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Kraken Donates $1 million to Coin Center, Backing Blockchain Research

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Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken donated $1 million to Coin Center and pledged they will match donations made up to $1 million. After slamming a fact-finding inquest into crypto-exchanges, this shows their support for research designed to help regulators.

Kraken Backs Blockchain Think Tank

Executive Director of Coin Center, Jerry Brito, made the surprise announcement at the Coin Center Annual Dinner on May 14. He announced the donation and said that Kraken will match any donations made within May up to a tune of $1 million. This shows Kraken wants to create informed regulation of the industry and comes after the SEC said it will target fraudulent ICOs.

Kraken said:

“The great work that Coin Center does is extremely important and referenced by governments around the world. They’ve been ardent defenders of blockchain technology, cryptocurrency and innovation. Their work benefits the community, the industry and people who have yet to hear about Bitcoin. We are very proud to be able to support their continued effort.”

We are very proud to announce our $1m donation to @coincenter, the Night's Watch of crypto. Additionally, we'll be matching 1:1 all other gifts, up to $1m, during May. We hope that you will join us in supporting their amazing and important work.https://t.co/2QGWwhunK3

— Kraken Exchange (@krakenfx) May 15, 2018

Coin Center is a non-profit think tank targeted at public policy for blockchain technology. Their aim is to educate the public and the regulators in order to promote innovation and growth in the industry. They produce and publish research from academics and experts which provide governments with accurate data to base their policy decisions on.

Coin Center said:

“These contributions will go a long way to helping us gear up for the increased attention to cryptocurrencies here in DC. So, if you’ve been thinking about donating to Coin Center, now is the time. Your money will go twice as far.”

Coin Center: Ether is Not a Security

Cryptocurrency investors have been concerned over the threat of regulation in the blockchain industry. SEC chairman Jay Clayton has said that all ICOs are securities but the SEC has not committed itself to imposing this as yet and instead have focused on scams within the space. They created a fake ICO for ‘Howeycoins’ and even wrote a fake whitepaper to educate the public about how they can be scammed for their money if they do not do their research. This was a reference to the infamous ‘Howey Test’ to determine if something is a security or not.

Coin Center’s Director of Research, Peter Van Valkenburgh, said that ether is not a security in a blog post in April and emphasized the difference between an ICO and the token itself. He said: “The value of ether and the functionality of the Ethereum network is not reliant on the Foundation, rather it flows from the efforts of thousands of unaffiliated developers, miners, and users.” He argued that the token cannot be called a security because there is no contract or expectation of future value in general use.

Kraken is currently the #15 cryptocurrency exchange ranked by market cap with a 24-hour volume of $124,048,838. They were the first Bitcoin exchange to have their trading price and volume shown on the Bloomberg Terminal. They have previously predicted a $1 trillion market for cryptocurrencies in 2018. More recently, they condemned the New York Attorney General for leading a fact-finding exhibition into cryptocurrency exchanges.

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Investio Launches New Trading Platform With Enhanced Security and AI-Driven Risk Tools

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  • Retail trading continues to account for a significant share of global market activity, with industry observations indicating that execution-related factors — including timing errors, exposure misjudgment, and slippage during volatility — contribute to a substantial portion of retail trading losses.
  • As trading environments become faster and more information-dense, platform structure and execution clarity are increasingly seen as critical elements influencing outcomes.
  • Against this backdrop, Investio has recently launched a new trading platform designed to strengthen execution transparency, enhance system stability, and introduce AI-supported risk visibility tools for retail traders operating in volatile market conditions.

Investio’s newly launched platform focuses on improving system reliability and helping traders better understand exposure before executing orders. The platform is designed to operate consistently during periods of market volatility while reducing cognitive overload caused by dense real-time information flows.

Key features of the platform include:

  • Enhanced security infrastructure designed to strengthen account protection and transaction integrity.
  • AI-supported exposure insights, helping traders assess position risk before execution.
  • Improved execution stability during periods of high market activity
  • Streamlined information hierarchy to support faster and more informed decision-making.

These capabilities aim to support traders operating in fast-moving markets where execution timing and system predictability play an increasingly important role in trading outcomes.

Executive Commentary

“Retail participation remains strong, but market conditions continue to place pressure on trading outcomes,” said the CEO of Investio.

“The new platform was developed to improve execution clarity, strengthen system reliability, and provide tools that help traders understand risk more clearly before making decisions.”

He added that technological expectations among retail traders have evolved alongside market conditions.

“Traders today operate in faster, more information-dense environments,” the CEO said. “Features such as AI-driven risk insights and enhanced security protections are increasingly expected as standard components of modern trading platforms.”

Market Context

Retail trading remains a meaningful contributor to overall market liquidity, supported by widespread access to digital trading infrastructure.

At the same time, volatility surrounding macroeconomic developments, liquidity shifts, and rapid price movements has increased the importance of consistent execution performance and clear exposure visibility.

Within this environment, trading platforms are increasingly evaluated based on how reliably they perform during periods of market stress and how clearly they present risk information prior to trade execution.

About Investio

Investio is a trading platform provider focused on delivering secure, transparent, and technology-driven solutions for retail market participants. The company develops infrastructure designed to support reliable execution, clear risk visibility, and user-focused trading environments across global financial markets.

For more information, visit: https://investio.uk/

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Voltage Launches First Payment-Volume Line of Credit: Bitcoin Finality, USD Settlement

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Voltage Launches Industry’s First Programmatic Revolving Line of Credit: Bitcoin Finality with USD Settlement

Voltage, a leader in Bitcoin infrastructure, today announced the launch of Voltage Credit, the first revolving line of credit that delivers instant payment finality and the capability to settle entirely in USD. The product lets businesses send payments that clear in seconds, not days, while paying back their credit line in dollars from a standard bank account, or in Bitcoin.

For enterprises frustrated by settlement delays, chargeback exposure, and the cost of legacy payment rails, Voltage Credit offers a new model: tap a revolving credit line on demand, move value instantly over Bitcoin rails, and never touch cryptocurrency on your balance sheet. The result is working capital efficiency without treasury complexity.

Voltage Credit arrives on the heels of the company’s role powering the first publicly reported $1 million Lightning Network payment between Secure Digital Markets and Kraken, a milestone that demonstrated Lightning’s readiness for institutional-scale settlement. With Voltage Credit, the company extends that infrastructure to address one of the most persistent barriers to enterprise Bitcoin adoption: working capital efficiency.

“Businesses shouldn’t have to choose between the speed and cost advantages of Bitcoin rails and the financial flexibility they need to operate,” said Graham Krizek, CEO of Voltage. “Until now, using Bitcoin for payments meant managing cryptocurrency on your balance sheet. Voltage Credit eliminates that tradeoff. Send payments instantly over Lightning, denominated in USD or Bitcoin based on what fits your business, and deploy your capital toward growth. That’s what Bitcoin infrastructure should look like for the enterprise.”

Deferred Settlement In Dollars with a USD Line of Credit

Unlike traditional Bitcoin lending products that focus on retail holders borrowing against static collateral, Voltage Credit is built for operational business needs. The product functions as a true revolving credit line: businesses draw only what they need, pay interest only on what they use, and restore their available credit immediately upon repayment. Credit limits can grow with usage, scaling alongside the business as transaction volume increases. And because Voltage Credit is natively integrated into the Voltage Platform, their credit line is instantly accessible wherever the business already operates, programmatically available across the same rails that power your payments:

Key capabilities include:

  • USD settlement flexibility. Credit can be repaid in dollars from a standard bank account, eliminating forced BTC liquidations and simplifying accounting.
  • Revenue-based underwriting. Because Voltage powers the underlying payment infrastructure, credit limits can scale based on actual transaction volume—not just static collateral.
  • Works with Lightning and on-chain. Businesses can move value via whichever Bitcoin rail fits their use case.

“For CFOs and treasury teams, this solves a real problem,” said Bobby Shell, VP of Marketing at Voltage. “You get the instant settlement and near-zero fees of Lightning without the treasury complexity. No forced crypto exposure, no guessing how much capital to lock up. Just a revolving credit line you can tap on demand, denominated in USD or Bitcoin based on what fits your business. It’s the flexibility finance teams have been asking for since Bitcoin entered the enterprise conversation.”

Bitcoin Rails for Any Business

Voltage Credit is attracting interest from both cryptocurrency-native companies and traditional enterprises exploring Bitcoin payment infrastructure for the first time. For businesses outside the crypto ecosystem, the appeal is straightforward: Lightning Network offers instant, global settlement at a fraction of the cost of legacy payment rails, and Voltage Credit means they can access those benefits while keeping their treasury and accounting entirely in USD, if desired.

For enterprises already operating in digital assets, whether exchanges, payment service providers, or miners, traditional financing has presented a structural problem. Banks typically do not recognize Bitcoin revenue as an asset for underwriting purposes, while existing crypto lending products require businesses to lock up BTC as collateral, creating tax events and exposing corporate treasuries to volatility.

Voltage Credit addresses both audiences by treating payment flows as the high-quality signal they are. Businesses processing consistent volume through Voltage infrastructure can access working capital that scales with their operations, bridging the gap between Bitcoin-denominated revenue and USD-denominated expenses without liquidating assets.

The product features no origination fees and a simple fixed APR on outstanding balances. Voltage Credit is currently available to qualified businesses in the United States.

About Voltage

Voltage is a Bitcoin infrastructure company providing enterprise-grade solutions for regulated, high-volume businesses. The Voltage platform enables enterprises to integrate Bitcoin payments with enterprise SLAs, managed infrastructure, and capital-efficient liquidity solutions. From powering instant settlement to providing revenue-based lines of credit, Voltage builds the operational engine for businesses moving value on Bitcoin rails.

More information is available at voltage.cloud.

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Monark Raises $8.1M in Strategic Funding Round to Build Standard Rails for Private Markets

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Funding will accelerate Monark’s distribution partnerships and expand its product and asset-class coverage

Monark Markets, a New York-based fintech company building the rails connecting brokerage firms and wealth platforms to private markets, is announcing $8.1 million in strategic financing. The round is led by F-Prime with participation from The Treasury, Commerce Ventures, Grit Capital Partners, and BBAE Holdings.

Monark’s API-first infrastructure powers major fintech platforms like Apex Fintech Solutions, Altruist Financial, and BBAE, embedding private market investments directly into existing customer accounts and reaching over 30 million retail investors with $450 billion of captive assets. Monark provides access to Pre-IPO companies as well as 40′ act registered evergreen funds from prominent alternative asset managers.

“We believe that retail portfolio allocation to private markets should and will grow to 15-20% over the next decade, mirroring the portfolio allocation of institutional investors and family offices,” says Ben Haber, CEO of Monark Markets. “This structural shift in capital allocation from retail investors will drive trillions of dollars of investment into private markets, fueling demand for innovative investment products, new investment rails, and increased liquidity.”

As private-market demand grows, Monark addresses a core infrastructure gap for brokerage and wealth platforms: many still lack the capabilities to manage the full alternative investment lifecycle – including deal sourcing, subscription processing, custody and reporting, and secondary liquidity – from within their native investor experience. Monark’s embedded API infrastructure enables platforms to natively offer private investments, with full compliance and marketing support. By bringing private-market access directly into existing platforms, Monark supports scalable, low-cost access for issuers to the $27 trillion in private wealth held by mass-affluent and affluent U.S. investors, and a more streamlined investor experience.

“Alternative assets have experienced remarkable growth, growing from $5 trillion in 2011 to nearly $16 trillion today,” said David Jegen, Managing Partner of F-Prime’s Technology Fund. “Asset managers are seeking new retail investors to grow AUM, and financial advisors and a changing regulatory environment are guiding to higher allocations to alternatives. Ben, Paul, and the team at Monark are building the digital rails that will make this expansion possible at scale.”

Behind the APIs, Monark works closely with distribution partners to build a curated marketplace of private investment opportunities. This includes sourcing issuers, conducting due diligence, and negotiating distribution economics. This end-to-end support is increasingly critical as retail demand grows for exposure to key engines of economic growth in the private markets, including U.S. reindustrialization and next-generation defense, as well as AI, blockchain, and space exploration.

Monark will use the new capital to scale its distribution network through integrations with additional brokerage and wealth management platforms, as well as to expand access to new products and asset classes, including evergreen funds, fractional real estate, and secondary trading of private securities.

About Monark Markets, Inc.

Monark Markets, Inc., is a venture-backed, New York-based fintech providing “Alts-As-A-Service” infrastructure to brokerage firms and wealth management platforms. Monark’s b2b APIs enable embedded access to private markets from within partners’ existing trading platforms. https://monark-markets.com

About MMM Securities LLC

MMM Securities LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Monark Markets, Inc., is a FINRA-member broker-dealer authorized to conduct private placements, retail mutual fund sales, and operate an alternative trading system. Investments in private securities and alternative assets involve substantial risks, including illiquidity, loss of principal, limited transparency, and extended holding periods. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The firm is committed to maintaining the highest standards of compliance and meeting the regulatory requirements for its services. Member FINRA/SIPC. Check the background of this firm on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

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Mantle Unlocks Autonomous Economy with ERC-8004 Deployment

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Mantle, the high-performance distribution and liquidity layer for real-world assets, announced the official deployment of the ERC-8004 standard on mainnet. This milestone introduces a specialized trust and identity layer designed to transform AI agents from isolated scripts into sovereign economic participants capable of operating across RWAs, TradFi bridges, and DeFi.

The Trust Gap: Why AI Agents Were Problematic

Until now, on-chain AI agents have faced a “visibility crisis.” Despite their ability to execute code, agents remained invisible to the broader financial system. They lacked a way to build a reputation across different platforms, approve their historical performance, or be discovered outside of the specific ecosystem where they were created.

This gap has prevented autonomous agents from participating in high-stakes financial markets where verifiable records are non-negotiable.

ERC-8004: The Three Components of Agent Autonomy

By deploying ERC-8004, Mantle provides the foundational infrastructure for a trustless “Internet of Agents.” The standard introduces three critical on-chain registries:

  • Identity Registry: Provides a verifiable, NFT-based on-chain identity for every agent, making them discoverable and unique.
  • Reputation Registry: Establishes a portable track record. An agent’s “credit score” or performance history now follows it across platforms, ending the need to start from zero.
  • Validation Registry: Offers cryptographic proof of work completed, allowing agents to verify the accuracy of each other’s outputs through stake-secured or ZK-based mechanisms.

“At Mantle, we are building the liquid layer for the future of finance, where RWAs and DeFi converge.” said by Joshua Cheong, Head of Product at Mantle. “By bringing ERC-8004 to our ecosystem, we are providing AI agents with the ‘credentials’ they need to manage real capital. This isn’t just about automation; it’s about creating a verifiable workforce that can navigate compliance, liquidity, and settlement at scale.”

Bridging the Gap in TradFi and RWAs with ERC-8004

On Mantle, where institutional-grade assets flow seamlessly, these agents serve as the “connective tissue.” With ERC-8004, agents can now discover one another, verify credentials, and transact autonomously without being locked into a single platform. This enables three primary categories of autonomous building:

  1. Financial Strategy Agents: Executing complex yield or trading strategies with a performance history that anyone can audit.
  2. RWA Coordination Agents: Managing the heavy lifting of compliance, custody, and settlement for tokenized assets.
  3. Cross-Market Bridges: Bridging liquidity between traditional legacy systems and on-chain protocols by acting as verifiable intermediaries.

A Unified Ecosystem Is Now Powered by Mantle

ERC-8004 is designed to be backwards-compatible and works in tandem with the protocols agents already use, including the Model Context Protocol (MCP), Agent-to-Agent (A2A) communication, and the x402 payment standard.

By combining these communication and payment standards with Mantle’s massive distribution layer and $4B+ treasury, the network is uniquely positioned to lead the “DeFAI” (Decentralized AI Finance) revolution.

Ethereum is the settlement layer for AI, and with ERC-8004, the future of autonomous finance is officially live on Mantle.

About Mantle

Mantle positions itself as the premier distribution layer and gateway for institutions and TradFi to connect with on-chain liquidity and access real-world assets, powering how real-world finance flows.

With over $4B+ in community-owned assets, Mantle combines credibility, liquidity and scalability with institutional-grade infrastructure to support large-scale adoption. The ecosystem is anchored by $MNT within Bybit, and built out through core ecosystem projects like mETH, fBTC, MI4 and more. This is complemented by Mantle Network’s partnerships with leading issuers and protocols such as Ethena USDe, Ondo USDY, and OP-Succinct.

For more information about Mantle, please visit: mantle.xyz

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Ault Capital Group Unveils Ault Blockchain Public Testnet

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Ault Capital Group today announced the public testnet launch of Ault Blockchain, a Layer 1 network designed for trading, settlement, and institutional-grade onchain infrastructure. This launch marks the first public release of the protocol and opens access to developers, infrastructure operators, and early network participants.

Ault Blockchain is built as a Cosmos-based Layer 1 with full Ethereum Virtual Machine compatibility, enabling Ethereum-native smart contracts and tooling to run without modification. The network is governed by Ault DAO, which oversees protocol rules, economic parameters, and long-term upgrades through onchain governance.

The public testnet provides a live environment for evaluating core network functionality, validator performance, and infrastructure design. This early access seeks community engagement and feedback by contributors who add value to the network’s development and stability.

In contrast to typical launch models, Ault Blockchain will not conduct a public token sale. Instead, the native AULT token will be distributed exclusively through a protocol-controlled emissions schedule tied to measurable network participation, including consensus security and licensed infrastructure operations rather than speculative activity.

Milton “Todd” Ault III, founder and executive chairman of Ault Capital Group, said: “Ault Blockchain was built the opposite way most networks are built. We started with real financial use cases and then designed the blockchain to support them. Participation is based on defined roles and verifiable work, not speculation, with transparent economics that are meant to support long-term network health from day one.”

The network launch is supported by a group of established infrastructure and development partners. B-Harvest serves as Ault Blockchain’s primary development partner, contributing to protocol engineering and core network architecture. Xangle focuses on development of Ault’s official explorers and relevant hubs.QuickNode provides RPC infrastructure to support network access and reliability. Finally Protofire supports Safe-related tooling across EVM environments.

Ault Blockchain introduces a licensed participation framework for infrastructure operators. Licensed Mining Nodes are authorized to perform defined off-chain services, beginning with cryptographic randomness at launch. In parallel, Proof-of-Stake validators and delegators secure network consensus and collect transaction fees under transparent, DAO-governed economics. After launch, the core team will shift its focus to the core team’s roadmap including spot trading on decentralized exchanges, lending services, perps trading, and other advanced workloads are being explored and may deploy over time as the network evolves.

Ault Blockchain’s testnet launch follows the completion of an initial protocol security audit and precedes further validator onboarding and ecosystem testing. Ault Blockchain’s mainnet launch will occur after additional testing milestones are met. At genesis, the chain will launch with its core protocol modules, EVM compatibility, an initial validator set, and onchain governance in place, marking a new era for institutional finance.

To learn more about Ault Blockchain, visit https://Aultblockchain.com and read project documentation to view the testnet scanner go to the following link https://ault-evm-testnet.explorer.xangle.io/home

About Ault Blockchain

Ault Blockchain is a finance-first, institutional-grade Layer-1 blockchain designed to support trading, settlement, and data-driven workloads. Built on the Cosmos SDK with full Ethereum Virtual Machine compatibility, the network enables unmodified Ethereum smart contracts while providing fast finality and native cross-chain interoperability.

Governed onchain by Ault DAO and supported by a licensed infrastructure framework, Ault Blockchain aligns network economics with verifiable participation rather than speculative token distribution. With real-world financial and analytics applications launching from day one, Ault Blockchain is optimized for next-generation onchain finance.

About Ault DAO

Ault DAO is the decentralized governance body responsible for overseeing the Ault Blockchain protocol. The DAO was created by and is overseen by Ault DAO, LLC, a Wyoming DAO LLC. Through onchain governance, the DAO manages protocol parameters, validator participation, and network upgrades, ensuring transparent and community-driven decision-making aligned with the network’s long-term objectives.

About Ault Capital Group

Ault Capital Group is a diversified investment and holding company focused on technology-driven businesses, digital assets, and financial infrastructure. Through its operating companies and strategic investments, Ault Capital Group supports platforms across blockchain, data infrastructure, and emerging technologies. The firm emphasizes disciplined capital allocation and long-term value creation.

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ID-Bound Unveils “TRIO”: The World’s First Crypto Safe Against Ethereum Access Loss, Theft, and the Looming Quantum Threat

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As Ethereum’s market presence expands, so do the risks that keep investors awake at night. Today, ID-Bound officially announces the launch of TRIO, a Crypto Safe designed to eliminate the three greatest existential threats to digital wealth: user error, sophisticated theft, and the “Q-Day” quantum brute-force timeline.

The current crypto landscape is littered with “permanent” losses. As of mid-2025, data suggests that over $3 billion worth of Ethereum has been rendered inaccessible due to forgotten seed phrases or hardware failures. Unlike traditional finance, a lost key in crypto usually means the assets are gone forever. ID-Bound is ending this era of digital fragility.

The TRIO Solution: Solving the “Impossible Trinity” of Crypto Risk

The TRIO solution—comprised of a proprietary Identity layer, a self-custodial, “hot” Wallet, and utility Tokens—addresses the three primary vectors of asset loss:

  1. Immunity to User Error: For the first time, losing your private keys doesn’t mean losing your fortune. If a user loses access, the TRIO platform can replace the tokens via verified identity protocols. Your ETH is no longer a “use it or lose it” asset.
  2. Theft-Proof Architecture: Phishing scams and malware are becoming increasingly indistinguishable from legitimate services, as evidenced by massive platform breaches like the $1.2 billion ByBit hack. Even if a user’s hardware or software is compromised, TRIO tokens are protected by a guarantee against theft, ensuring that hackers cannot drain the “Identity-Bound” safe.
  3. Quantum-Resistant Brute-Force Protection: With Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin noting a non-trivial (20%) chance that quantum computers could break modern cryptography by 2030, the “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” threat is real. TRIO is designed to withstand brute-force attacks, ensuring assets remain intact even if the private key is compromised.

From Passive Security to Active Yield and Institutional DeFi.

ID-Bound believes that high security shouldn’t mean low utility. While traditional “cold storage” leaves assets unproductive, TRIO allows users to generate a solid yield through a unique collateralization model https://id-bound.com/investments . This setup maximizes the benefits of blockchain technology non-custodial holding and the traditional legal system’s enforceability.

Users can leverage their protected TRIO tokens as risk-free collateral in Fractional Real Estate & Real-World Asset (RWA) Acquisition . In the 2026 market landscape, “RWA Tokenization” has moved from a buzzword to the primary driver of institutional and retail crypto adoption. By combining this with ID-Bound’s unique “Unstealable” architecture, we solve the single biggest barrier to entry: the Trust Gap.

“We are moving past the ‘Seed Phrase Era,’ which was always a stopgap for secure digital ownership,” says Dr. Eli Talmor, Co-Founder of ID-Bound. “With TRIO, we’ve built a safety net that is both quantum-ready and human-error-proof. The use of risk-free TRIO token collateral will form the foundation of Institutional DeFi.”

About ID-Bound

ID-Bound is a blockchain security leader dedicated to making digital asset ownership as safe and intuitive as a traditional bank account, without sacrificing decentralization. Through the TRIO platform, ID-Bound provides the infrastructure for the next billion users to enter the Ethereum ecosystem with total confidence. Join TRIO Public Demonstrator now: https://www.id-bound.com/get-on-board

For more information, visit: www.id-bound.com/newsroom

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DigiFT Introduces First Actively Managed Tokenized Equity Fund with BNY as Investment Management Services Provider

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  • First actively managed tokenized equity fund extending tokenization beyond single assets to professionally managed public equity strategies
  • Tokenized on Ethereum and distributed via DigiFT, providing eligible investors a regulated on-chain way to invest
  • Advances institutional adoption of tokenization, building on BNY’s deep investment expertise and DigiFT’s track record of bringing Tier-1 asset manager strategies on-chain

DigiFT, a regulated on-chain exchange for institutional real-world assets, today announced the introduction of DigiFT U.S. Equity Income Fund (“bEQTY”), the first actively managed tokenized U.S. equity income fund on the Ethereum public blockchain.

The launch of bEQTY, which is eligible for accredited investors, represents a significant milestone in the evolution of tokenization—marking a shift from early experimentation with blockchain-based financial instruments toward enabling investors to construct more complete, portfolio-relevant strategies on-chain.

BNY serves as the investment manager for the underlying traditional U.S. equity income strategy which extends tokenization into actively managed public equities. This launch demonstrates how regulated on-chain infrastructure is advancing beyond initial applications to address more sophisticated areas of the capital markets.

Tokenization as institutional portfolio infrastructure

Public equities remain a core component of institutional portfolios. Tokenization introduces a digitally native form factor that enables programmable settlement, enhanced transparency, and more streamlined lifecycle management—without changing the underlying investment strategy or governance framework.

By representing equity income strategies on regulated on-chain infrastructure, eligible investors gain greater flexibility in how sophisticated financial instruments are held, transferred, and integrated into portfolios, supporting more agile capital management.

For Web3-native allocators, as on-chain treasuries and funds mature, there is growing interest in incorporating assets that introduce exposure to the real-economy and are less correlated with crypto-native market cycles.

The launch also illustrates how regulated on-chain marketplaces can support wider institutional participation by enabling eligible investors to access the strategy through DigiFT’s regulated framework.

Henry Zhang, Founder and Group CEO of DigiFT, said: “For years, tokenization has been about proving the technology. This launch proves its use case. By bringing an actively managed equity income strategy on-chain within a regulated market, we’re demonstrating how blockchain infrastructure is becoming part of mainstream institutional finance.”

Doni Shamsuddin, Head of Asia Pacific, BNY Investments, said: “We are thrilled to work with DigiFT in bridging traditional finance and emerging on-chain solutions for institutional investors. Leveraging BNY’s deep investment capabilities, we enable a professionally managed portfolio on blockchain — anchored in established trust, scale, and governance.”

From experimentation to portfolio-relevant strategies

Tokenization has gained early traction in short-duration and cash-like instruments, demonstrating the operational benefits of blockchain within regulated frameworks.

As tokenization matures, extending its capabilities into actively managed public equities represents a natural next phase—moving beyond single assets toward actively managed strategies within regulated market infrastructure.

About DigiFT

DigiFT is a next-generation exchange for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). The platform offers end-to-end digital asset services—including tokenization, issuance, distribution, trading, and instant liquidity provision—purpose-built for institutional RWAs. Trusted by global financial institutions, DigiFT is the on-chain tokenization and distribution partner for leading asset managers such as Invesco, UBS Asset Management, and Wellington Management. For more information, visit https://digift.io

About BNY

BNY is a global financial services platforms company at the heart of the world’s capital markets. For more than 240 years BNY has partnered alongside clients, using its expertise and platforms to help them operate more efficiently and accelerate growth. Today BNY serves over 90% of Fortune 100 companies and nearly all the top 100 banks globally. BNY supports governments in funding local projects and works with over 90% of the top 100 pension plans to safeguard investments for millions of individuals. As of December 31, 2025, BNY oversees $59.3 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration and $2.2 trillion in assets under management.

BNY is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation. Headquartered in New York City, BNY has been named among Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies and Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators. Additional information is available on www.bny.com.

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How TruTrade Is Helping Redefine Capital Access in Professional Trading

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Traders Shift Focus From Strategy Alone to Scalable Capital Infrastructure

As global financial markets grow increasingly competitive, professional and independent traders alike are recognizing a critical shift: success is no longer defined by strategy alone, but by access to scalable capital and disciplined infrastructure. Addressing this evolution, QuickFund AI, a service offered through TruTrade, enables qualified traders to operate with funded capital while maintaining full control over their trading decisions.

For years, retail traders focused almost exclusively on indicators, setups, and technical strategies, often while operating under severe capital constraints. These limitations frequently forced traders into over-leveraging, emotional decision-making, and inconsistent execution. Industry leaders increasingly point to capital structure—not strategy quality—as one of the primary barriers preventing traders from scaling responsibly.

“Capital determines how effectively a strategy can be deployed,” said Danny Rebello, CEO and Co-Founder of TruTrade. “Without adequate capital, traders are forced to compromise risk management, timing, and diversification. That’s where most breakdowns occur.”

QuickFund AI was developed to address this structural imbalance. Rather than requiring traders to risk significant personal funds, the service provides access to funded accounts designed to support disciplined, rules-based execution. This approach mirrors institutional trading environments, where exposure is distributed across multiple accounts and systems rather than concentrated into a single position.

Importantly, TruTrade does not trade on behalf of users, manage client funds, provide investment advice, or guarantee results. All trading decisions remain entirely under the trader’s control. QuickFund AI functions strictly as a capital-access and operational framework for qualified traders using TruTrade-compatible software.

“Funding is not a shortcut,” said Brian Nutt, COO and Co-Founder of TruTrade. “Capital amplifies whatever habits a trader already has. Discipline, structure, and risk control are still the deciding factors.”

The rapid adoption of funded trading models reflects a broader maturation of the retail trading ecosystem. Traders are shifting away from speculation-driven approaches and toward professional standards built on accountability, consistency, and infrastructure.

As market volatility persists and competition intensifies, capital efficiency—not hype—is emerging as the true competitive edge.

For more information, visit https://trutrade.io.

About TruTrade

TruTrade is a trading software company providing data-driven tools, analytics, and AI-supported automation designed to assist self-directed traders. TruTrade does not manage funds, execute trades, or provide investment advice.

About QuickFund AI

QuickFund AI is a funding facilitation service for qualified traders using TruTrade-compatible software, providing access to funded trading accounts while maintaining strict compliance boundaries.

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AIxC Announces AIxC Hub Exceeds 500,000 Registered Wallets in First Week Following Launch

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AIxCrypto Inc. (“AIxC”), a pioneer in Embodied AI (EAI) infrastructure, today announced that its flagship platform, AIxC Hub has surpassed 500,000 registered wallets and 200,000 daily active participants (DAU) within seven days of its launch.

High-Frequency Engagement & Behavioral Intelligence

The platform has processed millions of directional predictions on the Company’s proprietary C10 Index. Beyond simple engagement, AIxC Hub serves as a massive behavioral data engine, capturing real-time human decision-making patterns to train the Company’s Embodied AI models.

  • Zero-Capital Arena: A zero capital participation model that removes financial barriers, allowing for authentic analytical instincts
  • C10 Index Forecasting: Users perform high-frequency predictions on top digital assets, updated every 10 seconds
  • Merit-Based Recognition: A unified Points system rewards accuracy and community participation, creating a highly engaging skill-building environment

“Reaching 500,000 accounts in a week validates our strategy of using zero-capital environments to collect high-quality behavioral intelligence,” said Jerry Wang, Co-CEO of AIxC. “These datasets are the foundational inputs our EAI systems need to optimize decision-making in real-world asset (RWA) contexts.”

Global Community Network & Data Integrity

AIxC has built a robust global user network through multi-channel outreach. The Company maintains approximately 42,000 followers across social media platforms (AIxC Twitter 23,000 + Foundation Twitter 19,000), with core communities concentrated in Discord (27,000 members) and Telegram (17,000 members), totaling approximately 44,500 community members. This multi-tiered community architecture provides a solid foundation for the platform’s rapid growth.

To ensure the integrity of this training data, AIxC utilizes advanced AI-driven quality assurance to filter automated bot activity, ensuring the dataset reflects genuine human cognition. With users distributed across multiple countries and regions, the platform is building a globally diverse behavioral library essential for training adaptable AI systems.

Deep Community Engagement Initiatives

The Company will host its first Twitter Space next week, themed “Futurist Dialogue: Where Are the Opportunities for Ordinary People in the AI Era?” The event will feature industry guests discussing the convergence of AI and Crypto, alongside the launch of the Company’s first community AMA to address questions about the product roadmap.

Concurrently, the platform will launch an interactive AI Agent that uses gamified dialogue to help users understand their decision-making styles. After users provide basic information such as birth details and professional background, the AI generates personalized behavioral analysis.

To explore AIxC Hub, visit:
https://hub.aixcrypto.ai

To explore AIxC S1 Arena gameplay and season rules, visit:
https://aixc.gitbook.io/aixc-hub-docs-en/

About AIxCrypto

AIxCrypto is a U.S.-Nasdaq listed company dedicated to building a world-leading ecosystem that integrates AI and blockchain while bridging Web2 and Web3. Its core products include the BesTrade DeAI Agent and the AIxC ecosystem products.  

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Blockchain

Meld Raises $7 Million Strategic Round to Accelerate Global Network Expansion

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Strategic investment set to scale the largest network for accessing digital assets and stablecoins, connecting over 150 fiat currencies with crypto

Meld, the largest network for accessing digital assets and stablecoins, today announced the close of a $7 million strategic funding round led by Lightspeed Faction, with participation from F-Prime, Yolo Investments, and Scytale Digital. This financing advances Meld’s mission to enable stablecoin driven use cases and will accelerate the company’s go-to-market efforts, expansion of the Meld Network, and continued development of customer success and operational support capabilities.

“Stablecoins are becoming the rails for global commerce, but accessing them remains unnecessarily complex for developers and end users alike,” said Pankaj Bengani, Founder & CEO of Meld. “This strategic funding allows us to expand the Meld Network and make digital assets as accessible as traditional payment methods, while enabling product managers and developers to build the next generation of financial applications.”

Meld offers seamless access and conversion between over 150 fiat currencies and any stablecoin or token through an app integration on the Meld Network. By enabling stablecoin-driven use cases like global payouts, remittances, and cross-border trade settlement, Meld provides powerful tools for product managers and developers to deliver pay-out and pay-in use cases in over 180 countries, and across local payment methods, as well as virtual account enabled bank rails.

Additionally, Meld supports onboarding onto native blockchains such as Ethereum and Solana to power trading and investment for crypto-native users. Meld partners with industry innovators, including Uniswap, Phantom and Metamask, to deliver instant, cross-border access that is secure and compliant.

“Meld is solving the fundamental challenge of moving seamlessly between fiat and crypto, which is increasingly essential as stablecoins become a preferred rail in global payments,” said Will Leas, Deal Partner at Lightspeed Faction. “We believe Meld has the ability to scale to meet demand from developers and merchants who need simple, compliant access to digital currencies across every major market.”

This strategic investment will enable Meld to grow its sales department, expand the network globally, and further develop its customer success infrastructure to support a growing base of clients. With over 50 partners across the world and $15 million raised to date, Meld is positioned to become an essential infrastructure layer connecting traditional finance with the digital asset ecosystem.

For more information, please visit meld.io.

About Meld

Meld is the largest network to access digital assets and stablecoins. Through the Meld Network, fintechs, developers, and merchants can convert over 150 fiat currencies and any stablecoin or token within their app. Meld powers global payouts, remittances, cross-border trade settlement, and native blockchain onboarding for trading and investment activity. Product managers and developers trust Meld to drive pay-out and pay-in use cases in over 180 countries and across card, local, and virtual account enabled local bank rails.

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