An industry leader said stablecoin-powered cards are shaping up to be one of the biggest crypto themes of 2026, which seek to provide the benefits of blockchain while keeping the payment experience familiar for consumers. “This is one of the big themes of 2026: crypto becomes enmeshed more deeply into how payments flow through the
For years, major banks treated cryptocurrency primarily as a risk to be contained. That posture is now giving way to a more deliberate form of engagement. Rather than debating crypto’s legitimacy, banks are increasingly deciding how and where to integrate it, from regulated investment products to blockchain-based payment rails. This shift is on full display
Crypto markets barely flinched as a trio of macro headlines crossed the tape, with major tokens drifting sideways to lower despite fresh signals from U.S. labor data, looming Supreme Court action on Trump-era tariffs, and renewed geopolitical tension in the Middle East. Summary The crypto market rallied after the latest US NFP data. The economy
Story Highlights The odds of a Fed rate cut in January are extremely slim but traders are forecasting at least two cuts in 2026. Morgan Stanley and Citigroup have changed their Fed rate cut forecast for 2026 ahead of a new Fed Chair. The Bitcoin and crypto market will benefit from a risk-on mode amid
The People’s Bank of China acquired 30,000 troy ounces of gold in December, according to official figures, extending its 14‑month buying streak. China is among the countries with the largest gold reserves, officially holding more than 74 million troy ounces of the precious metal. China Ramps up Gold Purchases, Continues 14-Month Buying Streak China has continued its gold
Rain, a US stablecoin infrastructure provider and a principal member of the Visa payment network, has secured major funding to expand its global presence. The platform raised $250 million in a Series C funding round led by the global investment firm Iconiq, according to an announcement on Friday. The round values Rain at $1.95 billion,
Key Takeaways Cloudforce, a Maryland-based AI company, raised $10 million in Series A funding led by Owl Ventures. The funding round saw participation from Microsoft’s venture fund, M12, granting Cloudforce access to Microsoft’s enterprise resources. Cloudforce, an AI firm that specializes in the Microsoft cloud ecosystem, has secured $10 million in a Series A funding
When stablecoin issuer Tether announced a “strategic investment” in Ledn, a lender of stablecoins and fiat against bitcoin BTC$90,230.46 collateral, in November, it chose to withhold details of the investment. In fact, it paid between $40 million and $50 million at a valuation of $500 million, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
CoinDesk Indices presents its daily market update, highlighting the performance of leaders and laggards in the CoinDesk 20 Index. The CoinDesk 20 is currently trading at 2902.71, down 0.0% (-1.04) since 4 p.m. ET on Thursday. Thirteen of 20 assets are trading higher. Leaders: POL (+11.2%) and ICP (+2.6%). Laggards: DOT (-1.4%) and XRP (-0.9%).