DC Crypto Policy Bootcamp: First Round of Invites Sent

Polygon's liquid staking POL has officially launched, marking a significant milestone for the network. **Key Changes:** - Staked POL is now represented as a **visible standard token** in user wallets - Same staking mechanism, but with improved token visibility and accessibility - This represents a major step forward for liquid staking on Polygon The update makes staked assets more transparent and easier to track for users, while maintaining the same underlying staking functionality.

**Major Wall Street Move into Blockchain** Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), which owns the New York Stock Exchange, has confirmed a **$2 billion investment in Polymarket**, boosting the prediction market platform's valuation to $9 billion. This marks a significant signal of growing institutional interest in blockchain-native platforms. **Key Developments:** - **S&P Global** launched the Digital Markets 50 Index in partnership with tokenized securities firm Dinari, tracking 35 digital asset companies and 15 top cryptocurrencies - **SEC Chair Paul Atkins** plans to introduce an innovation exemption for blockchain products before year-end, though a potential government shutdown could delay implementation to 2026 - **Consensys** is pivoting to a token-based ecosystem, with founder Joseph Lubin confirming token frameworks across products starting with Infura Polygon's Head of Payments discussed blockchain growth and real-world payment applications on Schwab Network's Market Close, highlighting the sector's expanding infrastructure. These moves reflect a broader trend of traditional finance institutions and infrastructure providers integrating blockchain technology into mainstream financial products and services.

Polygon is hosting a **live webinar on January 16 at 11:00 AM CT** featuring Coinme's stablecoin payment solutions within the Polygon Open Money Stack. The session targets developers and businesses working on: - Payment systems - Wallet applications - Financial products This follows Polygon's recent focus on stablecoin infrastructure and cross-border payment solutions, building on their Money Rails initiative that explores how blockchain technology upgrades traditional money systems. Interested participants can register at [Coinme's enterprise webinar page](https://coinme.com/enterprise/webinar).

Polygon is working toward becoming a regulated payments player in the United States, according to Reuters reporting. The network has established itself as a leader in small-value transactions, with growing market share in medium-sized payments. Users are choosing Polygon for everyday peer-to-peer transfers and routine financial activities due to its low transaction fees. The focus on payments infrastructure represents a shift toward practical, real-world blockchain applications rather than speculative use cases. Polygon's transaction data shows consistent usage patterns for regular financial activity, positioning it as potential default payment rails for digital transactions.

Polygon Foundation is hosting an **Ask Me Anything (AMA)** session on the r/CryptoCurrency subreddit. The AMA covers: - Polygon's Open Money Stack - Recent acquisitions - Technical roadmap - Overall vision and strategy Community members can submit their questions directly through the [Reddit thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/1qbs7u0/ama_polygons_open_money_stack_acquisitions_of/). The session provides an opportunity for the community to engage directly with the Polygon team on technical and strategic topics.