This Token Is Spinning Up: +60% and Counting

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

This week's stories don't make noise—they make moves. Moves that hint at deeper shifts in corporate playbooks, global finance, and institutional trust. You won't see them trending. But they're reshaping the foundation.

It's less about headlines and more about positioning. Subtle strategy pivots. Capital is flowing where the rules are still being written. Adoption disguised as experimentation. The signals are easy to miss—until they're too big to ignore.

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Market-Moving News

This isn't just about recovery—it's about realignment.

Institutions are dusting off old models. Emerging players are making bold bets. And the lines between corporate reserves, sovereign strategies, and crypto rails are starting to blur.

Zoom out. The market isn't rotating—it's reconfiguring.

Institutional Investment

Stablecoins Are Becoming Standard: 90% of Institutions Now Engaged

A new Fireblocks report reveals that 90% of institutions are either using or actively exploring stablecoins, with traditional banks leading the charge. Of the 295 executives surveyed, nearly half (49%) already use stablecoins in payments, 23% are piloting projects, and another 18% are in the planning phase. Only 10% remain undecided, underscoring how quickly sentiment is shifting.

Cross-border payments have emerged as the leading use case, especially for legacy banks looking to modernize.

The report shows 58% of banks use stablecoins for international settlements, while others apply them to merchant payments, B2B invoicing, and liquidity optimization. The appeal lies in reducing cost and complexity while maintaining treasury compatibility.

Speed was the most cited benefit—named by 48% of respondents—followed by transparency, liquidity control, and lower fees. Fireblocks' VP Ran Goldi noted stablecoins have outgrown their original utility as cost-saving tools and are now seen as growth drivers that enable business innovation, market expansion, and new revenue streams.

With financial institutions scrambling to retain relevance and regain market share from fintechs, stablecoins are becoming a strategic necessity.

For crypto investors, this trend signals strong tailwinds for stablecoin infrastructure tokens and payment-focused protocols. As institutions scale adoption, the backend rails—especially those with compliance and speed advantages—could be poised for sustained growth.

Bitcoin

Bitcoin on the Menu: DayDayCook Aims for 5,000 BTC Reserve

DDC Enterprise, a consumer brand with Hong Kong roots and operations in mainland China, has revealed an ambitious plan to accumulate 5,000 BTC over the next 36 months.

The company started by acquiring 100 BTC for $10.4 million and aims to reach 500 BTC by the end of 2025. CEO Norma Chu made the announcement in a shareholder letter on May 15.

The move follows a 33% revenue increase in 2024 for DDC, which reported $37.4 million in total revenue. However, despite the public nature of the BTC strategy, the firm's latest SEC filings do not explicitly mention any crypto holdings—though they do reference crypto-related accounting standards introduced by FASB in late 2023.

The filings suggest DDC is exploring diverse funding strategies and may view Bitcoin not just as a treasury asset but also as a strategic hedge. The company notes ongoing efforts to cut costs, diversify revenue, and future-proof operations.

Notably, DDC operates partially in mainland China—where crypto remains officially banned—raising questions about jurisdictional limits and future regulatory friction.

Still, the move is bold, signaling growing institutional appetite for Bitcoin in Asia—even in politically sensitive regions.

DDC's plan shows how Bitcoin is becoming a strategic corporate reserve asset, even in crypto-restricted zones. If this sparks imitators, particularly in Asia, it could drive fresh long-term demand for BTC and challenge the narrative that China is entirely anti-crypto.

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Legal

FTX to Begin $5B Repayments, Some Creditors to Get Up to 120%

The FTX Recovery Trust confirmed it will begin distributing over $5 billion to creditors starting May 30, marking a significant milestone in one of crypto's most high-profile bankruptcies.

Four creditor classes will receive between 54% and 120% of their approved claims—based on asset valuations at the time of FTX's collapse in November 2022.

BitGo and Kraken will handle the logistics, with payouts expected within one to three business days of the distribution start. Small, unsecured creditors will receive roughly 61%, while Class 5 creditors—such as Alameda Research vendors—can expect 54% to 72%. Intercompany claims are being repaid at 120%, reflecting internal accounting alignment.

The recovery is more favorable than many anticipated and comes at a moment of renewed optimism in the broader crypto sector.

The decision to anchor distributions to USD values at the time of collapse does mean some creditors may miss out on potential upside from market recovery—but the guaranteed payout offers much-needed closure.

Over 90% of all claims have now been verified and queued for payment, according to the Trust.

FTX's repayments offer a psychological reset for the market. Seeing real dollars return to creditors—some even in full—may boost institutional trust and remove one of the last major overhangs from the last cycle's collapse. That's bullish for sentiment and risk appetite.

U.S. Policy Shifts (Sponsored)

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Future Forward

The biggest moves don't announce themselves—they slip through quiet commits, obscure filings, and backroom decisions. Stay sharp, and you'll spot them before the market catches on.

Crypto Conferences:

💎 FifTech Blockchain Summit 2025 (May 17, 2025)

💎 FinXtex 2025 Malaysia (May 19, 2025)

💎 BCNL Digital Asset Investment Event (May 19, 2025)

Upcoming Airdrops:

🎁 BADAI Airdrop (May 25, 2025)

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

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

Upcoming Token Launches:

🚀 Naoris Protocol (NAORIS) Public Sale (May 20, 2025)

🚀 Iceberg (ICEBERG) TGE and Distribution (May 20, 2025)

🚀 Anazir (ANZ) IDO on Spores (Jun 12, 2025)

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

Crypto Know-How: What's Liquid Staking?

Liquid staking lets you earn rewards from staking crypto—without locking up your funds. You stake your tokens, but in return, you get a new token that you can still trade or use elsewhere.

That means your original crypto keeps earning rewards, while the liquid version gives you flexibility. It's like renting out your house but still having a key to use it when needed.

Protocols like Lido or Rocket Pool make this possible for networks like Ethereum. You get the best of both worlds: passive income and liquidity.

For investors, liquid staking unlocks capital efficiency. You don't have to choose between staking and using your tokens—you can do both at the same time.

That's all for today—if a signal flew under our radar, send it our way. Thanks for tuning in. Same rhythm, same pulse—see you on the next wave.

Everything Else

• The New York Fed and BIS are testing smart contracts under Project Pine to let central banks instantly execute monetary policy in tokenized environments.

• Lawmakers in the Northern Mariana Islands overrode a veto to approve a bill allowing Tinian to launch a stablecoin backed by cash and Treasuries.

• The DOJ charged 12 more people in a $263M crypto theft ring that evolved from online gaming into a full-scale racketeering operation.

• Coinbase stock fell 7% after a customer data breach and renewed SEC scrutiny over its 2021 user count claims.

• Australian crypto exchange Cointree was fined over $75K by AUSTRAC for delays in filing suspicious activity reports, as regulators ramp up enforcement.

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