Kalam Crypto #148: XRP Surges After SEC Drops Appeal

Ahlan wa sahlan and welcome to the 148th edition of CoinMENA’s weekly newsletter, Kalam Crypto!

This week, gold surged to a new all-time high, will digital gold (Bitcoin) follow? Meanwhile, the SEC drops its lawsuit against Ripple, marking a major regulatory win. Adding to the momentum, Ripple secures a license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), and Bitcoin ETFs record their largest single-day inflow in six weeks.

All this and more in this week’s Kalam Crypto!

Local News 📍

Ripple Secures Landmark License to Offer Crypto Payments in UAE

Ripple has received a license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), making it the first blockchain-enabled payments provider authorized to offer crypto payment services in the UAE. This marks Ripple’s first regulatory approval in MENA, enabling it to facilitate compliant digital asset payments for financial institutions. The license strengthens Dubai’s position as a hub for blockchain innovation and reinforces Ripple’s commitment to the region, where 20% of its global customer base already operates. With increasing institutional adoption and demand for faster cross-border settlements, this approval positions Ripple for further growth in a high-potential market.

Global News 🌍

SEC Drops Appeal, XRP Surges: Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced that the SEC is dropping its appeal in the long-standing lawsuit, marking a major victory for the company. Following the news, XRP jumped 14% to $2.56, reflecting strong market confidence.

Gold sets new all-time high over $3,000, will Bitcoin follow? Gold has surged past $3,000 per troy ounce as investors seek safe-haven assets amid rising economic uncertainty, slowing growth, and ongoing geopolitical tensions. Central banks have been accumulating gold at record levels, reinforcing its role as a traditional store of value. However, while gold has outperformed in the short term, BlackRock’s analysis shows (in the table below) that Bitcoin has consistently delivered stronger returns over the medium to long term. Often referred to as “digital gold,” Bitcoin shares key properties with gold, scarcity, durability, and decentralization, but offers additional advantages such as portability and verifiable transparency. While gold remains a preferred asset in times of uncertainty, Bitcoin’s long-term trajectory suggests it is emerging as a more efficient and resilient store of value in the digital age.

Bitcoin ETFs See Largest Inflows in Six Weeks: U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $274.6 million in net inflows on Monday, the highest daily figure in six weeks. This marks a shift after five consecutive weeks of net outflows totaling over $5 billion. Analysts attribute the rebound to bitcoin’s price stabilization, renewed institutional interest, and quarter-end portfolio rebalancing. Fidelity’s FBTC led with $127.3 million, followed by Ark Invest’s ARKB ($88.5 million) and BlackRock’s IBIT ($42.3 million). Notably, no Bitcoin ETFs saw outflows on Monday.

Keep an eye on 👀

Ark Invest Eyes Tokenization for Future Funds: Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood announced plans to tokenize the firm’s funds, including ARKVX and the Digital Asset Revolution Fund, once U.S. regulations allow. This move aligns with Coinbase’s interest in tokenized securities, though regulatory uncertainty remains a key hurdle for asset tokenization in the U.S.

Tweet Of The Week 🐥

CoinMENA News 🗞️

“Your Future, Your Choice” – Bold New Bitcoin Ads: We’re excited to share the launch of our new campaign, “Your Future, Your Choice,” featuring two short films that tackle the financial challenges so many of us face: rising living costs and the struggle to grow savings.

These films aren’t just ads, they’re a call to rethink how we approach saving and investing in today’s world.

👉 Watch the films here: Film 1 & Film 2.

Quiz Corner ✅ 

Last week’s question, What is the main difference between the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) and the Digital Assets Stockpile? The correct answer is B) The SBR will not sell Bitcoin and will acquire more, while the Digital Assets Stockpile will hold non-Bitcoin assets without acquiring more.

This week’s question: What are Real-World Assets (RWAs) in crypto?

A) Physical assets like real estate and commodities tokenized on the blockchain B) In-game virtual items that can be traded for cryptocurrency C) A type of stablecoin backed by fiat currencies D) Meme coins with no intrinsic value

See the answer in next week’s newsletter. Or check out our learning platform https://university.coinmena.com/