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Wirex Eyes Mainstream DeFi With Fireblocks Integration

Now your mum can start providing liquidity to Uniswap, said Wirex CEO Pavel Matveev.

Updated May 9, 2023, 3:20 a.m. Published Jun 23, 2021, 8:00 a.m.
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Crypto-friendly payments app Wirex intends to bring decentralized finance (DeFi) to a mass audience.

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Announced Wednesday, Wirex is launching X-Accounts, a new service that offers users the chance to earn up to 10% interest on crypto holdings and 16% on fiat funds, in a partnership with custody and infrastructure firm Fireblocks.

Enterprises with a taste for cryptocurrency are clearly attracted to the rapidly moving DeFi space with its steroid-enhanced yield potential. Behind its hassle-free custodial platform, Wirex is tapping DeFi majors Aave, Uniswap, MakerDAO and 1inch.

Customers can earn passive income from DeFi, by providing liquidity to platforms like Uniswap and lending on Aave, said Wirex CEO Pavel Matveev, adding that his mum could use the service.

“The income you can generate with DeFi pools and lending is much higher than the centralized model where you use institutional lenders to generate interest,” said Matveev. “The other way people earn in DeFi is by yield farming, but that’s outside our risk appetite and not suitable for this product.”

Read more: Payments Firm Wirex Becomes Visa Principal Member Ahead of Crypto Card Launch

In terms of risk, the partnership with Fireblocks will give Wirex up to $30 million insurance on crypto assets for its DeFi service, Matveev said.

“Maximizing digital asset security is extremely important with this level of operational scale and efficiency, especially when it comes to DeFi,” Fireblocks CEO Michael Shaulov said in a statement.

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KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

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KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

What to know:

  • KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
  • This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
  • Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
  • Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
  • Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.

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How the ultra-wealthy are using bitcoin to fund their yacht upgrades and Cannes trips

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Cometh founder Jerome de Tychey is applying DeFi lending and borrowing on platforms like Aave, Morpho, and Uniswap to structures that help the ultra-wealthy secure loans against their massive crypto fortunes.

What to know:

  • Wealthy investors who hold much of their fortune in crypto are increasingly turning to decentralized finance platforms to secure flexible credit lines without selling their digital assets.
  • Firms like Cometh help family offices and other rich clients navigate complex DeFi tools, using assets such as bitcoin, ether and stablecoins to replicate traditional Lombard-style collateralized loans.
  • DeFi loans can be faster and more anonymous than traditional bank credit but carry volatility and liquidation risks, and Cometh is also experimenting with applying DeFi strategies to traditional securities via ISIN-based tokenization.