The post Coinpedia Digest: This Week’s Crypto News Highlights | 20th September, 2025 appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Crypto is pressing deeper into the mainstream – governments are weighing reserves, regulators are tightening rules, and giants from PayPal to Google are reshaping payments. Add in fresh ETF approvals and surging token treasuries, and it’s clear the industry is no longer waiting on the sidelines.

#1 Fed Cuts Rates by 25bps, Bitcoin Holds Ground

If you missed the headlines, here’s your quick catch-up. The Federal Reserve (finally) cut interest rates by 25 basis points, its first move since December 2024, bringing the funds rate to 4%-4.25%. The decision came despite inflation stuck at 2.9%, as job creation was revised down by 911,000 and unemployment edged higher.

President Trump openly pressured Chair Jerome Powell, demanding cuts “bigger than [Powell] had in mind” and even threatening to fire him. Bitcoin barely moved, holding near $116,000, while traders looked to future cuts for bigger market impact.

#2 Native Markets Wins USDH Ticker

Native Markets has won the race to issue Hyperliquid’s new USDH stablecoin, securing over 70% of validator support. The decision followed a heated contest that drew big names like Paxos and Frax before several pulled out. USDH will be issued directly on Hyperliquid’s HyperEVM, with reserves split between BlackRock off-chain and Superstate on-chain.

Half of the yield will go to HYPE buybacks, the rest to ecosystem growth. For Hyperliquid, it’s a clear step toward stablecoin independence.

#3 Michigan Bitcoin Reserve Bill Finally Moves Forward

After months of silence, Michigan’s Bitcoin Reserve Bill (HB 4087) is back in motion. The proposal, introduced in February, would allow the state treasury to invest up to 10% of reserves in bitcoin and potentially other cryptocurrencies. The bill has now advanced to a second reading in the state House and been referred to the Government Operations Committee.

— Bitcoin Laws (@Bitcoin_Laws) September 18, 2025 If passed, Michigan would join Texas, New Hampshire, and Arizona in exploring bitcoin reserves, adding momentum to this year’s broader trend of sovereign adoption.

#4 BNB Hits New All-Time High as CZ Teases Comeback

BNB has crossed the $1,000 mark for the first time, rising 4.5% to $1,004 and overtaking Solana to become the fifth-largest cryptocurrency by market value. The move comes as reports suggest Binance is negotiating with the U.S. Department of Justice to ease compliance terms from its 2023 settlement.

Also Read: Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao Reveals Why BNB Price Hit $1,000

Adding to the buzz, co-founder Changpeng Zhao updated his X bio from “ex-Binance” to “Binance,” sparking talk of a possible return.

#5 Congress Holds Crypto Talks With Industry Leaders

Crypto was back in Washington this week. In three separate roundtables, lawmakers met with industry leaders to discuss a strategic Bitcoin reserve and long-delayed market structure rules. Michael Saylor joined Rep. Nick Begich and Sen. Bernie Moreno to push the BITCOIN Act, a bill that could let the US hold up to 1 million BTC.

Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong met House leaders on the market bill, while Senate Republicans advanced their own version, the Responsible Financial Innovation Act. Even Cardano’s Charles Hoskinson was present.

#6 Vitalik Buterin Outlines Ethereum’s Future at Dev Conference

Ethereum’s next steps are now on the table. At the Japan Dev Conference, Vitalik Buterin shared a roadmap that balances short-term upgrades with a long-term vision. Immediate changes include raising Layer 1 gas limits and boosting scaling to handle more transactions.

Mid-term, Ethereum will focus on smoother cross-Layer 2 interoperability. Looking further ahead, Buterin stressed building a secure, simple, and quantum-resistant network. Ethereum is tightening its focus as competition among smart contract platforms heats up.

#7 UK and US Team Up on Stablecoin Rules

The UK and US are moving closer on crypto, with stablecoins set to be the starting point. Chancellor Rachel Reeves and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met in London this week, joined by Coinbase, Circle, Ripple, Citi, and Barclays. The talks, pulled together at short notice, followed pressure from industry groups ahead of President Trump’s state visit.

Sources said much of the discussion focused on aligning rules, with participants calling it “a huge opportunity for the UK in digital assets.”

#8 Ripple Pledges $25M in RLUSD for Community

Ripple is turning its crypto muscle into community impact. The company has pledged $25 million in Ripple USD (RLUSD) to Accion Opportunity Fund and Hire Heroes USA. The funds will expand lending for underserved small businesses and create career opportunities for veterans and military spouses.

CEO Brad Garlinghouse said these groups are “two of the most powerful engines of American progress.” Ripple expects the initiative to generate over $1 billion in total impact, showing how stablecoins can fuel real economic change.

#9 17 Firms Now Hold Nearly 3% of Solana’s Supply

17 major players are quietly building a serious Solana war chest. Data from Strategic SOL Reserve shows treasury holdings have reached 17.112 million SOL – worth $4.03 billion, or 2.98% of total supply. About 7.4 million SOL are staked, earning nearly 8% in yield.

Leading the charge is Forward Industries with 6.8 million SOL ($1.61B), followed by Sharps Technology, DeFi Development, Upxi, and Galaxy. Together, these reserves underline how deep-pocketed entities are tightening their grip on Solana’s future.

#10 Grayscale Launches First Multi-Asset Crypto ETF in U.S.

Grayscale has rolled out the CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF (GDLC), the first U.S. fund to track the top five cryptocurrencies by market cap. The ETF began trading Friday, holding Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana and Cardano – coins that together represent over 90% of the market.

— Grayscale (@Grayscale) September 19, 2025 Bitcoin makes up 72% of the fund, with Ethereum at 17%. The launch comes right after the SEC approved new listing standards for crypto ETFs, a move that could speed up dozens more approvals in the weeks ahead.

In the Spotlight 

Here’s a few quick hits you shouldn’t miss! PayPal Opens Door to Crypto Payments: The company will let users send Bitcoin, Ether and PYUSD through its app, including transfers to Venmo and external wallets. The rollout starts in the US, with the UK, Italy and other markets to follow later this year.

Google Pushes AI Into Payments: The tech giant has released an open-source protocol that lets AI apps handle transactions, including stablecoin transfers. Built with Coinbase and backed by partners like Salesforce and American Express, the move signals crypto’s deeper role in the AI economy.

Poland Lists First Bitcoin ETF: The Warsaw Stock Exchange has launched the Bitcoin BETA ETF, giving investors regulated access to Bitcoin futures on the CME. The product includes an FX hedge to manage currency risk and marks Poland’s entry into the global crypto ETF market.

CleanCore Expands Dogecoin Treasury: NYSE-listed CleanCore Solutions has bought another 100M DOGE, lifting its holdings past 600M tokens. Backed by a $175M raise and support from the Dogecoin Foundation’s corporate arm, the firm is pushing to hit 1B DOGE within 30 days.

Helius Medical Bets Big on Solana: The company raised $500M in a Pantera-led deal to build a Solana treasury, with warrants pushing potential funding to $1.25B. Backed by global investors from Animoca to HashKey, the move comes as Solana aims to deliver stronger yields over Bitcoin.

What’s Next for Crypto?

  • Governments testing Bitcoin reserves hint that sovereign adoption may move from theory to policy.
  • Stablecoins are shifting from experiments to infrastructure as regulators, platforms, and payment giants converge.
  • The ETF wave shows crypto exposure is entering the mainstream faster than ever before.
  • Layer 1 networks are consolidating power, with treasuries and upgrades locking in long-term influence.
  • Big Tech’s entry into payments suggests crypto rails could soon power the AI economy.

Major shifts to expect ahead That’s all for this week – I’ll be back with more key updates in the next Coinpedia Digest.