This Week In Crypto — Ripple and Meta make plans as the UAE embraces BTC by Sarah Kutu

Welcome to a round-up of the week’s most important news making waves in the crypto industry.

Here, we consider Ripple’s big moves for Circle, Meta’s stablecoin plans, Saylor’s Bitcoin strategy, PumpSwamp’s innovative plans, Coinbase’s milestone and how BTC is penetrating the Middle East.

Let’s go.

Ripple reportedly eyes a $20B deal with Circle

The crypto industry is awash with speculation that Ripple (XRP) might be eyeing Circle, the engine behind the USDC stablecoin. Analysts have been making projections regarding this, and it’s not far-fetched.

Ripple’s rumored $5 billion bid for Circle may be just the beginning. As talks heat up, reports are that Ripple might be ready to increase it to $20 billion. Why may that be?

The stablecoin market cap has astronomically risen by over 300% from $60 billion to $243 billion. This surge highlights the growing global adoption of stablecoins in mainstream finance.

Consequently, Ripple wants a piece of the pie. Although it launched RLUSD in December 2024, it has grown to a commendable $316.94 million, and getting Circle would supersede that.

Pairing RLUSD with USDC’s massive $61.54 billion cap would instantly turn Ripple into a stablecoin heavyweight. Hence, it could leverage its resources for the XRP Ledger, boost XRP’s liquidity, increase institutional adoption, and give Ripple a bigger seat in global finance.

However, USDC still pales in comparison to USDT.

With a gigantic $150 billion market cap, USDT controls 69% of the stablecoin market – an absolute giant in the space. Its dominance is unmatched, but how did this come about?

The reason isn’t far-fetched. It was the first to get there. Launched in 2014, Tether was the first stablecoin to gain serious traction. Notably, it provided the easiest way for traders to jump in and out of wild crypto swings without cashing out.

A decade later, USDT is no longer just a crypto tool. It has gone global, used in remittances, offshore payments, and countries with shaky banking access. 

Overall, USDC and RLUSD might be solid challengers individually, but up against USDT? It’s impossible unless they collaborate. Perhaps that’s what Circle has in mind. 

This makes Ripple’s rumored bid much more strategic than it seems.

UAE embraces BTC as IBIT attracts $1B

As of this writing, Bitcoin (BTC) has entered six-figure territory, trading past the $100k mark. It posted a 0.33% daily gain and a 7.91% increase over the past week.

More than a milestone, this is a psychological victory. It signals mounting institutional and sovereign interest in the asset. 

Also, BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF, IBIT, continued to draw significant capital, recording $356.2 million in inflows on May 9th. The fund has now gotten 19 straight days of inflows, its longest streak this year. This reflects rising confidence among large-scale investors as Bitcoin’s bullish momentum builds.

The current inflow streak has already doubled IBIT’s 2025 record, a nine-day run around President Trump’s inauguration in January. This signals stronger, more sustained conviction among institutional players.

Similarly, sovereign interest is amplifying with global entities exploring Bitcoin’s potential as a strategic asset.

Neoclassic Capital’s co-founder, Michael Bucella, emphasized this evolving dynamic. He outlined Bitcoin’s resilience and growing relevance in broader macro discussions.

In a recent conversation with CNBC, Bucella noted, 

“The UAE, alongside many other nations, are buying Bitcoin as a reserve asset.”

This highlights how Bitcoin’s adoption narrative has gained remarkable momentum since Trump’s election. With the asset holding steady above the $100k mark, its mainstream integration feels more tangible than ever.

Similarly, Rifad Mahasneh, CEO of OKX MENA, underscored how sovereign wealth funds, mainly in regions like the UAE, are accelerating their engagement with digital assets. 

He said,

“I think the Middle East region obviously is home to many of the world’s leading sovereign funds. Most have been looking at how they could enter this space in the most regulated and risk-controlled manner”

He added,

“I think when they’re evaluating entry into the crypto space, each sovereign fund has its own policies and risk controls that they need to monitor.”

Meta plans a crypto comeback

Meta is making bold moves in the stablecoin sector, indicating ambition in the crypto space. This is more poignant as it comes three years after abandoning its controversial Libra/Diem project.

However, with the regulatory situation for stablecoins in the US still uncertain, what opportunities and challenges lie ahead for Meta’s next strategy?

According to unsubstantiated reports, Meta is in preliminary discussions with several cryptocurrency companies to explore stablecoin applications. The company is said to focus on cross-border payments for content creators to reduce costs.

It was reported that Meta’s goal is to lower transaction costs, which are often high with traditional payment methods like SWIFT. The company’s collaboration with crypto firms indicates that Meta may be considering integrating existing stablecoins rather than developing a new one.

Furthermore, the appointment of Ginger Baker, a former Plaid executive, as Vice President of Product four months ago, solidifies Meta’s determination to reposition itself in the cryptocurrency market.

Meta’s new approach could enable the company to quickly tap into the growing stablecoin sector. However, significant uncertainties remain owing to the regulatory framework surrounding stablecoins in the US.

Although the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) recently confirmed that US banks can provide crypto custody services to clients, the stablecoin sector still faces multiple challenges. 

In a post on X, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong stated that the GENIUS Act stablecoin bill in the US still requires revisions, particularly criticizing the prohibition on yield as unreasonable.

Armstrong said,

“Frankly, the bill still needs some work (like fixing the prohibition on yield and interest, which makes no sense.) But this is all part of the process.” 

The bill failed to pass in the Senate, with a vote of 48-49, as Democratic Senators accused President Trump of having a conflict of interest related to cryptocurrency.

Also, senate democrats added a symbolic amendment to the GENIUS Act to push for its passage despite strong opposition. This reflects the caution of US regulators toward stablecoins.

Based on these developments, Meta’s next strategy may focus on partnering with established stablecoin providers to avoid the regulatory hurdles it faced with the failed Diem project. 

Such integrations could allow the company to swiftly roll out cross-border payment services without the legal problems of issuing a new stablecoin.

In addition, Meta is likely to accelerate the integration of stablecoins into platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp, where millions of content creators are active. Using stablecoins for payments could reduce transaction fees to only cents per transaction, attract more creators, and increase their reliance on Meta’s ecosystem.

Michael Saylor hints at new Bitcoin purchases

Michael Saylor, executive chairman of the AI firm Strategy, implied that the firm may be preparing for another significant Bitcoin purchase. This comes as Bitcoin gains upward momentum, crossing the $100,000 threshold for the first time in months.

On May 11, Saylor posted a screenshot of the company’s Bitcoin portfolio tracker on the social media platform X.



Although brief, the post follows a familiar pattern of Saylor using cryptic messages ahead of official announcements. These messages indicate that the firm is preparing to add more BTC to its balance sheet.

According to the Saylor Tracker platform, Strategy now holds 555,450 BTC, valued at over $58 billion. This makes the firm the largest corporate holder of the leading crypto globally.

Meanwhile, Strategy’s bold bitcoin approach has influenced several other firms. 

First is Japan’s Metaplanet, which now holds 6,796 BTC after acquiring 1,241 BTC at 102,119 BTC per coin. After purchasing $126.7 million worth of BTC, its total holdings have risen from last week’s 5,555 BTC.

Metaplanet CEO Simon Gerovich wrote in a post,

“Metaplanet now holds more Bitcoin than El Salvador. From humble beginnings to rivaling nation-states, we’re just getting started.”

Secondly, leading banking giant Cantor Fitzgerald is working with SoftBank, Tether, and Bitfinex to raise $3 billion to create 21 Capital, a Bitcoin investment firm.

Cantor is said to have raised $200 million in January, while Tether, Bitfinex, and SoftBank are expected to contribute $1.5 billion, $600 million, and $900 million, respectively.

Saylor remains confident in the top asset’s long-term value and expects long-term investors to keep driving the rally forward in the weeks ahead.  

PumpSwamp to share 50% of its revenue with meme coin creators

PumpSwap, the decentralized exchange (DEX) from Pump.fun announced in a social media post that it will distribute 50% of its trading revenue to meme coin creators.

The new feature, launched on May 12, enables token creators to earn 0.05% of the trading volume generated by their coins.

According to Pump.fun, users can claim rewards directly on the platform by connecting the wallet they used to create their coins. The rewards are paid out in SOL and can be claimed anytime.

This could position PumpSwap as one of the most creator-friendly platforms in DeFi. It also marks a competitive move against established Solana-based DEXs like Raydium. Raydium currently processes over $517 million in daily trading volume, while PumpSwap reached $80 million daily volume two months after launch.

The revenue-sharing model is popular in the DeFi space. However, Pump.fun is trying to increase its market presence through engagement. The launchpad is attempting to quickly capture more liquidity and grow its market share in the crowded Solana ecosystem.

This could strengthen developers’ loyalty and encourage higher-quality token launches. As more creators seek passive income from trading activity, PumpSwap’s model may pressure other platforms to introduce similar incentives.

Pump.fun itself has seen explosive growth in 2025. It has generated approximately $296 million in transaction fees, surpassing Ethereum’s $249 million during the same period. 

It also introduced PumpSwap to streamline the trading process for new tokens, evading migration costs to external DEXs like Raydium. This allowed immediate listing once a token completed its bonding curve sale.

As the Solana memecoin sector evolves, PumpSwap’s aggressive creator incentives could shift trading patterns and accelerate competition. 

Coinbase becomes the first crypto company to join S&P 500

Coinbase Global Inc. will join the S&P 500 index, the first cryptocurrency-based company to do so. It is set to replace Discover Financial Services before the market opens on Monday, May 19. 

S&P Dow Jones Indices announced the change via this press release. The move follows Capital One Financial’s acquisition of Discover Financial, which is expected to close soon pending final conditions.

Similarly, it comes shortly after Coinbase agreed to acquire crypto derivatives exchange Deribit for $2.9 billion. The deal includes a $700 million cash payment, with the remainder in Class A stock, possibly delaying its finalization.

Despite the milestone, Coinbase’s latest earnings report provided mixed feelings. In Q1 2025, the company missed revenue expectations by $200 million.

Yet, platform engagement remains robust.

USDC balances on Coinbase increased by 49% quarter-over-quarter, indicating resilience among its user base even with financial headwinds.

Overall, Coinbase’s addition to the S&P 500 marks a significant moment in the cryptocurrency industry’s growing integration into traditional finance.

Closing remark

If it materializes, Ripple’s rumored collaboration with Circle could be a game-changer for stablecoins. Perhaps we will see real competition for USDT or an end to its dominance by USDC.

As ETFs see historic inflows and nations like Dubai explore strategic adoption, it’s clear that Bitcoin is no longer a fringe asset; it’s becoming a core pillar in global financial conversations.

Likewise, Coinbase’s new milestone. The crypto industry is now dining at the big boys’ table.

Meta’s re-entry into the stablecoin arena demonstrates its long-term vision to integrate cryptocurrency into its ecosystem. However, the uncertain regulatory situation in the US and beyond will be critical to its success.

As the Solana memecoin sector evolves, PumpSwap’s aggressive creator incentives could shift trading patterns and accelerate competition. Undoubtedly, other memecoin launchpads will look at replicating a similar model. A win-win for all parties involved.

Pi Coin payments now available in Zypto App

You can now use your Pi coin for a variety of real-world services with the Zypto App. From crypto cards and bill payments to secure cold wallet storage with the Vault Key Card, Zypto brings everyday utility to your Pi coin. Find out more here.

Which news resonates the most with you? Do you have questions or thoughts to share? Let us know below!

FAQs