News - page 15

CLARITY Act Senate Vote: Payments Industry Stakes Explained
Blockchain & Crypto

CLARITY Act Senate Vote: Payments Industry Stakes Explained

The U.S. Senate has one real shot left to vote on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act before lawmakers leave Washington for the August recess. For payment processors and fintechs building on stablecoin rails, this bill matters far more than crypto trading stats.

Wall Street’s September Fed Bet Just Got a New Oil Wildcard
Finance & Economics

Wall Street’s September Fed Bet Just Got a New Oil Wildcard

The Federal Reserve holds its next rate decision on September 15–16, and for the first time in months, traders are leaning toward a hike, not a cut. The Fed’s rate-setting group, the FOMC, held its benchmark rate steady on July 29 for a fifth straight meeting, at 3.50%–3.75%. But three of its twelve voting members […]

AI Investment Is Now Driving About a Third of US Economic Growth
Science & Technology

AI Investment Is Now Driving About a Third of US Economic Growth

A growing body of research is pointing to the same uncomfortable number: somewhere around a third of US economic growth right now traces back to AI. Not AI products people use daily, but the spending behind them.

Dakota Applies for OCC National Trust Bank Charter, Joining Stablecoin Licensing Race
Blockchain & Crypto

Dakota Applies for OCC National Trust Bank Charter, Joining Stablecoin Licensing Race

Stablecoin fintech company Dakota has filed an application with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to charter Dakota National Trust Bank, a de novo national trust bank. If approved, the new entity would let Dakota offer digital asset custody, U.S. dollar stablecoin issuance, and related transactional services as a federally regulated bank, […]

Trump Administration Refunds $100B in “Liberation Day” Tariffs, Most SMBs Locked Out
Finance & Economics

Trump Administration Refunds $100B in “Liberation Day” Tariffs, Most SMBs Locked Out

The U.S. President Donald Trump administration has refunded about $100 billion of the tariff revenue it collected under the 2025 “Liberation Day” duties, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) told a federal court this week. The refunds follow a Supreme Court ruling that struck down the tariffs as illegal, and a subsequent court order requiring […]

Western Union Launches Stablecard With Rain in 37 Markets
Blockchain & Crypto

Western Union Launches Stablecard With Rain in 37 Markets

Western Union has launched the Stablecard app, a digital wallet and Visa card that lets people hold and spend U.S. dollar value backed by a stablecoin. The company built the product with Rain, a stablecoin infrastructure provider. Stablecard is live in 37 markets, and Western Union plans to expand to more than 60 markets by […]

Tokenized Stock Trading Hits Record in July, but Fee-Free Promotion Questions Real Demand
Blockchain & Crypto

Tokenized Stock Trading Hits Record in July, but Fee-Free Promotion Questions Real Demand

Tokenized stock trading reached a record high in July, but new data suggests the headline growth may not reflect the broader market.

Stablecoin Firm BALBOA | CORP Brings Former Paxos Executive on Board
Blockchain & Crypto

Stablecoin Firm BALBOA | CORP Brings Former Paxos Executive on Board

Panama-based stablecoin infrastructure company BALBOA | CORP has strengthened its advisory board by appointing former Paxos treasury executive Austin Campbell and fintech entrepreneur Richard Douglas, as it develops payment technology designed for international shipping and trade.

32nd Edition Connected Banking Summit – Innovation & Excellence Awards 2026 Returns to Muscat to Accelerate Digital-First Banking Across the Middle East
Fintech & Ecommerce

32nd Edition Connected Banking Summit – Innovation & Excellence Awards 2026 Returns to Muscat to Accelerate Digital-First Banking Across the Middle East

“Boosting Digital-First Banking and Enabling Next-Gen Financial Platforms in the Middle East” 13 November 2026 | Muscat, Oman Muscat, Oman – The International Center for Strategic Alliances (ICSA) is proud to announce the 32nd Edition Connected Banking Summit – Innovation & Excellence Awards 2026, scheduled to take place on 13 November 2026 in Muscat, Oman.

Africa, the Far East and Other Emerging Markets Take Centre Stage at SBC Summit
News

Africa, the Far East and Other Emerging Markets Take Centre Stage at SBC Summit

SBC Summit will equip delegates with the strategies needed to identify and capitalise on gaming’s fastest-growing regions, including Africa, Eastern Europe, Eurasia and the Far East, through its dedicated Emerging Markets track.

Beyond Passwords: Why Non-Human Identities and API Vulnerabilities Are Banking’s Weakest Cyber Link
Science & Technology

Beyond Passwords: Why Non-Human Identities and API Vulnerabilities Are Banking’s Weakest Cyber Link

For years, banks worried mostly about threats coming from people. Think of stolen passwords, phishing emails, and careless clicks. That threat hasn’t gone away, unfortunately. And yet, right next to it, a bigger, quieter one has risen and overtaken the previously known cybersecurity issues. It’s called a “non-human identity,” and most people outside IT departments […]

Solana RWA Volume Tops $3.6B as Alpenglow Update Nears Mainnet
Blockchain & Crypto

Solana RWA Volume Tops $3.6B as Alpenglow Update Nears Mainnet

Solana, a blockchain network known for fast and low-cost transactions, is rolling out a technical overhaul called Alpenglow. The upgrade is designed to confirm transactions in about 150 milliseconds, down from roughly 12.8 seconds today. 

US GDP Growth Cools to 1.5% in Q2, But Private Demand Holds Firm as Energy Costs Bite
Finance & Economics

US GDP Growth Cools to 1.5% in Q2, But Private Demand Holds Firm as Energy Costs Bite

Q2 GDP growth moderated to an annualized 1.5%. This slowdown from prior quarters arrives alongside a steadier signal: underlying private-sector demand in the United States has not softened at the same pace. Brent crude has traded above $89 a barrel through the quarter, keeping energy costs elevated even as broader inflation readings show mixed signs […]

Agentic AI Checkout: The New Fraud & Liability Playbook
Fintech & Ecommerce

Agentic AI Checkout: The New Fraud & Liability Playbook

The rules governing who can buy what, from whom, and under what authority are being rewritten by trade groups and card networks racing to keep pace with software that shops on its own.

Coldcard Hardware Wallet Flaw Exposes Institutional Crypto Custody Risks
Blockchain & Crypto

Coldcard Hardware Wallet Flaw Exposes Institutional Crypto Custody Risks

The discovery of a firmware-related vulnerability affecting Coldcard hardware wallet is heating up discussions around Bitcoin self-custody, extending concerns well beyond individual investors to payment service providers (PSPs), fintechs, and businesses holding digital assets on their balance sheets.

Markets Digest the Fed’s Hawkish Hold as Fresh ISM Data Lands
Finance & Economics

Markets Digest the Fed’s Hawkish Hold as Fresh ISM Data Lands

The Federal Reserve’s July 29 decision to hold its benchmark rate at 3.50%–3.75% is still working its way through markets, and Monday’s ISM Manufacturing PMI report gave investors their first hard data point to test the central bank’s internal split. For payments and lending, the combination points to a stretch of elevated borrowing costs running […]