The latest in digital assets, markets and regulation.
Bitcoin held above $78,000 as renewed US-Iran hostilities pressured equities and lifted crude oil. The cryptocurrency remained on course for its strongest month since 2017 despite a more hawkish Federal Reserve backdrop.
Cathie Wood's Ark Invest purchased a combined $37 million of Bitcoin exposure and shares in Block. The transactions increased the investment manager's exposure to both the digital asset and a public company active in financial technology.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed modernizing transfer-agent rules that have remained largely unchanged since the 1980s. The proposal addresses blockchain-based records, tokenized securities and increasingly automated market infrastructure.
Sony is seeking arbitration in a California class action challenging the use of 'Buy Now' labels for digital games. The PlayStation maker's position raises a wider question about whether customers own digital purchases or merely receive revocable access.
Actor Gal Gadot has defended the use of artificial intelligence in a film project centered on Bitcoin. Her response adds to the wider debate over how generative tools are being introduced into creative production.
A group of 21 financial institutions, including Bank of America, Citi and Goldman Sachs, is planning a stablecoin venture. The project is expected to begin with a US dollar token before considering other G7 currencies, with a euro-denominated product next.
Bitmine bought $131 million of Ether, its largest acquisition since June. The purchase lifted its reported holdings to 5.9 million ETH, equivalent to about 4.9% of supply.
Strategy has returned to buying Bitcoin, continuing the corporate treasury approach associated with executive chairman Michael Saylor. The latest purchase adds to a balance-sheet strategy that gives shareholders concentrated exposure to the digital asset.
Ethena has launched a self-custodial application that brings USDe into everyday payments, savings and cross-border transfers across 48 countries. The product advertises annualized rewards of up to 6%.
South Korea plans to offer citizens free access to AI services with unlimited tokens. Three consortia will operate the program using as many as 512 state-supplied Nvidia B200 chips, with beta testing scheduled for September.
Michael Saylor has urged MSCI to withdraw a rule he describes as discriminatory toward Strategy. The disputed approach could affect whether the Bitcoin-focused treasury company remains eligible for inclusion in widely followed market indexes.
Ripple is among the blockchain companies entering strategic partnerships to develop custody and tokenized-asset management services for institutional participants in Asia. Coincheck is also connected to the latest round of regional infrastructure activity.