May 12, 2026 @ 11:18 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Alpaca has introduced custodial accounts as a new feature for its Broker API partners, marking a significant enhancement to its brokerage infrastructure. Announced on May 11, 2026, the rollout allows fintech platforms and institutional clients to let parents and guardians in the United States open… Read More

May 12, 2026 @ 10:45 am By JD Alois  |  

Equilend has acquired Finadium, according to a public statement. The terms of the purchase were not immediately available. Equilend is a firm providing tech for the securities industry, like trading, workflow tools, and more. Finadium is a consulting firm that provides research on securities, including… Read More

May 12, 2026 @ 10:36 am By JD Alois  |  

Below is the CLARITY Act, or the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, crypto market infrastructure legislation that aims to propel the US financial system into the future. The House version of the legislation was approved last year. Meanwhile, the Senate version has struggled to gain… Read More

May 12, 2026 @ 10:02 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

Some questionable thoughts on stablecoins and crypto investing are among the Web3 Thoughts of the Week. Bitcoin and oil dynamics “Bitcoin’s brief recovery above $80,000 is looking shaky. It’s being driven by easing oil prices rather than strong buying, with Brent back below $110 on… Read More

May 12, 2026 @ 9:41 am By JD Alois  |  

In a move that will please legacy banking institutions, Senator Elizabeth Warren has issued a statement opposing the CLARITY Act, which is scheduled for a hearing at the Senate Banking Committee this Thursday. Warren is the ranking  Democrat member of the Committee and has long… Read More

May 12, 2026 @ 9:00 am By JD Alois  |  

tZERO (TZROP) aims to boost its tokenization abilities by partnering with the Aptos Foundation. tZERO operates an Alternative Trading System (ATS) so it can enable buyers and sellers of securities, including tokenized assets. tZERO can also handle on-chain custody. The Aptos Foundation is a non-profit… Read More

May 12, 2026 @ 7:33 am By Omar Faridi  |  

PitchBook has indicated that the US venture capital ecosystem reached a conisderable $9.4 trillion in total market value as of March 31, 2026. This, according to PitchBook’s latest quarterly analysis of valuations and returns. Artificial intelligence companies alone command nearly half of that figure—about $5.8… Read More

May 12, 2026 @ 7:31 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Stablecoin issuer Circle (NYSE:CRCL) has recently unveiled its Agent Stack. Announced recently this month, this open-source infrastructure is designed specifically for the “agentic economy”—a future where intelligent agents reason, plan, and execute economic tasks independently. The platform equips agents with the tools to hold funds,… Read More

May 12, 2026 @ 7:30 am By Omar Faridi  |  

London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) has taken a significant step in enhancing its financial technology offerings by making its Open Risk Analytics solution available through the Models-as-a-Service (MaaS) marketplace. Announced recently this month, this development integrates advanced quantitative risk tools from the company’s Post Trade… Read More

May 12, 2026 @ 2:01 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis has released new findings showing that crypto-based prediction markets have undergone steady expansion in recent months. Weekly capital inflows into these platforms have climbed sharply since September 2024, fueled largely by the U.S. presidential election cycle and continuing momentum into November…. Read More

May 12, 2026 @ 1:34 am By Omar Faridi  |  

KPMG indicated that new rules designed to protect customer funds held by payment and electronic money firms took effect on 7 May 2026, marking a significant upgrade to the UK’s financial safeguards. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) introduced the measures to ensure that client money… Read More

May 12, 2026 @ 12:28 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

Gr4vy, a cloud-based payment orchestration platform, this week announced support for Pix Automático in Brazil through its integration with dLocal, a cross-border payment platform. It allows merchants to offer automated Pix billing for subscriptions, memberships, and other recurring services. Pix has helped bring more than… Read More

May 12, 2026 @ 12:20 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Germany’s second-largest lender, Commerzbank, has announced a significant workforce reduction of up to 3,000 positions as it accelerates efforts to strengthen its financial performance and maintain its independence amid mounting pressure from an Italian rival. The move forms part of a broader overhaul designed to… Read More

May 11, 2026 @ 11:23 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

PayPal Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) is preparing one of the largest workforce reductions in its history. According to a person familiar with the matter, the payments giant plans to cut around 20% of its global workforce over the next two to three years. With roughly 23,800… Read More

May 11, 2026 @ 10:20 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Nubank’s (NYSE: NU) senior executives explained how the company’s artificial intelligence underwriting framework is driving sustainable expansion in credit services. The update from Nubank’s  professional team emphasized that core risk protocols stay firmly in place, with delinquency levels holding steady even as more customers gain… Read More

May 11, 2026 @ 9:18 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Australian authorities are preparing to outline revisions to the capital gains tax (CGT) system as part of the forthcoming federal budget. These adjustments, while often framed around residential property, are expected to extend across a wide range of investment classes—including cryptocurrencies and other digital assets—potentially… Read More

May 11, 2026 @ 9:00 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Lloyds Banking Group has opened a new office in Luxembourg, marking a significant step in strengthening its support for institutional clients across Europe. The move positions the UK-based lender more firmly in one of the continent’s premier hubs for international investment funds and sophisticated cross-border… Read More

May 11, 2026 @ 5:35 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

PitchBook indicated that the American venture capital secondary market achieved a landmark annualized valuation of $112.2 billion during the first quarter of 2026, surpassing the scale of public listings for the first time. This expansion underscores a maturing ecosystem where private share trading now rivals… Read More

May 11, 2026 @ 5:21 pm By JD Alois  |  

While the CLARITY Act appears to be on track for a markup hearing before the Senate Banking Committee this Thursday, banking industry representatives continue to complain about the stablecoin yield compromise recently hashed out by various policymakers. In a joint statement last week, banking associations and… Read More

May 11, 2026 @ 4:52 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockchain infrastructure provider Digital Asset Holdings LLC is pursuing a substantial capital raise that could establish its valuation near the $2 billion mark. According to sources, the upcoming investment round is expected to be guided by a16z crypto, the cryptocurrency investment arm of Andreessen Horowitz…. Read More