Blockchain & Digital Assets

July 17, 2026 @ 12:39 pm By JD Alois  |  

This week, the UK government published its strategy for wholesale financial markets and its digital asset strategy. HM Treasury outlined a path to remove barriers and acknowledged the need to update regulations. The goal is to seek greater efficiency, lower costs, improved liquidity/resilience, better support… Read More

July 17, 2026 @ 8:46 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Decentralized perpetuals trading platform Ostium, focused on real-world assets on the Arbitrum network, has suffered a substantial security incident resulting in the loss of approximately $18 million from its liquidity vault. The attack, which occurred on July 15, 2026, prompted the immediate halt of all… Read More

July 17, 2026 @ 8:29 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Stable, the Layer-1 blockchain developed in close alignment with Tether and backed by entities like Bitfinex, has rolled out StablePay, its flagship consumer application designed to transform how people and businesses handle stablecoin transactions. This move marks a significant step forward in creating practical, everyday… Read More

July 17, 2026 @ 8:28 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Visa (NYSE: V) has introduced a comprehensive new platform that streamlines the use of stablecoins for banks, fintech companies, and other payment providers. This development marks another milestone in the payments giant’s ongoing efforts to integrate blockchain technology into mainstream financial operations, offering a unified,… Read More

July 16, 2026 @ 6:21 pm By JD Alois  |  

Shares of PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) took a nice bounce this week following the news that Stripe and Advent are working on a deal to acquire the global payments firm. In the past week, PayPal shares moved up by over 25%, suggesting that markets see a deal… Read More

July 16, 2026 @ 5:21 pm By James Simcox  |  

The digital euro is a promising step forward for Europe, with the potential to transform how money moves across the continent. So far, much of the debate has centred on payments sovereignty and consumer wallets, and both certainly matter. A trusted form of central bank… Read More

July 16, 2026 @ 4:34 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Digital payments processor Visa (NYSE: V) has highlighted how stablecoins could unlock a new wave of ultra-small-scale transactions, particularly suited to an economy driven by intelligent, self-operating AI systems. As artificial intelligence evolves from helpful tools into proactive agents capable of handling complex tasks independently,… Read More

July 16, 2026 @ 4:27 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Linux Foundation has officially activated a new initiative aimed at creating standardized, built-in payment capabilities for the web. This effort centers on the x402 protocol, designed to make financial transactions as straightforward as data exchanges between machines, applications, and AI systems. The x402 Foundation… Read More

July 16, 2026 @ 4:25 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Jesse Pollak, the key architect of Coinbase‘s (NASDAQ:COIN) Base layer-2 blockchain, has publicly recognized shortcomings in the project’s earlier consumer strategy centered on on-chain social experiences. In a detailed reflection shared on social media, Pollak described how his emphasis on creator-driven content, messaging apps, and… Read More

July 16, 2026 @ 12:02 pm By JD Alois  |  

Yesterday, the US Senate passed a Resolution (S.Res. 772) stating that FTX founder and former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried should never receive a Presidential Pardon. Bankman-Fried is currently in prison serving a 25-year sentence for fraud following the collapse of his businesses. It has been rumored… Read More

July 16, 2026 @ 11:54 am By JD Alois  |  

President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with legislators today to discuss the CLARITY Act, the stalled crypto market infrastructure legislation. The legislation was approved by the Senate Banking Committee, but a floor vote on the bill has yet to arrive. While the CLARITY Act… Read More

July 16, 2026 @ 10:04 am By JD Alois  |  

Yesterday, the Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future issued a statement on an ongoing initiative for the United Kingdom and the United States to coordinate the developing digital asset regulatory environment. By working together, two leading financial jurisdictions can guide the rest of the… Read More

July 16, 2026 @ 9:21 am By JD Alois  |  

Ondo Finance, a firm focused on tokenizing RWAs, has formed a partnership with SBI Group to tokenize assets in Japan. SBI Group is one of Japan’s largest financial services conglomerates, operating in banking, investing, asset management, and, more recently, digital assets. In a post on… Read More

July 16, 2026 @ 8:23 am By Omar Faridi  |  

BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) has articulated a forward-looking strategy centered on the fusion of cryptocurrency and traditional finance (TradFi). The world’s largest asset manager is increasingly positioning its offerings as bridges that connect these once-distinct worlds, with heightened emphasis on creating sophisticated investment vehicles tailored to evolving… Read More

July 16, 2026 @ 6:28 am By Omar Faridi  |  

A significant Bitcoin holder has moved approximately 5,908 BTC, valued at around $383 million, from a wallet that had remained untouched for nearly eight years. This large-scale transaction highlights the enduring presence of early Bitcoin accumulators and raises questions about potential market implications as the… Read More

July 16, 2026 @ 12:52 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Volvo Group, a key global player focused primarily on heavy-duty trucks and industrial vehicles, is pushing the boundaries of supply chain technology by testing a custom-built cryptocurrency for internal transactions. This initiative is part of a broader effort to harness blockchain to enhance efficiency,… Read More

July 15, 2026 @ 10:46 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Chainalysis has noted that authorities from the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union imposed sanctions on an extensive network of cybercriminals, state-linked hackers, and their support infrastructure. This action stands out as one of the broadest cyber enforcement operations to date, targeting entities blamed… Read More

July 15, 2026 @ 9:44 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Figure Certificate Company, an affiliate of Figure Technology Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: FIGR), has teamed up with Copper to integrate YLDS into the latter’s institutional custody services. This development provides qualified clients with a compliant avenue to generate returns on digital assets at the pace and… Read More

July 15, 2026 @ 9:43 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Mizuho Securities has revised its view on Circle Internet Group  (NYSE:CRCL), the company behind the widely used USDC stablecoin, signaling heightened risks in the digital asset space. The firm lowered its recommendation to underperform from neutral while trimming the target price to $50, down from… Read More

July 15, 2026 @ 2:45 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) says its tokenization process is now operational as a bridge between TradFi and digital assets. The official launch of DTCC Tokenization is scheduled for October 2026. It is important that DTCC prepares for the future, as multiple platforms… Read More