The first week of September brought a wave of crypto partnerships bridging emerging markets, traditional finance, and mainstream culture. From Bybit and Tether expanding access in Brazil and Indonesia, to Circle integrating stablecoins with banks, BONK breaking into Nasdaq, and OKX luring fans with McLaren F1—adoption is accelerating everywhere.
Bybit and Tether are taking a long-term approach to crypto adoption in emerging markets, focusing on Brazil and Indonesia. Their partnership highlights the importance of regulation, education, and infrastructure in building sustainable ecosystems, rather than chasing “speculative hype.”
In Brazil, the two companies have launched campaigns that link participation directly to adoption. Bybit co-sponsored Blockchain Rio with Tether, offering USDT bonuses to incentivize new users. The partnership is also exploring tourism-related incentives with Visit Rio, integrating crypto rewards into travel experiences.
Education plays a central role, with “Learn to Earn” campaigns, workshops, and university seminars designed to demystify blockchain. With more than 20% of Brazilians unbanked, these initiatives aim to position digital assets as tools of financial empowerment. Localized payment solutions such as Bybit Pay and the Bybit Card further bridge fiat and crypto, with Tether’s USD₮ offering stability in a volatile market.
Indonesia’s crypto market surged by more than 300% in 2024, supported by clear regulations. The Financial Services Authority reclassified crypto as digital financial assets, attracting more than 20 million investors. Bybit expanded into equities trading paired with USDT, while also working on institutional-grade custody solutions. Bybit’s CEO described Indonesia as “dynamic and promising,” underscoring its role as a model for balancing innovation with financial stability.
Circle, the issuer of USD Coin ($USDC), has taken major steps to bring stablecoins into the heart of traditional finance through new partnerships with Finastra and Mastercard. The move signals what observers see as “a dawn of stablecoin-powered payments” across banking and commerce.
Finastra, a leading financial software provider, is integrating $USDC into its Global PAYplus platform, which serves more than 8,000 banks and processes over $5 trillion in daily cross-border transactions. By enabling settlements in $USDC, banks can bypass the inefficiencies of correspondent banking networks, reducing costs and speeding up payments without replacing existing infrastructure. Analysts have noted that this makes blockchain-based settlements “practical for mainstream finance.”
Circle has also deepened its collaboration with Mastercard, enabling merchants and payment providers across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa to settle transactions in $USDC and Euro Coin ($EURC). Industry voices highlight that this positions $USDC as a critical layer for global payments infrastructure.
Circle’s broader strategy includes pursuing regulatory clarity and partnerships in Asia, with ongoing talks in South Korea and collaborations with SBI Group and Ripple in Japan. Meanwhile, user-focused projects like Best Wallet and its $BEST token show how grassroots innovation complements institutional adoption, reinforcing stablecoins’ growing role in the digital economy.
Underdog, the fastest-growing U.S. sports gaming operator, has teamed up with Crypto.com. Derivatives North America (CDNA) is to roll out the first federally compliant prediction market exchange within a major sports app. The partnership integrates CDNA’s sports event contracts directly into the Underdog platform, giving fans a seamless way to make predictions on outcomes across professional and college sports.
Underdog CEO Jeremy Levine described prediction markets as “one of the most exciting developments” in sports engagement, adding that their future will be closely tied to athletics, where Underdog already leads. With this launch, customers can trade event contracts on leagues including the NFL, NBA, MLB, and college football. Real-time price updates will allow fans to instantly express opinions on in-game developments.
Travis McGhee, Global Head of Capital Markets at Crypto.com, emphasized that the collaboration expands CDNA’s pioneering sports event contracts through Underdog’s user-friendly technology. He noted the ability to trade directly in the app enhances access to “innovative offerings” for fans nationwide.
By combining fantasy sports, sports betting, and prediction markets in a single platform, Underdog positions itself as the only operator to unify these experiences. Backed by nationwide gaming licenses and advanced responsible gaming safeguards, the company says it will extend its “industry-leading protections” to prediction markets as adoption scales.
Frax, the DeFi-focused fintech company behind stablecoins and liquid staking products, has chosen Crypto.com Custody to provide secure storage and liquidity solutions for its assets. The move enhances institutional access to Frax’s ecosystem through a regulated, end-to-end custody framework.
As part of the deal, Frax’s native FRAX token—used for gas fees and validator staking on the Fraxtal blockchain—will now be supported by Crypto.com Custody. This integration allows institutions and high-net-worth clients to securely custody FRAX while benefiting from liquidity services. Both companies also signaled plans to expand coverage to Frax’s broader suite of assets.
Crypto.com President and COO Eric Anziani said the partnership shows a “shared commitment to expanding secure, institutional access.” Frax founder Sam Kazemian noted that trusted custody is essential, calling Crypto.com a long-term partner in building the “stablecoin future.”
BONK has entered into a $25 million partnership with Nasdaq-listed Safety Shot, under which the company will purchase roughly $115 million worth of BONK tokens by year-end—about 5% of the total supply. The deal transfers Safety Shot’s board control to BONK leadership, with BONK core contributor Nom appointed as strategic advisor.
Safety Shot will allocate $15 million from reserves to boost BONK holdings to $40 million and raise an additional $100 million to further expand exposure. The firm also intends to change its Nasdaq ticker from SHOT to BNKK, and eventually to BONK, pending regulatory approval.
Analysts see the move as a landmark moment for meme coins, signaling recognition within regulated financial structures. By reducing circulating supply, BONK aims to stabilize pricing and open access to both institutional and retail investors through brokerage channels.
Separately, BONK.fun was named the official USD1 launch platform for Trump World Freedom Finance, cementing its role in onboarding Web2 companies to blockchain and adding new liquidity and visibility to BONK’s ecosystem.
OKX has teamed up with McLaren F1 to launch a campaign across Europe that turns crypto onboarding into a tangible experience. New users who make their first trade—or refer a friend—can claim an official McLaren F1 Team cap, while three participants will secure VIP hospitality at the Netherlands Grand Prix in Zandvoort.
The Zandvoort circuit, famed for its steeply banked corners and the “Orange Army” atmosphere, ranks among the sport’s most intense venues. The VIP package grants access to practice, qualifying, or race day, letting winners immerse themselves in one of F1’s most electrifying weekends.
Founded in 2017, OKX has grown into one of the world’s largest exchanges, serving both beginners and advanced traders. Executives stress its focus on “security and transparency,” with proof-of-reserves audits, cold storage, and strict compliance under Europe’s MiCA framework. Beyond trading, OKX offers derivatives, staking, a Web3 wallet, and a launchpad.
Nearly 1,000 caps have already been shipped to participants, with the campaign running until September 14. Analysts note that partnerships with trusted brands like McLaren and PayPal “reduce entry friction” and boost crypto’s mainstream legitimacy—turning hesitant newcomers into confident adopters.
The post September’s First Week: Bybit In Brazil, Circle In Banking, And BONK On Nasdaq appeared first on Metaverse Post.
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