PayPay-Binance Japan Partnership Strengthens Crypto Accessibility and Cashless Finance in Japan In a major move signaling Japan’s accelerating shift toward digital finance, SoftBank’s mobile payment arm, PayPay, has acquired a 40% equity stake in Binance Japan, the local subsidiary of global cryptocurrency exchange Binance. The strategic deal, finalized in September 2025, makes Binance Japan an equity-method affiliate of PayPay, underscoring the deepening relationship between Japan’s fintech and cryptocurrency sectors. Launched by SoftBank in 2018, PayPay surpassed 70 million users in July 2025, solidifying its dominance in Japan’s mobile payments market. The company processed over 380 million remittances in 2024, marking…
Author: Blockto Team
The global banking giant strengthens its foothold in digital payments as institutional interest in stablecoin infrastructure surges. Citigroup’s venture capital arm, Citi Ventures, has made a strategic investment in London-based stablecoin firm BVNK, signaling Wall Street’s growing commitment to blockchain-powered payment systems. The move highlights a clear trend among major financial institutions aiming to integrate stablecoins into traditional banking operations. Experts note that U.S. banks are rapidly aligning with blockchain technology, viewing it as a core component of the next generation of financial infrastructure.“Banks at the scale of Citi are investing early to ensure they lead this technological shift in…
Bitwise sets aggressive tone in the Solana ETF race, introducing staking and the lowest management fee among major issuers. Bitwise Takes Bold Step with Low-Fee Solana ETF Asset manager Bitwise has turned heads after amending its Solana ETF filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to include staking and an annual management fee of just 0.20%. The move positions Bitwise as one of the most competitive players in the fast-emerging Solana ETF market. Solana’s price has risen 6.11% over the past 30 days, trading around $227 at publication. Analysts expect continued institutional interest if staking ETFs gain approval.…
Uganda introduces a blockchain-based digital shilling backed by treasury bonds, while Kenya’s Virtual Asset Bill awaits presidential approval — signaling Africa’s accelerating embrace of digital finance. Africa’s Growing Digital Currency Momentum Uganda has officially launched a central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot, marking a significant step in the country’s digital transformation. The project, developed by the Global Settlement Network (GSN) in partnership with the Diacente Group, aims to tokenize $5.5 billion in real-world assets, including infrastructure, mining, and renewable energy projects. The digital Ugandan shilling operates on a permissioned blockchain and is backed by Ugandan treasury bonds, ensuring stability and…
Experts say Bitcoin remains far from overbought as ETF inflows expected to hit record levels Bitcoin continues to show strong upward momentum despite reaching fresh highs this week, with analysts suggesting the leading cryptocurrency still has room to run. Market data indicates that BTC remains far from overbought territory, signaling potential for continued gains into the fourth quarter. According to market research platform CryptoQuant, Bitcoin’s recent rally to above $126,000 marks only the midpoint of its current four-year cycle. “Technical indicators suggest the price is still within a stable range, far from the overbought conditions that typically precede major peaks,”…
The BitMEX co-founder argues that Bitcoin’s bull and bear markets are no longer driven by halving events, but by global liquidity and central bank decisions from the U.S. and China. Bitcoin’s Traditional Cycle Faces Its Breaking Point According to BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes, the long-accepted four-year Bitcoin cycle — tied to halving events — has officially run its course. In his latest analysis, Hayes asserts that this cycle’s mechanics have fundamentally shifted due to changes in global monetary policy, not timing or supply reductions. He argues that Bitcoin’s price movements are dictated by liquidity — the supply and cost of…
NEAR consolidates after a strong rebound, traders eye breakout above $3.50 NEAR Protocol (NEAR) is showing signs of hesitation near a crucial resistance area as price action stalls below $3.20, following a multi-week rally from its September lows. The token is now trading around $2.88, down nearly 3% on the day, as buyers attempt to maintain control above the $2.60–$2.80 support band. The daily chart reveals that NEAR has been moving inside a broad consolidation range since late May, oscillating between the green accumulation zone around $2.50 and the supply zone near $3.50. This pattern follows a prolonged downtrend that…
New Stablecoin to Power Jupiter’s Expanding DeFi Ecosystem Jupiter, the leading decentralized exchange (DEX) aggregator on Solana, has unveiled plans to launch a new Solana-based stablecoin named JupUSD in partnership with Ethena Labs. The token is expected to go live in mid–Q4 2025 and will serve as the core liquidity asset across Jupiter’s growing decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem. According to Jupiter’s announcement, JupUSD will be fully collateralized by Ethena’s USDtb, a stable token backed by short-term U.S. Treasury assets. Over time, the firm also plans to integrate Ethena’s synthetic dollar, USDe, to enhance yield optimization and diversify collateral composition. Integration…
Integration to Expand Wallet’s Capabilities Beyond Trading, Tapping Into the Booming Prediction Market Sector MetaMask, one of the world’s most popular crypto wallets, is set to integrate with Polymarket, allowing users to bet on real-world events ranging from politics to sports and corporate earnings. The partnership is expected to launch later this year, marking a major step in MetaMask’s push to become a comprehensive decentralized finance (DeFi) gateway. The collaboration will make all of Polymarket’s prediction markets directly accessible through MetaMask’s interface. Users will be able to buy and sell shares reflecting the likelihood of outcomes — such as who…
XLM shows signs of renewed buying after testing key support near $0.36 Stellar (XLM) has rebounded strongly from its recent lows, posting a sharp recovery after revisiting the critical demand zone around $0.36. The move comes amid growing institutional activity in the digital payments sector, driving renewed optimism around Stellar’s cross-border transaction utility. The XLM/USDT chart indicates that the token successfully defended its green support region between $0.34 and $0.36, a level that has historically attracted long-term buyers. Following a brief period of consolidation, XLM climbed toward $0.39, suggesting that short-term momentum is shifting in favor of bulls. The rebound…