Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll

We unpack January’s most relevant digital currency and blockchain news – US Clarity Act pushback, global CBDC divergence, and launch of major tokenization platforms In this January news episode of BFRR (Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock’n’Roll), co-host Michael is joined by Manuel and Jonas to unpack what mattered most in institutional blockchain over the past month—from markets to regulation, digital money and tokenization. We start with a quick market pulse: crypto ends January roughly flat around a ~$3T market cap, while gold and silver print fresh highs—raising an uncomfortable question: is Bitcoin really “digital gold” yet? The team also digs into Ethereum’s quiet comeback: more active accounts than Bitcoin, record transaction activity, and notably lower gas fees—fundamentals that look bullish even as prices lag. Then it’s policy time in the U.S.: the Clarity Act drama (and why Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong pulled support), the fight over stablecoin yield, last-minute tokenized securities language, DeFi/AML pushback, and competing bills vying to define SEC vs. CFTC oversight. We also cover a major regulatory signal: OCC national trust bank charter approvals for Ripple and Circle—and why traditional banks are protesting. On CBDCs, we zoom out geopolitically: China (CBDC yes, crypto no), the U.S. (CBDC no, stablecoins yes) and Europe trying to thread the needle. You’ll hear fresh details on the digital euro pilot planned for H2 2027, and why timing may be Europe’s biggest risk—contrasted with China’s e-CNY trajectory, “e-CNY 2.0” incentives, and cross-border momentum via mBridge. Finally, we connect the dots on tokenized deposits, Project Agora, stablecoin plumbing (Swift + Société Générale Forge, Interactive Brokers funding, Visa + BVNK, Barclays backing Ubyx), and what January’s platform launches (ICE, LSEG, State Street) mean for the next era of capital markets. Shownotes The Block data on Bitcoin and Ethereum accounts Knowledge Bite Michael: Paper “The trillion-dollar battle for money's operating system” by Christian Catalini Knowledge Bite Manuel: Paper on China’s digital currency efforts by the Atlantic Countil Knowledge Bite Jonas: OPen letter by 70 European Academics to the European Parliament on digital euro Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

Inside the operational reality of stablecoins Stablecoins are no longer a thought experiment—they’re becoming production infrastructure. In this episode of Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock and Roll, we sit down with Max von Wallenberg, a builder who’s seen markets from every angle: trading floors at Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs, leadership at Börse Stuttgart Digital Exchange, and now stablecoin plumbing at scale at MoonPay (after MoonPay acquired his company IRON). Max explains what “running stablecoins” really means once you move beyond headlines: connecting on-chain money to the messy world of bank accounts, compliance, and regional payment rails. We dig into why UX still matters even in infrastructure, how developer experience becomes a moat, and why DeFi-native teams have an edge—because today’s rails were battle-tested in trading long before they became mainstream payments tech. You’ll hear how IRON compresses what used to take months of integrations with multiple banks and PSPs into a single API: virtual IBANs/accounts that auto-convert fiat into stablecoins, plus global payouts into dozens of currencies. Max shares lessons from integrating into MoonPay’s licensing stack (including MiCA) and why regulation is increasingly “table stakes” while operations and distribution decide winners. He also weighs in on Stripe/Tempo, why new “payment chains” are mainly go-to-market plays, and what’s still unsettled around stablecoin yields and uneven enforcement across jurisdictions. We debate incentives vs. liquidity, the rise of custom-issued stablecoins, and whether branded tokens will stick. Finally, Max looks ahead to a world where we stop saying “stablecoins” and simply call it money—because the blockchain layer fades into the background. Key topics: • Building stablecoin rails at scale • Virtual IBANs, on/off-ramps, global payouts • Adoption: wallets, fintechs, PSPs, and banks

25 digital asset predictions for 2026 from 25 industry experts In this special 2026 predictions episode, host Alex is joined by Stefan (Zühlke) and Maximilian Vargas (Blockstories) for a forward-looking discussion based on Blockstories’ new report: “25 Predictions from 25 Digital Asset Experts”. Instead of presenting their own forecasts, the trio picks standout expert takes across five key themes—tokenization, digital money, regulation, markets & investments, and infrastructure—and pressure-tests them from a pragmatic, institution-first perspective. A central debate: tokenized deposits vs. stablecoins. Stefan challenges the idea that tokenized deposits will “go through the roof” in 2026, arguing that market pull may favor stablecoins, yield-bearing stablecoins, and tokenized money market funds, especially in a world increasingly obsessed with yield. Max adds a crucial banking reality check: many banks still view stablecoin enablement as partly defensive—driven by corporate treasurers expecting 24/7 money movement—while tokenized deposits feel more compatible with existing models (and balance sheet logic). Alex highlights the strategic dilemma: banks may need to integrate stablecoins even though doing so could accelerate deposit flight. The conversation broadens into the “unbundling vs. rebundling” of financial services—particularly how stablecoins and on-chain products could fragment banking value chains, and whether banks can reclaim the “orchestrator” role across rails (stablecoins, tokenized deposits, CBDCs, e-money) while keeping client ownership. A major DeFi thread emerges around on-chain vaults: smart-contract-based “depots” that package strategies and yield. The guests explore why vaults could become a breakout distribution mechanism for stablecoins—and potentially a disruptive force for traditional asset management as “vault curation” grows into a new layer of financial intermediation. Other highlighted themes include the rise of tokenized equities (with a narrative flip: liquid assets may tokenize before illiquid ones), the push toward core infrastructure integration inside institutions (production > experimentation), and why privacy could shift from “nice-to-have” to “institutional requirement”—even if scalability trade-offs remain unresolved. The episode closes with a lively macro riff: is the classic four-year crypto cycle ending, and will institutional allocators (even Ivy League endowments) meaningfully increase crypto exposure by end-2026? As always: not investment advice—just a sharp, insider-grade map of what might shape the next phase of digital finance. Blockstories Expert Outlooks LinkedIn Maximilia Vargas LinkedIn Stefan Grasmann LinkedIn Alexander Bechtel Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

Exploring how tokenized gold bridges traditional finance, crypto, and trust in an evolving monetary world We’re kicking off something new at Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock’n’Roll (BFRR): the Digital Money Interview Series—powered by our podcast partner etonec (and transparency: Jonas also works with etonec). About once a month, we’ll sit down with builders and operators who’ve shipped financial products at scale—less hype, more hard-won lessons. For the inaugural episode, Jonas is joined by new guest host Jonathan Knoll (ex Sun Microsystems, PayPal, and one of the early hires at the Libra Association). Together, they unpack why the “Libra era” still matters, how it acted as a catalyst for regulation and institutional focus, and why stablecoins have entered a critical “scaling phase” where trust, governance, and real customer needs matter more than clever tech. Then we go deep on a different kind of stable asset: gold-backed tokens. Our guest is Kurt Hemecker, CEO behind DGLD (and CEO of Gold Token SA, a wholly owned subsidiary of MKS PAMP). We explore: • Why tokenize gold at all—and what problems it solves vs. physical gold and ETFs • What “asset-backed” really means, and why custody, insurance, audits, and redemption are non-negotiable • The Lindy effect, trust, and why gold’s thousands-year track record still shapes digital money • How DGLD works today (1 token = 1 troy ounce, fractional possible), where it’s live (Ethereum & Base), where it trades (DEXs like Uniswap and Aerodrome), and how redemption can go down to 1 gram (via Gold Avenue) • The roadmap: multi-chain expansion, institutional use cases (collateral, repo, lending), and future exchange listings • Plus: BTC vs fiat vs gold—what people really “believe in,” and why that matters If you care about tokenization, stablecoins, and the future of monetary infrastructure—this one’s for you. Subscribe, leave a review, and follow BFRR on LinkedIn and YouTube for future guests worldwide. LinkedIn Jonas Gross LinkedIn Jonathan Knoll LinkedIn Kurt Hemecker X account Kurt Hemecker etonec Website [DGLD Product Website](https://dgld.com/ Official DGLD X Account)[[https://x.com/DGLD_Official] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

What the BFRR Team expects for the digital money and digital asset space for 2026 In our first episode of 2026, the full Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock’n’Roll (BFRR) team—Michael, Jonas, Manu and a returning Alex—sets the year’s agenda and locks in bold, measurable predictions for what’s next in digital money, digital assets and institutional blockchain. We start with the “internal outlook”: how BFRR will level up in 2026, supported by our partners Zühlke (and guest host Stefan) and Etonec, adding a stronger European + US lens (including future guest host Jonathan Knoll). The theme is “more doing, less talking.” On the slate: stablecoin adoption and payments, digital-euro policy guardrails as EU regulation enters a decisive phase, tokenized deposits and multi-bank platforms (Partior, Agorá, Swift Ledger), the evolving DLT Pilot Regime, ECB projects Pontes & Appia, tokenization of funds and crypto funds, Bitcoin vs quantum risk, Ethereum valuation (and gas economics), and the IT-architecture questions CTOs face when TradFi meets decentralized rails. Then we go “external”: eight predictions you can score—and a lively debate on whether stablecoin volume is truly “payments” or still mostly crypto settlement. • Stablecoins overtake Automated Clearing House (ACH) in transaction volume • Payments share of stablecoin volume barely rises (<5pp) • At least one country bans stablecoins over monetary-sovereignty fears • EU leaders publicly reframe stablecoins as a sovereignty tool (and debate whether the ECB will follow) • Digital-euro legislation won’t be finalized in 2026 • No new L1/L2 breaks into the top-10 chains • US spot crypto ETF net inflows exceed $50B • Bitcoin mining gets recognized as a grid-stabilization tool (3+ countries) Finally: Bitcoin price bets for end-2026—Manu $160k, Alex $150k, Michael $145k (with $65k low / $180k high), Jonas $180k—and a closing thesis: 2026 might be a “boring” year where builders win. Shownotes Galaxy Digital Outlook on 2026 LinkedIn Jonas Gross LinkedIn Manuel Klein LinkedIn Alexander Bechtel LinkedIn Michael Blaschke Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

From stablecoin issuance by major banks to tokenized securities entering DeFi—December marked the shift from experimentation to operational infrastructure. Close out 2025 with BFRR’s final news episode of the year—a fast-paced, institution-focused tour through what might be the most consequential month yet for blockchain in finance. Host Michael Blaschke is joined by Ivica Aračić and Atakan Kavukluto to unpack December’s biggest developments across markets, regulation, stablecoins, and tokenization—and to zoom out on what 2025 really meant for institutional adoption. We start with a market pulse (recorded on December 22): crypto closes the year strong, with the total market rebounding to roughly $3.8T, Bitcoin hovering around $90k, and stablecoins hitting new scale—with Tether and Circle together surpassing $260B. But the real story isn’t price. It’s infrastructure. Ivica breaks down major European policy momentum, including updates to the EU’s DLT Pilot Regime aimed at expanding eligible instruments, raising caps, reducing friction for smaller participants, and strengthening long-term certainty. The episode also tackles the digital euro’s political reality: the ECB pushes for legislative progress, while coordination challenges across parliaments, banks, and incentives remain the hard part. Michael then dives into the “stablecoin year” thesis: regulated clarity meets real-world rollout. From SoFi USD as a bank-issued stablecoin in the US, to a major European bank consortium targeting a EUR stablecoin, to payment giants integrating stablecoins at scale—PayPal’s PYUSD moving into AI infrastructure financing, YouTube enabling creator payouts in PYUSD, Intuit embedding USDC across finance workflows, and Visa expanding USDC settlement (including on Solana). Atakan rounds out the month with tokenization and TradFi integration: landmark pilots like JP Morgan arranging commercial paper on Solana, tokenized money market funds (JP Morgan and Amundi on Ethereum), and the early hints of tokenized equities distribution via crypto platforms and messaging-first experiences. The episode ends with a sharp 2025 wrap: stablecoins as the bridge between old rails and new networks, regulatory maturation finally arriving, and a growing tilt toward public blockchain infrastructure—plus reading recommendations (BIS Project Rialto, an IMF stablecoin primer, and Christian Catalini on the “trillion-dollar battle” for money’s operating system). BFRR Episode #290 on "Das sind die Alternativen zum digitalen Euro" with Peter Bofinger BFRR Episode #371 on “Reclaiming Digital Sovereignty in Europe - and the Role of the Digital Euro” LinkedIn Ivica Aračić LinkedIn Atakan Kavuklu LinkedIn Michael Blaschke Knowledge Bite Ivica: Christian Catalini on “The trillion-dollar battle for money's operating system” Knowledge Bite Atakan: BIS Technical Report on “Project Rialto” Knowledge Bite Michael: MIF Paper on “Understanding Stablecoins” Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

Recapping major developments and evaluating our predictions for 2025 BFRR closes out 2025 the only way it knows how: with bold calls, honest scorekeeping, and a few friendly jabs along the way. In this annual review episode, co-hosts Jonas, Michael, and Manuel look back on a year that felt like a turning point for digital money — not because the debates got quieter, but because they got more real: regulation hardened, institutions leaned in, and “stablecoin” became the word nobody in finance could avoid. First, we show some gratitude. 2025 was the podcast’s first full year in English, and the payoff shows: listeners in 50+ countries, a fast-growing community (including our highly active Telegram group), and a noticeable jump in LinkedIn reach. We also pull back the curtain on the work behind the scenes — from post-production to website support — and thank partners like Zühlke for helping professionalize what’s still, at its core, a passion project built outside full-time jobs. Then it’s time for the internal scoreboard: the top episodes by downloads, including conversations on stablecoins, Siemens’ blockchain journey, and — the runaway #1 — the team’s own predictions episode that everyone came back to audit. And yes: the audit gets spicy. The hosts revisit their 2025 predictions with a simple rule: if it was right, it earns a beer. If it wasn’t, there is no beer for you. Beyond the scorekeeping, the bigger theme emerges: 2025 was “the stablecoin year,” but also the year the industry matured — clearer rules, more institutional rails, more productization, and a sharper focus on what actually ships versus what only gets announced. The episode wraps with personal highlights, community shout-outs, and a clear message heading into 2026: stay curious, keep the feedback coming, and help spread Europe’s perspective on digital currencies to the world. Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

Exploring why digital money matters for Europe’s strategic autonomy and what the Digital Euro could change. In this episode of Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock’n’Roll (BFRR), hosts Jonas Gross and Stefan Grasmann sit down with Dr. Alexandra Hachmeister, Director General for the Digital Euro at Deutsche Bundesbank, for a wide-ranging and candid conversation about the future of money in Europe. Drawing on more than two decades at Deutsche Börse and her transition into central banking, Hachmeister offers rare insight into how public institutions think about digitizing sovereign money in an increasingly fragmented and geopolitically charged payments landscape. The discussion explores why the digital euro is not simply a technical upgrade, but a strategic response to Europe’s growing dependence on non-European payment infrastructures. From Visa and Mastercard to Big Tech wallets, much of Europe’s daily payment traffic runs on rails outside European control. Hachmeister explains how the digital euro is designed to strengthen monetary sovereignty while preserving the role of commercial banks, protecting privacy, and offering citizens a cash-like public alternative in the digital world. Beyond retail payments, the conversation dives into usability, merchant acceptance, offline functionality, and the complex challenge of rolling out a pan-European payment system across 20 countries. The hosts and their guest also address common misconceptions: the digital euro is not about crowding out private innovation, abolishing cash, or competing head-on with existing payment solutions, but about building resilient public infrastructure that others can build upon. In the second half of the episode, the focus widens to stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and corporate payments. Why are USD-denominated stablecoins advancing so quickly? Why has Europe struggled to create a compelling euro stablecoin ecosystem? And how do central banks view the potential risks and opportunities these new forms of money bring for financial stability, cross-border payments, and bank balance sheets? This episode offers a nuanced, behind-the-scenes look at how Europe’s monetary future is being shaped—balancing innovation, sovereignty, market realities, and public purpose at a time when the definition of money itself is evolving. Shownotes LinkedIn Alexandra Hachmeister LinkedIn Jonas Gross LinkedIn Stefan Grasmann Website Digital Euro Bundesbank Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

How Januar solves debanking and licensing challenges for crypto SMEs In this episode of Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock’n’Roll, we dive deep into one of the least discussed but most existential challenges for Europe’s crypto industry: the ongoing debanking of crypto SMEs — and the emerging regulatory twist that could upend the market again in 2026. Host Michael Blaschke is joined by Stefan and Marcus Mølleskov, Chief Risk & Compliance Officer and Co-Founder of Januar, a Danish payment institution built to solve exactly this problem. Marcus shares his unusual journey from quantitative finance into crypto compliance and explains how a chance encounter with the early Chainalysis team shaped Januar’s founding vision: bringing trust, transparency, and proper financial infrastructure to an industry long treated as “too risky” by banks. We explore why crypto companies across Europe still struggle to open something as simple as a corporate bank account — and how Januar created a full-stack payment and custody platform that bridges traditional finance with digital assets. Marcus also unpacks a regulatory curveball few CASPs have fully grasped: according to recent EBA guidance, from March 1, 2026, stablecoins legally qualify as funds. This means any CASP offering stablecoin services must hold a PSD2 license or work with a partner who has one — or face fines. Overnight, Januar’s dual licensing path turned into a critical lifeline for the industry. Looking ahead, Marcus explains why stablecoins, not speculation, will drive the next evolution of blockchain: enabling instant global settlement, powering tokenized financial assets, and reducing trillions locked in traditional settlement rails. Instead of issuing yet another stablecoin, Januar is positioning itself as the integration layer connecting Europe’s rapidly fragmenting stablecoin landscape. If you want to understand the real bottlenecks for crypto adoption in Europe — and how regulation, payments infrastructure, and tokenization are converging — this episode is for you. Marcus Mølleskov, CRCO at Januar, on LinkedIn Michael Blaschke on LinkedIn Stefan Grassman on LinkedIn Januar’s thinking and resources Recent BFRR News Episode ‘Stablecoins Everywhere - While European Parliament Rethinks the Digital Euro | News’ Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

We unpack November’s biggest digital currency and blockchain news – JP Morgan’s bold moves, continued stablecoin momentum and long-awaited digital euro perspectives from Brussels In this new BFRR News episode, Jonas Groß and Manuel look back at a turbulent November across digital assets, stablecoins, tokenized deposits and CBDCs. They’re joined for the first time by Atakan Kavuklu, project manager at AllUnity, who brings hands-on insights from one of Europe’s most prominent stablecoin initiatives. November delivered heavy market volatility, with a 15% crypto market drop and extreme fear readings, yet also remarkable institutional breakthroughs. The Czech National Bank revealed a pilot Bitcoin portfolio as part of a broader digital-asset readiness strategy. Harvard University quietly tripled its Bitcoin exposure, while questions resurfaced about MicroStrategy’s long-term resilience during downturns. On the infrastructure side, Clearstream launched its D7 DLT platform, Swiat received its BaFin license as a crypto securities registrar, and the Basel Committee signaled it may soften punitive capital rules for banks holding crypto assets—potentially a milestone for regulated adoption. Stablecoins again dominated headlines: Visa and Mastercard rolled out stablecoin payout pilots; Western Union launched a USD-backed token on Solana; Klarna introduced its own stablecoin on Tempo; and Swiss payments giant TWINT started exploring a CHF stablecoin. The team breaks down why payouts, remittances and retail rails could become catalysts for real-world stablecoin usage. JP Morgan accelerated the race in tokenized deposits with the live launch of its JPM Coin infrastructure on Base and new interoperability steps with USDC. Citi also expanded its token services and deepened collaboration with Coinbase. Finally, the hosts unpack the European Parliament’s draft report on the digital euro, including the surprising push to prioritize the offline CBDC, new governance ideas, and looming questions for private-sector payment schemes such as Vero. A packed episode full of market insights, policy shifts and infrastructure updates—perfect for anyone navigating the future of digital money. Digital Euro Draft Report from European Parliament](https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreWeb/search/simpleSearchHome.htm?relations=NUPE%23%23778.136&sortAndOrder=DATEDOCUDESC)) Knowledge Bite Atakan: Paper “Regulatory responses to the financial stability implications of stablecoins” Knowledge Bite Manuel: European Banks & Stablecoin Report from Blockstories Knowledge Bite Jonas: ECB Enters Next Phase of Digital Euro Project Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!