CoinMENA, Revolut Expand UAE Financial Services Footprint

[Update June 18, 2026, 6:55 am UTC: Adds comments from a Revolut spokesperson.] Crypto exchange CoinMENA has entered a banking agreement with Standard Chartered to strengthen fiat payment infrastructure for customers in the United Arab Emirates. Under the agreement, CoinMENA will use Standard Chartered to support fiat on- and off-ramps, client money accounts and virtual…

Bitcoin-backed lending is making a comeback, according to Silicon Valley Bank

The growth case rests on a simple dynamic: as bitcoin ownership broadens and prices rise, holders increasingly want to borrow against appreciated collateral for tax efficiency, working capital or lifestyle needs, while lenders gain comfort underwriting overcollateralized loans secured by a highly liquid asset. The bitcoin lending industry was reshaped by the failures of Celsius,…

Donald Trump Has 10 Days to Decide on Housing Bill with CBDC Ban

US President Donald Trump has about 10 days to decide whether or not to sign bipartisan housing legislation containing a ban on a central bank digital currency (CBDC) into law after saying he planned to prioritize a controversial voting bill. According to reports, House Speaker Mike Johnson sent the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act…

Can Bitcoin Avoid A $60,000 Support Loss As US Stocks Rebound?

Bitcoin (BTC) struggled near $60,000 around Monday’s Wall Street open as bulls increasingly risked a support/resistance flip. Key points: Bitcoin bulls face an uphill struggle to flip $60,000 back to support, even as US stocks see fresh upside. Iran peace hopes fuel a more positive risk-asset mood, but analysis says that Bitcoin buyers “lack conviction.”…

G7 Flags North Korean Cybercrime After $2B Stolen in 2025

Group of Seven (G7) leaders have renewed their call for joint action against North Korean cryptocurrency thefts and cybercrime. In a statement adopted at this week’s G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, the leaders expressed “deep concern” over North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The United Nations and security researchers have linked North Korea’s crypto…

Bernstein Sees Prediction-Market M&A Wave as Platforms Integrate

Prediction-market operators are bringing trading infrastructure in-house, a rapid shift that could trigger a wave of acquisitions across crypto platforms, sportsbooks, brokerages and standalone exchanges, according to analysts at Bernstein.  In a research report on Monday, Bernstein said the industry is going through “operational consolidation,” with major platforms moving to control more of the prediction-market…

Prediction market consolidation could spark wave of M&A across sports betting, Bernstein says

The rapid consolidation of the prediction market technology stack is raising the odds of a new wave of mergers and acquisitions across sports betting and financial markets, according to Wall Street broker Bernstein. Over the past eight months, every major consumer-facing prediction platform has moved to own both customer distribution and exchange infrastructure, the report…

Strategy Unveils Bitcoin Framework With $2.55B Cash Reserve

Strategy is adopting a new capital framework that allows it to monetize part of its Bitcoin holdings to fund dividends, build cash reserves and repurchase securities while maintaining its long-term Bitcoin strategy. In a Monday 8-K filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Strategy introduced its “Digital Credit Capital Framework,” which includes a Bitcoin…

Philippines Is Ready for RWA Tokenization, SEC Commissioner Says

The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has signaled that the country is ready to accommodate the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs). Speaking onstage at the Philippine Blockchain Week 2026, SEC Commissioner Rogelio Quevedo said the agency was “now fully convinced that we have the proper law [and] the proper regulatory mind and background” to accept…

Vitalik Details Cryptographic Path To Private Onchain Voting

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin published a technical essay outlining how cryptography could one day enable people to vote privately onchain without relying on a trusted group to manage ballots or reveal the result.  In a blog post on Monday, Buterin said a cryptographic approach called indistinguishability obfuscation (iO), combined with blockchain infrastructure, could support private…