Category: Business

• Matt Hougan says tokenization is entering a longer phase of financial adoption, comparing its early trajectory with NVIDIA’s AI rise.
• His view comes as the SEC opens a regulated route for tokenized stocks and S&P Global agrees to acquire OpenZeppelin.
• Together, the developments show how blockchain infrastructure is moving deeper into traditional markets while DeFi and onchain assets gain institutional attention.

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Tokenization has moved closer to the center of U.S. financial-market development, giving Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan a fresh reason to compare the sector with the early stages of the artificial-intelligence boom. On September 17, Hougan argued that the world is moving onchain and described tokenization as a multi-year transformation rather than a short-lived market theme.

His comparison focuses on timing. ChatGPT launched in November 2022 while NVIDIA traded around $16. About a year later, NVIDIA had reached $46, a 176% increase, making the scale of the AI opportunity more visible. Hougan noted that NVIDIA now trades around $219 and used that progression to argue that recognizing a major shift does not mean the opportunity has already passed.

Tokenization is a mega trend. Just today, the SEC created a pathway for tokenized stocks to trade in the US, S&P acquired @OpenZeppelin, and DeFi assets are ripping. If you had doubts before, today should put them to rest. The world is moving onchain.

The thing about…

— Matt Hougan (@Matt_Hougan) September 17, 2026

For tokenization, he pointed to recent developments as evidence that adoption is moving beyond experimentation. The SEC’s latest action provides a regulated path for certain venues to trade tokenized U.S. stocks on blockchain-based infrastructure. The framework covers tokenized NMS stocks that preserve shareholder rights such as dividends and voting, while synthetic products that only track stock prices remain outside the exemption. Issuers also receive a 30-day period to object to third-party tokenization.

Tokenization Gains A U.S. Regulatory Path

The SEC’s temporary exemption lasts up to five years and applies under specific conditions, including limits around participating venues, securities and trading activity. The agency said the framework is intended to facilitate innovation while it considers broader policy. This creates a clearer lane for companies developing blockchain-based equity infrastructure.

The regulatory move arrived alongside S&P Global’s agreement to acquire OpenZeppelin, adding another institutional signal. OpenZeppelin’s smart-contract technology supports major stablecoins, tokenized funds and DeFi applications. The company says its contracts have facilitated more than $37 trillion in transferred value and that it has completed more than 900 security engagements.

NVIDIA Parallel Highlights Tokenization’s Early Stage

Hougan’s analogy rests on the idea that technology megatrends can continue expanding after investors first recognize them. He argues that tokenization has already attracted attention, but its broader financial impact may still be developing as regulated trading, security standards and institutional infrastructure converge.

The comparison does not establish that tokenization will follow NVIDIA’s price path. Instead, it highlights Hougan’s view that blockchain-based financial rails can become a long-duration market transition. As traditional financial firms add tokenized products and established infrastructure providers enter the sector, the onchain model is gaining more connections to conventional capital markets.

Tushar Jain, co-founder of cryptocurrency investment firm Multicoin Capital, said that prolonged periods of decline weaken investors’ faith in strong bull market movements. According to Jain, Bitcoin ($BTC) and Ethereum ($ETH) lagging behind the market in this cycle could lead to capital shifting towards high-quality altcoins, resulting in much sharper gains in these assets.

Jain stated that one of the common mistakes investors make is “bear market trauma,” forgetting how powerful price movements can be in a bull market after a long and painful period of decline. He cited Ethereum’s rise from $10 to $1,000 in 2017 and Solana’s (SOL) increase from $2 to $250 in 2021 as examples.

Jain stated that he believes $BTC and $ETH will underperform significantly compared to other high-quality crypto assets in the current market cycle. Therefore, he argued that the total cryptocurrency market capitalization may not need to increase as much as in the previous cycle for altcoins to experience significant price increases.

Citing CoinGecko data, Jain noted that the total cryptocurrency market capitalization nearly quadrupled, growing from approximately $770 billion in 2021 to $3 trillion. He stated that if the market were to grow only twofold this time, the total value could reach $4.2 trillion from $2.1 trillion.

*This is not investment advice.

A crypto presale is easier to understand when a project shows what it is building before the token begins open trading.

MemeToro is trying to do that through a public MIT-licensed code release containing 1,373 lines of Solidity across 17 files. The release describes a fair-launch escrow system designed to lock rules, block insider allocations, and guide launch funds toward refunds or liquidity.

That gives this MemeToro crypto presale review a clear focus. $MT is in Stage 7 at $0.00430, with more than $137K raised, but the long-term case depends on more than the presale total.

It depends on whether the project turns its public code into a working $BNB Chain launchpad with a useful AI agent. The code gives buyers something real to examine. It does not remove the normal risks of an early-stage crypto investment.

Inside MemeToro’s AI Memecoin Launchpad and $MT Utility

MemeToro is building a $BNB Chain platform for memecoin creation, discovery, trading, and related tools. Its planned AI agent is designed to help people set up a token launch with clearer funding and distribution rules. Instead of relying only on a creator’s promise, the project wants the core launch settings to be written into smart contracts.

$MT is planned as the utility token for this ecosystem. Users may eventually use it for access, transactions, launch funding, staking, rewards, and platform activity. The roadmap also mentions memecoin trading, prediction markets, and a news portal.

The token’s future value would therefore depend on real use, not only speculation. A useful launchpad could create a reason for creators and traders to interact with $MT. That is the bullish case.

However, buyers should separate current facts from plans. The presale and public code are available now. The full AI launchpad, trading tools, and other utilities still need to be completed. Strong execution is what could turn the $MT utility story into lasting demand after launch.

What the 1,373-Line Code Release Is Designed to Do

The public release includes the FairLaunchEscrow contract, interfaces, tests, and documentation. Its stated purpose is to create a launch flow where important rules are set at the beginning.

The code is designed so creators cannot later add a hidden insider allocation or redirect funds through an owner-controlled route.

The proposed protections include:

• launch settings locked at creation
• contributor and liquidity allocations totaling 100%
• no owner, admin, or upgrade path in the stated design
• funds routed only to refunds or planned liquidity
• public functions for claims, refunds, and finalization

The test suite checks cases involving caps, deadlines, claims, refunds, and invalid inputs. That is a meaningful sign of development work, especially in a market where many memecoin projects offer little technical detail.

Still, public code is not the same as a finished product or a security guarantee. MemeToro must still connect the contracts to real launch activity, deploy on testnet, build the liquidity flow, and complete independent security review.

Buyers should treat the release as a research tool, not a guarantee.

Can Public Code Help $MT After Launch?

Public code can help a project build trust because users, developers, and reviewers can inspect the rules.

In meme markets, that matters. Many buyers worry about insider wallets, changing allocations, and unclear liquidity promises. A visible smart contract design gives the market a way to check whether the stated rules match the actual code.

For $MT, the strongest post-launch path would be simple. The AI agent helps creators prepare launches. The fair-launch contract enforces the key rules. New projects attract traders. Platform activity creates utility for $MT through access, funding, and transactions.

That is a powerful model if it works. It gives $MT a role in a broader ecosystem instead of leaving it dependent on one marketing cycle.

The risk is equally clear. If the memecoin launchpad is delayed, the AI agent does not perform as expected, or users choose other platforms, utility may not grow. The code is a promising foundation, but adoption and delivery will decide whether it supports $MT after launch.

Four Steps to $MT Buying

MemeToro kept the buying process fast and secure, so anyone can get through it without hassle:

• Reach the Portal: Click through from the main site to the verified presale page.
• Link a Wallet: Connect your wallet and set it to $BNB Chain.
• Pick a Payment Method: Pay with $BNB, ETH, stablecoins, or a card. Your choice.
• Confirm and Receive: Approve the transaction and $MT lands in your wallet.

Buying early isn’t just about a lower price. Early holders get first access to staking rewards, trading tools, and new features as they launch.

FAQs

Is the MemeToro code open source?

Yes. The project has published its development release under an MIT license, allowing the public to inspect the stated fair-launch design.

What is $MT used for?

$MT is planned for access, platform activity, funding, transactions, staking, rewards, and other MemeToro ecosystem uses.

More Information on MemeToro ($MT) Presale Here:

Website: https://memetoro.com/

X: https://x.com/memetoro_mt

Telegram: https://t.me/memetoro_mt

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY0jgWy_DtA

Polygon is preparing a permissionless contract that would let anyone permanently burn 100 million $POL, or about 83% of a base-fee collector that Polygon Foundation CEO Sandeep Nailwal said holds 121 million tokens.

Nailwal said the contracts are on testnet and would move to mainnet after the final Security Council signatures. The first call would destroy 100 million $POL at once, followed by quarterly burns that anyone in the community could trigger, he said.

Polygon’s documentation says the base fee is a network-determined charge that is burned. Nailwal said each base fee adds $POL to the collector. At the stated figures, the first burn would leave about 21 million $POL in the collector before additional fees accrue.

Burn Would Remove Less Than 1% of Supply

The 100 million-token burn equals 1% of $POL‘s initial 10 billion-token supply. Blockscout listed total supply at about 10.716 billion $POL, making the planned burn roughly 0.93% of the total.

The burn would not impose a hard cap on $POL. Polygon’s token documentation says $POL has ongoing emissions, with an effective annual rate of 2% beginning after June 2025. The planned one-time reduction is therefore less than half that annual rate when both are measured as a share of supply; whether supply contracts over time depends on subsequent fee burns relative to new issuance.

Nailwal said $POL had been deflationary since January 2026. He also claimed Polygon had generated $24.5 million in 2026 revenue, compared with $8.41 million for Arbitrum and $5.6 million for Near. He wrote that the comparison came from “my analyst at ChatGPT,” and the post did not identify a dataset or methodology.

The next step is mainnet deployment after the remaining Security Council approvals. As of Nailwal’s post, the first 100 million $POL had not yet been burned.

The Bank of Japan announced a policy-rate increase to about 1.25% on Sept. 18, yet the visible Bitcoin and currency response showed limited signs of a disorderly yen-carry unwind.

The BOJ voted 7-2 to lift its target for the uncollateralized overnight call rate by 25 basis points, from about 1% to about 1.25%. The new target and related facility rates take effect Sept. 24, so the decision changed the policy path before it changed the official operating rates.

That separates a scheduled funding-cost change from the market’s reaction to the announcement. Positions can adjust before implementation, and the BOJ’s next signal could matter as much as Sept. 24 because the bank tied further increases to its economic and inflation outlook instead of a fixed timetable.

That distinction matters for yen-funded trades. Investors can borrow yen to buy higher-returning assets elsewhere. A higher Japanese rate reduces the trade’s interest-rate advantage. If the yen appreciates, overseas borrowers must buy a more expensive currency to repay yen-denominated debt, increasing repayment costs in their home currency. Both forces can pressure leveraged risk positions, including crypto exposure.

The available evidence leaves the amount of Bitcoin exposure financed in yen unquantified. Coinbase Institutional’s review of the 2024 carry episode identified several simultaneous catalysts, including weak US economic data and pressure on technology stocks. Yen funding is one transmission channel among several that can shape crypto moves.

Bitcoin’s first response stayed orderly

At the BOJ’s 02:54 UTC release time, Coinbase one-minute data put Bitcoin’s closing price at $76,961. At 03:30 UTC, the one-minute close was $77,383. Bitcoin rose across those 36 minutes and continued throughout the day to reach as high as $81,000 intraday.

The currency move also ran against the simplest carry-unwind pattern. Reuters reported that the dollar climbed to a two-week high of 157.84 yen during BOJ Gov. Kazuo Ueda’s press conference, leaving the Japanese currency 1.2% weaker on the day. A visible synchronized unwind would more likely pair rapid yen appreciation with falling risk assets.

The initial reaction points to limited immediate unwind pressure in the observed markets. Longer-term risk remains open as the new rate takes effect and the BOJ considers its next steps.

The BOJ said financial conditions would remain accommodative, while retaining a conditional path toward additional rate increases if its economic and inflation outlook is realized. Sept. 24 starts implementation of the new setting. More diagnostic warnings would be sharp yen appreciation alongside falling crypto and equities, or a fresh signal that the BOJ will tighten again sooner than markets expect.

While Bitcoin has been fluctuating between $76,000 and $79,000 in recent days, on-chain analyst Willy Woo analyzed $BTC’s monthly chart using the Fisher Transform indicator.

Woo noted that the Fisher Transform indicator on Bitcoin’s monthly chart has formed a golden cross. According to Woo, this development stands out as the fourth bottom signal seen in Bitcoin’s history.

Not a Signal of a Sudden Rise!

Woo stated that the Fisher Transform indicator, published in 2002, identifies turning points in Bitcoin price movements, and that the current golden cross in this indicator is the 4th bottom signal in history, while the previous 3 did not lead to false breakouts.

However, Woo noted that this indicator alone is not a sudden trend reversal or a direct buy signal. He stated that the Bitcoin price may move sideways for a while before continuing its current upward trend.

Woo also noted that in the past, the Fisher Transform indicator has been seen to cross bearish and then bullish again during bull markets, but this did not necessarily mean the main trend had ended. Therefore, while the current signal points to a possible bottom, it does not, by itself, definitively mean a trend reversal.

Interest Rate Hikes Alone Are Not a Bearish Signal for Bitcoin!

Crypto analyst Murphy stated that the interest rate hikes by the US and Japanese central banks alone do not indicate that Bitcoin will re-enter a bear market. According to Murphy, the pace of monetary tightening, market structure, and investor positioning will be more decisive than the interest rate hike decisions in determining the direction of $BTC.

A Comparison of 2022 and 2023!

The analyst noted that in 2022, the Fed implemented a total of 425 basis points of interest rate increases, including four consecutive 75 basis point hikes from June to November. Despite this, the analyst pointed out that Bitcoin fell from approximately $41,000 to $15,800.

In contrast, despite the Fed raising interest rates four times by 25 basis points in 2023, Bitcoin rose from approximately $16,500 to $42,000.

The analyst also noted that when the FED increased interest rates five times between December 2015 and December 2017, each time by 25 basis points, Bitcoin surged from approximately $454 to $16,515.

At this point, the analyst, while comparing these periods, pointed out that interest rate hike decisions alone do not necessarily mean a decline in Bitcoin.

Finally, the analyst added that the current structure of the Bitcoin market resembles the conditions at the beginning of 2023 more than those during the first interest rate hike period in 2022. The analyst noted that during that period, inflation fell, the size of each interest rate hike decreased from 75 to 25 basis points, and the market priced in the end of interest rate hikes.

According to the analyst, if interest rate hikes remain limited to around 25 basis points and the market does not expect a new, prolonged tightening cycle, interest rate policy alone may not be enough to trigger a new bear market in Bitcoin. At this point, the pace and scale of future Fed interest rate hikes will be critical for Bitcoin’s trajectory.

*This is not investment advice.

The company said it still intended to pursue a license.

“We are actively working toward becoming MiCA-authorised and view this as an important step in providing users with a consistent, regulated, and trusted service across the European market,” the spokesperson said.

Binance withdrew its Greek application in mid-June and began winding down operations after officials at the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) decided not to approve Binance’s MiCA license request at the last minute. The company vowed it would remain in Europe.

Gillian Lynch, Binance’s head of Europe, told CoinDesk in early July that the exchange had met all of the HCMC’s requirements.

“We were deemed to have a complete application,” Lynch said. “Nothing was missing, nothing material was outstanding.”

The WSJ also reported ESMA privately advised national financial regulators to reject Binance’s MiCA applications over concerns with the exchange’s past compliance issues.

An ECB spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by CoinDesk. However, the source shared information that states that the ECB has no institutional role with regards to the authorising of Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs). That remains the competence of national competent authorities, in this case the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC).

Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the founder of Binance, pleaded guilty in the U.S. in 2023 to violating the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and agreed to pay $4.3 billion in fines. He served a four-month prison sentence in California in 2024 and was pardoned by President Donald Trump in October 2025.