Category: crypto

Franklin Templeton’s mutual funds and ETFs have been approved by the SEC to invest in its blockchain-based BENJI money market fund. The no-action letter allows for custody structure flexibility, combining blockchain records with traditional transfer agent systems. The fund primarily invests in U.S. government securities and has about $726 million in assets.

Copper Markets (US) has become an SEC registered broker dealer and FINRA member, offering custody, staking, financing, and OTC services to institutional clients in the United States. The company’s ClearLoop Network allows for collateral management and trading activities without moving assets to a trading venue. Copper’s US presence as a qualified custodian is solidified through…

Charles Schwab has introduced direct Bitcoin and Ether trading on its platform with a 0.75% transaction fee. The brokerage reported $13.1 trillion in client assets and 39.8 million active brokerage accounts in the second quarter. Schwab is also exploring stablecoins and plans to extend crypto services to its advisor platform. Morgan Stanley’s E*Trade has priced…

Delio CEO Jeong Sang-ho has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for defrauding customers of about $49.2 million in crypto assets. He was acquitted of the main $175.6 million fraud charge but convicted on most other charges. Delio suspended withdrawals in 2023 and was declared bankrupt in 2024.

Metaplanet launched BitBonds after completing four private bond sales totaling roughly 200 million yen. The unsecured senior bonds mature in three years with interest rates between 4%–4.3%. Future issuances will depend on funding needs, market conditions, and investor demand. Metaplanet still holds 43,000 Bitcoin and plans for tokenization and stablecoin settlement.

OranjeBTC plans to list a new income-focused ETF called DIGY11 on B3 in early September. The ETF will hold preferred shares issued by U.S. Bitcoin treasury companies Strategy and Strive, targeting monthly distributions in Brazilian reais. The fund will hedge its U.S. dollar exposure and charge a 0.90% management fee.

Binance bStocks surpassed xStocks to become the second-largest tokenized stock issuer in less than two months, reaching a value of $610.6 million. Ondo Finance remains the largest issuer in the market. The tokenized stock market has grown from $80 million to $2.7 billion in value within a year, with Binance attributing the success of bStocks…

Monaco’s government is proposing a new crypto licensing framework to replace the 2022 regime, aligning with MiCA and FATF standards. The bill would require stricter authorization for crypto service providers, with a focus on governance, compliance, and supervision. This comes as Monaco faces increased scrutiny over anti-money laundering controls.

MUFG Financial Group is collaborating with Digital Asset and Progmat on a proof-of-concept for Japanese government bond repo settlement using Canton Network. The project aims to test real-time settlement and automation of the repo transaction lifecycle, potentially improving funding efficiency. The pilot program was selected by Japan’s FSA in February 2026.

Robinhood Ventures Fund II priced its IPO at $25 per share, raising $200 million before fees by offering 8 million common shares. The fund will trade on NYSE under the ticker RVII and could reach $255.5 million if underwriters exercise an option for another 1.2 million shares. Retail investors can access private companies through the…