February 23, 2026 @ 4:33 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In February 2026, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond released a detailed examination of the “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) sector, focusing on its rapid evolution and broader economic effects. Authored by economist Zhu Wang, the research report highlights how these short-term financing options have… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 4:20 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

A major controversy has surfaced at the intersection of artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency privacy. Persona, the firm responsible for conducting identity verification for OpenAI’s premium ChatGPT features, stands accused of forwarding sensitive user information—including linked cryptocurrency wallet addresses—directly to US federal agencies. Security researchers operating… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 2:41 pm By JD Alois  |  

The biggest hurdle to the CLARITY Act‘s approval in the Senate appears to be the issue of stablecoin holders generating yield. The bugaboo here is legacy banks, which tend to hold deposits and pay little to no yield to their customers. As these same banks… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 1:18 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission has scheduled a Private Markets Roundtable to discuss the retailization of private markets. Currently, non-accredited investors may participate in the private securities markets largely via Reg A and Reg CF. While there are certain situations in which a non-accredited individual… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 12:55 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Cornell Law School Professor Dan Awrey has just released a timely new working paper that delves into one of the most pressing challenges facing modern finance: the disruptive power of technology on traditional banking. Titled Banking, Technology, and Instability, the paper examines how rapid technological… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 12:54 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

On-chain data reveals that large Bitcoin holders are increasingly moving funds to centralized exchanges amid the cryptocurrency’s prolonged bearish conditions in early 2026. Analytics platform CryptoQuant highlighted this trend in a February 20 report, noting a sharp concentration of selling activity from major investors as… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 11:50 am By JD Alois  |  

Eventually, Quantum computing is expected to change everything; older security protocols will fall to the wayside unless updated as the race continues between cyber attacks and the defenses that counter them. A recent X post citing Elon Musk’s statement indicates that Bitcoin, the world’s most… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 9:56 am By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has updated Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations (C&DIs) that impact Regulation A (Reg A). The update occurred last week (February 17, 2026) and is part of the SEC’s periodic process. These C&DIs serve as an interpretive resource for exempt securities… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 9:34 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In response to surging institutional interest in digital assets, CME Group, the world’s derivatives marketplace, announced it will introduce continuous around-the-clock trading for its regulated cryptocurrency futures and options products. The expanded schedule is scheduled to take effect on May 29, 2026, subject to regulatory… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 9:21 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

Badge, the operating platform for Apple and Google Wallets, has raised $17.1 million, including a $13.8 million Series A led by TTV Capital with participation from Stripe, Synchrony Ventures, and Infinity Ventures, as well as a previously unannounced $3.3 million seed round from QED Investors… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 9:19 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a shift reshaping the boundaries between technology-driven finance and traditional banking, cryptocurrency firms and fintechs are increasingly viewing bank acquisitions as an expedited pathway into established financial systems. This, according to an update from the WSJ, which noted that instead of enduring the protracted… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 9:17 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Corporation Finance issued revised staff interpretations on Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF), offering new guidance on how issuers can switch intermediary platforms, calculate fundraising caps, and comply with filing obligations for longer-running offerings. Reg CF was part of the… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 8:35 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

RevSpring has acquired TrustCommerce, a provider of end-to-end integrated healthcare payment and security solutions. The combined company will accelerate innovation in financial engagement and integrated payments, helping provider and payer organizations simplify payment complexity, consolidate vendors, and improve operational control from transaction through reconciliation. “This… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 8:34 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

Payra, a B2B payments and accounts receivable automation platform, has raised a growth equity investment of $15 million from Edison Partners. Payra helps construction and building supplier companies modernize cash collection without replacing existing ERP systems. The company’s software integrates directly with accounting systems such… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 8:33 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In February 2026, biometric technology provider iProov unveiled two major developments that reinforce its position at the forefront of secure identity verification. The company’s Dynamic Liveness solution became the world’s first and only system to earn both the CEN/TS 18099 High certification and Ingenium Level… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 8:32 am By Omar Faridi  |  

GoCardless has launched its Model Context Protocol (MCP), a tool that lets developers and merchants interact with its bank payment platform using everyday natural language. Announced recently this month, this AI-driven innovation marks a major shift in how businesses engage with complex payment systems, eliminating… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 2:25 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a detailed analysis released on February 21, 2026, blockchain analytics firm Elliptic has shed new light on how several cryptocurrency platforms with deep ties to Russia continue to facilitate the circumvention of Western sanctions. These services enable Russian entities to convert rubles into digital… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 1:24 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Earlier this month, Anthropic announced a massive $30 billion Series G funding round, pushing its post-money valuation to an astonishing $380 billion. Just five months after a $183 billion mark in September 2025, the AI company—founded in 2021 by former OpenAI researchers who left over… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 12:31 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

PitchBook, a private capital market intelligence platform, this week announced the launch of PitchBook Valuation Estimates, a daily, standardized valuation framework designed to improve transparency in private markets by delivering a consistent, independent, and data-informed valuation signal across thousands of VC-backed companies. Built to reflect how markets are… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 12:30 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a move set to reshape online checkout experiences, eBay has teamed up with TrueLayer, a European provider of pay-by-bank solutions, to introduce direct bank payments for its UK customers. Announced on 19 February 2026, the collaboration makes pay-by-bank functionality available at eBay’s checkout, allowing… Read More