Kalam Crypto #169: Bitcoin birthday, crypto ETFs, and stablecoin milestones!

“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” - Warren Buffett

Ahlan wa sahlan! Welcome to the latest edition of Kalam Crypto, your trusted source for crisp, insightful updates on everything crypto globally and the MENA region.

This week, we cover record-breaking stablecoin activity, renewed US crypto legislation, CBDC developments in Asia, and a strong start to 2026 for crypto ETFs. All that and more, so let’s dive in!

All that and more, so let’s dive in!

Global News 🌍

Happy Birthday Day, Bitcoin 🟧

17 years ago, on January 3, 2009, Satoshi launched Bitcoin by including a newspaper headline in its Genesis Block - a message that highlighted the need for an alternative financial system and marked the beginning of decentralized money.

US Congress Signals Renewed Push on Crypto Regulation US lawmakers are preparing to revisit crypto market structure legislation after failing to pass the Responsible Financial Innovation Act by the end of 2025. The Senate Banking Committee is expected to begin marking up the bill in the second week of January, a key step before it can advance to a full vote. While progress was previously slowed by a prolonged government shutdown and ongoing debates around regulating decentralized finance, supporters are pushing to move the bill forward early in 2026, amid concerns that upcoming midterm elections could shift legislative priorities.

Ethereum Handles $8 Trillion in Stablecoin Transfers in Q4, Setting Record Ethereum saw record-breaking activity in Q4 2025, processing over $8 trillion in stablecoin transfers-nearly double Q2’s volume-while daily transactions and active addresses also hit all-time highs. Stablecoin issuance on Ethereum grew 43% in 2025, and the network continues to dominate real-world asset tokenization, controlling over 65% of on-chain RWA value. With more than half of all Tether (USDT) issued on Ethereum, the blockchain solidifies its role as the primary hub for stablecoin settlements and large-scale on-chain payments.

India Pushes for CBDCs to Safeguard the Future of Money India’s central bank is calling on governments worldwide to prioritize central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) as a way to preserve the integrity and unity of the financial system. In its latest financial stability report, the Reserve Bank of India argued that CBDCs deliver the key advantages often associated with stablecoins-such as programmability and near-instant settlement-while avoiding the monetary risks that privately issued stablecoins can introduce during periods of market stress. Backed by central banks, CBDCs are positioned as a safer digital alternative that maintains the “singleness of money” and strengthens trust in the financial system.

China Expands the Digital Yuan Into an Interest-Bearing Currency China is taking a major step in advancing its central bank digital currency by allowing commercial banks to pay interest on digital yuan (e-CNY) balances. Effective Jan. 1, the move enables banks to treat the digital yuan as part of their core asset-liability operations, signaling a shift from its role as a digital cash substitute to a full-fledged digital deposit currency. As the People’s Bank of China continues to roll out its CBDC action plan, initiatives such as onchain settlement tools and cross-chain transfer capabilities highlight China’s intent to deepen real-world adoption and broaden the digital yuan’s use across the financial system.

Crypto Phishing Losses Drop 83% in 2025 Crypto wallet drainer phishing attacks saw a sharp decline in 2025, with losses falling to $83.85 million-down 83% from 2024-and victims dropping 68% to 106,000, according to Web3 security platform Scam Sniffer. Yet researchers warn the drainer ecosystem remains active, with attacks spiking during market rallies and evolving through new methods like EIP-7702 malicious signatures. Large-scale incidents became less frequent, but attackers shifted toward higher-volume, lower-value campaigns, keeping crypto users and markets at risk despite overall improvements in security.

CoinMENA News 🗞️

 As 2025 comes to a close, we celebrate our biggest year so far at CoinMENA.

From major milestones to defining moments, here’s a look back at the journey we proudly built together. Watch the highlights. 🚀

Keep an eye on 👀

Crypto ETFs Start 2026 Strong With $646M in Inflows

US-based spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs kicked off 2026 with a surge in investor interest, recording a combined $646 million in net inflows on the first trading day of the year. Bitcoin ETFs led the way with $471 million-marking their largest inflow in over a month-while Ether ETFs added $175 million, their strongest day in two weeks. The strong start comes despite cautious market sentiment and recent price softness, suggesting renewed institutional demand and positioning as investors return after year-end adjustments.

Post Of The Week 🐥

Visa Crypto Card Spending Jumps 525% in 2025 Crypto card usage surged in 2025, with net spending on six Visa-partnered crypto cards rising 525%-from $14.6 million in January to $91.3 million by December, according to Dune Analytics. EtherFi led the growth with $55.4 million in spend, far ahead of second-place Cypher at $20.5 million. Analysts highlight that the rise reflects crypto’s move from experimental tech to a practical payment tool, while Visa’s ongoing focus on stablecoins and partnerships suggests the company is positioning for even broader adoption in 2026.

Quiz Corner ✅ 

Last week’s question: At its peak, Libya generated what estimated share of the global Bitcoin hash rate?

The correct answer is: B) 0.6%

This week’s question is: Which blockchain processed a record $8 trillion in stablecoin transfers in Q4 2025?

A) Bitcoin

B) Solana

C) Ethereum

D) Tron See the answer in next week’s newsletter. Or check out our learning platform https://university.coinmena.com/