May 13, 2026 @ 10:50 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

CoinGecko has noted that Kraken has positioned itself at the forefront of stablecoin integration and decentralized finance (DeFi) advancements. The exchange’s latest performance metrics reveal a deliberate shift toward tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) and payment solutions, even as broader market volumes fluctuate. Between January and… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 8:45 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Research from digital payments provider Checkout.com shows that the expansion of online shopping across the MENA region is fueled by consumers’ desire for effortless, seamless transactions. Yet the report, titled “From Invisible Payments to AI Agents,” makes one thing clear: frictionless experiences only succeed when… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 6:19 pm By JD Alois  |  

Kevin Warsh was approved as the next Federal Reserve Chairman today in a vote in the Senate that was largely along partisan lines. The vote was 54 for and 45 against, with Pennsylvania Senator  John Fetterman being the only Democrat to support his nomination. Warsh… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 4:27 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The decentralized finance (DeFi) landscape, long positioned as a viable and improved alternative to traditional finance, is confronting a significant retreat from investors following a string of devastating cyberattacks. Once known for its promise of transparent, intermediary-free financial services powered by smart contracts, the sector… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 1:50 pm By JD Alois  |  

With debate still raging as legacy banks and left-wing policy advocates line up to challenge the CLARITY Act, the legislation is on track for a markup hearing at the Senate Banking Committee tomorrow (Thursday, May 14, 20226). While some in the opposition offer foolish justifications… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 1:29 pm By JD Alois  |  

PrimaryBid, a UK-based online investment platform that enabled access to private securities, has been acquired by SoFi (NASDAQ: SOFI). The terms of the deal were not revealed, with investors possibly receiving a return of capital. In 2024, SoFi partnered with PrimaryBid to support non-institutional investors at scale… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 12:31 pm By JD Alois  |  

The US Department of Labor has proposed a new regulation that aims to make it easier for 401(k) plan fiduciaries to include alternative assets such as private equity, venture capital, crypto, real estate, and more in participant-directed retirement plans. This includes online capital formation, securities… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 10:59 am By JD Alois  |  

Crypto exchange Paybis has received approval under the EU framework for Markets in Crypto Assets regulation (MiCA) and PSD2 for a payments service license. This means that Paybis can now offer crypto services across all EU member states and the EEA. The approval was issued… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 9:50 am By JD Alois  |  

Artificial Intelligence “hallucinations” are a thing. Recently, in the news, there was a report of a major corporate merger announcement that never actually happened. Details were fabricated, including fake press releases, executive quotes, and regulatory filings. There have been estimates that hallucinations have cost $2.3… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 9:32 am By JD Alois  |  

The Payments Association has appointed a new CEO. According to a statement from the organization, Emma Banymandhub will step into the leadership role following her position as the association’s Chief Operating Officer. Banymandhub said that payments are more than transactions, adding she is honored to… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 8:23 am By Omar Faridi  |  

A recent Talos / Coin Metrics analysis indicates that digital assets exchange Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) demonstrated resilience through revenue diversification during the first quarter of 2026, even as broader cryptocurrency market conditions deteriorated. The exchange reported total revenue of $1.4 billion, a 21% drop from the… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 8:14 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Payward Inc.—the parent company of the global cryptocurrency platform Kraken—has formed a strategic partnership with Franklin Templeton, a leading global investment manager renowned for its pioneering work in digital assets. Announced recently this month, the collaboration focuses on accelerating the mainstream use of tokenized investments,… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 7:15 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Aberdeen Investments indicated that European insurers have long faced pressure to favor fixed-income holdings over equities under the existing Solvency II regime. High capital charges—typically ranging from 39 to 49 percent for standard equity exposures—have made it difficult to justify stocks on a return-on-capital basis,… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 6:18 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Bank of England has released the final report from its DLT Innovation Challenge 2025, a collaborative effort with the BIS Innovation Hub’s London Centre. Released recently this month, the document offers fresh practical insights into how distributed ledger technology could reshape wholesale payments and… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 2:25 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Chicago-based CME Group, the global leader in derivatives trading, has introduced fresh futures contracts linked to the Avalanche (AVAX) and Sui (SUI) cryptocurrencies. The development was confirmed on May 6, 2026, with the first block trades executed between institutional digital asset specialists FalconX and G-20… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 2:20 am By Omar Faridi  |  

A UK-based nonprofit social lender has partnered with NatWest Group’s Open Banking payments specialist to deliver a more adaptable approach to loan repayments. East Lancashire Moneyline, which focuses on serving people shut out of conventional credit markets, is now using Variable Recurring Payments (VRP) through… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 2:14 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

AeQuitas Invest, an Omaha-based, women-led financial technology company, has launched an online funding portal designed to expand access to capital for women-owned businesses. AeQuitas is a registered funding portal operating under Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF). AeQuitas joins dozens of other funding portals that operate in… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 1:21 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

Pit, an AI-native workforce platform, this week announced its public launch alongside $16 million in funding led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). The round includes participation from Lakestar, the Pit founders, executives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Deel, and Revolut, and the Stena and Lundin families. Pit… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 1:20 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has issued a fresh alert on the growing dangers to global financial stability from artificial intelligence. In a blog post dated May 7, 2026, the IMF explains how AI is reshaping both the vulnerabilities and defenses of the financial system…. Read More

May 12, 2026 @ 7:42 pm By JD Alois  |  

The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) has sent a letter to the Senate Banking Committee urging members to vote against the CLARITY Act in its current form. NASAA is the lobbying group that represents all the US state securities regulators, as well as regulators… Read More