YouTube will start counting a view as soon as a video begins playing from 24 August 2026, covering videos, Shorts and live streams worldwide. The stricter “Engaged views” metric will still determine creator earnings, while new YouTube Partner Programme applicants will face higher requirements from 1 February 2027.
AnaisJeonbuk Bank has partnered with Ripple to use Ripple Payments for near real-time cross-border transfers, making it the first regional bank in South Korea to adopt the service. The deal is Ripple’s third major Korean partnership this year, although it has not confirmed whether XRP, RLUSD or another asset will be used for settlement.
WeatherlySouth Korea has ordered domestic access to Polymarket to be blocked after regulators ruled that its prediction markets amount to illegal gambling. The regulator rejected Polymarket’s argument that its decentralised structure and lack of won payments kept it outside South Korean gambling laws.
AnaisThree former SpaceX engineers have launched 1872, a Cincinnati startup that raised $15 million to use robots and AI software to automate steel production for AI data centres and small nuclear reactors. Its Factory One plant will initially make steel skids, with the company aiming to automate most of the manufacturing process by 2027 as the US faces a growing shortage of skilled welders.
WeatherlyMozilla is testing Firefox Smart Window, an optional AI feature that can answer questions, organise tabs and help users find information from their browsing history. The beta is available to opted-in users in the US and Canada, with Mozilla working with Exa to provide web search while giving users control over AI models, data and when the feature is switched off.
Anais404 Media tracked a rare book with an AirTag to an Amazon facility in Las Vegas, where workers reportedly remove book bindings, scan the pages and discard the physical copies for AI training.
WeatherlyVisa is looking for a new stablecoin settlement and OTC partner after Mastercard completed its $1.8 billion acquisition of BVNK on 3 August 2026. The new partner must hold crypto exchange licences in the US, Canada, UK and Singapore and support Open USD as Visa expands its stablecoin platform.
AnaisA federal court approved Google’s $700 million settlement over claims that it unfairly controlled Android app distribution and in-app payments through Google Play. Millions of consumers may receive refunds, while Google must allow alternative payment systems and app stores on Android for several years.
WeatherlyPolymarket employs a former FBI staffer full-time to monitor traders and has built its own surveillance software to track activity. The platform has shared at least 315 wallet records with authorities, while recent regulatory cases show how easily public trading activity can be traced to individual users.
WeatherlyX is discussing using stablecoins such as USDC to pay creators as it replaces its existing revenue-sharing programme with the Original Content Rewards Programme. The talks are still ongoing, and X has not confirmed USDC as a payment option or given a launch date.
Anais