Coinbase and Mastercard are in advanced talks to acquire London-based stablecoin startup BVNK, with the deal potentially valued between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion. Sources indicate Coinbase is currently leading the negotiations as both firms aim to strengthen their positions in the growing stablecoin payments market.
AnaisOpenAI’s Sora app has reached over one million downloads in under five days, growing faster than ChatGPT during its early launch despite being invite-only in the US and Canada. The AI-driven platform lets users create short videos with text prompts or “cameos,” but its rapid popularity has raised copyright and moderation challenges.
WeatherlyUkrainian crypto trader Konstantin Galich, known as *Kostya Kudo*, was found dead in his Lamborghini in Kyiv after a severe $400 billion crypto market crash triggered by Trump’s tariffs on Chinese imports. Authorities are investigating, with early signs pointing to suicide amid financial stress and market losses.
AnaisOpenAI has launched Instant Checkout, allowing ChatGPT users in the U.S. to buy products directly within chat, starting with single-item orders from Etsy. The feature works with stored payment methods and is expected to expand to over a million Shopify merchants, letting AI handle transactions while merchants manage fulfilment.
WeatherlyCoinbase is launching a new credit card with American Express and Cardless, offering up to 4% cashback in bitcoin. The Coinbase One Card, set to arrive in the US in autumn 2025, will be available only to Coinbase One members.
AnaisOpenAI is making Singapore a key hub for its Asia-Pacific expansion, aiming to grow its team and work with major clients like Singapore Airlines, Grab, and Sea Group. The company is offering customised AI solutions and investing in partnerships and infrastructure to support the rapidly growing ChatGPT user base.
WeatherlyChinese investors who lost money in a $6 billion Bitcoin Ponzi scheme face a long legal battle to reclaim their funds from 61,000 bitcoins seized by U.K. authorities, now worth over $7.4 billion. The case centres on Qian Zhimin, who pleaded guilty to money laundering, but tracing the coins back to individual victims remains highly complex.
WeatherlyBhutan has moved its national digital ID system to the Ethereum blockchain, giving nearly 800,000 citizens more control over their personal data. The migration aims to improve security, privacy, and transparency, while the country also continues expanding its cryptocurrency holdings and blockchain initiatives.
AnaisCircle has no immediate plans to launch a Hong Kong dollar stablecoin and is focusing on growing its USDC and EURC tokens. The company remains open to partnerships with local firms and is exploring multi-currency stablecoin opportunities.
WeatherlyReap has received approval from Singapore’s central bank to operate as a Major Payment Institution. The licence lets the Hong Kong fintech offer domestic and cross-border payment services as it expands across Asia.
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