Fintech Daily Digest

So far, dollar backed stablecoins like Tether's USDT or Circle's USDC don't pay any interest to holders of their coin. We think that is about to change in 2019. As of today, the users of stablecoins are effectively giving their providers free loans in return for a service (digitally transferring bank dollar certificates) that is not very distinguished from one provider to the next.

"Fidelity Investments' new cryptocurrency arm is now up and running. The unit, Fidelity Digital Assets, began operations earlier this quarter but didn't make any noise about it. It has already started offering trade execution and crypto custody services to institutional investors such as hedge funds and private wealth management firms."

"Ant Financial, parent company of Chinese mobile wallet giant Alipay, recently announced several initiatives to accelerate Alipay's global merchant acceptance network expansion, as well as the launch of its own services."

Neema, the firm managing the Marshall Islands cryptocurrency program, has made a list of countries potentially open to a cryptocurrency as legal tender, looking for smaller countries that don't have their own currencies and which vote alongside Israel in the United Nations. Neema's law firm Yigal Arnon & Co are reportedly helping the Marshall Islands central bank to create the legislation needed to operate its own currency.