Coinbase, Visa, Mastercard, Shopify, and Stripe became founding partners of Open Standard, each receiving equal initial equity stakes. The five companies committed to investing over $1 billion to establish liquidity for OUSD, with plans to expand the founding partner group to 10-12 members and integrate with over 200 partners.
Bitcoin futures open interest exceeded $50 billion for the first time this year, signaling market recovery rather than excessive leverage according to Anchorage Digital's research director. The analysis highlights the $60 billion options market, liquidity metrics, and how institutional players like ETFs and treasury companies are reshaping Bitcoin price discovery.
Paul Chowles, a former UK National Crime Agency officer, was ordered to repay £1.81 million after stealing 50 bitcoins during a Silk Road 2 investigation in 2017. The confiscation amount reflects the cryptocurrency's appreciation since the theft, with 30 of the 50 bitcoins recovered through forensic tracing by police and blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis.
The Trump administration's sweeping global tariffs on 86 countries, imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act, face a federal court challenge in Manhattan from small businesses and Democratic-led states who argue the forced-labor justification is a pretext to reinstate tariffs previously struck down by the Supreme Court.
The CFTC submitted two rules to the White House for review that would define event contracts as swaps and exclude them from gambling regulations, countering state legal challenges against prediction market platforms like Kalshi. The moves aim to establish federal regulatory authority over prediction markets amid conflicting federal court rulings on whether such contracts constitute swaps or fall under state gambling laws.
Singapore's cryptocurrency economy grew 55.4% to $284 billion in the year through June 2026, reclaiming its position as the largest crypto economy in Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. The growth was driven primarily by institutional platforms, which surged 94% to $60 billion, while the broader region's crypto economy contracted 6.8%. Singapore is simultaneously tightening regulations while promoting tokenization and stablecoins through initiatives like the MAS's BLOOM program.
The Trump administration launched a Default Loans Support Center to assist the 9.3 million federal student loan borrowers currently in default, a 50% increase since 2016. The online portal aims to help defaulted borrowers access information and repayment options as defaults surge following the end of Covid-era payment pauses and termination of the Biden administration's SAVE plan.
US core PCE annual inflation for August fell to 3%, below the 3.3% forecast and marking a six-month low, while the monthly rate came in at 0.2% versus expectations of 0.30%. The softer-than-expected data triggered a brief rally in precious metals, with gold rising over $10 to $4,205 per ounce and silver gaining $0.36 to $61.36.
The SEC proposed reforms to expand retail investor access to private markets, including allowing investment advisers to charge performance fees up to 20% and broadening the definition of accredited investors to include more professionals with credentials like CPAs and CFAs.
Bitget CEO Gracy Chen announced the cryptocurrency exchange is gradually resuming normal operations following a $388 million security breach, with the company's Protection Fund reaching $309 million to cover user losses. Withdrawals for all tokens are set to resume Friday, and the company has launched a bounty program while investigating potential responsibility, including the possibility of an inside job or North Korean hackers.
OpenAI launched Dots, a personal AI agent, following Meta's release of Muse, intensifying competition in the AI assistant market. Major tech companies including Google and Apple are also entering the space with similar offerings, while startups like Instinct and Town have attracted significant venture funding. The market convergence raises questions about user adoption and whether consumers will pay for these services.
Chinese researchers published a computer simulation suggesting a missile-borne single-photon lidar system could detect an F-35 stealth fighter at up to 61.5km at night, though skeptics question its practical effectiveness in real combat conditions. The theoretical model, developed by the China Airborne Missile Academy, uses reflected laser light rather than radar to potentially extend engagement distances into beyond-visual-range combat.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise raised its long-term networking revenue growth forecast to high teens annually through fiscal 2029, driven by AI demand. The company announced a $1.2 billion order from cloud provider Vultr for AMD server racks with HPE networking switches, and increased cost-saving targets from its Juniper Networks acquisition to $800 million annually.
Suspected North Korean attackers are transferring approximately 2,700 ZEC (worth $3.8 million) stolen from Bitget to Zcash's privacy pool to obscure the funds. The broader security incident involved roughly $388 million in stolen assets, including approximately 18,900 ZEC worth $28.3 million, with Bitget's CEO expressing pessimism about recovery prospects.
Nearly 100,000 Bee Cheng Hiang customers' email addresses were exposed in April after an employee used an AI tool to generate a flawed Python script for marketing emails, marking Singapore's first AI-related data breach. The Personal Data Protection Commission attributed the breach to human error in the prompt and inadequate testing, not a malfunction in the AI tool itself. The company took corrective actions and implemented new verification procedures.
The Senate is expected to vote on two bills before election recess: one to regulate data center utility costs and another to ban stock trading by members of Congress. Democrats oppose both measures, calling them messaging bills with insufficient protections, and neither is likely to pass the 60-vote filibuster threshold.
African leaders broke ground on a $16 billion oil refinery in Kenya's Lamu coastal town, expected to process 700,000 barrels daily and be completed in 40 months. Led by Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote, the project includes a power plant, plastic factory, and chemical manufacturing to enhance regional energy security. The refinery faces opposition from environmental groups concerned about impacts on a UNESCO World Heritage Site and marine ecosystem, with local residents pursuing a land rights case.
Drift Foundation reported recovering $9.2 million from a $295.4 million security breach on April 1, with 107,165 ETH still held in dormant wallets. Mandiant identified North Korean group UNC6862 as responsible, and the foundation launched a 10% bounty program with Bybit to recover additional stolen assets.
Swift's blockchain-based ledger has launched and is being used by major financial institutions, with at least 19 banks expected to join by year-end. The system enables 24/7 payments through tokenized deposits across five major currencies.
President Trump will announce South Korea's $200 billion U.S. energy investment plan, including 8 nuclear power plants, a Texas power facility, and participation in an Alaska LNG export project. This represents the first tranche of South Korea's $350 billion commitment under last year's bilateral trade agreement framework.