Global

May 8, 2026 @ 7:30 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Affirm Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AFRM) announced steady third-quarter fiscal 2026 performance, underscoring its resilience in a volatile economic environment. For the period ended March 31, 2026, the company reported gross merchandise volume (GMV) of $11.6 billion, marking a 35% increase from the prior year. Total… Read More

May 8, 2026 @ 7:29 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The European Central Bank (ECB) has published its latest assessment on financial conditions across the currency bloc, highlighting a clear uptick in overall integration levels despite some enduring structural hurdles. Released on 7 May 2026, the report on financial integration and structure in the euro… Read More

May 8, 2026 @ 1:48 am By Omar Faridi  |  

A new World Economic Forum (WEF) report reveals that artificial intelligence is fundamentally transforming cybersecurity, emerging as the dominant force driving change in the sector. Titled AI and Cyber: Empowering Defenders and developed in partnership with KPMG, the analysis—drawing from 20 real-world case studies and… Read More

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

OKX has rolled out enhancements that strengthen its position in both retail and institutional cryptocurrency markets. These developments focus on improved stablecoin accessibility and more efficient institutional trading workflows, reflecting the exchange’s ongoing push to simplify cross-chain operations while prioritizing security and capital efficiency. Recently,… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 10:06 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

US private equity fundraising has entered a more disciplined phase. According to PitchBook’s latest update, the post-pandemic boom has given way to a structural reset marked by capital concentration, not merely temporary market headwinds. While overall volumes have cooled from their 2021 peaks, the real… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 2:57 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Chainalysis has recently indicated that traditional finance is rapidly shifting toward tokenization, turning real-world assets like bonds, money market funds, and private credit into digital tokens on public blockchains. Yet as major institutions move beyond pilot programs to live deployments, a key challenge emerges: no… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 10:16 am By Omar Faridi  |  

PayPal Holdings (NASDAQ:PYPL) delivered a fairly resilient first-quarter performance in 2026, posting revenue of $8.35 billion—a 7% year-over-year increase on a reported basis and 5% on a currency-neutral footing. The figure topped Wall Street expectations by roughly 3%. Total payment volume (TPV) climbed 11% to… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 9:44 am By JD Alois  |  

Bitso, a Latin American digital asset firm, says it has been approved to issue Mexican peso-pegged stablecoins MXNB. Bitso received its approval from El Salvador’s National Commission of Digital Assets (CNAD) for Nvio Pagos El Salvador, S.A. de C.V. to act as issuer of the… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 9:31 am By JD Alois  |  

Quantum Motion has raised $160 million in Series C funding. Founded in 2017, the company is a UK-based spin out from Oxford University and University College London. As the name belies, Quantum is developing quantum computers for diverse industries including finance and cybersecurity. Quantum states… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 7:11 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Digital assets firm Bullish (NYSE: BLSH) has agreed to purchase Equiniti, a prominent global transfer agent, in a deal valued at $4.2 billion. Announced on May 5, 2026, the transaction underscores the cryptocurrency firm’s growing emphasis on tokenization as a transformative force in capital markets…. Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 7:07 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Elliptic pointed out that in law enforcement and regulatory investigations, case deconfliction—ensuring different teams do not unknowingly pursue the same targets—is a routine safeguard. Yet when cryptocurrency is involved, many agencies still struggle to implement it effectively. The obstacle is not a lack of awareness… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 6:08 am By Omar Faridi  |  

UK Finance has indicated that mortgage affordability across the United Kingdom has reached its most strained point since 2008, according to a new analysis by UK Finance. The industry body’s latest Lending Where We Live report highlights sharp contrasts in the financial burden faced by… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 3:47 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Sygnum Bank and FalconX have formed a strategic alliance to connect traditional regulated banking channels with blockchain-based tokenized credit markets, marking a significant step forward for institutional investors seeking exposure to digital asset lending. Announced recently this month, the collaboration allows Sygnum’s clients—primarily institutions and… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 12:46 am By Omar Faridi  |  

MetaMask’s latest ecosystem security report reflects a rather sobering picture of the state of crypto security. In a single month, attackers stole more than $570 million across just three major incidents, underscoring how quickly threats are evolving in decentralized finance and the broader blockchain ecosystem. … Read More

May 6, 2026 @ 7:24 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

PwC has unveiled an expanded partnership with OpenAI to develop the world’s first fully AI-native finance operation designed for large-scale organizations. Announced on May 5, 2026, the initiative integrates advanced agentic artificial intelligence with ongoing human oversight, aiming to fundamentally transform how finance teams operate…. Read More

May 6, 2026 @ 4:27 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

CB Insights has released its latest AI 100 list, spotlighting the world’s 100 most promising or high-potential private artificial intelligence startups for 2026. Drawing on predictive signals such as market traction, investor quality, talent momentum, and commercial maturity, the report captures an AI ecosystem that… Read More

May 6, 2026 @ 4:25 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has announced a strategic investment in Netomi, a specialized artificial intelligence company focused on customer experience platforms. Conducted via Accenture Ventures, the deal includes a formal alliance aimed at helping large organizations overhaul their customer support operations through advanced agentic AI technologies…. Read More

May 6, 2026 @ 4:04 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The traditional financial or TradFi ecosystem is meaningfully converging with DeFi technologies in 2026. A wide range of new products, including US dollar-backed stablecoins, bitcoin, and crypto-backed lending services, digital currency cashbacks on credit card purchases, are now among just a few of the innovations that… Read More

May 6, 2026 @ 3:17 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

CME Group, the global platform for futures and options trading, has announced the upcoming introduction of Bitcoin Volatility futures contracts. Set to debut on June 1 pending regulatory approval from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, these innovative products mark an expansion of the exchange’s growing… Read More

May 6, 2026 @ 3:16 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Russia’s securities marketplace, the Moscow Exchange (MOEX), has unveiled plans to significantly expand its lineup of cryptocurrency indices by incorporating four prominent digital assets. Beginning May 13, 2026, the exchange will start calculating and disseminating real-time benchmarks for Solana, XRP, TRON, and Binance Coin (BNB)…. Read More