HUMBL will begin selling the CortexPC – a proprietary line of AI-native computers. The CortexPC will be powered by the MultiCortex operating system, a revolutionary platform designed for next-generation personal and enterprise computing, with a full focus on privacy and high performance. This launch delivers computers with an AI-native operating system and heterogeneous computing capabilities. The first line of desktops and edge computing units featuring MultiCortex technology will debut through a dedicated website and select physical store partnerships, in a soft launch bringing this next-generation system directly to U.S. consumers and businesses. MultiCortex does not monetize or sell user data. No profiling, no trackers, no targeted ads – ever. What Makes MultiCortex Different: AI-native OS – provides various AI capabilities, such as generating videos, images, and text. Privacy focused – all processing remains on the device; no data collection or third-party data brokerages. For Enterprises: No Token Charges – You are not billed based on input/output tokens; Unlimited Usage – No token limits or complex cost tracking; Fixed SaaS-Style Pricing – Subscription-based with no hidden token fees. Unlike services such as ChatGPT, MultiCortex does not use AI token-based pricing. Privacy by Design: How MultiCortex Protects You: Edge-based processing (AI outside the cloud): All AI computing happens locally – your data never leaves your device; No cloud synchronization for voice commands, files, or behavior patterns.
Sentient’s The GRID offers the world’s largest open-source AI network, letting developers monetize and coordinate artificial intelligence agents across real-world environments
Open-source AI development platform provider Sentient Foundation has launched The GRID, a “network of intelligence” that is designed to let developers monetize and coordinate artificial intelligence agents across real-world environments. The GRID varies from proprietary marketplaces from the likes of OpenAI and AWS Inc. by being developer-led, open to all and designed to let builders monetize and orchestrate intelligent agents across open, real-world environments. At launch, The GRID features more than 40 specialized agents, 50 data sources and more than 10 models. The agents include generative graphics engine Napkin and fast-growing search startup Exa Inc., as well as ecosystem agents deployed across multiple blockchains, such as Base, BNB, Polygon, Arbitrum, Celo and Near. The GRID also lays the foundation for composability between agents, which Sentience says allows for multiple requests to be routed via numerous AI agents. The agents and data sources are accessible through Sentient Chat, a consumer interface that allows users to discover, invoke and compose agents and data sources into task workflows. The agents on The GRID can perform real tasks, not just wrap prompts, whether coordinating calendar actions, generating code visualizing wallet data, or synthesizing search results. The new service offers developers full transparency, monetization pathways and distribution. Builders can plug in their own agents, models, or tools and earn token-based rewards as users stake against their favorite agents, data sources, training libraries and models and interact with them in real time. For developers, The GRID offers more than just agent distribution by also supporting a growing ecosystem of open AI “artifacts,” including models, datasets, compute resources and tooling, that can all be integrated, composed and monetized. The GRID also benefits users, who gain access to a diverse ecosystem of AI agents with clear provenance and the ability to customize, compose, or swap components. Sentient’s staking mechanism introduces a feedback loop: the more conviction users have in a given agent, the more that agent is funded and surfaced, democratizing both innovation and economic upside.
DeFi lending is unlikely to replace traditional loan processing due to lack of structured risk management, insurance, and customer support, regulatory hindrance and inability to accommodate unsecured loans, mortgages, and credit lines
While DeFi lending powered by smart contracts offers compelling advantages—such as transparency, automation, and accessibility—it is unlikely to completely replace traditional loan processing in the near future. The primary reasons are: Regulatory Compliance: Governments will likely introduce regulations that could either hinder or integrate DeFi into traditional finance rather than replace it entirely. Risk Management: Traditional banks offer structured risk management, insurance, and customer support that DeFi currently lacks. Broader Financial Needs: Many consumers and businesses rely on unsecured loans, mortgages, and credit lines that DeFi, with its high collateral requirements, cannot fully accommodate. Instead of replacing traditional finance, a more probable future involves hybrid models where banks integrate smart contracts for efficiency while maintaining regulatory oversight and risk mitigation. Some financial institutions are already exploring blockchain-based lending solutions to streamline operations while preserving customer protections. Smart contracts in DeFi are disrupting traditional loan processing by eliminating intermediaries, reducing costs, and enhancing transparency. While DeFi lending will continue to grow, it is more likely to complement rather than completely replace traditional financial institutions. A future where DeFi and traditional finance coexist—leveraging smart contracts for efficiency while ensuring regulatory protection—seems to be the most viable path forward.
JPMorgan Chase expects stablecoin adoption to grow slower than the widely projected US$2 trillion market as the ecosystem that supports stablecoins is far from developed and would take time to build out
The eye-catching US$2 trillion projection for the potential growth of the stablecoin market that was often cited during the recent push to approve US regulation of the crypto market for the first time is “a little bit optimistic”, according to JPMorgan Chase. JPMorgan strategists wrote in a note to clients, per the report: “We find it hard to believe that the market could grow substantially larger over the next few years as the infrastructure/ecosystem that supports stablecoins is far from developed and will take time to build out. While adoption is poised to grow further, it might be at a slower pace than what some might anticipate.” despite the recent increase in interest for the assets, they still only account for less than 1 per cent of global money flows, suggesting the role of the digital asset in upending financial rails still has significant steps to take, the strategists wrote. JPMorgan pointed out that given the current growth trajectory, it was more likely that the market would double or triple, which is far lower than other estimates. “We suspect liquidity investors, whether retail or institutional, are not going to immediately jump into payment stablecoins as a cash alternative given their conservative nature in terms of how they manage their cash as a source of liquidity,” the bank said.
Gartner report reveals out of thousands of AI agent systems touted by vendors, only 130 are real and more than 40% of agentic AI projects will be canceled by 2027 due to high costs, unclear business value and weak risk controls
Most of the AI agent systems being sold today are not truly agentic, according to a report from business research and insights firm Gartner. According to the report, out of thousands of AI agent systems touted by vendors, only 130 are real. Gartner predicted that more than 40% of agentic AI projects will be canceled by 2027 due to high costs, unclear business value and weak risk controls brought on by AI systems incorrectly marketed as agentic. “True AI agents are defined by goal-driven autonomy — the ability to work dynamically and proactively, with self-determination, to pursue long-term business goals,” Sagi Eliyahu, co-founder and CEO of the tech orchestration platform Tonkean, told. “A true agentic AI system orchestrates agents across every relevant piece of technology or team environment. If the ‘agent’ only handles discrete tasks that are defined by the user, if it only works inside its own system, or if it’s only accessible through chat, it may in fact be an AI capability, but it’s not an agent — it’s an automation or it’s a chatbot.” Akhil Sahai, chief product officer at Kanverse.ai, wrote in a post on LinkedIn that companies need to ask the following questions to identify whether an AI system is truly agentic: Can the system operate without constant human input? Does it pursue goals autonomously rather than follow scripted tasks? Can it reason, plan and improve with experience? “If the answer to any of these is ‘no,’ it’s not an AI agent,” Sahai said.
Silicon Valley Bank taps Forge Securities’s trading platform to offer clients access to private market liquidity solutions including tender offers and secondary sales
Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a division of First Citizens Bank serving companies throughout the innovation economy, has partnered with Forge Securities LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Forge Global Holdings. Forge is a leading provider of marketplace infrastructure, data services, technology, and investment solutions for the private market. The new referral partnership will provide Silicon Valley Bank clients with Forge’s private liquidity solutions to manage their cap table, diversify their investor bases and help retain employees. Forge offers a trusted trading platform and proprietary data and insights to inform investment strategies, along with custody services to help companies, shareholders, institutions and accredited investors navigate and transact in the private market. The partnership offers Silicon Valley Bank clients, some of the world’s most innovative companies and investors, access to Forge’s secondary liquidity solutions at scale. Benefits of the Silicon Valley Bank and Forge partnership for companies and shareholders, include: Issuer-led structured liquidity events, including tender offers and secondary sales; Controlled shareholder transactions for employees, founders, or early investors; Access to 19K+institutional investors looking to invest in private companies; Private market transactions via a trusted platform.
Atlanta Fed opines earmarking with programmable payments can help businesses bring efficiency to managing payroll, vendor payments, and escrow accounts through automated budgeting, real-time visibility into cash flows and customized workflows with flexible rules
At its core, earmarking just means setting money aside for a specific purpose—like rent, payroll, or taxes—so it’s only used for that. It’s a simple concept, but when combined with automation, it could be the budgeting upgrade many people and businesses have been waiting for. That’s where programmable payments come in. These are payments that happen automatically based on rules you set. Through banking apps, digital wallets, or budgeting platforms, consumers choose or create spending categories and assign rules—like percentages, spending limits, or triggers. It’s like having a personal money assistant organizing your finances, paying your bills, and keeping you on budget without you having to think about it. For businesses, this brings new efficiency to managing payroll, vendor payments, and escrow accounts. The upside of earmarking with programmable payments is clear: automation takes the work out of budgeting, real-time visibility helps track your money, and flexible rules let you customize how it all works. It’s also useful in more regulated settings like distributing aid or managing shared accounts because it adds accountability. Earmarking with programmable payments is a smart, modern take on a tried-and-true budgeting technique. Used intentionally, it can bring clarity, control, and purpose to the way money flows. In a complex financial world, that’s something both individuals and experts can benefit from.
New crypto regulations signal a structural shift toward a unified financial market model pushing banks to launch integrated platforms that merge tokenized assets and native crypto trade, offering access to multiple services via blockchain-based wallets akin to ‘super app’
Last week was a watershed in the evolution of the U.S. digital asset ecosystem, with two high-level official statements on next steps for the regulation and development of its market structure. Lifting the lid and peering more closely, however, reveals that it was more than that. Going beyond just digital assets, last week marked an inflection point in the traditional banking business model. Last Wednesday, the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets, or PWG, finally published the road map President Trump requested upon its creation back in January. The report adds 166 pages of detail to the administration’s promise to recover U.S. leadership in financial innovation by creating clear and supportive rules for the adoption of blockchain technology. The more than 100 proposals include a clarification as to what extent banks can participate in crypto asset activity; modernizing the payments infrastructure to support stablecoins; setting new capital rules for crypto assets held on bank balance sheets; increasing transparency around master account and bank charter applications; updating anti-money-laundering rules for decentralized services; and a whole lot more. Then, just one day later, Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Paul Atkins delivered one of the more astonishing speeches in crypto history: He outlined Project Crypto, specifying four policy areas for his staff to focus on in their efforts to create a crypto framework. These include asset issuance, custody, licensing and the use of decentralized applications in financial markets. Both proposals came laden with detail as to intentions, a refreshing change. But even more surprising was the scope of the ambition. The initiatives are not just about creating new rules for crypto assets: They’re also about an overhaul of U.S. securities and banking regulation. As such, they impact all market participants, traditional and new. Essentially, the aim of the PWG report and the SEC’s Project Crypto is to blur the boundaries between traditional and blockchain-based markets and financial services. This may sound terrifying to many, as the structure of global finance is a complex web and any profound change will of course give birth to unforeseen risks.
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is named Best Online Brokerage by REAL SIMPLE women’s lifestyle magazine
J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing was named Best Online Brokerage in REAL SIMPLE’s 2025 Smart Money Awards. With J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing, clients enjoy unlimited commission-free online trades on thousands of stocks, ETFs, mutual funds and treasuries in the Chase Mobile® app and on Chase.com. REAL SIMPLE is the leading women’s lifestyle magazine, both at newsstands and on Apple News+. The Smart Money Awards recognize innovative financial products and services that simplify money management for consumers. “J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing continues to shine in the industry and is a great place for people to get started on growing their money,” said Kristin Lemkau, CEO of J.P. Morgan Wealth Management. REAL SIMPLE highlights that JPMorganChase clients can seamlessly manage their investments, bank accounts, credit cards, auto loans and mortgages – all within the Chase Mobile® app and on Chase.com. In addition, clients have access to J.P. Morgan’s retirement desk, which connects them with specialists who can walk them through retirement accounts rollovers and answer in-depth questions. J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing customers can open an account in a few quick steps and invest on-the-go. New customers can earn up to $700 when they open and fund an eligible account with qualifying new money. All customers have access to thousands of investments.
J.D. Power 2025 Dealer Financing Satisfaction Study- TD Auto Finance ranks highest in Non-Captive National—Prime, Huntington in Non-Captive Regional—Prime and Ally leads in Non-Captive Sub-Prime
According to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Dealer Financing Satisfaction Study, national banks (780) have significantly outperformed regional banks (713) in overall satisfaction and dealer intent for a third consecutive year. While regional banks have narrowed the gap, they still trail national banks in all five of the metrics evaluated in the study, an indication that progress is not happening quickly enough to shift dealer preferences or behaviors. “National banks continue to demonstrate the resilience and adaptability that set them apart in today’s economic climate,” said Patrick Roosenberg, senior director of automotive finance intelligence at J.D. Power. “If regional banks want to stay competitive, they must clearly differentiate their value proposition and show dealers how their services are superior in meeting their needs. Without that, they risk losing relevance—and market share.” Study Rankings
- Captive Premium—Prime: Maserati Capital USA ranks highest in overall dealer satisfaction with a score of 927, followed by Porsche Financial Services (879) and Jaguar Land Rover Financial Group (874).
- Captive Mass Market—Prime: Southeast Toyota Finance ranks highest in overall dealer satisfaction for a third consecutive year with a score of 874, followed by Subaru Motors Finance (866) and Honda Financial Services (775).
- Non-Captive National—Prime: TD Auto Finance ranks highest in overall dealer satisfaction for a sixth consecutive year, with a score of 864. Ally Financial (847) ranks second and Capital One Auto Finance (820) ranks third.
- Non-Captive Regional—Prime: Huntington National Bank ranks highest in overall dealer satisfaction for a third consecutive year, with a score of 759. Santander Auto Finance (736) ranks second and M&T Bank (726) ranks third.
- Non-Captive Sub-Prime: Ally Financial ranks highest in overall dealer satisfaction for a fifth consecutive year, with a score of 835. Capital One Auto Finance (807) ranks second and Chase Auto (773) ranks third.