Your Weekly Crypto Roundup: Stablecoins Move an Inch Closer to Mass Adoption

Samsung is adding USDC transfers to Samsung Wallet for eligible US Galaxy users starting the last week of October, covering roughly 82 million devices at launch. Users will be able to send USDC across borders and transfer funds to bank accounts in more than 60 countries without downloading a separate crypto app. Samsung charges no fees to send USDC to overseas wallets, though receiving wallets or exchanges may apply their own. Bastion, a US-regulated stablecoin infrastructure provider, handles custody, identity verification, compliance, and cross-border remittances. Coinbase Prime serves as sub-custodian, holding all USDC stored in Samsung Wallet. Solana and Sui provide the underlying blockchain infrastructure. 

What makes this worth paying attention to is what users don’t have to do. No private keys to manage, no seed phrases to store, no separate crypto account to open. The service runs inside an app that millions of Samsung users already have on their phones. Whether people actually use it will depend on fees, conversion rates, and how smooth the experience is, but Samsung’s distribution alone puts this in a different category than a typical crypto partnership announcement. 

The company sells roughly 250 million devices annually and has more than one billion devices in use worldwide. Even if adoption stays thin at first, this is stablecoins landing inside mainstream consumer hardware at a meaningful scale. 

A few other stories worth your attention this week:

• Greece proposed a 10% tax on crypto gains with a €500 annual exemption, coming in below the 15% rate that had been discussed earlier. It is a softer landing than the industry expected, but it is still a tax where there was none before.
• The US government moved $103 million in Bitcoin and BNB this week,  sending 833.6 BTC worth $71.6 million to Coinbase Prime and routing 40,285 BNB worth $31.6 million through several wallets. No explanation has been given for the transfers, and the question of whether a sale is coming remains open.
• India raised interest rates by 5.50% for the first time in four years to fight inflation and support the rupee. Higher rates and a weakening currency in the same moment tend to push investors toward alternatives. Some of that money is finding its way into crypto through less visible channels.
• FNB launched crypto trading for its 9 million customers through a partnership with South African exchange VALR. A major retail bank giving its entire customer base direct access to crypto is a different kind of adoption story from exchange signups. South Korea’s Meritz Securities separately partnered with Ripple on crypto custody and tokenization infrastructure, adding another traditional financial institution to the on-chain migration.

In AI, India plans to release an AI regulation paper within 30 days and is seeking public and industry feedback before finalizing rules. Thirty days is an aggressive timeline for a country of India’s regulatory complexity. South Korea confirmed AI-driven cyberattacks on seven financial institutions this week, adding a real-world data point to what regulators have been warning about for months. The FSB called AI-powered cyberattacks the most urgent near-term AI threat to financial stability. South Korea just provided the evidence.

From Samsung putting stablecoins on 82 million phones to the US government’s ‘fishy’ $103 million wallet move, this week had no shortage of storylines. If you missed anything, here’s your catch-up. 

Lead Story of the Week:Samsung Is Bringing Stablecoins to Millions of Phones (Read More)

Samsung and Solana are bringing USDC payments to Galaxy users through Samsung Wallet in late October 2026. (Read The Full Story)

Market Highlights

• Greece Proposes 10% Crypto Tax With €500 Annual Exemption

Greece proposes a 10% crypto gains tax, below the previously discussed 15%, with a €500 annual exemption. (Read More)

• U.S. Government’s $103M Coinbase Transfer Fuels Sale Debate 

US moves $103M in BTC and BNB, sending $71.6M in Bitcoin to Coinbase Prime, but no sale is confirmed. (Read More)

• India’s CB Rate Hike Pushes Investors and Crypto Underground

India raises rates by 5.50% for the first time in four years to curb inflation and support the weakening rupee. (Read More)

• FNB Launches Crypto Trading for 9 Million South Africans

FNB launches crypto trading for 9 million customers through a partnership with South African exchange VALR. (Read More)

Latest News For You 

Meritz Securities, Ripple Partner on Crypto Custody in Korea (Read More)

ALT TXT: The Meritz Logo. Source: DeFi Planet

South Korea’s Meritz Securities partners with Ripple to explore crypto custody and tokenization infrastructure. (Read More)

AI News Highlights

• India Prepares New Rules To Control AI Within 30 Days

India plans to release an AI regulation paper within 30 days, seeking public and industry feedback. (Read More) 

• South Korea Confirms AI Cyberattacks on 7 Financial Firms

South Korea confirms cyberattacks on seven financial institutions, raising concerns over AI-driven threats. (Read More)

Market Movers

Top Gainers  

• iExec RLC (RLC) +135.31%

iExec RLC (RLC) is rising due to speculation, rising trading volume, and a leveraged short squeeze.

Top Losers

• Mina Protocol (MINA) −52.81%

Mina Protocol (MINA) is dropping due to low dApp adoption and rising competitive pressure.

Source: CoinGecko

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Disclaimer: This roundup is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein should be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading or investing in cryptocurrencies carries a considerable risk of financial loss. Always conduct due diligence

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