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Ripple CTO David Schwartz recently joined a conversation sparked by longtime Bitcoin advocate Bruce Fenton about why Bitcoin isn’t really used for day-to-day transactions anymore. Fenton, CEO of Chainstone Lab, pointed out that about ten years ago, you could actually use BTC for regular purchases. He mentioned that back in 2015, over 130 restaurants in Portsmouth, NH, were accepting Bitcoin. Even at the Satoshi Roundtable , a major crypto conference, more than 70% of ticket sales were paid in Bitcoin back then. But now, those numbers are close to zero. Fenton sees this decline as a failure. He argues that money must be used for transactions, not just held as an investment. “Using Bitcoin for purchases is a great way to grow the network,” he said. Many believe Bitcoin’s high fees and slow transaction speeds have made it impractical for payments. Mandrik, a Bitcoin user, suggests that people now view it as a long-term asset. “They don’t want to look back in five years and regret spending $5,000 on a cheeseburger,” he said. Ripple CTO David Schwartz argued that Bitcoin worked for payments when people didn’t consider it real money. He added that Bitcoin was mostly used for payments when the early adopters got it super cheap. Once its value went up, fewer people wanted to spend it. “Once the supply of early miners who got Bitcoin nearly for free dried up, there was no longer any reason to pay with Bitcoin,” Schwartz said. Meanwhile, Jack Mehof, an early Bitcoin supporter, echoes Schwartz’s perspective. He stated that while he once paid for beer, tacos, and coffee with BTC. But eventually, the rising costs and slow speeds made it too much of a hassle. Schwartz also pointed out that there are many other cryptocurrencies out there with lower transaction costs and faster speeds. But, as he pointed out, “You don’t see much retail payment use of those either. At least not yet.“ Related: Donald Trump Makes History by Embracing Bitcoin Payments for Campaign Some experts believe Bitcoin’s decline as a payment method is more about regulations than technical limitations. Wayne Vaughan argues that tax laws and banking restrictions have made Bitcoin payments difficult. “The tax treatment of Bitcoin is a major barrier. Companies accepting Bitcoin faced significant accounting burdens, and banks have been incredibly hostile,” he said. Dave Weisberger agrees , saying that capital gains taxes make spending Bitcoin too expensive. “Every purchase effectively costs 24% more due to capital gains taxes,” he explained. Sam Jones added that a tax exemption for small Bitcoin transactions—similar to foreign currency rules—could encourage more spending. Some blame the Lightning Network for failing to deliver on its promise of cheap and fast transactions. Meanwhile, some argue Bitcoin’s primary role has shifted to being a store of value, similar to gold. Related: Veteran investor Breaks Down Bitcoin’s Bull Run: Miners, Investors, and What to Expect Next for the Price Even with regulatory fixes, some question whether Bitcoin payments will ever compete with traditional methods. Anders, a financial advisor, believes fiat remains the more convenient option. “People aren’t going to use Bitcoin if it creates a worse payment experience,” he said. Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. The article does not constitute financial advice or advice of any kind. Coin Edition is not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of the utilization of content, products, or services mentioned. Readers are advised to exercise caution before taking any action related to the company.

U.S. stock indexes rise over 1% intraday All three major U.S. stock indexes are trading over 1% higher intraday. The Nasdaq Composite leads with a 1.89% gain, while the S&P 500 is up 1.41% and the Dow Jones has risen 1.12%.

In recent developments, institutional investors are increasingly considering Ripple (XRP) as a strategic asset to diversify their cryptocurrency portfolios beyond Bitcoin (BTC). According to finance expert Linda P. Jones, author of 3 Steps to Quantum Wealth, XRP has outperformed Bitcoin by 212% since November 2023 and has surged approximately 250% against Ethereum in the same period. XRP’s price recently surged past $2.30 after a modest 0.86% increase in the last 24 hours, bringing its market capitalization to $134 billion. Meanwhile, Bitcoin held steady at around $83,000 after a 6.78% decline over the past week. “Institutions will diversify out of Bitcoin and Ethereum only and add XRP ETFs to their portfolio,” Jones stated, emphasizing the growing interest in XRP as a viable investment option. As highlighted by CNF , financial giants such as Franklin Templeton and 21Shares have filed for XRP Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) in the U.S. Currently, there are 15 proposed XRP ETFs, surpassing Bitcoin ETF filings, which stand at 11. This shift suggests that institutional investors are beginning to recognize XRP’s stability and growth potential, looking beyond traditional assets like Bitcoin. Bitcoin ETFs have recorded $35.4 billion in net inflows since receiving approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in January 2024, and analysts believe XRP ETFs could exceed this figure upon approval. “Requests for XRP ETFs are filed with the SEC because financial companies anticipate demand for them,” Jones added. Regulatory clarity has significantly boosted institutional confidence in XRP, especially following a recent closed-door meeting between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Ripple Labs, sparking speculation about a potential settlement in the long-standing lawsuit against Ripple. This meeting comes on the heels of the SEC’s decision to close investigations into other crypto-related lawsuits involving Uniswap, Robinhood, and Coinbase, signaling a potential shift in regulatory approach. A favorable resolution for Ripple could pave the way for broader adoption of XRP among institutions. Adding to this momentum, President Donald Trump announced the creation of a Crypto Strategic Reserve, positioning the United States as the “crypto capital of the world.” Initially set to include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA), the reserve later prioritized Bitcoin over other assets. Trump’s acknowledgment of XRP has further boosted its legitimacy, with Linda Jones highlighting its inclusion in the U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile solidifies its role as a financial asset. As institutions seek to mitigate risks associated with a Bitcoin-centric portfolio, XRP is positioned to play a larger role in financial markets as a facilitator for faster and cheaper cross-border payments with its consensus mechanism.

Markets, once electrified by the early enthusiasm surrounding U.S. President Trump’s tenure, have since taken a turn for the worse. Equity benchmarks succumbed to downward pressure Thursday afternoon as the S&P 500 tumbled into its most significant pullback in nearly two years. The New York Stock Exchange slipped nearly 1% during the day’s trading, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.3% and the Nasdaq 100 closed the session 1.9% weaker. Rounding out the day, the Russell 2000 fell by 1.62%. The crypto market saw a similar downturn, with the global market cap declining 2.13% to $2.63 trillion. Bitcoin (BTC) currently hovers just below the $81,000 mark at $80,988, retreating 2.7% against the U.S. dollar. Ethereum (ETH) stands at $1,861 per coin, marking a 1.8% drop by Thursday evening around 8:17 p.m. ET. At the time of writing, among the top ten cryptocurrencies, cardano (ADA) experienced the steepest decline today, falling 4.2%. Global crypto trade volume remains subdued, totaling $92.09 billion over the past 24 hours—a decline of nearly 12%. The primary catalyst behind today’s market downturn appeared to be Trump’s tariff policies. His latest threats have propelled gold to fresh highs, while capital floods into the Treasury market at an extraordinary pace. The U.S. dollar index (DXY) hovered near 103.5, maintaining stability after modest gains in the previous session. This steadiness reflects investor apprehension as global trade tensions intensify. With uncertainty pushing capital toward the dollar, gold, and Treasuries, a disciplined strategy—anchored in margin of safety—provides a rational framework amid financial turbulence. The week’s shift toward risk aversion illustrates the delicate balance between seizing opportunities and exercising caution. While tariff-related headlines inject short-term volatility, a value-driven approach cuts through the noise. Just as excessive valuations warrant restraint, undervaluation presents opportunities for conviction. This dual perspective cultivates resilience, transforming geopolitical uncertainty into strategic entry and exit points—demonstrating that discipline, rather than emotion, guides lasting success in volatile markets. Put simply, major market players and large-scale whales thrive in this environment. 免责声明：本文章仅代表作者个人观点，不代表本平台的立场和观点。本文章仅供信息分享，不构成对任何人的任何投资建议。用户与作者之间的任何争议，与本平台无关。如网页中刊载的文章或图片涉及侵权，请提供相关的权利证明和身份证明发送邮件到support@aicoin.com，本平台相关工作人员将会进行核查。

Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies rallied after the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve bill. The bill, known as the Bitcoin Act of 2025, was presented by Rep. Nick Begich (R-AK) to establish a reserve without using taxpayer funding. Notably, Senator Cynthia Lummis also reintroduced the “BITCOIN Act” on Tuesday, which now features more cosponsors from the Senate than before. Following the news, Bitcoin surged 7.69% to $82,733.64, briefly crossing the $83,000 mark. It is now trading at $82,316, a 2.5% rise in the past day. The announcement also pushed Bitcoin’s market dominance to 61.3%, its highest level in a year. In parallel, Ethereum rose 5.57% to $1,910.35, rebounding from below $1,800. XRP is now trading at $2.22, up 5% today after initially dipping to $1.92. Dogecoin also climbed 10.04% to $0.1652. Meanwhile, several less prominent altcoins also posted strong gains during the period. Kaspa shot up 27.07% to $0.4805, while Bittensor and Celestia jumped 20.60% and 19.59%, respectively. Related: Recession Fears Spark Market Sell-Off; Bitcoin Plunges Anew The sudden recovery triggered $265 million in short liquidations, forcing bearish traders to exit positions. Bitcoin’s Open Interest has increased by 0.48% in the past day, signaling renewed investor interest. Futures traders now turned more bullish, with 51% holding long positions. In addition, the Crypto Fear & Greed Index also improved, moving from “Extreme Fear” to “Fear.” Despite the rebound, analysts warn that Bitcoin still faces a key resistance zone. Crypto strategist Michaël van de Poppe stated that Bitcoin must surpass $83,500 to sustain its rally. If it does, he predicts a swift move toward $88,000-$92,000 in the short term. On-chain data from CryptoQuant shows strong buying pressure, with whales accumulating more than 65,000 BTC over the past 30 days. This pattern resembles the accumulation phase between November and December, which preceded Bitcoin’s previous major rally. Related: Bitwise Bets on Corporate Bitcoin: New ETF Provides Indirect Access to Cryptocurrency’s Institutional Adoption Meanwhile, the broader financial market remained under pressure, with U.S. stock indices closing lower for the second consecutive day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.14%, while the S&P 500 fell 0.75%. Market participants are now awaiting February’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, set for release Wednesday, to assess inflation trends and the Federal Reserve’s potential response. Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. The article does not constitute financial advice or advice of any kind. Coin Edition is not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of the utilization of content, products, or services mentioned. Readers are advised to exercise caution before taking any action related to the company.