DeFi

Automated market makers (AMMs) have become the predominant trading mechanism in the DeFi ecosystem, allowing users to swap various crypto assets via liquidity pools. However, as trading scenarios shift from highly volatile cryptocurrencies to stablecoin foreign exchange (FX) markets, traditional AMMs may face challenges such as price deviations and reduced liquidity efficiency. This article compares the AMM and the Fixed Price Market Maker (FPMM) model employed by Mento, examining their differences in price discovery, liquidity management, and cross-border payment use cases, and illustrates why Mento builds multi-currency stablecoin markets using FPMM.

USD stablecoins continue to dominate the global stablecoin market. However, as cross-border payments, corporate treasury management, and financial digitalization advance worldwide, demand for non-USD stablecoins is steadily increasing. Without robust liquidity and on-chain foreign exchange (On-chain FX) infrastructure, however, efficient currency exchange and payments across different currencies remain difficult to achieve.

OCC-chartered crypto banks remain subject to ongoing federal banking supervision after receiving a charter. OCC crypto bank requirements can include capital and liquidity standards, board oversight, Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering controls, cybersecurity, custody safeguards, third-party risk management and regular regulatory examinations. The exact obligations depend on the charter, business plan, activities and conditions imposed by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

A crypto firm can obtain an OCC crypto bank charter by showing the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency that its proposed activities are legally permissible for a national bank or national trust bank and that the organization can operate them safely. In practice, that means far more than submitting a licensing form. Applicants need a detailed business plan, qualified management, sufficient capital and liquidity, Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money-laundering controls, cybersecurity systems, operational safeguards and a credible path through the OCC's pre-opening requirements.

U.S. crypto banking regulation is the mix of federal banking law, OCC charters and ongoing supervision that determines whether a digital asset company can operate as a national bank or national trust bank, what crypto activities it may conduct, and which other regulators still have authority over securities, commodities, payments and state-law issues. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) sits at the center of this framework because it charters and supervises national banks and national trust banks, including institutions built around crypto custody, stablecoins and other digital asset services.

Ethereum has become an important infrastructure layer for tokenized assets because it combines programmable settlement, widely supported token standards, deep market integration and access to decentralized finance. Institutions can represent funds, bonds, equity and real-world assets as digital tokens while using smart contracts to manage ownership, transfers, payments and regulatory controls.

A zero crypto tax vs low crypto tax decision comes down to more than whether a country advertises zero tax or a low capital gains tax rate. For crypto investors, the better jurisdiction is the one that produces the lowest sustainable tax burden after considering personal income tax, capital gains, business income, wealth tax, crypto tax rules, tax residency, and the treatment of different crypto transactions. A country may be crypto tax free for qualifying personal crypto gains yet still tax staking, mining, frequent crypto trading, or other taxable income. By contrast, some low tax crypto countries impose modest gains tax on cryptocurrency but provide clearer tax laws, stronger legal certainty, established banking access, and more predictable treatment of digital assets.

Crypto ATM regulation in Australia places operators under the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) and the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (AML/CTF Act). Crypto ATM providers must be registered for the regulated virtual-asset services they provide, identify customers, monitor transactions, report suspicious activity and manage money laundering and terrorism financing risks. AUSTRAC can impose operating conditions, refuse or suspend registration and pursue enforcement where those obligations are not met.

Crypto ATM KYC requirements and transaction limits vary because operators must combine local law with their own assessment of transaction size, customer identity, fraud exposure, money-laundering risk, and cash-handling capacity. A Bitcoin ATM that permits a small cash purchase after phone verification may require a government ID, additional identity checks, or enhanced verification for a larger transaction. In another jurisdiction, that larger transaction may be capped or prohibited altogether.

Unified Account is an account structure that places capital and risk management for multiple trading products into one unified view. In the Gate ecosystem, its main value is helping professional teams reduce capital fragmentation, improve margin efficiency, and simplify cross-product operations.

Gate API is a core part of institutional trading access for quant teams and professional users. Evaluating an API is not only about whether it can place orders. It is also about data access, monitoring, permissions, integration costs, and the stability of the full operating workflow.

Gate Institutional is Gate's service entry point for institutions, professional trading teams, and enterprise users. It brings together trading execution, Unified Account, API access, OTC, asset management, and enterprise-grade security capabilities into one institutional product matrix rather than presenting them as isolated tools.

Ethereum staking secures the Ethereum Mainnet by requiring validators to place real ETH at risk before proposing blocks or confirming transactions. With more than 40 million ETH committed to Proof of Stake, dishonest consensus activity would require immense economic resources while exposing the attacker’s stake to penalties, ejection or slashing.

Ethereum Mainnet operation has continued without a complete chain halt since July 30, 2015. Distributed nodes, Proof of Stake validators, multiple software clients and peer-to-peer networking allow the Ethereum blockchain to survive isolated failures. This pillar guide is for users, developers and token holders who want to understand why Ethereum remains available while processing real digital assets.

The CLARITY Act faces a Senate bottleneck because committee approval does not guarantee a floor vote. Senate leaders must reserve time, manage amendments and potentially secure 60 votes to limit debate through cloture. With a lengthy August state work period approaching, the legislative process could extend into September or fall even if a majority supports the bill.