Author: Isabella Taylor

Alcoa is in advanced discussions to sell its Massena East smelter site in upstate New York to New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG).  Summary Alcoa is in advanced talks to sell Massena East smelter site to NYDIG. NYDIG aims to expand Bitcoin mining operations using hydropower-linked industrial infrastructure in New York. Massena East site has been idle since 2014 and spans about 1,300 acres. The update was shared by Alcoa chief executive Bill Oplinger in comments reported on Friday. Oplinger stated that the transaction “should be done in the middle part of this year” if the process continues as planned.…

Charles Schwab has shown interest in entering prediction markets as part of its wider product review. Chief executive Rick Wurster told investors that the company is considering whether to offer such services in the future. Summary Schwab considers prediction markets but excludes sports, politics, and entertainment-related betting products. Citadel Securities monitors prediction markets growth but notes low liquidity limits current participation plans. Both firms see potential in event contracts for hedging financial and portfolio-related risks. Wurster said prediction markets were “not of tremendous interest” among some clients when discussed recently.  He also noted that Schwab would “take a hard look…

US Senator Elizabeth Warren has raised concerns about statements made by SEC Chair Paul Atkins regarding enforcement activity.  Summary Warren questioned SEC Chair Atkins after data showed enforcement actions dropped to lowest levels in years. SEC data release contradicted earlier testimony where Atkins said he was unsure about enforcement figures. Warren requested answers by April 28 on whether Congress was misled about enforcement activity levels. In a letter sent on Wednesday, she questioned whether his earlier testimony before Congress reflected accurate information. Warren referred to a congressional hearing held on Feb. 12. During that session, she asked Atkins about reports…

Circle’s new USDC Bridge aims to turn cross‑chain transfers into a near‑invisible backend plumbing layer for on‑chain dollars, replacing fragmented bridges with a single bank‑style ledger experience operated end‑to‑end by Circle itself. Summary Circle has launched a native USDC Bridge, a burn‑and‑mint cross‑chain service fully operated by Circle to unify liquidity and automate gas on the destination chain. The new rail builds on Circle’s Cross‑Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP), which already powers over $20 billion in monthly cross‑chain USDC settlements across more than 20 networks. As stablecoins moved an estimated $27.6 trillion on‑chain in 2025, infra like Circle’s bridge is quietly…

France’s finance minister backs bank‑issued euro stablecoins and Qivalis’ 2026 launch, pivoting policy to keep Europe’s digital rails denominated in euros, not dollars. Summary France’s finance minister Roland Lescure says Europe needs more euro-based stablecoins and urges banks to explore tokenized deposits. Qivalis, a 12‑bank alliance including ING, UniCredit, BBVA and BNP Paribas, is targeting a MiCA‑compliant euro stablecoin launch in H2 2026. The push marks a shift from France’s earlier hard‑line stance on private stablecoins and aims to curb “digital dollarization” in European payments and DeFi. France’s finance minister Roland Lescure has publicly called for more euro‑denominated stablecoins and…

Kraken parent Payward will buy Bitnomial for up to $550M, adding a full CFTC derivatives stack just as Deutsche Börse’s $200M stake backs its U.S. build‑out. Summary Payward, Kraken’s parent, plans to buy 100% of U.S. crypto derivatives venue Bitnomial for up to $550 million in cash and stock, pending CFTC approvals in H1 2026. Bitnomial is the first crypto‑native platform to hold all three key U.S. derivatives licenses — DCM, DCO and FCM — giving Payward a vertically integrated, onshore futures and clearing stack. The move follows Deutsche Börse’s $200 million investment for a 1.5% stake in Payward, valuing…

SEC Chair Paul Atkins launches “Material Matters,” with Hester Peirce and Mark Uyeda using the debut to pitch a more pro‑innovation crypto stance and clearer rulemaking. Summary SEC Chair Paul Atkins has launched “Material Matters,” a new agency podcast, using the first episode to spotlight a more openly pro‑innovation message for markets, including crypto. Commissioner Hester Peirce said she wants the U.S. to be “the place where people want to innovate whether it’s in crypto or something else,” while Mark Uyeda warned against straying from the SEC’s core responsibilities. The messaging caps a broader shift that includes a Uyeda‑led crypto…

The NEA Working Group on New Technologies convened a workshop on March 25–26, focusing on how artificial intelligence can be applied to regulatory oversight and internal operations within nuclear authorities. Summary NEA workshop explored real-world AI applications in nuclear regulation, with case studies from 15 member countries highlighting current tools and use cases Regulators stressed the need for structured AI frameworks, clear success metrics, and human oversight in decision-making On-premise AI models emerged as a key option to address cybersecurity, data sovereignty, and data protection concerns The discussions centred on practical deployment rather than theory, with participants examining how existing…

Bank of AI and PKUBlockchain map Web4.0’s “agent economy,” pitching x402, ERC‑8004 and MCP while casting Tron and USDT as the default settlement rail for AI agents. Summary Bank of AI and Peking University’s PKUBlockchain association have published a Web4.0 report arguing that AI agents will act as on‑chain “economic entities” and need dedicated payments, identity and tooling protocols. The paper highlights three missing layers — the x402 payment protocol, ERC‑8004 identity standard and MCP tool‑invocation rail — and pitches Bank of AI’s stack as a one‑stop “Agent financial OS” that connects them. It points to Tron’s more than $22…

Morpho price rallied to nearly $2 for the first time this year as a wave of institutional interest and new protocol upgrades lifted demand for the token. Summary Morpho price jumped over 12% to a yearly high near $2, driven by rising institutional demand and protocol expansion. Fireblocks integration opened access to 2,400+ institutional clients, creating a major liquidity pipeline into Morpho vaults. New products like Morpho Midnight and growing RWA adoption, along with backing from Apollo and the Ethereum Foundation, boosted confidence. According to data from crypto.news, Morpho (MORPHO) price climbed more than 12% to an intraday high of…