Author: John Smith

Standard Chartered has begun offering Bitcoin and Ether trading through existing bank accounts to Professional Investor clients in the UAE. Customers do not need a separate wallet, and the bank says it will handle custody and settlement within a closed loop system. The convenience has a defined boundary: the announcement explains how customers can buy and sell inside the bank but does not specify whether they can withdraw coins to a wallet they control. Summary Standard Chartered launched BTC and ETH trading for UAE Professional Investor clients on October 14. Eligible customers buy and sell through existing bank accounts rather…

Kraken’s parent company, Payward, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Finland’s Saldo Finance Oy, owner of Lithuania-licensed Saldo Bank, in a transaction expected to close in 2027 that would expand its banking services across five European markets. Summary Kraken parent Payward signed an agreement to acquire Saldo Finance Oy, owner of Lithuanian Saldo Bank. Saldo Bank operates in four European markets and holds additional banking authorization for the Netherlands. Payward expects the acquisition to close during 2027, pending regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. The proposed acquisition would expand Payward Banking into deposits, consumer lending, business loans, and cards.…

Pi Network told node operators to install Protocol 28 software by October 13 ahead of a planned Mainnet upgrade on October 16. The deadline is behind the network; activation is still ahead. The immediate question is whether participating nodes are ready and what users and developers will actually be able to do after the change, because neither a deadline nor a protocol number is a measure of application use. Summary Pi told all Mainnet node operators to upgrade to Protocol 28 by October 13, 2026. The network has scheduled Protocol 28 activation for October 16, subject to completion of the…

Ethereum price has struggled to sustain a recovery above $2,500 on October 14 as persistent ETF withdrawals, weak market sentiment, and technical resistance continue to limit buying interest. Summary Ethereum price continues to struggle near $2,500 as persistent spot ETF withdrawals and weak market sentiment limit recovery attempts. U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs recorded $542.2 million in net outflows during the week ending October 9, adding to selling pressure. Daily Bollinger Bands and Aroon readings favor sellers, with ETH trading below the middle Bollinger Band at $2,617.99. The four hour MACD shows improving momentum, but ETH must clear resistance at $2,543…

Philippine cryptocurrency exchange Coins.ph has reportedly come under increased scrutiny from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) over alleged transactions involving restricted offshore gambling operators, raising concerns about its regulatory standing. Summary Coins.ph faces reported regulatory scrutiny over allegations involving financial transactions linked to restricted offshore gambling. Philippine regulators restricted incoming InstaPay and PESONet transfers through DCPay, affecting Coins.ph wallet funding services. Coins.ph confirmed that cryptocurrency trading and outgoing transfers remain available despite restrictions on incoming deposits. The exchange operates through separate entities responsible for cryptocurrency services and electronic money payment operations. BSP ordered financial institutions to remove gambling access…

Wells Fargo has outlined plans to issue stablecoins with 20 other financial institutions in the first half of 2027, while CEO Charlie Scharf has said their use cases in the United States remain unclear. Summary 21 financial institutions are establishing a stablecoin company, with a dollar token planned first. Scharf said Wells Fargo launched tokenized deposits for corporate and commercial clients in September. The consortium plans to support cross-border payments and digital asset settlements across several customer groups. Wells Fargo reported third-quarter net income of $5.95 billion, compared with $5.59 billion a year earlier. Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf said…

Ripple has partnered with Stripe-owned Privy to bring XRP and RLUSD wallet tools into apps on the XRP Ledger, where Ripple says AI agents have already made 13 million payments. Summary Privy will let developers create XRPL wallets, manage them through software, and sign transactions. Embedded wallets will support stablecoin payments without requiring consumers to manage their own keys. Ripple says agent payments now account for roughly 25% of activity on the XRP Ledger. The integration will support XRP, RLUSD and other digital assets issued on the network. Privy announced that it is bringing its programmable wallet infrastructure to the…

Coinbase has joined a four-day operation with U.S. and UK law enforcement to disrupt West African scam networks by tracing illicit funds, supporting asset freezes and sharing intelligence. Summary The Oct. 6–9 London operation targeted West African scam networks and the services supporting them. Coinbase’s investigators traced financial activity and shared intelligence with law enforcement and industry partners. Targeted schemes included fake crypto investments, police impersonation, and staged arrests conducted over video calls. The operation involved the DOJ’s Scam Center Strike Force and the UK’s National Crime Agency. Coinbase said in an Oct. 13 post that its Global Intelligence team…

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced the arrests of two Americans accused of helping North Korean IT workers obtain jobs at more than 70 U.S. companies in a scheme that generated approximately $3 million. Summary Two Americans face fraud, money laundering, and identity theft conspiracy charges under an Ohio indictment. More than 70 U.S. employers allegedly hired overseas workers using stolen or fabricated identities. Approximately 187 laptops and remote-control devices were seized during a separate operation across Texas. Cryptocurrency transfers appear in the indictment’s account of how participants moved employment earnings overseas. The U.S. Department of Justice announced on…

Federated Hermes, which manages $911.6 billion in assets, has partnered with Prometheum to develop tokenized funds for U.S. brokerage distribution, with the first product expected in Q1 2027. Summary Q1 2027 is the expected launch window for the partnership’s first tokenized fund product. ProFinancial will support distribution, while Prometheum Capital will provide custody, clearing and settlement services. Introducing broker-dealers will access the funds through Prometheum Capital’s correspondent clearing platform. Federated Hermes reported $911.6 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2026. Prometheum and Federated Hermes said in their Oct. 13 announcement that the planned collaboration will bring blockchain-based…