The US now controls 75.4% of global Bitcoin mining, overtaking China’s previous dominance. Despite a crypto ban, sources report that China still holds 15% of global Bitcoin hashrate, with its
VanEck has filed an S-1 registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch the first U.S.-listed exchange-traded fund (ETF) directly tracking Binance Coin (BNB), the native token of the BNB Chain. The proposed fund aims to track BNB's price net of fees, using direct custody without derivatives, and may include staking features pending regulatory approval. This filing represents a potential milestone for Binance Coin by facilitating increased investor access through traditional financial markets. Separately, Bitwise has also filed an S-1 with the SEC to launch a spot ETF tracking the NEAR Protocol token, aiming to provide investors with exposure to NEAR's value minus expenses. Both filings signal growing institutional interest in cryptocurrency-linked ETFs in the U.S. market. This is an AI-generated article powered by DeepNewz, curated by The Defiant. For more information, including article sources, visit DeepNewz . To continue reading this as well as other DeFi and Web3 news, visit us at thedefiant.io
Jack Mallers, CEO of Strike, has announced the launch of Strike Lending, a Bitcoin-backed lending service that allows users to access their Bitcoin wealth without selling their holdings. The service leverages Bitcoin as collateral to provide loans, enabling users to unlock liquidity while retaining ownership of their digital assets. This development follows the growing trend in decentralized finance (DeFi), with platforms like Coinbase already facilitating over $130 million in Bitcoin-backed loans powered by Morpho Labs. Strike Lending aims to expand access to Bitcoin-backed financial products, integrating with existing crypto infrastructure to support users' borrowing needs. This is an AI-generated article powered by DeepNewz, curated by The Defiant. For more information, including article sources, visit DeepNewz . To continue reading this as well as other DeFi and Web3 news, visit us at thedefiant.io
Standard Chartered predicts BNB could reach $1,275 by 2025. BNB's ecosystem developments support its price and technological growth. Continue Reading: BNB Reaches New Heights with Price Projections and Ecosystem Expansion The post BNB Reaches New Heights with Price Projections and Ecosystem Expansion appeared first on COINTURK NEWS .
The world of finance is constantly evolving, and the convergence of traditional payments and cryptocurrency is accelerating. A significant development signaling this trend is the recent move by a global payments giant. If you’re interested in the future of money and how large corporations are embracing digital assets, particularly stablecoin payments , this news is for you. What’s Behind the Visa Ventures Investment? Visa Ventures , the strategic investment arm of Visa, has thrown its weight behind BVNK, a company specializing in providing infrastructure for stablecoin payments. This isn’t just another small funding round; it follows BVNK’s successful $50 million Series B and represents a notable step for Visa. According to reports, the primary goal of this Visa investment is to facilitate BVNK’s expansion into the crucial U.S. stablecoin market . The United States is a massive market with growing interest in digital payments, and stablecoins offer a potential bridge between the volatility of traditional cryptocurrencies and the stability required for everyday transactions. This move suggests Visa sees tangible value in stablecoins as a payment rail, potentially for cross-border transactions, business-to-business payments, or even consumer use cases in the future. It’s a strategic play to get involved early in the infrastructure layer that could power the next generation of digital payments. Why Focus on Stablecoin Payments Now? Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a stable value relative to a specific asset, most commonly the U.S. dollar. Unlike volatile assets like Bitcoin or Ethereum, their price is pegged (or attempts to be pegged) 1:1 with a fiat currency or basket of assets. This stability makes them attractive for transactions, remittances, and settlements, areas where volatility is a major hindrance for traditional cryptocurrencies. For businesses, accepting or making payments in stablecoins offers several potential advantages: Speed: Transactions can often settle much faster than traditional bank transfers, especially internationally. Cost: Fees can be significantly lower than traditional payment processors or cross-border wire transfers. Accessibility: They operate on blockchain networks, potentially offering greater accessibility to those underserved by traditional banking. 24/7 Operation: Unlike banks, blockchain networks operate around the clock. Companies like BVNK build the necessary infrastructure – APIs, compliance tools, settlement layers – to make these benefits accessible and usable for businesses and financial institutions. What Does This Mean for BVNK ? Receiving an investment from a giant like Visa is a major validation for BVNK. Beyond the capital, it brings: Credibility: Association with a global payments leader enhances trust and reputation. Expertise: Potential access to Visa’s deep understanding of the payments landscape, regulatory environments, and network effects. Network Opportunities: Possibility of future collaborations or integrations with Visa’s vast network of partners and merchants. Accelerated U.S. Entry: The investment is specifically aimed at supporting their expansion into the U.S., a complex but lucrative market. This funding will likely be used to build out their U.S. team, navigate the regulatory landscape, develop localized products, and establish partnerships within the region. Navigating the U.S. Stablecoin Market : Challenges and Opportunities While the opportunity in the U.S. is immense, the path is not without hurdles. The regulatory environment for stablecoins in the United States is still evolving. Lawmakers and regulators are actively debating how to classify and regulate stablecoins, with potential frameworks ranging from treating issuers like banks to creating entirely new regulatory categories. Key considerations for BVNK and other players in the U.S. stablecoin market include: Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to state and federal financial regulations, including KYC/AML requirements. Licensing: Obtaining necessary money transmitter licenses or other required permits. Banking Relationships: Establishing and maintaining relationships with traditional banks for fiat on/off-ramps. Consumer Protection: Ensuring robust systems are in place to protect users. Competition: The market is attracting significant interest, leading to increased competition from both crypto-native firms and traditional finance players. Despite these challenges, the potential rewards are substantial. A clear regulatory framework, once established, could unlock significant institutional and corporate adoption of stablecoin payments , creating a massive market for infrastructure providers like BVNK. Is This the Future of Payments? Visa’s Visa investment in BVNK is a strong signal that major players in traditional finance see stablecoins not just as a niche crypto product, but as a potential component of the future global payment system. It reflects a broader trend of convergence, where the efficiency and innovation of blockchain technology are being explored for mainstream financial applications. While cash and traditional card payments are not disappearing anytime soon, the infrastructure being built today by companies like BVNK , with support from entities like Visa Ventures , is laying the groundwork for a future where digital currencies, particularly stablecoins, play a more prominent role in how businesses and individuals transact. Actionable Insight: Businesses should start exploring the potential benefits and mechanics of stablecoin payments, especially those involved in international trade or looking for faster, cheaper payment options. Understanding the infrastructure providers and the evolving regulatory landscape is crucial. In Conclusion: A Bridge Between Worlds The investment by Visa Ventures in BVNK represents a significant bridge being built between the traditional financial world and the emerging digital asset ecosystem. By backing infrastructure for stablecoin payments , Visa is positioning itself at the forefront of innovation in the payments space, specifically targeting expansion within the critical U.S. stablecoin market . This move validates the growing importance of stablecoins as a practical tool for transactions and highlights the increasing collaboration between established finance and crypto-native companies. As the regulatory picture in the U.S. becomes clearer, expect to see more such strategic partnerships and accelerated development in the stablecoin payment sector. To learn more about the latest stablecoin payments trends, explore our articles on key developments shaping the U.S. stablecoin market and institutional adoption.
Corporate treasuries are poised to unleash a $330 billion bitcoin buying spree by 2029, signaling explosive adoption of crypto as a mainstream balance sheet asset. Bernstein Forecasts $330B Corporate-Treasury Led Bitcoin Inflows by 2029 Global research and brokerage firm Bernstein has issued a new forecast suggesting that corporate treasuries may direct approximately $330 billion into
Bitcoin hits 65% dominance – will the Altcoins stage a comeback?
OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman launched Worldcoin in 2023 to give people a digital identity to verify themselves securely and anonymously online. The idea behind the project required people to scan their irises and, in exchange for their personal data, the company would reward them with a small amount of cryptocurrency, which it believed would inspire more people to sign up. Altman expressed his intention for Worldcoin as a “ proof of personhood ” because AI could mimic human behavior and talk like them, making it more difficult to tell who or what is real online. He also wanted to close the gap between the rich and the poor by giving everyone equal access to digital services without paperwork or passwords. In the beginning, Worldcoin was all hype as social media posts showed people waiting in long lines to scan their irises, especially in countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Most of the volunteers were more than happy to be a part of the global tech movement, while others were in it for the free cryptocurrency the company gave everyone who scanned their irises. However, Altman’s vision of a connected and equal world began crumbling as people and governments raised concerns about the project’s privacy, data safety, fairness, and consent. Privacy groups slam Worldcoin over biometric risks and exploitation Tech experts and privacy groups warned that the biometric data from these eye scans is extremely sensitive because the information connects directly to who you are as a person. And since you can’t change your eyes like your password, a hacker could easily stalk or steal from you. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) also criticized the project by saying the company rushed to collect information from third-world countries because the people were unaware of how Worldcoin would use, protect, or delete their data. In addition, people raised concerns about consent because Worldcoin would sometimes target individuals with limited internet access or education since they are less likely to understand the risks and make a more informed decision. Some users even claimed they only registered for Worldcoin for the free cryptocurrency but did not know how the company would use their data. Worldcoin also faced scrutiny over transparency, as it failed to clearly explain how user data was stored, who had access to it, and what would happen if the company changed ownership or shut down. Although Worldcoin claimed to anonymize the data, experts pointed out that it could still be traced back to the individual with the right tools. Once a scan is in the company’s database, it could remain there indefinitely. Due to mounting concerns, various governments launched investigations into Worldcoin’s practices. Nations like Spain, Portugal, and Kenya are at the forefront of demanding Worldcoin cease operations in their regions. These actions prove that many governments globally are moving too fast, breaking several legislative laws that seek to protect user interests. Worldcoin tries to win back trust after bans Due to the government pushback, Worldcoin quickly tried to save its image and respond to the growing criticism by sharing the code behind its Orb scanning device to help people understand how it worked and prove that it wasn’t secretly collecting more data than it claimed. Furthermore, the company introduced “Personal Custody” to allow users to control their data by storing it themselves or deleting it from the database. Moreover, Worldcoin brought in independent experts to perform third-party audits to ascertain that the company’s technology and policies aligned with the regulations the way Worldcoin claimed. Despite these efforts, legal and tech experts still have mixed opinions because some say it was the first step toward making things right, while others claim that these efforts were not enough and that the company still has big problems to solve. Therefore, even after all the changes Worldcoin has made, the gap between what the company claims and what regulators believe remains wide because regulators say the company still needs to explain, fix, and prove more before the uplift bans. The Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) plans to summon the developers of Worldcoin and WorldID next week. This action follows the temporary suspension of the platforms that collect users’ iris data for alleged regulatory violations. Cryptopolitan Academy: Coming Soon - A New Way to Earn Passive Income with DeFi in 2025. Learn More
Senate Republicans are advancing a Thursday vote on a sweeping stablecoin regulation bill despite bipartisan pushback and uncertainty.
In the fast-paced world of artificial intelligence, every upgrade matters. For developers and tech enthusiasts keeping an eye on the future, especially how AI intersects with areas like decentralized tech and digital innovation, Google’s latest move is significant. Just ahead of its major annual developer conference, Google I/O , the tech giant has unveiled an updated version of its flagship AI model. What’s New with Google Gemini AI ? Google recently announced the debut of Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview (I/O edition). This isn’t a completely new model, but rather a refined and enhanced version of the existing Gemini 2.5 Pro. Google states this updated model brings notable performance gains across various tasks, particularly in areas critical for modern development. The ‘I/O edition’ moniker clearly ties its release to the upcoming conference, where Google is expected to showcase a range of AI advancements. This update is positioned as a key part of Google’s strategy in the competitive AI landscape, where companies like OpenAI and xAI are also pushing boundaries with their own model releases. Diving Deep into Gemini 2.5 Pro Improvements So, what exactly makes this new Gemini 2.5 Pro stand out? According to Google, the focus is heavily on developer-centric capabilities. Key improvements highlighted include: Coding Prowess: Google claims this is their best coding model yet. It ranks highly on benchmarks like LMArena and tops the WebDev Arena Leaderboard, specifically designed to measure a model’s ability to create functional and aesthetically pleasing web applications. Code Transformation & Editing: The model is reportedly much better at modifying existing code and assisting developers in editing tasks to achieve specific goals. Video Understanding: Beyond text and code, the updated model shows state-of-the-art performance in understanding video content, achieving a high score on the VideoMME benchmark. Developer Feedback Addressed: For those already using the previous 2.5 Pro, this version promises improved function calling performance and reduced errors, directly addressing common developer pain points. These enhancements suggest a model that is not just powerful in theory but also more practical and reliable for real-world development tasks. Why is This AI Coding Upgrade Important? The focus on AI coding capabilities is crucial in today’s tech environment. As AI tools become more integrated into software development workflows, a model’s ability to generate, understand, and modify code efficiently directly impacts developer productivity and the speed of innovation. Better AI coding tools can help accelerate the creation of everything from simple scripts to complex decentralized applications. The emphasis on web development and function calling improvements indicates Google’s intent to make Gemini 2.5 Pro a go-to tool for building interactive online experiences and integrating AI capabilities into existing software systems seamlessly. This push in AI coding aligns with the broader industry trend of using AI to augment human developers, rather than simply replace them. Accessing the Power: Google Vertex AI and Beyond Developers eager to try the new Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview (I/O edition) can access it through several Google platforms. It’s available via the Gemini API, making it easy to integrate into custom applications. It’s also accessible through Google’s Vertex AI and AI Studio platforms, which provide more comprehensive environments for building and deploying AI models. Importantly, Google has stated the pricing for this updated model remains the same as the standard Gemini 2.5 Pro it effectively replaces. This consistency in cost, combined with improved performance, offers a clear value proposition for developers already within the Google ecosystem or considering it. For everyday users, the capabilities of this enhanced model are also rolling out to Google’s consumer-facing Gemini chatbot application, available on the web and mobile devices, meaning the benefits of better understanding and coding capabilities will eventually trickle down to general interactions. Looking Ahead: What to Expect at Google I/O The release of Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview (I/O edition) is clearly a precursor to Google’s main event. The upcoming Google I/O conference is expected to feature deep dives into this model and likely unveil even more AI-powered tools, platforms, and research breakthroughs. Given the intense competition in the AI space, Google will be looking to make a strong statement about its position and future direction. Expect sessions focused on how developers can leverage these new capabilities, demonstrations of impressive AI applications, and potentially announcements of even larger or more specialized models. The conference will serve as a key indicator of Google’s strategy to maintain and grow its market share in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Summary Google’s release of the Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview (I/O edition) marks a significant step in enhancing its flagship AI model, particularly in critical areas like coding, web development, and video understanding. Available now through the Gemini API, Google Vertex AI, AI Studio, and the Gemini chatbot, this update offers developers improved performance and addresses key feedback, all while maintaining the same pricing structure. Coming just before Google I/O, this release sets the stage for further AI announcements and underscores Google’s commitment to competing at the forefront of the AI race. To learn more about the latest AI Model trends, explore our article on key developments shaping AI features.