Kalam Crypto #177: Crypto Adoption Accelerates Across Crypto Markets

“In investing, what is comfortable is rarely profitable.” – Robert Arnott

Ahlan wa sahlan! Welcome to the latest edition of Kalam Crypto, your weekly lens on the evolving digital asset landscape across global markets and the MENA region.

From record-high Bitcoin accumulation among long-term holders to accelerating policy shifts in Europe and growing institutional participation in Asia, this week highlights a clear theme: crypto is becoming increasingly embedded in the global financial system. Let’s dive straight into this week’s big edition 👇

CoinMENA News 🗞️

CoinMENA FZE selects Standard Chartered as Banking Partner in the UAE

CoinMENA announced a strategic relationship with Standard Chartered, marking a significant step in strengthening the fiat infrastructure that supports our growing customer base. Through this agreement, our platform integrates advanced payment capabilities from Standard Chartered to significantly enhance fiat on-ramp and off-ramp services. The solution combines safeguarded client money accounts, high-speed settlement rails, and virtual account-based transaction management. This framework supports faster funding, more efficient settlements, and increased transaction transparency. 

🌍 Global Market Pulse

Bitcoin Supply Held by Long-Term Investors Hits Record High

Source: Galaxy Research

Bitcoin held by long-term investors (with a holding period of 155 days or more) has reached an all-time high of 16.64 million BTC, representing approximately 83% of the circulating supply. The milestone suggests a strong conviction among holders, despite recent market volatility, with a growing share of Bitcoin remaining in long-term wallets.

Ethereum Faces Potential Development Funding Gap

Ethereum’s core development ecosystem could face funding challenges in the coming months following the expiration of a major client funding program and reduced spending across the ecosystem. Concerns are growing that insufficient funding may slow innovation, impact long-term research efforts, and make it harder to retain experienced contributors supporting the network’s development.

EU Eyes MiCA 2.0 to Reshape Stablecoins and DeFi Rules

The European Commission has opened consultations on updates to its crypto regulatory framework, known as MiCA 2.0, with a focus on stablecoins, DeFi, and tokenization. The proposed revisions aim to refine how digital assets are regulated across the EU, including how stablecoins are issued, managed, and used in payments. Industry participants are also pushing for clearer rules around decentralized finance, prediction markets, and more flexible frameworks for stablecoin competitiveness and reserve management, as the bloc seeks to balance innovation with consumer protection and financial stability.

Japanese Pension Fund Plans Crypto Allocation

A Japanese corporate pension fund serving around 1,200 small and medium-sized businesses is planning to allocate about 1% of its assets to cryptocurrency in fiscal year 2026. The move reflects growing institutional interest in digital assets in Japan, as regulatory changes and new financial products make crypto more accessible to traditional investors. The fund will reportedly invest through a passive crypto strategy, signaling a cautious but notable step toward broader institutional adoption.

📌 Regional Highlights

UAE to Enable Digital Currency Payments for Federal Fees

The UAE will introduce digital currency payments for federal service fees under its Ministry of Finance Strategic Plan 2027–2029, marking a major step in the country’s push toward financial digitization. The plan also includes broader adoption of AI across public financial services, aiming to improve efficiency, strengthen fiscal management, and enhance government service delivery as part of the UAE’s wider digital transformation strategy.

Keep an eye on 👀

Stripe, Visa, and Mastercard Advance Stablecoin Adoption

Stripe, Visa, and Mastercard are reportedly moving closer to launching a new stablecoin platform, highlighting growing interest in blockchain-based payments. The initiative reflects increasing momentum behind stablecoins as major payment providers expand settlement capabilities and explore new ways to integrate digital assets into mainstream financial services, with Coinbase also reportedly considering participation.

Post Of The Week 🐥

Solana currently leads the market with 284,000 real-world asset (RWA) holders. However, Ethereum maintains the highest capital concentration with more than $16.8 billion in total RWA value. This breakdown highlights exactly how different blockchain networks scale tokenized assets across the ecosystem.

Quiz Corner ✅ 

Last week’s question: How much did Bitcoin mining difficulty drop in the latest adjustment?

 The answer: B) 10.1%

This week’s question is: What percentage of Bitcoin supply is currently held by long-term holders (155+ days)?

A) 63% B) 73% C) 83% D) 93%

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