Episode 1123 of Bitcoin And . . . is LIVE!
- Bitcoin accepted in mortgage risk assessments for the first time in U.S. housing policy
- Brussels softens its stance on stablecoins, clashing with ECB regulatory warnings
- Ripple loses attempt to reduce SEC penalty, judge holds firm on XRP sales ruling
- Tether buys over 10% of Juventus FC, seeks board seat and strategic control
- Castle raises $1M to offer Bitcoin treasury services for small and medium businesses
Bitcoin just walked through the front door of the American housing market. The Federal Housing Finance Agency now says it is reviewing whether Bitcoin can be used in mortgage risk models. Not self custody. Not multisig. Not lightning. We are talking about Bitcoin held on a centralized exchange, visible to the state, wrapped in compliance. That is the version they are looking at. It is a wedge, not a win. But the fact that the FHFA even said the word Bitcoin out loud in a mortgage context means the Overton window just cracked open. When the most conservative financial institutions start asking how to price in sats, you know something is shifting.
Over in Brussels, the European Union just pulled a quiet pivot. Despite the European Central Bank’s constant warnings, the European Council is softening its stance on stablecoins. This is not about freedom. It is about control. Europe does not want to get left behind. The narrative now is that stablecoins could have utility if properly regulated. That word properly is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Meanwhile, the ECB still looks terrified. Which is encouraging.
Ripple is back in court and still losing. They tried to shave their penalty down to 10 million dollars. The judge was not impressed. The ruling stands. XRP sales to institutions were unregistered securities offerings and Ripple does not get a discount for acting surprised. This is a reminder that no matter how much these companies scream decentralization, they all end up standing in front of a judge like a regular issuer. If the rules are rigged, playing the game badly does not help.
Then there is Tether. Because of course there is. Tether just bought over ten percent of Juventus Football Club. That is right. The biggest stablecoin issuer on earth now owns a piece of one of the most iconic soccer teams in Europe. They want a board seat. They want influence. They are not just sponsoring a jersey. They are playing executive. This is not a flex. This is an escalation. When Tether starts steering legacy institutions, you have to ask where the line is between financial operator and political actor.
And finally, a quiet but important signal. Castle just raised one million dollars to offer treasury services to small and medium businesses that want to hold Bitcoin. These are not billion dollar companies trying to make headlines. These are everyday operators looking to protect themselves from a crumbling fiat system. Castle is building pipes. Not hype. That matters.
So here is what we are seeing. Mortgage regulators talking Bitcoin. Europe trying to regulate stablecoins without killing them. Ripple getting slapped. Tether buying the beautiful game. And Castle showing plebs how to defend capital with cold storage.
That is the episode. No headlines. No headlinespeak. Just what matters.
Bitcoin And . . . because someone has to read the news.
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