South Korea’s Toss Partners with Optimism to Test Won Stablecoins: Report

Viva Republica, the operator of South Korea-based mobile money transfer app Toss, reportedly signed a memorandum of understanding with blockchain company Optimism to test a Korean won-based stablecoin infrastructure for institutional payments. The companies, along with privacy solutions provider Sunnyside Labs, will conduct a three-month proof of concept (PoC) using Optimism’s OP Stack and Sunnyside’s…

ESMA Reviews Crypto Custody Security Under EU Rules

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), a key EU regulator supporting the implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, is launching a dedicated process for reviewing crypto custody providers. ESMA plans to conduct a common supervisory action (CSA) focused on the operational resilience of crypto-asset service providers (CASPs), with a specific emphasis on…

StarkWare CEO Proposed 4% Bitcoin Inflation Model

The debate over whether Bitcoin’s fixed supply cap should be lifted has resurfaced after StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson suggested Tuesday that it should replaced with a 4% annual issuance rate. In a post to X on Tuesday, Ben-Sasson said the current 21 million cap “doesn’t make sense” because private keys are lost over time and…

Base To Launch B20 Standard For Fungible Tokens On Mainnet

Coinbase-backed Ethereum layer-2 network Base is set to activate its B20 token standard on mainnet, introducing a native framework for stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) and other fungible tokens.  According to Base documentation, B20 is scheduled to go live at 6 pm UTC on the mainnet, enabling developers to begin creating tokens under the new…

Ripple news: XRP Ledger v3.2.0 rollout gains ground but trails version its replacing

The XRP Ledger’s newest server software, v3.2.0, designed to make the network cheaper to run, more stable, and more attractive for institutional use, is gaining adoption. However, it has yet to overtake the previous version (3.1.3) across the wider network, and the key security fixes that come with it remain in the voting process. Of…

EU Again Set For Vote on ‘Chat Control’

EU lawmakers are set to vote again on controversial legislation dubbed “chat control” by its critics, which would allow tech firms to scan messages for child sexual abuse material. On Tuesday, the European Parliament voted through a rarely used urgent procedure that will bring lawmakers to a vote Thursday on whether to extend the legal…

Strike Launches Volatility-Proof Bitcoin-Backed Loans

Bitcoin financial services platform Strike has launched a “volatility-proof” Bitcoin-backed loan that eliminates margin calls and forced liquidations amid the depths of a bear market, but only for those who can pay on time and handle a 14% interest rate. In an announcement on Tuesday, Strike CEO Jack Mallers said the offering came in response…

Secret Network Proposes SCRT Move From Cosmos to Arbitrum

Privacy-focused layer-1 blockchain Secret Network is proposing to move from its longtime home on Cosmos to Ethereum layer-2 Arbitrum, citing security risks from artificial intelligence, among other reasons.  Secret Network has been running privacy-preserving smart contracts on Cosmos since 2020, as the ecosystem had strong momentum back then, but the “environment has changed,” the team…

ETH Outperforms BTC As Investors Turn Attention Toward TradFi Adoption

Key takeaways: BitMine’s aggressive ETH accumulation has reinforced the $1,500 support despite $8B unrealized losses. Glamsterdam upgrade and Robinhood Chain launch signal stronger TradFi focus for Ethereum’s base layer. Ether (ETH) price rallied 15% in five days, distancing itself from the $1,500 low hit on June 26. Part of the improvement in investor sentiment can…

SEC Crypto Rule Changes Are High on its 2026 Agenda

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced proposed rule changes that its chair said would “help clarify the regulatory framework for crypto assets and provide greater certainty to the market” as part of its annual agenda. In a Tuesday notice, SEC Chair Paul Atkins said that the agency’s 2026 agenda was intended to align…