Lending

Lending protocols form the backbone of the decentralized money market, allowing users to lend or borrow digital assets without intermediaries. Using smart contracts, platforms like Aave and Morpho automate interest rates based on supply and demand while requiring over-collateralization for security. The 2026 lending landscape features advanced permissionless vaults and institutional-grade credit lines. This tag covers the evolution of capital efficiency, liquidations, and the integration of diverse collateral types, including LSTs and tokenized RWAs.

14383 Articles
Created: 2026/02/02 18:52
Updated: 2026/02/02 18:52
Best Altcoins to Buy Today: Top Choices for 20x Gains

Best Altcoins to Buy Today: Top Choices for 20x Gains

As the cryptocurrency market is currently at a critical juncture of renewed energy, everyone is looking to altcoins with high-growth potential. Mutuum Finance (MUTM) and Cardano (ADA) are the best bets as top choices. With its decentralized lending revolution and risk-optimized DeFi investment products, Mutuum Finance is quickly becoming one of the go-to options for […]

Author: Cryptopolitan
Nasdaq Welcomes FIGR, $787M IPO Draws Heavy Investor Demand

Nasdaq Welcomes FIGR, $787M IPO Draws Heavy Investor Demand

TLDR: FIGR IPO raised $787M, upsizing to 35.8M shares priced $20–22 each. Valuation climbed to $4.66B, well above initial $4.1B goal. Figure turned $29M profit in first half of 2025 after last year’s $13M loss. Circle’s IPO helped boost demand for crypto‑related public offerings. Crypto investors have a new stock to watch. Figure Technologies launched [...] The post Nasdaq Welcomes FIGR, $787M IPO Draws Heavy Investor Demand appeared first on Blockonomi.

Author: Blockonomi
Can XYZVerse Outshine SHIB and PEPE? Analysts Eye 50x Surge From Presale Price

Can XYZVerse Outshine SHIB and PEPE? Analysts Eye 50x Surge From Presale Price

A new meme token, XYZVerse, is drawing attention as it enters the market. Big names like SHIB and PEPE have led the game so far, but fresh predictions suggest XYZVerse could soon steal the spotlight. With talk of a possible 50x jump from its presale, the stage is set for a new face in the meme coin race. $XYZ Unlocks the G.O.A.T. Status, Early Investors Positioned for Massive ROI XYZVerse ($XYZ) has brought a brand-new concept to the memecoin niche by blending the excitement of sports with the fast-moving energy of crypto. Designed for hardcore fans of football, basketball, MMA, and esports, this project goes beyond just being another token—it’s a growing community built around passion for the game. With the bold Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T.) vision, XYZVerse is aiming higher than the average meme coin. And people are taking notice—it has recently earned the title of Best New Meme Project. What sets $XYZ apart? It’s not a short-lived trend. This project has a clear roadmap and a dedicated community focused on long-term growth. Fueled by the sports mentality, the $XYZ token has emerged as the ultimate contender ready to crush competitors. $XYZ is on its way to the winner's podium to become a badge of honor for those who live and breathe sports and crypto. $XYZ Already Delivers Even Before Hitting the Market The $XYZ presale is underway, providing access to the token at a special pre-listing price. Launch Price: $0.0001 Price Now: $0.005 Next Stage: $0.01 Final Presale Price: $0.02 Following the presale, the $XYZ token will be listed on major centralized and decentralized exchanges, with a target listing price of $0.10. If the project raises enough capital to support this valuation, early investors could see returns of up to 1,000x on their presale entries. So far, over $15 million has been invested, reflecting strong market interest. Notably, securing tokens at a lower presale price offers the potential for higher ROI upon launch. Demand for $XYZ is surging, driving rapid progress in the presale. Early buyers secure the lowest prices, maximizing their potential returns. Join $XYZ Presale Now and See Your Pennies Grow Into Millions! From Meme to Mainstream: Why Shiba Inu Could Lead the Next Crypto Buzz Shiba Inu, or SHIB, began in 2020 as a playful answer to Dogecoin. Its creator, known only as Ryoshi, minted one quadrillion coins and sent half to Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin. He gave a large share to India’s Covid Relief Fund and erased (“burned”) 40% of all SHIB, turning a joke into headline news. Because SHIB runs on Ethereum, it can plug into many apps that Dogecoin cannot touch. That link to Ethereum is SHIB’s edge in today’s market. Holders already trade on ShibaSwap, and a planned art market for digital collectibles could widen use even more. A community voting system is also on the way, letting fans steer the project. Memecoins often shine when the wider crypto scene calms down, and recent buzz shows traders still chase bold stories. SHIB stays cheap per coin, yet its big fan base and growing tool set keep it in the spotlight. PEPE Frenzy: The Frog Meme Coin Hopping Toward Crypto Fame PEPE sprang from the grinning face of Pepe the Frog, Matt Furie’s famous meme. Built on Ethereum, it burns tokens over time, so supply shrinks. The team set no taxes and no grand promises, keeping the token a pure joke turned market craze. In late April 2023 it rocketed, touching a $1.6 billion value and making early buyers rich overnight. That blast kicked off a fresh memecoin season, where coins appear, pump, and vanish in hours. Now traders eye the next chapter. Phase one of the roadmap is done with listings and viral tweets. Phase two brings more exchanges, while phase three targets top-tier platforms and a full “meme takeover.” Compared with Dogecoin or Shiba Inu, PEPE offers no utility yet, but its deflation and zero-tax stance draw thrill seekers hunting quick moves. The coming Bitcoin halving often sparks wider rallies; if that pattern holds, fresh money could flow into high-risk meme plays. PEPE remains a wild card, yet its buzzing community and simple call—“buy the frog”—keep it center stage. Conclusion SHIB and PEPE stay good, yet the bull run 2025 favors XYZVerse. The first all-sport memecoin targets 20,000% growth, blending sports passion, memes, and community power. You can find more information about XYZVerse (XYZ) here: https://xyzverse.io/, https://t.me/xyzverse, https://x.com/xyz_verse   Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.  

Author: Coinstats
Morpho Labs Partners with Lit Protocol to Unlock DeFi Lending Powered by Secure Agentic AI Execution

Morpho Labs Partners with Lit Protocol to Unlock DeFi Lending Powered by Secure Agentic AI Execution

By using its collaboration with Lit Protocol. Morpho is enhancing its capital efficiency and yield capabilities for lending across major protocols.

Author: Blockchainreporter
Bitcoin Hyper Presale Explodes with $15M Raise as SEC’s Atkins Unveils Pro-Market Crypto Revolution!

Bitcoin Hyper Presale Explodes with $15M Raise as SEC’s Atkins Unveils Pro-Market Crypto Revolution!

In his latest keynote speech at the OECD in Paris, SEC Chair Paul Atkins reassured that ‘most crypto tokens are not securities,’ and that the agency continues to work on market guidelines. Atkins emphasized that his focus is on changing the regulations for digital assets and on-chain capital in the US, while providing more clarity for investors and minimizing legal uncertainty for entrepreneurs. He also urged the SEC to end selective enforcement (which has been arguably bad for the industry) and promised growth-oriented regulatory rules in the future. Finally, Atkins mentioned the development of a Super app and an integrated blockchain vision that could validate all-in-one crypto projects. Atkins’ speech increased the positive outlook on digital assets, contributing to a surge in Bitcoin’s price. The crypto king is now trading at $114,233, with the 24-hour trading volume up by 18%. Atkins’ address has also heightened investor appetite for tokens pioneering Bitcoin’s scalability, with Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) already raising $15M in one of the best presales of 2025. Paul Atkins Unveils Game-Changing Crypto Regulatory Vision Atkins emphasized the importance of bringing more clarity and legal certainty to on-chain capital raising, which would require the SEC to ensure transparency and consistency in rules. One of the highlights of the address was ‘Project Crypto,’ a framework designed to modernize regulation, enabling platforms to offer trading, lending, and staking services under a single license. This alone could lead to the creation of crypto ‘super-apps,’ bringing various cryptocurrency services under one interface. He then applauded Europe’s early adoption of the MiCA framework, emphasizing the transformative potential of AI and blockchain integration—a next-generation solution that could lower costs and expand access to advanced trading tools. The new policy is a welcomed shift from aggressive enforcement to a more flexible and innovative approach, establishing the U.S. as a global leader in the cryptocurrency landscape. Atkins’ Crypto Shake-Up—Here’s How Investors Stand to Win With Atkins clearing the air for new crypto policies, investors and users stand to benefit the most. Project and regulatory clarity are major catalysts for token growth, crypto fundraising, and integrated financial applications in the U.S., and also help eliminate legal uncertainties that act as obstacles for proper growth. The Clarity Act and SEC-CFTC cooperation agreement is already a step in the right direction. Besides, Atkins’ policy shift would make crypto markets more accessible, transparent, and safe for retail investors. And best of all, we could get new crypto ETFs (like Rex-Osprey’s new lineup) and hybrid portfolios (Bitcoin/gold), which let you diversify without navigating unregulated platforms. As regulatory clarity reduces uncertainty, it will encourage more whale and retail investors to move capital into promising Layer-2 projects, such as Bitcoin Hyper. SEC’s Atkins Sparks Market Optimism—Is Bitcoin Hyper the Next Big Thing In Crypto? Built on a Bitcoin Layer 2 via the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) and the Canonical Bridge, Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) enables ultra-fast and low-cost contract execution without compromising Bitcoin’s unmatched security. The industry will finally have dApps, smart contracts, and modern DeFi features on Bitcoin’s ageing chain! The token will support lending, borrowing, and liquidity farming on partner platforms, with optional token burns that boost scarcity and long-term value. $HYPER’s presale launched at $0.0115 per token, with prices increasing every 3 days. With a planned listing price of $0.012975, early presale buyers stand to benefit significantly. The presale has raised over $15M so far, and you can participate while it is still in its early phases and before broader market recognition drives the value higher. With a fixed supply of 21B tokens, $HYPER has reserved 15% for rewards, including staking incentives, activated immediately after the TGE. Bitcoin Hyper’s staking program offers a compelling 74% APY, providing early holders with attractive rewards alongside price appreciation. Additionally, 30% of the total tokens are allocated to Layer 2 development, reflecting the project’s strong commitment to scaling and developing new decentralized applications (dApps). Not to mention, the recent whale buys of $161.3K and $100.6K show big-money confidence and strong growth potential. Analysts expect $HYPER to reach $0.02595 by 2025 and as high as $0.253 by 2030, offering holders an eye-catching ROI of 1,861% from the current price of $0.012895. Read more about the Bitcoin Hyper price prediction 2025 – 2030 here. Takeaway: Clear Rules and Market Optimism Make Bitcoin Hyper a Token to Watch Paul Atkins’ push for clarity on-chain fundraising and predictable rules has reinstated confidence in Bitcoin-based projects like Bitcoin Hyper. The new regulatory framework aims to protect investors but also open doors to blockchain innovation, while ensuring market fairness and innovation. Atkins’ policy shift has elevated $HYPER’s growth potential to the next level. With strategic developments and increasing adoption, Bitcoin Hyper’s $15M raise lays the groundwork for exponential growth. There isn’t much time left if you want to get in at the current $0.012895 price, as it’ll increase in less than 2 days. To grab your tokens now, visit the Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) presale page. Cryptocurrency tokens are highly speculative and prices can be extremely volatile. Always do your own research (DYOR) before making any investment decisions. Authored by Aaron Walker, NewsBTC – https://www.newsbtc.com/news/gary-atkins-promises-pro-crypto-agenda-hyper-hits-15m

Author: NewsBTC
LitFinancial Launches Stablecoin on Ethereum, Aiming to Streamline Mortgage Lending

LitFinancial Launches Stablecoin on Ethereum, Aiming to Streamline Mortgage Lending

The post LitFinancial Launches Stablecoin on Ethereum, Aiming to Streamline Mortgage Lending appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Michigan-based mortgage lender LitFinancial on Wednesday debuted its U.S. dollar stablecoin, dubbed litUSD, on the Ethereum blockchain as the digital dollar movement is expanding beyond crypto natives. The firm said it plans to use the token to cut funding costs and improve treasury management operations, while also exploring on-chain settlement of mortgage payments. That shift could allow loan performance to be tracked publicly, potentially reshaping liquidity in the secondary mortgage market. Stablecoins, cryptocurrencies with prices anchored to fiat money like the U.S. dollar, are quickly growing in popularity as an alternative for payments, promising faster, cheaper transactions using blockchain rails. Keyrock projected that stablecoin payment volume could erach $1 trillion by 2030. Their mainstream adoption got a significant boost with the U.S. establishing regulation for the asset class and institutions with U.S. President Donald Trump signing the GENIUS Act in law in July. “Stablecoins are rapidly becoming an essential tool for modern treasury operations,” LitFinancial CEO Tim Barry said in statement. “With litUSD, we’re building resilience and adaptability into our business model while pioneering how mortgage finance can evolve with blockchain technology.” The stablecoin, dubbed litUSD, is deployed on the Ethereum ETH$4,439.65 as an ERC-20 token and backed 1:1 with cash and cash equivalents held in reserve. The firm chose Ethereum to build on because of its “stability, decentralized nature and aligning with domestic policies,” Barry said. Brale, a FinCEN-registered money services business, manages issuance and redemption, while advisory firm Stably supports token economics and integration with decentralized finance (DeFi). Consumers can mint and redeem LitUSD via bank transfer or Circle’s USDC stablecoin through Brale’s verified business accounts. Founded in 2024, LitFinancial employs more than 100 staff and projects an annual mortgage origination run-rate of over $1 billion by 2026. Its leadership includes veterans of Rocket Mortgage and Coinbase. Read…

Author: BitcoinEthereumNews
Why Based Eggman $GGs Is Attracting Top Investors From Cardano

Why Based Eggman $GGs Is Attracting Top Investors From Cardano

The post Why Based Eggman $GGs Is Attracting Top Investors From Cardano appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Crypto News 11 September 2025 | 10:46 Explore the best crypto presale to buy right now with Based Eggman ($GGs). Learn why this new crypto token presale is gaining attention from Cardano investors in 2025. The search for the best crypto presale to buy right now is shaping the conversation around new projects in 2025. Token presales allow investors to join early, often at prices much lower than public listings. Among the latest crypto presale projects, Based Eggman ($GGs) has entered the spotlight. With its roots in Web3 gaming and meme culture, it offers a mix of entertainment and utility. This article explores Based Eggman as one of the top crypto presales, its tokenomics, and why Cardano investors are turning their attention to this pre sale cryptocurrency. Based Eggman ($GGs): Gaming Meets Culture in a Token Presale Based Eggman ($GGs) stands out in today’s crypto presale list by blending gaming, streaming, and social interaction into one Web3 ecosystem. Unlike many crypto coins on presale that rely only on hype, $GGs integrates culture with real on-chain applications. The project uses the Base network, known for its scalability and low fees. This makes onboarding into the ecosystem much easier for new users. $GGs functions as more than just a presale coin. It powers gaming rewards, streaming tips, trading bots, and even DeFi integrations through ScrambleSwap. Some key points about the new token presale include: USDT Raised: 38,490.2 $GGs Tokens Sold: 4,879,164.2 Price: 1 $GGs = $0.006389 By linking meme energy with functional tools, Based Eggman positions itself among the top presale crypto projects. It solves the problem of fragmented Web3 platforms by uniting social, gaming, and trading experiences under one token. For those evaluating cryptocurrency presales, $GGs is creating a cultural hub that ties digital interaction with tokenized value. Cardano: Price Levels…

Author: BitcoinEthereumNews
Best Crypto Presale Tokens to Buy: Why Based Eggman $GGs Is Attracting Top Investors From Cardano

Best Crypto Presale Tokens to Buy: Why Based Eggman $GGs Is Attracting Top Investors From Cardano

The search for the best crypto presale to buy right now is shaping the conversation around new projects in 2025. […] The post Best Crypto Presale Tokens to Buy: Why Based Eggman $GGs Is Attracting Top Investors From Cardano appeared first on Coindoo.

Author: Coindoo
The machinist's son who challenged Wall Street: Chris Larsen, who disrupted the financial system three times

The machinist's son who challenged Wall Street: Chris Larsen, who disrupted the financial system three times

By Thejaswini MA Compiled by: Block Unicorn Preface The check bounced. Fifteen-year-old Chris Larsen discovered that getting paid was harder than doing the work itself. He ran a dent-repair business out of his driveway in San Francisco. Neighbors would bring their wrecked cars, and he would use borrowed tools and the determination of a teenager to pound out the dents. He did honest work and offered fair prices, but when a client didn't pay, fifteen-year-old Larsen learned his first harsh lesson about how the financial system works. His father repaired airplane engines at San Francisco International Airport, earning his salary every two weeks. His mother drew illustrations for clients, who often paid months later or not at all. Both parents understood that money flowed easily to those who already had it, while being stingy with everyone else. This is how the system is designed. That frustration, decades in the making, drove him to found three multibillion-dollar companies, each challenging a part of the financial system that treated ordinary people as a nuisance rather than as customers. The Son of a Mechanic Who Sees Through the System San Francisco, 1960. Chris Larsen grew up in a family that understood the value of stable employment. Growing up in a working-class household meant he experienced the financial system from the customer's perspective, not the bank's. When his parents needed a car loan or a mortgage, they faced bank employees who made the decisions behind the scenes. The process was opaque, slow, and often unfair. Why can some people get loans easily while others can't? Why do banks charge different customers different interest rates for the same service? Why do decisions that could take minutes take so long? These are personal struggles faced by millions of families, but few have experienced them firsthand by those with the power to make a difference. After graduating from high school, Larson began studying aeronautics at San Jose State University, hoping to pursue a practical career in engineering. However, he felt the curriculum was too narrow, so he transferred to San Francisco State University to major in international business and accounting. After graduating in 1984, Larsen joined Chevron as a financial auditor. This work took him to Brazil, Ecuador, and Indonesia. His global business experience allowed him to witness firsthand the workings of the international financial system. But he needed to understand the system more deeply before he could change it. In 1991, Larsen earned his MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. His professor, Jim Collins, taught him how to build companies that outlive their founders. These lessons stuck with him. Larsen wasn't interested in short-term wins or trendy business models. He wanted to build infrastructure that would remain relevant decades from now. The combination of the Internet and finance In 1996, the Internet boom was just beginning. While most entrepreneurs were busy building websites for pet supplies or grocery delivery, Larson saw a different opportunity: What if the internet were applied to that most traditional of industries: mortgage lending? He then co-founded E-Loan with Janina Pawlowski. The concept is to take mortgage applications online so borrowers can apply for loans online without having to deal with brokers who charge unnecessary fees. At the time, most financial institutions were operating like it was 1976, requiring borrowers to physically visit a bank branch, fill out paper forms, and wait weeks for an approval decision that software could deliver in minutes. E-Loan's website launched in 1997, allowing borrowers to compare rates, submit applications, and track their progress online. The company eliminated broker commissions and cut processing time from weeks to days. But Larson made a decision. E-Loan became the first company to offer consumers free FICO credit scores. This is revolutionary. For decades, banks and credit card companies have used these scores to make lending decisions, but consumers haven't been able to see their own scores. The credit scoring system is a black box that determines whether you can buy a house or a car, but you don't know what's inside. This move forces transparency across the entire credit industry. If borrowers can see their scores, they can understand why they were offered a certain interest rate and take steps to improve their credit worthiness. In 1999, at the height of the dot-com boom, E-Loan went public. At its peak, the company was valued at approximately $1 billion. But Larsen wasn't interested in chasing the bubble. In 2005, he sold E-Loan to Banco Popular for $300 million. E-Loan was successful because it automated processes that banks used to handle manually. But shouldn’t we rethink how these processes actually work? Freedom from the constraints of banks By 2005, Larsen was already thinking about his next target: the bank itself. What if ordinary people could borrow money directly from other ordinary people, completely without the involvement of banks? He co-founded Prosper Marketplace, the first peer-to-peer lending platform in the United States, with John Witchel. What's the idea? Borrowers can post loan requests, specifying what they need the funds for and the interest rate they're willing to pay. Individual investors can browse these requests and choose which loans to fund. The market will determine the interest rate based on actual supply and demand, not a bank's opaque formula. The platform democratizes both lending and borrowing. People with good credit can earn higher returns than they would with a savings account. People with less-than-perfect credit can get loans that traditional banks won't offer. But Prosper faced a problem that e-Loan didn't: regulatory uncertainty. When securities laws were written decades ago, no one imagined that ordinary people would lend money to strangers online. In 2008, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ruled that P2P loans were, in fact, securities requiring registration and disclosure. Many companies might have chosen to fight regulators or find loopholes. But Larson chose a different path. Rather than confront the authorities, he worked with them. Prosper filed a prospectus with the SEC and adapted its business model to comply with securities laws. This enabled the company to survive regulatory challenges and continue to grow. Because it’s not enough to just build better technology. You also have to help regulators understand why new rules are needed. In 2012, Larsen resigned as CEO of Prosper, but remained chairman. He was already thinking about his next project. P2P lending had shown him that technology could replace the intermediaries in traditional finance. But his truly ambitious goal wasn't domestic lending. It's international payments. Building a valuable Internet The idea for Ripple stemmed from a simple observation: sending money across borders is still harder than sending an email. International wire transfers take days, are expensive, and often fail for unknown reasons. In an age where information can travel around the world in milliseconds, transferring money feels like something out of the 1970s. In September 2012, Larsen co-founded OpenCoin with programmer Jed McCaleb. Their goal was to build a payment protocol that could settle transactions between any currency in seconds, rather than days. The company changed names several times, from OpenCoin to Ripple Labs in 2013 to simply Ripple in 2015. But the mission remained the same: to build what Larsen called the "Internet of Value." Ripple's approach differs from Bitcoin, which was designed as an alternative to traditional currencies. Ripple's technology allows traditional currencies to flow more efficiently. Banks can use Ripple's network to settle international payments without having to maintain accounts in every country they do business in. The system uses XRP, Ripple's native digital currency, as a bridge asset. Instead of going through multiple intermediaries to convert dollars into euros, a bank can simply convert dollars into XRP, transfer the XRP to another bank, and then convert the XRP into euros. The entire process can be completed in seconds. During Larsen's tenure as CEO, Ripple signed partnerships with major financial institutions, including Santander, American Express, and Standard Chartered. You could call it a pilot program or an experiment. But the banks were using Ripple's technology to process millions of dollars worth of real customer payments. As the cryptocurrency market exploded in 2017 and 2018, XRP became one of the world’s most valuable digital assets. At its peak, Larsen’s holdings were worth more than $59 billion on paper, briefly making him one of the richest people in the United States. But Larson learned from his previous company that scaling requires a different skill set than building one. In 2016, he stepped down as CEO to become executive chairman and hired Brad Garlinghouse to run day-to-day operations while he focused on strategy and overseeing relationships. With success comes scrutiny. The test of supervision December 2020. The call every cryptocurrency executive dreads. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued Ripple, alleging that XRP is an unregistered security and that the company raised $1.3 billion through an illegal securities offering. The lawsuit brought nearly five years of uncertainty. XRP's price plummeted, and exchanges began delisting the token to avoid regulatory risks. Ripple faced potentially hefty fines and a fundamental shift in its business model. Larsen could have quickly settled the case and moved on to other projects, as many cryptocurrency entrepreneurs do. But he chose to fight. Ripple has spent tens of millions of dollars on legal fees arguing that XRP is a currency, not a security. The company’s lawyers point out that Bitcoin and Ethereum have been deemed non-securities by regulators, and that XRP operates in a similar manner. The strategy proved correct, but it took years to be vindicated. In 2023, Judge Analisa Torres ruled that programmatic sales of XRP to retail investors did not constitute a securities offering. The decision was a partial victory that helped clarify the regulatory status of digital assets. In 2025, the SEC dropped its appeal and settled for $125 million, a substantial fine but far less than many had expected. The legal victory validated Larsen’s long-term strategy in building his cryptocurrency company. Unlike many crypto companies that operate in a regulatory gray area, Ripple has cooperated with regulators from the beginning, and when regulatory crackdowns came, the company was ready. Throughout the legal battle, Ripple continued to expand its business. In April 2025, the company acquired top brokerage firm Hidden Road for $1.25 billion, adding trading and custody services. Ripple also sought a national banking license and partnered with Bank of New York Mellon to provide custody services for its RLUSD stablecoin reserves. Silent influence Today, Larson's influence extends far beyond the company he founded. In 2019, he and his wife, Lina Lamm, donated $25 million worth of XRP to San Francisco State University, the largest cryptocurrency donation to a US university at the time. The gift established an endowed chair in fintech and innovation and funded global student programs. Universities have rigorous procedures for accepting and managing donations. By collaborating with these institutions, Larsen helped formalize cryptocurrency philanthropy. He also funded privacy advocacy through the coalition Californians for Privacy Now, which successfully pushed California to pass a financial privacy law requiring companies to obtain consumer permission before sharing personal data. The campaign collected 600,000 signatures and lobbied major financial companies to withdraw their opposition. More recently, Larsen has focused on the environmental impact of cryptocurrency. In 2021, he launched the "Change Code, Not Climate" campaign, which funds efforts to convince Bitcoin miners to switch from energy-intensive proof-of-work mining to more efficient alternatives. That stance puts him at odds with bitcoin maximalists who insist proof-of-work is essential for network security, but Larsen believes that climate change must be addressed if cryptocurrencies are to gain mainstream adoption. “This movement is not anti-Bitcoin, it’s anti-pollution,” Larsen explained. “We need to clean up our industry. The issue is not powering Bitcoin with clean energy, as some suggest. We need to use limited clean energy for other important purposes. The issue is changing the code to drastically reduce energy use. That’s the way forward for the environment.” His willingness to challenge cryptocurrency orthodoxy reflects the same thinking that has characterized his career: What’s popular isn’t always what’s best. At 64, Larson still works six days a week while pursuing hobbies that reflect his methodical approach to complex problems. He and his sons restore classic cars from the 1960s, stripping them down and rebuilding them from the frame up. These projects, which take three years to complete, embody the meticulous approach that has characterized his career. He envisions a future where sending $100 from San Francisco to Lagos takes seconds and costs pennies, allowing small businesses to access international markets without having to deal with complex banking relationships. His three companies challenge different parts of the financial system that have failed to serve ordinary people well. E-Loan brings transparency to mortgage shopping. Prosper democratizes lending. Ripple accelerates international payments. Each company succeeds by building infrastructure that others can use, rather than trying to control the entire market. This approach requires patience and long-term thinking, rare qualities in an industry known for hype and quick profits. In an era where cryptocurrencies are often associated with speculation and volatility, Larsen has demonstrated that patient infrastructure development can bring about lasting change. His work isn’t done, but the foundation for a financial system that serves users, not institutions, has been laid. Money is becoming more like information—faster, cheaper, and more accessible to those previously excluded from financial services. This transformation is still unfolding, but the direction is clear, and Chris Larsen has been building the track that will propel it forward. That's the story of Chris Larsen. See you in the next post.

Author: PANews
Blockchain Lender Figure Surges Past IPO Target With $787.5M Raise

Blockchain Lender Figure Surges Past IPO Target With $787.5M Raise

Figure Technology Solutions, a blockchain-focused lending platform, pulled off a major win on Wall Street, raising $787.5 million in its IPO.

Author: Coinstats