Blockchain & Digital Assets

January 8, 2026 @ 1:44 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Bitcoin mining focused Riot Platforms (NASDAQ: RIOT) has divested a substantial portion of its digital assets. The firm recently offloaded Bitcoin valued at approximately $161 million, bringing its total holdings down to 18,005 BTC. This transaction, executed amid fluctuating market conditions, underscores the evolving strategies… Read More

January 8, 2026 @ 12:34 am By Omar Faridi  |  

UK’s banking services provider Barclays has acquired a minority stake in Ubyx, a US-based firm specializing in stablecoin settlement infrastructure. This marks Barclays’ inaugural foray into investing in a company focused on stablecoins, underscoring the bank’s ongoing plans to delve into innovative digital financial instruments… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 10:30 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Ripple Labs President Monica Long emphasized the company’s commitment to private operations, dispelling any near-term prospects of an initial public offering (IPO). This update, shared on January 6, 2026, underscores Ripple’s strategic direction following a successful fundraising round in November 2025. Long highlighted the fintech… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 9:36 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Shares of Bitcoin focused Strategy (Nasdaq: MSTR) experienced a modest uptick in after-hours trading on January 6, 2026. The surge came on the heels of an announcement from global index provider MSCI, which revealed it would temporarily shelve its proposal to remove companies with substantial… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 9:30 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Stripe has announced a strategic partnership with Crypto.com. This latest collaboration, set to roll out in early 2026, allows Crypto.com users to spend their digital assets at online merchants powered by Stripe’s payment infrastructure. By integrating Crypto.com as the first crypto platform for direct balance… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 9:26 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

YZi Labs—an investment entity supported by Binance founder Changpeng Zhao—has publicly criticized CEA Industries (NASDAQ: BNC) for implementing what it calls “anti-shareholder” strategies aimed at solidifying the existing leadership’s position. This rebuke highlights a growing rift in a relationship that appeared promising just half a… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 3:53 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Kontigo, a stablecoin banking platform primarily serving users in Latin America, has committed to fully compensating customers impacted by a recent cyberattack. The incident, which compromised approximately $340,905 in stablecoin holdings, affected more than 1,000 individuals, highlighting ongoing vulnerabilities in the digital finance space. The… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 3:52 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Walmart (NYSE:WMT) is incorporating Bitcoin as a payment option. While the retail giant’s decision to accept the digital asset was initially revealed last year, the renewed coverage underscores Bitcoin’s steady march toward broader integration in global retail. This move by one of the world’s largest… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 12:28 pm By JD Alois  |  

We need banking services; we just don’t necessarily need banks.  The advent of digital assets and the potential for disintermediation pose both threats and opportunities for traditional banks. Stablecoins may upend traditional financial rails, and the GENIUS Act provided a federal path for firms to… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 11:53 am By Omar Faridi  |  

xAI has reportedly closed a $20 billion Series E funding round. Announced on January 7, 2026, this infusion of capital is set to propel the company’s ambitious goals, focusing on enhancing its flagship AI model, Grok, and establishing what could become the planet’s most extensive… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 11:33 am By JD Alois  |  

Netcapital, best known for its online capital formation services, has announced that it has acquired the assets of Iverson Design, LLC, a developer of AI-powered design and visualization tools The deal terms involved Netcapital issuing 80,000 shares of its common stock for the purchase of… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 8:46 am By JD Alois  |  

Digital Asset reports that JPM Coin (JPMD) is now on its Canton Network, an enterprise-friendly blockchain. Digital Asset is working with JP Morgan’s Kinesys vertical to enable the offering. The project is said to be taking a “phased approach” throughout 2026. Payment tokens, or stablecoins, received an important… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 8:06 am By Omar Faridi  |  

UK Finance noted in a blog post that as the new year begins, the prospect of a retail Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), referred to as the ‘Digital Pound,’ continues to linger in the UK’s financial landscape without a definitive green light. Initiated by the… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 3:12 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Grayscale Investments‘ latest market update paints a picture of subdued cryptocurrency activity in December, contrasted by early signs of revival in 2026. While prices and fund flows remained largely range-bound amid holiday-season lethargy, underlying fundamentals accelerated, offering optimism for the year ahead. Grayscale also mentioned… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 2:25 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a yet another move signaling the ongoing convergence of traditional finance and digital assets, Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) has submitted applications to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on Bitcoin (BTC) and Solana (SOL). This development represents an expansion… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 1:17 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In the wake of recent geopolitical shifts, reports have emerged suggesting that Venezuela could possess a substantial, undisclosed stash of Bitcoin, potentially valued in the tens of billions of dollars. This new claim / revelation comes amid heightened tensions following US military actions that led… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 12:45 am By Omar Faridi  |  

As 2026 unfolds, the US economy stands at a crossroads of opportunity and uncertainty, with projections varying amid global shifts and domestic policies. Economists anticipate modest growth, ranging from 0.4% to 2.2% in real GDP, influenced by factors like fiscal stimulus, monetary easing, and potential… Read More

January 6, 2026 @ 2:50 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockchain security and cryptocurrency focused firm CertiK has released pivotal updates that shed light on regulatory shifts and technical advancements. These reports not only recap the transformative year of 2025 but also chart a course for 2026, while delving into the practical applications of zero-knowledge… Read More

January 6, 2026 @ 10:32 am By JD Alois  |  

The digital asset ecosystem is gearing up amid the Trump Administration’s embrace of blockchain technology and the recognition that digital is the future of all financial services, including securities. At least initially, back office services were in many respects the most obvious uses of distributed… Read More

January 6, 2026 @ 10:06 am By Omar Faridi  |  

TRM Labs noted that in a major escalation of US efforts against Venezuelan leadership, the Department of Justice unsealed a superseding indictment against President Nicolás Maduro and several co-defendants, including his wife Cilia Flores, on January 5, 2026. TRM Labs also mentioned that this followed… Read More