Share this article
Bitcoin, Stablecoins, DeFi and Privacy: How COVID-19 Is Changing Key Crypto Narratives
How the once-in-a-generation COVID-19 pandemic is shifting the way with think and talk about different parts of the crypto industry - from bitcoin to DeFi to stablecoins.
Updated Sep 14, 2021, 8:23 a.m. Published Mar 30, 2020, 7:00 p.m.
How the once-in-a-generation COVID-19 pandemic is shifting the way we think and talk about different parts of the crypto industry - from bitcoin to DeFi to stablecoins.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
For more episodes and free early access before our regular 3 p.m. Eastern time releases, subscribe with Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcasts, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Stitcher, RadioPublica, IHeartRadio or RSS.
On Jan. 28, Bloomberg’s Joe Weisenthal tweeted, “Notable overlap on here between the most alarmist people tweeting about the virus and those who are obsessed with the size of the Fed balance sheet.”
There is no doubt the bitcoin and crypto community broadly were far earlier in recognizing the potential significance of the COVID-19 crisis than most professional communities. Today, America preps for at least another month of lockdown and social distancing. The markets continue their chaotic swing as investors are simply unable to price in such a once-in-a-lifetime event.
A question for the crypto community becomes: How is this impacting narratives about our own industry?
See also: Why the US' $2 Trillion Stimulus, Unlimited QE Will Expose the Monetary System’s Flaws
In this episode, @NLW looks at the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on narratives around:
- Bitcoin
- Stablecoins
- Digital Dollars and Central Bank Digital Currencies
- DeFi
- Privacy
For more episodes and free early access before our regular 3 p.m. Eastern time releases, subscribe with Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcasts, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Stitcher, RadioPublica, IHeartRadio or RSS.
Note: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of CoinDesk, Inc. or its owners and affiliates.
More For You
What to know:
- As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
- GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
- Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.
More For You
Bitcoin Volatile Near $94K as Fed's Powell Straddles Labor Market and Inflation Issues
"Powell is threading the needle between their two mandates," said one analyst.
What to know:
- Crypto prices were modestly higher, but also volatile following the Fed's rate cut earlier Wednesday.
- In his post-meeting press conference, Fed Chair Jerome Powell took note of a labor market that might be weaker than previously thought, while also sounding cautious about gains made in fighting inflation.
Top Stories
