This week in crypto, the boundaries between politics, big finance and digital assets were pushed further than ever, as a Trump-linked stablecoin became the vehicle for a multibillion-dollar deal with Binance. Against a backdrop of mounting global trade tensions and economic uncertainty, crypto continued to assert itself as both a safe haven and a technological battleground. Regulatory oversight gained momentum in Australia, while Sam Altman’s eyeball-scanning identity project made its official US debut.

At the TOKEN2049 conference in Dubai, Abu Dhabi-based investment firm MGX announced it will acquire a $2 billion minority stake in Binance using USD1, a US dollar-pegged stablecoin. USD1 was launched in March by World Liberty Financial, a Trump-affiliated platform backed by US Treasuries and cash equivalents. Eric Trump revealed the news during a panel, describing the stablecoin as a tool for modernising large-scale settlement in decentralised finance. The Trump family, including Barron Trump, holds senior roles in the project, with Donald Trump serving as chief crypto advocate. The deal has raised debate about the intersection of politics and digital finance, and how it may influence the future of stablecoins and crypto infrastructure.

The macroeconomic backdrop this week only intensified interest in digital assets as traditional markets faltered. US President Donald Trump’s latest round of tariffs fuelled a broader downturn across equities and commodities, with major companies like GM, UPS and PepsiCo slashing forecasts amid rising uncertainty. European and Chinese markets followed suit, as central banks weighed rate cuts and factory activity continued to slow. These conditions have pushed investors to rethink their exposure to traditional risk assets, driving renewed interest in crypto as an alternative hedge. While digital assets remain volatile, the narrative around Bitcoin and decentralised finance as a long-term store of value continues to gain ground during periods of global instability.

Closer to home, Australia’s financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC announced a fresh crackdown on dormant and inactive crypto exchanges, demanding that platforms show signs of activity and compliance or face deregistration. The move targets firms that have either stopped trading or failed to implement adequate reporting and know-your-customer procedures. With more than 50 platforms already under investigation, the regulator is signalling a clear shift towards stricter oversight to ensure the legitimacy and safety of the local crypto market. For consumers, it is a step toward greater protection, while for exchanges, it reinforces the need to maintain operational transparency and ongoing regulatory alignment.

Sam Altman’s World project, formerly Worldcoin, officially launched in the US this week, rolling out in six cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles and Miami. The platform uses its Orb device to scan users’ eyes and faces, verifying identity in exchange for WLD tokens. The goal is to build a global proof-of-personhood system to distinguish humans from bots in the AI era. Alongside the launch, World revealed a partnership with Visa to develop a crypto-enabled World Visa card. While positioned as a bridge between decentralised identity and traditional finance, the project still faces privacy concerns, with countries like Spain and Portugal halting operations over data collection practices.

As the week wraps up, crypto continues to move deeper into the mainstream, driven by political ties, shifting economic currents and emerging technologies. From stablecoins backed by public figures to biometric identity systems and growing regulatory pressure, the industry is evolving fast. With traditional finance increasingly intertwined with decentralised tools, the path ahead promises opportunity but also demands greater scrutiny, adaptability and trust.

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• Nasdaq eyes Dogecoin ETF with 21Shares listing proposal

• Strategy boosts Bitcoin holdings with another 15,355 BTC

• BlackRock ETF snaps up $970 million worth of BTC

• SEC closes probe into PayPal’s stablecoin initiative

• Ripple’s $4–5 billion offer to acquire Circle reportedly declined

• Ethereum’s Fusaka upgrade expected by late 2025