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Project Overview
Raise is an innovative gift card crypto platform dedicated to revolutionizing the consumer shopping experience and enhancing the way they interact with brands. Consumers buy gift cards from participating retailers, and the money is deposited with Raise, which then uses stablecoins, or cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar, to put that money in escrow for a retailer. Once a customer uses the gift card, Raise sends money from the escrow account to the retailer by ACH or stablecoin.
SEC Proposes Allowing Crypto Projects to Raise Up to $75 Million Annually Without Full Securities Registration
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday proposed new rules that would allow crypto projects to raise funds without full securities registration. The proposed "crypto asset regulation" includes two exemptions: projects raising no more than $5 million over a 4-year period, and issuers raising no more than $75 million every 12 months, subject to filing financial statements and ongoing reports. Both exemptions require information disclosure and remain subject to federal anti-fraud and anti-manipulation rules. The proposal also includes a conditional safe harbor, allowing issuers to "decouple" crypto assets from the investment contracts under which they were issued, provided SEC conditions are met. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce stated that the exemptions will not cover all types of crypto projects, and the Commission will refine the rules based on market developments. The SEC canceled a related meeting last week citing "unforeseen scheduling issues," and resumed advancing the proposal days later. (Decrypt)
Alphabet Issues Bonds in Australia for First Time, Plans to Raise $3.6 Billion to Support AI Spending
According to Bloomberg, Google's parent company Alphabet launched its inaugural Australian dollar bond issuance on August 18, planning to raise approximately 5 billion Australian dollars (approximately 3.6 billion US dollars), with the funds raised to be used to address continuously rising AI infrastructure expenditures. The issuance is underwritten by institutions including Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), offering Australian dollar notes with four maturities, with the longest maturity reaching 20 years.
Lightspeed Plans to Raise $600 Million for Its Secondary Fund to Boost Investment in OpenAI and Anthropic
According to Bloomberg, Lightspeed Venture Partners is seeking to raise approximately $600 million through secondary transactions to extend its investment exposure to OpenAI and other artificial intelligence companies, and to make additional investments in AI model company Anthropic. According to people familiar with the matter, the internal codename for Lightspeed's fundraising transaction is "Project Mercury", involving multiple secondary funds under Lightspeed, including the Select V Fund, the Opportunity II Fund, and portions of assets in a separately managed account. Lightspeed hopes to provide liquidity for investors through secondary market transactions while continuing to maintain long-term holdings in leading companies in the AI sector.
SEC to Consider Regulation Crypto, Potentially Allowing Certain Crypto Projects to Raise Funds Without Full Securities Registration
Odaily News: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will hold a public meeting on August 14 to consider proposing a "Regulation Crypto" rule framework that would allow certain crypto projects to raise funds without completing full securities registration. If public comment is initiated, this would mark the SEC's first formal, long-term crypto industry rulemaking. The framework is expected to establish a pathway for exiting SEC oversight: after project developers raise funds, if they no longer actively manage the project and the project achieves decentralization, it may fall outside SEC jurisdiction. SEC Chair Paul Atkins has previously stated that the exemption period could last up to four years, though the announcement did not disclose funding amount thresholds. The U.S. Senate did not advance the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act before entering its August recess. The final rule will still take several months to complete, and the meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. ET on August 14. (Decrypt)
Erebor Bank Plans $1.5B Raise at $9.5B Valuation
Odaily News: Crypto-friendly bank Erebor Bank is in talks to raise $1.5 billion at a target valuation of $9.5 billion. The funds will be used to meet the 12% mandatory leverage ratio requirement and support loan business expansion, including a $200 million credit facility to Valar Atomics. Erebor Bank's total deposits grew from $1.1 billion in March to $4.6 billion in July, with customer growth primarily coming from the crypto, AI, and defense sectors. (CoinDesk)
Data Center Operator DayOne Confidentially Files for US IPO, Plans to Raise $5 Billion
According to Bloomberg, Singapore data center operator DayOne has confidentially filed an initial public offering (IPO) application with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), planning to list in the U.S. as early as the next quarter of this year. The company plans to raise approximately $5 billion, with a listing valuation of around $20 billion. However, relevant details are still under discussion, and the offering size and timing may change.
SEC Proposes Allowing Crypto Projects to Raise Up to $75 Million Annually Without Full Securities Registration
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday proposed new rules that would allow crypto projects to raise funds without full securities registration. The proposed "crypto asset regulation" includes two exemptions: projects raising no more than $5 million over a 4-year period, and issuers raising no more than $75 million every 12 months, subject to filing financial statements and ongoing reports. Both exemptions require information disclosure and remain subject to federal anti-fraud and anti-manipulation rules. The proposal also includes a conditional safe harbor, allowing issuers to "decouple" crypto assets from the investment contracts under which they were issued, provided SEC conditions are met. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce stated that the exemptions will not cover all types of crypto projects, and the Commission will refine the rules based on market developments. The SEC canceled a related meeting last week citing "unforeseen scheduling issues," and resumed advancing the proposal days later. (Decrypt)
Korea Plans to Raise Minimum Trading Unit for Single-Stock Leveraged ETFs to 20 Shares in September
the Korea Exchange has drafted amendments to the "Securities Market Business Regulations Implementation Rules," which will raise the minimum trading unit for single-stock leveraged ETFs from the current 1 share to 20 shares, and for ETNs from 1 security to 20 securities. The exchange is currently seeking market feedback.It is understood that South Korean financial regulators originally planned to implement this measure in November, but given the rising speculative trading in single-stock leveraged products and the need to cool it down ahead of schedule, the exchange is pushing for implementation as early as next month. In addition to raising the trading unit, regulators will also strengthen investor protection measures. New retail investors must complete at least 5 trading days of simulated trading—1 hour per day, totaling 5 hours—before participating in single-stock leveraged product trading. (EDaily)
SEC to Consider Regulation Crypto, Potentially Allowing Certain Crypto Projects to Raise Funds Without Full Securities Registration
Odaily News: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will hold a public meeting on August 14 to consider proposing a "Regulation Crypto" rule framework that would allow certain crypto projects to raise funds without completing full securities registration. If public comment is initiated, this would mark the SEC's first formal, long-term crypto industry rulemaking. The framework is expected to establish a pathway for exiting SEC oversight: after project developers raise funds, if they no longer actively manage the project and the project achieves decentralization, it may fall outside SEC jurisdiction. SEC Chair Paul Atkins has previously stated that the exemption period could last up to four years, though the announcement did not disclose funding amount thresholds. The U.S. Senate did not advance the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act before entering its August recess. The final rule will still take several months to complete, and the meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. ET on August 14. (Decrypt)
Kalshi in Talks to Raise Funding at $40 Billion Valuation
prediction market platform Kalshi is in talks to raise a new round of funding at a valuation of approximately $40 billion, with a potential deal closing as early as the third quarter. Last month, Kalshi completed a $1 billion funding round from investors including Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Coatue, and Morgan Stanley, at a valuation of $22 billion.Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour stated that the company is considering an IPO, but it will not go public in 2026, with a potential listing likely no earlier than late 2027 or 2028. Kalshi reported that as of April 2026, its annualized trading volume reached $178 billion, a 32-fold increase year-over-year.Kalshi is currently embroiled in a legal dispute between U.S. state and federal regulators over the oversight of prediction markets. The controversy includes whether sports event contracts constitute derivatives regulated by the CFTC or illegal gambling. CME has sued the CFTC over its approval of Kalshi's "perpetual" futures, Kentucky sued Kalshi and Polymarket this month, and the CFTC subsequently sued Kentucky to block its enforcement action. (Decrypt)
Federal Reserve's Logan: The Fed May Need to Raise Interest Rates This Year to Curb Prices
Odaily Odaily News, Federal Reserve's Logan stated that Fed officials may need to raise interest rates later this year to bring inflation down to the 2% target level. She noted that the U.S. labor market is "largely in balance," investment in the AI sector is booming, and financial conditions remain "loose." However, she added that the current inflation trend does not appear to be heading back towards the Fed's 2% target. "These conditions suggest that current monetary policy is not exerting a restraining effect on the economy," "I am increasingly concerned that, in order to fully restore price stability and appropriately balance both aspects of the Fed's 'dual mandate,' interest rate hikes may be necessary later this year." (Jin Shi)
Federal Reserve Chair Candidate Supports Inclusion of Crypto in Financial System, Lawmakers Raise Regulatory Concerns
Odaily News Kevin Warsh stated during a Senate hearing that digital assets "have become part of the U.S. financial system" and supports their inclusion into the financial system to provide investors with more opportunities and protection.This statement is seen as a signal of a generally more open policy towards the cryptocurrency industry should he become the Federal Reserve Chair. Warsh has previously referred to Bitcoin as an "important asset that aids in policy-making."However, Elizabeth Warren expressed concerns during the hearing, mentioning potential risks in the crypto space such as "sock puppet" accounts, emphasizing the need for enhanced regulation and prevention of abuse.
Analyst: Strategy May Need to Sell About 20,600 BTC to Raise Up to $1.25 Billion
On-chain analyst Ember posted on X platform, stating that Strategy currently has $2.55 billion in dollar reserves, which can support interest payments for one and a half years. Strategy may sell some BTC at any time soon, raising up to $1.25 billion to replenish dollar reserves, which equates to approximately 20,600 BTC at current prices. Strategy may also conduct share buybacks of up to $1 billion.
ZachXBT: AscendEX Withdrawal Delays Raise Concerns Over On-Chain Reserves and Liquidity Stress
ZachXBT issued a community alert on X, warning that the centralized exchange AscendEX (formerly Bitmax) has recently been reported to experience delays in processing user withdrawals—some withdrawal requests may take several days or even weeks. ZachXBT noted that ETH, USDT, SOL, and other major high-market-cap assets are held in relatively low amounts within known hot wallets flagged by Arkham and TRM, potentially indicating liquidity pressure facing the platform.
Bubblemaps: LAB Large Holders Locked Until 2027 May Raise Liquidity Concerns
on-chain data platform Bubblemaps has released an analysis of the LAB token on-chain data on X platform. Only 313 participants joined the presale on the Legion platform, with a total initial investment of approximately $1.428 million. The current market value of these presale holdings has surged to $977 million, with investors collectively enjoying an unrealized gain approaching $1 billion. Due to unlock restrictions, the full lock-up period for investors' shares extends to 2027, making it difficult to liquidate funds. The first batch of token unlocks will occur on July 14. Bubblemaps warns that the economic model featuring highly concentrated LAB holdings combined with long-term lock-up poses significant liquidity risks. There is widespread market concern that after subsequent rounds of unlocks, large-scale profit-taking by major holders could put downward pressure on the market.
Erebor Bank Plans $1.5B Raise at $9.5B Valuation
Odaily News: Crypto-friendly bank Erebor Bank is in talks to raise $1.5 billion at a target valuation of $9.5 billion. The funds will be used to meet the 12% mandatory leverage ratio requirement and support loan business expansion, including a $200 million credit facility to Valar Atomics. Erebor Bank's total deposits grew from $1.1 billion in March to $4.6 billion in July, with customer growth primarily coming from the crypto, AI, and defense sectors. (CoinDesk)
Ethereum Institutional Completes Seed Funding Raise, Led by BitMine, SharpLink, and Ethereum Co-Founders
以太坊机构（Ethereum Institutional）宣布完成初始生态系统融资轮，获得逾 100 位生态参与者支持，锚定投资方包括 BitMNR、Sharplink 及以太坊联合创始人 Joseph Lubin、Mihai Alisie，参与者涵盖加密原生机构及个人投资者。 后续，该组织将加速与银行、资产管理公司、托管机构、金融科技及主权机构的直接接触，并联合 L2、应用团队、基础设施及托管服务商等推进以太坊机构化进程。目前该组织已开放招聘。
Bloomberg: Robotics Startup Genesis AI in Talks to Raise Approximately $500 Million
according to sources familiar with the matter, AI robotics startup Genesis AI is in talks with investors for a new funding round, planning to raise approximately $500 million, corresponding to a pre-money valuation of around $3 billion. Existing investor Premji Invest is in discussions to lead the round, while HSG (formerly Sequoia China) and Northzone Ventures are also discussing additional investments.In June this year, Genesis AI launched an AI industrial robot named Eno. The company stated that Eno is capable of reasoning "beyond predefined tasks" and adapting based on different outcomes. (Bloomberg)
AI Data Center Crusoe Plans to Raise $3 Billion, Valuation Could Rise to $30 Billion
AI data center Crusoe Energy Systems is in talks for a new round of financing worth approximately $3 billion. Upon completion of this round, the company's valuation is expected to roughly triple from the previous round, reaching the $30 billion range.Founded in 2018, Crusoe initially started with crypto-related businesses before transitioning into an AI infrastructure and data center service provider. It is currently categorized as one of the "neocloud" firms, a new type of cloud computing company focused on providing computational power support for generative AI. The company has signed compute supply contracts with tech giants including Meta and Oracle. As demand for AI infrastructure construction surges, the scale of its compute business continues to expand.According to previously public information, Crusoe completed a funding round of approximately $1.38 billion last year, with a valuation exceeding $10 billion. If this new round is successfully completed, it would become another large-scale capital move in the AI infrastructure sector.Market sources estimate that the final valuation for this round could be around the $30 billion level, but the deal is still in progress and has not yet been finalized. (Reuters)
Hive Digital to Raise $100 Million via Note Issuance, Signs LOI to Deploy Approximately 10,000 Nvidia GPUs
Odaily Bitcoin mining company and data center Hive Digital Technologies has announced it will raise $100 million through the issuance of zero-coupon exchangeable senior notes due in 2031, aiming to further expand its computing infrastructure. Additionally, the company has signed a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) with a Swedish sovereign technology firm possessing an investment-grade credit rating, intending to lease approximately 30MW of computing capacity at its data center for a term of up to 10 years. Under the agreement, Hive will deploy approximately 25MW of IT computing capacity and plans to utilize up to 10,000 Nvidia GB300 GPUs. However, the LOI currently remains subject to further negotiations and the signing of a final definitive agreement. (DataCenterDynamics)
ZachXBT: AscendEX Withdrawal Delays Raise Concerns Over On-Chain Reserves and Liquidity Stress
ZachXBT issued a community alert on X, warning that the centralized exchange AscendEX (formerly Bitmax) has recently been reported to experience delays in processing user withdrawals—some withdrawal requests may take several days or even weeks. ZachXBT noted that ETH, USDT, SOL, and other major high-market-cap assets are held in relatively low amounts within known hot wallets flagged by Arkham and TRM, potentially indicating liquidity pressure facing the platform.
Related news
SEC Proposes Allowing Crypto Projects to Raise Up to $75 Million Annually Without Full Securities Registration
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday proposed new rules that would allow crypto projects to raise funds without full securities registration. The proposed "crypto asset regulation" includes two exemptions: projects raising no more than $5 million over a 4-year period, and issuers raising no more than $75 million every 12 months, subject to filing financial statements and ongoing reports. Both exemptions require information disclosure and remain subject to federal anti-fraud and anti-manipulation rules. The proposal also includes a conditional safe harbor, allowing issuers to "decouple" crypto assets from the investment contracts under which they were issued, provided SEC conditions are met. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce stated that the exemptions will not cover all types of crypto projects, and the Commission will refine the rules based on market developments. The SEC canceled a related meeting last week citing "unforeseen scheduling issues," and resumed advancing the proposal days later. (Decrypt)
SoftBank Group Plans to Issue 1 Trillion Yen in Personal Bonds to Raise Funds for AI Investment
According to Nikkei News, SoftBank Group is preparing to issue corporate bonds to individual investors, with an expected issuance size of 1 trillion yen, which will become the largest corporate bond issuance to individual investors in the history of Japanese companies. This move aims to utilize funding sources such as Japanese personal savings against the backdrop of intensifying global artificial intelligence investment competition and rising funding needs. The bond has a maturity of 7 years, and issuance conditions such as the interest rate are expected to be determined in early September.
Alphabet Issues Bonds in Australia for First Time, Plans to Raise $3.6 Billion to Support AI Spending
According to Bloomberg, Google's parent company Alphabet launched its inaugural Australian dollar bond issuance on August 18, planning to raise approximately 5 billion Australian dollars (approximately 3.6 billion US dollars), with the funds raised to be used to address continuously rising AI infrastructure expenditures. The issuance is underwritten by institutions including Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), offering Australian dollar notes with four maturities, with the longest maturity reaching 20 years.
Lightspeed Plans to Raise $600 Million for Its Secondary Fund to Boost Investment in OpenAI and Anthropic
According to Bloomberg, Lightspeed Venture Partners is seeking to raise approximately $600 million through secondary transactions to extend its investment exposure to OpenAI and other artificial intelligence companies, and to make additional investments in AI model company Anthropic. According to people familiar with the matter, the internal codename for Lightspeed's fundraising transaction is "Project Mercury", involving multiple secondary funds under Lightspeed, including the Select V Fund, the Opportunity II Fund, and portions of assets in a separately managed account. Lightspeed hopes to provide liquidity for investors through secondary market transactions while continuing to maintain long-term holdings in leading companies in the AI sector.
Korea Plans to Raise Minimum Trading Unit for Single-Stock Leveraged ETFs to 20 Shares in September
the Korea Exchange has drafted amendments to the "Securities Market Business Regulations Implementation Rules," which will raise the minimum trading unit for single-stock leveraged ETFs from the current 1 share to 20 shares, and for ETNs from 1 security to 20 securities. The exchange is currently seeking market feedback.It is understood that South Korean financial regulators originally planned to implement this measure in November, but given the rising speculative trading in single-stock leveraged products and the need to cool it down ahead of schedule, the exchange is pushing for implementation as early as next month. In addition to raising the trading unit, regulators will also strengthen investor protection measures. New retail investors must complete at least 5 trading days of simulated trading—1 hour per day, totaling 5 hours—before participating in single-stock leveraged product trading. (EDaily)
SEC to Consider Regulation Crypto, Potentially Allowing Certain Crypto Projects to Raise Funds Without Full Securities Registration
Odaily News: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will hold a public meeting on August 14 to consider proposing a "Regulation Crypto" rule framework that would allow certain crypto projects to raise funds without completing full securities registration. If public comment is initiated, this would mark the SEC's first formal, long-term crypto industry rulemaking. The framework is expected to establish a pathway for exiting SEC oversight: after project developers raise funds, if they no longer actively manage the project and the project achieves decentralization, it may fall outside SEC jurisdiction. SEC Chair Paul Atkins has previously stated that the exemption period could last up to four years, though the announcement did not disclose funding amount thresholds. The U.S. Senate did not advance the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act before entering its August recess. The final rule will still take several months to complete, and the meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. ET on August 14. (Decrypt)