Congress inches closer to a crypto regulatory breakthrough, with new momentum behind the GENIUS and CLARITY Acts (1:02). We also have updates on a harrowing Bitcoin-related kidnapping in Manhattan (2:37), Stripe’s latest crypto acquisition (4:03), and Connecticut’s move to ban government involvement in digital assets (5:35).

This is your essential update on the forces shaping what’s next in money.

More on stories and articles mentioned or referenced in this episode:

Landmark Crypto Bill Moves Closer to Passage in Senate. Jasper Goodman. Politico.

https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/06/11/congress/landmark-crypto-bill-moves-closer-to-passage-in-senate-00400472

2 House Panels Advance Crypto Market Structure Bill. Julia Shapero. The Hill.

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5344328-house-panel-advances-crypto-oversight/

Photos Show Accuser in NYC Crypto Kidnapping Leaving House Freely, Defense Lawyers Say. Philip Marcelo. Associated Press.

https://apnews.com/article/manhattan-crypto-kidnapping-torture-bitcoin-suspect-indicted-7e76c69217ba9f56973dbfaa33a01af2

Stripe Acquires Crypto Wallet Infrastructure Provider Privy. Duncan Riley. SiliconANGLE.

https://siliconangle.com/2025/06/11/stripe-acquires-crypto-wallet-infrastructure-provider-privy/

Connecticut Enacts Law Banning State Crypto Reserves, Investments. Timmy Shen. The Block.

https://www.theblock.co/post/357704/connecticut-bans-state-crypto-investments

The music in this episode was composed by Liborio Conti, and you can find more of his fantastic work at his YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/liborioconti

Société Générale is preparing to launch a US dollar-backed stablecoin (0:57), Bullish is heading for a U.S. IPO (2:26), and a new court filing reveals Donald Trump offloaded part of his stake in a DeFi venture (3:55). Plus, former La Liga stars face fraud allegations over a defunct NFT platform (5:29).

This is your essential update on the forces shaping what’s next in money.

More on stories and articles mentioned or referenced in this episode:

France’s Société Générale Launches USD Stablecoin. Wesley Grant. Payments Journal.

https://www.paymentsjournal.com/frances-societe-generale-launches-usd-stablecoin

Peter Thiel-Backed Crypto Group Bullish Files for Wall Street IPO. Antoine Gara, Oliver Barnes, and George Steer. Financial Times (subscription required).

https://www.ft.com/content/1f0442f9-48f5-4fe3-890b-9acbb7057d2f

Trump Secretly Sold Stake in Crypto Venture, Document Suggests. Dan Alexander. Forbes.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2025/06/10/trump-secretly-sold-stake-in-crypto-venture-document-suggests/

Two Ex-Barcelona Stars Amongst Players Accused of Fraud in Cryptocurrency Case. Ruairidh Barlow. Football España.

https://www.football-espana.net/2025/06/10/two-ex-barcelona-stars-amongst-players-accused-of-fraud-in-cryptocurrency-case

The music in this episode was composed by Liborio Conti, and you can find more of his fantastic work at his YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/liborioconti

A top Chinese political adviser spends millions on Trump’s meme coin and gains access to a private dinner with the president (0:59). A Russian national is charged with laundering $530 million for sanctioned banks using stablecoins (2:32). Tech libertarians are building crypto-friendly jurisdictions on tribal and offshore lands (4:03). And in Nairobi’s Kibera neighborhood, Bitcoin is becoming a grassroots alternative to mobile money (6:03).

This is your essential update on the forces shaping what’s next in money.

More on stories and articles mentioned or referenced in this episode:

Buyer With Ties to Chinese Communist Party Got V.I.P. Treatment at Trump Crypto Dinner. Eric Lipton, David Yaffe-Bellany, Michael Forsythe, Devon Lum, and Jiawei Wang. New York Times (free registration required, soft paywall).

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/06/us/politics/trump-crypto-dinner-china-he-tianying.html

Crypto CEO Accused of Laundering $500 Million Linked to Sanctioned Russian Banks. MacKenzie Sigalos. CNBC.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/09/crypto-russia-laundering.html

Tech Moguls Want to Build a Crypto Paradise on a Native American Reservation. Kiera Butler. Mother Jones.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/06/tech-crypto-native-american-musk-balaji-network-state/

Bitcoin Is Introduced into Africa's Largest Slum, with Risks and Rewards. Jack Denton and Moses Ndungu. Associated Press.

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/International/wireStory/bitcoin-introduced-africas-largest-slum-risks-rewards-122644458

The music in this episode was composed by Liborio Conti, and you can find more of his fantastic work at his YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/liborioconti