Welcome to this week’s Crypto Weekly Digest – your one-stop tour through the wild, wonderful, and sometimes downright mind-bending world of digital assets 🚀. From billion-dollar corporate treasuries and Mars-ready AI medics to banks eyeing stablecoins and DeFi platforms smashing records, it’s been a week of big moves and bigger ambitions.
Whether you’re here for the tokenized uranium, the Bitcoin-fueled burgers, or the Hong Kong stablecoin shuffle, we’ve got you covered. So grab your favorite beverage ☕, settle in, and let’s unpack the news that’s shaping the next chapter of blockchain, AI, and beyond.
Chainlink has joined forces with ICE, the parent company of the NYSE, to bring forex and precious metals data onchain. This means over 2,000 apps and institutions can now access reliable, low-latency prices — perfect for tokenized trading and settlement 📊.
It’s a big leap toward blockchain transparency, reducing the risk of manipulation thanks to ICE’s powerful data feed. DeFi platforms can now operate faster, more accurately, and with greater confidence. Chainlink just bridged traditional finance and blockchain like a superhero in an oracle cape 🦸♂️.
In July, venture capital poured 175 million dollars into Bitcoin DeFi, tokenization and stablecoins, signaling strong investor appetite for digital asset infrastructure. Mantra secured 20 million dollars from Inveniam to expand its layer one blockchain for real world assets in the United Arab Emirates and the United States. 🌍
Stable raised 28 million dollars in seed funding to build its stablecoin focused blockchain with USDT as gas, aiming to reduce transaction costs, speed up settlement and enhance Tether’s utility ahead of its planned mainnet launch in late 2025. Spiko attracted 22 million dollars in a Series A led by Index Ventures to scale its tokenized money market funds, with assets under management already at 400 million dollars and a target of 1 billion by year end. Dakota closed a 12.5 million dollar Series A to expand its stablecoin enabled business banking services into new regions including the UK, EU, Singapore and Latin America. 💡
Jarsy secured 5 million dollars in pre seed funding from Breyer Capital to make investing in tokenized pre IPO shares accessible from as little as 10 dollars. BridgePort raised 3.2 million dollars to develop its middleware platform for financial institutions, designed to simplify off-exchange settlement, capital management and pre-trade credit processes. Together these investments highlight the momentum building across Bitcoin DeFi, tokenized assets and stablecoin banking. 👛
Circle, the creator of USDC, is launching its own layer-1 blockchain called Arc, built for ultra-fast settlement and gas fees payable in USDC 💳.
With built-in FX tools and interoperability, it’s designed to make life easier for businesses and developers. Circle’s revenue is up 53% year-on-year despite a hefty IPO-related net loss 📈. Arc aims to be a full-stack platform for the internet’s financial system. Think of it as a cozy, USDC-heated home for DeFi 🔥.
The UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority and Dubai’s VARA are teaming up to align crypto regulations. They’re introducing mutual license recognition so a company licensed in Dubai can operate across the UAE 🌍.
While not full passporting, the partnership comes with joint checks and strong AML/CFT measures. The result? Fewer regulatory headaches, faster market entry, and boosted investor confidence. The UAE just made itself even more attractive for virtual asset innovators 🚀.
Standard Chartered’s Hong Kong arm and Animoca Brands are creating Anchorpoint Financial to launch an HKD-backed stablecoin. They’ve applied for a license under the HKMA’s new rules 📜.
While the framework turned out stricter than expected, the project combines solid banking pedigree with Web3 ambition. The plan is to roll out a regulated, stable HKD digital currency. Hong Kong’s dollar is ready to join the token world — no chopsticks required 🍜.
Alt5 Sigma has secured a massive $1.5 billion to create the first corporate treasury under the World Liberty Financial banner. The project aims to blend traditional financial operations with blockchain-based tools for greater efficiency and global reach.
The treasury will handle multi-asset portfolios, digital settlements, and possibly tokenized assets all in one place 💹. With this funding, Alt5 plans to position itself as a bridge between corporate finance and the Web3 economy. It’s corporate cash management, but with a blockchain twist ⚡.
Animoca Brands and Nuva have launched a new marketplace focused on tokenized real-world assets (RWAs).
The platform will allow investors to buy, sell, and trade tokenized versions of assets like real estate, art, and more — all backed by blockchain transparency 🔍. The aim is to make traditionally illiquid markets more accessible and liquid. Nuva brings the tech, Animoca brings the Web3 community and game-changing experience. Together, they’re pushing RWA adoption to the next level 🌟.
Ripple is acquiring stablecoin platform Rail for a cool $200 million, signaling a big expansion into the stablecoin space.
Rail’s infrastructure allows for the creation, management, and compliance of stablecoins, making it a perfect fit for Ripple’s growing payments network 🌐. The deal will help Ripple offer more stable, fiat-linked digital currencies for global transfers. It’s a strategic move that could make Ripple a bigger player in cross-border settlement. Stablecoins just got a new heavyweight backer 🏋️♂️.
BOB, a Bitcoin DeFi startup, has raised $21 million from backers like Castle Island Ventures and Anchorage Digital. The project aims to create a hybrid ecosystem combining Bitcoin security with Ethereum-style smart contracts 🤝.
This could enable lending, borrowing, and other DeFi services on Bitcoin in ways not possible before. The funds will be used to grow the dev team, expand partnerships, and push mainnet launches. Bitcoin DeFi is no longer a dream — it’s getting real fast ⚡.
World Mobile has launched Stratospheric, a project using high-altitude platforms to bring internet access to underserved regions.
These stratosphere-based stations can deliver coverage over vast areas without the need for traditional ground infrastructure 📡. The goal is to connect the unconnected and bridge the digital divide. World Mobile’s blockchain-based model lets users share in network rewards for contributing to coverage. The internet just got a lift — literally 🚀.
Parataxis is going public through a SPAC merger with SilverBox to raise up to $640 million for a Bitcoin treasury. Once the deal closes, the company will be known as Parataxis Holdings and aims to trade on the NYSE under the ticker PRTX.
Already, they’ve raised $31 million to start buying Bitcoin, with plans for a broader $400 million equity line. On top of that, Parataxis is gearing up to launch in South Korea by building a local arm and tapping into real‐world asset strategies. It’s a bold move to mix Wall Street-style public listings with smart crypto treasury plays 🌐.
South Korea’s KakaoBank is plotting its entrance into the stablecoin world by exploring issuance and custody services. The push comes amid a regulatory shift after President Lee Jae-myung, a crypto-friendly leader, took office.
KakaoBank has even filed for stablecoin-related trademarks and is working closely with its affiliates like KakaoPay. With 25.9 million users—about half the country—this bank is ready to make big waves in the digital asset space. It’s like building a crypto castle on top of a mega-popular banking foundation 🏰.
Hyperliquid hit a jaw-dropping $319 billion in trades in July, setting a new record for DeFi perpetual futures volume. That massive number accounted for over a third of all blockchain-based revenue for the month, signaling a shift toward decentralized trading platforms.
Even after a 37-minute outage, Hyperliquid reimbursed $2 million to users and earned praise for its swift response. Overall, DeFi perps hit nearly $487 billion in cumulative volume for July—a clear sign that decentralized exchanges are becoming major players in the crypto game. DeFi just leveled up in a big way 🌟.
Nomura’s digital arm, Laser Digital, scored a VARA license in Dubai to launch a regulated OTC crypto options desk for institutional clients. This sets the stage for hedge funds and trading firms to access crypto options under full regulatory oversight.
Dubai is expanding its derivative offerings, and this move shows it’s serious about becoming a global crypto hub. Expect tools for hedging, yield strategies, and volatility management to arrive soon. It’s a slick blend of tradition and innovation in the digital derivative space 🎩.
Tokenized stocks surged 220% in July, echoing the rapid growth of early DeFi days. Their market cap hit $370 million, largely driven by Exodus Movement shares, pointing to high demand for onchain exposure to traditional equities.
Blockchain addresses holding tokenized stocks soared from 1,600 to over 90,000—a sign of investor excitement. If even 1% of global equity markets go tokenized, this sector could balloon into a trillion-dollar opportunity. That means tokenized stocks might be the next big bridge between Wall Street and Web3 🌉.
Apex Fusion is unveiling Vector, a new Cardano-aligned blockchain built for institutions, with blazing-fast throughput and instant transaction finality. The testnet claims 98.6% of transactions reach final confirmation instantly, while nearly all finish within 13 seconds. That level of speed cuts risks like chain reorganizations and boosts reliability—perfect for financial players who need real-time settlement. Vector showcases how Cardano’s UTxO model can scale to meet enterprise-level demands. It’s a big leap toward bridging blockchain with regulated finance infrastructure 🌍.
CleanSpark crushed its Q3 targets with almost $200 million in revenue, a 91% year-over-year jump, and net income flipping from loss to $257 million. They also hit a mining milestone—50 exahashes per second of US-based infrastructure—making them the first public miner to do so. With over $1 billion in Bitcoin holdings, CleanSpark is now a top BTC public holder among companies. Even though shares dipped slightly, this was the firm’s finest financial performance yet. It’s crypto mining going big and bold on profits ⛏️.
Paxos is making another bid for a US national trust bank charter under OCC oversight after its previous approval lapsed in 2023. If granted, the new charter would let Paxos settle payments and custody within a federally regulated framework.
Though Paxos can’t accept deposits or issue loans like traditional banks, it would gain institutional credibility and compliance clout. The move comes after high-profile challenges—including a hefty $48.5 million settlement with New York regulators. Now, with new stablecoin legislation on the horizon, Paxos wants to solidify its infrastructure under federal light ✨.
Hex Trust just integrated Etherlink—a Tezos-based EVM layer 2—to offer institutional custody for xU3O8, a tokenized uranium asset. Issued by Curzon and listed across exchanges, xU3O8 lets investors access uranium exposure without the usual gatekeepers. This move expands real-world asset tokenization into tightly controlled commodities.
With Hex Trust’s licenses in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, and Italy, traditional and exotic assets alike can now be managed onchain. It’s uranium meets blockchain—and institutions are listening 💼.
Blockchain is sprouting up in agriculture, tackling supply chain transparency, land rights, and food waste. Projects like IBM Food Trust and UAE’s Farm to Plate used onchain tracking to cut billions in food waste through smarter supply-demand matching.
Smart contracts can also pay farmers automatically and fairly—no middleman needed. Immutable ledgers are helping secure land ownership, especially in disaster-stricken regions where records vanish. This isn’t crypto for speculation—it’s tech for justice, sustainability, and livelihoods 🌎.
Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest just bought $19.2 million worth of Jack Dorsey’s Block, grabbing over 262,000 shares while prices hover around $73. After months of selling, this big purchase signals fresh confidence in Block’s future.
The company’s Q2 profit hit $2.54 billion, fueled by Cash App growth and rising Bitcoin accounts. With $193 million in Block holdings across its ETFs, ARK is clearly doubling down. It’s a bold bet on a fintech comeback story 🚀.
Steak ’n’ Shake’s decision to accept Bitcoin in mid-May paid off with an 11 % jump in same-store sales. That’s the biggest growth among major U.S. fast-food chains for the quarter.
Lower payment processing costs—slashed by about 50 %—boosted profits and customer smiles. On day one, Bitcoin payments made up 0.2 % of total Bitcoin volume. Looks like crypto payments are a tasty recipe for higher sales 🍟💳.
Indonesia is exploring adding Bitcoin to its national reserves as a way to strengthen economic resilience. Advocates pitched the plan to the vice president’s office, highlighting the country’s hydro and geothermal power for mining.
The discussions also emphasized Bitcoin education to drive grassroots adoption. It’s a daring blend of innovation, energy strategy, and monetary policy. If adopted, Indonesia could join the small but growing list of nation-states holding BTC 🌍⚡.
Crypto salaries have tripled this year, with 9.6 % of crypto professionals now paid in digital assets. Stablecoins dominate payrolls, with USDC taking a 63 % share—well ahead of USDT—thanks to broader payroll provider support.
Vesting schedules are getting longer too, often stretching to four years. This signals a shift toward long-term incentives and stability in the sector. Getting paid in crypto is becoming a career norm, not just a perk 💼🪙.
Harvard’s $53 billion endowment has invested over $116 million into BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin ETF, making it one of the fund’s top five holdings. The move gives the university exposure to nearly 1.9 million shares of the ETF.
Institutional interest in Bitcoin is heating up as the ETF’s assets have soared past $86 billion. Academia is stepping into the crypto ring, and Harvard is leading the charge 🏛️🔥.
Blue Origin is now accepting Bitcoin, Ether, Solana, USDT, and USDC for its New Shepard spaceflights. Customers can pay directly through wallets like MetaMask or Coinbase, bringing blockchain tech to the final frontier.
Partnering with Shift4 Payments, the company is blending space tourism with crypto commerce. Now, you can literally pay your way to the stars with digital assets 🌌💳.
The European Banking Authority will require banks to hold 1,250 % risk-weighted capital for unbacked crypto like Bitcoin and Ether. That means €10 million in crypto exposure would require €125 million in reserves.
The rules aim to standardize crypto risk management across EU institutions. If approved by the European Commission, the policy could reshape how banks handle digital assets. It’s a clear signal—crypto in banking will come with a heavy price tag 💰🔒.
AI SPOTLIGHT ✨
NASA and Google have teamed up to create CMO-DA, an AI medical assistant designed to keep astronauts healthy on long-duration Mars missions. The system can process speech, text, and images, allowing it to diagnose injuries and illnesses without real-time help from Earth.
In early tests, it scored 88 % accuracy on ankle injuries, 80 % on ear pain, and 74 % on flank pain—impressive for a virtual space doctor. Future upgrades will connect it to onboard devices and adapt its advice to the unique effects of microgravity. With communication delays of up to 20 minutes each way to Mars, this could be a mission-saving tool. It’s healthcare that’s literally out of this world 🌌.
Seoul-based Datumo has raised $15.5 million to expand its AI model evaluation platform, directly challenging major players like Scale AI. The company began in data annotation but pivoted to LLM evaluation after seeing huge demand for trust and safety benchmarking. Its tools can measure accuracy, bias, and reliability in large language model outputs, giving enterprises clear insight into model performance.
Datumo also launched Korea’s first national AI trust and safety benchmark dataset—a milestone in the region. The funding will help expand globally and strengthen its evaluation capabilities. They’re betting that the future of AI isn’t just about training models, but also making sure they can be trusted ✅.
Nvidia has unveiled Cosmos, a suite of “world models” and tools aimed at powering the next generation of robotics and physical AI applications. This includes Cosmos Reason, a 7B-parameter model designed for real-time reasoning in physical environments.
Alongside the models, Nvidia introduced new RTX Pro Blackwell servers and DGX Cloud infrastructure to make training and deployment faster. Developers will be able to simulate, generate, and test robotic behaviors more efficiently. The move cements Nvidia’s ambition to dominate AI not just in the digital realm but in real-world automation. Robots just got a serious brain upgrade 🦾.
Apple is working on a major Siri upgrade that could let users operate apps entirely with voice commands. This means you could shop online, edit photos, send messages, or book a ride without touching your phone.
The update will rely on Apple’s App Intents framework, which lets Siri interact deeply with third-party apps. Early testing includes big names like Amazon, WhatsApp, and Uber. Although initially expected sooner, the launch is now planned for spring 2026 to fine-tune performance and privacy safeguards. Your next iPhone might finally live up to the dream of a truly hands-free assistant 🗣️.
The U.S. government is preparing to integrate ChatGPT across all federal agencies in a massive AI adoption push. Officials envision the AI assisting with drafting reports, answering citizen queries, and managing complex data.
Several pilot programs are already underway to test security, privacy, and accuracy before a nationwide rollout. If successful, it could streamline operations and make government services more accessible. However, the challenge will be balancing efficiency with transparency and trust. Even bureaucracy might soon get a conversational upgrade 💬.
Tether and Rumble have joined forces to acquire 100 % of Northern Data, a European leader in high-performance computing infrastructure. Northern Data’s massive GPU and server network will now be used not just for blockchain but also AI workloads.
Tether gains access to raw compute power, while Rumble strengthens its video streaming and AI capabilities. This move represents a deep crossover between the crypto and AI industries. By combining mining-style infrastructure with AI training needs, the companies hope to dominate two fast-growing markets at once. It’s a bold bet on a hybrid tech future 🚀.
A leading Bitcoin mining company has purchased a majority stake in Exaion, a French startup specializing in AI and cloud infrastructure. The plan is to explore how surplus mining power can be redirected toward AI training tasks. Exaion’s data centers already focus on sustainability, making them a good fit for greener AI operations.
This could help reduce the environmental impact of both crypto mining and AI computing. It’s a new kind of synergy—proof-of-work meeting proof-of-training. Mining rigs might soon be just as busy crunching neural networks as they are hashing blocks ⚡.
Meta has acquired Waveforms, a startup building AI tools for audio editing, generation, and enhancement. The technology could improve everything from Instagram Reels’ sound quality to immersive audio in VR worlds. By integrating Waveforms’ tech, Meta aims to make social content creation faster, easier, and higher-quality.
This acquisition also strengthens Meta’s position in the race to dominate AI-powered creative tools. In a future where video and VR are everywhere, great sound could be the next competitive edge. Social audio is about to get a major upgrade 🎶.
Google is piloting a revamped version of Google Finance packed with AI features. Users will see predictive analytics, instant company summaries, and a continuous live news feed. The idea is to help investors act faster by combining data and context in one place. Early testers say the new design feels like having a financial analyst in your pocket.
If it rolls out broadly, it could make Google Finance a must-use tool for traders and casual investors alike. Finance is getting smarter—and faster 📊.
Google has pushed back against claims that its AI-powered search results are reducing website traffic for publishers. The company argues that AI summaries and chat features are designed to complement, not replace, traditional search results. Critics remain skeptical, fearing fewer clicks to original content.
Google insists its metrics show stable click-through rates since the rollout. The debate highlights ongoing tensions between search convenience and content discovery. For now, Google is standing firm that AI and the open web can coexist peacefully 🌍.
That’s a wrap for this week’s edition 🎯. The markets might ebb and flow, but innovation in crypto and AI clearly isn’t slowing down. From regulatory overhauls in the UAE to Harvard stacking sats, and from hyper-scalable blockchains to space tourism you can pay for in Bitcoin, the future’s looking more interconnected – and more imaginative – than ever. Keep your keys safe, your curiosity sharper than your candlestick charts, and we’ll be back next week with more stories that connect the dots between finance, tech, and a dash of cosmic adventure 🌌.
