Ukraine proposes a bill to include Bitcoin in state reserves, modernizing its financial system.
Circle launches USDC on World, expanding stablecoin accessibility and utility.
UAE introduces sandbox for tokenized machine economy projects, driving innovation in DePINs.
The global cryptocurrency market shows a mixed reaction, with key developments unfolding in Ukraine, US and UAE. While Ukraine proposes Bitcoin reserves, Circle launches USDC on World, and the UAE introduces a sandbox for tokenized machine economy projects, driving innovation and adoption. Take a look at these exciting crypto market updates.
Ukrainian lawmakers have proposed a draft bill to the Verkhovna Rada that may permit the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) to include cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, in the country's state reserves. The bill, referred to as 13356, proposes amendments to the current legislation governing the National Bank of Ukraine to officially introduce crypto assets as part of the traditional reserve, alongside gold, foreign currencies, and other assets.
The bill, announced in parliament by Member Yaroslav Zhelezniak via Telegram, would give the NBU complete freedom to decide whether, when, and how much cryptocurrency to allocate as a reserve. He said, “How, when, and how much should be the decision of the regulator itself.” This proposal aims to modernize Ukraine's financial system and align it with global trends in a digital economy, which may promote macroeconomic stability and facilitate the digitalization of the Ukrainian economy.
Zhelezniak pointed out that the measure does not compel the central bank to buy crypto but raises the possibility as international interest in state crypto reserves increases. Notably, the bill was developed in collaboration with Binance's regional leadership and legal experts from the Juscutum firm, indicating a cross-sector partnership.
Stablecoin issuer Circle announced the launch of its USDC token on World, the crypto project supported by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. This integration follows Circle’s recent successful initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange, which saw its shares surge by nearly 200% on the first day of trading.
World has rapidly grown its user base to over 27 million across more than 160 countries. With this launch, nearly two million World App wallet users now hold native USDC, replacing previously bridged versions. Circle also rolled out its Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol V2 (CCTP V2) on the World blockchain. This upgrade is expected to make USDC transfers between supported chains faster and more cost-effective, according to company statements.
World continues to expand its footprint in the United States, debuting in cities such as Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco. The platform uses iris scans to verify users and issues WLD tokens as rewards. With backing from venture firms like Andreessen Horowitz and plans for a Visa card supporting crypto payments, World’s ecosystem is set to broaden further.
Also Read: Bitcoin Surge: Is the Next Big Crypto IPO Just Around the Corner?
Blockchain peaq Layer-1, in partnership with Pulsar Group, has established a sandbox in the United Arab Emirates to develop the machine economy using blockchain and artificial intelligence. This “Machine Economy Free Zone” in Dubai will be a controlled area where developers, businesses, and government stakeholders can build and test decentralized machine economy applications, such as decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePINs).
Max Thake, co-founder of peaq, described the initiative as a human-centric economy where autonomous robots and devices can earn, trade, and distribute value. Pilot projects in the UAE include air quality monitoring using wearables, hyperlocal weather forecasting, and a virtual power plant that leverages community-owned devices.
Tokenization is a core focus, where new ownership models could be implemented, and revenue sharing can be conducted in relation to the activities of the machines. The sandbox will help scale these innovations, and Dubai is already a global leader in utilizing blockchain-based real-world asset tokenization. According to projections from the World Economic Forum, with the rapid development of AI and distributed technology, the DePIN market may reach up to 3.5 trillion US dollars by 2028.