Italy’s Axyon AI Teams Up with Asset Management Firm Eolas Capital
Italy’s Axyon AI has teamed up with Boston‑based Eolas Capital to accelerate the rollout of its AI‑driven investment tools across North America. The partnership leverages Eolas’ marketing, sales and distribution expertise to introduce customizable signals, forecasting models and AI‑generated indices to U.S. asset managers. Backed by investors such as ING Ventures and UniCredit, Axyon AI brings agentic, predictive and explainable AI capabilities to niche and quantitative managers. The alliance aims to translate European fintech innovation into tangible performance gains for American portfolios.
Safeguarding Autonomous AI Agents: Accertify’s Conrad Kennington Discusses Issues, Opportunities
Accertify’s AI chief Conrad Kennington warns that autonomous shopping agents erode traditional fraud signals, creating new vulnerabilities. As agents automate purchases, token‑based transactions strip away behavioral context, making fraud detection harder. Kennington stresses the need for fresh data points, device...
Crypto for Advisors: Will 2026 Be the Year of Crypto Regulation?
U.S. policymakers have reached bipartisan agreement on core crypto market‑structure reforms, shifting focus from intent to implementation in 2026. The proposed framework treats non‑security tokens as commodities for secondary trading while retaining SEC oversight of fundraising activities. Regulators aim to...
Here Is the List of Bills Being Reviewed in House Financial Services Committee Markup Hearing
On January 22, 2026 the House Financial Services Committee held a markup hearing reviewing ten bipartisan bills that span artificial intelligence, financial reporting thresholds, small‑issuer capital formation, cyber‑money‑laundering enforcement, community‑bank regulation, ESG disclosure, secondary market rules, and the Terrorism Risk...
Vestmark and T. Rowe Price Launch Custom Premier for RIAs
Vestmark and T. Rowe Price have unveiled Custom Premier, a personalized model‑portfolio solution for registered investment advisors. The offering blends Vestmark’s tax‑aware implementation engine with T. Rowe Price’s model‑portfolio design, allowing advisors to construct ETF and mutual‑fund blends that reflect client risk,...
Bitcoin in a Deep Bear Market Against Gold, History Suggests Downside May Persist
Bitcoin has fallen 55% against gold since its December 2024 peak, dragging the BTC‑to‑gold ratio down to 18.46. Gold is near record highs, up roughly 12% year‑to‑date, while Bitcoin is barely positive and remains under $89,000. The ratio sits about 17%...
Open Banking Limited Marks 8 Years as Usage Surges to 33 Million Monthly Payments
Open Banking Limited celebrated its eighth anniversary, highlighting that open banking has moved from a regulatory mandate to a core UK financial infrastructure. The latest data shows 33 million account‑to‑account payments in November 2025 and more than 16.5 million active user connections. The...
Financial Advisers Face Rising ML/TF/PF Risk Pressures
Financial planners and investment advisers are under mounting pressure to address money‑laundering, terrorism financing and proliferation financing risks. Regulators now require defensible, evidence‑based risk assessments rather than periodic checklists. Arctic Intelligence has introduced a sector‑specific ML/TF/PF Risk and Control Assessment...
Crypto Regulation to Become Global Reality This Year, PwC Says
PwC’s 2026 Global Crypto Regulation Report predicts that 2026 will see crypto rules solidify worldwide as draft legislation becomes law. Jurisdictions with transparent frameworks, such as the EU under MiCA, the UK’s FSMA‑based regime, and emerging hubs in the UAE...
Crowdfunding: The ACCESS Act Targets Lower Compliance Costs for Small Reg CF Raises
Bipartisan senators introduced the ACCESS Act to raise the independent accountant review threshold for Regulation Crowdfunding offerings from roughly $124,000 to $250,000, with the SEC empowered to lift it further to $400,000. The bill, already passed by the House and...
Tokenization Firm Superstate Raises $82.5 Million to Bring Wall Street Onchain
Superstate, a tokenization startup founded by DeFi veteran Robert Leshner, closed a $82.5 million Series B round led by Bain Capital Crypto. The capital will fund its Opening Bell platform, which lets SEC‑registered firms issue digital shares and run shareholder processes on public...
The Base Token Should Give Holders Voting Power over Coinbase Itself
Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum‑based layer‑2, is reportedly planning a native token that could grant holders direct voting power over Coinbase itself. The proposal envisions a Base Foundation acquiring up to 50% of COIN shares, turning the token into an on‑chain proxy...
The Future of the Wallet: 5 Surprising Ways Mobile Banking Is Quietly Changing Your Life
Mobile banking has evolved from a simple utility to a core component of the intelligent wallet, embedding financial services directly into smartphones. The article highlights five emerging trends: AI‑driven budgeting, biometric security, instant peer‑to‑peer payments, integrated loyalty rewards, and open‑banking...
Why Shift4 Targets Big Merchants
Shift4 Payments is deliberately courting large, multi‑location merchants and venues because they face fewer payment‑processor alternatives. CEO Taylor Lauber highlighted the appeal of complex software environments, citing the New York Yankees, Hilton Worldwide, and Caesar’s Entertainment as prime examples. The...
The “Insider Wallet” That Made over $100M on October Tariff Trade in Threat of Liquidation if One Asset Continues to...
A single Hyperliquid wallet now carries a $649.6 million ETH long position entered at $3,161.85, with a liquidation estimate near $2,268.37—about 22% below the current $2,908 spot price. The account has already absorbed $56.6 million in unrealized losses and $6.79 million in funding...
Ethereum Upgrade Sparks Activity Spike, but JPMorgan Doubts It Will Last
Ethereum’s December Fusaka upgrade expanded block data capacity, prompting a noticeable drop in transaction fees and a surge in both transaction volume and active addresses. The upgrade builds on the earlier Pectra upgrade and aims to ease congestion for layer‑2...
Maple Brings syrupUSDC to Base, Targets Aave V3 Listing
Maple is extending its yield‑bearing token syrupUSDC to Coinbase’s Base layer‑2, providing institutional credit to a fast‑growing Ethereum ecosystem. The launch creates a direct conduit to Coinbase’s broader user base while moving yield opportunities off the mainnet. Concurrently, an Aave...
Should Banks Compete in the Credit Builder Card Market?
The episode examines the rise of fintech‑driven credit‑builder cards, which let users fund a demand‑deposit account instead of a traditional secured‑card deposit, and compares this model to legacy secured cards. Brian Riley explains that while fintechs can reach a large,...
BlackRock-Linked Wallets Move over $430 Million in Bitcoin, Ether to Coinbase Prime
On‑chain data shows wallets linked to BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs transferred more than $430 million of crypto to Coinbase Prime. The transfers comprised roughly 3,070 BTC (≈ $276 million) and 52,800 ETH (≈ $157 million) and occurred amid the day’s heavy outflows from U.S. spot crypto...
Pantera Capital Sees ‘Brutal Pruning’ for Crypto Treasuries in 2026
Pantera Capital warns that digital asset treasury (DAT) firms will undergo "brutal pruning" in 2026 as the sector consolidates around a handful of well‑capitalized players. Large Bitcoin and Ether holders such as Strategy and BitMine continue to amass significant portions...
OnePay Partners Klarna to Let Shoppers Turn Debit Card Purchases Into BNPL Loans
Walmart‑backed fintech OnePay has announced a partnership with Klarna to embed buy‑now‑pay‑later (BNPL) functionality directly into debit card transactions. The new service lets shoppers convert completed purchases into instalment loans, effectively offering retroactive financing. By leveraging Klarna’s established BNPL platform,...
Russia-Linked A7A5 Stablecoin Processed $100B Before Sanctions Hit: Elliptic
Elliptic’s latest report reveals that the Russia‑linked ruble‑backed stablecoin A7A5 processed more than $100 billion in on‑chain transactions between March 2025 and January 2026. The token was engineered as a bridge between the Russian ruble and Tether’s USDT, allowing sanctioned entities to move...
Noah and Picnic Bring USD-Native Payroll and Settlement to Brazil’s Global Workforce
Noah, a stablecoin infrastructure provider, has teamed with digital wallet platform Picnic to embed USD‑native payroll and settlement features directly into the Picnic app for Brazil’s global workforce. Brazilian professionals can now receive ACH payments from US employers into a...
OneMiners Crypto Miners Hosting: The World’s Cheapest and Most Profitable Mining Infrastructure
OneMiners has launched the world’s cheapest crypto‑miner hosting platform, leveraging government‑backed energy allocations and direct‑to‑power‑plant connections. In Nigeria, the company offers power as low as $0.048 per kWh, supporting 13 MW of operational capacity with up to 150 MW under construction. Its...
‘Totally Absurd’: Circle CEO Rejects Bank-Run Fears over Stablecoin Yields
Circle chief executive Jeremy Allaire told Davos attendees that stablecoin interest payments are too modest to spark bank runs, calling the alarmist narrative "totally absurd." He likened current concerns to historic worries about money‑market funds, which now total about $11 trillion...
Montran Opens New Office in Dubai
Montran, a global leader in financial infrastructure, announced the launch of its new Middle East & North Africa regional office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The office will serve as a hub for the company’s payment‑processing and digital‑banking solutions across...
Infrastructure Over Hype: How Modern Trading Platforms Build Trust Through Process, Not Promises
Modern trading platforms are shifting focus from flashy marketing promises to robust infrastructure, emphasizing compliance frameworks, transparent client agreements, and reliable verification processes. The article argues that trust is built through predictable, rule‑driven operations rather than speed or feature count....
Flipit Reveals the “Back of the Internet,” A New Layer for Trust and Transparency
Flipit launched a Chrome extension that overlays a “back of the internet” layer, allowing users to post and view real‑time reviews on any website. The platform stores review data on IPFS via a distributed network of Flipit Cores, providing decentralized,...
Thisbank, the UK's New Branchless Bank, Promises Human Touch and Competitive Savings
UK’s new branchless bank, thisbank, has multiplied its assets under management twelvefold and reached profitability within its first year. Led by former Lloyds and Barclays executive Chris Waring, the bank offers a 3.76% easy‑access savings rate and 3.99% fixed‑term rates,...
Funding Circle Adds Apple Pay Apple Pay for Its Cashback Business Credit Card and FlexiPay Customers
Funding Circle, the UK’s leading SME finance platform, has rolled out Apple Pay support for its Cashback business credit card and FlexiPay customers. The integration allows merchants to settle purchases and invoices with a single tap using Apple’s contact‑less payment...
Finextra Launches NextGen FinCrime, a New Leadership Event Redefining Trust in Finance
Finextra announced NextGen FinCrime: Dirty Money, Clean Systems, an executive‑level conference slated for 8 July 2026 at the London Conference Centre. The event targets senior finance leaders, regulators and technology providers to confront the growing threat of sophisticated financial crime amid rapid...
Revolut Offers Premium Perks to Gen Z
Revolut has launched a free premium subscription bundle for users aged 13 and older enrolled in its Revolut Kids & Teens program. The offering, aimed at fostering financial independence, provides budgeting tools, exclusive discounts, and stress‑relief features to help young...
$18B Asset Manager F/M Seeks SEC Approval to Tokenize US Treasury ETF
F/m Investments, an $18 billion asset manager, has filed a request with the SEC for exemptive relief to tokenize the shares of its US Treasury 3‑Month Bill ETF (TBIL). The proposal would record ownership of roughly $6 billion in ETF shares on...
ThetRay Appoints Brad Levy as CEO
ThetaRay announced Brad Levy as its new chief executive officer, succeeding Peter Reynolds who will move to an advisory role. Levy brings extensive experience from leading Symphony, MarkitSERV, and a long tenure at Goldman Sachs, positioning him to drive ThetaRay’s...
Top 10 Web3 Developers in the USA (Best Blockchain Development Agencies)
The United States remains the epicenter of blockchain innovation, hosting a curated list of the top ten Web3 development agencies. Chainbull tops the ranking, praised for its security‑first architecture and enterprise‑grade scalability, while firms like Alchemy, OpenZeppelin, and LeewayHertz round...
Top 10 Top Crypto Marketing Agencies in 2026
The 2026 guide lists the top crypto marketing agencies, highlighting their regional strengths, service specialties, and data‑driven approaches. Chainbull leads as a global partner with influencer and PR focus, while Coinbound, ICODA, NinjaPromo, MarketAcross, Proleo.io, Omni Agency, Debut Infotech, Solus...
How Bank of America's Erica Does the Work of 11,000 People
Bank of America’s virtual assistant Erica now supports 42 million consumers and 40 000 business clients, handling roughly 2 million interactions daily. The bot relies on rule‑based natural‑language understanding and predictive analytics rather than large language models, enabling precise, low‑error transactions. Erica is...
Binance Co-Founder Zhao in Talks with ‘Probably a Dozen’ Governments on Asset Tokenization
Binance co‑founder Changpeng Zhao told Davos attendees he is negotiating with roughly a dozen governments on tokenizing state‑owned assets. Tokenization would let nations sell fractional ownership of infrastructure, real estate or commodities via blockchain tokens, unlocking immediate capital. Zhao cited...
Gr4vy and Ecommpay to Deliver Multiple Payment Methods Through a Single Integration
Gr4vy, a cloud‑based payments orchestration platform, has partnered with global payments provider Ecommpay. The collaboration enables merchants to access a broad suite of local and international payment methods through a single integration. By combining Gr4vy’s API‑first orchestration with Ecommpay’s extensive...
Common Apple Pay Scams, and How to Stay Safe
Apple Pay processes trillions of transactions annually, yet scammers exploit its popularity through social‑engineering tricks and NFC‑based malware. The most common frauds include phishing, marketplace overpayment, fake receipts, unsolicited payments, and public‑Wi‑Fi credential harvesting. Researchers observed a near‑doubling of NFC‑abusing...
Vietnam Opens Licensing Window for Digital Asset Trading Platforms
Vietnam's State Securities Commission opened the licensing window on Jan. 20, 2026 for digital‑asset trading platforms, activating the five‑year pilot for a regulated crypto market. The new framework, issued under Decision No. 96, requires applicants to be Vietnamese entities with at least $380 million...
EdfaPay Wins Approval to Launch SmartPOS Service in Saudi Arabia
EdfaPay has secured technical approval from Saudi Central Bank’s Payments Authorization Center (SAMA) to launch its Smart SoftPOS service in Saudi Arabia. The solution enables merchants to accept payments on any Android smartphone or tablet, removing the need for traditional...
Global AI Deploys Agentic AI Platform for a Leading Insurance Provider to Automate Compliance-Critical Workflows
Global AI has deployed its enterprise‑grade Agentic AI platform for a leading European insurance and asset‑management group, automating a high‑volume, compliance‑critical back‑office workflow that was previously manual and document‑intensive. The solution is fully governed, on‑premise, and tightly integrated with the...
Token.io's Gideon Fourie Appointed to Berlin Group openFinance Advisory Board
Token.io’s Managing Director Gideon Fourie has been appointed to the Berlin Group’s openFinance Advisory Board, effective Jan 1 2026. The Berlin Group, a pan‑European consortium of 26 payments players, is developing the openFinance API framework to extend services beyond PSD2. Fourie brings...
Bitcoin Policy Institute, Fedi, Cornell to Study American Views on Financial Privacy
The Bitcoin Policy Institute, crypto‑wallet provider Fedi, and Cornell University’s Brooks School Tech Policy Institute have launched a two‑year research project to map American attitudes toward financial privacy, the trade‑offs they accept, and how regulation influences behavior. The study will...
Nomura-Backed Laser Digital Introduces Tokenized Bitcoin Yield-Bearing Fund
Laser Digital, backed by Nomura, launched the Laser Digital Bitcoin Diversified Yield Fund SP, the first natively tokenized Bitcoin yield fund. The fund, built with tokenization specialist KAIO and custodied by Komainu, aims to deliver more than 5% excess net...
Consumers Still Love Their Physical Cards Even as Digital Wallet Use Expands
Physical payment cards continue to dominate despite the rapid expansion of digital wallets, with over 80% of U.S. consumers still preferring cards at the point of sale. Contactless adoption is high—53% of shoppers favor tap‑to‑pay—but cards capture more than double...
Financial Stress Drives a 17-Point Jump in Digital Wallet Use
A PYMNTS Intelligence survey of 2,108 U.S. adults shows financial stress is driving a sharp rise in digital‑wallet usage. High‑stress consumers were more than twice as likely to use a wallet for their last retail purchase (28% vs. 11%) and...
Are Forex Cards a Smart Choice for Indian Students Studying Abroad?
Forex cards are prepaid travel cards that let Indian students load foreign currency at a fixed rate, use them for tuition, purchases, and cash withdrawals abroad. They offer advantages over traditional debit or credit cards, such as zero or low...
Who Is Behind RimalWasl? Explaining How Crypto Is Off-Ramped in Dubai. The Role Discreet Intermediaries Play.
Dubai’s crypto-friendly image masks a covert off‑ramping network called RimalWasl. The service uses intermediaries like GulfBridge and real‑estate developers to convert large crypto holdings into fiat, bypassing AML controls. Despite new VARA regulations, the network exploits regulatory gaps and alleged...