alternative

As the US dollar stablecoin continues to dominate the on-chain payment market, Europe is accelerating the development of a digital currency system that reflects its own regulatory framework, monetary sovereignty, and privacy standards, gradually forming two parallel paths: "digital euro + private euro stablecoin." Among them, the European Central Bank is prioritizing privacy protection as an important design focus for the digital euro. Piero Cipollone, a member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank, stated that the digital euro will provide the highest possible level of privacy under current technological conditions, with offline payments visible only to the payer and payee; in online transactions, the euro system cannot directly identify specific individuals, but banks can still obtain the information required for anti-money laundering.At the same time, private institutions have taken the lead in promoting euro stablecoins. Revolut has begun rolling out EURR to some users in Denmark, Poland, and Portugal, with plans to expand to the entire European Economic Area in the future. EURR operates on Ethereum and is issued by Bridge Building, a subsidiary of Stripe, aiming to maintain a stable value against 1 euro. Forbes points out that the digital euro and EURR are not simply in a substitutive relationship: the former is a public currency issued by the central bank, while the latter is a privately issued on-chain stablecoin. The European digital currency market is developing along these two models simultaneously, with competition focusing on privacy, usability, regulatory clarity, and actual economic value.

P Equity Research and SemiAnalysis researcher Nick Doyle and others discussed high bandwidth flash (HBF) in X Space. Nick stated that it is still too early to determine how much the cost premium of HBF relative to HBM can shrink; existing data mostly comes from vendor claims, such as Sandisk stating that the cost per bit is about one-eighth that of HBM. Yields, testing, and other factors will improve with scale, but structural costs such as TSV, stacking, and pSLC mode will always exist, and durability is a key unknown; if wear exceeds expectations, costs will rise.The application scenarios for HBF are narrow, targeting only AI inference, especially low batch and long context MoE models, and it is not a substitute for HBM. The actual bandwidth target is about 1.6 TB/s, which is at the HBM3E level, suitable for sequential reads to load model weights, more aligned with the capacity needs of a small number of GPUs in local or private enterprises, rather than ultra-large-scale bandwidth scenarios. Heat dissipation reliability has not yet been resolved; flash memory will degrade faster at high temperatures next to GPUs, and mitigation measures such as UCIe separation and daily refresh have yet to be validated.In terms of manufacturing, Sandisk/Kioxia has experience with 3D NAND, and SK Hynix complements HBM-style stacking capabilities, but mass production is still to be confirmed. Overall, storage is shifting towards a specialized layered market, with NAND shortages expected to continue until 2028, and HBF may further impact supply and demand.

Ripple officially announced that Jeonbuk Bank has become the first local bank in South Korea to deploy Ripple Payments, providing its corporate clients with near real-time, 24/7 cross-border settlement services to replace the time-consuming SWIFT transfers. This collaboration will help the bank enhance its cross-border payment efficiency and service capabilities.This is Ripple's third partnership in South Korea this year, having previously collaborated with Kyobo Life Insurance and Kbank on custody, wallet infrastructure, and payment services. Several leading financial institutions in South Korea are continuing to advance cooperation with Ripple in the fields of payments and related infrastructure.

Grayscale Research Director Zach Pandl stated that the global alternative asset market has grown nearly 7 times since the 2008 financial crisis, with the share of private equity, private credit, hedge funds, physical assets, and cryptocurrency in global portfolios continuing to rise. According to the data he cited, within alternative assets, private equity accounts for about 29%, hedge funds about 23%, and cryptocurrency about 13%.Zach Pandl mentioned that differences in intergenerational allocation preferences may further strengthen this trend. According to a Bank of America survey of high-net-worth individuals, investors aged 21 to 43 allocate about 53% of their assets outside of traditional stocks and bonds, while the proportion for those aged 44 and above is 26%. With over $100 trillion in wealth expected to transfer to younger generations in the coming years, their stronger preference for alternative assets may provide ongoing tailwinds for cryptocurrency.He added that the lowering of entry barriers to alternative assets is one of the reasons for this shift, with cryptocurrency developing along similar paths; regulated products like Bitcoin ETPs and institutional-grade market infrastructure provide more convenient access to exposure.

According to Jinshi reports, senior Iranian sources indicate that Iran is unlikely to accept any alternative solutions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Jinshi reports, Russia stated on Monday that it is strengthening the protection of vessels in the Sea of Azov - Black Sea region while developing alternative shipping routes.Due to hostile drone attacks on maritime vessels leading to heightened tensions in the Sea of Azov, Russia has established a special working group to study new transportation routes and will shift some cargo to other transportation methods.The Russian Ministry of Transport stated that it will implement additional measures in conjunction with the Ministry of Defense to ensure navigation safety and protect commercial vessels in the Sea of Azov - Black Sea area.

According to Jinshi reports, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that the company is evaluating all options regarding memory supply to find alternative component suppliers.

According to The Block, the mGLOBAL security token launched by Midas has been integrated into the Aave institutional lending market Aave Horizon, allowing holders to use mGLOBAL as collateral to borrow USDC while retaining full exposure to the underlying assets.mGLOBAL tracks the Global Diversified Alternative Debt short-duration private credit portfolio managed by Fasanara Capital, which includes trade receivables and digital invoices among its underlying assets. mGLOBAL is issued by a bankruptcy-remote entity under a Luxembourg asset securitization vehicle, with net asset value calculated monthly by JTC Luxembourg.Redemption is achieved through Midas's Open Liquidity Architecture, combining 10% internal liquidity on Aave, credit lines, and OTC networks, enabling atomic redemption and destruction without the need to reserve large amounts of idle cash.

According to Business Insider, the blockchain venture capital firm BlockBooster announced the launch of its first fund, BlockBooster Digital Venture Fund I, on May 15, with a scale of $50 million. The fund focuses on four major tracks: AI infrastructure, on-chain transaction ecosystems, on-chain asset management, and tokenization of real-world assets (RWA), marking the company's formal entry into the digital economy as a comprehensive alternative asset manager.

According to Bitcoin.com, Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor recently published an article explaining the low volatility positioning of STRC as a Bitcoin-related investment tool.STRC is Strategy's perpetual preferred stock, with an annual dividend yield of 11.5%, paid in cash monthly, and the dividend rate is adjusted monthly to encourage trading close to the $100 par value and reduce price volatility. Saylor stated that STRC is a credit product designed for income, stability, liquidity, and principal protection, backed by the company's Bitcoin and USD assets, with a preferred stock structure that is more scalable and durable than debt.Strategy proposed to change the STRC dividend payment frequency from once a month to twice a month (on the 15th and at the end of the month), with the total annual dividend remaining unchanged, aimed at stabilizing the price, suppressing cyclicality, and enhancing liquidity. Saylor used a metaphor to distinguish the three: STRC is a passenger plane, BTC is a fighter jet, and MSTR is a rocket ship. Strategy currently holds 818,334 Bitcoins, accounting for about 3.9% of the total supply of 21 million. STRC has reached a scale of $8.5 billion within nine months.

The dominance of the US dollar has always been a topic of concern, but Franklin Templeton believes that the dollar will remain the preferred currency. The Chief Investment Officer of the company's fixed income department, Sonal Desai, wrote in a report that the dollar's status is supported by three main pillars: the size of the world's largest economy, the depth of the market, and its institutional credibility.Sonal Desai pointed out that there are currently no reliable alternative assets, and it will take decades to establish the institutional infrastructure needed to support such a currency. The debate over the dollar's dominance has intensified, as Trump's erratic trade, geopolitical, and fiscal policies have weakened the appeal of US assets. Some analysts believe that the euro and gold are likely to become preferred reserve assets.

Strategy's preferred stock STRC landed on the UK trading platform Trading 212 on March 30, with an annualized yield of approximately 11.5%. However, UK investors holding STRC directly may face significant tax pressure. In the US, STRC's monthly dividends are classified as Return of Capital (ROC) and are not taxable; however, UK brokers typically classify them as foreign dividends, subject to income tax at the marginal dividend tax rate, with the basic rate taxpayer rate at 8.75% and high earners up to 39.35%. Additionally, capital gains tax (CGT) must be paid upon sale, resulting in an estimated actual net yield of only about 10%.Crypto analyst James Van Straten suggests that UK investors consider the 21Shares Strategy Yield ETP listed on the European exchanges in Amsterdam and Paris instead. This product has a zero management fee, employs an accumulating structure, and automatically reinvests earnings rather than distributing cash. Upon sale, it typically only incurs CGT, with no income tax burden, providing significantly better tax efficiency.

Amy Oldenburg, the head of digital asset strategy at Morgan Stanley, stated that Wall Street's push into crypto is not driven by FOMO, but rather the result of years of internal work on modernizing financial infrastructure.She pointed out that Morgan Stanley is expanding its digital asset strategy into areas such as trading, asset management, and infrastructure. Previously, the bank's related business mainly focused on providing high-net-worth clients with exposure to Bitcoin funds and offering spot Bitcoin ETFs on its E*Trade platform, while recently it has submitted an application to launch its own spot Bitcoin ETF.Amy Oldenburg revealed that Morgan Stanley plans to support tokenized stock trading in its alternative trading system in the second half of 2026, a platform that currently handles stocks, ETFs, and American Depositary Receipts.She also emphasized that upgrading decades-old core banking systems, enhancing system connectivity, and coordinating progress within the global financial network remain major challenges, despite the rising attention on tools like stablecoins and the ongoing accumulation of institutional crypto activities.

The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister stated that Iran is prepared to abandon its nuclear program, provided that the United States offers a satisfactory alternative.

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) of South Korea has changed its stance and supports the Bank of Korea (BOK)'s proposal for stablecoin regulation. The proposal requires that stablecoins must be issued by a bank-led consortium, with banks collectively holding more than 50% to maintain control. Although technology companies can become the single largest shareholder, their shareholding must still be below the overall bank shareholding.However, this plan faces opposition in the National Assembly from lawmakers such as those from the ruling Democratic Party, highlighting the divisions between the ruling party, financial regulators, and the central bank. The proposal also imposes stricter requirements on cryptocurrency exchanges, including higher IT stability standards, mandatory compensation for hacker losses, and fines of up to 10% of annual revenue.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) latest report "Understanding Stablecoins" shows that dollar-dominated stablecoins are rapidly penetrating emerging markets and developing economies, potentially undermining central banks' control over domestic liquidity and interest rates.The report points out that stablecoins can quickly enter the market through mobile phones and the internet, especially in the presence of unhosted wallets, making it easier to cause "currency substitution," weakening the use of local currency and affecting the transmission of central bank monetary policy and seigniorage revenue. The IMF recommends that countries establish legal frameworks to prevent stablecoins from gaining "legal tender" or "official currency" status, thereby safeguarding financial sovereignty. Currently, 97% of the total market value of stablecoins is pegged to the dollar, with only a small proportion related to the euro or yen. The report also emphasizes that the usage of stablecoins in cross-border payments and in countries with high inflation has significantly increased, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.

According to Jinshi, the White House is preparing alternative tariff plans before the court ruling.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the German parliament plans to review a motion "urging the government to recognize Bitcoin as a unique decentralized digital asset that should be treated with strategic measures."Germany's main opposition party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD), submitted a formal motion to the Bundestag opposing excessive regulation of Bitcoin. The motion points out that Bitcoin is fundamentally different from other crypto assets and should not be included under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). The motion states that excessive regulation of Bitcoin stakeholders when implementing MiCA in various countries would jeopardize Germany's innovative capacity, financial freedom, and digital sovereignty.The party also calls attention to the trend of Bitcoin as a national strategic reserve asset, criticizing the German government for not recognizing Bitcoin from a strategic perspective. Additionally, it advocates for maintaining the current 12-month tax-free holding period, retaining the value-added tax exemption policy, and safeguarding individual self-custody rights. This motion makes Germany another country within the EU calling for the exploration of national Bitcoin reserves and the relaxation of MiCA regulations.