As the debate over Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill reaches a fever pitch, Senator Cynthia Lummis is attempting to add an amendment to reduce taxes on crypto miners. The White House reportedly supports her efforts.
However, these last-minute amendments work both ways. Anti-crypto and anti-renewable modifications may actually hurt crypto miners, and it’s impossible to say what will become law.
Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill and Crypto Implications
Additionally, Senator Cynthia Lummis identified some apparent inconsistencies in these firms’ tax obligations. Aiming to fix this, Lummis is working to add some last-minute amendments to Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill:
For years, miners and stakers have been taxed TWICE. Once when they receive block rewards, and again when they sell it.
It’s time to stop this unfair tax treatment and ensure America is the world’s Bitcoin and Crypto Superpower.
The Big Beautiful Bill is a controversial budget reconciliation effort that’s growing to cover a huge range of topics. It passed the House of Representatives, and the Senate is in a flurry of activity to deliver on a workable version.
Amendments and backroom deals are going back and forth around the clock, leaving Lummis an opportunity to squeeze in mining tax reform.
Strictly speaking, her proposed reform seems fairly straightforward: remove one tax on US miners, either when they receive block rewards or sell them. The Big Beautiful Bill might be her best chance to pass them quickly.
However, the Big Beautiful Bill is becoming a convoluted mess. As the name suggests, it covers a huge range of topics, including tax policy, social issues, AI regulations, and more.
Prominent crypto advocates like Elon Musk staunchly oppose it, for one thing. Much like Lummis, several anti-crypto Senators are hoping to pass their own amendments at the last minute.
In other words, Senator Lummis can’t make the bill uniformly pro-crypto with a single amendment. Furthermore, even if Trump supports her effort, he has many other priorities.
For example, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt discussed the Big Beautiful Bill in a press conference today, relaying Trump’s message that he is dissatisfied with Jerome Powell as Fed Chair.
This is just one of the many fights that may take the President’s attention away from mining tax reform.
All that is to say, it’s currently more or less impossible to say whether Lummis’ tax cuts will survive the negotiations. Indeed, the Big Beautiful Bill might even hurt crypto miners, depending on the successful amendments.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is quickly becoming a notable force in the push for global crypto adoption. With growing participation from institutions and enterprises and supportive regulations for Web3 technology, MENA is set to expand its impact.
BeInCrypto interviewed Stephan Apel, CEO of Outlier Ventures, to explore the characteristics of these tech-driven economies and their anticipated innovations.
Web3 Adoption and Market Growth
MENA has emerged as a significant center for Web3 development, facilitated by a combination of demographic, technological, and cultural factors. The region’s entrepreneurial spirit has also fostered an environment conducive to the adoption of decentralized technologies.
“The MENA market has set a standard for adopting next-gen technologies and using them to boost their economic transformation. This is especially true for Web3 technologies— the region recognised their potential early on, offering the resources needed for these projects to scale and thrive on both regional and global levels,” Apel told BeInCrypto.
Consequently, the region is witnessing an increase in startups, investors, and developers exploring Web3 and its diverse applications.
A 2024 Chainalysis report revealed that MENA was the seventh biggest crypto market worldwide. From July 2023 to June 2024, the region saw $338.7 billion in online crypto transactions, representing 7.5% of all crypto transactions globally.
Share of all cryptocurrency transaction value by region. Source: Chainalysis.
Notably, Turkey and Morocco ranked among the top 30 countries globally in crypto adoption. Turkey secured the 11th spot, while Morocco ranked 27th. These nations alone accounted for $137 billion and $12.7 billion in received cryptocurrency value, respectively.
Furthermore, the MENA region’s crypto activity is predominantly driven by institutional and professional players, as a substantial 93% of all value transferred involves transactions exceeding $10,000.
Meanwhile, Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) members have distinguished themselves through their ambitious technological initiatives.
MENA’s Strategic Shift Towards AI
The onset of artificial intelligence (AI) has prompted governments and businesses within the Middle East to acknowledge the global trend towards related advanced technologies. Countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are considering their strategic position concerning this technological transformation.
According to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy in 2030. The consulting firm predicts that the Middle East will bring 2% of the total global benefits, equal to $320 billion.
MENA’s pioneering role in AI development. Source: PwC.
The PwC report also indicates that Saudi Arabia will see the largest absolute gains from AI by 2030, with an estimated US$135.2 billion added to its economy, or 12.4% of GDP. In terms of GDP percentage, however, the UAE is expected to see the greatest impact, approaching 14% of its 2030 GDP. Meanwhile, for GCC states Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar, AI is expected to contribute 8.2% of their GDP.
Given the region’s latest initiatives and investments in AI innovation, these numbers come as no surprise.
Saudi Arabia’s AI Development Initiatives
In 2016, the Saudi Arabian government launched Vision 2030, a program to promote economic, social, and cultural diversification. Integral to this vision is a strategic shift towards artificial intelligence and data-driven innovation, a key component of the nation’s economic diversification efforts.
Saudi Arabia is making notable advancements in AI. The country aims to reduce its reliance on oil by developing advanced technology sectors through targeted investments, infrastructure development, and workforce training.
“Fueled by its Vision 2030 initiative, Saudi Arabia has already created a thriving startup ecosystem, dedicated significant investment in emerging technologies,and designed policies to attract global talent and entrepreneurship,” Apel told BeInCrypto.
The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) spearheads Saudi Arabia’s push into artificial intelligence, shaping and implementing the country’s national data and AI strategy. The National Data Bank is a cornerstone of their efforts. It is designed as a central hub for data access and analysis, facilitating AI applications across public and private sectors.
Last November, Saudi Arabia also unveiled Project Transcendence. The $100 billion investment initiative focuses on accelerating the integration of AI and advanced technologies.
Similar to its neighbor, the UAE has actively pursued AI adoption.
UAE’s AI Strategy and Investments
In 2017, the UAE launched its National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, which aims to make the country a global leader in the field by 2031. The UAE AI and Blockchain Council oversees this strategy, which impacts sectors like education, energy, and tourism.
The UAE is already reaping the benefits of its AI initiatives. In April, Microsoft announced a $1.5 billion investment in G42, an Abu Dhabi-based technology holding company. G42 is known for its data centers and the development of Jais, a leading Arabic-language AI model.
In September, G42 and Nvidia partnered to create AI-driven solutions for improved weather forecasting. The collaboration aims to advance climate-related technologies by using Nvidia’s Earth-2 platform, which enables AI-augmented climate and weather simulations.
Three months later, Abu Dhabi-based global technological ecosystem Hub71 partnered with Google to boost startup growth in the UAE. This collaboration will bring Google’s “Google for Startups” program to Abu Dhabi, including a dedicated accelerator for Hub71 startups in 2025.
He also drew attention to the planned convergence of AI and Web3 technologies in these prominent regions.
Convergence of AI, Web3, and IoT
Integrating the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and AI technologies is gaining traction among businesses in the Middle East. By combining these technologies, organizations can access new avenues for growth, increase efficiency, and create novel user experiences.
In 2018, the Dubai Airport Freezone Authority launched Dubai Blink, a platform that integrates AI, blockchain, and virtual licenses to facilitate global trade. This system enhances supply chain innovation through ‘smart commerce’ by expediting trade with a unified online platform. Furthermore, it addressed the cumbersome process of supplier identification by using AI algorithms to streamline and accelerate the validation process.
Ultimately, MENA’s proactive approach to technological advancement, coupled with its strategic focus on Web3 and AI, signals a future where the region will be a pivotal architect in shaping the digital economy.
Stablecoins—cryptocurrencies pegged to stable assets like the USD—are drawing increasing attention from top payment companies. Recent reports claim stablecoin transaction volumes over the past year have surpassed Visa.
However, industry experts are skeptical of these numbers. This article explores the reasons behind that skepticism.
Why Experts Suspect Stablecoin Volume Might Be Inflated
Recently, Chamath Palihapitiya, CEO of Social Capital, posted on X that the weekly transaction volume of stablecoins has exceeded that of Visa, reaching over $400 billion. He added that companies like Visa, Mastercard, and Stripe are actively embracing the trend.
According to the data, in Q4 of 2024, the average weekly stablecoin transaction volume reached $464 billion. That’s significantly higher than Visa’s $319 billion. A Bitwise report estimates that stablecoins processed about $13.5 trillion in total transaction volume in 2024. This marks the first time stablecoin volume surpassed Visa’s annual total.
At first glance, this seems like a major milestone, suggesting that stablecoins could reshape the future of global payments. Citigroup even projects that the stablecoin market could reach $3.7 trillion by 2030.
Not everyone shares the enthusiasm. Some experts have warned that the reported stablecoin volume might be inflated. They argue it doesn’t reflect real economic activity and shouldn’t be directly compared with traditional systems like Visa.
Joe, an advisor at Maven 11 Capital, pointed out that professional traders can generate hundreds of millions in volume using very little initial capital.
“If you have $100,000 of USDC on Solana, you can do ~$136 million of ‘stablecoin volume’ for $1 in fees,” Joe said.
He used Solana as an example. Solana is a fast blockchain with extremely low transaction fees—about $0.0036 per transaction. Joe even joked that with $3,400, someone could double weekly stablecoin transaction volumes. He implied that the metric is easy to manipulate and not truly reliable.
Dan Smith, a data expert at Blockworks Research, strongly supported Joe’s view. Dan explained that using flash loans—uncollateralized loans in DeFi—can inflate volume even further at lower costs.
Flash loans allow users to borrow large sums without collateral, as long as they repay within the same transaction. This enables volume manipulation without requiring significant capital, further casting doubt on the numbers cited by Palihapitiya.
Rajiv, a member of Framework Ventures, was even more direct. He called stablecoin volume a “useless metric.” Dan Smith agreed. He added that the unusually high volume often signals exploitative behavior within the system.
Wash Trading and Bot Trading Undermine Economic Value
One key reason experts doubt stablecoin volume is the presence of wash trading and bot trading.
Wash trading involves repeatedly buying and selling between wallets controlled by the same person or entity. The goal is to artificially inflate transaction volume. Bot trading uses automated programs to conduct trades, often for arbitrage or fake liquidity.
A $1 million stablecoin transaction might just be money transferred between two wallets owned by the same person. It adds no real economic value. This contrasts sharply with Visa, where each transaction typically represents a real purchase or payment, like buying goods or services.
Last year, Visa’s dashboard also reported that only 10% of stablecoin transactions were genuine. A wash trading report by Chainalysis found that wash trades involving ERC-20 and BEP-20 tokens could total up to $2.57 billion in volume in 2024.
