Autor Cointelegraph By Helen Partz

US investment banking giant Morgan Stanley reported larger crypto fund positions in the second quarter, led by an increase of more than 3 million shares in BlackRock’s Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF).Morgan Stanley’s reported holdings in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) increased by 23% to around 16.5 million shares from 13.4 million, according to its Q2 13F filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday.Morgan Stanley also reported 2.57 million shares of its own Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust (MSBT), worth about $43.3 million. The product began trading in April.The filing showed increases across several direct crypto fund positions in Q2, even as reported holdings declined in Coinbase and some other crypto-linked companies.Morgan Stanley grows Bitcoin and Ether ETF exposureDespite adding about 3.04 million IBIT shares, the position’s value fell about 18% to $549 million from $667 million as Bitcoin fell during the quarter.Morgan Stanley also sharply increased several smaller Bitcoin ETF positions, including the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF (BTC) and Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB), while its Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) holding rose nearly 38%.Bitcoin (BTC) price chart year-to-date. Source: CoinGeckoEther holdings grew as well, with Morgan Stanley increasing its iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHA) position by about 202% to 4.6 million shares and its Grayscale Ethereum Staking Mini ETF (ETH) position by about 26% to 5.1 million shares.Related: Italy’s biggest bank triples staked Ether ETF holdings while cutting IBIT sharesIn addition to initiating its MSBT position, Morgan Stanley added new exposure to the Grayscale Solana Staking ETF (GSOL) and Fidelity Solana Fund (FSOL), worth about $4.25 million and $2.26 million, respectively.Circle and Bitcoin miners gain groundMorgan Stanley made an even larger move in Circle Internet Group (CRCL), the company behind the USDC stablecoin, with reported holdings increasing from about 1.46 million shares to 8.32 million shares.The filing also showed substantial additions to several Bitcoin mining and infrastructure companies, including Cipher Digital (CIFR), Core Scientific (CORZ), Hut 8 (HUT) and Bitdeer Technologies (BTDR).Not every crypto-linked position grew. Morgan Stanley reported about 550,000 fewer Coinbase (COIN) shares, cut its CleanSpark (CLSK) position by more than 3.1 million shares and fully exited a roughly 8 million-share Bitfarms (BITF) position.Magazine: Bitcoin will never fall below $60K again: Nansen founder

RedotPay’s plans for a US stock market debut have reportedly been delayed as the stablecoin payment company prepares to expand into the country.The company delayed plans for a US initial public offering (IPO) while it seeks regulatory approvals and contends with legal disputes involving Binance, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.A RedotPay representative declined to comment on the timing of an IPO to Cointelegraph. The representative instead pointed to the company’s US expansion, saying RedotPay obtained a money transmitter license in the US this week and is preparing to launch its product in the country.The reported setback follows a nearly $473 million lawsuit filed by Binance affiliates and comes as RedotPay works to expand its regulatory footprint in the US and other markets.RedotPay’s IPO ambitions surfaced in FebruaryRedotPay, founded in 2023 and based in Hong Kong, first emerged as a potential US public-market entrant in February, when reports surfaced that the company was considering a New York listing.RedotPay has reportedly been working with JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Jefferies Financial Group on a listing that could raise more than $1 billion. At the time, the company was seeking a valuation of more than $4 billion.Related: Bithumb sets 2028 IPO timetable as it overhauls internal controlsSeparately, RedotPay has reportedly been in talks to raise up to $150 million in new funding amid organizational changes and preparations for a potential IPO. “As we transition from an early-stage startup to a unicorn, we are evolving our organizational structure and talent pool to support our ongoing growth trajectory,” RedotPay told Cointelegraph in March.Binance lawsuit adds legal pressureBinance affiliates sued RedotPay’s founders in Hong Kong earlier in August, seeking nearly $473 million in damages over allegations that they diverted hundreds of thousands of customers from Binance to RedotPay.The plaintiffs allege that RedotPay’s founders used confidential information obtained through their previous work with Binance to build a competing payments business and attract Binance users. RedotPay rejected the allegations and told Cointelegraph it would “vigorously defend all claims.”The dispute has also spilled into Singapore, where Binance and RedotPay disagree over the fate of a related case. RedotPay told Cointelegraph this week that it expected Binance to discontinue the case, while Binance rejected that account and said its claims remain active.Magazine: Inside the fake crypto startup that fooled North Korean IT workersCointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.

Crypto remains a marginal payment option among euro area businesses even as other forms of digital payments gain ground, according to a new European Central Bank (ECB) report.Just 0.2% of companies selling goods and services online accept crypto assets, the ECB said in its survey on companies’ cash use, published Thursday. Cash remains the most widely accepted payment method, with 92% of companies with physical points of sale accepting it.The ECB surveyed 8,205 businesses across the 21 euro area countries, covering retail, restaurants and cafes, hotels, and arts, entertainment and recreation. Market research firm Ipsos conducted the telephone interviews from Feb. 23 to April 10.The findings come as the ECB advances work on a digital euro, a central bank digital currency (CBDC) designed to complement cash and preserve the euro’s role.Mobile payments are catching upMobile payments recorded the biggest shift among payment methods at physical locations, with acceptance jumping to 68% in 2026 from 36% in 2024.The most commonly accepted mobile options include instant payments and digital wallets, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.Acceptance of various payment instruments, 2024 versus 2026. Source: ECBCash edged up to 92% from 90%, while physical card acceptance rose to 88% from 87%. Crypto assets and stablecoins showed virtually no momentum at physical points of sale, remaining below 1% acceptance in both 2024 and 2026. Acceptance of bank checks, meanwhile, fell to 27% from 36%.Merchants cite consumer preference as top payment factorConsumer preference was the biggest factor companies considered when choosing which payment methods to accept, cited by 26% of respondents, followed by security at 22% and ease of handling at 15%.Businesses that reject cash most often cited weak customer demand, at 36%, and difficulties depositing or withdrawing it, at 35%, while 29% pointed to security risks.Most important criteria when choosing to accept a means of payment, euro area, 2026. Source: ECBThe longer-term outlook varies sharply by country, with 51% of cash-accepting small and medium-sized enterprises in Cyprus saying they may stop accepting cash, compared with 23% in Greece and 18% in Bulgaria.What counts as accepting crypto?The ECB survey asked companies whether they accept crypto assets or stablecoins, citing Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Tether’s USDt (USDT) as examples.Some crypto payment services allow merchants to receive settlement in traditional currency even when customers pay with crypto. The survey does not specify whether merchants should count such payments as crypto acceptance.Related: Western Union brings stablecoin remittances to Visa network with StablecardCointelegraph asked the ECB whether converted crypto payments could therefore go unreported by merchants and whether regulatory uncertainty could affect companies’ answers. The ECB said it “prefer[s] not to speculate.”Asked whether euro area merchants are permitted to accept crypto under European Union rules, the ECB said it does not set payment regulation and referred Cointelegraph to the European Commission and national lawmakers.Magazine: El Salvador’s Bitcoin experiment turns 5: ‘It was for us, not them’

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