Stablecoins are moving further into the center of digital finance as a United States asset manager launches two themed exchange-traded funds, a United Kingdom regulator clears a crypto payments firm to operate, and a South Korean card company completes a trial that allows visitors to spend stablecoins in local shops.
Amplify Funds Target Stablecoin And Tokenization
Chicago-based Amplify ETFs, a U.S. provider of themed exchange-traded funds, has introduced two exchange-traded funds that focus on companies and digital assets related to stablecoins and the tokenization of traditional securities and other assets.
The Amplify Stablecoin Technology ETF, listed under the ticker (STBQ), is set up to give investors exposure to firms and crypto assets that support the growing stablecoin economy. The fund targets businesses that earn a significant share of revenue from payments technology, digital asset infrastructure, and trading platforms, as well as crypto instruments tied to stablecoin and decentralized finance activity.
According to the company, (STBQ) aims to follow the MarketVector Stablecoin Technology Index and can hold a mix of equity and crypto exposures. At each rebalancing date, the fund can allocate about 25% to 50% of its holdings to crypto assets linked to stablecoin and decentralized finance.
The second product, the Amplify Tokenization Technology ETF, listed under the ticker TKNQ, focuses on companies and digital assets that benefit from the shift to on-chain records for traditional instruments.
(TKNQ) tracks the MarketVector Tokenization Technology Index and invests in tokenization platforms, blockchain infrastructure providers, exchanges, custodians, brokerages, and financial institutions that are building or using tokenization in their operations. As with STBQ, a portion of the fund can be invested in crypto assets that match its theme, as long as those assets meet set requirements for size, trading volume, and liquidity.
Amplify founder and chief executive Christian Magoon said the firm had spent more than 8 years working on products tied to digital finance, and that experience shaped its latest launches, adding that stablecoins and tokenization are becoming important parts of modern market infrastructure and that investors are looking for focused ways to access those trends.
UK Approval Extends Sling Money Stablecoin Service
In the United Kingdom, Avian Labs, the company behind the Sling Money payments service, has secured approval from the Financial Conduct Authority to operate as a crypto services provider, widening its reach in Europe.
The regulatory green light allows Avian Labs to bring Sling Money inside the United Kingdom rulebook at a time when authorities are tightening oversight of digital asset businesses and setting conduct standards for firms that handle customer funds and process crypto-related transactions.
Sling Money is designed to act as a bridge between stablecoins and traditional money. The service allows users in supported markets to hold stablecoins that track major fiat currencies, send those balances to other users, and convert stablecoin holdings into local currency where cash-out options or bank integrations are available.
The firm says its infrastructure can potentially reach more than 2.7 billion people across existing and planned markets by combining stablecoin rails for cross-border transfers with connections to local payment networks.
With the FCA registration, Sling Money can now offer that model in the United Kingdom under local supervision, positioning the service within Europe at a moment when regulators are paying closer attention to the use of stablecoins in everyday payments and remittances.
South Korea’s BC Card Completes Foreign Stablecoin Payment Test
In South Korea, BC Card, the country’s largest payment processing company, said it had completed a proof-of-concept trial that allows foreign visitors to spend stablecoins held in overseas digital wallets at domestic merchants, using a structure that sits on top of the existing card network.
According to the company, it worked with blockchain finance firm Wavebridge, overseas digital wallet provider Aron Group, and cross-border remittance fintech Global Money Express on the project, which ran for about two months starting in October. The trial was designed to test whether foreign currency-based stablecoins could be used smoothly in the local payments environment and to assess both convenience and stability.
Under the pilot, a foreign user holding stablecoins in a partner wallet first converted those holdings into a digital prepaid card. That card was then used for in-store purchases at BC Card merchants, such as convenience stores, cafes, and supermarkets, through quick response code payments, without any need for a physical card or separate foreign exchange step at the point of sale.
The core feature of the test was to connect the cross-border mobility of stablecoins with the established domestic card settlement system. BC Card integrated the digital prepaid card into its regular approval and clearing process so that merchants and customers experienced transactions in the same way as a standard card payment, including the ability to handle cancellations or corrections that need to be processed in real time.
The company said the proof of concept is part of broader preparations for a Korean stablecoin payment framework that aligns with expected changes in rules governing virtual assets. It plans to work with relevant authorities and partners to refine a payment model that complies with domestic regulation and can be rolled out in stages as the legal environment becomes clearer.
BC Card also pointed out its work to protect ideas and inventions in this field, including patents for how to process data to set fair exchange rates between regular money and stablecoins, as well as for handling information in payment systems.
From Crypto Niche To Financial Infrastructure
Just in 48 hours, asset managers have packaged the stablecoin and tokenization theme into funds for investors, payment firms have moved to use stablecoins to cut the cost of moving money across currencies, and card networks have begun testing ways for travelers to spend digital dollars in everyday shops without requiring merchants to change how they accept card payments.
Together, these moves show how stablecoins are shifting from a niche corner of crypto into a broader role in mainstream finance, as tokens designed to hold a steady value against traditional currencies become tied to investment products, cross-border payment tools, and in-store spending.
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