Category: crypto

At Consensus Miami 2026, Erik Reppel warned that AI agents are bypassing internet ads, threatening the web’s revenue model. He suggested x402 stablecoin micropayments as a replacement. Reppel argued that the agentic economy could reach $3-5 trillion by 2030, making ad-funded content unsustainable. x402 embeds micropayments into the HTTP layer for AI agents to automatically…

Fairshake has spent $28 million in 2026 primaries. A poll shows most Americans distrust crypto and AI, raising questions about the political value of industry-backed super PAC money. Public awareness of Fairshake and Leading the Future, two industry-aligned groups, remains low. Backlash could be swift once voters connect the spending to the industries behind it.

Box Elder County commissioners approved Kevin O’Leary’s 9GW Stratos AI campus in Utah on May 4, despite public protests. The 40,000-acre campus will generate 9 gigawatts of electricity powered by an on-site natural gas pipeline. O’Leary framed the project as a response to China’s AI power building, calling it a national security priority.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse spoke at Consensus 2026 in Miami, noting progress on the Clarity Act and calling it a positive shift. He highlighted growing Senate support for the bill, amidst industry backing and resistance from US banking groups. Garlinghouse’s optimism is based on the need for regulatory clarity in the digital asset space.

XRP Evernorth, a Ripple-backed company preparing for a Nasdaq listing under the ticker XRPN, appointed Robert Kaiden, CFO of the OpenAI Foundation, and Derar Islim, COO of Antalpha, as independent directors. The board additions signal institutional credibility as the company prepares for its public market debut, connecting it to prominent AI and crypto infrastructure organizations.

Pi Network co-founders Dr. Chengdiao Fan and Nicolas Kokkalis spoke at Consensus 2026 in Miami before the upcoming Protocol 23 launch on May 11. Fan discussed aligning Web3, AI, and blockchain, while Kokkalis focused on proving human identity online. Their appearances were strategically timed to build momentum for the launch and highlight Pi Network’s unique…

OnRe Finance, a Solana-based reinsurance firm, raised $5 million from Forward and RockawayX. Forward plans to invest up to $25 million in OnRe’s ONyc token. The funding will be used to scale reinsurance pools, expand underwriting capacity, and integrate with DeFi protocols. OnRe aims to offer tokenized reinsurance returns on Solana.

Coinbase, a popular cryptocurrency exchange, has recently laid off 700 employees, citing the use of artificial intelligence tools to increase productivity as the reason for the job cuts. This decision reflects the company’s efforts to streamline operations and adapt to changing market conditions.

Bullish’s acquisition of Equiniti for $4.2 billion positions the crypto exchange as a key player in tokenized securities markets. Equiniti serves 3,000 major companies with 20 million shareholders, giving Bullish access to ownership data required for tokenized securities. This move reflects a growing trend in blockchain-based capital markets infrastructure.

Dubai-based Global Millennial Capital has raised $100 million for its IPO Opportunities Fund, focusing on AI and DeFi mid-cap tech companies one to three years before their exits. The fund targets overlooked tech companies with market caps between $5 billion and $20 billion, aiming to bridge the gap between Gulf capital and global tech markets.