The five biggest trends
Stablecoins go mainstream where laws allow, led by the US GENIUS Act and the EU’s MiCA—while some countries still ban crypto for betting payments.
DeFi betting protocols move from niche to usable: peer-to-peer exchanges and AMM-style sports markets are live today.
“Provably fair” and oracle-secured settlement become standard talking points, not buzzwords.
Faster rails shape product design: Bitcoin Lightning…
Global snapshot for 2025
Crypto use in gambling is governed by gambling regulators, payments law, and broader crypto frameworks. The EU’s MiCA now fully applies to stablecoins and to crypto-asset service providers, shaping how EU operators and payment partners approach tokens and custody. Stablecoin “travel rule” guidance also applies to crypto transfers.
In the United States, a new federal stablecoin law—the GENIUS…
Casinos are testing NFTs for loyalty, but adoption is uneven. One large real-world deployment is Station Casinos’ STN Charms in Las Vegas, which turns on-floor play into collectible, tradable “charms.” Meanwhile, high-profile brands like Starbucks and DraftKings shuttered their NFT efforts, highlighting regulatory and product-market-fit risk. Payments and loyalty giants (e.g., Visa) are shipping Web3 loyalty toolkits, so enterprise-grade tech…
1) The new AI ad stack
Google: Performance Max & AI Max for SearchGoogle’s AI now optimizes bidding, budgets, audiences, creative and attribution across channels in one campaign. New 2025 features add more controls and reporting, but the system remains largely automation-first. Expect better scale; trade some transparency.
Meta: Advantage+ automationMeta’s Advantage+ suites automate placements and targeting, with fewer manual levers…
Overview: why prediction markets matter now
In 2025, three headlines changed the conversation in the US: Polymarket announced a $112M purchase of a CFTC-licensed exchange/clearinghouse (QCEX), positioning for a regulated US on-ramp; the CFTC affirmed Kalshi’s status by modifying its DCM order and courts weighed in on state-level challenges; and PredictIt won a federal case vacating the CFTC’s attempted shutdown, clearing…
Overview: what changed in 2025
Crypto-facing gambling is moving into tighter compliance worldwide. In the UK, the Gambling Commission brought new remote technical standards and is piloting deeper financial risk checks; in the EU, MiCA’s stablecoin rules are live; Curaçao’s full online regime (LOK) switched on; Ontario reiterates that cryptocurrency is not legal tender for regulated sites; and Australia’s ACMA continues…
1) Regulated on-chain sportsbooks and prediction markets
Betting is moving on-chain, and regulators are starting to license the pioneers. BetDEX became the first fully licensed blockchain sports-betting exchange under the Isle of Man GSC, signaling that compliant Web3 sportsbooks are viable.
Prediction markets are also stepping into compliance: Polymarket acquired CFTC-licensed exchange and clearinghouse QCEX for $112 million, positioning for regulated…
A wave of 2025 state bills would let agencies accept cryptocurrency for taxes and fees. Where programs already exist (Colorado, Utah), payments run through a processor like PayPal that converts your crypto to dollars instantly and adds a service fee—so the state never holds crypto. Early adoption has been tiny, but more jurisdictions are exploring similar setups.
What the new bills…
What counts as a “crypto exchange” in the U.S.?
If a business exchanges, transfers, or administers crypto for others, it is generally a money services business (MSB) and must register with FinCEN and implement AML programs, including the Recordkeeping/“Travel Rule” for certain transfers. Peer-to-peer “exchangers” are also covered when they transmit value for others.
Key AML pieces you’ll see in onboarding…
Fundraising isn’t one thing; it spans institutional capital formation, community grants, and charitable giving. In 2024–2025, three shifts made blockchain funding practical at scale: (1) real institutional products like tokenized money-market funds, (2) clearer rulebooks and sandboxes that let regulated players issue and settle digital securities, and (3) maturing crypto-philanthropy and public-goods mechanisms that prove out transparency and global reach.…
Despite real progress in trading, remittances experiments, and on-chain finance, cryptocurrency still struggles to penetrate several high-value, real-world payment niches. Data from central banks and industry bodies shows crypto’s share of day-to-day payments remains tiny in developed markets, stablecoins are used largely inside the crypto ecosystem, and compliance frictions persist across borders. This guide maps the major “not-yet-occupied” niches, explains…
Why Beijing calls blockchain “strategic” infrastructure
In an October 2019 speech, President Xi urged accelerated blockchain R&D and real-world deployment for the digital economy and governance. That endorsement moved blockchain from niche to national priority.
Key implication: in China, blockchain is framed as a state-aligned “top-level system” for data trust and coordination across government and industry, not as a pathway to…
Crypto crime hasn’t slowed down. By mid-2025, thieves had already stolen over $2.17B from crypto services—worse than all of 2024—with a single exchange hack accounting for the majority. That backdrop makes disciplined due diligence non-negotiable.
The 30-second sniff test (fail fast)
Guaranteed returns, “risk-free,” or urgent “act now” pitches. Classic fraud red flags called out by U.S. regulators.
Celebrity or influencer shilling…
Bank blockchain isn’t a hype cycle anymore. In 2024–2025 we’ve seen production-grade rails for tokenized cash, collateral, and funds, alongside CBDC pilots for wholesale settlement and cross-border payments. Central banks, market infrastructures, and the world’s largest asset managers are converging on the same thesis: tokenized money + tokenized assets on shared ledgers reduce settlement frictions and unlock new products.
The strategic…
If you want the lowest typical FX markup, start with Wise (mid-market rate; conversion fee shown upfront). For a feature-packed super-app, choose Revolut. PayPal is everywhere but conversion fees can apply. Skrill suits gaming/online payments with 40+ currencies. For self-custody crypto, pick Trust Wallet (huge multi-chain support) or Crypto.com Onchain Wallet (non-custodial with DeFi tools). Ratings and currency counts are…