2024 is ending on a fantastic note for crypto, from favorable politics to many assets hitting their all-time highs. So, it’s no surprise that so many companies are jumping on the bandwagon and forming partnerships to ride the wave as long as possible.
Here are some of the most notable partnerships of the week.
1. Circle & Binance To Make USDC Global
Circle Internet Group Inc. and Binance announced a strategic partnership aimed at accelerating the global adoption of the USDC stablecoin and advancing the digital asset and financial services ecosystem. The collaboration, revealed at Abu Dhabi Finance Week, seeks to leverage USDC’s trusted and compliant reputation alongside Binance’s position as the world’s largest platform for digital assets.
As part of the partnership, Binance will expand USDC’s accessibility across its entire range of products and services, offering its 240 million global users seamless opportunities to trade, save, and make payments with the stablecoin. Binance has also committed to incorporating USDC into its corporate treasury, signaling a shift toward blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
Circle will support Binance by providing technology, liquidity, and tools, ensuring that users benefit from the reliability and innovation behind USDC. The two companies will also collaborate to strengthen connections with global financial and commercial entities, highlighting stablecoins’ growing role in various industries.
Circle’s CEO, Jeremy Allaire, emphasized Binance’s innovative approach and its “relentless commitment” to shaping the future financial system. Similarly, Binance’s CEO, Richard Teng, expressed confidence in Circle’s capabilities and the partnership’s potential to “drive global stablecoin adoption” and financial innovation. Together, they aim to redefine possibilities in the digital finance landscape.
2. Deutsche Bank’s Alliance with Crypto.com
Deutsche Bank has become Crypto.com’s banking ally in Singapore, Australia, and Hong Kong, marking a significant step in Crypto.com’s global expansion. According to a Dec. 10 press release, the partnership aims to extend banking support to new countries as the collaboration progresses, emphasizing both security and compliance.
Karl Mohan, Crypto.com’s general manager for APAC and MEA and global head of banking partnerships, highlighted that partnering with a leading financial institution like Deutsche Bank strengthens Crypto.com’s “global presence” and commitment to secure, compliant operations.
This announcement follows Crypto.com’s recent achievement of obtaining a license to issue Mastercard-powered cards. The program has launched in Bahrain, allowing customers to use their cards at over 150 million in-store and online locations worldwide.
With this collaboration, the firm sees a major step forward in growing its card program and giving customers additional options to use cryptocurrency for in-store purchases. The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and there are current plans to expand this program to all of their nations.
Meanwhile, the tension between traditional banks and the crypto sector remains under scrutiny. FinTech investor Marc Andreessen recently suggested on a podcast that crypto firms are being “debanked” in the U.S. due to regulatory and compliance challenges. Industry observers suggest the disconnect stems from outdated regulatory frameworks and heightened fraud concerns.
3. Visa & WhiteBIT to Roll out a Crypto Debit Card
The European cryptocurrency exchange WhiteBIT and Visa have joined together to provide the WhiteBIT Nova debit card, which allows customers to enjoy rewards on cryptocurrency purchases. The goal of this campaign, which was announced on Dec. 11, is to mainstream Bitcoin as a payment alternative, with a focus on the European market, which WhiteBIT sees as critical to its growth.
The WhiteBIT Nova card, available in both physical and digital formats, supports various cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ether, USDC, Solana, DOGE, and XRP. It features 0% service fees and seamless integration with Apple Pay, enabling secure and convenient contactless payments using crypto.
WhiteBIT CEO Volodymyr Nosov stated that this partnership is a major step towards the “mass adoption” of blockchain and bringing crypto into people’s “everyday transactions”.
Experts like Citi’s Tony McLaughlin have noted that regulatory challenges remain “a significant barrier” to stablecoin adoption outside the crypto ecosystem, underscoring the need for clearer frameworks as the industry evolves.
4. Everyday Crypto Payments with Coinbase & Triple-A
Coinbase customers now have the option to pay using Triple-A, a top-regulated crypto payment service for sectors like gaming, fashion, luxury, travel, and more. By working together with Coinbase Commerce, businesses may accept payments made using the Coinbase app, which is great for customers’ convenience and the growth of the bitcoin market. To facilitate safe and quick cryptocurrency transactions across a wide range of sectors, the integration links Coinbase’s user base to a worldwide network of retailers.
This partnership strengthens both companies’ commitment to facilitating cryptocurrency payments and advancing adoption through user-friendly solutions. Triple-A CEO Eric Barbier expressed excitement about “enhancing payment options” for Coinbase users across the U.S., Europe, and beyond.
Coinbase’s Nemil Dalal highlighted that the integration expands shopping options for customers, aligning with the mission to drive crypto adoption for “everyday transactions”. Together, Triple-A and Coinbase are pushing the boundaries of crypto payment solutions, aiming for a future where everyday transactions are fully on-chain.
5. Avelacom and CryptoStruct Offer Next-Level Connectivity
Together, Avelacom and CryptoStruct can provide crypto trading businesses with ultra-low latency solutions. Avelacom specializes in low-latency network solutions, while CryptoStruct provides high-performance algorithmic trading solutions. Because of their partnership, traders may swiftly get access to global markets, adjust their tactics to account for market volatility, and put them into action across several markets with little lag.
Avelacom’s network infrastructure, combined with CryptoStruct’s trading solutions, offers a seamless environment for strategy development, testing, and execution. The partnership simplifies market expansion and scaling while reducing operational complexity, allowing traders to focus on optimizing strategies. Both companies aim to elevate the trading experience with tier-one, low-latency solutions.
Avelacom CEO Aleksey Larichev said that the company can now reach more customers with its “top-tier low-latency solutions” thanks to its new cooperation with CryptoStruct.
In addition, CryptoStruct CEO Thomas Schmeling says that working with Avelacom improves the efficiency of the products, giving customers “a decisive edge.” The collaboration between the two parties shows how trade infrastructure and technology may work together to meet the complicated needs of contemporary trading.
The post From Circle and Binance to Avelacom and CryptoStruct: This Week’s Top Crypto Partnerships appeared first on Metaverse Post.