Author: Tristan Lodenberg

Travis Hill, chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, said a newly passed US stablecoin law would not give the agency authority to insure deposits tied to stablecoins. His comments were prepared for remarks at the American Bankers Association Washington Summit. According to Hill, the stablecoin payments legislation known as the GENIUS Act does not allow the FDIC to guarantee stablecoin deposits once the framework is fully implemented. Stablecoin issuers would also be prohibited from claiming that their digital assets are insured by the FDIC. Proposed Ban on Pass-Through Insurance for Stablecoins Hill explained that regulators are also considering rules…

Metaplanet has launched a new venture capital arm aimed at strengthening the Bitcoin ecosystem in Japan. The firm, called Metaplanet Ventures, will focus on funding and supporting companies developing regulated Bitcoin based financial infrastructure in the country. The initiative reflects the company’s broader strategy to position Japan as a stronger participant in the global digital asset economy. According to the announcement, the venture firm will concentrate on projects that contribute to payments, lending systems and other financial tools built around Bitcoin technology. Investment Programs Focus on Startups and Developers Metaplanet Ventures will operate through three core programs: investment, incubation and…

Binance.US has appointed Stephen Gregory as its new chief executive officer as the cryptocurrency exchange aims to expand operations in the United States. Gregory previously served as CEO of Currency.com and brings experience in digital asset regulation and compliance. The leadership transition comes as Binance.US seeks to strengthen its presence in what many consider the most lucrative market for digital assets. Gregory replaces interim CEO Norman Reed, who stepped into the role during a period of regulatory challenges for the exchange. Compliance Background and Industry Experience According to the company, Gregory is a legal professional who has developed expertise in…

Ripple Labs is reportedly preparing a share buyback program worth up to $750 million, allowing investors and employees to sell their holdings through a tender offer expected to run until April. The move could value the company at approximately $50 billion, marking a 25% increase compared with the valuation assigned during a $500 million funding round completed in November 2025. At the time of that fundraising, Ripple president Monica Long indicated that the company had no immediate plans to pursue a public listing. Expansion Beyond Crypto Services The reported buyback follows a series of strategic expansions beyond the traditional cryptocurrency…

Revolut has officially launched a banking operation in the United Kingdom after receiving authorization from the Prudential Regulation Authority. The approval allows the financial technology company to operate as a fully licensed bank in the country. The newly established Revolut Bank UK will initially offer deposit accounts for both individuals and businesses. Eligible deposits of up to 120,000 British pounds are protected under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, providing a safeguard similar to deposit insurance systems used in other financial markets. Existing Revolut users in the UK will gradually be migrated to the new banking accounts over the coming months…

Mastercard has introduced a global crypto partner program that brings together more than 85 companies from the digital asset and payments sectors to explore blockchain based payment and settlement infrastructure. The initiative aims to connect cryptocurrency companies, financial institutions and payment providers as digital assets gain a stronger role in cross border transfers and financial services. Participants in the program include major industry firms such as Binance, Circle, Gemini, Paxos, Ripple and PayPal. Blockchain networks and infrastructure providers including Polygon, Solana, Crypto.com, MoonPay, Fireblocks and the Canton Network are also involved. Focus on Blockchain Payments and Cross-Border Settlement The program…

CEA Industries faces renewed scrutiny as a lawsuit filed by investor Abraham Gomez alleges serious operational deficiencies at the Nasdaq-listed company. The complaint claims that during an office visit, the investor found the company lacked key executive leadership, operational staff, and even a functioning website. The dispute comes amid ongoing tensions between CEA Industries and YZi Labs, a crypto investment firm backed by Changpeng Zhao. YZi Labs argues the lawsuit reinforces long-standing concerns regarding the company’s governance, oversight by director Hans Thomas, and the asset management role of 10X Capital, which manages CEA’s digital asset treasury under a long-term agreement.…

Strive Asset Management has allocated $50 million of its corporate treasury to STRC, the variable-rate perpetual preferred stock issued by Strategy. The investment accounts for more than one-third of Strive’s treasury reserves, reflecting growing institutional interest in yield-generating instruments tied to Bitcoin-focused strategies. STRC allows companies to hold a liquid treasury asset with floating dividends rather than cash or money market funds. The Nasdaq traded preferred stock currently trades around $100, with a market capitalization of $3.85 billion and daily trading volume of $90.6 million. The variable dividend is set at approximately 11.5%. Strive joins other companies such as Prevalon…

Oracle shares jumped 11% in premarket trading following stronger-than-expected earnings, easing investor fears about potential disruption from generative AI and recent debt plans. Strong Revenue Growth Highlights AI Demand The company reported total revenue of $17.19 billion, up 18% year-over-year, surpassing analyst expectations of $16.92 billion. Cloud revenue led the growth, rising 41%, while cloud infrastructure sales surged 81%, reflecting robust demand for AI related solutions. Executives addressed concerns over a so-called “SaaS apocalypse,” emphasizing that generative AI will enhance, rather than replace, mission-critical software. Customers increasingly seek AI agents embedded directly into existing systems, reinforcing the value of established…

The x402 protocol, supported by Coinbase and other partners, seeks to create an “agentic payments” system where AI agents can pay each other automatically using stablecoins embedded in the internet’s communication layer. The initiative aims to address micropayment challenges that traditional payment networks cannot efficiently handle. Early Adoption and Daily Volume Despite an ecosystem valuation of roughly $7 billion, onchain activity shows that x402 currently processes only about $28,000 in daily volume, with an average transaction around $0.20. Analysts note that much of this activity reflects testing, self-dealing, and wash trading, rather than genuine commerce. The network has seen occasional…