USDC Issuer Circle Secures Abu Dhabi’s ADGM License in Middle East Expansion

Circle has secured a Financial Services Permission from Abu Dhabi Global Market, giving the USDC issuer formal approval to operate as a Money Services Provider in the UAE. The license allows Circle to expand USDC’s role in payments, settlements, and enterprise financial infrastructure across the region. The company also appointed former Visa executive Dr. Saeeda Jaffar as managing director for Middle East and Africa, signaling a deeper institutional push into regulated markets.

The approval reinforces the UAE’s position as a global center for licensed digital asset activity, with Circle joining a growing roster of firms, including Binance, operating under ADGM and Dubai’s regulatory frameworks. With USDC and EURC already recognized in Dubai, this new license opens broader adoption pathways for stablecoin-based financial tools as the region positions itself at the forefront of regulated tokenized finance.

Bitcoin Traders Target 20K Strike as Deep OTM Options Gain Traction

A surge in deep out-of-the-money bitcoin put options is emerging on Deribit, with traders piling into the June 2026 20K strike, which now has over $191 million in notional open interest. These positions are not viewed as directional bets, but as cheap exposure to long-dated volatility, as traders accumulate both far OTM puts and extreme upside calls, including strikes above 200K.

The pattern reflects growing interest in volatility trading rather than crash hedging. Professionals are structuring deep wing trades to position for outsized payoffs if BTC experiences large swings over the next six months, while accepting near total decay if markets remain stable. Despite this activity, broader sentiment still tilts cautious, as bitcoin puts trade at a premium to calls across most tenors.

CFTC Launches Digital Assets Pilot Allowing Bitcoin Ether and USDC as Collateral

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has rolled out a first-of-its-kind pilot program permitting approved futures commission merchants to accept bitcoin, ether, and USDC as margin collateral in regulated derivatives markets. Acting Chair Caroline Pham said the initiative creates clear guardrails for tokenized collateral, with strict custody oversight and weekly reporting requirements during the initial phase.

The program marks a major step toward integrating tokenized assets into traditional market infrastructure and follows updated guidance that withdraws older restrictions on crypto collateral. Industry leaders, including Coinbase, praised the move as a core intention of the GENIUS Act, which aims to unify federal digital asset standards. The pilot provides a framework for using tokenized Treasuries and other real-world assets while maintaining enforceability and risk controls.