Happy Friday! Welcome to the 41th instalment of the Coinbyte Weekly Wrap.

Stablecoin regulation and security remained key themes. The U.S. OCC issued its final rule implementing the GENIUS Act, setting requirements for payment stablecoin issuers covering reserves, redemptions, risk management and custody. Mastercard also launched a tool to screen stablecoin payments for fraud and sanctions risks, highlighting continued efforts to strengthen trust and compliance in digital payments.

Institutional adoption and infrastructure development continued. JPMorgan expanded its JPM Coin deposit token to Ethereum, extending its blockchain services beyond Base, while JPMorgan Asset Management forecast 10% annualized Bitcoin returns over the next decade. BlackRock’s proposed protected Bitcoin ETF also highlighted efforts to develop investment products with downside protection, while SpaceX and Tesla explored a potential merger that could combine their holdings of more than 30,000 BTC.

Blockchain performance and real-world utility also advanced. Solana activated its Alpenglow upgrade, targeting transaction finality in about 150 milliseconds and potentially reducing validator costs. Dogecoin ecosystem teams also joined forces to expand DOGE’s use in payments and applications. Meanwhile, a Bitcoin wallet dormant since 2013 transferred 411.45 BTC worth approximately US$34 million to a new address, while U.S. authorities highlighted efforts to combat overseas crypto scams and protect investors.

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Regulation | OCC Issues Final Stablecoin Rules

The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) issued its final rule implementing the GENIUS Act, establishing requirements for payment stablecoin issuers covering reserves, redemptions, risk management and custody. The rule takes effect on Jan. 18, 2027, marking a key step toward implementing the U.S. federal stablecoin framework. link

Tech | Solana Activates Alpenglow Upgrade

Solana activated its Alpenglow upgrade, targeting transaction finality in about 150 milliseconds, down from several seconds. The upgrade also moves validator votes off-chain, potentially reducing validator costs by around 60% and improving network efficiency. link

More News

Market | A Bitcoin wallet dormant since 2013 transferred 411.45 BTC, now worth approximately US$34 million, to a new address. The owner acquired the coins when Bitcoin traded at around US$131, and the funds have not moved to an exchange. The transfer to a SegWit address may indicate a wallet security upgrade rather than an imminent sale. link

Institution | JPMorgan Asset Management forecasts 10% annualized returns for Bitcoin over the next decade in its 2027 Long-Term Capital Market Assumptions, its first long-term return forecast for BTC. The projection exceeds its forecasts for U.S. stocks, bonds and gold, though the firm cautions that Bitcoin’s high volatility and unstable correlations remain obstacles to its wider inclusion in investment portfolios. link

Tech | Dogecoin Labs has brought together MyDoge, DogeOS and Such App to expand DOGE’s use in payments and applications. MyDoge has over 500,000 users, while Such App supports invoices and in-person QR payments. DogeOS remains in testing as developers work to expand the Dogecoin ecosystem. link

Institution | SpaceX and Tesla are exploring a potential merger that would combine their holdings of 30,221 BTC, worth approximately US$2.5 billion. Both companies have formed independent committees to evaluate the deal, though no agreement has been reached. The merger would consolidate two major corporate Bitcoin holdings under one entity. link

Adoption | Mastercard launched Stablecoin Security, a tool that combines payment data and blockchain analytics to screen stablecoin payments for fraud, scams and sanctions risks. The service provides risk scores before payments are completed, with global commercial availability expected in 2027. link

Tokenization | JPMorgan expanded its USD-denominated deposit token, JPM Coin (JPMD), to Ethereum for institutional clients, enabling on-chain transfers alongside its existing Base deployment. The move supports faster payments and settlement of tokenized assets, extending the bank’s blockchain services across public networks. link

Regulation | U.S. President Donald Trump highlighted federal efforts to combat overseas crypto scams at a White House cybercrime event. Authorities reported disrupting international scam operations, seizing fraudulent investment websites and warning Americans targeted by online fraud. The initiative focuses on protecting investors from cross-border crypto-related crimes. link

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