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On February 19, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) stated in its first outlook report of the year that farmers will plant 85 million acres of soybeans this year, up from 81.2 million acres last year. The USDA noted that the expected increase in soybean acreage this spring reflects “stronger profitability compared to other crops, as well as anticipated crop rotation arrangements in the Corn Belt and Delta regions.” Meanwhile, corn acreage will decrease from last year’s 98.8 million acres to 94 million acres. Wheat acreage will slightly decrease from 45.3 million acres to 45 million acres. Overall, the total planted area for the three major crops will decrease by 1%, but the prices received by farmers are “expected to rise slightly.”

Crypto bank Anchorage Digital has launched a stablecoin service compliant with US regulations, helping international banks achieve rapid cross-border asset flows. The service includes stablecoin issuance, custody, and blockchain-native settlement, providing a faster alternative to traditional correspondent banking relationships.

Gelonghui, February 20th｜U.S. Democratic Senator Warren and other Democrats have requested the Federal Reserve to disclose information regarding internal changes within its bank regulatory department, citing a report from The Wall Street Journal that layoffs and the marginalization of some regulators have caused internal tensions within the Fed. According to the letter, Warren asked Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Bowman to provide information about these changes, as well as plans for a new investigation into the 2023 Silicon Valley Bank collapse. These letters were sent on Wednesday, ahead of an expected Senate oversight hearing next week, at which Bowman will testify.