Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

U.S. Federal Reserve Has Proposed New Rules for Stablecoin Issuers Under GENIUS Act

U.S. Federal Reserve has presented two draft rules that establish a new regulatory framework for the issuance of payment stablecoins by U.S. banks and other organizations under the Fed’s supervision.

The drafts were published on September 24, 2026, as part of the implementation of the previously enacted GENIUS Act. The Fed has opened them for public comment.

The first draft requires that issued payment stablecoins be fully backed by eligible reserve assets.

Such reserves may include, in particular, short-term U.S. Treasury bonds and other high-quality liquid assets.

The Fed also proposes establishing standardized capital requirements for issuers, which must cover the credit and operational risks associated with the issuance of digital money.

Separate requirements are proposed for companies that provide custody services for stablecoin reserve assets. The regulator also intends to clarify which stablecoin transactions banks under its supervision are permitted to conduct.

The second draft regulates the procedure for banks to obtain authorization to issue payment stablecoins.

A bank intending to launch its own stablecoin will be required to submit a business plan, financial information, and other documents to the regulator. The draft also outlines the procedure for reviewing applications, handling appeals, and making final decisions.

Federal Reserve Board member Michael Barr stated that the regulatory framework must ensure that a stablecoin can be reliably redeemed at face value even under conditions of financial market stress or if the issuer itself faces difficulties.

According to him, restrictions on the structure of reserves and uniform capital requirements are important elements of the new system; however, the final rules will require further refinement following public comment.

The comment period for the drafts will end 60 days after their publication in the Federal Register.

The rules are being developed amid the rapid growth of stablecoins’ role in international payments. According to a recent Chainalysis study, the volume of cross-border transfers in stablecoins in the 12 months ending in June 2026 increased by 77.5%—from $124.2 billion to $220.3 billion.

At the same time, the average transaction size was approximately $3,000, which, according to Chainalysis, indicates that stablecoins are being actively used for money transfers, payments to suppliers, and the movement of personal savings—not just for institutional trading.

The introduction of full-fledged federal regulation could be one of the key steps in integrating stablecoins into the traditional U.S. financial infrastructure.

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Bitcoin Rebounded After Dropping to $75,600 Earlier This Week — Fixygen Analysis

According to Fixygen, the cryptocurrency market is ending the week of September 14–18 with a moderate rebound following sharp volatility: Bitcoin has returned to around $78,000, Ethereum is holding above $2,500, although U.S. spot ETFs recorded net outflows, and the U.S. Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time in more than three years.

According to CoinGecko data as of September 18, Bitcoin is trading at approximately $78,100, Ethereum at $2,510, BNB at around $750, and XRP at around $1.33. The total market capitalization of the cryptocurrency market is approximately $2.77 trillion, with a daily trading volume of about $93 billion. Over the past seven days, Bitcoin has risen by about 1%, Ethereum by 1.2%, BNB by more than 5%, and XRP by approximately 1.5%.

The start of the week was significantly more volatile. On September 14, Bitcoin was trading around $78,200, but by September 15, it had fallen to approximately $75,600. The next day, prices remained near $76,100, after which the market began to recover through Friday.

One of the main factors putting pressure on the market was the decision by the U.S. Federal Reserve. On September 16, the Fed unanimously raised the target range for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points—to 3.75–4%. The U.S. central bank attributed the decision to persistently high inflation. This marked the Fed’s first rate hike since 2023.

An additional source of uncertainty for the crypto industry was the U.S. Senate vote on H.R. 3633, known as the CLARITY Act, which aims to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for the digital asset market and delineate the respective authorities of the SEC and the CFTC. On September 15, a procedural vote to move the bill to the floor ended with 49 votes in favor and 50 against, while three-fifths of the Senate’s votes were required for passage.

Against this backdrop, institutional flows into cryptocurrency ETFs remained negative for most of the week. According to Farside Investors, over the four trading sessions from September 14–17, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a combined net outflow of approximately $427 million. Following an inflow of $159.9 million on Monday, investors withdrew $450.4 million on Tuesday and $295.9 million on Wednesday. On Thursday, the trend reversed, with a net inflow of $159.5 million. Data for Friday had not yet been compiled at the time this review was prepared.

The performance of Ethereum ETFs was even weaker. Over the same period, net outflows from U.S. spot Ethereum funds totaled approximately $284 million. On Monday, the funds attracted $121.1 million, but over the next three trading sessions, they lost $142 million, $224.1 million, and $39.3 million, respectively.

At the same time, at the end of the week, the crypto industry received a positive regulatory signal from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). On September 17, the SEC introduced the so-called Innovation Exemption—a temporary five-year regime that, under certain conditions, allows for the trading of tokenized shares of U.S. companies via blockchain infrastructure and permissioned AMM pools. The SEC emphasized that tokenized shares must grant holders the same rights as the corresponding traditional securities.

The news boosted companies involved in digital assets and was one of the factors behind the recovery in market sentiment at the end of the week. In Friday’s trading, Coinbase shares rose by more than 3%, Strategy by about 4%, and Robinhood by 3.5%, while Bitcoin climbed back to the $78,000 range.

At the same time, the global macroeconomic backdrop remains challenging for risk assets. The yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds exceeded 5% this week, and the price of Brent crude remained above $100 per barrel amid geopolitical tensions and risks to energy supplies. High oil prices exacerbate inflationary risks and may support a tighter monetary policy by central banks, which traditionally curbs demand for crypto assets.

Thus, according to Fixygen’s assessment, the main outcome of the week was the resilience of the largest cryptocurrencies in the face of a simultaneous deterioration in the monetary and regulatory environment. Bitcoin closed the previous week near $77,100 and, as of September 18, is trading above $78,000, while the crypto market’s total market capitalization rose from approximately $2.73 trillion to $2.77 trillion.

At the same time, negative outflows from ETFs indicate that the recovery has not yet been accompanied by a steady return of large institutional capital. Next week, the market will continue to be driven by expectations regarding the Fed’s next moves, trends in U.S. bonds and oil, inflows into cryptocurrency ETFs, and the future of legislation governing the structure of the U.S. cryptocurrency market.

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Fed and Bank of Japan May Shape Bitcoin’s Trajectory in Second Half of September

According to Fixygen, the cryptocurrency market in the second half of September will be primarily influenced by decisions from major central banks, U.S. consumer demand and inflation data, as well as a large-scale quarterly expiration of Bitcoin and Ethereum options.

The main event will be the U.S. Federal Reserve meeting on September 15–16. The interest rate decision will be announced on September 16. This meeting is particularly important because, along with the decision, the Fed will publish updated economic forecasts and the so-called “dot plot”—the members’ expectations regarding the future trajectory of interest rates.

Anticipation surrounding the meeting has intensified sharply following the release of August inflation data. Consumer prices in the U.S. rose 0.4% month-over-month and 3.4% year-over-year, while core inflation stood at 0.3% month-over-month and 2.4% year-over-year. A day earlier, the Producer Price Index (PPI) showed a 0.4% monthly increase and a 5.4% annual increase.

Against this backdrop, the market sharply raised its expectations for a 25-basis-point rate hike by the Fed. Throughout September 11, futures markets priced in the probability of such a decision at approximately 82–87%, whereas just a few days before the CPI release, the Reuters consensus forecast among economists had predicted that the rate would remain at 3.50–3.75%.

For cryptocurrencies, a rate hike is traditionally an unfavorable factor: it increases the yield on dollar-denominated assets, raises the cost of borrowed capital, and reduces investors’ risk appetite. However, Bitcoin’s reaction will depend not only on the decision itself but also on the Fed’s comments. If the regulator signals that the September hike is a one-off, the market may react much more calmly than if it were seen as the start of a new tightening cycle.

U.S. retail sales data for August, which will also be released on September 16, will take on added significance ahead of the meeting. In July, this figure fell for the first time in nine months. A strong recovery in consumer spending could bolster the case for higher interest rates, while weak sales could somewhat ease investors’ concerns about further policy tightening. The release date is confirmed by the U.S. Census Bureau. (

On the same day, the BLS will release the August import and export price indices. Typically, this indicator has a much smaller impact on the market than the CPI; however, in the current situation, investors will be closely watching for signs that high prices for energy and imported goods are spilling over into U.S. inflation.

The next key factor will be the Bank of Japan. Its meeting is scheduled for September 17–18. According to a Reuters survey, the central bank is expected to raise its policy rate by 25 basis points—to 1.25%, the highest level in 31 years.

For Bitcoin, the Bank of Japan’s decision is significant due to the carry trade mechanism. For many years, investors have borrowed cheap yen and invested them in more profitable and risky assets. Rising interest rates in Japan and a strengthening yen make such strategies less attractive and could lead to a reduction in leveraged positions in global markets, including cryptocurrencies. Fears of a unwinding of the yen carry trade have repeatedly been a source of heightened volatility in risky assets.

Another potential source of sharp fluctuations will be September 25, when a major quarterly expiration of cryptocurrency options takes place on Deribit. Based on calculations using exchange open interest as of September 9, approximately $14.4 billion in Bitcoin options and another roughly $1.8 billion in Ethereum options were outstanding as of that date. About 41.5% of the total open interest in Bitcoin options was concentrated in the September expiration.

An expiration date alone does not determine the market’s direction; however, such a large volume of contracts can increase short-term volatility. A study published in the September issue of *Finance Research Letters* also points to statistically significant intraday reversals in Bitcoin prices during option expiration periods, especially when large positions held by market makers are present.

On September 29, the market will receive the August JOLTS report on U.S. job openings. Following a strong August jobs report—which showed the U.S. economy added 162,000 jobs with an unemployment rate of 4.1%—the state of the labor market has become yet another argument for proponents of a more hawkish Fed policy. An unexpectedly high number of job openings could put pressure back on Bitcoin due to rising U.S. bond yields.

But the most important data following the Fed meeting will be released on September 30. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis will simultaneously publish the third estimate of second-quarter GDP and data on Americans’ personal income and spending for August. This report contains the PCE price index—the primary inflation measure the Fed uses as a guide.

If the PCE shows rising inflationary pressure following the CPI and PPI, expectations for additional rate hikes by the end of the year could intensify. For Bitcoin, such a scenario would mean continued pressure from high bond yields and a strong dollar. Conversely, a weaker PCE could bring back market expectations that monetary tightening is coming to an end.

The situation is complicated by rising oil prices. The yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds approached 5% on September 11—its highest level since 2023—as high oil prices intensified fears of a new wave of inflation.

In addition, on September 10, the European Central Bank raised its key rates by 25 basis points: the deposit rate will be 2.50% starting September 16. The ECB directly linked this decision to persistent inflationary pressures, particularly due to the conflict in the Middle East and rising energy prices.

Thus, the second half of September is shaping up to be a period of heightened macroeconomic risk for the crypto market. Over the next two weeks, investors will sequentially see the Fed’s decision, a possible rate hike by the Bank of Japan, a major quarterly expiration of crypto options, U.S. labor market data, and the key PCE inflation index.

In the base case scenario, the cost of global liquidity remains the key factor for Bitcoin. If the Fed and the Bank of Japan simultaneously tighten policy, and inflation in the U.S. remains high, pressure on risk assets may persist. However, if the Fed signals that rate hikes are nearing the end of the cycle, and the PCE shows a slowdown in price growth, the market may find a reason to rebound by the end of September.

The key indicator following each data release will be not only the figure itself but also the reaction of U.S. Treasury yields and the dollar: if they continue to rise, it will be more difficult for cryptocurrencies to regain ground, whereas a decline in yields and the dollar’s exchange rate could draw capital back into Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other risky assets.

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Gold Prices Fall to Lowest Level Since August 6 Amid Strengthening Dollar

On Wednesday, gold prices are falling amid a spike in oil prices, which has heightened concerns about accelerating inflation and tighter monetary policy in the U.S.

December gold futures on the Comex fell 0.9% to $4,356.60 per ounce, the lowest level since August 6.

“Geopolitical uncertainty is pushing up oil prices, heightening inflation risks and increasing pressure on the Fed to raise interest rates, which is strengthening the dollar and exacerbating factors unfavorable to gold,” said Nikos Tsabouras of Tradu.com (owned by Jefferies).

Traders are increasingly anticipating tighter monetary policy from the U.S. central bank. Based on interest rate futures, the market currently estimates a 68% probability that the Fed will raise rates in September, according to CME FedWatch.

The ICE DXY index, which tracks the dollar’s performance against six currencies (the euro, Swiss franc, yen, Canadian dollar, British pound, and Swedish krona), is up 0.2% and is at a two-week high. The strengthening dollar is weighing on demand for precious metals from holders of other currencies.

The price of silver is down 1.7% to $64.24 per ounce, while platinum is down 2.5% to $1,721.6 per ounce.

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FED reduced its half-year profit 3.9-fold

The aviation industry enterprise FED JSC (Kharkiv) reduced its net profit 3.9-fold in January-June 2026 compared with the first half of 2025, to UAH 40.8 million.

According to the company’s interim report published in the disclosure system of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission, its net revenue increased slightly, by 1.7%, to UAH 611.6 million.

FED posted almost UAH 153 million in gross profit, compared with UAH 181.7 million a year earlier, while operating profit fell 2.8-fold to UAH 70.3 million.

Retained earnings exceeded UAH 1.53 billion as of July 1, 2026.

“The main risks in the company’s operations are associated with a significant increase in prices for electricity, gas and other resources. Martial law is also in effect in our country, forcing the company to operate under force majeure conditions,” the report states.

As reported, in the first quarter of 2026, the company’s net profit fell 6.7-fold compared with the same period of 2025, to UAH 17 million, amid a 10% increase in net revenue to UAH 336.6 million.

FED JSC specializes in the development, production, servicing and repair of components for aviation, space and general engineering purposes.

The average number of full-time employees as of July 1, 2026, was 1,010.

In 2025, FED increased its net profit by 3.4% compared with 2024, to UAH 187.6 million, while net revenue rose by 26.5% to UAH 1.05 billion.

As reported, by the end of this year, FED will pay shareholders UAH 40 million in dividends, equivalent to almost UAH 5,150 per share. More than 98% of FED JSC shares are owned by the company’s director, Viktor Popov.

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Geopolitics and the Fed Remain Key Risks for the Crypto Market

According to analysts at Fixygen.ua, in the coming weeks the cryptocurrency market may be influenced most strongly not by internal industry news, but by geopolitics, oil prices, Federal Reserve policy and sanctions decisions. Bitcoin and Ethereum remain sensitive to any signals that change expectations regarding liquidity and risk appetite.

The first key factor is the situation around the United States, Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. In June, markets reacted to interim agreements between Washington and Tehran, which are expected to reduce risks to oil supplies and restore traffic through one of the world’s most important energy routes. Against this backdrop, global equity funds received a strong inflow of capital, while oil prices began to decline.

For the crypto market, this is a mixed signal. If oil prices continue to fall, inflation expectations may weaken, and investors may return to risky assets, including cryptocurrencies. But if the agreements collapse, Hormuz will once again become a source of an oil shock, which will increase inflation risks and may hit Bitcoin, Ethereum and altcoins.

The second factor is the policy of the U.S. Federal Reserve. The Fed kept the rate at 3.50–3.75%, but the market perceived the regulator’s signal as more hawkish. If expectations of a rate hike by the end of the year strengthen, pressure on crypto assets may persist. More expensive money usually reduces investor interest in high-risk assets and increases demand for dollar-denominated instruments.

The third factor is the sanctions policy against Russia and control over the circumvention of restrictions through cryptocurrency channels. The EU has proposed a new package of sanctions that affects Russian banks, entities linked to the circumvention of restrictions, as well as crypto platforms. This is important for the market because stronger control may increase regulatory risks for individual services, strengthen compliance and reduce activity in some jurisdictions.

The fourth factor is Russia’s war against Ukraine. Any increase in military escalation, new sanctions, strikes on energy infrastructure or changes in the position of G7 countries may affect markets through energy prices, the dollar, demand for safe-haven assets and investors’ overall attitude toward risk. For cryptocurrencies, this means increased volatility, especially if events coincide with important macroeconomic releases in the United States.

The fifth factor is U.S. and Chinese trade policy. In June, Washington opened a consultation process on possible tariff changes within the framework of agreements with China. Easing trade tensions may support stock markets and risky assets, while new restrictions or tariff threats will work in the opposite direction.

The sixth factor is competition for capital between cryptocurrencies, the technology sector and AI. After the geopolitical relief in June, investors actively invested in global stock markets and technology companies. For Bitcoin, this is a problem: part of the capital that could have returned to crypto ETFs is moving into AI stocks, semiconductors and major technology companies.

Fixygen.ua considers the following events to be the most important for the crypto market in the near future:

decisions and comments by the Fed on rates and inflation;
the dynamics of oil prices and the sustainability of agreements around the Strait of Hormuz;
new EU and U.S. sanctions against Russia, including restrictions on banks and crypto services;
data on ETF flows in the United States;
inflation statistics in the United States and Europe;
signals on U.S.-China trade relations;
escalation or de-escalation in the Middle East and in Ukraine.

The final main conclusion of the specialized resource Fixygen.ua is that the crypto market now depends not only on demand for Bitcoin and Ethereum, but also on the external environment. If geopolitical risks decline, oil continues to fall and the Fed softens its rhetoric, Bitcoin will have a chance to break out of its sideways range. If, however, oil rises again, the Fed remains hawkish, and sanctions and military risks increase, the market may return to a sell-off.

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