Augustus, a startup building a federally chartered clearing bank for stablecoins and programmable money, raised $180 million in a Series B round, valuing the company at $1 billion. The funding, led by Tiger Global, follows its conditional approval for a U.S. national bank charter.
The Model Context Protocol (MCP), a key component for AI interoperability, is set to receive a significant update next week. This change, particularly in how session IDs are handled, aims to make it easier and cheaper for AI agents to connect securely to external data sources and services at scale, addressing current infrastructure challenges.
An Indian man in Australia highlights the stark contrast in how skilled trades like plumbing and carpentry are perceived and compensated in Australia versus India. He notes high earnings and societal respect for tradespeople in Australia, challenging the traditional Indian view that these are careers for those who underperform academically.
A report criticizes President Trump's $13.1 million project to renovate the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, stating it fails to address the underlying plumbing issues that cause leaks and stagnant water, potentially leading to algae growth. Critics argue the project is a "budget-buster" that won't solve the core problem.
Brazil's B3 exchange has launched the first guaranteed OTC flexible option tied to a crypto ETF (HASH11), integrating crypto-linked assets into regulated clearing and settlement infrastructure. This move mirrors Brazil's rapid adoption of financial innovations like Pix and positions it ahead of the US in tokenized asset integration.
Israel approved a shekel-pegged stablecoin while Pakistan reopened bank access for licensed crypto firms, marking a shift from US ETF-driven adoption to testing whether digital assets can integrate with local money, bank accounts, and payment systems. The moves represent a new adoption layer focused on financial infrastructure rather than investment exposure.
Visa announced on April 29 that its stablecoin settlement pilot now supports nine blockchains following the addition of Arc, Base, Canton, Polygon and Tempo. The annualized settlement run rate reached $7 billion, up 50% from the prior quarter, representing a significant milestone as stablecoins enter the settlement layer that moves value between issuers, acquirers, banks and treasury systems after transaction authorization.
Yellowstone is the world’s largest active volcanic system – its eruptions are hundreds of times more powerful than Vesuvius’ blast and its ash could blanket half the US. Yet, for decades, scientists could not agree on what drove its underground magma system. A new finding detailed by Chinese researchers could settle the dispute. They declared that Yellowstone’s magma channels were not blasted open by magma forcing its way upwards. Instead, tectonic forces tore the lithosphere apart first and...
