Author: James Wilson

Mastercard has launched Agent Connect to give merchants one integration for product discovery, cart creation and customer-approved payments across AI shopping platforms. Summary Agent Connect links merchants, AI agents, digital platforms, and payment providers through one connection. Merchants can provide current product, price, and inventory data from their existing catalogs. Agent Pay uses tokenized permissions to verify that customers authorized AI-initiated purchases. More than 30 companies support Mastercard’s payment system for autonomous software and machines. Mastercard Agent Connect reduces separate merchant integrations Mastercard said in a Sep. 9 announcement that Agent Connect allows merchants to participate in AI-assisted shopping without…

Ripple’s stablecoin has grown 1,278% this year while XRP shed more than a quarter of its value. The network is busier than ever, but the token capturing that activity has a dollar sign and a peg. Summary RLUSD market cap hit $2.32 billion with cumulative volume surpassing $9 billion, a 1,278% increase year to date, while XRP dropped 27% over the same period to trade near $1.39. The XRP Ledger processes 2.4 million daily transactions, up 21% year over year, and DEX volume surged 79%, yet active accounts fell 40%, pointing to fewer but larger participants. Seven spot XRP ETFs…

Fintech veteran Wojciech Kaszycki has identified three tests for real bank adoption of Bitcoin: client custody balances, credit-funded spot trades and its use as loan collateral, following Standard Chartered’s launch of deliverable BTC and ETH trading for eligible UAE institutions. Summary Standard Chartered now offers institutional BTC/USD and ETH/USD trading through its existing electronic channels. Kaszycki said bank credit lines, custody, and back-office integration matter more than a familiar trading screen. Bitcoin-backed loans with published collateral haircuts would show that banks can price and manage the asset’s risk. Crypto-native venues may retain their advantage in weekend liquidity, derivatives, and trading…

The Hyperliquid Policy Center has asked a federal court to dismiss CME Group’s lawsuit against the CFTC, arguing that the derivatives exchange lacks standing and cannot rely on the Commodity Exchange Act provisions cited in its complaint. Summary HPC says CME has not shown a competitive injury caused by the CFTC’s decision. The group argues CME’s commercial interests fall outside the relevant Commodity Exchange Act protections. CME wants the court to overturn the approval of Kalshi’s Bitcoin perpetual futures contract. The CFTC has separately requested dismissal, with CME due to respond by Oct. 2. Hyperliquid policy group disputes CME’s standing…

Ethereum price hovered around $2,500 on Sep. 9 as buyers defended short-term support, but weakening momentum and negative capital flows kept a breakout above $2,535 out of reach. Summary Ethereum price traded within a narrow intraday range between $2,482.50 and $2,523.30. The 4-hour price slipped below the 20-period moving average at $2,490, while CMF fell to -0.09. A daily close above $2,525–$2,535 could open a move toward $2,550 and $2,600. The liquidation heatmap shows major liquidity concentrations near $2,430, $2,550, and $2,600. Losing the $2,478 pivot would raise the risk of a retreat toward $2,435–$2,445. Ethereum (ETH) price traded near…

Corn has launched a private members club for digital asset holders after closing its Bitcoin layer-2 network, as a third investment from Polychain Capital has taken its total funding to $19 million. Summary Corn’s former Bitcoin layer 2 ceased operations on June 30 after holding around $1 billion at its peak. Polychain has invested three times, though Corn has not disclosed the size of its latest contribution. Members can deposit USDC and USDT, with card balances settling in USDC on Base. Rain issues and processes the card, which will be available in over 50 countries, including the United States. Corn…

Germany has prepared a 25% flat tax on cryptocurrency gains from 2028, potentially ending the country’s long-standing exemption for Bitcoin and other digital assets held for more than one year. Summary Germany plans to tax crypto gains at a flat 25% rate from 2028, replacing the current system that exempts assets held for more than one year. The proposed rules would cover crypto assets bought after Jan. 1, 2027, while the treatment of previously purchased holdings has yet to be decided. The Finance Ministry expects the measure to generate roughly €350 million in additional tax revenue. Crypto gains could be…

BitMart appointed Alvarez & Marsal as its financial adviser on Sept. 9 as the crypto exchange reviews its financial position, withdrawal restrictions and possible paths following the suspension of trading. Summary BitMart appointed A&M to assess finances, stakeholder claims and withdrawal arrangements with its legal advisers. Five business days is BitMart’s deadline to publish a dedicated user feedback portal online publicly. BitMart expects to announce its action plan and consultation details within three weeks of Wednesday. BitMart halted trading on August 26 after announcing an orderly platform wind-down in July 2026. No audited asset balance, creditor recovery rate or withdrawal…

Polkadot’s community has opened a governance vote on a native decentralized stablecoin called dotUSD, with a proposal to make the dollar-pegged asset the network’s primary stable-value instrument and eventually back it mainly with DOT. Summary Polkadot OpenGov is voting on a proposal to create dotUSD as the network’s native decentralized stablecoin. The plan calls for $5 million in initial DOT and USDT liquidity for a DOT and dotUSD pool. dotUSD would initially be minted against USDT before a second phase introduces DOT backed vaults, liquidations and redemptions. The full system would let users lock DOT to mint dotUSD while using…

Circle agreed to acquire Singapore-based payments company Tazapay for $400 million in an all-stock transaction, according to a Sept. 8 announcement and an accompanying U.S. regulatory filing. Summary Circle agreed to acquire Tazapay for $400 million in stock, subject to regulatory approvals globally. Tazapay processes more than $25 billion annualized volume through payout rails spanning over 100 markets worldwide. Circle says stablecoins already account for approximately 60% of Tazapay’s total transaction volume across markets. Deal completion requires MAS approval and other customary conditions, with closing currently expected during 2027. CRCL shares fell 5.8% Tuesday, closing at $96.18 after the acquisition…