News from the frontier of crypto, AI & payments.
Coverage and analysis at the intersection of crypto, AI, and payments — through the lens of institutional custody.
Utexo Launches Institutional-Grade Privacy USDT Settlement Solution Based on RGB Protocol
Utexo introduces a privacy-focused USDT settlement solution for institutional OTC desks built on Bitcoin's RGB protocol, offering confidential transactions with selective disclosure for audit purposes while addressing RGB implementation complexity challenges.
Utexo Launches Institutional-Grade Privacy USDT Settlement Solution Based on RGB Protocol
Utexo introduces a privacy-focused USDT settlement solution for institutional OTC desks built on Bitcoin's RGB protocol, offering confidential transactions with selective disclosure for audit purposes while addressing RGB implementation complexity challenges.
Hedge Fund Stars Shine in First Half: Lone Pine Up 43%, Appaloosa Up 32%
Lone Pine Capital delivered a 43% return for investors in the first half, marking one of its best starts on record, while David Tepper's Appaloosa Management returned 32%, benefiting from bets on soaring memory chip stocks.
USDC Settlement Volume Surpasses USDT to Record High as Stablecoin Market Shifts Toward Compliance
New data from Visa shows Circle's USDC accounted for approximately 70% of adjusted stablecoin settlement volume in the first half of 2026, significantly outpacing Tether's USDT at roughly 25%. June transaction volume reached a record $1.79 trillion, up 125% year-over-year, as Wall Street banks and institutions accelerate stablecoin adoption for cross-border settlements and treasury management.
AI Agent Payment Protocols See Explosive Growth: Machine Payment Transactions Surge 7x in Six Months
Machine Payment Protocol (MPP) transaction volumes have surged from approximately 70,000 in March to an estimated 560,000+ in June, with month-over-month growth of 200-300%. Multiple real-world use cases demonstrate AI Agents naturally integrating into payment workflows, signaling rapid maturation of AI-native financial infrastructure.
140+ Institutions Launch Open USD Stablecoin in Market Android Moment
Over 140 financial technology and traditional finance institutions have jointly announced the launch of Open USD stablecoin, challenging Circle USDC market position. This shared stablecoin model, operated by independent company Open Standard, is being described as the stablecoin market Android moment, signaling a shift from single-issuer dominance to multi-party consortium competition.
Chinese Tech Giants Tighten AI Tool Controls Amid New Regulations
ByteDance's Doubao and Alibaba's Qwen are disabling custom AI agent features in response to new rules, while Alibaba has banned employees from using Anthropic's Claude Code, citing security risks. These moves reflect China's strengthened content controls on consumer AI applications and growing enterprise concerns over AI code tool security and data leakage.
Latest from Cobo
Cobo Agentic Wallet: The MPC-Based Security Standard for AI Agents
Cobo launches Cobo Agentic Wallet (CAW), the first MPC-based wallet designed specifically for AI Agents, featuring infrastructure-enforced authorization controls and structured execution templates to enable secure autonomous on-chain transactions without exposing private keys.
Cobo Agentic Wallet (CAW): MPC Security & Controlled Autonomy for AI Agents
Cobo launches the Cobo Agentic Wallet (CAW), the world's first MPC-secured wallet designed specifically for AI agents, introducing a programmable authorization protocol and modular skill framework that enables autonomous on-chain execution within user-defined boundaries.
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