Stablecoins Reshape Global Finance: Circle IPO, PYUSD Rewards & ECB Panic | News
In this special May edition of Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock’n’Roll (BFRR), we dive deep into April’s most explosive developments in crypto — from Bitcoin dominance and Ethereum’s narrative struggles to the evolving global stablecoin landscape. Hosts Alex and Michael are joined by Simon Seiter, CFO & CPO of AllUnity, one of Europe’s most ambitious euro stablecoin projects, for a timely conversation about the latest market dynamics, policy shifts, and business models shaping the digital currency ecosystem.
The episode kicks off with a sharp analysis of Bitcoin and Ethereum's price action throughout April. Bitcoin showed strength amid traditional market turbulence, outperforming equities and absorbing institutional capital through record-breaking ETF inflows. Meanwhile, Ethereum lagged behind, raising new questions about its long-term value proposition — especially compared to emerging alternatives like Solana.
Our focus then shifts to the rapidly evolving stablecoin sector. The team breaks down Circle’s newly filed IPO and uncovers key financial figures — revealing a growing, but heavily subsidized business model with distribution costs exceeding 60% of revenue. Simon offers behind-the-scenes insight into the economics of issuing regulated stablecoins in Europe and how the market is shaped by both U.S. dominance and European regulatory uncertainty.
We also discuss PayPal’s attempt to pay interest on stablecoin holdings, the SEC’s formal declaration that USDC and USDT are not securities, and growing signs of institutional engagement — including Bank of America’s hint at entering the stablecoin space. The episode also covers Circle’s new global payment network, Revolut’s record crypto profits, Ripple’s acquisition of prime broker Hidden Road, and the birth of 21.co — a Bitcoin-native company backed by Bitfinex, Tether, and SoftBank.
Finally, the episode touches on widening policy gaps between the U.S. and Europe, as U.S. regulators embrace stablecoins as a geopolitical tool, while the ECB warns against them in defense of the digital euro. We unpack what this divergence means for the future of payments, monetary sovereignty, and innovation.
🎧 Tune in for sharp takes, honest analysis, and an uncensored look into crypto’s most important financial and political battlegrounds.
Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website
Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel
Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll.
Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here
Digital Euro Conference Partnership: BFRR partners with the Digital Euro Conference 2025 taking place on March 27 in Frankfurt. DEC25 brings together leading voices shaping the financial landscape, covering topics around retail and wholesale CBDCs, stablecoins, and tokenized money in general. As an official event partner, BFRR gives away one free ticket for physical participation in Frankfurt. If you are interested, please write us an email to info@bfrr.de by January 31st. If you are not the “lucky winner”, you get 20% off the ticket prices with the code “BFRR20”. To buy your ticket go to the official website Click here and insert the code “BFRR20”.
Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here
All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!