The 522% Listing Rally That Caught Everyone Off Guard

Hello and welcome to Crypto Intel, the twice-weekly newsletter covering the latest updates, breaking news, and exciting opportunities in the crypto world.

It wasn't a breakout chart or a memecoin frenzy this time. Just a club, a courtroom, and a checkout button—each reshaping the rules in their own way.

No hashtags. No hype. Just quiet shifts that could carry ripple effects far louder than the headlines suggest.

One opened the door for every legacy institution. One signaled a pivot in power. And one flipped the script on what sports clubs are supposed to do with Bitcoin.

The surface is calm. But beneath it, crypto's next wave is already rolling in.

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Market-Moving News

This week's biggest stories didn't come with fireworks. They came with approvals, dismissals, and declarations that few saw coming.

Miss them, and you'll miss the map changing. Because these aren't one-offs—they're early indicators of where influence, adoption, and capital are quietly moving next.

Regulation

SEC Drops Lawsuit Against Binance 

The SEC has filed a joint motion with Binance to dismiss its nearly two-year-long lawsuit, marking a major retreat in the agency's crypto enforcement strategy. The motion was submitted with prejudice, meaning the case can't be reopened.

The regulator originally sued Binance, its US entity BAM Trading, and co-founder Changpeng Zhao in June 2023. Allegations included securities violations, mishandling of customer funds, and misleading practices.

That action followed a separate DOJ case in November 2023, where Binance paid $4.3 billion in fines, and Zhao admitted to money laundering violations. He stepped down as CEO and received a four-month prison sentence in April 2024.

In February and April, court filings suggested the SEC might drop the case as its crypto division reconsidered priorities. That shift now appears to be confirmed under the Trump administration.

Paul Atkins, a former crypto lobbyist, now chairs the SEC and is steering it toward industry dialogue over litigation. Roundtables are underway to shape a regulatory framework rather than pursue headline enforcement.

Binance celebrated the dismissal, calling it a "huge win for crypto" and crediting Trump and Atkins for the pivot. The SEC has also closed or dropped cases against Coinbase, Kraken, Circle, and others in recent weeks.

For investors, this marks a turning point. The US is signaling regulatory de-escalation—potentially clearing a path for renewed institutional engagement in the sector.

Payments

Stablecoin Payments Hit $94B as B2B Adoption Grows

Stablecoin transaction volume has reached $94.2 billion, driven largely by business-to-business transfers and growing real-world utility. Artemis data shows the largest chunk—$36B annually—came from B2B use cases.

Card-linked stablecoin payments also surged, exceeding $13.2B in annual volume. Platforms like Stripe and Shopify now integrate stablecoins into global commerce.

Tether's USDT dominated payment flows, with Circle's USDC a distant second. Tron and Ethereum were the top blockchains used, especially for large B2B transactions averaging over $219,000.

Stablecoins are also gaining traction in government and financial sectors. The US, UAE, and EU are exploring or implementing regulatory frameworks to support compliant stablecoin adoption.

According to DefiLlama, the stablecoin market cap grew 54% in the last year to $247.3B. The trend has sparked interest from US banks, with discussions underway to launch a joint institutional stablecoin.

Fireblocks' Dea Markova noted rising global interest in non-dollar-backed stablecoins as alternatives to SWIFT-based systems. Emerging markets may see stablecoins as faster, cheaper rails for cross-border finance.

For investors, stablecoins are no longer just crypto tools—they're becoming financial infrastructure. This shift may boost demand for related platforms, payment rails, and governance tokens.

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Markets

PSG Adds Bitcoin to Treasury, Breaks Sports Industry Norms

Paris Saint-Germain has confirmed it holds Bitcoin on its books, becoming the first major sports club to adopt BTC as a treasury asset. The announcement came ahead of its Champions League final appearance.

Pär Helgosson of PSG Labs said the move reflects the club's push to align with younger, digitally native fans. "We still have it in our books," he confirmed at Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas.

This breaks from typical sports crypto strategies like NFTs or fan tokens. PSG had previously launched both but is now shifting toward deeper, longer-term crypto integration.

Through PSG Labs, the club is also backing Bitcoin startups and plans to help projects launch, list, and scale. Its goal is to expand from a sports brand to a crypto venture builder.

PSG's global reach—over 550 million fans—makes it a significant on-ramp for retail exposure. The announcement follows similar moves from firms like Metaplanet and El Salvador's treasury team.

The news came as Pakistan announced plans for a national Bitcoin reserve, suggesting a rising global shift toward institutional BTC holdings. Bitcoin hovered near $106K on the news, down 1.6% over 24 hours.

For investors, PSG's move signals growing cultural validation for BTC. As mainstream institutions adopt Bitcoin, volatility may decrease—but long-term positioning is becoming more competitive.

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Future Forward

The biggest shifts don't come with a bang—they arrive quietly, tucked inside code commits, payment rails, or governance votes. Only the early eyes catch them before they spark the next wave.

Spot them soon enough, and you're not riding the trend—you're setting it. That's the edge between following the market and shaping its future.

Crypto Conferences:

💎 NFT Canarias 2025 (May 31, 2025)

💎 India Blockchain Tour Hyderabad Node (May 31, 2025)

💎 SiGMA Asia 2025 (Jun 1, 2025 - Jun 4, 2025)

Upcoming Airdrops:

🎁 Blockasset (BLOCK) Airdrop (May 31, 2025)

🎁 Shuffle (SHFL) Airdrop (Jun 10, 2025)

🎁 Solidus Ai Tech (AITECH) Airdrop (Jun 16, 2025)

Upcoming Token Launches:

🚀 Airas (AIRAS) IDO on Finceptor (May 31, 2025)

🚀 Fusio (FUSIO) SHO on DAO Maker (Jun 2, 2025)

🚀 GOAT Network IDO on Aspecta (Jun 3, 2025)

Which event are you most excited for? Let us know!

Crypto Know-How: What Is Crypto Commerce?

Crypto commerce means buying things with cryptocurrency—like Bitcoin, stablecoins, or other tokens—instead of traditional money. It's already used to pay for things like online goods, subscriptions, flights, and even cars.

Merchants accept crypto through payment processors like BitPay, Coinbase Commerce or through direct wallet-to-wallet transfers. Some platforms let buyers instantly convert crypto to local currency, so businesses don't deal with volatility.

Stablecoins like USDT or USDC are especially popular because they stay close to $1 in value. That makes them great for things like international payments, tipping creators, or paying remote workers.

Crypto commerce is still growing, but it's fast, borderless, and doesn't need a bank. For users and merchants alike, it opens up new ways to trade—anytime, anywhere, without middlemen.

Everything Else

• Sui validators approved a proposal to return $162 million in frozen funds from the Cetus exploit, enabling a full user recovery and protocol restart.

• China-based Webus plans to raise $300 million to build an XRP reserve for global chauffeur payments, aiming to integrate on-chain booking and cross-border settlement.

• Thailand's SEC will block access to Bybit, OKX, and other unlicensed exchanges starting June 28, urging investors to withdraw funds and switch to regulated platforms.

• A DCG-commissioned Harris poll found that 77% of Americans believe decentralized AI is more beneficial to society than centralized models.

• Panama City's mayor proposed letting ships pay in Bitcoin to skip Panama Canal queues and is pushing for broader BTC adoption without heavy regulation.