njs-btc

WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY
The White House is holding a closed-door meeting to decide how to move the U.S. crypto market structure bill forward.
The goal is not to rewrite the entire bill.
It is to force compromise language on the single issue blocking progress: stablecoin yield.
The administration wants both sides to lock compromise language by the end of February 2026.
Without this compromise, the bill remains stuck in the Senate and nothing moves forward legislatively

WHY THE BILL IS STUCK
The House already passed the CLARITY Act in July 2025.
Since then, the bill has stalled because the Senate cannot agree on one question:
Should stablecoin holders be allowed to earn yield?
This disagreement has blocked committee markup, floor scheduling, and any unified Senate version of the bill.
Without Senate alignment, no crypto market structure bill can move forward.

THE CORE FIGHT
Banks view yield-bearing stablecoins as a direct threat to deposits
Bank trade groups warned that up to $6.6 trillion in community bank deposits could be at risk if the yield loophole stays open.
Their logic is simple: Bank accounts pay very low interest Crypto platforms can offer 3% or more So money could move out of banks
From the banking side, yield on stablecoins is seen as a structural risk to deposits

WHY CRYPTO FIRMS ARE PUSHING BACK
Crypto firms see a yield ban very differently.
They argue that banning yield protects banks and hurts competition. For companies like Coinbase, stablecoins are a major business line.
They made $355M in stablecoin revenue in Q3 2025 alone. The yearly run rate is now heading above $1B.
This is why Brian Armstrong pulled support when the Senate draft tried to tighten yield rules.

THE LEGAL LOOPHOLE The GENIUS Act already banned stablecoin issuers from paying interest.
But the real fight now is this: Can exchanges and platforms still share reserve income through rewards and incentives?
Banking groups flagged this loophole back in August 2025.
It has now become the single biggest blocker to the full market structure bill.

The House passed CLARITY in July 2025
Senate Banking released its amendment in January 2026, but the process stalled after yield language changed and Coinbase pushed back.
Senate Agriculture moved its version forward on January 29, 2026, but only along party lines.
So the Senate still does not have one unified bill.
Why is the White House stepping in?
Because the Senate is divided and the bill is stuck. So the White House is trying to force a compromise by focusing only on the yield issue, locking final wording, and moving the process forward before election politics take over the calendar.
Without a yield deal, nothing moves
No committee markup
No Senate progress.

#USRetailSalesMissForecast #USTechFundFlows

Digital gold and physical gold both track the value of gold, but they perform differently in terms of returns, safety, liquidity, costs, and practical use.
📈 Price Performance (Returns)
Both generally move with global gold prices.
If gold price rises 10%, both digital and physical gold roughly rise the same.Neither gives “extra” return on its own — returns depend on market gold rates.
Difference:
Digital gold may track price more precisely because
No making chargesNo purity loss riskNo resale deduction (platform dependent)
🧾 What Is Digital Gold?
Gold you buy online through platforms/apps. The provider stores equivalent physical gold in secure vaults for you.
Examples: fintech apps, gold-backed tokens, gold ETFs (more regulated), sovereign gold bonds (government backed).
🟨 Physical Gold Performance Factors $PAXG
✅ Advantages
Tangible asset — you physically hold itNo platform riskUniversally acceptedUseful for jewelry/social value
❌ Performance Drag
Making charges (5–25% for jewelry)Wastage chargesPurity issues possibleResale discount often appliedStorage & insurance costTheft risk
Result: Your effective return is often lower than market gold price.
💻 Digital Gold Performance Factors $XAU
✅ Advantages
Buy small amounts anytimeNo making chargesHigh purity (usually 24K equivalent)Easy to sell instantlyNo storage risk for youFractional investing possible
❌ Risks
Platform/provider riskSome products are not well regulatedSpread between buy & sell priceMay have storage or transaction feesNot always accepted everywhere as collateral
💰 Cost Impact on Gold Performance — Example if Gold Price Rises 10%
Physical gold jewelry:
Making charges usually reduce your effective return by about 10% to 20%When you resell, buyers often deduct another 3% to 8%You may also have storage or locker costsBecause of these costs, even if gold price rises 10%, your actual gain might be only 0% to 5%
Digital gold:
No making chargesResale deduction is usually lowStorage cost is generally included by the providerSo if gold price rises 10%, your return is usually close to the full 10% (after small spreads/fees)
🏦 Special Case: Gold ETFs & Sovereign Gold Bonds
These are technically digital forms but more structured:
Gold ETFs
Track gold price closelyRegulatedLow expense ratioMarket traded
Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs)
Track gold pricePay extra 2.5% yearly interestTax benefits if held to maturityBest long-term gold performance vehicle
🧠 Simple Conclusion
Short-term price tracking → Digital gold / ETF betterLong-term wealth with extra return → Sovereign Gold Bonds bestJewelry/social use → Physical goldEmergency tangible asset → Physical gold