Crypto.com, Sirius, And Binance Lead December’s 2nd-Week Partnership Wave
In Brief
December’s second week highlighted a wave of strategic crypto partnerships and integrations, spanning government-backed initiatives, institutional collaborations, and consumer-focused DeFi projects.
December’s second week delivered an unusually diverse slate of crypto alliances, each aimed at pulling digital assets deeper into mainstream finance and global trade. From government-backed payment experiments in Dubai to institutional-grade integrations involving Stripe, Paradigm, Bybit, Circle, Coinbase, and PNC, the week showcased a coordinated push toward stability, usability, and real-world utility. Even consumer DeFi and sovereign-scale infrastructure advanced through newly forged partnerships.
Crypto.com and Sirius Join Forces to Advance ADI Chain Integration in the UAE
Crypto.com has entered a strategic partnership with Sirius International Holding, the technology investment arm of International Holding Company (IHC), in a move designed to accelerate the UAE’s ambitions in digital assets. The collaboration centers on expanding blockchain adoption, strengthening tokenization infrastructure, and advancing real-world asset utility across the region.
A key focus of the partnership is Crypto.com’s early-stage exploration of integrating ADI Chain, the high-performance network developed by the ADI Foundation, a nonprofit launched by Sirius. The integration is intended to support the UAE’s sovereign-grade digital infrastructure and open global opportunities for tokenized assets. Both sides will also evaluate potential listings tied to Sirius’s ecosystem—ranging from tokenized RWAs to stablecoins—subject to Crypto.com’s listing standards and regulatory approvals.
The partnership extends beyond blockchain infrastructure. The companies will assess potential uses of Crypto.com Pay within Sirius’s portfolio, while also exploring institutional pathways through Crypto.com Exchange.
Eric Anziani, Crypto.com’s President and COO, said the UAE’s commitment to blockchain makes the region an ideal environment, calling everyday utility “central” to the company’s vision. Alain Yacine added that the UAE is shaping crypto innovation with global relevance. Sirius CEO Ajay Bhatia highlighted the initiative as a “defining step,” noting it lays the groundwork for tokenization at international scale.
Together, the two organizations aim to build a framework capable of exporting institutional-grade digital-asset infrastructure beyond the UAE.
Dubai Customs Partners With Binance to Bring Crypto Payments Into Global Trade
Dubai Customs has signed a landmark agreement with Binance to integrate cryptocurrency payments into the emirate’s trade and logistics systems, marking a major advancement in how global commerce could operate through Dubai. The MoU, signed during Binance Blockchain Week 2025, aims to modernize government services, streamline cross-border trade, and empower SMEs by making international markets more accessible.
Under the partnership, Binance Pay and related services will be incorporated into customs and logistics workflows. The goal is to accelerate clearance times, reduce transaction costs, and simplify coordination across shipping networks—areas where traditional banking channels often slow SMEs with high fees and lengthy settlement cycles. Faster crypto-based settlements could translate into quicker cargo releases and improved liquidity for businesses.
This step builds on Dubai Customs’ existing blockchain foundation, including its blockchain-enabled customs platform launched in 2024 and earlier projects recognized by the UAE Ministry of Economy. Officials describe the initiative as a natural extension of Dubai’s push toward digital government, not an experimental trial.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said the partnership supports Dubai’s D33 Economic Agenda and strengthens the city’s innovation leadership. Dr. Abdulla Busenad added that it reflects a long-term vision for smarter, more transparent trade processes. Binance CEO Richard Teng noted the collaboration could serve as a global model for modernizing customs systems.
Stripe and Paradigm Open Tempo Blockchain to the Public, Add Major Financial Partners
Stripe and Paradigm have opened public trials for Tempo, their jointly developed blockchain designed to make stablecoin payments simple, predictable, and ready for real-world commercial use. The launch allows any company to begin building on the network, reflecting rising interest in stablecoins amid a supportive federal framework during President Trump’s second term.
Tempo continues to attract prominent partners, with UBS, Cross River Bank, and Kalshi joining existing collaborators such as Deutsche Bank, Nubank, OpenAI, and Anthropic. The initiative, first announced in September, aims to remove the complexity that often discourages developers from working with stablecoins. Paradigm’s Matt Huang said the goal is to close the usability gap and bring familiar Stripe-style simplicity to crypto payments.
The network’s core innovation is its dedicated payments lane, designed to avoid congestion and price spikes seen on traditional blockchains—problems often triggered by heavy trading or memecoin frenzies. By separating payments from speculative activity, Tempo can offer near-instant settlement and fixed transaction fees at just one-tenth of a cent.
This model is attractive for businesses facing high card-processing fees, especially those experimenting with microtransactions. As AI and digital platforms shift toward real-time, usage-based billing, Tempo positions itself as a stable, cost-effective infrastructure for the next generation of global payments.
Bybit Expands Circle Partnership to Strengthen Global USDC Integration
Bybit is deepening its collaboration with Circle in a strategic move that significantly broadens USDC’s presence across one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges. The partnership focuses on enhancing liquidity, improving fiat on- and off-ramps, and embedding USDC into more of Bybit’s core infrastructure as demand for the stablecoin surges. USDC’s market capitalization recently climbed to $78 billion, nearing historical highs and underscoring its reputation as a trusted, regulated asset.
Bybit said the collaboration extends far beyond basic trading support, with plans to expand USDC usage across spot and derivatives markets, cross-chain deposits and withdrawals, institutional settlement systems, savings products, fiat ramps, and conversion channels. A representative noted that the expansion was “just the beginning,” highlighting strong opportunities in regions such as the European Economic Area where Circle benefits from clear regulatory standing under MiCA.
The exchange explained that USDC already functions as essential infrastructure within its ecosystem, and this partnership strengthens core pillars like liquidity and settlement to further scale utility. Circle’s stablecoin is in the midst of its strongest growth phase in years, supported by partnerships with major institutions including Mastercard and Deutsche Börse.
Bybit stressed that the partnership is non-exclusive but said that Circle’s “transparency and regulatory clarity” make USDC an ideal asset for deeper integration.
Coinbase and PNC Forge Landmark Partnership to Bring Bitcoin Trading to Private Banking Clients
Coinbase and PNC Bank have unveiled a major collaboration that brings Bitcoin spot trading directly into PNC’s private banking ecosystem—an unprecedented step for a top-10 U.S. bank. Through Coinbase’s institutional “Crypto-as-a-Service” infrastructure, PNC will let its high-net-worth clients access spot BTC trading without needing to open separate exchange accounts or handle technical complexities.
Under the arrangement, Coinbase provides the full backend: secure custody, compliance and reporting, and execution on deep-liquidity markets. PNC effectively gains a turnkey crypto platform, allowing it to introduce digital assets without building or maintaining specialized infrastructure. The bank’s decision signals a growing institutional comfort with crypto rails, especially as Bitcoin becomes a sought-after component of modern wealth strategies.
A Coinbase representative described the initiative as an effort to open a “trusted, regulated gateway” that institutions have long requested, noting that the partnership reflects increasing confidence in compliant digital-asset frameworks. For PNC, limiting the rollout to private-bank clients creates a controlled environment suited to investors with higher risk tolerance, while offering a service that competitors may soon feel pressured to replicate.
While U.S. regulatory uncertainty persists, this partnership stands as a milestone in the convergence of traditional finance and crypto. By integrating Bitcoin trading into established banking channels, Coinbase and PNC are helping dismantle long-standing barriers and accelerating the normalization of digital assets across institutional portfolios.
VerifiedX and Blockdaemon Join Forces to Deliver Scalable, Self-Custodial DeFi to Users Worldwide
VerifiedX and Blockdaemon have announced a far-reaching strategic partnership designed to make decentralized finance intuitive, secure, and globally accessible. By merging VerifiedX’s consumer-facing wallet and payment ecosystem with Blockdaemon’s institutional-grade infrastructure, the collaboration aims to bring advanced DeFi capabilities to everyday users without the usual technical barriers.
Blockdaemon’s staking, node, and liquidity systems—typically used by banks, asset managers, and exchanges—will be embedded directly into the VFX SwitchBlade wallet and the Butterfly social payments platform. This gives users seamless access to reward generation on assets like Bitcoin and stablecoins, borrowing and lending tools, and cross-chain financial features, all while maintaining full self-custody. VerifiedX emphasized that the partnership enables users to save, pay, earn, and access credit “without intermediaries or complexity,” positioning the integration as a breakthrough in consumer-grade blockchain finance.
Blockdaemon noted that bringing its trusted infrastructure into VerifiedX products allows consumers to benefit from the same reliability institutions expect, saying the arrangement delivers professional-grade performance “without compromising compliance or security.”
The partnership also lays groundwork for expanded staking markets, cross-chain liquidity tools, tokenized asset products, and enterprise integrations. With Blockdaemon’s globally distributed architecture supporting VerifiedX’s universal settlement layer, both organizations view the collaboration as the foundation for a unified, scalable financial ecosystem capable of serving millions.
Kraken and Deutsche Börse Build Two-Way Rails Between TradFi and Crypto
Kraken and Deutsche Börse Group have unveiled a wide-ranging partnership designed to link traditional markets with digital assets, creating reciprocal access for institutions and crypto-native participants. The first phase connects Kraken directly to 360T, Deutsche Börse’s FX platform, giving Kraken clients access to deep, bank-grade foreign exchange liquidity and smoother movement between fiat and crypto.
The alliance also scales Kraken Embed, the exchange’s white-label service, across Deutsche Börse’s institutional network. This lets banks and fintechs offer branded crypto trading and custody while relying on Kraken’s infrastructure and compliance stack behind the scenes—removing a major hurdle for firms that lack in-house crypto capabilities.
Kraken Co-CEO Arjun Sethi framed the initiative as an effort to link markets “across a wide range of asset classes” to build a more “holistic foundation” for future financial innovation. Deutsche Börse CEO Stephan Leithner said the group sees the collaboration as a way to blend the “trust and resilience” of regulated markets with digital-asset innovation.
Subject to regulatory approval, Eurex-listed derivatives will become available via Kraken, while tokenized equities from the xStocks platform—acquired through Kraken’s purchase of Backed Finance—will be integrated into Deutsche Börse’s 360X ecosystem. With Clearstream and Crypto Finance supporting custody, the partnership aims to deliver institutional-grade security alongside expanded market access between U.S. and European financial systems.
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About The Author
Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
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Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
