Ripple Seeks U.S. Bank Charter and Fed Access

Standard Chartered Predicts Bitcoin to Hit $135K by September and $200K by Year-End Fueled by ETFs and Corporate Buying

Standard Chartered forecasts Bitcoin could surge to $135,000 by the end of Q3 and reach $200,000 by December 2025, driven by strong ETF inflows, corporate treasury allocations, and supportive policy developments. The bank expects ETF and treasury buying to exceed Q2’s 245,000 BTC purchases in both Q3 and Q4, offsetting any slowdown from major buyers like MicroStrategy. Investor rotation from gold and traditional safe havens into Bitcoin further underscores growing confidence in BTC as a macro asset.

Analyst Geoffrey Kendrick argues that the current demand cycle breaks the historic post-halving downturn pattern, with fewer long-term holder sell-offs and rising passive flows. Potential policy catalysts include a new Fed chair announcement, higher Treasury term premiums, and passage of a major stablecoin bill, all potentially boosting Bitcoin further.

Bitcoin ETFs See $342 Million Outflows as Fed Signals Prolonged High Rates, Ending $4 Billion Inflow Streak

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $342.2 million in net outflows on Tuesday, breaking a 15-day run of inflows totaling over $4 billion. Fidelity’s FBTC led the outflows with $172.7 million, followed by Grayscale’s GBTC at $119.5 million. The sell-off came after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell suggested that high interest rates would persist, partly due to President Trump’s tariff policies. Powell noted that the Fed might have started cutting rates if not for these trade measures, which have raised inflation forecasts. Despite the outflows, analysts called the move a “rest stop” rather than a full reversal, highlighting that Bitcoin’s price fell just 1.3% before quickly recovering. Meanwhile, Ethereum ETFs saw continued inflows, indicating that institutions are rebalancing rather than exiting crypto markets altogether.

Ripple Seeks U.S. Bank Charter and Fed Access to Boost RLUSD Stablecoin as GENIUS Act Spurs Industry Momentum

Ripple has applied for a national bank charter from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and is seeking a Federal Reserve master account to directly hold RLUSD stablecoin reserves. This move aims to speed up payment settlements and reduce costs by cutting out intermediary banks, while enhancing regulatory legitimacy. Ripple’s stablecoin RLUSD, launched in October 2024, has grown to a market value of $470 million. Meanwhile, Circle is also pursuing a national trust bank charter following its IPO. These developments come as stablecoins gain traction after the U.S. Senate passed the GENIUS Act, which is expected to foster adoption with clear rules and consumer protections.