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German Finance Minister Says He Does Not Support Private Cryptos: Report

Olaf Scholz said banks need to adapt for a digital world but seemed to rule out private digital currencies from that future.

Updated Sep 14, 2021, 10:33 a.m. Published Nov 20, 2020, 4:03 p.m.
German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz
German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, speaking at a banking congress Friday, showed no love for privately issued cryptocurrencies.

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  • “I do not support private-sector digital currencies,” Scholz said, according to Reuters.
  • Coming from the finance minister of the euro region's largest economy, Scholz's comments potentially strike a blow at two private crypto projects: Libra, the Facebook-backed retail payments network, and JPMorgan Coin, the wholesale payments chain.
  • Nevertheless, Scholz told congressional delegates that European banks must adapt for the digital future.

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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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Bitcoin pushes above $90,000 as traders eye change in pattern

A Wall Street banks's take on crypto. (Midjourney/Modified by CoinDesk)

Particularly hard-hit in 2025's final sessions, crypto-related stocks are bouncing in this year's first trading day.

What to know:

  • Bitcoin rose above $90,000 during U.S. trading hours on Friday.
  • It's a notable change in trend, as crypto prices late in 2025 were typically on the defensive while American stocks traded.
  • Strategy, Coinbase, Hut 8 and Galaxy Digital were among the crypto-related stocks seeing strong gains.