The US SEC faces an Aug. 20 deadline to submit a distribution plan for a $123.1 million fund paid by Tai Mo Shan to investors harmed by Terra's 2022 collapse.
Banknote circulation in the EU is rising despite digital payments, driven by crisis preparedness for cyber-attacks, wars, and wildfires. ECB chief economist Philip Lane highlighted the trend, while experts emphasize cash as a vital, inclusive tool.
Binance has launched Agent OS, a developer platform enabling AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Codex, and Cursor to access market data, monitor accounts, and execute crypto trades within user-configured limits.
Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced a five-part reform package on Entrepreneurs Day, featuring €1 billion in funding to boost business growth, AI adoption, exports, and regulatory protections for local enterprises.
The US CFTC has issued consent orders against former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison and FTX co-founder Gary Wang, imposing multi-year trading and registration bans following their cooperation in fraud investigations related to the collapse of FTX.
Hyperscale Data sold roughly 686 Bitcoin for $43.4 million in August 2026 to repay all its Morpho decentralized lending protocol loans. Despite eliminating this collateral exposure, the company warned its liquidity cannot cover operating requirements for the next 12 months.
Standard Chartered and HSBC completed the first live cross-border transaction on Swift's blockchain-based ledger, demonstrating interoperability between their tokenized deposit systems.
Stripe has confirmed its acquisition of AI model router OpenRouter for $7.5 billion, significantly scaling up from OpenRouter's $1.3 billion valuation in May. The strategic move positions Stripe in the emerging market of AI token expense management.
The European Central Bank is planning its first complete visual overhaul of euro banknotes, introducing recognizable imagery like European culture or nature. A public survey will decide the final design, with introduction expected around 2029.
Coinbase's Base network is narrowing its $1 million startup accelerator to 10 teams for Base Batches 004, offering $100,000 upfront to pre-seed startups focusing on AI agents, payments, and trading.
Fintech giant Stripe plans to acquire AI startup OpenRouter in a deal reportedly valued at about $7.5 billion, expanding Stripe's footprint into the artificial intelligence model market and token cost optimization.
MoonPay has integrated Cash App Pay, enabling eligible US users to purchase cryptocurrencies directly via their Cash App balances. The feature is available on MoonPay's checkout and partner platforms like MetaMask and Uniswap, expanding access beyond Cash App's native Bitcoin support.
Two-thirds of UK adults now use mobile payment services, according to UK Finance. While digital wallet adoption grows, particularly among younger demographics, cash remains a vital budgeting tool for millions, with usage expected to persist through 2035.
Kraken's payment app, Krak, has introduced a multi-asset debit card in the US, enabling users to spend crypto and fiat with up to 2% cashback. The card, issued by Lead Bank, supports over 600 assets and marks a broader push by parent company Payward into financial services.
Toyota Finance has introduced a 1 billion yen tokenized bond accessible via the Toyota Wallet app. The one-year instrument offers a 1.72% annual interest rate and includes non-monetary investor benefits, bypassing traditional securities accounts.
TikTok is reportedly developing a peer-to-peer payment feature for direct messages, leveraging its existing TikTok Pay infrastructure. Code discovered in the app suggests functionality similar to Venmo, though the company states it is not currently being tested.
India's balance of payments is expected to hit a USD 50 billion surplus in FY27, supported by strong foreign inflows and the RBI's FCNR(B) scheme. SBI Research anticipates improved external liquidity and a potential appreciation of the rupee.
South Korea's Jeonbuk Bank has partnered with Ripple to use its Ripple Payments platform for fast, round-the-clock cross-border business transfers, bypassing traditional SWIFT networks.
Reform UK's plans to slash £50bn from the UK benefits bill through disability cuts, non-citizen bans, and workfare would plunge hundreds of thousands into poverty, campaigners and leaked government analysis warn.
Former civil service head Chris Wormald received a record payout around £500,000 when replaced by Antonia Romeo after 14 months, requiring a ministerial direction from Keir Starmer to approve the settlement.
Ethereum developers have launched Platåberget, a public testnet for the upcoming Glamsterdam upgrade now targeted for Q4 2026, while narrowing down 66 proposals for the subsequent Hegotá upgrade eyeing 2027.
Indian immigrants in the US often buy homes quickly due to favorable mortgage terms, including low down payments (10-15%) and 30-year fixed-rate loans, making monthly mortgage payments comparable to rent.
Reform UK has announced plans to cut £50bn from the welfare bill, scrap Personal Independence Payments, and introduce a new Health Security Allowance if it enters government.
Reform UK plans to cut £50bn from benefits, scrapping Personal Independent Payments (PIP) for working-age individuals and replacing it with a Health Security Allowance for severe cases, affecting nearly 3 million people.
