Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), the country's largest bank, has introduced the **Monochrome Bitcoin ETF (IBTC)** on its trading platform. This move grants its vast customer base of 17 million access to **Bitcoin ETF investment opportunities**.  The **Monochrome Bitcoin ETF**, managed by Australian investment firm **Monochrome Asset Management**, allows investors to **gain direct exposure to Bitcoin's price movements** while adhering to regulatory standards. This launch signifies Australia's commitment to **integrating digital currencies into mainstream investment options**. In a parallel development, **Itau Unibanco**, the largest bank in Brazil, has also embraced Bitcoin. The bank's in-house investment platform, Ion, now offers **Bitcoin and Ethereum trading services** after a successful launch in December 2023.

In a landmark development, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has introduced the Monochrome Bitcoin ETF (IBTC) on its trading platform. The bank has provided Bitcoin ETF investment opportunities to its vast customer base of 17 million. This move underscores CBA&#8217;s proactive stance in catering to the rising demand for cryptocurrency investments within a regulated framework. <a class="mh-excerpt-more" href="https://coingape.com/australia-largest-bank-offers-monochrome-bitcoin-etf-to-17m-customers/" title="Australia&#8217;s Largest Bank Offers Monochrome Bitcoin ETF To 17M Customers"></a>
The post <a href="https://coingape.com/australia-largest-bank-offers-monochrome-bitcoin-etf-to-17m-customers/">Australia&#8217;s Largest Bank Offers Monochrome Bitcoin ETF To 17M Customers</a> appeared first on <a href="https://coingape.com">CoinGape</a>.

<img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1200" height="800" src="https://coingape.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BITCOIN_ETF_2.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="Australia&#039;s Largest Bank Offers Monochrome Bitcoin ETF To 17M Customers" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;" srcset="https://coingape.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BITCOIN_ETF_2.jpg 1200w, https://coingape.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BITCOIN_ETF_2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://coingape.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BITCOIN_ETF_2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://coingape.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BITCOIN_ETF_2-150x100.jpg 150w, https://coingape.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BITCOIN_ETF_2-272x182.jpg 272w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />In a landmark development, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has introduced the <a href="https://coingape.com/australias-first-bitcoin-etf-starts-trading-tomorrow-heres-all/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Monochrome</a> Bitcoin ETF (IBTC) on its trading platform. The bank has provided Bitcoin ETF investment opportunities to its vast customer base of 17 million. This move underscores CBA&#8217;s proactive stance in catering to the rising demand for cryptocurrency investments within a regulated framework.
<h2>Spot Bitcoin ETF Debut In Australia</h2>
The Monochrome Bitcoin ETF is managed by the Australian investment firm Monochrome Asset Management. The ETF was launched on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at 10:00 am (AEST) on CBOE Australia. Moreover, this ETF allows investors to gain direct exposure to Bitcoin&#8217;s price movements while adhering to regulatory standards.
Hence, the recent CBA listing marks a significant step towards integrating digital currencies into mainstream investment options. Australia has positioned itself alongside global crypto ETF centers such as the <a href="https://coingape.com/hong-kong-spot-etf-lacks-bank-support-as-institutional-interest-grow/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hong Kong</a>.
The nation is embracing Bitcoin ETFs as part of its strategy to boost innovation and meet evolving investor preferences. Furthermore, Monochrome&#8217;s initiative of introducing a Spot Bitcoin ETF further solidifies Australia&#8217;s commitment to advancing digital asset investments.
Monochrome Asset Managemenet, in collaboration with CBOE Australia, initiated the regulatory process earlier in April. This demonstrates their dedication to pioneering digital asset offerings within the region. Additionally, the strategic move by Monochrome reflects their confidence in the growing acceptance of cryptocurrencies among both retail and institutional investors.
The decision by CBA to list the IBTC Bitcoin ETF on its platform comes amid a broader trend in the banking sector towards embracing cryptocurrency opportunities. Banks worldwide are increasingly recognizing the potential of digital assets to complement traditional financial services. Thus, they are expanding their product offerings to cater to evolving customer demands.
Also Read: <a href="https://coingape.com/spot-bitcoin-etfs-saw-100m-inflow-reversal-but-risks-still-looms/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spot Bitcoin ETFs Saw $100M Inflow Reversal But Risks Still Looms</a>
<h2>Brazil Bank Embraces BTC</h2>
In a parallel development in Latin America, Itau Unibanco, the largest bank in Brazil and the entire Latam region, has also embraced Bitcoin (BTC). The bank boasts a customer base exceeding 60 million and nearly 100,000 employees. Whilst, Itau Unibanco has recently announced the availability of crypto trading services through its in-house investment platform, Ion.
The trading service was initially launched in December with limited availability. However, Itau Unibanco&#8217;s crypto trading service has garnered substantial interest among users, prompting its gradual expansion. Hence, it now offers Bitcoin and <a href="https://coingape.com/metamask-launches-ethereum-staking-service-theres-a-catch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ethereum (ETH)</a> investments on the platform.
Guto Antunes, head of Itau Digital Assets, highlighted the positive reception of the bank&#8217;s cryptocurrency custody solution. He emphasized high levels of customer trust and acceptance, which catalyzed the latest move.
Also Read: <a href="https://coingape.com/bitcoin-short-term-investment-hits-new-highs-with-etf-popularity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bitcoin Short-term Investment Hits New Highs with ETF Popularity</a>
The post <a href="https://coingape.com/australia-largest-bank-offers-monochrome-bitcoin-etf-to-17m-customers/">Australia&#8217;s Largest Bank Offers Monochrome Bitcoin ETF To 17M Customers</a> appeared first on <a href="https://coingape.com">CoinGape</a>.

Australia's Largest Bank Launches Bitcoin ETF

Cathie Wood's Ark Invest is projecting **rapid growth** in tokenized assets over the rest of the decade, estimating the market could **surpass $11 trillion by 2030** as traditional financial instruments increasingly move onchain.

The real-world tokenized asset (RWA) market today stands at roughly $19–$22 billion, implying Ark's projection would require a roughly **50,000%–58,000% increase** over the next five years.

"In our view, broad based adoption of tokenization is likely to follow the development of **regulatory clarity** and **institutional-grade infrastructure**," Ark Invest said in its "Big Ideas 2026" report published Wednesday.

A tokenized asset is a digital representation of a financial instrument that trades on a **blockchain** rather than through traditional brokerage infrastructure. Proponents argue that tokenization can **reduce costs**, **shorten settlement times**, **deepen liquidity**, support **fractional ownership**, and expand **global access** to financial products by enabling **24/7 trading**.

## Institutional Tokenization Efforts Ramp Up

Institutional momentum around tokenization has accelerated in recent weeks. Earlier this week, the **New York Stock Exchange** said it is building a blockchain-based venue to enable around-the-clock trading of tokenized stocks and exchange-traded funds, with plans to launch later this year pending regulatory approval.

Earlier today, **F/m Investments**, the firm behind the $6.3 billion U.S. Treasury 3-Month Bill ETF, said it has asked U.S. regulators for permission to record existing ETF shares on a blockchain. F/m Investments, founded in 2018, manages about $18 billion in assets.

Last week, custody bank **State Street** said it is rolling out a digital-asset platform to support money-market funds, ETFs, and cash products such as tokenized deposits and stablecoins. Around the same time, **London Stock Exchange Group** launched a Digital Settlement House designed to enable near-instant settlement across both blockchain-based and traditional payment systems.

Ark noted that **sovereign debt**, particularly U.S. Treasurys, currently dominates tokenized assets. However, the firm expects **bank deposits** and **global public equities** to account for a larger share of tokenized value over the next five years as institutions move beyond pilot programs.

At its projected $11 trillion size in 2030, Ark estimates tokenized assets would still represent only about **1.38% of total global financial assets**. "With most global value still off-chain, traditional assets remain the largest growth opportunity for onchain adoption," the firm said.

![Ark Invest Tokenization Projection](https://www.tbstat.com/cdn-cgi/image/f=avif,q=50/wp/uploads/2026/01/ark-tokenization.png)

*Source: Ark Invest*

Other major institutions and consultancies have also outlined multi-trillion-dollar outlooks for tokenization.

**TD Cowen** has said onchain assets could grow to as much as **$100 trillion by 2030**. The **Boston Consulting Group**, in a report published with Ripple, projects that tokenized assets could expand to nearly **$19 trillion by 2033**. **Citi** forecasts up to $4 trillion in tokenized digital securities, alongside as much as $5 trillion in central bank digital currencies circulating across major economies. **Standard Chartered** estimates tokenized real-world assets could reach **$2 trillion by 2028**, with the "vast majority" issued on Ethereum. **McKinsey**, meanwhile, projects tokenized real-world asset markets reaching $2 trillion to $4 trillion by the end of the decade.

## Bitcoin Price Outlook

Ark Invest also projects a sharp expansion in crypto markets more broadly, with **bitcoin expected to reach a market capitalization of around $16 trillion** and the total crypto market growing to roughly **$28 trillion by 2030**.

A $16 trillion bitcoin market cap would imply a price of about **$761,900 per BTC**, assuming the fixed supply of 21 million coins. Bitcoin is currently trading around $90,000.

While sovereign debt dominates tokenization today, Ark expects bank deposits and global public equities to move a greater share.

Ark Invest Predicts Tokenized Assets Could Skyrocket to $11 Trillion by 2030 - Is This the Future of Finance?

## Network News

**ETH STAKING EXIT QUEUE DROPS TO ZERO**: Ethereum is processing more transactions than at any point in its history, with daily activity pushing to new records last week. The network processed a record **2,885,524 transactions** last week, the highest daily count in its history. The surge caps a sharp pickup in onchain activity this month, with transaction volumes pushing to new highs into early 2026. Activity has accelerated since mid-December, reversing a gradual slowdown that persisted through much of 2025. At the same time, average fees remain near recent lows, even with the pickup in usage. The combination points to a network that is absorbing higher demand more smoothly than past cycles, helped by recent upgrades and more activity moving to layer-2 networks. Staking dynamics have also shifted. **Ethereum's validator exit queue has fallen to zero**, meaning stakers can now withdraw ETH almost immediately, while entry queues still show long waits. The empty exit queue mainly shows there isn't a big rush to lock up ETH or pull it out right now, and staking looks steady rather than in a boom.

**NEOBANK TRENDS GROWS THANKS TO STABLECOINS AND PAYMENTS**: For years, crypto's most ambitious builders focused on the industry's plumbing: faster blockchains, cleaner smart contracts, better protocol economics. But a growing number of projects are now stepping away from the base layer and into something far more familiar to everyday users: payments, cards and neobank-like services. The shift reflects a broader realization inside crypto: while protocols matter, adoption tends to follow utility. Projects are now starting to pitch something else: that users can spend, save, and borrow with crypto without needing to understand the technicalities underneath it all. The evolution in messaging comes as **stablecoins are positioned as having an everyday financial use case**. Research from Messari argues the next phase of crypto neobanks won't simply mirror fintech apps on top of blockchains, but instead will attempt to rebuild core banking functions, like spending and borrowing directly onchain without relying on traditional payment rails. Ethereum restaking platform ether.fi was among the crypto-native projects to make that pivot, moving beyond protocol development toward offering payment and banking-style services built on top of decentralized finance. Since then, the trend has only accelerated. Polygon, long known primarily as a scaling network for Ethereum, recently announced new acquisitions for crypto rails and payments infrastructure for stablecoin use cases.

**VITALIK PROPOSES DVT STAKING**: Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has outlined a proposal to build **distributed validator technology (DVT) directly into Ethereum's staking protocol**, aiming to make staking more resilient while dramatically reducing technical complexity for large ETH holders. DVT enables validators to operate across multiple machines rather than relying on a single node. In existing implementations, a validator's cryptographic key is split across multiple nodes that collectively sign messages. As long as more than two-thirds of those nodes behave honestly, the validator continues to operate normally without risking penalties such as slashing or inactivity leaks. While DVT is already in use in some protocols today, Buterin argues that these solutions remain difficult to set up and maintain. They often require complex inter-node networking and depend on cryptographic properties that may not be suitable in the long term. Buterin's proposal replaces that complexity with a protocol-level solution. Instead of relying on external coordination layers, Ethereum itself would support validators that operate as groups.

**SOLAYER UNVEILS $35M FUND**: Solayer unveiled a **$35 million ecosystem fund** to back blockchain applications built on its infiniSVM network, targeting projects that require real-time execution and can generate sustainable revenue. The capital comes from Solayer Labs and the Solayer Foundation. The fund will support early and growth-stage teams building on infiniSVM, a layer-1 blockchain compatible with Solana's tooling but designed for faster execution and near-instant settlement. Solayer said the network has demonstrated throughput above **330,000 transactions per second** and finality of roughly 400 milliseconds. "We're solving for real-time behavior, immediate, guaranteed settlement and low latency," said Joshua Sum, Solayer's chief product officer. "Most blockchains still batch transactions, like legacy financial systems. We want to replace that with actual real-time clearing."

## In Other News

* Galaxy Digital is working on a **$100 million hedge fund** aimed at profiting from the turbulence roiling the digital assets and fintech industries. The fund, expected to start up in the first quarter, will take both long and short positions, meaning it plans to make money both when prices go up and when they fall. About 30% of the capital will be allocated to crypto tokens. The rest will target financial services stocks Galaxy believes are being reshaped by digital asset technologies and shifting regulations.
* Cryptocurrency's security story is changing, and not in the way most investors expect or would like to, as while crypto losses are on the rise, so too is onchain security. Even as 2025 went down as the worst year for hacks on record, the biggest failures weren't born onchain; instead, they were operational. Passwords, keys, compromised devices, manipulated employees, fake support agents. Human error, not broken code. "Despite 2025 being the worst year for hacks on record, those hacks stem from Web2 operational failures, not onchain code," Mitchell Amador, CEO of onchain security platform Immunefi, told CoinDesk. That distinction matters, Amador said, because it suggests something counterintuitive: onchain security is improving, even as losses keep rising.

## Regulatory and Policy

* Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said his company decided to oppose a major digital assets bill at the last minute after discovering provisions that raised serious concerns for consumer protection and market competition. "The high-level principle is that you can't really have banks come in and try and kill their competition at the expense of the American consumer," he told CNBC. Armstrong said Coinbase and other crypto firms had remained committed to negotiations until late in the process, but that a close review of the draft legislation revealed issues the company believed would have been damaging if the bill had advanced out of committee. The U.S. Senate Banking Committee will no longer hold today's planned markup of its crypto market structure bill after crypto exchange Coinbase publicly withdrew its support for the legislation on Wednesday, compounding fractures in negotiations that had already left the measure on shaky ground.
* U.S. lawmakers were about to begin a hearing on a major crypto bill that aimed to define how federal regulators can oversee crypto markets, but the night before the hearing was about to start, Coinbase, one of the biggest crypto exchanges that has been deeply involved in the bill's negotiations, suddenly withdrew its support. This sent the whole industry into chaos. Just hours later, that same Wednesday evening, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee canceled the hearing on the crypto market structure bill — just over 12 hours before it was scheduled to kick off. Following the announcements, lawmakers relaunched talks on Friday, with Democrats and staffers holding a call with industry representatives. However, Coinbase was not alone in having issues with the bill. The general concern was that different provisions in the bill would make it more difficult for crypto startups to launch tokens or operate anything resembling a decentralized project.

## Calendar

* Feb. 10-12, 2026: Consensus, Hong Kong
* Feb. 17-21, 2026: EthDenver, Denver
* Feb. 23-24, 2026: NearCon, San Francisco
* Mar. 30-Apr. 2, 2026: EthCC, Cannes
* Apr.15-16, 2026: Paris Blockchain Week, Paris
* May 5-7, 2026: Consensus, Miami
* Nov. 3-6, 2026: Devcon, Mumbai
* Nov. 15-17, 2026: Solana Breakpoint, London

Also: Neobanks trending, DVT staking proposal and Solayer $35M fund

Ethereum's Staking Exit Queue Hits Zero: What This Means for ETH Holders and the Future of Crypto Banking

Don't believe the hype when it comes to meme coins or longtime market laggards.

A couple of weeks into 2026, the cryptocurrency market appears to be roaring back to life. With just a few exceptions, every major cryptocurrency is up to start the year as I write this.

But I'm not convinced that this rally is going to persist throughout the year. The following four cryptocurrencies are at serious risk of a decline of 50% or more in value. You have been warned.

## 1. & 2. Dogecoin and Shiba Inu

Let's start with the obvious picks first: **Dogecoin** (DOGE) and **Shiba Inu** (SHIB). Both of these **meme coins** are up more than 15% to start 2026, but I think this is really just a **dead-dog bounce**. These meme coins are fundamentally worthless, and their massive market caps are really just a result of their very high circulating coin supplies.

![Close-up of a Shiba Inu dog.](https://g.foolcdn.com/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fg.foolcdn.com%2Feditorial%2Fimages%2F851121%2Fdogecoin-dog-copy.jpg&w=3840&op=resize)

Just look at the numbers for both meme coins—they're beyond atrocious. For example, Dogecoin is trading at an 82% discount to its all-time high from May 2021. If **Elon Musk** can't save Dogecoin, nobody can. I think there's further to fall, as investors give up on these two meme coins entirely.

## 3. Cardano

Touted as a potential **Ethereum** (ETH) challenger when it launched back in 2017, **Cardano** (ADA) is going nowhere fast these days. Yes, Cardano is up 15% to start the year. But zoom out and take a nice, long look at the five-year chart for Cardano. It doesn't inspire confidence. I'm no longer confident that Cardano can break through the $1 price level anytime soon.

Right now, Cardano has a market cap of nearly $14 billion. If it loses 50% of its value, it would approach the market cap of **Sui** (SUI), an up-and-coming Ethereum challenger that launched in 2023. I'd rather put my money into Sui right now than wait for Cardano to move higher.

## 4. Litecoin

**Litecoin** (LTC) has been a real standout so far this year, but for all the wrong reasons. Of all major cryptocurrencies with a market cap of $1 billion or higher, Litecoin is among only a handful that are actually down for the year. Over the past 90 days, Litecoin is down more than 20%.

At some point, investors are going to throw in the towel on Litecoin. The much-ballyhooed Litecoin halving event of August 2023 was a complete nothingburger, and even the promise of new spot Litecoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) last year did little to boost its prospects.

If Litecoin loses 50% of its value, it would approach the value of **Bittensor** (TAO), a highly speculative artificial intelligence (AI) coin. I'd rather take my chances with a cryptocurrency tied to the future of AI than put an underperforming **proof-of-work coin** in my portfolio.

## Can these cryptocurrencies ever turn things around?

It's almost impossible to think that these longtime market laggards are suddenly going to turn things around in 2026. I predict they will plunge big time. The only possible scenario is if **Bitcoin** goes absolutely *en fuego*, helping to light a fire under the entire crypto market.

But even if that happens, I'd rather own Bitcoin than Litecoin. I'd rather own Ethereum than Cardano. And I'd rather own just about any cryptocurrency (no matter how speculative) than Dogecoin or Shiba Inu.

Don't believe the hype when it comes to meme coins or longtime market laggards.

Australia's Largest Bank Launches Bitcoin ETF

Summary:

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has introduced the Monochrome Bitcoin ETF (IBTC) on its trading platform.

This grants 17 million customers access to Bitcoin ETF investment opportunities.

The ETF allows investors to gain direct exposure to Bitcoin's price movements while adhering to regulatory standards.

This move showcases Australia's commitment to integrating digital currencies into mainstream investment options.

Itau Unibanco, the largest bank in Brazil, now offers Bitcoin and Ethereum trading services through its in-house investment platform, Ion.

This follows a successful launch in December 2023 and reflects the increasing acceptance of cryptocurrencies by traditional financial institutions.

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