs you fractions of a cent.

These plummeting costs have unlocked new possibilities. DeFi protocols manage billions in assets. Cryptocurrency wallets are hitting record usage in Nigeria, India, and Argentina. Yet only 5-10% of crypto owners actively use their assets – pointing to massive room for growth.

Following the Builders

Want to see where crypto's headed? Watch what developers are building:

• 24.8% focus on DeFi, especially real-world assets and payments
• 19.1% work on core blockchain infrastructure
• 11.3% create developer tools
• 10.3% build social applications

AI and crypto are converging too. While tech giants pour billions into centralized AI systems, crypto developers are working on decentralized alternatives that could democratize access to AI technology.

Money Talks

Stablecoins now rank among the top 20 holders of U.S. Treasury debt. Tether alone holds $81 billion in U.S. Treasuries – just ten years after its launch. Traditional finance isn't just accepting crypto - it's becoming dependent on it.

Politics and regulations will shape crypto's next chapter. The 2024 U.S. elections could bring long-awaited regulatory clarity. Meanwhile, other countries are racing to develop their crypto strategies, recognizing they can't afford to fall behind.

What started as magic internet money has evolved into essential financial infrastructure. With faster networks, lower costs, and growing real-world use, crypto's rise shows no signs of slowing. The foundation is set for crypto to move from the fringes of finance to its very centre.

?? How do people around you feel about crypto?

?? Ecobank has partnered with US-based paytech Nium to enhance cross-border payments in 35 African markets using Nium’s real-time payments platform for faster, trackable transactions.

?? Klarna's US IPO filing signals a strategic shift towards public funding as the BNPL giant rebounds with profitability and growth.

?? PayPal has launched a no-cost money pooling feature, allowing users to easily collect funds for group gifts, trips, and events, available in the US, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

?? Careem Pay has expanded its international remittance service to Europe to enable secure, fast transfers to Spain, Italy, France, Ireland, and Germany at lower rates.

??Mastercard plans to phase out passwords by 2030 by replacing them with biometrics and tokenization to improve security and reduce cart abandonment.

?? Vodafone has partnered with Moneyhub to automate social tariff eligibility checks using open banking technology.

?? Griffin, a UK banking-as-a-service platform, launches as a fully operational bank and marks a milestone in open banking with its $24 million funding round.

??? NMI has processed 10 billion transactions, reinforcing its leadership in embedded payments with $225 billion in annual transaction volumes

?? Dojo partners with YouLend to offer flexible AI-powered financing for Spanish SME

?? Coinbase has chosen Ireland as its central hub for its European operations to align with the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), a major crypto regulatory structure in Europe.

?? NFT sales surged 94% last week to $181 million, driven by Ethereum and Bitcoin, as the crypto market continues its bullish run.

?? VanEck launched a Sui-based exchange-traded note in Europe, adding the $8.8 billion blockchain to its growing crypto portfolio.

?? MicroStrategy purchased 27,200 Bitcoin for $2.03 billion, marking its largest acquisition since 2020.

?? OpenAI plans to launch "Operator," an AI agent tool in January, designed to automate tasks like writing code and booking travel for users.

?? Lean Technologies, a Riyadh-based fintech, raised $67.5 million in Series B funding to expand its open banking services across the MENA region.

?? Satispay raised €60 million to expand its services, boosting its total funding to over €500 million and solidifying its unicorn status.

?? Talli has raised $4 million in seed funding to modernize legal payment systems, streamlining settlements and reimbursements for legal professionals with AI-powered automation.

?? Payfinia has raised $4.5 million in seed funding to expand its Instant Payment Xchange? platform to enable real-time payments with fraud prevention for credit unions and financial institutions.

?? Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital has invested $20 million in NovoPayment, a provider of embedded financial and payment infrastructure services.

India’s UPI says Hello World

India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is setting a remarkable precedent, going beyond national boundaries and cementing its global presence. From the Middle East to LATAM and Africa, UPI's steady global expansion showcases a trend of international acceptance coupled with cross-border remittance capabilities. This ambitious push aligns with the RBI’s Payments Vision 2025, which aims to extend UPI’s reach to 20 countries by FY29. With key partnerships and early traction across Qatar, Greece, Singapore, and the UAE, UPI is addressing the diaspora's need for efficient, real-time transactions. As merchants, tourists, and financial ecosystems unlock new use cases, UPI’s product diversification—like UPI Lite, UPI 123Pay, and credit lines—ensures adaptability for varied markets.

Discover the global journey of UPI and how it's shaping the next wave of cross-border payments here.

Joining me are Morrad Irsane and Sharene Lee, co-founders of Takadao, a company redefining insurance through blockchain and Web3 technology. Their vision is to create a decentralised, transparent alternative to traditional insurance that aligns with Islamic Finance principles and empowers underserved communities. Tune in now to discover how Takadao is changing the narrative with ethical, technology-driven solutions for community support! This episode is available on all platforms. Watch the full episode here.

Now, a quick break for your wellness. Chief Wellness Officer at FAB Diego Carrete is on a mission to help executives get fit, increase their energy, and live longer.

Today he shares the best exercise to sharpen your brain (according to science)

Good morning,

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had a habit of thinking about the worst-case scenario in every situation, just so I could reverse-engineer a plan and work my way backward.

This has a small upside: I’m super cautious in everything I do and rarely take big risks.

But it also has a significant downside: constant anxiety and worry.

When my daughter was born, I became even more anxious. Seeing how many kids today are addicted to social media made me concerned about how vulnerable they are to the world.

I thought I had no choice but to accept defeat. I questioned how I could limit her phone use. I began thinking of all the rules I’d have to enforce.

Then, I realized there’s only so much I can control. I can only educate her and lead by example.

Let's go over some basics of brain anatomy so you can better understand how to manage your children's social media use and promote healthy brain development.

The brain needs two essential things to stay healthy:

1. Fuel: The brain runs on oxygen, glucose, and fatty acids. Make sure you're consuming enough fats, breathing correctly, and providing sufficient sugar. (This is why people often feel lightheaded when cutting out carbs—the brain is running low on fuel.)
2. Activation: This happens through movement. Different parts of the brain connect and communicate to help control movement. If you don’t use your neurons, you’ll lose them.

Now that we understand the basics of what the brain needs to stay healthy, let's dive deeper into one critical part: the frontal lobe (aka "your brain's parent). This region plays a vital role in maintaining cognitive sharpness and overall mental function.

The frontal lobe is the most important region of the brain, and it’s essential to keep it active. Short-term memory, executive functions, and mood all reside here.

To engage this area, you need sequencing activities and tasks that add cognitive load. Nothing activates the frontal lobe better than exercise. Exercise is particularly powerful for this purpose, as it stimulates various parts of the brain. In fact, research shows that cardiovascular exercise is far more beneficial for your brain than it is for your heart. Regular cardio can boost cognitive function, improve memory, and support overall mental sharpness.

That’s it for now. Found this helpful? Share this with someone who needs it.

See you next week, where we’ll explore activities to support brain development and practical tips for managing children's social media use.

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