Spanish City Lebrija Launches Local Virtual Currency ‘Elio’ as Form of Stimulus
The elio can only be used for payments to small and medium-sized businesses.

The city council of Lebrija has created a virtual currency, elio, that can only be used for payments made to small and medium-sized businesses, according to a report by Diario de Sevilla.
- Lebrija has created the virtual currency to support economic activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report.
- One Elio is equivalent to one euro and almost 600 families will receive between €20 (US$24.50) and €200 ($244.96), which can only be spent in local businesses using an app.
- The deadline to use the elio was Dec. 31 but, according to the report, this has been extended until March 31, 2021.
Read more: Spain’s Second-Largest Bank Will Soon Launch Crypto Services: Sources
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KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

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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Arthur Hayes' Maelstrom enters 2026 at 'almost maximum risk' betting on altcoins

The fund is betting on a liquidity wave driven by U.S. deficit spending and potential money printing by the Federal Reserve, which Hayes expects to support crypto prices.
What to know:
- Arthur Hayes' Maelstrom fund has taken an "almost maximum risk" stance in 2026, focusing on risk assets like bitcoin and emerging DeFi tokens, with minimal stablecoin exposure.
- The fund is betting on a liquidity wave driven by U,S. deficit spending and potential money printing by the Federal Reserve, which Hayes expects to support crypto prices.
- Maelstrom's 2025 performance was profitable but uneven, and Hayes is now leaning into "credible" narratives supported by the broader liquidity environment.










