Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll

Let’s dive into the most important news in March Shownotes In this comprehensive March news episode of Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock’n’Roll, Manuel (dialing in from Singapore) and Alex (reporting from Frankfurt) unpack the month’s most important developments across crypto, DeFi, and traditional finance. The central theme? Infrastructure—and how the lines between legacy finance and blockchain-native innovation are rapidly blurring. The hosts kick off with a macro market update: Bitcoin’s volatile price swings, ETF outflows, and how macroeconomic pressures are keeping crypto prices in check despite strong fundamentals. From there, they explore two converging trends: TradFi institutions cautiously adopting blockchain infrastructure, and crypto-native platforms building permissioned systems to accommodate regulators and institutional investors. Key topics include Coinbase’s new “verified pools,” Kraken’s $1.5B acquisition of NinjaTrader, the closure of Ripple’s long-running SEC case, and the strategic moves by players like Goldman Sachs, Euroclear, and the Canton Network. Also in focus: the surge of stablecoin-related announcements—from Fidelity and OpenAI to Trump’s surprise USD1 token—and the shifting regulatory winds in both the U.S. and Europe. Plus, insights from Frankfurt’s Crypto Asset Conference and the Digital Euro Conference, the rise of public-permissioned blockchain models, and how regulation like MiCA and the Basel standards will shape what comes next. If you’re looking for a sharp, European take on how digital assets are evolving—and how institutions on both sides of the spectrum are adapting—this episode is a must-listen. Nuggets of the months of each co-host: • Manuel: Speech on the digital euro by Philip R. Lane, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB [https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/key/date/2025/html/ecb.sp250320_1~41c9459722.en.html] • Alexander: Coinbase Ethereum Validator Performance Report [https://www.coinbase.com/en-de/blog/ethereum-validator-performance-report] FAZ article by Alex on the US Bitcoin reserve [https://alexanderbechtel.com/strategic-bitcoin-reserve-trump-makes-bitcoin-a-state-affair/] Podcast with Frank Schäffler on the Bitcoin reserve [https://bfrr.info/2025/02/09/why-the-fdp-demands-a-bitcoin-reserve-german/] Podcast with Jürgen Schaaf on the Bitcoin reserve [https://bfrr.info/2025/03/10/downsides-of-a-bitcoin-reserve-with-ecb-advisor-dr-juergen-schaaf/] Podcast with Peter Grosskopf on Unstoppable Finance [https://open.spotify.com/episode/3SBSpdhOOki1uJOPFtEkIw?si=460e4b00a9894a8b] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website [https://www.bfrr.de/] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel [https://t.me/+jA3nMkERPtc5YjQ0] ---------------------------------------- Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here [https://relai.ch/rock/]. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here [https://fountain.fm/show/wNv0vSPWzu8Gh7bZTorB] Digital Euro Conference Partnership: BFRR partners with the Digital Euro Conference 2025 taking place on March 27 in Frankfurt. DEC25 brings together leading voices shaping the financial landscape, covering topics around retail and wholesale CBDCs, stablecoins, and tokenized money in general. As an official event partner, BFRR gives away one free ticket for physical participation in Frankfurt. If you are interested, please write us an email to info@bfrr.de [info@bfrr.de] by January 31st. If you are not the “lucky winner”, you get 20% off the ticket prices with the code “BFRR20”. To buy your ticket go to the official website Click here [http://digital-euro-conference.de] and insert the code “BFRR20”. Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here [https://www.bfrr.de/disclaimer/] ---------------------------------------- All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

How will Europe respond to America's new crypto-friendly policies? In this episode of Bitcoin, Fiat, Rock & Roll, we dive into the shifting global regulatory landscape for digital assets and stablecoins—focusing on the growing influence of the United States. Our guest, Hagen Weiß, a seasoned blockchain lawyer and former BaFin and Finance Ministry official, brings insider perspectives on how U.S. regulatory momentum—particularly around stablecoins—is reshaping the international playing field. We explore: 🇺🇸 The Genius Act and its potential to turn stablecoins into a geopolitical tool for U.S. dollar dominance 🇪🇺 How Europe is responding—with a focus on MiCA, CBDCs, and potential overregulation 📉 Why DeFi tokens are under pressure despite seemingly favorable U.S. leadership changes 💼 The future of yield-bearing stablecoins, tokenized money market funds, and institutional custody ⚖️ What regulators around the world can (and should) learn from each other Hagen also shares candid insights on the future of governance tokens, regulatory clarity, and how startups can survive—and thrive—under evolving crypto frameworks. 👉 Whether you're a legal pro, DeFi builder, policymaker, or crypto enthusiast, this episode is your essential briefing on the fast-evolving regulatory chessboard. 🎧 Tune in now and join the conversation. Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website [https://bfrr.info/] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel [https://t.me/+EtgT5rIPbdYwYmJk] [LinkedIn Hagen Weiss (Dentons)]() [LinkedIn Stefan Grasmann (Zühlke)]() ---------------------------------------- Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here [https://relai.ch/rock/]. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here [https://fountain.fm/show/wNv0vSPWzu8Gh7bZTorB] Digital Euro Conference Partnership: BFRR partners with the Digital Euro Conference 2025 taking place on March 27 in Frankfurt. DEC25 brings together leading voices shaping the financial landscape, covering topics around retail and wholesale CBDCs, stablecoins, and tokenized money in general. As an official event partner, BFRR gives away one free ticket for physical participation in Frankfurt. If you are interested, please write us an email to info@bfrr.de [info@bfrr.de] by January 31st. If you are not the “lucky winner”, you get 20% off the ticket prices with the code “BFRR20”. To buy your ticket go to the official website Click here [http://digital-euro-conference.de] and insert the code “BFRR20”. Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here [https://www.bfrr.de/disclaimer/] ---------------------------------------- All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

How SAP's Digital Currency Hub brings stablecoins into everyday enterprise software In this episode of Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock’n’Roll, we explore how SAP’s Digital Currency Hub (DCH) is bridging the gap between enterprise software and stablecoins. Michael Blaschke, Bernhard Schweizer (SAP), and Rebecca Carvatt (EY) explain how enterprises handle stablecoin payments without leaving their familiar ERP environment. We explore the technical architecture that allows for 24/7, instant, global payments at low fees, supporting major stablecoins like USDC and PYUSD across multiple blockchain networks. The conversation includes a detailed look at PayPal’s historic first business payment using PYUSD to pay EY in fall 2024, marking a significant milestone in enterprise stablecoin adoption. Our guests break down the practical aspects of implementation, from wallet management and currency conversion to compliance considerations and accounting standards. They share insights on why major corporations are embracing this technology now, particularly for cross-border payments and high-inflation corridors. The episode offers valuable guidance for corporate treasurers and finance leaders preparing for the future of payments, including specific action items for getting started with stablecoin payments in an enterprise context. The discussion concludes with a forward-looking perspective on the evolution of enterprise payments, including programmable finance, machine-to-machine transactions, and the growing ecosystem of companies adopting digital currency solutions for business payments. Listeners will come away with a clear understanding of how traditional finance is being transformed by the merger of enterprise software and digital currencies. Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website [https://bfrr.info/] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel [https://t.me/+EtgT5rIPbdYwYmJk] LinkedIn Bernhard Schweizer (SAP) [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernhard-schweizer-ab26401b8/] LinkedIn Rebecca Carvatt (EY) [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccacarvatt/] LinkedIn Michael Blaschke (BFRR) [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-michael-r-blaschke/] SAP: "Digital Currency Hub - Enterprise Payments Without Boundaries" [https://taulia.com/digital-currency-hub/] Bloomberg: "PayPal Completes Its First Business Transaction Using Stablecoin" [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-03/paypal-completes-its-first-business-transaction-using-stablecoin] CoinDesk: "Crypto Will See Revolution By Acceleration" [https://www.coindesk.com/opinion/2025/01/02/crypto-will-see-revolution-by-acceleration] Coinbase Blog: "PayPal, EY and Google Cloud Use Coinbase for B2B Payments" [https://www.coinbase.com/blog/paypal-ey-and-google-cloud-use-coinbase-for-b2b-payments] ---------------------------------------- Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here [https://relai.ch/rock/]. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here [https://fountain.fm/show/wNv0vSPWzu8Gh7bZTorB] Digital Euro Conference Partnership: BFRR partners with the Digital Euro Conference 2025 taking place on March 27 in Frankfurt. DEC25 brings together leading voices shaping the financial landscape, covering topics around retail and wholesale CBDCs, stablecoins, and tokenized money in general. As an official event partner, BFRR gives away one free ticket for physical participation in Frankfurt. If you are interested, please write us an email to info@bfrr.de [info@bfrr.de] by January 31st. If you are not the “lucky winner”, you get 20% off the ticket prices with the code “BFRR20”. To buy your ticket go to the official website Click here [http://digital-euro-conference.de] and insert the code “BFRR20”. Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here [https://www.bfrr.de/disclaimer/] ---------------------------------------- All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

We discuss the potential drawbacks of Bitcoin Reserves with European Central Bank advisor Jürgen Schaaf Strategic Bitcoin Reserves remain one of the most intensely debated topics in the digital currency landscape. Just a few days back, US President Trump has signed an Executive Order that states the establishment of both a Bitcoin Reserve and a broader Digital Asset Stockpile in the US. In this new episode of the Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock’n’Roll (BFRR) podcast, host Jonas Gross explores the topic of Bitcoin Reserves with Dr. Jürgen Schaaf, advisor to the Senior Management at the European Central Bank (ECB). Following a previous episode that examined the pro-Bitcoin Reserve perspective, this conversation dives deep into the counterarguments. Dr. Schaaf points to Bitcoin's fundamental limitations. He argues that Bitcoin mainly failed to deliver on its original promise as a payment system, points to its extreme volatility as a barrier to mainstream adoption and questions its utility. The discussion distinguishes between three distinct reserve models that are often conflated in public discourse: strategic reserves, foreign exchange reserves, and sovereign wealth funds. Dr. Schaaf provides an analysis of whether from his perspective any of these three frameworks presents a legitimate economic case for institutions holding Bitcoin —with conclusions that may surprise listeners. After two comprehensive episodes on Bitcoin reserves—examining both the supportive and critical viewpoints—stay tuned for an upcoming episode where the BFRR team will thoughtfully reflect on these discussions and share their own perspective on this both controversial and timely topic. Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website [https://www.bfrr.de/] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel [https://t.me/+EtgT5rIPbdYwYmJk] x Profile Jürgen Schaaf [https://x.com/schaaf_jurgen] LinkedIn Profile Jonas Gross [https://www.linkedin.com/in/grossjonas/] Previous episode with Frank Schäffler on Bitcoin Reserves [https://bfrr.info/2025/02/09/why-the-fdp-demands-a-bitcoin-reserve-german/] Paper Schaaf & Bindseil: The distributional consequences of Bitcoin [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4985877] Article FAZ by Jürgen Schaaf and Ulrich Bindseil: Was Gegen eine strategische Bitcoin-Reserve spricht [https://www.faz.net/aktuell/finanzen/finanzmarkt/das-spricht-gegen-den-staatlichen-aufbau-von-strategischen-reserven-in-bitcoin-110230436.html] [BFRR Episode: ](Bitcoin-Papier der EZB: Zerstört Bitcoin die Demokratie](https://www.bfrr.de/bitcoin-kritik-in-paper-der-ezb/ [https://www.bfrr.de/bitcoin-kritik-in-paper-der-ezb/]) ---------------------------------------- Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here [https://relai.ch/rock/]. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here [https://fountain.fm/show/wNv0vSPWzu8Gh7bZTorB] Digital Euro Conference Partnership: BFRR partners with the Digital Euro Conference 2025 taking place on March 27 in Frankfurt. DEC25 brings together leading voices shaping the financial landscape, covering topics around retail and wholesale CBDCs, stablecoins, and tokenized money in general. As an official event partner, BFRR gives away one free ticket for physical participation in Frankfurt. If you are interested, please write us an email to info@bfrr.de [info@bfrr.de] by January 31st. If you are not the “lucky winner”, you get 20% off the ticket prices with the code “BFRR20”. To buy your ticket go to the official website Click here [http://digital-euro-conference.de] and insert the code “BFRR20”. Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here [https://www.bfrr.de/disclaimer/] ---------------------------------------- All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!

Let’s dive into the most important news in February In this episode all four co-hosts, Alexander, Michael, Jonas and Manuel discuss the most relevant news of February: The negative crypto market sentiment, market cap and ETF AuM contractions and the reasons for that – among others the Bybit Hack Presidential Meme-Coins. On Feb 21, one of the largest Crypto-Exchanges was hacked and a north-korean hacking group stole 1,4 bln USD worth of cryptocurrencies. The co-authors explain what happened and discuss how the attack and the biggest hack in history could have been prevented. The Episode goes on to analyze and discuss the players and the mechanisms behind the issuance and price collapse of the Libra token that was supported by the Argentinian president Javier Milei and the interlinkage to the Melania Token. After the bearish news, the record 2024 earnings of Tether and Coinbase are analyzed which reflect the positive crypto sentiment and market activity of last year – in particular in Q4. The last section is devoted to European developments with an update on European MiCAR licenses for Stablecoins and crypto asset service providers as well as recent developments in the European projects on central bank digital currencies (CBDC). The ECB sees threats from USD denominated Stablecoins and wants to accelerate the digital Euro project as a respondes and on the other side wants to provide a solution in 2025 to connect Target services – existing settlement infrastructure – to newly emerging blockchain networks. If you find these topics interesting, make sure you listen to this months news-episode of BFRR! Nuggets of the months of each co-host: • Manuel: Bindseil, Ulrich and Malekan, Omid, 2025, Public crypto networks as financial market infrastructures [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5138052] • Alexander: Post from Ivica Aracic on Blockchain/Ledger catogarization [https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ivicaa_how-about-categorizing-blockchainsledgers-activity-7300045162498441216-mQDA/] • Jonas: ECB Working Paper: Digital money and finance: a critical review of terminology [https://www.ecb.europa.eu/pub/pdf/scpwps/ecb.wp3022~67ea842a2a.en.pdf?bb553e483019c8f398888cc1afc7de2e] • Michael: Video from Google: Majorana 1 Explained: The Path to a Million Qubits [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSHmygPQukQ] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Website [https://www.bfrr.de/] Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll Telegram Channel [https://t.me/+jA3nMkERPtc5YjQ0] ---------------------------------------- Relai*: Buy Bitcoin with Relai – you can do a one-time purchase or savings plan: Click here [https://relai.ch/rock/]. Use the referral code "ROCK" to reduce transaction fees by 0.1% while supporting Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock'n'Roll. Value4Value Podcast Streaming: Support our podcast by listening to our episodes on the Fountain Podcast App. This way, if you wish, you can support us "Value4Value" while listening to the podcast. You can find us on the Fountain Podcast App here: Click here [https://fountain.fm/show/wNv0vSPWzu8Gh7bZTorB] Digital Euro Conference Partnership: BFRR partners with the Digital Euro Conference 2025 taking place on March 27 in Frankfurt. DEC25 brings together leading voices shaping the financial landscape, covering topics around retail and wholesale CBDCs, stablecoins, and tokenized money in general. As an official event partner, BFRR gives away one free ticket for physical participation in Frankfurt. If you are interested, please write us an email to info@bfrr.de [info@bfrr.de] by January 31st. If you are not the “lucky winner”, you get 20% off the ticket prices with the code “BFRR20”. To buy your ticket go to the official website Click here [http://digital-euro-conference.de] and insert the code “BFRR20”. Disclaimer: The content of this podcast reflects the private opinions of the hosts, serves exclusively for general information purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Always remember: Do your own research - inform yourself before making any investment decisions, such as buying Bitcoin. First try to understand what Bitcoin is and how to store it. This podcast does not provide financial advice. Note that the co-hosts might be invested in crypto assets. Read more on our website: Click here [https://www.bfrr.de/disclaimer/] ---------------------------------------- All links marked with "*" are affiliate links. If you use these links for purchase, the podcast receives a small share of the revenue without any additional costs to you. On the contrary, affiliate links often include discount promotions, so you can even save money. We would appreciate it if you use these links to support us. Thank you very much!