Nikolay Metchev

2024 marked a transformative year for Ripple. We acquired Standard Custody, launched our stablecoin #RLUSD and forged partnerships with numerous trusted financial institutions. We’re taking significant steps forward to bring innovative crypto solutions to financial institutions across the UK and Europe, and in 2025 we expect the momentum to pick up further.  Next year, three key areas will define the trajectory of our industry: 💹Institutional adoption: 2024 was the year of bold moves in crypto by major financial institutions like BlackRock & SocGen FORGE. In 2025, institutions still on the sidelines will move beyond pilots to full-scale implementation, leaning on experienced partners to scale tokenisation and expand new use cases.  📶Digital asset custody:  Digital custody is now a competitive necessity for banks, unlocking new opportunities in trading and tokenised assets. Early movers investing in partnerships and expertise will secure market share and trust in this growing sector.  ⏰Regulatory speed is of the essence: The UK must move more quickly if it is to establish itself as a leader in the global digital asset space. Firms need clear guardrails to give them confidence to invest, so a cryptoasset and stablecoin regulatory framework that keeps pace with developments elsewhere in the world needs to be a priority.  What’s your perspective on the year ahead? What else is top of mind as you look towards 2025?

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Another 'maybe I'll write a quick article on X' which has turned into a report 😅 .... This is a global look at current crypto staking regulation and where we might be heading in 2025. 🚀 🌎 From the UK's technical process classification to Singapore's retail restrictions, and China's outright ban to the SEC vs CFTC debate in the US - there's significant divergence in how different jurisdictions view and regulate staking now and this looks to continue into the year ahead. Here's my analysis of the current landscape and what changes we might see this year for the UK 🇬🇧, US 🇺🇸, Europe 🇪🇺, Singapore 🇸🇬, South Korea 🇰🇷, Hong Kong 🇭🇰, South Africa 🇿🇦, Kenya 🇰🇪, UAE 🇦🇪, China 🇨🇳, Japan 🇯🇵 and Australia 🇦🇺 #cryptoregulation #staking #web3 #blockchain #stakingregulation #crypto

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🔴 UK's FCA to lift ban on crypto ETNs 🔴 👉 The UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced today that it is proposing to lift the ban on offering crypto exchange traded notes (cETNs) to retail investors. Similar products are already available in other countries.  👉 It would mean cETNs could be sold to individual consumers, rather than just professional investors, in the UK, if they’re traded on an FCA-approved investment exchange (a recognised investment exchange or RIE).  👉 Financial promotion rules would apply, so consumers get information on the risks and would not be offered inappropriate incentives to invest, in the same way as if they bought cryptoassets directly. 👉 The FCA’s ban on retail access to cryptoasset derivatives will remain in place. 🔴 Summary of Proposals 1️⃣ Amend the prohibition on retail marketing of cETNs in COBS 22.6 to remove cETNs from the scope of the ban on marketing, sale or distribution to retail customers of certain products giving exposure to cryptoassets where these products are traded on UK RIE cETNs. 2️⃣ Include UK RIE cETNs within the category of RMMIs to ensure application of the financial promotion rules under COBS 4.12A. 3️⃣ Include a new bespoke risk summary for UK RIE cETNs in COBS 4 Annex 1 and appropriate assessment considerations in COBS 10 to properly apply COBS 4.12A requirements on the promotion of RMMIs. 🔴 Background ➡️ In January 2021, the FCA banned the sale, marketing and distribution of derivatives and ETNs that reference unregulated transferable cryptoassets to retail clients. ➡️ In March 2024, the FCA announced that it would not object to requests from recognised investment exchanges (e.g. London Stock Exchange) to create a UK listed market segment for cryptoasset-backed exchange traded notes (cETNs) for professional investors.  ➡️ The FCA grants recognition orders to investment exchanges in the UK to make sure they meet regulatory standards. This power is provided under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 for the FCA to consider applications from UK entities (a body corporate or an unincorporated association) for recognition as a UK recognised body. Examples of recognition requirements include equivalent protection for investors. More in the Quarterly Consultation CP 25/16 - link in the comments. 🤔 A sensible move? #FCA #crypto #digitalassets #ETN

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Since 2018, I've seen hundreds of digital asset funds launch - deploying strategies ranging from single-asset long only to multi-chain MEV/strat arbs. The pace of new launches is great to see. More telling? The trad asset players looking to not only allocate to crypto sleeves, but also launching crypto funds. ETFs were a great first step, but now is the time to touch the asset. Want to learn more about how robust digital asset infrastructure has become? You know where to find me

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This week's Guest article for Digital Bytes Written by Paul Ridley CEO, Old Street Digital and Simon Davies CEO, Actua Crypto hedge funds: a difficult path to riches - crypto hedge funds promise high volatility, deep liquidity and strong risk-adjusted returns, yet most struggle to scale. With 80% managing under $50M in assets under management, limited fees make profitability challenging, especially after operational costs. Institutional investors hesitate due to a lack of in-house blockchain expertise, fund size constraints and weak risk management infrastructure. Whilst the market offers inefficiencies ripe for skilled traders, true institutional adoption requires consolidation, better investor education and operational maturity. The billion-dollar opportunity exists, but only for those who can bridge the gap between crypto’s potential and institutional demands.

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Ziglu raises $5 million and plans to launch a Ziglu coin #Ziglu, the UK-based #cryptocurrency platform founded by Mark Hipperson, co-founder of Starling Bank, has secured £5 million in fresh funding at a £45 million valuation. The raise, backed by a recently signed $10 million term sheet, will drive the company's European expansion and the launch of new investment products, including equities, commodities, and savings. The funding marks a significant step for Ziglu following the collapse of its proposed $170 million acquisition by Robinhood in 2022, which fell through after a reduced $60 million offer due to market downturns. Since then, Ziglu has regained momentum, recently announcing plans to acquire the retail arm of Gibraltar-based damex to accelerate its international expansion. With this raise, Ziglu is also preparing to introduce Ziglu #Coin, a rewards-based digital currency set to debut in Q2 2025. Available on Ziglu and major exchanges, Ziglu Coin will integrate with the platform’s app, offering users new opportunities to earn rewards through an enhanced subscription program. Founder Mark Hipperson describes the Ziglu Coin as a crucial step in merging digital and traditional finance, enabling users to unlock real-world value within the Ziglu ecosystem. The article on Finextra in the first comment.

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