Crypto
This Week in Web3: Unlocking Blockchain’s Potential Within Payment Ecosystems | PYMNTS.com
Blockchain is growing into a global innovation that transcends its initial association with crypto.
The auction house Christie’s, for example, recently announced that an upcoming collection of fine art photography will include blockchain-based certificates of ownership for digital provenance purposes.
And from banking to payments and beyond, blockchain technology is being adopted in mainstream industries, with a global appeal that stems from its ability to transcend borders and facilitate decentralized, transparent and efficient processes while offering benefits like programmable capabilities.
But this growth hasn’t been without challenges. One of the obstacles to blockchain’s broader acceptance is the fragmented regulations across regions. As regulations evolve and blockchain matures, companies will need to stay ahead of the curve to harness the potential of this technology.
PYMNTS each week tracks the trends and themes of Web3’s journey to greater adoption and utility across payments and commerce.
Read more: Stablecoins, Tokenization and Caroline Ellison Headline This Week in Web3
Navigating Regulatory Hurdles
News broke recently that Dubai’s cryptocurrency regulator wants companies to warn customers of the risks of digital currencies. The regulator, the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, updated its guidelines and will require companies that want to market crypto in the United Arab Emirates to include a new and “prominent” disclaimer starting Tuesday (Oct.1).
Sometimes regulatory clarity in one jurisdiction can make up for challenges in others. For example, Robinhood is offering cryptocurrency transfers to European customers amid regulatory pressure in the United States. The service, “one of the most requested features in the region,” allows customers to deposit and withdraw more than 20 cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, ethereum and USD Coin, according to a Tuesday (Oct. 1) announcement.
Tuesday’s announcement follows a report from last week about a possible collaboration between Robinhood and U.K. FinTech Revolut to issue stablecoins. Both companies declined to confirm the report.
Stablecoins, which are digital assets pegged to the value of traditional currencies, have become a focal point in the cryptocurrency and financial sectors due to their relative stability compared to volatile assets like bitcoin.
Read more: Can Stablecoins Spark Crypto Adoption Across Retail and B2B Markets?
Blockchain’s Expanding Role
Blockchain technology was once synonymous with cryptocurrency but is now expanding into mainstream industries, according to the PYMNTS Intelligence, Solana and Solana Foundation collaboration, “Blockchain’s Benefits for Regulated Industries.”
The technology’s decentralized ledger offers promising applications in banking, payments, and programmable finance. One recent example comes from First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) which Sept. 24 successfully completed a pilot using programmable payments with JPM Coin through Onyx by J.P. Morgan.
“This successful pilot opens up the possibility of a dynamic and automated funding and settlement solution to FAB and J.P. Morgan’s mutual clients,” the companies announced. “This solution will enable clients to benefit from Onyx’s real-time and/or event-based programmable capabilities.”
And elsewhere, Worldpay is reportedly in talks with blockchains about becoming a validator and verifying blockchain transactions. The payments provider aims to do so to better understand how digital ledgers operate and to be involved with blockchain infrastructure.
Read more: Are Blockchain-Based Smart Contracts a Smart Option for Global Financing?
“The idea is to be part of the ecosystem right at the base,” said Sanchit Mall, Worldpay’s Web3 and crypto lead in the Asia-Pacific region. Worldpay has processed $1.3 billion worth of payments using stablecoin so far this year, up from less than $1 billion in 2023, according to the report.
Worldpay’s exploration of blockchain validation underscores a critical point: The payments industry is seeking to harness blockchain’s capabilities. While cryptocurrency adoption remains uneven across the globe, industry leaders are preparing for a potential shift toward blockchain-based solutions that could eventually underpin financial ecosystems.
As another data point, PayPal Holdings now enables U.S. merchants — except those in New York State — to buy, hold and sell cryptocurrency directly from their PayPal business accounts. The company also now enables PayPal business account holders to send and receive supported cryptocurrency tokens to and from external blockchain accounts, PayPal Holdings said in an announcement Sept. 25.
Meanwhile, consumer behavior is also shifting in favor of digital currencies. Tech-driven consumers — the 15% of consumers who are usually the first to buy the latest connected device — are often habitual cryptocurrency users, according to the PYMNTS Intelligence report “Shopping With Cryptocurrency: Tech-Driven Consumers Drive Market Acceptance.” The study showed that 24% of these consumers use cryptocurrency at least 10 to 20 times per month.
This tech-driven cohort is likely to be a crucial demographic for businesses seeking to integrate blockchain and cryptocurrency solutions. As these early adopters embrace the convenience and efficiency of blockchain, they pave the way for broader market acceptance, forcing companies to rethink their strategies in the digital economy.
The cryptocurrency market offers hundreds of different investment options, but two of them control most of the action: bitcoin and ethereum. As recently as last year, the combined market cap of both platforms made up more than 70% of the global crypto market, according to U.S. News & World Report.
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So which is a better bet for investors? During a recent interview with CoinDesk, businessman and “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary suggested his preference.
Also see five reasons you need at least one bitcoin.
O’Leary shared during the interview that his preference is bitcoin. “If you want exposure to crypto volatility, it’s bitcoin,” O’Leary said. “There’s a lot of people that say, ‘I don’t need anything else … I’ll just buy bitcoin.’ And they haven’t been wrong … I think it’ll be very hard to dethrone it.”
As for ethereum, O’Leary spent much of his time bemoaning its lack of speed and efficiency.
“Goodness, ETH is slow,” he said. “I’m sorry, but it’s slow, and I think a lot of people know that. And the more transactions get piled on it, it doesn’t get any better.”
Learn More: Coinbase Fees: Full Breakdown of How To Minimize Costs
O’Leary has plenty of company in backing bitcoin over ethereum.
Part of bitcoin’s allure is that it has become a dominant crypto force in both size and name recognition. It has grown so big that it recently leapfrogged Google parent Alphabet to rank as world’s sixth-largest asset by market cap, The Market Periodical reported.
From a pure investment standpoint, bitcoin has definitely been the better bet recently. Its price is up about 12% in 2025 as of June 13 and has gained about 56% over the past year. In contrast, ethereum’s price is down about 23% in 2025 and has lost more than 27% over the past year.
If you’re new to crypto, it’s important to understand the differences between bitcoin and ethereum, because it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison.
As U.S. News reported, bitcoin’s network uses a proof-of-work verification system. Ethereum, on the other hand, uses a proof-of-stake system, which U.S. News called “less energy-intensive.” Additionally, the main purpose of bitcoin is to serve as a digital currency that’s an alternative to other currencies, while ethereum is a platform that runs smart contracts, U.S. News explained.
According to VanEck, a New York-based investment management firm, both bitcoin and ethereum have seen their prices fluctuate significantly over the years. Despite that, VanEck noted that bitcoin has been the outperformer, remaining more stable than ethereum.
Crypto
Alchemy Pay Partners With Backed to Integrate xStocks on Its Platform, Pioneering the First Direct Fiat Access to Tokenized Stocks and ETFs – Branded Spotlight Bitcoin News
New UK-based program allows first-time users to begin regulated Bitcoin mining with no upfront costs or hardware requirements
LONDON, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DN Miner, a FCA regulated crypto platform, has announced a new initiative that offers free cloud mining access to newly registered users. The program is designed to provide a hands-on introduction to Bitcoin mining without the technical barriers traditionally associated with the process.
By offering complimentary starting balances upon account creation, DN Miner allows individuals to engage in short-term cloud mining contracts using its hosted mining infrastructure. This setup enables users to observe and understand how cryptocurrency mining functions in practice—without investing in specialized equipment or software.
Available mining contracts vary in duration and estimated yield, giving users the ability to select options aligned with their comfort level and goals. Once minimum balance thresholds are reached, users can request withdrawals through multiple supported channels. In an effort to maintain simplicity.
Mining Contract Options:
| Contract Term | Contract Price | Daily Reward | Total Reward(Principal Returned) | Daily Return Rate | ||
| 1 day | $350 | $10.5 | $350+$10.5 | 3.0% | ||
| 3 day | $500 | $16 | $500 + $48 | 3.2% | ||
| 4 days | $1000 | $35 | $1000 + $140 | 3.5% | ||
| 5 days | $3000 | $114 | $3000 + $570 | 3.8% | ||
| 2 days | $12000 | $576 | $12000+$1152 | 4.8% | ||
The company notes that while the platform is accessible to beginners, the underlying activity of mining remains subject to market-driven volatility. Factors such as network difficulty, asset valuation, and mining congestion can influence daily returns. DN Miner encourages users to consider these variables when evaluating their participation in digital asset operations.
DN Miner operates under regulatory supervision by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This oversight ensures that the platform maintains a high standard of transparency, user data security, and legal compliance. All mining infrastructure is hosted in certified data centers that use industrial-grade ASIC equipment to support consistent uptime and competitive performance across supported cryptocurrencies.
About DN Miner
DN Miner is a UK-regulated digital asset platform providing cloud-based access to cryptocurrency mining. Through remote infrastructure hosted in secure data centers, DN Miner enables users to participate in digital asset production without the need for hardware ownership or software management. The platform prioritizes regulatory compliance, operational transparency, and user education in all of its offerings.
Media Contact:
Darlene Evan
info@dnminer.com
+4407787938609
https://dnminer.com/
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e42f006e-7ab6-4512-aae9-5efcf195d024
Image by DN Miner
Image by DN Miner
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