Atlas has launched stablecoin accounts. Allowing businesses and private wealth structures to send, receive, and hold stablecoin account balances, similar to how a traditional fiat bank account works. “The best fintech products have always been about providing access. Atlas is taking a multi-coin, multi-chain approach.” Said James Robertson, Head of Product at Atlas. “We are currently connected to more than 50 blockchains, with all 200 stablecoin issuers available, including USDC (Circle), USDT (Tether), (RLUSD) Ripple and PYUSD (PayPal). Always connected to whatever stablecoin and blockchain your customers want to pay you with.” Account holders can frictionlessly move between blockchain, currencies, and into over 26 fiat currencies. Even earn a yield on their stablecoin balances of up to 11% APY. “We’re taking the same principles of our core multi-currency banking product, and applying it to stablecoins. Funds are held in reserve 1:1 which can be verified on-chain. Customisable user permissions and approval processes, with downloadable statements and transaction reports. Backed up with a $30m insurance policy” added Robertson.
Lloyds and Aberdeen Investments use tokenised units of money market fund and UK gilts on public permissioned blockchain as collateral for foreign exchange trades
In a UK-first, Lloyds Banking Group and Aberdeen Investments have used tokenised real-world assets as collateral for foreign exchange trades. Tokenised units of Aberdeen Investment’s money market fund and tokenised UK gilts were issued, transferred, and securely held by FCA-regulated digital asset exchange Archax on the Hedera Hashgraph public permissioned blockchain. Archax says digital assets can be programmed to automatically follow the rules of trading agreements streamlining the margining process, reducing operational costs, enhancing collateral efficiency, and minimising counterparty risk. Wider adoption of tokenised funds as collateral could also help reduce systemic risk during periods of market stress by enabling digital transfers instead of forced asset sales, thereby reducing volatility. Peter Left, head, digital finance, Lloyds, says: “This groundbreaking initiative proves that digital assets can be used in regulated financial markets under existing legal frameworks here in the UK. It’s a major step forward in demonstrating how tokenisation can enhance collateral efficiency, reduce friction, and unlock new trading opportunities.”
Moonpay partnership seeks to have new cards connect to users’ crypto wallets and enable stablecoin and crypto payments at the more than 150 million locations where Mastercard is accepted
Mastercard and MoonPay’s partnership enables people and businesses to pay and be paid using stablecoins across global markets. The two teams met at MoonPay’s newly opened U.S. headquarters for a three-day session on what the new card program should offer, what customers it would target and a slew more details for the planned launch. This work is representative of a massive effort across the crypto and traditional finance ecosystems, with both sides collaborating more than ever to cross-pollinate innovations across industries and create new capabilities for consumers. The goal, according to many working in this space, is nothing short of recreating payments — and the very nature of money. A big focus of these efforts involves stablecoins, cryptocurrencies pegged to another asset, like the U.S. dollar, so they maintain a consistent price. “We’re upgrading money for the internet,” MoonPay CEO and co-founder Ivan Soto-Wright, said alongside Grossman later that day. “Everything about MoonPay has been built around backwards compatibility to the existing financial system. So we want to plug in every single payment across every single part of the world.” Together, they’re looking to have new cards connect to users’ crypto wallets and enable stablecoin and crypto payments at the more than 150 million locations where Mastercard is accepted.
SettlePal provides a 24/7 network that enables instant USDT delivery the moment payment is confirmed without pre-funding
SettlePal has just launched a powerful new solution for businesses navigating the crypto economy: a real-time USDT settlement layer designed specifically for merchants, crypto platforms, and cross-border payment providers. As delays continue to frustrate businesses and users alike, SettlePal’s infrastructure offers a seamless way to deliver stablecoins like USDT instantly, without the inefficiencies of old-school payment systems. SettlePal provides a 24/7 network that enables instant USDT delivery the moment payment is confirmed. There’s no need for pre-funding, no unnecessary risk, and no waiting around. Once fiat payment is verified as in progress, SettlePal steps in and releases USDT on behalf of the platform. When the fiat clears on the backend, everything reconciles smoothly. This approach helps merchants move faster, strengthens customer trust, and removes a major pain point in the adoption of crypto payments. By eliminating pre-funding requirements and enabling round-the-clock delivery – even outside banking hours – SettlePal is helping platforms scale confidently. SettlePal works only with regulated partners and avoids any exposure to token volatility or speculative models. Everything is tracked transparently through TXIDs and dashboards, and the platform adheres to strict security standards, including SOC 2 Type II compliance.
US regulators provide blueprint for lenders’ crypto custody – requiring a risk-governance framework that appropriately adapts to relevant risks
US regulators gave fresh guidelines for how banks can offer crypto custody services and not run afoul of rules. Banks that contemplate providing safekeeping for crypto-assets should consider the evolving nature of the crypto market, including the technology underlying the cryptoassets, regulators said. The Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said firms must also implement a risk-governance framework that appropriately adapts to relevant risks. The statement outlined key risk areas and warnings for banks to consider: Potential risks prior to offering crypto safekeeping; Being held liable for customers’ losses in cases of possible compromise or loss of cryptographic keys or other sensitive information; Crypto safekeeping relationships are subject to applicable Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering laws; Risks from contracting with a third-party; Appropriate audit coverage — especially assessing management and staff expertise.
AGII’s lightweight modules optimize the interaction between smart contracts and on-chain data, allowing AI-powered Web3 systems to react instantly to changing conditions and seamless integration between various components of dApps
AGII, a platform specializing in AI-driven Web3 infrastructure, has introduced a new suite of lightweight modules designed to enhance the responsiveness of smart contracts. The aim is to reduce latency and ensure reliable and accurate smart contract operations. The modules optimize the interaction between smart contracts and on-chain data, allowing decentralized systems to react instantly to changing conditions. This results in quicker transaction finality and shortened decision-making cycles, which are often bottlenecks in existing blockchain environments. The modules also promote a more seamless integration between various components of dApps, enhancing application responsiveness. AGII’s lightweight modules are particularly advantageous for developers looking to build or optimize applications within a decentralized framework. The company has embedded these modules directly into its AI-powered core infrastructure, facilitating a low-resource, real-time processing environment without compromising predictive intelligence or functional reliability. This streamlined architecture enables the deployment of more agile and adaptive smart contracts that can function efficiently across multiple blockchain networks. AGII’s lightweight module rollout aligns with its mission to provide scalable, intelligent infrastructure for decentralized operations.
BNY to act as the primary reserve custodian for Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin purpose-built for enterprise utility to support faster and low-cost cross-border payments
Blockchain company Ripple chose BNY for the primary custody of its stablecoin reserves. Via the partnership, BNY will act as the primary reserve custodian for Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, using its “deep technology stack and expertise enabling the digital assets ecosystem. Unlike stablecoins geared primarily toward retail users, RLUSD has been purpose-built for enterprise utility, particularly in improving the speed, cost and efficiency of cross-border payments. In addition, BNY will provide its leading transaction banking services to underpin RLUSD’s operations and deliver integrated solutions. “Ripple USD addresses a critical gap in the market as a stablecoin developed for enterprise-grade financial use cases, designed to meet the rigorous standards of leading financial institutions,” said Jack McDonald, SVP of Stablecoins at Ripple. “BNY brings together demonstrable custody expertise and a strong commitment to financial innovation in this rapidly changing landscape, as well as a forward-thinking approach to digital asset infrastructure, making them the ideal partner for Ripple and RLUSD.”
Crypto app OKX’s partnership with Circle to allow users to more easily convert between U.S. dollars and USDC stablecoins and back on a one-to-one basis and simplify on- and off-ramping for use of stablecoins for trading and payments
The 60 million global users of OKX’s crypto app will soon be able to more easily convert between U.S. dollars and USDC stablecoins and back on a one-to-one basis. This enhanced capability will be enabled by a new partnership between OKX and Circle Internet Group, which issues USDC through a regulated affiliate. The partnership will deepen liquidity for USD-to-USDC and USDC-to-USD conversions, making these conversions easier across OKX products and services. It will also simplify on- and off-ramping via the companies’ mutual banking partners to facilitate OKX customers’ use of USDC for trading and payments. The companies will also collaborate to teach users about the benefits of USDC and other digital currencies via educational and community engagement programs. “By working together, we’re further improving the user experience across our platform while accelerating the adoption of stablecoins in everyday finance,” OKX Founder and CEO Star Xu said. Circle Co-founder, Chairman and CEO Jeremy Allaire said that there is growing demand for USDC from businesses and individuals.
Square ropes in NBA star Jimmy Butler for bringing BIGFACE coffee to San Francisco through an exclusive pop-up at its Corner Store to promote neighborhood locals and small businesses
Square announced that Golden State Warriors star and Square seller Jimmy Butler will bring BIGFACE to San Francisco through an exclusive pop-up at Square’s Corner Store in the Mission District. The two-week pop-up, running from July 10 to 27, marks Butler’s first local business venture since joining the Warriors, connecting his entrepreneurial passion with his new home and community in the Bay Area. With a commitment to excellence and a focus on sustainably sourcing the finest specialty coffees on the planet, BIGFACE coffee not only tastes remarkable, but also supports the people and ecosystems behind each cup. BIGFACE is designing SF-exclusive merch for the pop-up, which pays homage to the location’s legacy as the former home of beloved Lucca Ravioli, and is only available at the Corner Store. Customers paying with a Cash App Card will receive 15% off all purchases at the pop-up. The BIGFACE pop-up follows the Corner Store’s successful June programming that celebrated San Francisco’s small business community through workshops, networking events, and educational sessions. More than 2,000 neighborhood locals and businesses have been served by the Corner Store so far. Following the BIGFACE pop-up, Square will partner with local nonprofit SF New Deal to bring a local business operator into residency at the Corner Store through the remainder of the year, continuing both organizations’ missions to support and showcase small and local businesses. SF New Deal strengthens neighborhoods by making it easier for under-resourced small business owners to succeed.
FortePay’s integration with Sequence payments infra platform to offer end-to-end, multi-chain payment solution with integrated local payments and currency options and dynamic compliance tools to power web3 monetization
Forte and its wholly-owned subsidiary LemmaX has announced a strategic alliance with Sequence to integrate FortePay as a central component of the Sequence platform infrastructure. This collaboration equips developers with an end-to-end, multi-chain payment solution that enables compliant web3 payment processing and seamless value transfer, advancing the shared vision of creating safe, user-friendly applications with versatile monetization pathways in the web3 ecosystem. Through this partnership, FortePay will serve as Sequence’s foundational payments infrastructure layer, providing global card payment network coverage with integrated local payments and currency options. The solution incorporates dynamic compliance tools featuring graduated KYC flows and asset-based ID verification, resulting in faster, more efficient purchase flows. Sequence users will be able to seamlessly buy and convert between crypto and fiat currencies, purchase NFTs using fiat or cryptocurrency, and transact with custom tokens through the platform’s comprehensive capabilities. “Integrating FortePay into Sequence’s core infrastructure unlocks a new level of flexibility and compliance tools for developers building web3 applications,” said Taylan Pince, CTO of Sequence. “This partnership enables seamless, secure, and scalable payment flows, whether in fiat or crypto, without compromising on user experience. It brings us one step closer to a future where web3 monetization is as intuitive and robust as any traditional platform.”