Google’s Bet On Prediction Markets, Japan Steps Into Bitcoin Mining & More

Welcome back!

This is J264G and this week I’ve got these titbits for you:

• Prediction Distribution: Google could make prediction markets mainstream.

• Bitcoin Mining: Japan’s government allocates resources to Bitcoin mining.

• Ad Advantage: How Ripple is winning the crypto marketing game.

The Senate Committee on Agriculture released a much-anticipated draft of its section of the crypto market structure bill. If passed, the bill could boost market liquidity, deepen institutional participation, and reduce the wild-west perception that has kept major players on crypto’s sidelines.

Now, let’s jump right into this week’s newsletter!

Click on any underlined heading/hyperlink to learn more.

Spotlight

Ad Advantage  

To judge by the billboards and the ads peppering podcasts, one might think that Ripple and XRP are crypto’s biggest, most indispensable brands.  

We all know, of course, that this is not quite the case. Ripple and XRP, while respectable players in cross-border payments, are hardly the beating heart of the crypto economy. Their role is real, but limited. Important in niche corridors, yet peripheral to where most of the industry’s innovation and activity actually unfold.

But, credit where it’s due: Ripple grasped that crypto must break out of its echo chamber to reach mainstream adoption. While other crypto projects preach only to the converted, Ripple preaches beyond the choir. Conventional advertising now carries a crypto message to the wider public—a subversive strategy, selling the future of finance in venues firmly rooted in the present.  

The approach is proving remarkably effective. Ripple’s brand is now familiar in circles that wouldn’t know DeFi from a defibrillator. By flooding everyday spaces with its brand, Ripple is building recognition beyond the tech clique. A robust technology helps in the long run, but slick marketing often opens the door. Consequently, Ripple will continue buying up mainstream mind share.

This presents an uncomfortable irony: other platforms might be better suited to lead crypto’s mainstream adoption. More decentralised, more scalable, more innovative ones easily spring to mind, but they seem to be losing the public imagination to those willing to claim it.  

In the battle for mainstream mind share, attention is the new currency—and it seems for now Ripple will keep on printing it faster than the Fed on a sugar high.

Chart Of The Week

News Bites

Prediction Distribution: Google has integrated prediction market data from Kalshi and Polymarket, a quiet yet significant move toward mainstreaming event-based forecasting. Users can now view live odds for major events directly within Google results, blurring the line between information search and financial insight.

Bitcoin Mining: New research from VanEck shows Japan is now among the countries providing government resources to Bitcoin mining. Other countries includes the UAE, Oman, and Argentina—underscoring how both advanced and emerging economies are positioning themselves in the digital mining race. 

Bitcoin Payments: Block, the payments firm founded by Jack Dorsey, has expanded Bitcoin payments to over four million merchants worldwide through its Square point-of-sale network. The feature enables instant Bitcoin transactions within existing retail systems, moving crypto closer to everyday use.

Brick & Mortar: Arx Research has unveiled the “Burner Terminal,” a compact point-of-sale device that enables merchants to accept stablecoin payments seamlessly. The terminal also offers merchants optional support for Bitcoin, Solana, and other digital assets.

Trade Boost: Harmonic, an open block building system on Solana optimised for validator revenue and throughput, officially launched last week. Its broader ambition is to enable Solana-native trading platforms to rival established exchanges, both traditional and crypto-native.

Caught In 4K

Weekly Take

Keks & Giggles

And that's a wrap!

You can reach me anytime over on 𝕏 or drop me a line. 

Talk soon!

J264G

_{DISCLAIMER
None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research. Lastly, please be advised that we discuss products and services from our partners from which our team members may hold tokens/equity.}