Author: Isabella Taylor

Fun raises $72m to power unified fiat and crypto rails for apps like Polymarket and Aave, after quietly processing over $18b in annual payment volume. Summary Payment infrastructure startup Fun has raised $72 million in Series A funding led by Multicoin Capital and SignalFire to power fiat and crypto rails for consumer apps. The company provides deposit and withdrawal infrastructure for platforms like Polymarket, Lighter, and Aave, and says it processed more than $18 billion in transaction volume over the past year. New investors include Infinity Ventures, Pharsalus Capital, and Tinder co-founder Justin Mateen, as Fun positions itself as a…

Seoul’s Administrative Court has stayed a six‑month partial suspension against Bithumb, halting Korea FIU’s harshest crypto penalty while the exchange fights it in court. Summary The Seoul Administrative Court has granted Bithumb a stay of execution on a six‑month partial business suspension imposed by South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). The FIU had fined Bithumb roughly ₩36.8 billion (about $24.6 million) and ordered limits on new customers’ external crypto transfers over alleged violations of the Specific Financial Information Act. The stay allows Bithumb to continue normal operations while it fights the sanctions in court, setting up a key test of…

A Chinese court has ruled that companies cannot legally dismiss employees solely to replace them with cost-saving artificial intelligence tools, setting a clear boundary on how far firms can go in using automation to reduce labour costs. Summary Hangzhou court rules companies cannot fire workers solely to replace them with AI, rejecting automation as a valid ground under labour law. Tribunal finds dismissal unlawful after firm cut employee’s role and pay following AI adoption, orders additional compensation. Ruling comes as global firms cut jobs amid AI uptake, while the U.S. expands AI deployment across classified defence systems. On April 30,…

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has scheduled a CLARITY Act roundtable for May, bringing together SEC and CFTC officials with crypto industry representatives to debate digital asset market structure jurisdiction, one of the final regulatory steps before the Senate Banking Committee’s expected markup the week of May 11. Summary The SEC roundtable on the CLARITY Act is set for May 2026 and will address the central jurisdictional question of whether specific digital assets are regulated by the SEC or the CFTC under the proposed market structure framework. Senator Tim Scott confirmed he has now secured Tillis and additional Republican…

How many people brushed off crypto, watched a coin run wild, and then wished they had moved sooner? That regret hits hard, which is why many eyes are now chasing the best crypto presale to buy now before another big price jump slips away. BlockchainFX ($BFX) is getting close to launch while SIREN keeps giving the market fresh price news and sharp chart action. One project is still in crypto presale mode, one already showed what crazy upside can look like, and both tell a story worth watching. BlockchainFX ($BFX): The best crypto presale to buy now for trading crypto,…

Explosive early-stage opportunities rarely stay open for long, and the top 1000x crypto to buy right now is gaining serious traction as its presale deadline approaches. DOGEBALL is capturing attention with real utility, strong funding momentum, and a clearly defined launch trajectory that sets it apart from speculative plays. The DOGEBALL crypto presale 2026 went live on 2nd January 2026 and is now nearing its final phase, closing on 2nd May 2026. With over $255K+ raised and 905+ participants already onboard, this is a focused 4-month crypto presale where early positioning can translate into significant upside. As 2nd May gets…

Pi Network confirmed its sponsorship of Consensus 2026 in Miami on May 5 to 7, with co-founders Dr. Chengdiao Fan and Nicolas Kokkalis each scheduled to speak at the Convergence Stage, marking the project’s most prominent mainstream industry appearance as its Protocol 23 smart contract launch on May 11 approaches. Summary Dr. Chengdiao Fan speaks May 6 on aligning Web3, AI, and blockchain for utility, while Nicolas Kokkalis joins a May 7 panel titled “How to Prove You’re Human in an AI World (Without Doxing Yourself)” at the Convergence Stage. Pi Network has completed over 526 million human KYC validation…

President Trump signed an executive order on April 30 directing the Labor Department to allow Trump retirement account access to cryptocurrency, private equity, and other alternative assets inside US 401(k) plans, targeting the roughly $12.5 trillion defined-contribution market that has been largely closed to digital assets under existing ERISA guidance. Summary The executive order instructs the Labor Department to revisit Employee Retirement Income Security Act guidance and coordinate with the Treasury Department. Trump retirement policy also launches TrumpIRA.gov next year, a site where workers without employer-sponsored plans can access retirement accounts and receive up to $1,000 annually in matching federal…

The US Senate voted unanimously to bar all senators and their staff from placing bets on political prediction market platforms including Polymarket and Kalshi, with the resolution authored by Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, who also set the end-of-May CLARITY Act deadline. Summary The Senate ban passed unanimously, a notable bipartisan outcome that reflects shared concern about insider information advantages after prediction market trading by political figures drew increasing scrutiny in 2025. Kalshi said it already proactively blocks members of Congress from using its platform and described the Senate vote as “a great step to increase trust in markets,” suggesting the…

Tether posted $1.04 billion in Q1 2026 net profit and a record Tether profit reserve buffer of $8.23 billion, backed primarily by $141 billion in US Treasuries, in a quarterly attestation published May 1 by accounting firm BDO, its most detailed financial disclosure to date. Summary Tether profit of $1.04 billion in Q1 represents a buffer growth of 47% year on year, with excess reserves rising from $5.6 billion in Q1 2025 to $8.23 billion in Q1 2026 and total assets reaching $191.77 billion against $183.54 billion in liabilities. The $141 billion US Treasuries position makes Tether the 17th-largest holder…