Robinhood, Kraken Form Alliance to Challenge USDT and USDC Duopoly in $170 Billion Market

Robinhood has
partnered with major cryptocurrency firms to launch the Global Dollar Network. This
marks a significant expansion of the retail trading platform’s digital asset
strategy. The initiative, which includes industry heavyweights Kraken, Paxos,
and Galaxy Digital, aims to challenge the current stablecoin market dominated
by Tether and USD Coin.

Robinhood Joins Forces
with Crypto Giants to Fight Stablecoin Duopoly

The new
network will introduce USDG, a regulated stablecoin issued by Paxos in
Singapore. DBS Bank, Southeast Asia’s largest bank, will manage the reserve
assets. This move represents Robinhood’s most ambitious crypto-related venture
since introducing cryptocurrency trading to its platform.

“Stablecoins
have been proven to offer a bridge between traditional finance and
cryptocurrencies, enabling faster, lower cost and more efficient transactions,”
said Johann Kerbrat, GM & VP of Robinhood Crypto. “We’re pleased to support
the Global Dollar Network’s efforts to expand these opportunities, which align
with our commitment to making financial access easier and more inclusive.”

The
partnership could significantly boost Robinhood’s competitive position in the
digital payments space. The company’s involvement in the Global Dollar Network
suggests a strategic pivot toward expanding its cryptocurrency offerings beyond
simple trading services to include more sophisticated financial products.

Robinhood’s
participation could help bring stablecoin technology to mainstream retail
investors. The platform’s approximately 24 million users could potentially gain
direct access to USDG, facilitating easier entry into the cryptocurrency
ecosystem.

The launch
of USDG comes at a crucial moment in the stablecoin market, currently dominated
by Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC), which together control over 80% of the
market on Ethereum. By introducing a regulated alternative with broad
institutional backing, the Global Dollar Network aims to provide a more
equitable and transparent option for both retail and institutional users.

How USDG Aims to Reshape
the Stablecoin Landscape

The Global
Dollar Network’s USDG stablecoin introduces several innovative features that
distinguish it from existing market offerings. Operating initially on the
Ethereum blockchain, USDG maintains a 1:1 peg with the US dollar through a
combination of dollar deposits, short-duration US government securities, and
cash equivalents.

What sets
USDG apart is its regulatory-first approach. By establishing operations in
Singapore under Paxos’s leadership, the stablecoin positions itself to comply
with the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s forthcoming stablecoin framework.
This strategic choice reflects a growing emphasis on regulatory compliance in
the digital asset space.

“The
lack of competition in the regulated stablecoin market has prevented the
industry from reaching its full potential,” explains Arjun Sethi, Kraken’s
Co-CEO. “USDG upends this dynamic with a more equitable model that will bring
mainstream participants into the ecosystem and accelerate new stablecoin use
cases.”

Partner Ecosystem and
Distribution

The
network’s partner ecosystem reflects a carefully orchestrated collaboration
among industry leaders:

• Anchorage
  Digital will provide institutional custody services
• Kraken and
  Bullish will serve as primary trading venues
• Galaxy
  Digital will facilitate institutional adoption
• Nuvei will
  handle payment processing integration
• Paxos
  manages issuance and regulatory compliance
• Robinhood
  offers retail distribution channels

DBS Bank’s
role as the primary banking partner adds a layer of traditional financial
security to the project. The bank’s reputation as Asia’s safest bank for 16
consecutive years lends significant credibility to USDG’s reserve management.

Economic Model Innovation

Perhaps the
most revolutionary aspect of the Global Dollar Network is its economic model.
Unlike traditional stablecoins where issuers retain all reserve-generated
income, USDG implements a profit-sharing structure that distributes benefits
among network participants. This approach aims to incentivize adoption and
create a more sustainable ecosystem.

“Stablecoins
are replatforming the financial system,” notes Charles Cascarilla, Paxos
CEO and Co-Founder. “Global Dollar Network will return virtually all
rewards to participants and is open for anyone to join.”

The network
operates through an invite-only phase for qualifying participants, but its
architecture allows for future expansion to include additional custodians,
exchanges, payment providers, merchants, and financial institutions. This
scalable approach suggests a long-term vision for growing the ecosystem while
maintaining operational integrity.

This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.
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