Michele

Investing in Bitcoin companies at @FulgurVentures

[Wu Blockchain @WuBlockchain]

Tether Brings USDT Back to Bitcoin With RGB Rollout

Tether, issuer of USDT, the world’s largest stablecoin, plans to issue USDT natively on Bitcoin through RGB protocol v0.11.1, with UTEXO leading the commercial rollout. The move would bring USDT back to the Bitcoin network, where it first launched in 2014 through Omni-Mastercoin. RGB will allow users to send and receive USDT between Bitcoin addresses and compatible wallets, with UTEXO saying the feature could go live as early as July and be supported later by Tether Wallet and multiple exchanges.

[Harsha Goli @arshbot]

Bitcoin/crypto/stablecoins will never succeed at replacing visa or the dollar.

I’m gonna make a lot of people mad with this one.

What does everyone complain about when it comes to trad rails?

- too slow to settle
- too expensive
- too permissioned

But does anyone know why these consumer rails behave this way? And why they continue to behave this way?

It’s not because “banks don’t care” (tho there is truth to this)

It’s not because “There’s no incentive to innovate in a monopoly” (tho there is truth to this)

It’s not because “the powers that be like it this way” (tho there is truth to this)

It’s because of 2 words. Consumer protections.

> too slow to settle

Settlement times range from 3 days for ach to land to 90 days for the chargeback window. Even more for credit card payments.

Y’all know what a chargeback is? We all hate them as merchants/providers, but when you’re a consumer and your card has been stolen - it’s the only thing protecting you from a devastating financial loss.

That’s it. That’s the only reason domestic payments take so long to fully settle, and why we have to rely on things like intermediary float accounts, why compliance costs are so high (it’s actually very easy to be aml compliant! It’s very hard to lower chargeback rates).

Stablecoins, bitcoin solve this… by eliminating consumer protections. Feel free to counter this point only if you’ve worked customer support at a crypto payments company. You’ve seen the jarring amounts of money these people have lost, sometimes through no fault of their own. It’s horrible, devastating, and sometimes tragic. People end their lives over these situations.

What we do is no joke, and it’s easy to forget that sometimes.

Chargebacks do prevent this. If you care about preventing these situations, they work quite well.

> too expensive
> too permissioned

Not just the 2-5% on each tx for visa/bank interchange that merchants pay. The compliance costs of stringent kyc (especially in EU, god have you seen the rates!!) and of kyt.

Yea it’s def too much. But it’s too much for 2 reasons.

1. Payment rails commoditize over time (sorry dozens of neobanks)
2. Laundering stolen crypto is common, and vigilance isn’t just a moral/social imperative, it’s a legal one (shoutout binance)

So you have this situation where in order to get people to use your rail, you have to add in direct incentives (merchants somehow still go along with this bc they just pass costs down) and you have to implement heavy compliance machinery to make sure you’re not touching dirty money.

High costs mean only one thing: high volume is the only way to maintain p&l

Visa & co have the upper hand here. They have 2 things that allow their throne to be virtually dethronable

- consumer protections
- extremely high volume

If you’re a monetary usecase maxi that’s totally fine. I used to be one too. But you have to acknowledge this reality and plan accordingly.

Stablecoins can only thrive in non-consumer usecases (b2b)

Bitcoin can only thrive in speculative usecases (ngu, financial engineering like mstr, long term savings)

[Viktor Ihnatiuk @VIhnatiuk]

DeFi left Bitcoin because it was too "stupid" for complex products

Billions in hacks later, stupidity is starting to look pretty good

more often than not, simplicity > complexity

[Catherine Chan @catwychan]

https://t.co/jARszdnhR3

[Michele @michelea07]

A crypto risk consulting business shutting down due to lack of demand is ironic given how many hacks keep happening.

Wonder what it will take for risk management to be taken seriously.

[Catherine Chan @catwychan]

https://t.co/UeRq8KJevg

[Viktor Ihnatiuk @VIhnatiuk]

This is the whole point of open infrastructure: people building on top of each other's work.

Good to see @utexocom being used to push what's possible with stablecoins on Bitcoin!

[Joe Nakamoto ⚡️ @JoeNakamoto]

London has a Bitcoin cowork + accelerator hub you should know about 🫖 ⚡️

It's called Antidote in Farringdon 🇬🇧

They host monthly btc talks /events.

If you are a bitcoiner with a trad job — hire a desk anyway...it's bloody nice!

[Utexo @utexocom]

We're hosting a "Stablecoins on Bitcoin" builder session with @AntidoteBTC.

Have an idea for a stablecoin application powered by Utexo's private execution layer? Come ship it!

📅 Wed, March 25th
⌚ 18:00 – 20:30 GMT
📍 London

Build with us: https://t.co/7EsGWz4WSR

[Viktor Ihnatiuk @VIhnatiuk]

How do you build a private settlement layer for USDT on Bitcoin?

A JV with @tether and @FulgurVentures in 2023 later became @utexocom.

Sat down with @CoruzantPod to share our journey, and why RGB on Lightning is the only stack built for global payments.

https://t.co/hh4pulP6Ye

[Antidote @AntidoteBTC]

Next week at Antidote.... 🗓️

We’re hosting a Stablecoin Builder Session with @utexocom next Wednesday 25th March at 6pm.

Join us for an evening of building and developing stablecoin applications, where we’ll provide the food and drinks, you build!

Register before spots run out: https://t.co/xYgxCPwvi5 🎟️

[Ark Labs @ArkLabsHQ]

Ark Labs raised $5.2M to build programmable finance on Bitcoin, with participation from @Tether, @EgoDeathCapital, @anchorage & others.

The largest, most liquid digital asset gets the programmable infrastructure modern financial applications require, starting with stablecoins.

[Michele @michelea07]

If you're in London and building on stablecoins you can't miss this

[Utexo @utexocom]

"Builder Series: Stablecoins on Bitcoin"

Join @AntidoteBTC and Utexo in for a building session focused on developing stablecoin applications on Bitcoin.

Stablecoin builders from any ecosystem are welcome

📅 March, 25
📍 London
⌚️ 18.00 - 20:30 (GMT)

https://t.co/7EsGWz4p3j

[Antidote @AntidoteBTC]

Calling all Stablecoin builders! 🗣️

We’re partnering with @utexocom to host a hands-on builder session focused on developing stablecoin applications.

@utexocom's execution layer is unlocking massive potential by enabling payments, settlement, and trading directly via the Lightning Network and RGB.

So come join us at Antidote to roll up your sleeves, prototype, and build!

📅 When: Wed, March 25th | 18:00 – 20:30

Register now: https://t.co/xYgxCPwvi5

[Michele @michelea07]

Excited to be supporting the @utexocom’s vision from the very start with @FulgurVentures

[Utexo @utexocom]

Utexo has raised $7.5M from @tether, @BigBrainVC, and @PortalVentures to bring USDT natively on Bitcoin.

After more than a decade, USDT is finally coming home.

[Antidote @AntidoteBTC]

The wait is over...

Introducing the first cohort of the Antidote Accelerator Programme! 👥

We’re backing the founders pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on Bitcoin from privacy-preserving ID to sovereign finance.

Meet the teams: 👇

[Antidote @AntidoteBTC]

Another successful event at Antidote HQ! 🗣️

Alongside the Digital Asset Forum, we hosted an intimate reception at Antidote HQ for speakers and industry friends to connect after the conference.

With Bitcoin keeping us on our toes last week, the night was filled with canapés, conversation and plenty of drinks...

A huge thank you to our co-hosts, @utexocom and @PortalVentures for their collaboration, and special thanks to Catrina W. and Chris H.

Thank you all for coming, until our next event! 🥂

[Michele @michelea07]

If you’re building in Bitcoin you should keep your eyes peeled for what’s happening here

[Antidote @AntidoteBTC]

Join our Antidote Telegram channel for event announcements, office space news, membership and business updates shared directly by our founders and team. 🗣️

It’s a great way to get a behind-the-scenes look at the Antidote community.

👉 Join the Antidote community here: https://t.co/3vqegAYA0u

[Antidote @AntidoteBTC]

Last week we had a great conversation at Antidote during our Pitching and Raising Capital panel event.

We had an open and honest discussion on both fundraising and how to build a strong investor network with our experienced panel: Ben Cousens, Founder of @AntidoteBTC; Jessica Maria Rota Co-founder of AEVA Strategy, Jingwei Li, VC Investor at @FPrimeCapital, and Nadia Sergejuk, Founder and COO at @lagoon_finance.

A big thank you to the panellists and everyone who joined us for such an engaging evening. 🥂

This was the first of many events to come - so stay tuned for what’s next at Antidote!

[Antidote @AntidoteBTC]

🚨 Antidote’s first event of 2026 is happening this week, and it’s one you won’t want to miss! 🚨

Join us this Thursday (29th January) evening for an insightful panel on Pitching & Raising Capital, featuring:

Ben Cousens, Antidote Founder
Jingwei Li, FC Investor at @FPrimeCapital
Nadia Sergejuk, Founder & COO of @lagoon_finance
Jessica Maria Rota, Co-Founder of AVEA Strategy

Our panellists will offer practical advice to help startups master pitching and build investor networks.

Please register for your free ticket via the link in the comments! 🎟️

[ZBD @zbdpay]

Big news, ZBD just secured $40M in Series C funding from @Blockstream Capital Partners! 🎉
For developers, this means more comprehensive game-native tools that help increase LTV without breaking immersion. For players, it means rewarding experiences where earning and spending real value feels like a natural part of play.

New funding allows us to:
- Scale embedded rewards in games
- Extend our payments infrastructure into the broader creator economy
- Expand our licensing & footprint: NA, EU, LATAM & APAC 🌎

ZBD is building the all-in-one payment stack for games, and this Series C gives us the runway to keep evolving how real value moves through interactive digital experiences in 2026 and beyond.

More in @GamesBeat 👇

https://t.co/8Il89A5plg

#GameDev #Gaming #Fintech