The crypto world saw major developments on multiple fronts today, from Robinhood’s plans to bring tokenized U.S. stocks to Europe, to Ethereum’s latest upgrade, and a political push by U.S. Democrats against Donald Trump’s digital asset ventures. Here’s a breakdown of the biggest news in crypto today.
Crypto Today: Robinhood Eyes Blockchain Expansion in Europe
Robinhood is reportedly developing a blockchain network to allow European investors to trade U.S. stocks as tokenized securities. This move could change how cross-border equity investments work.
According to a May 7 Bloomberg report, the project is still in its early stages. However, two major players in the blockchain space, Arbitrum and the Solana Foundation, are said to be in talks to become partners.
Tokenized securities are digital versions of real-world assets like stocks, bonds, or real estate. These tokens can be traded on a blockchain network, offering lower costs, faster settlement, and broader access. Robinhood aims to capitalize on these benefits by entering the European market in a big way.
In April 2025, Robinhood secured a brokerage license in Lithuania. This license allows the company to provide investment services throughout the European Union. That follows Robinhood’s 2024 acquisition deal with crypto exchange Bitstamp, strengthening its presence in the region.
If successful, Robinhood’s blockchain could make it easier and cheaper for everyday investors in Europe to gain exposure to U.S. equities. It also positions the company at the forefront of the growing asset tokenization movement.
Ethereum Activates “Pectra” Upgrade with Smart Accounts
Ethereum has taken a big leap forward with the official launch of its Pectra upgrade. The update went live on May 7, 2025, at around 10:00 a.m. UTC during epoch 364032 on the mainnet.
Pectra introduces several key Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs):
- EIP-7702: Allows regular user wallets (externally owned accounts) to act more like smart contracts. This makes it possible to pay gas fees using tokens other than Ether (ETH).
- EIP-7251: Raises the validator staking limit from 32 ETH to 2,048 ETH. This change helps large stakers manage their operations more efficiently.
- EIP-7691: Increases the number of data blobs per block, improving layer-2 scalability. This can reduce transaction costs significantly.
These upgrades mark a step forward in Ethereum’s efforts to become more scalable, flexible, and user-friendly. Sergej Kunz, co-founder of decentralized exchange aggregator 1inch, said the upgrade “introduces ‘smart account’ functionality at deeper protocol levels” and supports better performance for Ethereum’s layer-2 ecosystem.
With these changes, Ethereum is better prepared to handle more users and applications without suffering from high gas fees or network congestion.
Democrats Target Trump’s Crypto Profits with New Legislation and Inquiry
Donald Trump’s growing presence in the crypto world is now facing political resistance. U.S. Democrat lawmakers have launched a three-pronged offensive to limit the former president’s ability to profit from digital assets.
On May 6, Senator Chris Murphy introduced the Modern Emoluments and Malfeasance Enforcement (MEME) Act. If passed, the law would block federal officials — including the president, vice president, and members of Congress — from launching or promoting cryptocurrencies, memecoins, or any other digital assets for profit.
The bill also covers immediate family members like spouses and children. Its goal is to stop public officials from using their power to manipulate or benefit from crypto markets.
In the House of Representatives, Democrat Sam Liccardo introduced a matching bill. However, because Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress, these proposals will face tough odds unless GOP lawmakers support them.
On the same day, Senator Richard Blumenthal, a senior Democrat on the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), announced a new inquiry into several Trump-linked crypto ventures. These include:
- The Official Trump (TRUMP) Token
- World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a Trump-endorsed platform that reportedly channels 75% of revenue to the Trump family
- Other associated digital asset ventures
The PSI is in the early stages of collecting evidence and evaluating whether these businesses pose conflicts of interest or violate any financial ethics rules.
Why It Matters
Each of these stories shows how fast the crypto industry is evolving, and how tightly it’s becoming linked to politics, traditional finance, and global regulation.
Robinhood’s blockchain project could redefine how stocks are traded internationally. Ethereum’s Pectra upgrade brings real technical progress, especially for those using layer-2 solutions. And Trump’s crypto empire is now under scrutiny, potentially setting legal boundaries for how public figures interact with blockchain.
With so many moving parts, one thing is clear: the gap between crypto and mainstream systems is closing quickly. Investors, developers, and regulators are all racing to adapt.
Conclusion: A Day That Reflects Crypto’s Maturity
From Robinhood’s big European play to Ethereum’s smart account upgrade and the political spotlight on Trump’s digital fortune, today’s developments reflect the growing influence of crypto across finance and government.
Each move adds to the narrative that crypto is no longer a fringe space. It’s now a central part of economic strategy, global investment, and political power plays. As the technology matures, so do the stakes — and the headlines.
Stay tuned. This story is far from over.
