Global

May 19, 2026 @ 8:57 am By Omar Faridi  |  

A recent report indicates that European venture capital valuations grew robustly in the first quarter of 2026, according to PitchBook’s latest analysis. Median deal values across the region climbed 38.1% year-over-year to €2.9 million, outpacing the US, where they dipped 9.6% to €3.6 million. PitchBook… Read More

May 19, 2026 @ 7:48 am By JD Alois  |  

Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) shares that it worked with UK law enforcement to apprehend and convict kidnappers who used its platform to transact a ransom payment. Reportedly, Coinbase detected suspicious activity in July 2025 and alerted police to the illicit activity. In a “wrench attack,” criminals forced… Read More

May 19, 2026 @ 7:25 am By Omar Faridi  |  

UK digital bank Monzo has delivered solid financial results, marking another milestone in its expansion in the competitive fintech landscape. The Fintech company announced a significant rise in profitability, posting pre-tax profits of £87.3 million for the financial year ending March. This represents a substantial 44%… Read More

May 19, 2026 @ 7:21 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Stablecoins have surged from niche crypto tools to foundational infrastructure for global finance. These fiat-pegged digital assets combine the stability of traditional currencies with blockchain’s speed, transparency, and programmability. As of April 2026, total stablecoin circulation exceeds $316 billion, up sharply from prior years, with… Read More

May 19, 2026 @ 7:20 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The United Kingdom has long positioned itself as a key player in financial innovation, leveraging its deep-rooted expertise in traditional banking, a vibrant startup ecosystem, and forward-thinking regulators. Cities like London continue to attract talent and capital, with the sector contributing significantly to economic growth… Read More

May 19, 2026 @ 6:22 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Sygnum Bank has conducted the first live trials of AI-agent-powered transactions in digital assets by a fully regulated Swiss banking institution. Announced this month, this pilot marks a pioneering step in blending artificial intelligence with blockchain operations while upholding stringent client safeguards and regulatory standards…. Read More

May 19, 2026 @ 5:16 am By Omar Faridi  |  

NatWest Group has announced a substantial £20 billion funding commitment over the coming decade to support economic expansion and build greater resilience throughout the North of England. This initiative reinforces the UK’s wider goals of developing stronger and more productive regional economies, with the bank… Read More

May 18, 2026 @ 10:55 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Carta has indicated that the early-stage startup ecosystem in the United States showed notable resilience in the first quarter of 2026. This, according to the latest insights from Carta which noted that roughly 3,000 domestic companies secured pre-seed capital during this period, generating more than… Read More

May 18, 2026 @ 11:05 am By JD Alois  |  

Iran has announced it intends to offer insurance for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz using Bitcoin. Fars News Agency and Iran’s Ministry of Economy state that the system provides cryptographically verifiable insurance policies. By using Bitcoin, Iran aims to circumvent the many sanctions imposed… Read More

May 18, 2026 @ 10:53 am By JD Alois  |  

Tether has announced an investment in LemFi, a Fintech that enables cross-border transfers. LemFi (formerly known as Lemonade Finance) supports users living in the US, Canada, the UK and Europe to send payments and transfers to more than 30 countries. As Tether is the issuer of USD₮,… Read More

May 18, 2026 @ 10:39 am By JD Alois  |  

Tokenization is quickly becoming commonplace, and it is vital that regulators and policymakers work in concert with both current industry participants and future firms that will eventually incorporate digital assets, including tokenized securities. The Bank of England and the UK Financial Conduct Authority issued a… Read More

May 18, 2026 @ 9:22 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Anchorage Digital and Grupo Salinas have unveiled a strategic collaboration aimed at transforming international settlements. The alliance leverages regulated stablecoins to enable faster, more efficient, and transparent cross-border transactions, marking a step forward in the integration of digital assets into traditional banking systems. Anchorage Digital,… Read More

May 18, 2026 @ 8:48 am By JD Alois  |  

The Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have issued a joint statement on tokenization and the wholesale market. The comment is described as a “shared vision” that has the potential to streamline markets while benefitting from additional functionality. The discussion is driven… Read More

May 18, 2026 @ 7:46 am By Omar Faridi  |  

A decentralized finance project called Verus is grappling with a serious security incident involving its cross-chain connection to Ethereum. Blockchain monitoring experts have confirmed that malicious actors have extracted roughly $11.58 million in cryptocurrency assets from the bridge so far, sparking immediate concerns across the… Read More

May 18, 2026 @ 6:04 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

V-Track, an African asset intelligence platform, recently introduced a new platform designed to give users real-time insight into their asset management effectiveness As organizations across Africa intensify their focus on financial discipline, cost optimization, and governance, a critical vulnerability is the lack of accurate, real-time… Read More

May 18, 2026 @ 5:53 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The cryptocurrency and digital tokens market witnessed a rally in HYPE tokens on news of a significant collaboration involving Hyperliquid, Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN),  and Circle (NYSE:CRCL). HYPE climbed to an impressive peak of $46.93, reflecting strong investor enthusiasm for the latest developments in decentralized finance infrastructure…. Read More

May 17, 2026 @ 11:20 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has chosen UK data analytics and AI specialist Quantexa for a £175 million, ten-year partnership. Announced on 14 May 2026, the agreement represents one of the largest Decision Intelligence projects ever undertaken in government. It will overhaul the tax authority’s… Read More

May 17, 2026 @ 3:36 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Digital asset traders and investors focused on the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector are increasingly favoring high-return strategies while sidelining protective measures, leaving substantial capital exposed to sophisticated attacks. This behavior persists despite warnings from leading blockchain analytics providers and evolving regulatory scrutiny from US authorities…. Read More

May 17, 2026 @ 3:30 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Nubank (NYSE: NU) and Revolut decisively stand out as leading global digital banks, each pursuing distinct strategies for growth and monetization. Nubank, primarily operating in Latin America, has built a model centered on high-volume lending in emerging markets with elevated interest margins. It generates the… Read More

May 17, 2026 @ 2:26 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The $293 million breach at KelpDAO represents a watershed event in decentralized finance, illustrating how threats have evolved beyond traditional code exploits. Attackers bypassed smart contract defenses entirely by targeting RPC nodes and a centralized verification setup, exposing critical gaps in the operational backbone of… Read More