Author: John Smith

Mastercard has completed its acquisition of stablecoin infrastructure provider BVNK, bringing on-chain payment technology into its global network. Summary Mastercard finalized the up to $1.8 billion acquisition first announced in March. BVNK connects fiat and blockchain networks for payments, settlement, payouts, and treasury flows. The deal expands Mastercard’s ability to support stablecoins and tokenized assets alongside traditional currencies. Mastercard is also backing Open USD and developing stablecoin payments for autonomous AI agents. Mastercard closes deal for BVNK Mastercard confirmed on Aug. 3 that it had completed the acquisition of BVNK, expanding its infrastructure for moving value between fiat currencies and…

FalconX has reportedly cut about 10% of its global workforce as the digital asset prime broker prepares for an extended cryptocurrency market downturn. Summary FalconX reduced its global workforce by roughly 10%, affecting an estimated 35 positions. The company plans to withdraw its Singapore license application and prioritize crypto derivatives. FalconX will maintain its Asian presence while directing more resources toward European expansion. The layoffs follow recent workforce cuts at Luno, Pump.fun and other crypto companies. FalconX layoffs affect about 10% of staff FalconX implemented the workforce reduction across its global operations, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing people familiar with the…

A former FBI supervisory agent allegedly stole about $1 million in cryptocurrency, mixed it with personal funds, and asked ChatGPT how to use the money and relocate to Europe. Summary Patrick Yaroch allegedly made about a dozen crypto transfers beginning in late 2024 or early 2025. Investigators said he used ChatGPT to explore investing $1 million and moving to Portugal. Yaroch allegedly booked a Sept. 3 flight to Portugal before his arrest. The FBI dismissed Yaroch on July 31, one day before the affidavit was filed. FBI agent allegedly transferred crypto using discovered keys Federal authorities arrested Yaroch on Friday…

President Donald Trump called on ExxonMobil and Chevron to cut US fuel prices after the oil majors earned roughly $26.5 billion combined during the second quarter. Summary ExxonMobil earned $14.5 billion, more than double its profit from the same quarter last year. Chevron posted $12.1 billion in earnings, nearly five times its year-ago result. Trump said the companies were making “too much money” from an oil shortage. US gasoline prices have risen more than 30% since the Iran war began. Trump demands lower fuel prices Trump criticized ExxonMobil and Chevron at the White House on Monday, arguing that supply pressure…

Kenya has anchored more than 15 million academic records to the Avalanche C-Chain as it replaces slow, paper-based certificate checks with a national electronic verification system. Summary Kenya has anchored over 15 million records dating to 1989 on Avalanche. Nearly 1 million 2025 KCSE certificates are available exclusively through the electronic platform. KNEC expects the system to eventually cover about 35 million verifiable records. The platform cuts some certificate checks from months to seconds, according to Ava Labs. Kenya moves academic verification onto Avalanche The Kenya National Examinations Council launched the system through a local technology provider, according to an…

Circle has acquired nearly 1,000 blockchain patents from IBM, giving the USDC issuer what it describes as the largest blockchain patent portfolio in the United States. Summary Circle acquired nearly 1,000 issued patents spanning more than 680 patent families. The portfolio covers blockchain, banking, insurance, cloud security, and enterprise infrastructure. Circle has not disclosed the purchase price or explained whether it could enforce the patents against competitors. CRCL initially gained about 2%, but later fell after Morgan Stanley cut its target to $38. Circle takes control of IBM’s blockchain portfolio Circle announced the acquisition on July 27, saying it had…

Bitmine Immersion Technologies added 10,399 ETH to its treasury and repurchased another 4.5 million shares, but BMNR stock fell toward $17 as investors weighed its mounting unrealized losses. Summary Bitmine acquired 10,399 ETH, lifting its holdings to 5,797,813 ETH. The company now controls about 4.8% of Ethereum’s total supply. Bitmine repurchased 4.5 million BMNR shares during its third consecutive week of buybacks. BMNR traded near $17.06, with technical indicators showing weak trend strength. Bitmine’s Ethereum holdings approach 5.8 million ETH Bitmine said it acquired another 10,399 ETH over the past week, continuing the accumulation strategy it adopted last year. The…

Solana price slipped below $73 on Aug. 3 as weak spot demand and sustained capital outflows raised the risk of a drop toward $70. Summary Solana price fell 1.47% to $72.55, placing the token near its daily lower Bollinger Band. The 4-hour chart shows SOL below all four tracked moving averages, with the 200-period SMA at $76.79. Chaikin Money Flow dropped to -0.17, indicating that selling pressure continued to outweigh buying demand. Liquidation liquidity is concentrated near $73.50–$74.50, making that zone the first major upside test. Solana price extends its decline below $73 According to data from crypto.news, Solana (SOL)…

Crypto and stock trading platform Robinhood has secured UK crypto registration ahead of the country’s new licensing framework. Summary Robinhood has secured FCA registration to offer cryptocurrency services in the United Kingdom. The approval comes before the UK’s new crypto regulatory framework begins rolling out in late 2027. Robinhood had previously said it planned to launch crypto services in the UK after reporting its second quarter results. The company joins more than 50 crypto firms already registered under the FCA’s anti money laundering regime. According to a recent announcement, Robinhood has received approval to offer cryptocurrency services in the United…

ZeroStack has warned its cash position may not support operations for another year. Summary ZeroStack has warned that substantial doubt exists about its ability to continue operating over the next year after reversing its earlier liquidity outlook. The company reported $2.6 million in cash while its 75.1 million 0G token treasury was valued about 91% below its acquisition cost as of June 30. ZeroStack said staking rewards and token sales remain its main funding sources, but management could not conclude those plans would remove the going concern risk. The latest filing comes months after CEO Daniel Reis Faria said regulatory…