Category: crypto

Groq is raising up to $650 million from existing investors to fund a new entity called Groq2, focusing on building AI “neoclouds” after signing a $20 billion licensing deal with Nvidia. The deal leaves Groq’s cloud business and IP intact, with the new entity pivoting towards AI infrastructure services.

YZi Labs has launched a curated Creator Program that connects storytellers focused on Web3, AI, and cutting-edge technology with over 300 portfolio projects. This initiative aims to fuse capital, hiring, and narrative by providing creators with priority access to founders and distribution channels, aligning with YZi’s focus on Web3 and AI.

Trezor has launched a Morpho integration that allows users to earn yield on USDC and USDT within Trezor Suite. The yield is generated from borrowing demand on Morpho, and users can manage their deposits, withdrawals, and rewards directly on their Trezor hardware wallet. This move shows how custody providers are integrating DeFi into their services.

UniCredit director Elena Carletti warns that Europe may struggle to contain a crypto bank crisis under MiCA rules. She points out that EU lacks tools to support crypto-linked deposits like US regulators did after the SVB collapse. Carletti’s warning comes as stablecoin issuers are pushed closer to banks, raising concerns about Europe’s ability to handle…

Kalshi has sued Minnesota to stop a prediction market ban set to start on August 1. The company argues that the Commodity Exchange Act gives the CFTC exclusive control over event contracts, and Minnesota’s law infringes on that authority. The lawsuit comes amid a national dispute over regulating event contracts.

A Bank for International Settlements-led project, Project Agorá, has successfully tested tokenized central bank reserves and bank deposits for cross-border payments in a single step across currencies. More than 40 private institutions and seven central banks are involved. The BIS also warned of risks associated with stablecoins and crypto exchange products.

Banca Sella has received approval from the Bank of Italy under the MiCA framework to offer custody and transfer services for crypto assets. The rollout will focus on selected corporate and institutional clients by the end of 2026. This approval aligns with Europe’s shift towards new digital models and offers a regulated banking option in…

Nium and Circle Technology Services have partnered to connect USDC-based settlement with local-currency payouts for institutions making cross-border payments. Nium has joined Circle Payments Network as a global payout partner, providing access to payouts in over 190 countries and 100 currencies. Circle’s institutional stablecoin services have expanded with Luxembourg approval.

Stablecoin payments focus on settlement and B2B transactions, not consumer checkouts, according to BridgerPay CEO Ran Cohen. He believes stablecoins will scale in business flows over 18 months, with a focus on cross-border settlement, B2B payouts, and treasury. Cohen does not foresee stablecoins replacing cards at consumer checkouts in the near future.

BlackRock IBIT had $1.29 billion in shares traded in a dark pool on Tuesday, one of the largest blocks recorded. A 29 million share block crossed off-exchange at 10:30 a.m. ET, causing Bitcoin to slip 1.4% before falling to around $74,800. This trade extended an eight-day outflow streak.