Stablecoins are increasingly impacting global financial markets, influencing Treasury bill yields and dollar funding. The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) notes that significant stablecoin inflows can move yields, highlighting their growing role beyond crypto.
Ripple and SBI have launched RLUSD, a regulated dollar stablecoin, in Japan following JFSA approval. Available to institutional and retail users via SBI VC Trade, RLUSD is classified as an electronic payment instrument for foreign-issued stablecoins. This launch marks Ripple's first regulated dollar stablecoin in Japan, a key market.
Billionaire investor Leon Black testified before the House Oversight Committee regarding $158 million in payments to Jeffrey Epstein. Black claimed ignorance of Epstein's "nefarious activity" and stated payments were for legitimate services, while denying abuse or sex trafficking.
The UK's Sovereign Grant for the monarchy will be £99.9m next year, a reduction from £138m, using 'charm pricing' tactics. King Charles and Prince William have disclosed personal tax payments, signaling increased transparency amid public scrutiny over royal spending and Prince Andrew's scandals.
Oobit has integrated its app with Brazil's Pix payment system, allowing users to spend supported crypto and stablecoins like USDT via a familiar domestic rail. This initiative aims to test if stablecoins can achieve daily payment adoption by leveraging existing user habits, with recipients receiving local currency.
King Charles becomes the first reigning monarch to publicly disclose his personal tax bill, paying £12.9 million in income and capital gains tax for 2024-25. Royal public funding is set to rise to nearly £100 million annually.
Buckingham Palace revealed King Charles III paid £12.9 million in tax for 2024-25, and Prince William also disclosed his tax, marking a historic break from royal financial secrecy amid calls for greater transparency and modernization.
Malaysia is seeking €226 million from Norway for direct losses and additional costs after Norway abruptly withdrew export licenses for Naval Strike Missiles, citing a new policy on defense exports. The 2018 deal with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace was cancelled, provoking a furious response from Malaysian leaders.
Global payments company Airwallex secured $320 million in Series H funding, boosting its valuation to $11 billion. The fintech firm, led by Addition, plans to accelerate AI product development for autonomous finance and agentic commerce, expand its regulatory reach, and grow teams, despite facing scrutiny over its China ties.
Uzbekistan is experiencing a rapid increase in digital payments, with 71.17% of consumers expected to use them by 2025, up from 39% in 2021. This growth, driven by policy and technology, is transforming the financial sector, expanding access to banking services, and influencing areas like lending and investment, despite ongoing challenges in infrastructure and regulation.
King Charles and Prince William have voluntarily disclosed their tax payments for 2024-2025, totaling £12.9m and £7.76m respectively. This move aims to increase transparency and understanding of the monarchy's finances. The Sovereign Grant will also rise to nearly £100m annually by 2027-28.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will not move into Buckingham Palace after its £369m renovation, preferring Clarence House to increase public access. Royal finances reveal Charles paid £12.9m in tax, and the sovereign grant will nearly double to £99.9m by 2027-28, sparking transparency concerns.
Chainlink's Project Pangea is testing the use of compliant EUR and KRW stablecoins for T+0 international FX settlement, aiming to reduce settlement risk and free up capital for banks by enabling same-day trade completion and fund exchange.
Google will permit developers to offer alternative payment systems and reduce its transaction fees in the US, UK, and Europe starting June 30, following a settlement with Epic Games. The new billing choice program will expand globally by September 2027.
A new federal law requires states with high SNAP payment error rates to cover a share of benefits starting in October 2027. States with error rates between 6% and 15% could face millions in new costs, potentially impacting public services or leading to tighter eligibility rules.
Decentralized finance platform Abracadabra initiated emergency measures, including increasing interest rates across its Cauldrons, after its crypto-collateralized stablecoin, Magic Internet Money (MIM), fell 50% below its $1 peg to 49 cents.
The Brisbane Broncos have issued a warning to fans about a scam falsely offering mascot audition opportunities in exchange for payment, stressing the activity is not affiliated with the club. Queensland Police are aware, and victims are encouraged to report it via ReportCyber.
Dozens of US states may owe millions in food aid costs due to high error rates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Nine states with low error rates are exempt from new cost-sharing requirements, while others have until October 2027 to reduce errors or face budget cuts, potential program withdrawal, or tighter eligibility.
Google is rolling out significant changes to its Play Store, including lower developer fees and new payment options, as part of a global settlement with Epic Games. The updates, starting June 30 in select markets, will eventually expand worldwide, allowing developers more revenue and payment flexibility.
Stablecore, in collaboration with Circuit and Curql, launched an early-access program for US credit unions to evaluate stablecoins and other blockchain-based financial services. The initiative allows participants to test digital asset services before integration, building on Stablecore's efforts to bring these services to US financial institutions.
The European Commission unveiled a tax simplification package expected to save EU businesses €8 billion annually by reducing red tape and simplifying cross-border payments. The proposals aim to boost investment, enhance competitiveness, and potentially increase EU GDP by 0.2% per year.
A power outage affecting Worldpay, a major payment processing platform, caused widespread disruption to card payments in UK supermarkets and pubs on Tuesday. Customers reported issues with contactless payments and long queues at ATMs, with some venues only accepting cash.
The Russian Finance Ministry has fulfilled its Eurobond coupon payment obligations for bonds maturing in 2027 and 2047, totaling 17.3 billion rubles ($234.8 million). Payments were processed according to a decree on honoring state debt liabilities.
The European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee has approved the digital euro, a central bank-issued digital currency, to reduce the EU's reliance on US-controlled payment systems like Visa and Mastercard, which dominate 61% of euro area card payments.
