RaaS #591: Coinbase Rolls Out U.S.-Wide Prediction Markets!

UAE Greenlights First Official USD Stablecoin, Lighter Staking Goes Live, And Moar!

Coinbase launches prediction markets in all 50 U.S. states, letting users trade real-world outcomes with crowd-set pricing. Brian Armstrong calls it a truth discovery breakthrough: when money’s on the line, bias fades, and signal sharpens.

Andre Cronje’s Flying Tulip is raising $200M on CoinList, offering 20% of its FT token supply at a $1B FDV. The unified DeFi protocol spans trading from AMMs to CLOBs, alongside lending, perps, insurance, and a native stablecoin, underpinned by a Perpetual PUT structure that allows contributors to redeem capital at any time.

OKX launches its crypto card in Europe, enabling users to spend stablecoins with real-time conversion and no TradFi friction. A step toward stablecoin-first finance designed for everyday use.

Australia fined the Qoin wallet operator, BPS Financial, $14M for promoting its token without a license and misleading users about its usability. Regulators say the case underscores the growing risk of unchecked crypto marketing as adoption accelerates among everyday Australians.

Toothpaste did pretty well.

Bubblemaps launched Bolts, a gamified way to boost token visibility on its platform. Users can now spend BMT to push tokens up the ranks, unlocking perks, higher placement, and a shot at the top banner slot. More Bolts means more eyes, resulting in more due diligence.

Uniswap is integrating its CCA auction protocol into the web app starting February 2. Users can now discover, bid, and claim tokens in one interface, with no listings, no permissions, and zero integration work required. A step toward mainstreaming onchain token launches.

Pumpdotfun’s BiP Hackathon is now backed by $3M in funding and a stacked roster of advisors, including Draper, Dudas, Mert, Anil, and more. Builders at every stage (idea to product) can get funding, feedback, and support by simply building in public.

Your daily dose of bite-sized crypto news.

1. BTC ETFs faced $19.64M in outflows, while ETH and SOL ETFs had inflows of $28.10M and $6.69M, respectively.

2. Lighter has launched staking rewards for LIT with a 17.8% APR.

3. Fidelity Investments announced the launch of the FIDD stablecoin, based on Ethereum.

4. USD1 reaches a $5B market cap, ranking as the 5th largest stablecoin.

5. Sony Innovation Fund has invested an additional $13 million in Startale Group, the co-developer of the Soneium blockchain.

Netflix’s crypto crime doc on the $243M Greavys/Wiz/Box hack is already drawing backlash. ZachXBT declined to participate after seeing a glamorized trailer with no victims, poor research, and irrelevant talking heads. He called it a parody of a serious case.

Hang Seng just launched a gold ETF with tokenized units on Ethereum, marking the first time a traditional Hong Kong-listed commodity fund offers blockchain-based shares. While not tradable onchain yet, it signals growing institutional experiments in tokenized finance.

OKX CEO Star Xu's public rebuke of Binance frames the Oct 10 crash not just as a glitch, but a symptom of deeper rot. Their critique calls out Ponzi schemes, narrative warfare, and short-termism in CEXs. Underneath the mudslinging: a power play for user trust and regulatory favor.

Are market makers negative-sum?

Top Gainers: PF, BIRB, PLAY, GWEI, WHITEWHALE.

High-signal reads are worth your time, all in one place.

1. Crypto is starting to disrupt FX, but only half of it. As Regan Bozman notes, stablecoins have made sending USD easier, but not exchanging currencies. The real opportunity? Building onchain FX rails with deep cross-currency liquidity, not just adding more pairs.

2. Brave is launching a social heist game across browser, X, and Discord to test if narrative-driven play can onboard new Web3 users. 4K+ have pre-registered. If it works, Brave will offer it as a recurring format for brands in its ads and rewards network.

3. Vlad Tenev calls for tokenized equities to prevent another GameStop-style freeze. He says T+1 isn’t enough, pushes for real-time, onchain settlement, and highlights Robinhood’s tokenized U.S. stocks in Europe. With SEC support and the CLARITY Act, he sees a path to 24/7 trading and retail freedom.

4. Doppler brings IPOs onchain with programmable auctions, treasury-aligned LP fees, and flexible vesting. $1.5B+ in assets launched by Zora, Cooprecords, and others. A return to Ethereum’s roots, capital formation without middlemen.

5. 0xnagu introduces LOX, a metric to spot toxic timing in prediction markets. By comparing entry versus volume curves, LOX shows if users wait for info (low risk) or dodge early entry (high risk).

The UAE just greenlit its first officially registered USD stablecoin, USDU, issued by Universal Digital and backed 1:1 by reserves in local banks like Emirates NBD. As the first token under the Central Bank’s Payment Token Services Regulation, it sets a precedent for compliant, onchain settlement in the region.

Pudgy Penguins is collaborating with Manchester City on a limited-edition merch drop: a themed clock figurine and hoodie set for £150. The release targets UK fans aged 18+, aligning NFTs with real-world collectibles and sports culture.

That’s all for today!