Algorand news

Algorand Foundation has moved its headquarters back to Delaware from Singapore, announcing a restructuring that includes a new board of directors. The shift aligns with the Trump administration’s more industry‑oriented crypto policy, and the board—featuring Bill Barhydt, Alex Holmes, Michael Mosier, Rebecca Rettig, Staci Warden, and advisor Chris Peikert—aims to expand U.S. operations in payments, asset tokenization, and other blockchain‑based financial services.

In 2025, altcoins fell more than 46% from peak, yet XRP, Zcash and Algorand bucked the trend, delivering gains driven by regulatory clarity, privacy demand and real‑world tokenisation. XRP surged 35% in July, reaching $3.60 after the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple was dropped and an XRP ETF debuted in November, generating $756 million in early inflows. Zcash rallied over 12‑fold, spurred by tightening KYC/AML rules and institutional interest in privacy, while Algorand’s partnership with Enel and a growing staked volume signalled utility‑driven adoption.

The Algorand Foundation has tapped Nikolaos Bougalis, a veteran cryptographer and former Ripple engineering lead, as its new chief technology officer, the company said in a press release Monday.

VersaBank is running a U.S. pilot testing tokenized dollar deposits (USDVB) on Algorand, Ethereum and Stellar. Each token represents a $1 deposit held at the bank and is issued via a digital vault and e-wallet. Unlike stablecoins, these bank-backed tokens are federally insured, can earn interest and will be regulated under banking rules. The pilot, expected to finish by end-2025, will test thousands of small-value transactions before seeking OCC approval for a public launch.

The Algorand Foundation unveiled a 2025‑up‑to‑2026 roadmap aimed at revitalizing its ecosystem and positioning the network as a user‑centric, real‑world economy platform. Central to the plan is the Project King Safety protocol, a redesign that will reconfigure fee mechanics and incentive structures to create a self‑sustaining, secure foundation with a paper slated for later this year. Governance will shift to a fully community‑led model by Q3 2025, with an on‑chain council deciding on grants and resource allocation, followed by a formal proposal and voting framework due by year‑end. Algorand will launch Algokit 4.0 in 2026, combining AI‑assisted coding with faster, modular smart‑contract development, updated storage, and expanded language support. The roadmap’s final thrust is tokenizing traditional finance, with a Q4 2025 MVP for debt and equity tools built on ACTUS standards, targeting an $18.9 trillion market by 2033.

Tether announced it will wind down USDT on Omni Layer, Bitcoin Cash’s Simple Ledger Protocol, Kusama, EOS, and Algorand, effective September 1, 2025, with all tokens frozen that day. The move follows a decline in usage of these legacy chains, which now represent only a small fraction of the $156 billion float. The firm will redirect support to Layer-2 networks such as the Lightning Network and newer blockchains offering faster settlement and richer developer tools. Token holders are urged to redeem or migrate their USDT via bridges or exchanges; the bulk of the supply remains on Tron and Ethereum.

Tether announced that, effective September 1, it will discontinue USDT redemptions on five legacy blockchains—Omni Layer, Bitcoin Cash SLP, Kusama, EOS (now Vaulta), and Algorand—after a phased withdrawal that began two years ago. The move is part of the company’s “infrastructure optimization” strategy to reallocate resources toward more active, scalable networks. CEO Paolo Ardoino said the step allows Tether to focus on platforms with higher developer activity and community engagement, which he said are key to future stablecoin adoption. The five chains had seen a steep decline in USDT usage and trading volume. Customers are urged to redeem or re‑issue their tokens on supported networks before the cutoff, with third‑party services available for non‑directly served holders. Tether will continue to pursue new integrations and prioritize Layer 2 solutions such as the Lightning Network for broader interoperability.

Tether announced that it will end USDT redemption and freeze remaining assets on Bitcoin Cash, Algorand, and three other legacy blockchains effective September 1. The move follows earlier terminations of minting on Algorand, EOS (Vaulta), Bitcoin Cash, Kusama, and Omni, and reflects the company’s strategy to streamline its infrastructure. Tether cited a sharp decline in trading volume on these networks, prompting a focus on high‑utility, actively developed chains. Holders of USDT on the five blockchains are urged to redeem their tokens or request issuance on a supported chain before the deadline. Looking ahead, Tether plans to concentrate on layer‑2 networks and growing ecosystems, prioritizing platforms with greater scalability and developer activity. This shift highlights a broader industry trend of consolidating stablecoin issuance onto fewer, more active blockchains.

Tether, the largest stable‑coin issuer, will phase out USDT on five legacy blockchains—Algorand, Bitcoin Cash, EOS, Kusama, and Omni—effective Sept. 1. Redemptions will be stopped and remaining tokens frozen as the company refocuses on higher‑scalability platforms. Users holding USDT on the discontinued chains must redeem or request new issuance on supported blockchains. Most of the $159 billion in circulation now resides on Tron and Ethereum, amid U.S. and EU regulatory scrutiny.

Algorand now holds more than two‑thirds of the tokenized stock market, with a total value beyond $268 million according to RWA.xyz, as the sector’s overall cap surpassed $400 million and attracted 48,000 holders and 38,000 monthly active addresses. The growth is largely driven by a single asset, EXOD stock from Exodus, which accounts for about 77 % of the market cap on Algorand and has been tokenized since mid‑2024. While the platform dominates the current share, other blockchains—Base, Ethereum and Arbitrum—support over 90 separate RWA assets each, although their tokenized caps are smaller. Those chains are expanding faster, with growth rates between 12 % and 44 % compared to Algorand’s 19 % monthly rise. Industry voices, including BlackRock’s Larry Fink, predict that tokenization of stocks, bonds and funds will accelerate dramatically by 2025, potentially reshoring the competitive landscape. Whether Algorand can maintain its first‑mover advantage remains uncertain as new entrants accelerate their launch of tokenized securities.