AI agents will rely on blockchain infrastructure—programmable payments, stablecoins, identity, and tokenized custody—to transact, settle, and prove ownership, making the underlying financial rails the next investment frontier.

Citi and Coinbase have built a hidden stablecoin payment bridge that lets corporate clients transact instantly and safely without holding crypto or opening wallets.

Near Intents blocked over $50 million of stolen Bitget funds using its SHIELD system, sparking debate over the limits of a permissionless swap service and the need for clear recovery procedures.

Project Eleven has acquired Riva Labs, adding hash‑based post‑quantum wallet tech and IP to accelerate the migration of major blockchains to quantum‑resistant cryptography.

Bitwise’s new NRR ETF gives U.S. investors regulated spot exposure to NEAR, plans to stake the token for yield, and markets it as the settlement layer for AI agents.

Cboe and S&P Dow Jones Indices extended their exclusive licensing deal through 2051, preserving SPX options rights while exploring tokenized options contracts—an exploratory step that could bring blockchain‑enabled derivatives to mainstream finance.

Bybit now lets eligible clients borrow USDT or USDC using Franklin Templeton’s tokenized money‑market fund shares as off‑exchange collateral, keeping the assets in custody and earning yield while reducing counterparty risk.

Sony‑backed Soneium and DayOneDream are tokenising K‑Pop revenue, letting fans invest in concert, streaming and music rights while giving artists a new funding source, though launch details remain unclear.

Ondo Perps CEO David Wells sees a major opportunity for U.S. perpetual futures, proposing a hybrid model that blends regulated clearing with on‑chain settlement to satisfy both market demand and regulatory scrutiny.

Morgan Stanley has opened a Digital Asset Lab to safely test DeFi vaults and other crypto tools before integrating them into its core systems, reflecting a cautious yet forward‑looking approach to decentralized finance.

The SEC tightened its token‑buyback guidance to only fully decentralized networks, easing compliance for those projects but still requiring careful framing of buyback announcements.

House Oversight has expanded its insider‑trading probe to Hyperliquid, Crypto.com and PredictIt, demanding records on identity verification and trade surveillance after a high‑profile short on Hyperliquid allegedly used non‑public tariff information.

Blockchain.com plans a $500 million IPO this year at a $4‑$6 billion valuation, after filing a confidential S‑1 with the SEC.

The U.S. SEC’s Office of the Inspector General is demanding records from Crypto.com, Hyperliquid and PredictIt on identity checks and suspicious trades.

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce is concluding her nearly ten‑year tenure, reflecting on unfinished regulatory goals.

Aztec Labs relaunched zk.money, a self‑custodial wallet that uses the Aztec Network to hide payment amounts, balances and recipients while still allowing deposits from Ethereum.

Bitget’s attacker performed two small test transfers before draining $388 million, revealing gaps in the exchange’s risk controls.

Chainalysis now automatically tracks and monitors tokens on HyperEVM, expanding coverage beyond HYPE to ERC‑20 and ERC‑721 assets.

NEAR Intents blocked $503,000 of Bitget hack funds, citing risk‑intelligence, while THORChain refused a similar request.

Aztec Labs relaunched its zk.money privacy wallet on the Aztec Network after a 2023 discontinuation.

Bitwise launched the first U.S. spot NEAR ETF, the NRR, which stakes NEAR and passes rewards to shareholders.

FBI used Chainalysis blockchain analytics to link a darknet drug vendor, BarbaraWhite, to two Jacksonville brothers, aiding their arrest for opioid distribution.

Strive’s latest $94.5 million Bitcoin purchase pushed its holdings over 27,400 BTC.

Vitalik Buterin says Ethereum’s next fork, Hegota, will likely be its last “normal” upgrade before the network shifts to advanced cryptographic proofs and quantum‑safe design.