Crypto integrations gained ground across TradFi and other combinations. New ideas fueled expansion, and regulators pushed boundaries.
The headlines:
- Ripple Labs completed its Hidden Road acquisition;
- Zelle wants to go global with stablecoins;
- Vast Bank partnered with Uphold to enable tokenized dollar deposits;
- Tether settled with Celsius Networks for $300 million;
- The OCC chief allayed stablecoin bank run concerns;
- Plus, crypto tips are now available on Rumble (more on that later);
- And much more!
As always, these are your Decentralized Diaries!
Bitcoin is at $115k (as of 10/27/25)
Volatility continued as Bitcoin moved from a high of $109,971.11 to a low of $115,349.36, then settled at $115,006.71.
The altcoins are also swimming in gray waters.
Ethereum (ETH) is at $4,205.26, Solana (SOL) at $203.99, Chainlink (LINK) at $18.92, Avalanche (AVAX) at $20.80, Polkadot (DOT) at $3.20, and Uniswap (UNI) at $2.75.
Ripple Labs Makes Big Moves
On October 24, XRP token issuer Ripple Labs revealed the completion of its Hidden Road acquisition. Ripple rebranded Hidden Road as Ripple Prime, a premier nonbank brokerage that integrates crypto and TradFi ecosystems.
Furthermore, the move enables Ripple Labs to access multiple asset classes, including FX, fixed-income securities, digital assets, and more.
Zelle Goes Global With Stablecoins
The Zelle payment network is expanding its reach internationally following a major announcement from its operator, Early Warning Services, on October 24. Zelle will have stablecoin integrations.
Moreover, Zelle has yet to provide further details about the initiative.
Cardano Foundation Wants Generic Domain Names
In a recent X/Twitter post, Cardano Foundation revealed plans to apply for generic top-level domain names (gTLDs). If the application to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) succeeds, the .ada and .cardano generic names will go live.
A community voting process is already underway.
Uphold, Vast Bank Enable Tokenized Greenbacks
There’s a new US dollar tokenized offering. Boutique crypto firm Uphold teamed up with Vast Bank and USBC Inc. to introduce a product that combines FDIC-insured accounts with on-chain access.
Additionally, Uphold’s customers will have access to the offering early next year.
Fed Mulls Crypto Master Accounts
At an October 28 event, Fed Governor Christopher Waller revealed plans to introduce a separate payment rail for payment-focused FIs. The master accounts would operate on a limited basis and be subject to specific caps.
Furthermore, the Fed will restrict crypto banks from (some) activities, including interest-bearing accounts and overdrafts.
New York Legislators Introduce a Crypto Mining Tax Bill
On October 24, New York legislators presented Assembly Bill A9138. The bill aims to tax crypto miners on Proof-of-Work operations.
Moreover, the legislation is the companion bill to S8518, presented on the State Senate floor earlier this month.
Gemini Launches a Solana Auto Staking Credit Card
Boutique crypto exchange Gemini introduced the Solana edition of its Gemini Credit Card. The card offers instant rewards.
In addition, the auto staking feature provides SOL token rewards with
earnings of up to 6.77% APY.
Fidelity Enables Solana Support for its Clients
Financial behemoth Fidelity added support for Solana (SOL) across its crypto platforms. The token is available to both institutional and retail clients.
Consequently, the SOL token is available to users across the giant’s ecosystem, including Fidelity Crypto, Fidelity Crypto for IRAs, Fidelity Crypto for Wealth Managers, and Fidelity Digital Assets.
CZ Gets a Presidential Pardon
American President Trump pardoned former Binance Chief Changpeng CZ Zhao, Reuters reported on October 23. The move comes after several settlements and a four-month prison stint for the crypto leader.
Furthermore, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated in a press release that the previous administration had prosecuted a “war” against the sector.
Private Transactions Are Coming to Base-Armstrong
On October 21, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong announced plans to launch a transaction privacy feature for its native Base blockchain. The statement follows Coinbase’s March acquisition of Iron Fish, a blockchain privacy project.
Moreover, Armstrong has yet to provide further details about the upgrade, promising more revelations in the future.
Coinbase Unveils BNB Token Listing Plans
Premier crypto exchange Coinbase revealed its intention to list the Binance-native BNB digital asset. The exchange said the deployment will integrate Coinbase’s ecosystem with the BNB Smart Chain.
Furthermore, Coinbase has yet to provide further details, but the decision follows the addition of Binance’s token to the Coinbase listing roadmap earlier in the month.
Trezor Launches a Quantum-Proof Wallet
Premier crypto hardware wallet maker Trezor introduced a quantum-resistant product. The Trezor Safe 7 hardware wallet reportedly includes architecture and a bootloader that combines hybrid classical and post-quantum cryptographic signature schemes.
Additionally, the product offers continuous upgrades, enabling real-time protection against attacks.
OCC Chief Calms Stablecoin Bank Run Fears
At the American Bankers Association Annual Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, on October 20, head of the OCC, Jonathan Gould, iterated that stablecoins don’t pose a threat to the banking system. Gould also downplayed the risk of stablecoin-related capital flight events.
In addition, Gould also indicated that the regulator will monitor similar critical occurrences.
Crypto.com Files for National Banking Charter
Boutique crypto exchange Crypto.com applied for a national banking trust charter, the platform revealed on October 24. Crypto.com revealed that the move will expand custody and staking of several digital assets.
The platform confirmed that this filing will not impact its current operations or custody services provided by Crypto.com Custody Trust Company.
Pressure Groups Warn Against Banking Data Fees
On October 21, a coalition of crypto and fintech groups sent a letter to the CFPB expressing concerns over fees for accessing banking data. They include the National Retail Federation, the Blockchain Association, the Crypto Council for Innovation, and the Financial Technology Association.
Subsequently, the coalition strongly advocated for open banking access, cautioning that bank data fees pose a threat to the entire fintech, crypto, and traditional finance ecosystems.
Rumble Enables Crypto Tipping Support
Video-sharing platform Rumble is rolling out Bitcoin and crypto tipping features for its 51 million users. The new functionality will allow creators to receive direct payments from viewers using digital assets.
Moreover, creators can receive tokens directly from viewers.
Developments in the digital asset ETF segment remained quiet. Finance behemoth T. Rowe Price filed an S-1 form with the SEC to launch the T. Rowe Price Active Crypto ETF.
The offering will provide investors with exposure to a diversified portfolio of several tokens, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Dogecoin, and Shiba Inu.
