Visa expands stablecoin capabilities on Visa Direct with zerohash collaboration

Quick TakeVisa is integrating stablecoin functionality into its Visa Direct platform through a partnership with zerohash, allowing eligible clients to prefund merchant accounts and send payouts in stablecoins.Visa Direct reportedly connects to more than 18 billion endpoints, including cards, bank accounts and digital wallets.  Visa is expanding stablecoin functionality on its Visa Direct platform through a new collaboration with onchain infrastructure provider zerohash.  Eligible Visa Direct clients will soon be able to prefund merchant accounts and send payouts using stablecoins, with zerohash supplying the underlying technology and regulatory support, according to a press release on Wednesday.  Visa Direct reportedly connects to more than 18 billion endpoints — including cards, bank accounts, and digital wallets — across over 195 countries and territories, according to the announcement.  “Stablecoins are creating new opportunities to make money movement faster and more flexible, particularly for cross-border use cases,” Global Head of Product at Visa Mark Nelsen said in a statement. “Working with zerohash helps us bring stablecoin capabilities to our clients at scale, in a way thats reliable and interoperable with the financial systems they already rely on today.”  The integration is intended to give businesses greater flexibility in managing liquidity and settling transactions around the clock, particularly for cross-border

08-05انڈسٹری

Bitcoin onchain activity surges to yearly high as Coldcard attack unfolds

Bitcoin onchain activity has reached its highest level of 2026 as researchers have linked the surge to the ongoing Coldcard wallet exploit, warning that similar spikes have historically coincided with local market turning points.  K33 Research said nearly 890,000 BTC has moved onchain over the past seven days, the highest seven-day active supply recorded this year, even as Bitcoin has continued trading within one of its tightest price ranges in recent years.  The research note arrives as investigators continue expanding the scope of the Coldcard hardware wallet breach. Galaxy Research said on Tuesday that at least 15 different attackers have now exploited the vulnerability, while its latest confirmed estimate stands at 1,596 BTC stolen from roughly 7,300 addresses across three verified attack waves. The firm added that losses could reach around 2,055 BTC, or about $130 million, if a fourth suspected wave is confirmed through additional victim reports.  Although earlier blockchain observations suggested larger losses, Galaxy said it refined its estimates after separating confirmed victim reports from suspected onchain activity. The research team also said about 90% of the stolen Bitcoin has not moved since the attacks, giving investigators additional time to monitor the funds while coordinating with cryptocurrency exchanges, blockchain security firms

08-05انڈسٹری

'Panic visible onchain': Bitcoin activity hits 2026 high amid Coldcard attack as K33 flags potential bottoming pattern

Quick TakeBitcoins seven-day active supply climbed to a 2026 high with about 890,000 BTC moved over the past week amid the ongoing Coldcard attack, according to K33.Head of Research Vetle Lunde said periods of such elevated onchain activity have historically coincided with local market tops and bottoms.  Bitcoin onchain activity has climbed to its highest level of 2026 as the ongoing Coldcard attack continues to unfold, with K33 arguing that the surge in coin movement during the past week resembles a pattern historically seen around local market tops and bottoms.  The research and brokerage firms report comes as the number of attackers and funds stolen from the exploit continues to expand. Galaxy Research said Tuesday that victim reports continue to uncover new theft patterns, with the firm now estimating that at least 15 different attackers have exploited the vulnerability. Galaxy previously estimated Coincard-related losses had exceeded $100 million, rising to about $130 million, or roughly 2,000 BTC, including suspected but unconfirmed thefts. K33 estimates the exploit has so far resulted in about 1,596 BTC being stolen from roughly 7,300 addresses.  BTC active supply, past seven days. Image: K33.Panic is visible onchain  In the report, K33 Head of Research Vetle Lunde said around 890,000 BTC

08-05انڈسٹری

Bitcoin, broader market fail to keep pace as global equities hit record highs

SummaryBitcoin is trading little changed even as global stock indexes hit record highs on AI optimism and easing energy concerns, underscoring crypto-specific weakness.Derivatives data show subdued activity in bitcoin and ether but aggressive positioning in select altcoins.A sharp $4 billion, 60-day contraction in Tethers market value signals capital leaving crypto and may indicate late-stage selling. A durable bottom would require USDT supply to start rising again.  Bitcoin was little changed, adding 0.16% since midnight UTC to trade near $64,000, even as global equities hit new highs, fueled by optimism over AI and progress toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which pushed oil prices lower.  MSCIs All Country World Index rose 0.4% toward another record close, its Asia Pacific benchmark gained 2.2%, and Australian shares hit a new peak after the S most sectors, not just crypto, have underperformed AI over the past year,” DWF Labs wrote in a report.  Todays direction may find a catalyst in U.S. employment figures and ISM services PMI due later.

08-05انڈسٹری

Boerse Stuttgart Digital, Tradias close European crypto merger

Boerse Stuttgart Digital and institutional crypto trading firm Tradias have completed their merger after clearing the required ownership control procedure, creating a combined digital asset infrastructure unit with about 300 employees.  The transaction was first announced in February, when the companies agreed to combine their regulated crypto businesses and expand their services for banks, brokers and other financial institutions across Europe.  The merged business will operate under the Boerse Stuttgart Digital name, while Tradias will remain the brand for trading services, according to a Wednesday announcement.  The unit will provide trading, custody, staking and tokenization services and will be headquartered in Frankfurt and Stuttgart, with additional locations in Athens, Beirut, Berlin, Dubai, Madrid, Milan and Ljubljana.  Tradias founder Christopher Beck and Boerse Stuttgart Digital managing director Ulli Spankowski will serve as co-CEOs.  Boerse Stuttgart Digital serves institutions including DZ Bank, DekaBank, Intesa Sanpaolo and Société Générale-FORGE. Tradias works with clients including flatexDEGIRO, dwpbank and European government institutions.  Tradias provides trading and market-making services for more than 150 cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

08-05انڈسٹری

Bitcoin ETFs log inflows as cold wallet hack reignites custody debate

US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are attracting fresh capital as a high-profile cryptocurrency custody incident puts renewed focus on digital asset security.  Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $211.5 million in net inflows on Tuesday, adding to Mondays $170 million, according to data from SoSoValue.  The inflows came as the ongoing Coldcard hack drew attention from analysts, with Galaxy Research estimating that the attack may have affected as many as 7,300 addresses and resulted in about $130 million in suspected Bitcoin (BTC) losses from users of the hardware wallet.  The developments have renewed a long-running debate in crypto over whether institutional custody solutions offered through regulated financial products could become more attractive as investors weigh the risks and responsibilities of self-custody.  Galaxy ETF returns to inflows as Bitcoin funds rebound  BlackRock‘s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) led the ETF recovery, recording $111 million in inflows on Monday and $170 million on Tuesday, according to Farside Investors data. Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) followed, adding about $33 million and roughly $20 million on the respective days.  Invesco Galaxy Bitcoin ETF (BTCO) recorded $6.7 million in inflows on Monday, marking its first positive daily flow since July 1. The inflow represented about 3.9% of BTCOs cumulative net inflows of

08-05انڈسٹری

Circle confirms Sept. 16 Arc launch as BlackRock, Visa join validator group

Circle has announced that its Arc blockchain will launch on the public mainnet on Sept. 16, with BlackRock, DTCC, Mastercard, Visa, Standard Chartered, and other global financial institutions serving as founding validators.  According to Circle, Arc is currently running on a private mainnet with more than 100 institutional and ecosystem participants, ahead of its public mainnet launch scheduled for Sept. 16.  The company said BlackRock, The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), Galaxy, Global Payments, ICE, Mastercard, MoneyGram, SBI Group, Standard Chartered, Sumitomo Corporation and Visa will join Circle as the networks founding validators, helping secure and govern the blockchain from launch.  Arc launches with financial institutions as validators  Circle said the validator model is designed around institutions that are also building on the network rather than relying on independent operators. According to the company, the structure is intended to meet the operational, compliance and security requirements expected of financial market infrastructure while supporting open blockchain applications.  The announcement also confirms that Arc has moved into a private mainnet phase after earlier operating through a public testnet. Circle had previously said more than 100 organizations, including banks, asset managers and blockchain companies, were testing the network before launch.  Mastercard Chief Product Officer Jorn Lambert said the

08-05انڈسٹری

Boerse Stuttgart Digital finalizes Tradias merger, creating 300 employee crypto unit

Boerse Stuttgart Digital and institutional crypto trading firm Tradias have completed their merger after receiving regulatory approval for the required ownership control procedure, creating a combined digital asset business with about 300 employees.  SummaryBoerse Stuttgart Digital and Tradias have completed their merger after securing regulatory approval, creating a digital asset business with about 300 employees.The combined company will provide institutional trading, custody, staking and tokenization services while Tradias continues as the trading brand.The merger builds on Boerse Stuttgarts institutional crypto expansion, including its partnership with DekaBank and the rollout of its Seturion settlement platform.Tradias contributes trading and market making across more than 150 digital assets and serves banks, brokers and government institutions across Europe.  An announcement released on Wednesday said the deal, first unveiled in February, has now closed following completion of the required ownership control procedure, bringing the two regulated crypto businesses under a single structure focused on institutional clients across Europe.  The combined company will operate under the Boerse Stuttgart Digital name, while Tradias will continue as the dedicated brand for trading services. Together, the business will offer trading, custody, staking and tokenization services for banks, brokers and other financial institutions.  Operations will be managed from Frankfurt and Stuttgart, supported by teams

08-05انڈسٹری

Taiwan moves to enforce Travel Rule across domestic crypto platforms

Taiwan has proposed mandatory customer information sharing for all domestic crypto platform transfers, with new Travel Rule requirements scheduled to begin in October.  According to Taiwans Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), draft amendments released on Tuesday would require virtual asset service providers (VASPs) to exchange customer information for every transfer between domestic crypto platforms, regardless of transaction value.  The regulator said transfers above 30,000 New Taiwan dollars (about $930) would face additional identification requirements before they could be processed.  The proposal would also require receiving VASPs to verify that beneficiary details provided by the sending platform match the information held in their own records. The FSC said the amendments will enter a 30-day public consultation before any final rules are adopted.  Taiwan expands Travel Rule requirements  Under the proposed framework, platforms handling transfers above the NT$30,000 threshold would need to transmit more detailed customer information.  For individual senders, the FSC said platforms must provide the customers date of birth and residential address alongside existing transfer information. Corporate senders would instead need to disclose their official identification number and registered business address.  Receiving platforms would no longer be limited to accepting transmitted information. The proposal requires them to compare beneficiary information received from the originating VASP against their own

08-05انڈسٹری

Coldcard hack sparks a self-custody security overhaul: Cory Klippsten

SummarySwan CEO Cory Klippsten said the Coldcard attack prompted bitcoin holders to reexamine their custody decisions.He said he mobilized his team to help affected holders move their coins to safety, including people who were not Swan clients.Rather than abandoning self-custody, affected users are migrating toward vaults that prevent any single compromised device from putting funds at risk.  Cory Klippsten was at a wedding in Paris when the messages started coming in.  “It was a brutal weekend for so many who lost bitcoin,” the CEO of Swan said in an interview. “I was sending messages at 4 a.m. to help someone on Pacific Time get their coins to safety.”  That was last Thursday, when attackers began draining bitcoin from thousands of Coldcard hardware wallets, exploiting a firmware flaw that had sat undetected for five years.  A defect in a March 2021 firmware update for the Coinkite-made wallet left users with private keys that were less secure than they should have been. By the time three waves of attack had rolled through, almost 1,600 BTC valued at over $100 million had been swept from around 7,300 addresses, according to Galaxy Research.  Swan, a U.S.-based platform that helps individuals buy, hold and self-custody bitcoin, paused withdrawals for at-risk

08-05انڈسٹری
1
...
5961
...
1000