Trump buys burgers with BTC, prices rebound, and Circle expands access to its USDC stablecoin

The crypto markets registered another positive week, led by Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) rising 8.5% and 8.05%, respectively. Bitcoin (BTC) gained 5.4% and the Nasdaq Crypto Index™ (NCI™) was up 5.9%.

Former President Trump buys burgers using Bitcoin

The former president visited Bitcoin-themed bar PubKey in New York City, where he purchased burgers with bitcoin using the Lightning Network. Trump has embraced Bitcoin and crypto businesses in recent months, a sign of the growing influence of this innovation and industry.

Circle partners with Sony’s blockchain lab on USDC expansion

The company partnered with Sony Block Solutions Labs to integrate USDC into Sony’s new layer-2 blockchain, Soneium. This partnership is a major step in expanding USDC’s role in Web3, particularly for digital creators, and aligns with Sony’s vision for a more interconnected ecosystem. For crypto investors, this signals greater utility and adoption of USDC, boosting its appeal as a stable, liquid asset in both retail and institutional markets.

USDC now available in Brazil and Mexico

Circle also integrated its USDC stablecoin with local payment systems in Brazil and Mexico, allowing businesses to convert local currencies into USDC without international wire transfers. This connection to Mexico’s SPEI and Brazil’s PIX reduces the time and cost of accessing digital dollars for cross-border transactions, meeting the rising demand for dollar-denominated stablecoins in these markets.