🔗 USDC Expansion Continues

The **Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)** is moving forward with initiatives to support tokenized collateral and stablecoins in traditional finance. **Key Development:** - Acting Chair Caroline Pham is leading efforts to integrate trusted stablecoins like USDC into the regulatory framework - Circle publicly recognizes the leadership's role in advancing digital asset adoption **Background Context:** This follows the CFTC's earlier Crypto Sprint initiative, which introduced a pathway for trading spot crypto contracts on registered futures exchanges. The commission has been working to provide regulatory clarity for digital assets while maintaining compliance with existing commodity trading laws. **Industry Impact:** The move represents continued regulatory progress toward making digital assets more accessible within traditional financial infrastructure, building on previous efforts to establish clear guidelines for crypto trading platforms.

**ATEC emerged victorious** at Circle's Unlocking Impact Pitch Competition, securing a **$100,000 USDC grand prize** for their humanitarian blockchain solution. The competition brought together innovators leveraging USDC and blockchain infrastructure to accelerate humanitarian aid and drive inclusive growth. **Other notable finalists:** - @xcapit_ - @BuFi_Global **All three finalists received valuable mentorships** from major industry players: - Visa - Mastercard - EY - World Food Programme (WFP) - Goodwall The event showcased how blockchain technology can create meaningful impact beyond traditional financial applications, demonstrating practical solutions for humanitarian challenges.

**Rise transforms global payroll** using Circle's USDC stablecoin infrastructure, delivering significant improvements for international workforce payments. **Key improvements achieved:** - 40% reduction in payment processing costs - 95% improvement in cross-border payment speed - Near-instant settlement replacing days-long wire transfers - 53%+ of users now choose stablecoin payouts **Traditional payroll challenges solved:** - Wire transfers taking multiple days - High fees and hidden costs - Limited transparency in cross-border payments Rise's integration with Circle's stablecoin infrastructure enables **real-time global payroll processing** with transparent costs and worldwide reach. This case study demonstrates how stablecoins can **scale better financial experiences** for businesses managing international teams. [Read the full case study](https://www.circle.com/case-studies/rise)

A new **Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future** has been established, with leadership from UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The initiative represents a significant collaboration between the two nations to shape future market frameworks and policies. - Joint leadership between UK and US financial authorities - Focus on developing forward-looking market strategies - Builds on Bessent's established focus on long-term market gains This taskforce signals strengthened financial cooperation between the UK and US as both countries work to address evolving market challenges and opportunities.