Brazil has postponed discussions on its upcoming cryptocurrency tax framework until after the October 2026 presidential elections, signalling a cautious political approach to digital asset regulation.
Finance officials aim to avoid introducing contentious fiscal measures during an election cycle, despite earlier plans to launch a public consultation later this year.
Recent tax reforms have already marked a significant shift in Brazil’s crypto policy. A flat 17.5% tax on capital gains was introduced in June 2025, replacing earlier exemptions for smaller transactions.
Previous rules allowed tax-free monthly sales up to 35,000 Brazilian real, while higher volumes were subject to progressive rates. Banco Central do Brasil classified stablecoin transfers as foreign exchange, making them subject to standard currency tax rules.
Authorities are considering broader crypto taxes, including on assets used for international payments. Alignment with the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework also remains on the agenda, indicating a move towards tighter oversight and global regulatory coordination.
Strong adoption highlights the policy’s importance, with Brazil leading Latin America and ranking among the world’s top crypto markets. Regional data shows a surge in adoption, strengthening Brazil’s role in the global digital asset market.
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Members of the European Parliament are calling for more rapid progress in implementing the bloc’s digital competition framework, with particular focus on the Digital Markets Act.
In a recent resolution, lawmakers urged the European Commission to ensure timely and effective enforcement of the rules designed to regulate large online platforms. The legislation aims to address concerns around market dominance and promote fair competition across the digital economy.
The discussions reflect ongoing concerns that delays in enforcement could undermine the framework’s effectiveness, particularly as major technology companies continue to expand their influence. Platforms such as Google, Apple and Meta are among those expected to comply with the new obligations.
At the same time, policymakers are balancing regulatory oversight with the need to maintain innovation and competitiveness. The debate forms part of a broader effort in the EU to strengthen digital governance and reinforce the region’s position in global technology markets.
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Microsoft is scaling back the presence of Copilot across Windows 11, signalling a shift toward a more selective and user-focused approach to AI integration.
Microsoft said it will reduce Copilot features in several built-in applications, including Photos, Widgets, Notepad and the Snipping Tool. The company described the move as part of a broader effort to integrate AI only where it delivers clear value to users.
The decision follows growing concerns about ‘AI bloat’ and user trust, with recent research indicating rising scepticism around AI. Microsoft is responding by prioritising more practical and reliable use cases rather than widespread deployment.
The change also aligns with earlier adjustments to Copilot plans, including shelving some system-level integrations and delaying features such as Windows Recall due to privacy and security concerns. Even after launch, vulnerabilities in Recall have continued to surface, reinforcing the need for caution.
Beyond AI, Microsoft is introducing several usability improvements to Windows 11. These include allowing users to reposition the taskbar, enhancing File Explorer performance, refining Widgets, and giving users greater control over system updates.
The update signals a broader recalibration, as Microsoft balances innovation with user expectations, aiming to deliver AI features that are both useful and trusted within everyday computing environments.
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A US senator has introduced a draft framework to establish nationwide AI rules, with a focus on child safety and copyright protection. The proposal seeks to create a unified federal approach to replace state laws that differ.
The plan would require developers to implement safeguards for minors, including age verification, data protection and mechanisms to report harm. Companies could also face legal action over failures linked to AI system design.
Copyright measures include new standards for identifying AI-generated content and preventing tampering. Authorities would also develop cybersecurity guidelines to support the transparency and authenticity of content.
Debate over this in the US continues over the balance between regulation and innovation, with some stakeholders warning of legal and economic risks. Discussions between lawmakers and the administration are expected to shape a final framework.
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The FBI’s New York Field Office has warned that fraudulent tokens impersonating the agency are being airdropped to Tron wallets, with recipients threatened with ‘total block’ of assets unless they submit personal information via phishing sites.
At least 728 wallets were affected, some holding over US$1 million in USDT, when the warning was issued on 19 March.
The scam warns users that their wallets are ‘under investigation’ and instructs them to complete an online anti-money-laundering form. The FBI urged crypto holders to ignore these messages and avoid entering any personal data on linked websites.
Attackers exploit Tron for its fast and low-cost transactions, using bots to distribute tokens widely and generate spoofed addresses.
Impersonation scams have surged dramatically in 2025, with Chainalysis reporting a 1,400% year-over-year increase. Total crypto fraud losses are estimated at US$17 billion, with AI-assisted scams proving far more profitable than traditional schemes.
The FBI previously ran a blockchain sting using Ethereum tokens, resulting in indictments and the seizure of millions in assets.
The bureau encourages anyone who receives the fake FBI tokens to report the incident to the Internet Crime Complaint Centre to help combat ongoing crypto fraud.
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Mozilla is preparing a major update to its Firefox browser, introducing a built-in VPN and new AI-powered tools. The company says the changes aim to strengthen privacy and give users greater control over browsing.
The integrated VPN will hide the user’s location and IP address while offering a limited monthly data allowance in selected regions. The feature replaces a previously separate paid service and will be built into the browser.
New AI tools will support tasks such as summarising content and comparing products without leaving a web page. Additional features include split-screen browsing and tools to organise notes across tabs.
The update also introduces redesigned settings and a refreshed interface to improve usability. Mozilla says the changes are intended to create a more personalised and modern browsing experience.
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Meta recently confirmed that an AI agent inadvertently exposed sensitive company and user data to some employees. The leak happened when an engineer followed the AI agent’s forum suggestion, exposing data for about two hours.
Meta stated that no user data was mishandled and emphasised that human errors could cause similar issues.
The incident reflects broader challenges in deploying agentic AI tools within major tech companies. Amazon faced similar issues, with internal AI tools causing outages and operational errors, showing risks of quickly integrating AI into critical workflows.
Experts describe these deployments as experimental, with companies testing AI at scale without fully assessing potential risks.
Security specialists note that AI agents lack the contextual awareness that human engineers accumulate over years of experience. Lacking long-term operational knowledge, AI can make decisions that compromise security, a factor in the Meta breach.
Analysts warn that such errors are likely to recur as AI adoption accelerates.
The episode comes amid growing attention on agentic AI’s potential to disrupt workflows, affect productivity, and introduce new vulnerabilities. Industry observers caution that AI tools must be carefully monitored and accompanied by robust safeguards to prevent future incidents.
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Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency (NRA) has begun rolling out an AI system developed by INSAIT, the Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology at Sofia University, across all of its organisational structures, making it the first large-scale public administrative body in the country to deploy the BgGPT national language model.
Following a successful pilot phase, the system is now in expanded use across the NRA’s central office and seven territorial directorates.
The AI system enables staff to conduct general and specialised searches related to tax and social security legislation, generating instant responses to improve service quality for citizens and businesses.
Crucially, it runs exclusively on open-weight models and operates on proprietary hardware, an approach specifically designed to prevent data leakage and protect privacy, two of the central concerns when integrating AI into government institutions.
The next phase of the project will see the system adapted for specialised use cases and integrated into internal processes alongside national integrator ‘Information Services’, with the goal of reaching daily use by more than 7,000 NRA employees.
INSAIT describes the initiative as a concrete contribution to European AI sovereignty, with Bulgaria combining nationally developed language models and locally controlled hardware to reduce dependence on commercial AI providers.
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Mastercard has introduced a generative AI foundation model trained on billions of anonymised transactions. The model is designed as a backend system to power insights across payments and commerce services.
The company plans to extend AI use beyond fraud detection into cybersecurity, loyalty programmes and small-business tools. The model is being developed with support from Nvidia and Databricks technologies.
Earlier AI tools focused on fraud detection, significantly improving accuracy and reducing false positives. The new model marks a shift towards a broader infrastructure approach across multiple products.
This move aligns with Mastercard’s growing reliance on value-added services, which generated over $13 billion in revenue. These services include security, analytics and digital payment solutions beyond the core network.
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Visa has launched Agentic Ready, a global programme preparing the payments ecosystem for AI agents to initiate transactions for consumers. The programme builds on Visa Intelligent Commerce, the company’s framework for secure, AI-driven payment experiences.
The first phase, launching in Europe, including the UK, focuses on issuer readiness. Participating banks and financial institutions can test and validate agent-initiated transactions in controlled production environments, ensuring they remain secure, reliable, and scalable.
Visa’s trust layer integrates tokenisation, identity verification, risk controls, and biometric authentication to maintain consumer consent and protection throughout transactions.
Controlled testing with selected merchants allows issuers to gain practical experience of agentic commerce in real-world settings. Early participants, including Barclays, HSBC UK, Revolut, and Banco Santander, help Visa test and refine safe AI-driven payments across channels.
The programme advances Visa’s vision of AI-driven commerce, enabling flexible payments while keeping consumers in control. Expansion beyond Europe is planned, leveraging lessons from the initial rollout to accelerate agentic commerce globally.
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