Blockchain & Web3 Weekly Bytes Edition #83

🏦 Morgan Stanley Opens Crypto To All, Banks Mull Stablecoin, IBIT Nears $100B

Oct 11, 2025

Hello Blockchain Enthusiast,

Welcome to Edition #83 of Blockchain & Web3 Weekly Bytes. This edition, Morgan Stanley expanded crypto access to all client accounts, including retirement plans. A group of major banks is assessing a shared stablecoin model to streamline cross-border payments. Bitcoin miners are utilizing their power capacity for AI data centers, while the UK prepares to appoint a "digital markets champion" to coordinate tokenization pilots.

TLDR – This Week at a Glance:

Morgan Stanley expands crypto access for all client accounts
Global banks consider a joint stablecoin framework
Bitcoin miners channel grid power into AI infrastructure
Tech Spotlight: DeFi Insurance 2.0 redefining on-chain coverage
Chart of the Week: Bitcoin profit-taking stays muted at record highs
Affiliate Spotlight: Trezor open-source hardware wallets for secure storage

🧠 Weekly Trivia

Which hardware wallet brand recently became the first to release fully open-source firmware across all its models?

A) Keystone
B) Ledger
C) Trezor
D) SafePal

*Answer revealed at the end 👇

📰 This Week’s Blockchain and Web3 Highlights

Morgan Stanley expands crypto access across all accounts: The bank will now allow crypto investments through all client channels, including 401(k)s and retirement portfolios, removing previous wealth and risk restrictions.

Major banks weigh a joint stablecoin model: Global players, including Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Citi, and Deutsche Bank, are exploring a shared stablecoin standard designed for compliant, cross-border settlements.

Bitcoin miners move into the AI infrastructure race: Bernstein analysts say miners’ grid power gives them an edge in hosting AI workloads. IREN leads with 3 GW of power capacity and a projected $500M AI cloud revenue run-rate by 2026.

UK to name ‘digital markets champion’ for tokenization: The government plans to appoint a new official to coordinate public-private pilots for tokenized wholesale markets and digital asset infrastructure.

BlackRock’s IBIT becomes its top-earning ETF: IBIT has reached $98.47B in assets and now generates $244M annually, surpassing all other BlackRock ETFs in profitability as Bitcoin ETF inflows continue to grow.

Square rolls out fee-free Bitcoin payments for merchants: Block’s Square platform now supports direct Bitcoin payments and a merchant wallet for small businesses, adding fresh momentum to crypto adoption at the retail level.

Gold-backed tokens cross $3B as prices hit records: PAX Gold and Tether Gold led tokenized gold volumes past $640M in a single day, reflecting renewed demand as gold outpaces Bitcoin despite its own new highs.

🔦 Tech Spotlight: DeFi Insurance 2.0

Decentralized insurance is maturing fast. What began with basic pooled coverage for smart contract hacks now includes automated policies, real-time risk assessment, and broader asset protection.

Why this matters

Transparency: Every policy, claim, and payout is recorded on-chain, allowing full public audit.
Speed: Smart contracts handle claim triggers automatically, reducing disputes and delays.
Coverage depth: New protocols extend protection to validator slashing, bridge exploits, and even exchange downtime.

Recent activity

Nexus Mutual crossed $600 million in active cover and added staking-related protection.
Etherisc rolled out parametric flight-delay insurance using Chainlink data feeds.
Uno Re launched an AI-driven underwriting model to price DeFi risk dynamically.
Chainproof, backed by Quantstamp, began offering regulated smart-contract insurance with on-chain audits.

Takeaway: DeFi Insurance 2.0 blends automation with measurable accountability. It’s transforming protection from a paperwork-heavy promise into an auditable digital guarantee.

📊 Chart of the Week: Profit-Taking Stays Low as Bitcoin Hits $126K

Bitcoin’s profit-taking activity remains historically low even after prices touched a new all-time high of $126K last Monday.

The 1-year realized net profit/loss data shows just 4.4 million BTC in realized gains, compared to 7.7 million BTC during the 2021 peak.

Investor behavior still favors accumulation over distribution. With realized profits well below prior cycle peaks, data suggests Bitcoin’s rally may still have room to extend.

Source: CryptoQuant

😂 A Little Blockchain Humor Break 🤣

Source: Bitwise

We wrap Edition #83 with Morgan Stanley opening crypto access across all client accounts, a multi-bank stablecoin effort taking shape, miners stepping into AI data centers, and the UK preparing a tokenization lead. BlackRock’s IBIT is nearing $100B, Square rolled out fee-free bitcoin payments for merchants, and gold-backed tokens climbed past $3B.

✅ Trivia Answer: C) Trezor

Trezor became the first hardware wallet brand to release fully open-source firmware across all models, including Safe 3 and Safe 5, extending transparency across its entire lineup.

See you next Saturday with more current updates from Blockchain and Web3 Insights.

Thank you,
Ajay Tomar
Founder & Creator
Blockchain and Web3 Insights LLC

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