The new DeepSeek R1 model from China launched last week. If you’re into AI or even into technology more broadly, it was hard to miss the news. Everyone was talking about it. But it’s not just that. It’s the way everyone was talking about it. I was left with the impression that DeepSeek is going to drive a stake through the heart of OpenAI and Anthropic.
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EU Officials Warn US Stablecoin Push Could Undermine Euro Stability
The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) has raised concerns that the United States’ growing support for dollar-backed stablecoins could threaten Europe’s financial stability and monetary sovereignty.
These concerns come as stablecoin regulation gains traction in the US. US national banks and federal savings associations can offer services without prior regulatory approval.
EU Warns US Stablecoins Could Threaten Euro Stability
Pierre Gramegna emphasized the urgency of the European Central Bank’s (ECB) digital euro initiative as a countermeasure. As the Managing Director of the ESM, Gramegna urged expedition to preserve the country’s monetary sovereignty and financial stability.
“It could eventually reignite foreign and US tech giant’s plans to launch mass payment solutions based on dollar-denominated stablecoins. And, if this were to be successful, it could affect the euro area’s monetary sovereignty and financial stability,” Gramegna stated at a Eurogroup meeting.
The EU is advancing its digital euro project to safeguard its financial independence. The ECB has long warned that reliance on US-backed stablecoins could weaken the euro.
He echoes recent remarks by ECB official Piero Cipollone during an early February interview. Then, Cipollone indicated that the Trump administration’s support for stablecoins would likely accelerate legislation surrounding the digital euro. Such an outcome, he said, would position it as a necessary alternative.
“The US and Europe have differing views on stablecoins. The Trump administration sees them as a tool to strengthen the US dollar’s global presence, whereas the ECB fears they could destabilize Europe’s financial system,” Cipollone explained.
The ESM supports the ECB’s digital euro project and the European Commission’s efforts to revise the MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) directive. Gramegna emphasized that these measures are critical in preventing a scenario in which European consumers and businesses become overly reliant on US-backed stablecoins.
Indeed, these concerns come as the United States government has increasingly favored crypto, particularly stablecoins pegged to the US dollar. Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller recently asserted that stablecoins could enhance the US dollar’s global role.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has also advocated for stablecoin regulation to solidify their role in financial markets. Meanwhile, new rules now permit US banks to offer stablecoin services, signaling further integration of stablecoins into traditional finance (TradFi).
These developments could accelerate the dominance of US-backed stablecoins in global transactions. Reports suggest that even Bank of America (BoA) is exploring launching its own stablecoin, while Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire is pushing for mandatory US registration of stablecoin issuers.
The debate over stablecoins mirrors broader geopolitical concerns. The dollar’s dominance in digital payments could grow as US financial institutions integrate stablecoins into their services. This could limit the euro’s influence.
European policymakers advocate for a strong regulatory framework and an accelerated timeline for the digital euro’s rollout to counter this.
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Notcoin (NOT) Launches Not Games Amidst a Sharp Decline in TON Users
Open Builders, the team behind Notcoin, Lost Dogs, and Not Pixel, has announced the launch of Not Games in March. The project aims to revitalize the Notcoin (NOT) ecosystem by introducing games where players can earn tokens for free.
Open Builders revealed this plan at a time when interest in Telegram-based mini-games has dropped significantly, and TON’s user base has fallen to its lowest level in a year.
Notcoin (NOT) Seeks to Renew User Interest Through Not Games
In a press release shared with BeInCrypto, Open Builders clarified that Not Games is not a standalone game on Telegram. Instead, it is an interconnected gaming ecosystem that links multiple titles.
Within this ecosystem, Open Builders will introduce Game Profiles, shared inventories, and an in-game marketplace where players can trade with each other. This system gives the NOT token a broader use case, and it’s expected to transform the token from a simple tap-to-earn reward into a valuable asset within the gaming economy.
“Instead of fragmented tokenomics, Not Games will integrate NOT as the primary currency for purchases, upgrades, and rewards across all games. Every three weeks, the most skilled players will compete for rewards in NOT, ensuring a play-to-win experience, rather than a pay-to-win model.” – the Notcoin team told BeInCrypto.
Currently, Open Builders has already launched a game called VOID and confirmed that at least five more games are in development.
Tap-to-Earn and TON’s Shrinking User Base
Notcoin (NOT) gained massive popularity in 2024, driven by the tap-to-earn trend alongside projects like Hamster Kombat (HMSTR) and Yescoin, TapSwap, and Blum. Within the first six months of 2024, Notcoin attracted 35 million players.
However, Google Trends data indicates that interest in Notcoin has sharply declined and has nearly faded by 2025.
Additionally, Tgstat data reveals that the Notcoin Community’s Telegram membership has dropped by nearly 2 million since the beginning of the year.
Even after NOT’s listing on Kraken in mid-February, its price only surged briefly on the listing day before continuing its downward trend, hitting new lows in 2025. This suggests that investor interest in NOT has faded.
Moreover, Artemis data shows that daily active addresses on The Open Network (TON) have dropped from 2.4 million in October 2024 to just 130,000 at the time of writing.
The declining TON user base poses a major challenge for Notcoin (NOT) and its efforts to build a sustainable ecosystem.
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