June 22, 2026 @ 3:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Bank of England has posted an update on draft rules regarding stablecoins. The bank stated: “[This] marks a significant milestone in delivering a comprehensive UK regime for stablecoins. It sets a clear pathway for UK-issued, sterling-denominated stablecoins to operate at scale across a range… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 3:11 pm By JD Alois  |  

Anchorage Digital, a federally chartered US Bank, says it will now support tokenized deposits for regulated banks. Anchorage states that the service does not require an upgrade to a banks existing tech stack but will provide 24/7 transfers and payments allowing banks to better compete… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 2:53 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Banco Santander (NYSE: SAN) has taken a major step forward in its data and AI-first transformation by making artificial intelligence tools available to every one of its roughly 185,000 employees worldwide. The move, effective immediately, significantly expands access from the nearly 40,000 staff members who… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 2:32 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Global asset manager Franklin Templeton has filed registration statements with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for two novel exchange-traded funds that would automatically convert dividends from U.S. stocks into Bitcoin exposure. The proposed products — the Franklin U.S. Equity Bitcoin DRIP Index ETF… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 12:06 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The nascent digital credit market endured one of its most volatile sessions on Thursday as two prominent preferred equity instruments tied to Bitcoin treasury companies saw sharp intraday price swings. Strategy’s (NASDAQ:MSTR) STRC and Strive’s (NASDAQ:ASST) SATA both traded well below their typical levels near… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 11:33 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Lloyds Banking Group has unveiled plans to add over 1,000 new positions focused on artificial intelligence during 2026. The move is designed to strengthen the bank’s capabilities in advanced, autonomous AI systems known as agentic AI. Recruitment is already underway for nearly 300 specialist roles… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 10:50 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Cardano blockchain ecosystem is reportedly on the cusp of a significant technical milestone as crypto developers prepare to roll out a public testnet for Ouroboros Leios, its new consensus protocol upgrade. This initiative, branded under the evocative name “Musashi Dojo,” signals a determined push… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 10:11 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

Ravelin’s Global Fraud Trends 2026 report outlines evolving fraud trends. While there is stability and even decline in some metrics, new concerns have arisen with issues like AI. Ravelin surveyed 1,504 professionals across 10 countries. Fraud still hits companies hard. At least 30% of companies… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 9:55 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Recent reporting has highlighted alleged political pressure from European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde that contributed to Greece blocking Binance’s application for authorization under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework. According to sources familiar with the matter, this intervention shifted Greece’s stance on… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 8:19 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

Bitcoin and stablecoins dominated digital asset discussions this past week. Bitcoin “Trump just handed the markets the biggest disinflationary event of 2026, and Bitcoin shot up on the news. But I’d be cautious about assuming this is the end of Bitcoin’s woes. There’s more weighing… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 7:53 am By Omar Faridi  |  

China has reportedly taken a significant step toward further expanding the international reach of its central bank digital currency by signing direct participation agreements with 26 financial institutions for cross-border digital yuan transactions. The latest agreements, finalized in Shanghai, grant the institutions access to the… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 7:00 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

Select Fintech investments and acquisitions this past week, beginning with a whopper from Deluxe. Deluxe acquires Celero for $625 million deal. Celero offers merchant solutions for small to mid-sized businesses and strategic partners, including an all-in-one suite of omnichannel payment solutions. Learn more here. Chronograph… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 6:54 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW) is teaming up with Cboe Global Markets to introduce a new suite of options contracts tied to the performance of the S&P 500 index. These products will let clients place straightforward yes-or-no wagers on whether the benchmark closes above or below predetermined… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 4:55 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank of the Philippines, has increased the maximum repayment period for salary-based consumer loans to seven years, a move aimed at making credit more affordable for borrowers while reinforcing responsible lending standards among banks and other regulated… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 2:02 am By Michael Wong  |  

Hong Kong companies are investing an average of $214 million in AI, about 17% above the global average, as financial institutions and multinational corporations step up spending on the technology, a DLA Piper spokesperson told Crowdfund Insider. The average AI investment in Hong Kong stands… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 1:55 am By Omar Faridi  |  

PwC’s Deals practice has entered a strategic relationship with ToltIQ, a specialized artificial intelligence platform focused on private markets due diligence. Announced recently this month, this partnership positions PwC as ToltIQ’s exclusive professional services advisor worldwide, with exclusivity among major accounting and consulting firms. The… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 12:06 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) have jointly announced the launch of a pilot project on 18 June 2026. This initiative explores an innovative digital payment option designed to support margin requirements during the after-hours trading (AHT)… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 12:01 am By Michael Wong  |  

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is considering providing up to $86 million in long-term financing to Vietnam’s Southeast Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SeABank) to expand lending to small businesses, women entrepreneurs and affordable housing, according to documents seen by Crowdfund Insider. The proposed five-year… Read More

June 21, 2026 @ 11:39 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Despite Brazil’s already high level of digital payments maturity, a new assessment from Bain & Company indicates meaningful room for further expansion through the end of the decade. As of the end of 2025, digital payment methods had reached an 85% penetration rate across the… Read More

June 21, 2026 @ 10:57 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Fintech firm Stripe has partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to introduce new tools that allow content creators and publishers to earn revenue from interactions with autonomous AI systems. Announced on June 15, 2026, this collaboration integrates Stripe’s payment infrastructure into AWS’s Web Application Firewall… Read More