ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, European cryptocurrency investment firm CoinShares released its outlook for the crypto industry in 2025 on December 11, highlighting the profound impact of political shifts in the U.S., the development of Solana, and XRP.The report states that one major trend for 2025 is Bitcoin yield solutions, allowing users to gain additional value through holding BTC. This trend reflects a broader recognition that Bitcoin is not only a store of value but also a means of generating income. An important indicator of increased Bitcoin reserves in 2025 will be the growing acceptance of cryptocurrency payments globally.CoinShares identified three main types of Bitcoin yields. The first is the growth of Bitcoin holdings relative to company stocks; the second is yield mining, which generates income by lending out Bitcoin; the third strategy is to create income from Bitcoin reserves using derivatives.

ChainCatcher news, according to News.bitcoin, French luxury department store Printemps has announced that it will accept cryptocurrency payments, becoming the first major luxury retailer in Europe to support digital currency payments.The company has launched cryptocurrency payment services in its 20 stores across France through partnerships with French crypto payment company Lyzi and Binance Pay.Printemps stated that this move will benefit over 6.5 million cryptocurrency users in France, allowing them to make fast, secure, and simple payments using the latest Web3 solutions. The company emphasized that the introduction of cryptocurrency payments reflects its innovative commitment to reforming the consumer experience.

ChainCatcher news, according to market news, ZK International Group (ZKIN) is seeking to accept cryptocurrency payments, including Bitcoin, to enhance transactions with global suppliers, vendors, and customers.

ChainCatcher message, payment protocol AEON partners with FDUSD issuer First Digital Labs and Terminus to launch Web3 QR code payments, promoted during Devcon in Thailand. Users can scan the AEON QR code to use FDUSD for purchases at offline merchants, who can receive cryptocurrency without new devices, automatically converting it to local fiat currency.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Block, Detroit city officials announced on Thursday that the city will become the largest city in the United States to accept cryptocurrency payments. Residents will be able to use cryptocurrency to pay taxes and other city fees through a secure platform managed by PayPal.Finance Director Nikhil Patel stated that this option will be launched in mid-2025, and further improvements to city payment services will also be made. This is part of a larger strategy for the city of Detroit aimed at exploring innovative technologies that can enhance public services, strengthen citizen engagement, and promote economic growth.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, Alchemy Pay's virtual card is now available on Google Pay and is set to launch on Samsung Pay soon, providing users with another seamless way to spend cryptocurrency. Alchemy Pay mentioned in its announcement on October 8 that the new Samsung Pay payment feature will be launched within weeks after the platform completed its integration with Google Pay in September.

ChainCatcher news, according to Decrypt, the Louisiana government has officially begun accepting cryptocurrency payments, becoming the latest U.S. state to accept digital currency for state services.Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming announced earlier this week that residents can now use a variety of digital assets to pay for state service fees, including Bitcoin, the Bitcoin Lightning Network, and the USDC stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar.The state reported that the first cryptocurrency payment has been completed, with a payment made using the Bitcoin Lightning Network for a fine paid to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Fleming noted that this advancement is the result of the state government collaborating with Bead Pay and local integration partners to modernize the payment system and reduce fraudulent transactions.

ChainCatcher news, Anatoly Aksakov, chairman of the Financial Market Committee of the State Duma of Russia, stated that the Central Bank of Russia and the Ministry of Finance are developing regulations to establish rules for cross-border cryptocurrency payments. The government's goal is to complete these regulations by the end of November.The Russian government will first test the cryptocurrency payment mechanism under the Experimental Legal Regime (EPR), meaning that only selected participants such as credit institutions and banks will be allowed to participate in the process, aimed at minimizing risks and helping to formulate regulations to protect the market from fraud.Aksakov revealed that companies are already using cryptocurrencies for import and export payments, with transaction volumes estimated to reach billions of dollars, emphasizing the need to limit the number of financial institutions participating in these transactions during the initial phase to better understand the market and develop effective regulatory provisions. (beincrypto)

ChainCatcher news, payment giant Mastercard has partnered with European crypto payment infrastructure provider Mercuryo to launch a debit card priced in euros. This card allows users to spend cryptocurrencies stored in non-custodial wallets directly. The service will charge certain fees, including a €1.6 card issuance fee, a €1 monthly maintenance fee, and a 0.95% withdrawal fee charged by Mercuryo.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, Flexa has launched Flexa Components, a tool designed to simplify merchant cryptocurrency payments, enabling what is known as direct, fee-free digital wallet transactions. Flexa states that Components will allow customers to pay for purchases using their preferred crypto wallets. Customers will be able to scan a QR code with their mobile wallet app or click the "Pay" button integrated into the merchant's payment system, similar to existing mobile payments like Google Pay.It is reported that Components supports multiple cryptocurrencies, including USDC, Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), and Litecoin (LTC). Flexa has stated that signed retailers include Chipotle, Mikimoto, Regal Cinemas, and 99 Ranch Market.

ChainCatcher news, the Governor of the Central Bank of Russia stated that Russia plans to launch international cryptocurrency payments by the end of this year to counter Western sanctions. The central bank is prepared to take flexible measures and has already been discussing the conditions of this initiative with various ministries, agencies, and enterprises.In addition, the State Duma of Russia (the lower house of parliament) has preliminarily approved legislation allowing businesses to use cryptocurrency for international payments.

ChainCatcher news, the Governor of the Central Bank of Russia, Nabiullina, stated that the Central Bank of Russia expects to test cryptocurrency payments for the first time this year. (Jin Shi)

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, an annual survey by the Bank of Canada shows that Canadians have long preferred to pay with cash and debit cards in 2022 and 2023. However, over the past decade, the overall use of some alternative payment methods has increased, but less than 3% of Canadians used Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies for everyday payments for two consecutive years.Among many other alternatives to cash and credit cards, most Canadian respondents preferred to use electronic transfers. On the other hand, cryptocurrency remains the least popular payment method in Canada. In 2022, 2.2% of respondents used cryptocurrency for payments, and this percentage grew to 2.5% in 2023.

ChainCatcher news, Bolivia lifts the ban on Bitcoin and cryptocurrency payments, officially legalizing them for financial entities.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, crypto industry lawyer Irina Heaver believes that the recent regulations issued by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) may ban cryptocurrency payments in the country. On June 5, the board of the UAE Central Bank discussed projects under the Financial Infrastructure (FIT) program, an initiative aimed at promoting digital transformation. During the meeting, the board approved the release of regulations for payment token services to regulate and license stablecoins. The new guidelines suggest that payment tokens in the country must be backed by the UAE Dirham and cannot be pegged to other currencies.Heaver pointed out that the new regulations effectively prohibit the use of cryptocurrencies for payments within the UAE, unless they are licensed Dirham payment tokens or registered foreign payment tokens, neither of which currently exist. She believes this move contradicts the UAE's stance of supporting business and investment, expressing concern that the new regulations will hinder the country's progress in the Web3 and cryptocurrency sectors.