Author: James Wilson

South Korea’s Korea Exchange halted trading in KOSPI-listed shares for 20 minutes on July 28 after the benchmark fell 8.02% to 6,213.51. Summary 8.02% KOSPI drop triggered a 20-minute marketwide circuit breaker at 10:13 a.m. Tuesday in Seoul. SK Hynix ADRs closed at $143.02, below their $149 offering price for first time Monday. July 29 brings SK Hynix earnings and additional KOSPI shares from its U.S. ADR offering. The Level 1 circuit breaker took effect at 10:13 a.m. local time after the decline remained above 8% for one minute. It was the eighth KOSPI circuit-breaker activation of 2026 and the…

Metaplanet plans to use its newly acquired Japanese brokerage to develop Bitcoin-backed bonds offering yields of roughly 4% to 6%, according to Benchmark. Summary Metaplanet envisions issuing Bitcoin-backed bonds yielding between 4% and 6%. Its JPY 2.1 billion Siiibo Securities acquisition provided a regulated Japanese securities platform. Future Bitbonds could move onchain with stablecoin settlement and trade on a secondary market. Benchmark maintained its Buy rating and JPY 405 price target for Metaplanet stock. Metaplanet Securities could become a Bitbond platform Benchmark analyst Mark Palmer argued that investors have underestimated the importance of Metaplanet’s acquisition of Siiibo Securities, which closed…

New York Attorney General Letitia James has urged Congress to revise the CLARITY Act, warning that the crypto market structure bill could restrict states from prosecuting fraud and enforcing investor protection laws. Summary James said the bill could preempt state investor protection laws and weaken local enforcement. State and local authorities account for about 98.8% of arrests nationwide, according to her testimony. Senate Republicans need 60 votes to advance the legislation through the cloture process. Banking, ethics and enforcement disputes remain unresolved before the Senate’s August recess. James challenges the CLARITY Act’s enforcement rules James raised the concerns in written…

X Money has begun rolling out to Premium and Premium+ subscribers in the United States, adding deposit accounts, instant transfers, and a Visa debit card directly to the social media platform. Summary X Money offers annual yields of up to 6% and free transfers between users. Eligible X Card purchases can earn 3% cashback, with free ATM withdrawals also available. A cash sweep program provides eligible users with up to $10 million in FDIC coverage. X has not announced support for Bitcoin, Dogecoin, or any other cryptocurrency. X Money brings banking tools inside the social platform X Money combines peer-to-peer…

Cantor Fitzgerald is advising Swiss digital asset lender AMINA Bank on a possible public listing as the Wall Street firm expands its role in crypto capital markets. Summary AMINA Bank is considering a public listing, although its valuation and preferred exchange remain undisclosed. Cantor’s mandate follows its onchain IPO partnership with Securitize, announced earlier in July. AMINA recorded 69% revenue growth in 2024 and holds regulatory approvals in Switzerland and Europe. Cantor is also reportedly pursuing a separate deal involving up to 30,000 Bitcoin from Blockstream. AMINA Bank considers a public listing According to reports, Cantor Fitzgerald is advising AMINA…

Tether Gold has secured Shariah certification for XAU₮, widening the gold-backed token’s potential use among Islamic banks, institutions, and individual investors. Summary Amanah Advisors certified XAU₮ after reviewing its structure against Islamic finance principles. Each XAU₮ token represents one troy fine ounce of physical gold held in Swiss vaults. Tether Gold’s locked value has more than tripled to about $2.86 billion over the past year. The approval follows XAU₮’s recognition as an Accepted Spot Commodity in Abu Dhabi. XAU₮ receives Shariah approval from Amanah Advisors Tether announced on July 27 that XAU₮ had received Shariah compliance certification from Amanah Advisors,…

Tokenized stock adoption nearly doubled over the past month as Robinhood attracted hundreds of thousands of retail holders, although Ondo continued to lead the sector by asset value. Summary Tokenized equity holders increased 92% in 30 days, reaching 752,000 across five major platforms. Robinhood captured 328,000 holders and a 44% share, but held only $44 million in assets. Ondo led with $857 million, followed by xStocks at $487 million and Securitize at $245 million. US transfer-agent groups want the SEC to prioritize issuer-backed tokenized securities over unaffiliated products. Tokenized stock holders rise 92% in one month Tokenized equity platforms reached…

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has asked a federal court to expedite its ruling against Minnesota before the state’s prediction-market ban takes effect on Aug. 1. Summary Minnesota’s ban takes effect Aug. 1, leaving the court only days to decide on injunctive relief. Kalshi and Polymarket joined the CFTC’s request for a temporary administrative stay. The CFTC may seek emergency appellate relief if the district court does not act promptly. Industry groups argue that one federal framework should govern regulated event contracts across the United States. CFTC presses court as Aug. 1 deadline approaches The CFTC requested expedited handling…

Tesla has secured a UK Supreme Court victory that revives its legal challenge over the licensing terms for patents needed to launch 5G-enabled vehicles in Britain. Summary Tesla can resume its FRAND licensing claim against InterDigital and patent platform Avanci. Avanci’s proposed licence reportedly cost $32 for each 5G-connected vehicle when proceedings began. Tesla continues to hold 11,509 Bitcoin despite recording a $112 million quarterly digital-asset loss. Dogecoin remains available for eligible Tesla Shop products, but not for vehicle purchases. Tesla revives UK lawsuit over 5G patents Britain’s Supreme Court ruled in Tesla’s favor on July 27, overturning earlier decisions…

Circle Internet Group has acquired more than 680 IBM patent families containing nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide.  Summary Circle acquired nearly 1,000 IBM patents spanning blockchain, payments, banking, insurance, supply chains and cloud. Circle says the expanded portfolio supports USDC, Payments Network, Arc and its agentic finance tools. Financial terms remain undisclosed, while Circle and IBM plan to explore further commercial opportunities together. The portfolio covers blockchain infrastructure, banking, payments, insurance, enterprise systems, supply-chain verification and secure cloud operations. Circle announced the transaction on July 27 but did not disclose its price or other financial terms. In its official announcement,…