France’s finance minister, Roland Lescure, has voiced support for a euro-pegged stablecoin initiative led by European banks, as the region looks to compete with the dominance of US dollar-backed tokens.

The proposed stablecoin, known as Qivalis, is expected to launch in the second half of 2026 under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto Assets regulatory framework.

Europe Pushes for Digital Euro Alternatives

The Qivalis project was introduced in September 2025 by a group of major European banks, including ING and UniCredit.

Its goal is to create a MiCA-compliant euro stablecoin that can serve as a regional alternative to widely used dollar-backed digital assets.

Lescure expressed strong support for the initiative, stating that Europe needs its own competitive offering in the stablecoin space.

Dollar Stablecoins Still Dominate

Currently, the stablecoin market is heavily dominated by US dollar-pegged assets.

Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC account for the vast majority of market share, with USDT alone holding a market capitalization of around $186 billion.

By comparison, euro-backed stablecoins represent only a small fraction of the market, which Lescure described as “not satisfactory.”

Tokenized Deposits Also Encouraged

In addition to stablecoins, Lescure encouraged banks to explore tokenized deposits as part of the broader digital finance shift.

These instruments, which represent traditional bank deposits on blockchain infrastructure, could play a complementary role alongside stablecoins in modernizing financial systems.

Europe Focuses on Regulation and Stability

European regulators are taking a structured approach through the MiCA framework, aiming to ensure compliance, transparency, and financial stability.

At the same time, officials remain cautious about certain features, particularly interest-bearing stablecoins.

Banque de France Governor François Villeroy de Galhau has warned that offering yield on stablecoins could pose risks to financial stability, a concern echoed by policymakers in both Europe and the United States.

Ongoing Debate in the US

The discussion around stablecoins is also ongoing in the US, where lawmakers are still debating how to regulate the sector.

The proposed CLARITY Act, which aims to establish a market structure for crypto assets, remains stalled in the Senate amid disagreements over issues like stablecoin yield and tokenized equities.

Europe Looks to Close the Gap

With initiatives like Qivalis, Europe is positioning itself to reduce reliance on dollar-based stablecoins and strengthen the role of the euro in digital finance.

As competition intensifies, the development of regulated, region-specific stablecoins could play a key role in shaping the future of global payments.

Fintech firm Ramp Network has introduced a new multichain self-custodial wallet aimed at reducing one of crypto’s biggest usability challenges, the need to rely on multiple third-party services for basic transactions.

The company says the wallet allows users to buy, sell, swap, and cash out digital assets within a single app, streamlining the overall experience.

All-in-One Crypto Experience

Unlike many wallets that depend on external providers, Ramp’s new product integrates its own on-ramp, off-ramp, and cross-chain infrastructure directly into the app.

This means users can complete key actions like trading or withdrawing funds without being redirected to other platforms.

Ramp says the goal is to simplify self-custody while still allowing users to retain full control over their assets.

Multichain Support at Launch

The wallet launches with support for Ether across eight networks, including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, Linea, MegaETH, Optimism, Polygon zkEVM, and zkSync Era.

Ramp plans to expand support to additional networks such as Bitcoin, Solana, Binance Smart Chain, Polygon, Apechain, Avalanche, Celo, and Gnosis in future updates.

To facilitate transactions, the wallet uses USDC on the Base network as a core balance for payments and transfers.

Focus on Security and User Control

Despite offering an integrated experience, Ramp emphasized that the wallet remains fully self-custodial.

Users retain control of their private keys, with security features including passkeys and optional key export functionality.

The company said this approach aims to make non-custodial wallets easier to use without compromising ownership of funds.

Not Available in the EU Yet

The wallet will be available globally, except in the European Union.

Ramp Network is already registered as a Crypto Asset Service Provider under the EU’s MiCA framework, but additional regulatory approvals are required before launching the wallet in the region.

According to CEO Przemek Kowalczyk, those steps are expected to be completed in the coming months.

Competing in a Crowded Wallet Market

Ramp’s entry adds to a growing list of wallets offering integrated features, including MetaMask, Phantom, Best Wallet, and Exodus, which already support in-app swaps and asset purchases.

However, Ramp is positioning its product as more streamlined by reducing the number of intermediaries involved in each transaction.

Simplifying a Fragmented Experience

Kowalczyk said the company built its own infrastructure to eliminate friction points that typically occur when users switch between services.

By combining payments, trading, and cash-out features into a single system, Ramp aims to make the crypto experience more consistent and user-friendly while maintaining the core principle of self-custody.

HIVE Digital Technologies is preparing to raise $75 million as it accelerates its shift from Bitcoin mining toward AI-driven computing and data center infrastructure.

The company announced plans to issue 0% exchangeable senior notes due in 2031, with the offering targeting institutional investors and including an option to raise an additional $15 million.

Funding Focused on GPUs and Data Centers

HIVE said the proceeds will be used to expand its high-performance computing capabilities, including investments in graphics processing units and data center infrastructure.

The notes will be issued through a wholly owned subsidiary and can be converted under certain conditions, with HIVE retaining flexibility to settle conversions in cash, shares, or a mix of both.

The company also plans to enter capped call transactions to help limit potential shareholder dilution from future conversions.

Stock Drops Following Announcement

Following the news, HIVE’s Nasdaq-listed shares fell 11.5%, underperforming the broader crypto mining sector. The CoinShares Bitcoin Mining ETF also declined slightly by 1.5%.

Despite the market reaction, the raise reflects HIVE’s longer-term strategy to diversify beyond traditional mining revenue.

Pivot to AI Already Underway

HIVE was among the early Bitcoin miners to pivot into high-performance computing, beginning the transition in 2022.

That strategy is starting to show results. In its most recent quarter, the company reported $93.1 million in revenue, up 219% year over year, even as Bitcoin prices remained under pressure and mining difficulty increased.

Earlier this year, HIVE also signed a $30 million deal to deploy 504 Nvidia B200 GPUs for enterprise AI cloud services, signaling deeper involvement in the AI infrastructure space.

Mining Industry Shifts Toward AI

HIVE is not alone in this transition. A growing number of publicly traded Bitcoin miners are moving into AI and high-performance computing.

Companies such as MARA Holdings, Riot Platforms, Bitdeer Technologies, TeraWulf, Hut 8, CleanSpark, and IREN are all leveraging their existing energy access and data center infrastructure to support AI workloads.

This trend reflects a broader industry shift as miners look to stabilize revenues and capitalize on rising demand for AI computing power.

AI Infrastructure Becomes Key Growth Driver

The move toward AI is gaining momentum across the sector.

CoreWeave, a former crypto mining firm, has emerged as a major player in AI cloud infrastructure after pivoting years earlier. The company recently signed a $6 billion deal with trading firm Jane Street and secured a $1 billion equity investment, highlighting the scale of demand for compute resources.

At the same time, other players like Soluna Holdings are restructuring operations to focus more heavily on AI-ready data centers.

Expansion Plans Continue

In addition to the fundraising, HIVE said it has received conditional approval to list its shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange, with trading expected to begin later this month once requirements are met.

As the company deepens its AI strategy, the planned raise signals a continued shift away from reliance on Bitcoin mining toward a broader role in powering next-generation computing infrastructure.