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Odaily News The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) on Friday granted initial conditional approval to World Liberty Trust Company, National Association, bringing Trump-backed World Liberty Financial one step closer to obtaining a national trust bank charter.In its letter, the OCC stated that World Liberty's charter application met certain regulatory and policy requirements, leading to the initial conditional approval. However, this does not constitute final approval, and the OCC may still rescind the approval.Earlier this year, World Liberty Financial established a new trust company with the aim of applying for a bank charter from the OCC. The company has previously stated that the charter would support its provision of services including stablecoin issuance and redemption, fiat on/off ramps, custody, and exchange. WLF currently issues the stablecoin USD1, which has a market cap of approximately $4 billion, making it the fourth-largest stablecoin after Tether and USDC.WLF CEO Zack Witkoff said on X on Friday that the company aims to build "the world's most trusted and widely used digital dollar" while strengthening the dollar's role in the global economy. Zack Witkoff is the son of Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Overall, this approval could further strengthen WLF's position in the U.S. stablecoin and digital asset banking infrastructure, though its political ties may continue to raise regulatory and ethical concerns.
Odaily News, Mizuho analysts lowered the price target for crypto custodian BitGo from $14 to $11, while maintaining an "Outperform" rating. At the time of the report, BitGo's stock was trading at approximately $5.61.Mizuho believes that the market generally views the delay of the U.S. crypto market structure bill, the Clarity Act, as bearish, but for BitGo, this could actually be an advantage. This is because BitGo already operates the first federally chartered digital asset trust bank owned by a public company, and its regulatory standing does not depend on the passage of new legislation.Analysts noted that the Clarity Act aims to establish a framework for the U.S. digital asset market structure and clarify the division of powers among different regulatory agencies. However, due to repeated negotiations on key issues, the bill has faced ongoing delays.In Mizuho's view, the longer regulatory uncertainty persists each quarter, the more BitGo's existing licenses and first-mover compliance advantages accumulate, and the higher the barriers for new entrants. In other words, the later regulation is finalized, the more "trusted and already licensed" becomes BitGo's core competitive strength.
Odaily News: The French Finance Minister has confirmed that hackers breached the systems of the French Public Finance Directorate in late June and stole taxpayer data belonging to individuals and businesses. According to FrenchBreaches, a platform that tracks cyberattacks in France, this incident affects approximately 678,437 people, roughly 1% of France's population, though the exact number is still under investigation and has not been finalised.The compromised data reportedly includes sensitive information such as names, dates of birth, home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, tax identification details, and income data. Among those affected, nearly 27,000 individuals had taxable income of at least €100,000, 386 exceeded €1 million, and another 8 surpassed €10 million.Reports indicate that the database has been listed for sale on dark web marketplaces for several thousand euros. The attacker, going by the name ZeroBytes, claims to have extracted the records using an internal search tool before being detected and having access cut off.The incident has raised concerns within the crypto industry, as France has seen a noticeable increase in "wrench attacks" targeting crypto holders in recent years. If high-income individuals' addresses and contact details are exposed, it could provide criminals with a more precise list of targets.
Odaily News: Cboe BZX Exchange is seeking approval from the U.S. SEC to list a group of leveraged commodity ETFs, including daily leveraged products with 3x long exposure to Bitcoin and Ethereum.According to a proposed rule change filed on Friday, Cboe plans to launch a 3x Gold ETF, 3x Silver ETF, 3x Bitcoin ETF, 3x Ether ETF, 3x Crude Oil ETF, and 3x Natural Gas ETF. These funds will primarily hold CME or COMEX futures contracts, with cash and cash equivalents as collateral, aiming to achieve 3x the daily performance of the corresponding underlying assets.Since these products do not meet the restrictions on leveraged products under the exchange's general listing standards, Cboe needs to obtain approval through a special rule filing. Such highly leveraged funds are typically geared toward sophisticated investors for short-term tactical trading and are not suitable for long-term holding.The filing also shows that these funds will operate as "commodity pools" and fall under CFTC regulation, rather than being structured as investment companies under the 1940 Act regulated by the SEC, as many traditional ETFs are. Commodity pools typically pool capital from multiple investors to trade derivatives or other commodity-related instruments.
The Irish Government has released its first National Anti-Money Laundering Strategy, proposing stricter scrutiny on private crypto wallet transfers and overseas crypto enterprises, with plans to implement industry standards related to cryptocurrency gambling funds in the second half of 2027.
The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted World Liberty Trust Co. preliminary conditional approval. The company may operate national trust banking business.
英国议会标准专员恢复对 Reform 党领袖 Nigel Farage 接受加密货币行业捐赠的调查，涉及金额达 670 万美元。
Odaily News: Goldman Sachs has disclosed the acquisition of ETF management firm NEOS Investments in a deal valued at up to $2.25 billion, which is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027 pending regulatory approval. The market views this move as a way for Goldman Sachs to quickly enter the Bitcoin yield ETF space, potentially putting it ahead of BlackRock in the Wall Street crypto asset competition.NEOS currently manages approximately $30 billion in assets, with its most notable product being the Bitcoin yield ETF BTCI (NEOS Bitcoin High Income ETF), which holds about $1.1 billion in assets. The fund generates monthly income for investors by holding Bitcoin-related ETFs and selling call options, currently offering a distribution yield of approximately 27%.Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas stated that by acquiring NEOS, Goldman Sachs gains BTCI, effectively bypassing the need to build a similar product from scratch and "beating" BlackRock's previously launched Bitcoin yield ETF product, BITA.Goldman Sachs' deal is seen by the market as a new phase in Wall Street's crypto asset positioning. Industry insiders believe that Bitcoin spot ETFs represent the "first phase," while active management products based on Bitcoin, such as yield enhancement and options strategies, will become the focus of competition in the next phase.However, BTCI's high yield comes with risks. The product does not directly hold Bitcoin but instead generates returns by selling call options on Bitcoin-related ETFs, potentially sacrificing some upside when the market rallies. Analysts note that BTCI's net asset value has fallen approximately 43% over the past year, and part of its high distribution yield may come from return of capital.BlackRock has already launched a competing product, BITA, but its current scale is approximately $59 million, significantly lower than BTCI's roughly $1.1 billion in assets. The market is watching whether Goldman Sachs will maintain BTCI's existing structure after the acquisition is completed and further expand its competitive advantage in the Bitcoin yield product market. (Forbes)
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that Galaxy Digital, Compass Datacenters, and Montera Infrastructure have committed to complying with new standards and regulatory requirements established by Texas for data center construction.It is understood that these guidelines are being implemented across data center projects statewide, aiming to ensure that data center expansion does not add burdens to residents, nor affect grid stability, water supply, or community quality of life. Under the new rules, data center operators must meet several requirements, including: bearing the costs of power infrastructure themselves without shifting construction and operational costs onto Texas households and small businesses; implementing water recycling for their own use to reduce pressure on public water resources; taking measures to lower overall electricity costs; avoiding disruption to residential communities by reducing noise, light, and traffic impacts; and reducing dependence on government subsidies and taxpayer funds to achieve self-sustaining project operations.Additionally, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) will review data center projects, requiring companies to disclose project ownership structures, government subsidy details, electricity demand forecasts, self-built power generation plans, water usage plans, and community impact mitigation measures.
Gina Rinehart, Australia's first female billionaire, saw her investment company purchase approximately 8 million shares of SpaceX in the second quarter. As of June 30, the investment was valued at approximately $1.37 billion, making it the largest single holding in her portfolio.According to regulatory filings, Rinehart's increased position in SpaceX shares reached a value of $1.37 billion, accounting for a significant proportion of her overall portfolio. SpaceX remains a privately held company, with investors primarily gaining exposure through private equity transactions.In addition to SpaceX, Rinehart's investment vehicle also poured hundreds of millions of dollars into U.S. equity markets in the second quarter, further expanding its allocation to U.S. stocks. (Bloomberg)
Odaily News - Thrive Capital, the venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner, has purchased approximately $215 million worth of Amazon shares, further expanding its investment footprint in public market companies.According to regulatory filings, this investment gives Thrive Capital exposure to Amazon's growth opportunities in artificial intelligence, including agentic AI shopping tools and AI computing infrastructure services for enterprise customers.Earlier this month, Amazon's market capitalization surpassed $3 trillion for the first time, making it the fifth company globally to reach this milestone. The market continues to focus on its development potential in generative AI, cloud computing, and AI-driven e-commerce.Thrive Capital has previously been known for investing in early-stage tech companies, with a portfolio that includes SpaceX, Stripe, and OpenAI. In recent years, the firm has increasingly added positions in publicly listed companies, including Figma, StubHub, and Oscar Health.Earlier this year, Thrive also disclosed to investors that it had purchased approximately $100 million worth of Shopify stock, citing AI technology as a driver of a new wave of growth in the e-commerce sector.This investment signals that Thrive Capital is further transitioning from a traditional venture capital model toward becoming an "investor in core assets of the AI era," sharing in the growth dividends of AI infrastructure and application ecosystems by taking positions in major tech companies. (Bloomberg)
According to Calcalist, Israel's Bank Leumi announced a cooperation agreement with Nasdaq-listed company Galaxy Digital, planning to launch cryptocurrency trading services within the Leumi Trade application, allowing customers to buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. The service is expected to go live in early 2027, but requires regulatory approval from the Bank of Israel. This collaboration will integrate Galaxy's Galaxy Custody (formerly GK8) blockchain infrastructure and custody services to provide customers with access to regulated digital assets.
Odaily News: The Irish government has published its first national Anti-Money Laundering (AML) strategy, which plans to strengthen scrutiny of digital asset transfers involving private crypto wallets (self-hosted wallets) and raise due diligence requirements for crypto firms collaborating with overseas institutions.According to an announcement from the Irish Department of Finance, the strategy implements the remaining requirements of the EU's Transfer of Funds Regulation, requiring crypto asset service providers (CASPs) to conduct "enhanced checks" on transfers involving private wallets, while also implementing stricter customer due diligence when conducting business with overseas crypto firms.The measures are based on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)'s "Travel Rule," which requires digital asset transactions to include sender and recipient information to enhance transparency in fund flows.Ireland stated that the new regulations are being advanced in tandem with the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). MiCA establishes a unified regulatory framework for crypto asset service providers, while Ireland previously granted its domestic crypto firms a transition period of 12 months—shorter than the maximum 18 months allowed by the EU. That transition period ended at the end of December 2025, so the new requirements will now apply directly to firms with full authorization. (Decrypt)
Odaily News Since taking the helm of the Federal Reserve in May, Warsh has faced an exceptionally complex monetary policy dilemma. However, a string of recently released weak macroeconomic data could allow the Fed to maintain its wait-and-see stance for a longer period. The recent decline in inflation indicators has directly undermined the internal hawkish argument that "without rate hikes, inflation cannot be brought down." The U.S. Labor Department reported Thursday that the Producer Price Index (PPI) unexpectedly remained flat month-over-month in July. Data released the day before also showed that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded only a marginal increase in July after declining in June.When the Fed decided to hold rates unchanged last month, Cleveland Fed President Hammack was one of three policymakers who dissented. She reiterated publicly on Thursday: "I believe we need to act now because we need to bring inflation back down to the 2% target at a faster pace than the long-run downward path implied by current interest rate levels." While internal hawks apply pressure, political interference from the White House has never ceased. Trump continues to call for sharply lower interest rates and has publicly accused Warsh's "hostile" colleagues of obstructing the rate-cut process. Facing multi-sided games, Warsh has remained silent about his own plans, avoiding any form of forward guidance.In any case, the market continues to price in potential tightening. According to the CME Group's FedWatch tool, investors currently place a probability of more than 90% that the Fed will raise its policy rate by the end of the year. Caught between tolerating entrenched inflation and pushing up borrowing costs that could lead to rising unemployment, the Fed's next move remains a difficult balancing act.
Venture capital fund Team8 announced the completion of a $365 million new fund raise to invest in next-generation AI-native enterprise companies, bringing its assets under management close to $2 billion. This round of fundraising includes a $265 million Team8 Capital Fund III, as well as over $100 million in follow-on investment capital, primarily used to increase stakes in its existing portfolio companies with the highest conviction. The new fund will focus on investing in companies at the Seed and Series A stages, covering areas such as cybersecurity, AI infrastructure, and fintech, with a particular focus on infrastructure projects that help enterprises deploy AI while ensuring security, governance, and control capabilities. Team8 has previously invested in multiple crypto and AI companies, including crypto institutional wallet developer Curv, AI compliance platform IVIX, and AI data loss prevention company Jazz, among others.
Odaily News: Strategy has responded to MSCI's proposal to remove bitcoin treasury companies from its indexes. Strategy stated: "Index providers should measure the market, not dictate what assets companies hold. MSCI's proposal is inconsistent with the stance of regulators, the market, and clients. Bitcoin doesn't need MSCI, and neither does Strategy." (BitcoinTreasuries)
According to Binance's official announcement, due to recent changes in regulatory requirements, Binance will stop processing relevant transactions involving multiple crypto asset service providers in batches. Among them, platforms such as HTX (Huobi Global SA), EXMO Ltd, BitPapa, and Rapira will take effect from August 23, 2026. Previously, Shelbit and Aban Tether Exchange took effect on August 7, and A7 Nigeria, PilotFinance Ltd, and others took effect on August 13. Binance reminds that if users attempt to trade with relevant entities after the above dates, they will face additional compliance reviews, and relevant wallets may be restricted.
According to Decrypt, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has canceled the public meeting originally scheduled for this Friday. The meeting was planned for three commissioners to vote and discuss whether to seek public comment on an issuance exemption framework tailored for crypto assets—this would be the SEC's first time advancing targeted legislation for the crypto industry. An SEC spokesperson announced the cancellation citing "unforeseen scheduling issues" without announcing a new date. Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate adjourned last Saturday, failing to advance the Clarity Act, and data from prediction market Myriad shows the probability of the bill being signed into law within 2026 is only 20%. Notably, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) will still hold the first meeting of the Innovation Advisory Committee as scheduled on August 20, with agenda items covering "crypto regulatory evolution" and artificial intelligence, but this meeting will only produce recommendations and does not carry legislative authority.
Odaily News, according to official announcements, Bitget has added 14 stock spot rTokens including rPDD (Pinduoduo), rABNB (Airbnb), and rSONY (Sony) with weekend trading support. Following this update, the number of stock tokens supported for weekend trading on the platform has increased to 93. During US market closures, the platform will generate continuous weekend trading prices based on Friday closing prices, market maker quotes, and market expectations. This feature supports limit orders and take-profit/stop-loss settings. To prevent abnormal fluctuations, the system imposes a protection limit of approximately ±20% on weekend limit orders.It is understood that rTokens, identified by the letter r + stock ticker (e.g., rNVDA for Nvidia), are issued by Reality, a licensed RWA protocol under Bitget. Through a partnership with compliant broker Alpaca, they connect directly to global liquidity pools such as NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange. Their features include: 1:1 reserve backing of underlying assets held by licensed custodians, stock dividends distributed 1:1 in token form, corporate actions such as stock splits and reverse splits mirrored synchronously, and the ability to use holdings as cross-margin for unified accounts and USDT-margined contracts, allowing users to manage funds flexibly while holding global equity assets.
According to Bloomberg, stablecoin payment company RedotPay has postponed its plans to list in the US. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the company previously planned to complete its IPO as early as this year, but the listing timeline may now be delayed until next year or even later. RedotPay needs to obtain regulatory approval from the countries where it operates before proceeding with the IPO, and the company also faces related legal issues that remain to be addressed.