Ethereum News Today: Trump Executive Order Paves Way for Crypto in 401K Plans

The recent developments in the cryptocurrency space have reached a significant milestone with the implementation of a Bitcoin Retirement Plan. President Trump signed a new executive order allowing cryptocurrencies to be included in 401K retirement plans. As part of this directive, the U.S. Labor Department will re-examine restrictions on alternative assets such as crypto, private equity, and real estate within specific contribution plans [1]. This move opens the door for up to $12.5 trillion in retirement savings to potentially gain exposure to digital assets [1].

In response to the announcement, the crypto market showed a positive reaction. Bitcoin experienced a 2.2% price increase, rising from $115,000 to a daily high of $117,600. Similarly, Ethereum (ETH) reached a new yearly high of $3,950, nearing the $4,000 mark [1]. The inclusion of digital assets in retirement plans has been seen as a catalyst for broader institutional and retail adoption.

Meanwhile, the SEC has been tasked with working alongside the Treasury Secretary to enhance access to alternative investments in retirement savings plans [1]. This collaboration is expected to create a more inclusive and flexible framework for retirement investors looking to diversify their portfolios with digital assets.

In a separate development, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not been the only organization pushing for a broader acceptance of cryptocurrencies. The launch of the “Glass Full Foundation” by the memecoin launchpad Pump.fun aims to provide additional liquidity to popular tokens within its ecosystem. The initiative, though still vague on the specifics of funding and project eligibility, has already begun supporting select tokens. Following the announcement, the price of PUMP initially surged to $0.0036 before retracing slightly to $0.0033 [1].

The crypto landscape has also seen regulatory and operational shifts from major exchanges. Coinbase, for instance, announced a 0.1% fee on net USDC conversions exceeding $5 million. This fee will be applied within a 30-day rolling period and is set to take effect in a week [1]. This decision follows Coinbase’s second consecutive quarter of missing earnings expectations, which led to a decline in its stock price from $378 to $303 [1]. According to Coinbase’s senior stablecoin product manager, Will McComb, this move is an experiment to assess the impact of fees on USDC redemptions [1]. Crypto influencer Cobie further noted that the policy could be a strategic step to reduce the outflow of USDC, as Circle’s free 1:1 conversions have been encouraging users to exit via USDC instead of USDT [1]. Over the past year, the market cap of USDC has increased by 81.2%, from $34.5 billion to $64.6 billion, still trailing USDT’s $49.1 billion growth [1].

In the decentralized finance (DeFi) space, Etherex, a DEX built on Linea, has launched its native REX token. The token mechanism is modeled after the Ramses DEX, with all exchange fees allocated to REX token holders. The platform also introduced additional versions of REX, including staked and locked forms such as REX and REX33, allowing users to trade voting positions [1]. Upon its launch, REX reached a high of $0.66 before settling at $0.51, with a market cap of $181 million [1].

The broader crypto market has also seen a range of developments, including Sharplink Gaming (SBET) raising an additional $200 million to purchase more ETH, with the firm now holding over $1.9 billion in ETH. Sky Protocol (formerly MakerDAO) received a B- credit rating from S&P Global, citing centralization concerns and weak risk-adjusted capitalization [1]. Additionally, World Liberty Financial launched a loyalty points program for its USD1 stablecoin, though details on the use of these points remain unclear [1].

JPMorgan’s blockchain platform, Kinexys, is now being used by Marex, marking the first clearing firm to adopt the platform for client settlements. This partnership enables 24/7 payments using blockchain-based deposit accounts, signaling further institutional integration of blockchain technology [1].

The recent passing of the GENIUS Act has contributed to a surge in Ethereum's usage, with daily transactions reaching 1.87 million, close to the previous all-time high of 1.96 million recorded in 2024 [1]. Analysts have attributed this to the growing adoption of stablecoins and regulatory clarity.

However, not all news in the sector has been positive. The developer of Tornado Cash, Roman Storm, was found guilty of operating an unlicensed money transmitter, though not convicted of a separate money laundering charge. The market reacted negatively, with TORN dropping 15% following the verdict [1].

Source: [1] GeckoPulse: The Bitcoin Retirement Plan Is Now a Reality (https://www.coingecko.com/learn/geckopulse-bitcoin-retirement-plan-is-now-a-reality)