The Kraken bank deal would move Payward, the parent company of crypto exchange Kraken, further into traditional financial services in Europe. Payward said it agreed to buy Lithuania-based Saldo Bank, a transaction that would give it a European Union banking…
What does the OCC report say about crypto debanking?
A new report from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency placed crypto debanking among the activities that influenced some banks to limit financial services. Released Wednesday, the report said certain banks used public and nonpublic policies to…
Why Is South Korea Blocking 27 Crypto Exchange Websites?
South Korea exchanges are facing tighter access controls as regulators expand earlier restrictions from mobile apps to websites. The Financial Intelligence Unit said 27 unregistered crypto exchanges will have their websites blocked, including KuCoin, BitMart and MEXC. The action follows…
How Is the Ledger CryptoBilis $93M Theft Being Traced?
The Ledger CryptoBilis case remains under investigation after blockchain analytics firms linked a large theft to Ledger devices sold by the authorized reseller CryptoBilis. Public blockchain estimates put the amount traced at as much as $93.2 million, while another research…
Will bitcoin-backed loans spread in South Korea now?
Jeonbuk Bank has started offering bitcoin-backed loans to corporate clients in South Korea, marking the first time a bank in the country has let firms borrow cash against their crypto holdings. The bank, which is part of JB Financial Group,…
What does Kraken Dubai approval mean for UAE trading?
Kraken Dubai approval marks a new step for the exchange’s expansion in the United Arab Emirates after its parent company, Payward, received full market approval from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. The approval covers Payward FZCO and builds on a…
Can CFTC Event Contracts Limit State Gambling Claims?
The CFTC has put forward two new proposals that could reshape how CFTC event contracts are treated under federal law. One measure would clarify that event contracts tied to sports, politics, cultural events, and weather fall within the definition of…
How Did HSBC Test AI Agent Payments Using Blockchain?
HSBC and Ant Digital Technologies have completed a technical test focused on AI agent payments using tokenized bank deposits. The trial showed how AI agents could discover digital services, access them, and complete micropayments with transactions settled in real time…
Could CFTC Classify Event Contracts as Regulated Swaps?
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission is taking formal steps to strengthen its authority over event contracts as a legal fight with several states continues. On Friday, the agency issued one rule that takes effect immediately and proposed another that…
Will Samsung Wallet Add USDC Transfers on Solana in US?
Samsung Wallet is set to add cross-border USDC transfers on Solana for U.S. users from the last week of October, according to the Solana Foundation. The feature will also extend to Samsung Pay and will be available on 82 million…