Kategorie: Crypto News

• Contracts sized at 2,500 and 50,000 XRP offer flexibility for traders.
• Based on CME CF XRP-Dollar Reference Rate, published daily at 4:00 p.m.
• Kraken acquired TradeStation Crypto, bolstering its US expansion.

TradeStation Securities has integrated CME Group’s new XRP futures contracts into its platform, marking a significant development in the expansion of regulated cryptocurrency derivatives.

The addition allows both institutional and retail clients to access micro and standard XRP futures in a cash-settled format.

This move comes amid rising demand for regulated exposure to digital assets and increasing scrutiny of the crypto market, particularly in the United States.

“As demand for regulated crypto derivatives continues to grow, TradeStation Securities is committed to providing traders with direct access to high-demand crypto derivative products through the regulated futures market,” said James Putra, SVP, Head of Product Management, TradeStation Group, Inc.

“TradeStation Securities is happy to expand its capabilities with CME Group’s XRP contracts. This provides another opportunity for traders to engage with one of the most actively traded digital assets in the market, while further diversifying their portfolios.”

CME’s XRP futures go live on TradeStation

TradeStation clients can now trade CME Group’s XRP futures based on the CME CF XRP-Dollar Reference Rate, which is published daily at 4:00 p.m. London time.

The contracts are available in two sizes—2,500 XRP and 50,000 XRP—designed to cater to different trading strategies and capital requirements.

These futures are cash-settled, meaning traders avoid dealing with direct custody of the underlying tokens.

This move is aligned with TradeStation’s efforts to enhance its futures offerings.

Earlier this year, the firm expanded into micro-sized contracts in traditional commodities such as grains, oilseeds, and Micro WTI Crude Oil.

By adding CME’s crypto derivatives, TradeStation is now providing traders with more flexible tools to participate in the digital assets market using regulated products.

Hedge and speculate in a regulated space

The integration of CME XRP futures enables more sophisticated trading strategies, including hedging against spot market volatility and speculative positioning.

These instruments offer an alternative to direct token ownership, which often comes with custodial, security, and regulatory complexities.

The launch also reflects broader institutional appetite for regulated crypto exposure. Since the debut of CME’s XRP contracts, institutional interest has been growing.

The post TradeStation adds CME’s XRP futures as regulated crypto derivatives demand surges appeared first on CoinJournal.

• VIRTUAL breaks out of a 5-month pattern, eyes $5 target.
• On-chain metrics show strong user activity and accumulation.
• Gaming partnership boosts token utility beyond trading.

Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL), one of the standout performers in the artificial intelligence (AI) crypto space, has broken through a key technical level, setting its sights on a potential rally toward the $5 mark.

The token, which has surged over 10% in a single day, reclaimed the $2 psychological level after dipping briefly last week, a move that analysts see as the beginning of a larger breakout.

AI crypto market sentiment is rebounding

Importantly, VIRTUAL’s latest price action confirmed the end of a five-month consolidation phase, marked by a cup-like pattern that began forming after its January peak.

Following its April low of $0.41, Virtuals protocol’s token began carving a U-shaped recovery, which has now matured into a bullish breakout above the $2.22 resistance zone, often referred to as the neckline in technical charting.

Notably, the breakout comes at a time when market sentiment around AI tokens is rebounding, buoyed by anticipation surrounding NVIDIA’s earnings report, which is expected to reflect strong AI-driven revenue growth.

With NVIDIA projected to post a 65% year-on-year revenue increase, investors are eyeing broader gains in AI-aligned cryptocurrencies, including VIRTUAL, which has strong ties to AI ecosystems.

Virtuals Protocol price outlook

VIRTUAL’s fundamentals appear to be strengthening as on-chain activity surges alongside renewed investor interest.

According to recent analytics, the price-to-daily active addresses (DAA) divergence metric has spiked nearly 400% in just one week, highlighting a dramatic rise in user engagement and network activity.

This metric, often a leading indicator for price movements, suggests that the current rally is being driven by organic growth rather than short-term speculation.

Simultaneously, the Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) indicator, which tracks accumulation and distribution trends, remains above the zero line, signalling persistent buying pressure.

Moreover, the Bull Bear Power (BBP) histogram has flashed consistent green signals, reinforcing the narrative that buyers currently dominate market momentum.

While smart money investors have recently reduced their exposure, with holdings falling from 11.9 million to 7.1 million tokens, the technical strength appears to be countering these outflows.

In addition to strong chart patterns and on-chain signals, the Virtuals protocol is gaining traction through a newly announced partnership with a top-tier blockchain gaming studio.

This collaboration aims to embed VIRTUAL tokens into upcoming play-to-earn and metaverse titles, further expanding the token’s real-world utility beyond speculative trading.

Notably, such strategic moves could help sustain demand by introducing VIRTUAL to an entirely new segment of users in the gaming ecosystem.

As a result, analysts now view the $2.81 resistance level as the next key hurdle, which, if broken, could pave the way for a move toward the 0.382 Fibonacci retracement level at $3.0688.

Should bullish momentum persist, the token could revisit its all-time high of $5.13, which it last touched in January, thereby completing a full recovery and signaling a possible continuation of its long-term uptrend.

However, traders remain cautious about the $2.24 support zone, as failure to hold this level might invalidate the bullish outlook and trigger a drop toward $1.44.

The post Virtuals Protocol token targets $5 after breaking from a 5-month technical pattern appeared first on CoinJournal.

• Price range set between $24.00 and $26.00 per share.
• Offering led by J.P. Morgan, Citigroup, and Goldman Sachs.
• 9.6 million shares offered by Circle, 14.4 million by existing holders.

Circle Internet Group, the company behind the world’s second-largest stablecoin USDC, has filed to go public on the New York Stock Exchange. The move could generate up to $624 million in proceeds if the shares are priced at the upper end of the $24.00 to $26.00 range.

The proposed offering includes 24 million shares of Class A common stock under the ticker “CRCL”, with 9.6 million offered by Circle itself and the remainder from existing shareholders.

Circle’s public listing attempt comes at a time of rapid transformation in the stablecoin market, where institutional players are gaining prominence and regulation is beginning to catch up.

With stablecoins being seen as the bridge between traditional finance and decentralised ecosystems, the IPO is expected to shape investor sentiment in this emerging sector.

Major banks lead Circle IPO

Circle’s IPO will be led by financial heavyweights, including J.P. Morgan, Citigroup, and Goldman Sachs, alongside several co-managers.

The firm has also provided underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 3.6 million more shares in the event of high demand.

This marks a strong show of confidence from Wall Street at a time when digital asset companies have faced scrutiny from both lawmakers and markets.

Institutional interest in stablecoins has grown in recent quarters. Unlike volatile cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ether, stablecoins like USDC are pegged to fiat currencies and serve as reliable vehicles for payments, remittances, and DeFi applications.

Circle’s decision to tap public markets could signal broader mainstream adoption of stablecoin infrastructure, even as broader market uncertainty lingers.

Rumours of acquisition before filing

The announcement of Circle’s IPO follows recent speculation that the company could be acquired by larger crypto firms.

Reports surfaced earlier this year linking Ripple, the developer of XRP, and Coinbase, the Nasdaq-listed exchange, to potential acquisition discussions with Circle. However, Tuesday’s filing confirms that Circle is moving ahead independently.

Circle had previously filed an S-1 form with the US Securities and Exchange Commission in April 2024.

While early reports indicated a potential delay in its IPO plans due to market volatility triggered by former president Donald Trump’s renewed tariff stance, no formal announcement of postponement was ever made by the company.

The filing on May 21 represents a reassertion of Circle’s intent to join the public markets despite external economic factors.

Regulatory risk still looms

Although the IPO remains subject to final SEC approval and market conditions, its timing comes amid growing debate over how stablecoins should be regulated in the US.

With the Securities and Exchange Commission and Federal Reserve taking a keener interest in digital dollar instruments, Circle’s listing could offer investors a rare glimpse into the financial mechanics of a stablecoin operator.

The IPO also serves as a barometer for how traditional financial institutions perceive the role of tokenised assets. Circle’s USDC supply has fluctuated with market demand but remains a key instrument in crypto trading pairs and decentralised lending platforms.

A successful IPO may provide further validation for the token’s broader use in cross-border transactions and settlement mechanisms.

Circle’s move toward a public listing is one of the most significant to emerge from the stablecoin sector to date, with competitors such as Tether and Paxos still operating privately.

Whether or not Circle can meet its fundraising target, its market debut will likely shape how regulators and investors evaluate crypto-linked companies in public equity markets going forward.

The post Circle files for IPO to raise up to $624 million amid stablecoin growth appeared first on CoinJournal.