Crypto could soon go mainstream on Wall Street, with US banking giants reportedly meeting behind closed doors to discuss making a move into crypto as the Trump administration brings in friendlier crypto regulations, four unnamed industry insiders told Reuters. Despite 22% of Americans holding cryptocurrencies — or one in five — according to Gemeni Trusts’ Global State of Crypto report for 2025, large American banks have so far mostly been prevented from jumping on the bandwagon due to heavy regulations.
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Change is coming, but it will come slowly at first, the newswire’s sources said. Any moves into crypto will be small in scale at first, in the form of partnerships with crypto firms and in pilot programs as they test the limits of incoming regulations and try to avoid any potential legal blowback. Although guidelines have become clearer, the banking sector is still calling for more details on what they can and cannot do when it comes to once legal, difficulty-fraught digital tokens.
US President Donald Trump has been key in driving the push, with the self-described first ”crypto president” on talking up plans to reduce crypto regulations and create a strategic BTC reserve, both on the campaign trail and in the Oval Office.
His companies have been getting in on the action too, with the Trump Media and Technology Group planning to raise USD 2.5 bn to buy up crypto.
But there are still some big names on Wall Street who are proudly standing by their crypto scepticism, including JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon who as recently as last week said that “when I look at the [BTC] universe, the leverage in the system, the misuse in the system, the money laundering issues, trafficking, I'm not a fan of it.”
REMEMBER- BTC reached a new all-time high in trading at the end of last week, surpassing its previous January peak to reach USD 111.9k, before paring back gains. The digital currency is up 12.9% this month alone and 14.8% YTD, after having spent much of the year in the red YTD on the back of trade war escalation fears pushing some to let go of the asset.
MARKETS THIS MORNING-
Asian markets are in the green in early trading this morning. Japan’s Nikkei and the Kospi are looking at gains of 1.6%, the Shanghai Composite and the Hang Seng are also in the green, up 0.4% and 0.2%, respectively.
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EGX30 |
32,494 |
+0.3% (YTD: +9.3%) |
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USD (CBE) |
Buy 49.74 |
Sell 49.87 |
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USD (CIB) |
Buy 49.75 |
Sell 49.85 |
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Interest rates (CBE) |
24.00% deposit |
25.00% lending |
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Tadawul |
11,053 |
+1.2% (YTD: -8.2%) |
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ADX |
9,743 |
+0.7% (YTD: +3.4%) |
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DFM |
5,527 |
+0.4% (YTD: +7.1%) |
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S&P 500 |
5,889 |
-0.6% (YTD: +0.1%) |
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FTSE 100 |
8,726 |
-0.6% (YTD: +6.8%) |
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Euro Stoxx 50 |
5,378 |
-0.7% (YTD: +9.9%) |
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Brent crude |
USD 64.90 |
+1.3% |
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Natural gas (Nymex) |
USD 3.20 |
-5.7% |
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Gold |
USD 3,312 |
-0.3% |
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BTC |
USD 107,423 |
-1.2% (YTD: +14.8%) |
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S&P Egypt Sovereign Bond Index |
873.7 |
+0.4% (YTD: +12.4%) |
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S&P MENA Bond & Sukuk |
143.3 |
+0.2% (YTD: +12.4%) |
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VIX (Volatility Index) |
19.31 |
+1.9% (YTD: +11.3%) |
THE CLOSING BELL-
The EGX30 rose 0.3% at yesterday’s close on turnover of EGP 4.9 bn (5.1% above the 90-day average). International investors were the sole net buyers. The index is up 9.3% YTD.
In the green: Madinet Masr (+3.3%), Egypt Kuwait Holding- EGP (+2.1%), and TMG Holding (+2.0%).
In the red: Telecom Egypt (-2.4%), Beltone Holding (-2.0%), and GB Corp (-2.0%).