Coin Market

Trump’s USD1 stablecoin deepens concerns over conflicts of interest

Published

7 days ago

March 26, 2025

World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the Trump family’s crypto project, is planning to release a stablecoin, raising concern over the US president’s exposure to the digital asset industry.

The project released a memecoin immediately prior to President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the price of which skyrocketed and crashed soon after, causing many to accuse WLFI of a pump-and-dump scheme.

WLFI has also made multimillion-dollar purchases of crypto tokens immediately prior to important crypto-related events the president has attended or announcements influencing the industry. WLFI purchased $20 million of various tokens ahead of the March 7 White House Crypto Summit.

As World Liberty Financial’s portfolio grows and regulator oversight disappears from the crypto industry, observers and legal scholars are becoming increasingly concerned over conflicts of interest within the Trump administration.

Son Eric Trump pumps his father’s memecoin ahead of the inauguration. Source: Eric Trump

Trump’s stablecoin USD1 riddled with liabilities

WLFI announced on March 25 that it will launch the new stablecoin USD1, “100% backed by short-term US government treasuries, US dollar deposits, and other cash equivalents.”

WLFI co-founder Zach Witkoff said in the announcement that the coin can be used for “seamless, secure cross-border transactions.”

News of USD1’s forthcoming release came just days after WLFI secured more than $500 million through the sale of its own $WLFI tokens.

Observers have already begun to raise the alarm about the possible security risks posed by a stablecoin connected to the president. There are also concerns over the possibility of market manipulation and violations of the emoluments clause of the US Constitution — a section of the document that protects against undue influence over American leaders.

As regards the latter, cyber and digital media attorney Andrew Rossow told Cointelegraph that the stablecoin is “a direct affront to constitutional safeguards meant to prevent conflicts of interest.”

“With Trump and his family controlling 60% of World Liberty’s equity interests, the USD1 stablecoin could facilitate indirect financial gains or undue foreign influence over US policy, particularly if foreign entities invest in or use the stablecoin.”

WLFI makes up a sizeable chuck of Trump’s estimated net worth. Source: Fortune

Corey Frayer, who worked on crypto policy at the SEC under former President Joe Biden, said that the project’s emphasis on cross-border payments was particularly worrisome and that foreign entities may invest as a way to gain favor with Trump.

“There’s a lot of opacity around this marketplace, and prior relationships with illicit finance,” Frayer told The New York Times.

US policymakers have already noted the possibility for foreign influence following the launch of Trump’s eponymous memecoin in January.

At the time, Democratic Representative Maxine Waters — a top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee — wrote that “Anyone globally, even individuals who have been sanctioned by the U.S. or banned from our capital markets, can now trade and profit off of $TRUMP through various unregulated platforms.”

In addition to potential foreign influence, observers are concerned that Trump’s crypto ventures could threaten market stability and integrity, and open up global markets to manipulation.

Referencing USD1, Heath Mayo — the founder of the Trump-alternative conservative movement Principles First — said that a sitting president issuing an instrument backed by public debt should be illegal, adding that the project had “terrible incentives and corrupt use of US taxpayer credit.”

Rossow said that the president’s role in a stablecoin project while at the same time working to craft stablecoin legislation in the form of the GENIUS Act is “a constitutional violation that could destabilize regulatory integrity.”

Trump’s influence over the industry and ability to drop enforcement actions against crypto executives who support him creates “an uneven playing field, disadvantaging competitors and violating principles of equal protection under the law.”

What options do regulators have regarding Trump’s crypto conflicts of interest

Trump, who has long stated an affinity with former President Andrew Jackson, seems to be holding to the latter’s strategy of acknowledging judicial rulings — and then doing what he wants regardless.

The presidential administration has already shown that it is willing to defy orders from federal judges when, earlier this month, it ignored a verbal order from a federal judge to turn around two planes full of alleged gang members bound for the Terrorism Confinement Center in El Salvador.

Regarding crypto, Senator Elizabeth Warren has already called for an ethics probe into Trump’s crypto activities. She said that the president’s memecoin “massively enriched Trump personally, enabled a mechanism for the crypto industry to funnel cash to him, and created a volatile financial asset that allows anyone in the world to financially speculate on Trump’s political fortunes.”

Warren, a long-time crypto critic, has taken aim at WLFI. Source: Senate Banking Committee

The probe, if it had a chance to begin with, doesn’t appear to have gone anywhere, and Congressional Republicans are busy working on the GENIUS Act, which even has the support of a handful of Democrats.

What, if anything, can be done?

Rossow said that, despite changes in SEC leadership, other agencies like the Financial Crime Enforcement Network could still pursue investigations.

He also noted that state-level action from local regulators and Attorneys General is “not just possible but imperative, especially in states with robust consumer protection laws.

He added that international regulatory bodies could exert pressure, stating that the “global nature” of crypto means that foreign governments could work for better oversight and more robust regulations.

In any case, he said that the current situation demands multi-faceted action as there is currently a need to “safeguard the principles of fair governance and maintain the US’s credibility in the global financial system.”

Some in the crypto industry see no problem at all and believe the president’s involvement is just another sign of how the industry is reaching mainstream appeal.

Chris Barrett, senior director of communications at Chainlink, congratulated the project, stating that “The global financial world runs on the U.S. dollar, and stablecoins are about to make that even harder to change.”

Arnoud Star Busman, CEO of European stablecoin issuer Quantoz Payments, told Cointelegraph that USD1 is reflective of “increasing validation from world-leading brands that stablecoins are carving the path for the mainstream financial industry to access crypto assets and tokenized real-world assets.”

The Blockchain Association — an industry lobby group — declined Cointelegraph’s request for comment.

Magazine: Arbitrum co-founder skeptical of move to based and native rollups: Steven Goldfeder

Coin Market

Bitcoin can hit $250K in 2025 if Fed shifts to QE: Arthur Hayes

Published

24 minutes ago

April 2, 2025

Bitcoin may still rise to over $250,000 before the end of the year, with expectations of an increasing fiat supply remaining the significant catalyst for the world’s first cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin’s (BTC) 2025 price rally may be boosted by the US Federal Reserve pivoting to quantitative easing (QE), when the Fed buys bonds and pumps money into the economy to lower interest rates and encourage spending during difficult financial conditions.

“Bitcoin trades solely based on the market expectation for the future supply of fiat,” according to Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX and chief investment officer of Maelstrom.

Hayes wrote in an April 1 Substack post:

“If my analysis of the Fed’s major pivot from QT to QE for treasuries is correct, then Bitcoin hit a local low of $76,500 last month, and now we begin the ascent to $250,000 by year-end.”

The Fed reduced the Treasury runoff cap to $5 billion per month from $25 billion effective April 1, while keeping mortgage-backed securities (MBS) runoff steady at $35 billion.

The Fed may allow the MBS roll off without replacement and the excess principal payment might be reinvested into Treasurys, according to comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell published by Reuters.

“Mathematically, that keeps the Fed balance sheet constant; however, that is treasury QE. Bitcoin will scream higher once this is formally announced,” added Hayes.

Other analysts are eying a more conservative Bitcoin price top based on BTC’s correlation with the global liquidity index.

BTC projected to reach $132,000 based on M2 money supply growth. Source: Jamie Coutts

The growing money supply could push Bitcoin’s price above $132,000 before the end of 2025, according to estimates from Jamie Coutts, chief crypto analyst at Real Vision.

Fed will “flood the market with dollars”

Hayes has been “buying Bitcoin and shitcoins at all levels between $90,000 to $76,500,” showcasing his conviction in the crypto market for the rest of 2025. The pace of capital deployment will increase or decrease depending on the accuracy of his predictions.

“I still believe Bitcoin can hit $250,000 by year-end because now that the BBC has put Powell in his place, the Fed will flood the market with dollars,” wrote Hayes, adding:

“That allows Xi Jinping to instruct the PBOC to stop tightening monetary conditions onshore to defend the dollar-yuan exchange rate, which increases the net quantity of yuan.”

Despite the optimistic prediction, many market participants are betting on a lower Bitcoin price top for the end of 2025.

Source: Polymarket

Only 9% of traders have placed bets on Bitcoin hitting $250,000, while 60% expect Bitcoin to hit $110,000 in 2025, according to Polymarket, the largest decentralized predictions market.

Still, Bitcoin and global risk appetite remain pressured by global tariff fears ahead of US President Donald Trump’s upcoming tariff announcement, scheduled for April 2.

“Long-term positioning remains intact, but near-term momentum appears tethered to unfolding macro headlines,” Stella Zlatareva, dispatch editor at digital asset investment platform Nexo, told Cointelegraph.

Magazine: Bitcoin’s odds of June highs, SOL’s $485M outflows, and more: Hodler’s Digest, March 2 – 8

Coin Market

Nakamoto coefficient explained: Measuring decentralization in blockchain networks

Published

1 hour ago

April 2, 2025

Measuring decentralization in blockchain

Decentralization involves spreading control and decision-making across a network instead of a single authority.

Unlike centralized systems, where one entity controls everything, decentralized blockchains distribute data among participants (nodes). Each node holds a copy of the ledger, ensuring transparency and reducing the risk of manipulation or system failure.

In blockchain, a decentralized network provides significant advantages:

Security: Decentralization reduces vulnerabilities associated with central points of attack. Without a single controlling entity, malicious actors find it more challenging to compromise the network. Transparency: All transactions are recorded on a public ledger accessible to all participants, fostering trust through transparency. This openness ensures that no single entity can manipulate data without consensus. Fault tolerance: Decentralized networks are more resilient to failures. Data distribution across multiple nodes ensures that the system remains operational even if some nodes fail.

So, decentralization is good, but it’s not a fixed state. It’s more of a spectrum, constantly shifting as network participation, governance structures and consensus mechanisms evolve.

And yes, there’s a ruler for that. It’s called the Nakamoto coefficient.

What is the Nakamoto coefficient?

The Nakamoto coefficient is a metric used to quantify the decentralization of a blockchain network. It represents the minimum number of independent entities — such as validators, miners or node operators — that would need to collude to disrupt or compromise the network’s normal operation.

This concept was introduced in 2017 by former Coinbase chief technology officer Balaji Srinivasan and was named after Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.

A higher Nakamoto coefficient indicates greater decentralization and security within the blockchain network. In such networks, control is more widely distributed among participants, making it more challenging for any small group to manipulate or attack the system. Conversely, a lower Nakamoto coefficient suggests fewer entities hold significant control, increasing the risk of centralization and potential vulnerabilities.

For example, a blockchain with a Nakamoto coefficient of 1 would be highly centralized, as a single entity could control the network. In contrast, a network with a coefficient of 10 would require at least 10 independent entities to collude to exert control, reflecting a more decentralized and secure structure.

Did you know? Polkadot‘s high score on the Nakamoto coefficient is largely due to Polkadot’s nominated proof-of-stake (NPoS) consensus mechanism, which promotes an even distribution of stakes among a large number of validators.

Calculating the Nakamoto coefficient

Calculating this coefficient involves several key steps:

Identification of key entities: First, determine the primary actors within the network, such as mining pools, validators, node operators or stakeholders. These entities play significant roles in maintaining the network’s operations and security.Assessment of each entity’s control: Next, evaluate the extent of control each identified entity has over the network’s resources. For instance, in proof-of-work (PoW) blockchains like Bitcoin, this involves analyzing the hashrate distribution among mining pools. In proof-of-stake (PoS) systems it requires examining the stake distribution among validators.Summation to determine the 51% threshold: After assessing individual controls, rank the entities from highest to lowest based on their influence. Then, cumulatively add their control percentages until the combined total exceeds 51%. The number of entities required to reach this threshold represents the Nakamoto coefficient.

Consider a PoW blockchain with the following mining pool distribution:

Mining pool A: 25% (of the total hashrate)Mining pool B: 20%Mining pool C: 15%Mining pool D: 10%Others: 30%

To determine the Nakamoto coefficient:

Start with mining pool A (25%).Add mining pool B (25% 20% = 45%).Add mining pool C (45% 15% = 60%).

In this scenario, the combined hashrate of mining pools A, B and C reaches 60%, surpassing the 51% threshold. Therefore, the Nakamoto coefficient is 3, indicating that collusion among these three entities could compromise the network’s integrity.

Did you know? Despite Bitcoin’s reputation for decentralization, its mining subsystem is notably centralized. The Nakamoto coefficient is currently 2 for Bitcoin. This means that just two mining pools control most of Bitcoin’s mining power.

Limitations of the Nakamoto coefficient

While the Nakamoto coefficient serves as a valuable metric for assessing blockchain decentralization, it possesses certain limitations that warrant careful consideration.

For example:

Static snapshot

The Nakamoto coefficient provides a static snapshot of decentralization, reflecting the minimum number of entities required to compromise a network at a specific point in time.

However, blockchain networks are dynamic, with participant roles and influence evolving due to factors like staking, mining power shifts or node participation changes. Consequently, the coefficient may not accurately capture these temporal fluctuations, potentially leading to outdated or misleading assessments.

Subsystem focus

This metric typically focuses on specific subsystems, such as validators or mining pools, potentially overlooking other critical aspects of decentralization. Factors like client software diversity, geographical distribution of nodes and token ownership concentration also significantly impact a network’s decentralization and security.

Relying solely on the Nakamoto coefficient might result in an incomplete evaluation.

Consensus mechanism variations

Different blockchain networks employ various consensus mechanisms, each influencing decentralization differently. The Nakamoto coefficient may not uniformly apply across these diverse systems, necessitating tailored approaches for accurate measurement.

External Influences

External factors, including regulatory actions, technological advancements or market dynamics, can influence decentralization over time. For example, regulatory policies in specific regions might affect the operation of nodes or mining facilities, thereby altering the network’s decentralization landscape.

The Nakamoto coefficient may not account for such externalities, limiting its comprehensiveness.

To sum up, the Nakamoto coefficient is useful for assessing certain aspects of blockchain decentralization. It should be used alongside other metrics and qualitative assessments to gain a comprehensive understanding of a network’s decentralization and security.

Coin Market

7-Eleven South Korea to accept CBDC payments in national pilot program

Published

1 hour ago

April 2, 2025

South Korea’s 7-Eleven stores will accept payments in the country’s central bank digital currency (CBDC) until June, as the retailer participates in the test phase of its CBDC project.

The convenience store chain will reportedly provide a 10% discount on all products paid for with CBDC during the test period. According to Moon Dae-woo, head of 7-Eleven’s digital innovation division, the company is making an effort to incorporate digital technology advancements in its operations.

The executive added that the company’s participation in the CBDC test will help accelerate the firm’s digital transformation.

Many stores will participate in South Korea’s CBDC testing phase, which runs from April 1 to June 30. The project also involves 100,000 participants who will be allowed to test payments using CBDC issued by the central bank.

Central bank digital currencies are digital assets issued by government agencies. Like other digital assets, CBDCs offer faster and more modernized payment features. However, unlike Bitcoin and other privacy-focused tokens that offer certain levels of anonymity, CBDCs are controlled and monitored by governments.

South Korea tests CBDC from April to June

On March 24, government agencies including the Bank of Korea, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) announced the CBDC test.

Participants can convert their bank deposits into tokens stored in a distributed ledger during the test period. The tokens hold the same value as the Korean won.

The government agencies said citizens aged 19 or older with a deposit account in a participating bank could apply to take part. Registrations were limited to 100,000 participants. KB, Koomin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori, NongHyup, IBK and Busan are among the banks participating in the CBDC tests.

Apart from 7-Eleven, participants can use their CBDCs in coffee shops, supermarkets, K-Pop merchandise stores and delivery platforms. However, users will be limited to a total conversion limit of 5 million won ($3,416) during testing.

The Bank of Korea first announced the retail CBDC testing for 100,000 users in November 2023 and was originally scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2024. The FSS said the country’s CBDC test represents a step toward creating a prototype for a “future monetary system.”

Magazine: Ridiculous ‘Chinese Mint’ crypto scam, Japan dives into stablecoins: Asia Express