Sapiom Raises $15M to Help AI Agents Buy Their Own Tech Tools
Sapiom, founded by former Shopify payments director Ilan Zerbib, announced a $15 million seed round led by Accel to build a financial layer that lets AI agents automatically purchase and authenticate external services. The platform aims to automate micro‑payments and credential management for vibe‑coding tools, turning each API call into a seamless transaction. Investors include Okta Ventures, Gradient Ventures, Array Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Anthropic and Coinbase Ventures. The startup targets enterprise‑focused AI agents, with a longer‑term vision of enabling consumer‑grade autonomous purchases.
Unpacking PayPal’s Missed Moment: 7 Takeaways
Former PayPal president David Marcus posted a candid post‑mortem outlining why the company’s silent turnaround lost steam. He argues that a shift from product‑led conviction to pure financial optimization eroded PayPal’s core checkout moat. The analysis distills seven actionable takeaways,...
BofA Insider Pleads Guilty to $8M Money-Laundering Scheme
Former Bank of America relationship manager Renat Abramov pleaded guilty to laundering more than $8 million for a transnational Medicare fraud ring. He deliberately sidestepped know‑your‑customer protocols to open accounts for shell medical‑equipment firms, allowing fraudulent Medicare reimbursements to be layered...
Robinhood and eToro Shares Sink for Eighth Day as Bitcoin Price Crashes to $63,500
Robinhood and eToro extended multi‑day selloffs as Bitcoin plunged to $63,500, its lowest level since October 2024. Robinhood closed at $75.67, down about 10% for the session and marking its eighth consecutive losing day. eToro slipped roughly 7% to $26.54,...
Mastercard and UAE Team to Counter Cyberthreats
Mastercard has entered a strategic cybersecurity partnership with the United Arab Emirates Cyber Security Council to develop forward‑looking policies and publish a joint report on the nation’s threat landscape. The report warns that malicious actors are increasingly targeting critical sectors...
Crypto Needs Clarity and Nonpartisan Regulation, Says Bessent
BESSENT says we can’t proceed without CLARITY Crypto should be non partisan but it’s not and I’m grateful for all the progress we’ve made this far. Hopefully the accredited investor law is tackled next. https://t.co/Hz1i9dqL1b
ICE Reports Strongest Mortgage Revenue in over 3 Years
Intercontinental Exchange’s mortgage‑technology unit reported its strongest quarterly revenue in over three years, reaching $532 million in Q4. Operating profit rose to $8 million, while full‑year profit flipped to $14 million after a $170 million loss the prior year. Transaction revenue jumped 20% year‑over‑year,...
WEX Sees Virtual Card and Accounts Payable Solutions Offset Flat Mobility
WEX Inc. reported fourth‑quarter revenue of $672.9 million, up 5.7% year over year, driven primarily by strong performance in its corporate payments division. Virtual‑card issuance and accounts‑payable solutions delivered a 17.9% revenue jump, while travel‑related payments surged over 30%. The mobility...
Bolt Picks Socure to Secure ID Verification Platform
Bolt, the checkout and payments platform, announced a partnership with identity‑verification specialist Socure. By embedding Socure’s RiskOS and its global Identity Graph into Bolt ID, the service gains predictive risk signals and compliance decisioning. The integration is designed to boost...
New York Attorney General Issues Warning on Risks of Unregulated Prediction Markets Ahead of Super Bowl
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a consumer alert warning that unregulated prediction‑market platforms lack the safeguards of licensed gambling operators, especially as the Super Bowl approaches. These markets allow real‑money wagers on sports and political events without oversight,...
Aptos-Based Perp DEX Merkle Trade Shutters Business
Merkle Trade, the leading Aptos perpetual futures DEX, announced it will wind down operations, disabling new positions on Feb 6 and closing all positions by Feb 10. The platform, which processed nearly $30 billion in cumulative volume, will redeem its MKL token without...
Everything to Know About Blockchain Influencer Crypto Rover
Crypto Rover has become a prominent crypto‑media personality by delivering daily, bite‑size market commentary on YouTube and X. His content centers on Bitcoin and Ethereum chart analysis, liquidity zones, and market psychology, presented in an approachable, trader‑like tone. Consistency across...
Best Software for Factoring: The Platforms That Make Funding Faster, Risk Tighter, and Back Office Cleaner
The episode breaks down the essential features of top factoring software platforms, highlighting how an all‑in‑one solution can curb revenue leakage, boost real‑time cash‑flow visibility, and automate the invoice lifecycle from submission to settlement. SOFT4Factoring is championed as the premier...
Rand Vs. Dollar: South Africa’s Bet on a New Stablecoin
The episode examines South Africa’s launch of ZARU, a rand‑pegged stablecoin built on Solana by a consortium including Luno, Sanlam, EasyEquities and Lesaka. It explains how ZARU is backed by domestic assets like government bonds and is currently limited to...
Weekend Tokenized Stock Trading Risks: Market Closed, News Moves
Trading tokenized equities on weekends is the real problem — the market’s closed, but the news isn’t. @evgenygaevoy explains why investors should be careful trading tokenized stocks https://t.co/yat7Pz1sEw
Is BTC Postage the Same as Using a Post Office?
The episode explains that "BTC postage" simply means paying for a standard shipping label with cryptocurrency via third‑party services like uspostage.io, while the actual mail handling remains unchanged. It highlights that the only difference is the payment method, which can...
Why Do Institutions Avoid Open Order Books When Trading Large Crypto Amounts?
Institutions trading large crypto blocks avoid public order books because visible orders instantly signal intent, prompting price moves and heightened market impact. Open books can thin quickly, causing slippage that erodes trade efficiency. To mitigate these risks, firms turn to...
Retail Banking Moves From Transactions to Relationship‑Focused Experiences
Retail banking is shifting from transactions to relationships. Institutions must get creative with video banking, mobile advisors, and advisory focused branches. Download the free report today: https://t.co/08DiNXh0DA https://t.co/zoyyvBHf0s
From 70 Hours to Minutes: Vestwell CEO Aaron Schumm on Simplifying and Automating Savings
In this episode, Vestwell CEO Aaron Schumm explains how America's savings system is broken, recounting his own frustrating experience setting up a 401(k) that sparked Vestwell's creation. He details how Vestwell has streamlined retirement plan setup from 40‑70 hours to...
U.S. Treasury's Bessent Calls Out Crypto 'Nihilists' Resisting Market Structure Bill
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned crypto firms opposing regulation to consider moving to El Salvador during a Senate Banking Committee hearing. He backed the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, arguing it is essential for the United States to maintain a...
Aster Layer-1 Blockchain Testnet Goes Live, Mainnet Rollout Targeted for Q1
Aster DEX has launched its layer‑1 testnet, with a full mainnet rollout targeted for the first quarter of 2026. The roadmap promises fiat on‑ramps, open‑source code for developers, and expanded ecosystem tools. Aster positions itself as a direct competitor to...
Washington State Credit Unions Buying Banks Face New Tax
Washington has imposed a 1.2% business and occupation tax on gross income from credit‑union acquisitions of banks, effective for deals submitted after Jan. 1, 2026. The levy applies only to Washington‑chartered credit unions, exempting out‑of‑state entities and pre‑2026 filings. The move follows...
Bitcoin Price Plummets Further. Is Crypto Crashing?
Bitcoin slipped below $68,000 on Thursday, marking its lowest level since November 2024 and erasing more than a year of gains, while institutional investors have turned net sellers, according to CryptoQuant. The broader crypto market followed suit, with Ether and Solana...
Top 7 Companies Leading the Future of Data Mining in 2026
The article outlines the top seven firms driving data‑mining services in 2026, highlighting OBI Services, IBM, Accenture, SAS Institute, Oracle, TCS, and Cognizant. It cites MarketsandMarkets’ forecast that the global market will reach $1.5 billion by 2027, growing over 11 % annually....
Gemini to Exit U.K., EU and Australia, Reduce Staff by 25%, and Focus on U.S. and Prediction Markets
Gemini Space Station Inc. announced it will cease operations in the United Kingdom, the European Union and Australia, placing regional accounts into withdrawal mode by early March and fully closing them by April 2026. The crypto exchange is cutting its...
Huntington Hires BNY Alum as Next Risk Chief
Huntington Bancshares announced that former BNY Mellon chief risk officer Senthil Kumar will assume the role of chief risk officer on February 16, as the lender transitions to a Category III bank after its $279 billion Cadence acquisition. The move follows the...
VestoFX – Risk vs Reward in Stock CFDs
VestoFX.net outlines how stock contracts for difference (CFDs) let traders mirror share price movements without owning the underlying assets, using leverage to amplify exposure. The platform highlights both the potential for profit in rising and falling markets and the heightened...
Industrial Loan Charters Emerge as Go-To Path for De Novo Banking
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent highlighted the shortage of de novo banks, urging regulatory tailoring to revive community banking. Industrial loan companies (ILCs) are emerging as a favored route for fintechs, manufacturers, and payments firms to create FDIC‑insured banks without traditional holding...
ChainsLama: Maximum Efficiency with Continuous Innovation
ChainsLama is positioning itself as a high‑efficiency broker by continuously upgrading its trading platform, expanding its asset roster, and enhancing analytical tools. Recent updates improve system stability, speed, and security, giving traders a smoother, safer experience. The firm’s broadened offering...
The Future of GRC Demands Human Judgment as Much as AI: Brent Cole on Mitratech’s Expert-Led Approach to Risk and...
Governance, risk and compliance (GRC) is evolving rapidly as regulations grow more complex and AI reshapes operations. Brent Cole, CEO of Mitratech’s GRC division, argues that effective programs now require a blend of sophisticated platforms and seasoned practitioner judgment. Mitratech’s...
Sovcombank Says It's the First Russian Bank to Offer Bitcoin-Backed Loans to Public
Russia's ninth‑largest bank, Sovcombank, announced it will be the first Russian financial institution to publicly offer bitcoin‑backed loans to individuals and corporations that legally own digital assets. The product follows a pilot by state‑owned Sberbank, which earlier issued a similar...
Predict the Big Game, Win Share of $1M Bitcoin
Try out prediction markets in the Coinbase app. If you make 5 correct predictions for the big game, you can win a share of $1m in Bitcoin.
Solana Foundation's Liu: Focus on Finance, Not Gaming 'Misadventures'
Solana Foundation President Lily Liu told X that blockchains belong in finance, not gaming, dismissing years of consumer‑focused hype. She argued that merely porting apps onto a chain does not create value; true adoption requires new financial markets. Liu will...
Bitcoin Craters. How Low Can It Go?
Bitcoin slipped to roughly $67,000, its lowest level since October 2024, reigniting fears of a deeper correction. Analysts such as Nic Puckrin and Ruslan Lienkha point to massive whale sell‑offs and leveraged positions as the primary drivers of the decline,...
Gold Volatility Shock Highlights DeFi's Permissionless Markets
I didn’t expect a gold volatility shock to become a DeFi use case. But Hyperliquid showed why traders care about permissionless, always-on markets. https://t.co/7d14E7b5J5
Arizona Mulls Card Rate Cap
Arizona State Senator David Gowan introduced a bill that would cap credit‑card interest rates at 15%, limit late fees to $10, and ban merchant surcharges, applying retroactively to the previous year. The proposal cleared Senate Finance and Rules Committees and...
AI's Uneven Impact Redefines Insurance Profit Landscape
AI is reshaping insurance faster than many investors expect. Some subsectors will gain efficiency and pricing power, others will see margins compress. The opportunity isn’t broad based. It’s uneven, structural, and already starting to show. https://t.co/Ztfi3YhuJX @mckinsey
Aave Delegate Platform Proposes Pausing Three L2 Deployments Citing Weak Revenue
Aave's governance delegation platform has proposed pausing its V3 deployments on three underused Layer 2 networks—zkSync Era, Metis and Soneium—due to minimal user activity and revenue. The three chains together generated under $1,600 in fees over the past 30 days, while...
Valon Technologies, Figure Partner to Enhance Loan Origination by Harnessing AI, Blockchain Tech
Valon Technologies and Figure Technology Solutions have deepened their partnership to integrate AI and blockchain across loan origination and servicing. Early A/B testing shows a 40% improvement in delinquency management, while Figure’s blockchain tools drove a 23.3‑fold increase in originations...
BofA Reworks Credit Cards to Fuel Ambitious Consumer Profit Plan
Bank of America is overhauling its credit‑card strategy to help hit a $20 billion consumer‑profit target by 2030. The bank will roll out higher cash‑back rates and new incentives for customers with larger balances, while deploying AI to personalize outreach, improve...
Bitcoin's Rising Leveraged Position Points to Continued Dip Buying, but May Not yet Signal Price Bottom
Bitcoin’s leveraged long positions on Bitfinex have surged to about 77,100 BTC, the highest level since December 2023, even as the cryptocurrency slipped below $69,000. Over the past six months, margin longs rose 64% while Bitcoin’s price has dropped nearly 50% from...
Phixius by Nacha and Kinexys by JP Morgan Integration Goes Live
Phixius by Nacha announced that its integration with Kinexys Liink, J.P. Morgan’s blockchain‑based data‑sharing network, is now live. The connection creates a multi‑responder account validation system for ACH payments, allowing requesters to receive verification from several trusted Phixius sources. Near real‑time validation...
Bitcoin Faces a Brutal Irony as the Treasury Refuses to Save BTC From Its Own Political Success
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a Senate Banking Committee he has no authority to use taxpayer funds to buy Bitcoin, rejecting the notion of a direct government bailout. The hearing highlighted the irony that Bitcoin, originally created to avoid bailouts,...
Circle Partners Prediction Market Polymarket
Circle Internet Group announced a partnership with Polymarket to replace the platform’s bridged USDC.e on Polygon with Circle’s native USDC. The native token is issued by Circle’s regulated affiliates and redeems 1:1 for U.S. dollars, offering a more capital‑efficient and...
Ebanx Expands in Asia with New Global CPO Based in Singapore
EBANX appointed Eduardo de Abreu as its global Chief Product Officer and CEO of EBANX Singapore, relocating from Brazil to Singapore. The move signals a strategic push into the APAC market, where the company now serves over 100 merchants and recorded...
Remittix & Cardano Are Expected To Surge In Q1 As Investors Pick Up 300% Bonus With $RTX
The crypto market is showing early signs of recovery as Q1 2019 approaches, with analysts spotlighting Cardano (ADA) and Remittix (RTX) as potential gainers. Remittix is offering a 300% bonus to investors, a move designed to boost liquidity and attract...
Remitly Cuts 110 Jobs in Israel
Remitly announced it is cutting 110 jobs in Israel, representing more than half of its local workforce. The layoffs follow the company’s $80 million acquisition of Rewire, a platform serving migrant workers, and will leave only sales and business roles in...
Liquidity Providers Face Lethal Risk in Manipulated Prediction Markets
Insider trading on prediction markets can be 50/50 for retail. But for market makers, it’s lethal. @evgenygaevoy explains why providing liquidity in manipulated markets is so dangerous for his firm. https://t.co/crcByHKCGj
The Myth of the “Most Used” Blockchain | The Breakdown
The episode challenges the hype around being the "most used" blockchain by dissecting the metrics that compare Solana and Ethereum, revealing how usage, revenue, and adoption are often misinterpreted. It highlights that no single chain can dominate every use case,...
Advance Raises $8.55M in Seed Funding
Advance, a New York‑based fintech, raised $8.55 million in seed funding to scale its insurance‑focused payment platform. The round was led by nvp Capital with participation from Crystal Ventures, Vesey Ventures, Mensch Capital, and strategic angels such as Assaf Wand. Funds...