E-commerce and trade Archives | Page 2 of 196

New licensing rules for crypto platforms in Australia

Australia is advancing plans to regulate digital asset platforms under its financial services framework. The Senate committee recommended passing the Digital Assets Framework Bill 2025, bringing Australia closer to licensing crypto exchanges and tokenisation platforms.

Industry groups have raised concerns about definitions such as ‘digital token’ and ‘factual control.’ Broad wording could inadvertently cover infrastructure providers, including multi-party wallet systems, potentially classifying them as financial service operators.

Ripple Labs emphasised the need for precise language to avoid unintended regulation.

The committee supported the Treasury’s approach while planning to refine technical details through future regulations. Coinbase welcomed the progress but noted ongoing banking challenges for crypto firms.

The bill now proceeds to the Senate for debate and a final vote, which could reshape digital asset operations in Australia.

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Microsoft Exchange Online outage affects users globally

A service disruption has affected users of Microsoft Exchange Online, and Microsoft has confirmed ongoing investigations into mailbox access issues affecting enterprise customers worldwide.

Reports indicate that Microsoft users encountered difficulties connecting via multiple access points, including the Microsoft Outlook desktop and mobile applications and browser-based email services. The issue affects specific connection methods rather than the entire platform.

Organisations relying on cloud-based communication tools experienced interruptions in email workflows, calendar scheduling, and shared mailbox functionality. Such disruptions can significantly disrupt operational continuity, particularly for businesses that depend on real-time communication systems.

Updates through Microsoft’s service health channels suggest that engineering teams are working to identify the root cause, though no definitive explanation has yet been provided.

Such incidents highlight broader concerns around resilience in cloud infrastructure, as enterprises increasingly depend on centralised platforms for critical communication services.

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EU reviews X compliance proposal under Digital Services Act

X has submitted a compliance proposal to the European Commission outlining how it intends to modify its blue check verification system following regulatory concerns under the Digital Services Act.

The EU regulators concluded that the platform’s system allowed users to obtain verification simply by paying for a subscription without meaningful identity checks, potentially misleading users about the authenticity of accounts.

The Commission imposed a €120 million fine in December and gave the company 60 working days to propose corrective measures. Officials confirmed that X met the deadline for submitting a plan, which regulators will now assess.

The platform, owned by Elon Musk, must also pay the penalty while the Commission evaluates the proposed changes. The company has challenged the enforcement decision before the EU’s General Court.

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France pushes EU AI gigafactories to support European technology

In the EU, France is calling for planned European AI ‘gigafactories’ to focus on testing and scaling European technologies rather than primarily increasing demand for hardware from companies such as Nvidia.

The large computing facilities are intended to provide the infrastructure needed to train advanced AI systems. However, officials in France argue that the projects should strengthen Europe’s technological capabilities rather than reinforce reliance on foreign suppliers.

Several EU countries, including Poland, Austria and Lithuania, support using the infrastructure to improve Europe’s digital resilience.

The initiative forms part of the European Commission’s wider plans to expand computing capacity and support the development of a stronger European AI ecosystem.

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OpenAI plans to integrate Sora video generation into ChatGPT

According to reports, OpenAI is preparing to integrate its AI video generator Sora directly into ChatGPT, a move that could expand the platform’s capabilities beyond text and image generation.

Sora currently operates as a standalone application and web service. Integrating the tool into ChatGPT could dramatically increase its visibility and usage, particularly given the chatbot’s massive global user base.

The company released an updated version of the model in 2025 that allows users to create, remix and even appear inside AI-generated videos. Bringing those features into ChatGPT would represent a major step toward making video generation a mainstream function within conversational AI systems.

Competition in the generative video market is intensifying. Companies, including Google, are developing similar technologies, with the company’s Gemini platform offering video creation powered by the Veo system. Other developers are also launching text-to-video models as the field rapidly expands.

Despite the potential growth, integrating video generation into ChatGPT may significantly increase operating costs. Running large AI systems requires vast computing resources and energy, and the chatbot already costs billions of dollars annually to operate.

Although OpenAI earns revenue from subscriptions, the majority of ChatGPT users currently use the free version. The company is therefore exploring additional monetisation strategies, including advertising and new premium services.

Integrating Sora into ChatGPT could therefore serve both strategic and financial goals, strengthening the platform’s position in the competitive generative AI market while expanding the types of content users can create.

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Young investors warned on crypto and AI advice

Australia’s financial regulator has warned young investors to be cautious with social media influencers and AI chatbots. A survey by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission found one in four Gen Z Australians invest in crypto, often guided by online content.

The survey of 1,127 participants aged 18 to 28 showed 63% use social media for financial information, 18% rely on AI platforms, and 30% consult YouTube. AI was the most trusted source at 64%, but over half still trust influencers and social media despite possible misinformation.

ASIC previously issued warnings to 18 influencers suspected of promoting high-risk products without a licence. Commissioner Alan Kirkland said some social media marketing promotes crypto scams or risky super switches that threaten young people’s key assets.

The regulator is also watching AI financial guidance. Personalised advice from unlicensed sources is illegal, and young investors should carefully check sources, especially as crypto exchanges increasingly use AI bots for trading guidance.

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AI-powered browsing arrives in Chrome for India New Zealand and Canada

Chrome is bringing its advanced AI features to users in India, New Zealand and Canada, aiming to simplify daily browsing tasks and provide instant support. The updates include the integration of Gemini in Chrome and support for over 50 languages.

Users can now interact with a personalised browsing assistant without switching tabs, receiving instant answers, summaries or creative suggestions. Gemini in Chrome allows multitasking and remembers previously visited pages for easier navigation.

Integrations with Google apps such as Gmail, Maps and YouTube enhance productivity directly from the browser. Users can draft emails, schedule meetings, or extract key points from videos without leaving their current page.

Chrome’s AI can also consolidate information from multiple open tabs, streamlining tasks like research or shopping. Nano Banana 2 allows users to transform images on the web in real time, without uploading files or switching windows.

Security remains a priority, with Chrome designed to detect threats and require confirmations for sensitive actions. Gemini in Chrome benefits from automated testing and updates to maintain robust protection as users explore new AI features.

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Tesla moves to enter the British household electricity market

A licence that would allow Tesla to supply electricity directly to households and businesses across Great Britain has been applied for.

The application was submitted to the national energy regulator Ofgem, which oversees energy suppliers in England, Scotland and Wales.

Approval would enable the company to enter the retail electricity market as early as next year. The service is expected to operate under the brand ‘Tesla Electric’, extending the company’s strategy of combining electric vehicles, battery storage and energy supply into a single ecosystem.

Tesla’s UK energy subsidiary, Tesla Energy Ventures, filed the application through its Manchester-based operation. Regulatory review may take several months, as Ofgem typically requires up to nine months to evaluate electricity supplier licences.

A future electricity offer could primarily target households that already use Tesla technologies, including home batteries and electric vehicle charging systems.

The company sells Powerwall storage batteries in the UK, which allow homeowners to store electricity generated by solar panels or purchased during off-peak hours.

Such systems also allow surplus energy stored in batteries to be sold back to the grid.

Similar services are already available in the US, where Tesla launched a residential electricity supply programme in Texas in 2022.

The expansion into the energy supply market comes amid pressure on Tesla’s automotive business in Europe. Sales of Tesla vehicles in the UK declined significantly during 2025, reducing the company’s share of the national car market.

Diversifying into energy services could therefore represent a broader strategic shift for the company led by Elon Musk. Integrating electricity supply with electric vehicles and home energy systems could allow Tesla to build a more comprehensive energy platform for consumers.

If approved, the initiative would position Tesla as both a technology manufacturer and a direct energy supplier in the British market.

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EU charts roadmap for tokenised financial markets

The European Central Bank (ECB) has unveiled Appia, a strategic roadmap for developing Europe’s tokenised financial ecosystem anchored in central bank money. The initiative aims to guide the shift from traditional finance to tokenised markets while ensuring stability and interoperability.

A key component of Appia is Pontes, the Eurosystem’s distributed ledger technology (DLT) settlement solution. Pontes, set for Q3 2026 pilots, will enable central bank money transactions and connect DLT infrastructures with the Eurosystem’s TARGET2, T2S, and TIPS services.

The ECB has opened a public consultation inviting feedback and proposals from both public and private sector stakeholders. Respondents’ input will help refine the roadmap and shape the long-term blueprint for Europe’s tokenised financial system.

Appia also complements ongoing efforts on the digital €, with payment service provider selection planned for 2026 and a 12-month pilot trial in the second half of 2027.

The initiative highlights the ECB’s commitment to integrating emerging technologies while preserving financial stability.

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EU competition regulators expand scrutiny across the entire AI ecosystem

Competition authorities in the EU are broadening their oversight of the AI sector, examining every layer of the technology’s value chain.

Speaking at a conference in Berlin, Teresa Ribera explained that regulators are analysing the full ‘AI stack’ instead of focusing solely on consumer applications.

According to the competition chief, scrutiny extends beyond visible AI tools to the systems that support them. Investigations are assessing underlying models, the data used to train those models, as well as cloud infrastructure and energy resources that power AI systems.

Regulatory attention has already reached the application layer.

The European Commission opened an investigation in 2025 involving Meta after concerns emerged that the company could restrict competing AI assistants on its messaging platform WhatsApp.

Following regulatory pressure, Meta proposed allowing rival AI chatbots on the platform in exchange for a fee. European regulators are now assessing the proposal to determine whether additional intervention is necessary to preserve fair competition in rapidly evolving digital markets.

Authorities have also examined concentration risks across other parts of the AI ecosystem, including the infrastructure layer dominated by companies such as Nvidia.

Regulators argue that effective competition oversight must address the entire technology stack as AI markets expand quickly.

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