Citizens Bank: Digital Asset M&A Accelerates, Industry Consolidation Trend Evident

A research report from Citizens Bank indicates that merger and acquisition activities in the digital asset industry are accelerating, with expectations for further growth. With the passage of the GENIUS Act (Stablecoin Regulations) and the anticipated introduction of the CLARITY Act (Market Structure), the U.S. regulatory environment is shifting from 'hostile' to supportive, driving banks, payment processors, and asset management companies to integrate blockchain infrastructure. The report mentions that Mastercard is in talks to acquire ZeroHash for up to $2 billion, while Coinbase is nearing completion of a similar-scale acquisition of London-based company BVNK. The market capitalization of stablecoins has grown from $250 billion to approximately $315 billion and is expected to surpass $1 trillion in the future. Citizens Bank predicts that by 2030, the tokenized market could generate nearly $100 billion in annual revenue.