July 23, 2025 @ 8:29 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The UK financial sector, a key part of the national economy and the largest global net exporter of financial services, is at a pivotal moment. Recent updates and initiatives from UK Finance, an industry body representing 300 firms, outline a progressive agenda to enable economic… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 11:18 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Sun Life Hong Kong said on Friday it will invest up to $70 million in Bowtie Life Insurance, Hong Kong’s first virtual insurer, to accelerate its growth and strengthen its position in medical insurance and preventive healthcare. The fresh capital injection reinforces Sun Life’s long-standing… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 10:15 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

SIX welcomes Valour Digital Securities Limited as the latest issuer of Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs) with crypto-assets as underlying. Valour Digital Securities Ltd lists two products on the Blockchains Internet Computer (ICP) and Hedera (HBAR). With this launch, Valour Digital Securities Limited increases the aggregate number… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 9:15 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Lloyds Banking Group has reinforced its commitment to driving economic growth and supporting diverse customer segments across the UK. Through its latest UK Sector Tracker, a £4 billion lending boost for first-time buyers, and the launch of a new student account, Lloyds is addressing key… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 9:09 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) plans to introduce stand-in capabilities for NETS electronic point-of-sales systems to enhance the resilience of digital financial services. MAS is also working with financial institutions to develop similar solutions for QR code payments, which have gained traction among consumers…. Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 4:17 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Technology Protection Act of 2025 (HR 2384) was approved in a voice vote in the House of Representatives yesterday. This bill joins an extended list of bills that were approved in the House on the same day. This bill mandates the creation of… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 3:16 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The enterprise Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) sector, a vital part of modern business infrastructure, is navigating a complex environment in Q2 2025, as detailed in PitchBook’s latest update. The report, tracking stock performances, valuations, and market caps of key publicly traded SaaS companies, reveals a market stabilizing… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 2:44 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

    The US Senate recently approved  the GENIUS Act (S 1582) with a bipartisan 68–30 vote —marking a watershed moment for stablecoin regulation. The legislation was soon signed into law by President Donald Trump, who declared a significant victory for the administration. The legislation… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 2:24 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Carabinieri Corps and Intesa Sanpaolo, represented respectively by the Commander General Gen. C.A. Salvatore Luongo and General Antonio De Vita, Chief Security Officer of Intesa Sanpaolo, “to promote the prevention and fight against financial fraud.” The collaboration between… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 2:14 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In today’s financial services sector, alternative investments—encompassing private equity, venture capital, and private debt—have surged past $15 trillion globally, representing a significant portion of wealth management portfolios. Addepar, a technology and data platform for investment professionals, is reportedly focused on addressing the challenges of managing… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 2:08 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Blue Owl Capital Inc. (NYSE: OWL), an alternative asset manager, announced the final close of the private offering of an alternative credit fund , securing $850 million in capital commitments from “a diverse client base across its global private wealth channel.” The Fund seeks to… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 1:55 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The cryptocurrency market in Q2 2025 demonstrated a strong recovery, rebounding significantly to reach a total market capitalization of over $4 trillion, according to CoinMarketCap’s (CMC) Q2 2025 report. This surge was primarily driven by Bitcoin’s strong performance, bolstered by significant inflows into U.S. Bitcoin… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 12:34 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In an escalation of the shadow cyberwar between Israel and Iran, the hacker group Predatory Sparrow, known in Farsi as Gonjeshke Darande, has struck at the core of Iran’s financial infrastructure, targeting its banking sector and cryptocurrency exchanges. This campaign, detailed in a recent Wall… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 11:56 am By JD Alois  |  

CI has received some commentary from the CEO of AMINA Bank regarding the recent crypto legislation that was approved in the US House of Representatives. The GENIUS Act, payment stablecoin legislation, is now law after being signed by President Donald Trump. The CLARITY Act, a… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 9:41 am By JD Alois  |  

Sunsave, a UK-based solar subscription service, says it has raised £113 million to scale its platform. The Series A funding round was led by Norrsken VC and IPGL and included a £100m debt facility from Crédit Agricole CIB to fund customer installations. Other investors include… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 8:53 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Recently, Ari Redbord, Global Head of Policy at TRM Labs, testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, addressing the escalating intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and criminal activity. The hearing, titled “Artificial Intelligence and Criminal Exploitation: A New Era of… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 8:52 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The blockchain landscape is evolving rapidly, with Layer 2 (L2) solutions and established Layer 1 (L1) blockchains like the XRP Ledger (XRPL) driving unprecedented adoption and innovation. Recent updates from Dune Analytics, a platform for querying and visualizing blockchain data, highlight these trends through comprehensive… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 8:50 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The fintech sector continues to show resilience and evolution, with CB Insights’ State of Fintech Q2’25 Report revealing steady funding of $10.5 billion in the second quarter of 2025. This marks the second consecutive quarter surpassing $10 billion, a milestone not seen since early 2023…. Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 8:50 am By Omar Faridi  |  

French crypto hardware wallet maker Ledger continues to solidify its position as a global enabler of digital asset security with various products, educational campaigns, and a partnership with the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs. These recent developments highlight the firm’s commitment to empowering users with secure,… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 8:49 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Bank of Ireland has significantly revised its economic forecasts for Ireland in 2025, reflecting solid performance in the latter half of 2024 that outperformed expectations. The bank now projects GDP growth of 8.1%, a substantial increase from its earlier estimate of 3.5%, driven by a… Read More