E-commerce and trade

EU MiCA greenlight turns Blockchain.com’s Malta base into hub

Blockchain.com received a MiCA license from Malta’s Financial Services Authority, enabling passported crypto services across all 30 EEA countries under one EU framework. Leaders called it a step toward safer, consistent access.

Malta becomes the hub for scaling operations, citing regulatory clarity and cross-border support. Under the authorisation, teams will expand secure custody and wallets, enterprise treasury tools, and localised products for the EU consumers.

A unified license streamlines go-to-market and accelerates launches in priority jurisdictions. Institutions gain clearer expectations on safeguarding, disclosures, and governance, while retail users benefit from standardised protections and stronger redress.

Fiorentina D’Amore will lead the EU strategy with deep fintech experience. Plans include phased rollouts, supervisor engagement, and controls aligned to MiCA’s conduct and prudential requirements across key markets.

Since 2011, Blockchain.com says it has processed over one trillion dollars and serves more than 90 million wallets. Expansion under MiCA adds scalable infrastructure, robust custody, and clearer disclosures for users and institutions.

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NVIDIA boosts open-source robotics with new ROS 2 and Physical AI contributions

At the ROSCon conference in Singapore, NVIDIA unveiled significant open-source contributions to accelerate the future of robotics.

The company announced updates to the ROS 2 framework, new partnerships within the Open Source Robotics Alliance, and the latest release of NVIDIA Isaac ROS 4.0 (all designed to strengthen collaboration in robotics development).

NVIDIA’s involvement in the new Physical AI Special Interest Group aims to enhance real-time robot control and AI processing efficiency.

Its integration of GPU-aware abstractions into ROS 2 allows the framework to handle both CPUs and GPUs seamlessly, ensuring faster and more consistent performance for robotic systems.

Additionally, the company open-sourced Greenwave Monitor, which helps developers quickly identify and fix performance bottlenecks. NVIDIA Isaac ROS 4.0, now available on the Jetson Thor platform, provides GPU-accelerated AI models and libraries to power robot mobility and manipulation.

Global robotics leaders, including AgileX, Canonical, Intrinsic, and Robotec.ai, are already deploying NVIDIA’s open-source tools to enhance simulation, digital twins, and real-world testing.

NVIDIA’s initiatives reinforce its role as a core contributor to the open-source robotics ecosystem and the development of physical AI.

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US Department of Justice charges former L3Harris executive with selling trade secrets to Russian buyer

The US Department of Justice has accused a former executive at defense contractor L3Harris of stealing and selling trade secrets to a buyer in Russia.

According to court filings, Peter Williams, a 39-year-old Australian citizen and former general manager of L3Harris division Trenchant, allegedly sold eight trade secrets from two unnamed companies between April 2022 and August 2025, earning about $1.3 million.

Williams, known internally as ‘Doogie,’ led Trenchant, which develops hacking and surveillance tools for Western governments, including the United States. He joined the company in October 2024 and left in August 2025, according to U.K. business records.

The DOJ’s ‘criminal information’ document, which, similar to an indictment, represents a formal accusation, did not identify the companies involved or the Russian buyer. Prosecutors are seeking to recover assets they say Williams acquired through the sale of trade secrets.

The case is being prosecuted by the DOJ’s National Security Division under the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. An arraignment and plea hearing is scheduled for October 29 in Washington, DC.

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Russia orders Apple to set Russian search engine by default

Russia’s federal anti-monopoly service has ordered Apple to preinstall a Russian-made search engine, such as Yandex or Mail.ru, by default on all devices sold in Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union. The regulator claims Apple’s current setup gives foreign providers unfair market advantages.

The letter from FAS director Maxim Shaskolsky said Apple’s practices breach consumer protection laws by denying users equal access to local services. Authorities argue that default settings favour non-Russian search engines and restrict fair competition within domestic markets.

Apple has until 31 October to comply or face potential fines and restrictions. Russia’s Ministry of Digital Affairs warned of serious consequences if the company ignores the directive. Officials noted that Google previously avoided penalties after offering users a search engine choice.

Apple’s relations with Moscow have been tense since 2024, when the firm removed VPN apps under government pressure. Digital rights groups described the move as a threat to privacy, and analysts see the latest demand as part of Russia’s push for greater online control.

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NVIDIA AI Day Sydney showcases Australia’s growing role in global AI innovation

Australia took centre stage in the global AI landscape last week as NVIDIA AI Day Sydney gathered over a thousand participants to explore the nation’s path toward sovereign AI.

The event, held at ICC Sydney Theatre, featured discussions on agentic and physical AI, robotics and AI factories, highlighting how the next generation of computing is driving transformation across sectors.

Industry leaders, including Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Canva and emerging startups, joined NVIDIA executives to discuss how advanced computing and AI are shaping innovation.

Brendan Hopper of the Commonwealth Bank praised NVIDIA’s role in expanding Australia’s AI ecosystem through infrastructure, partnerships and education.

Speakers such as Giuseppe Barca of QDX Technologies emphasised how AI, high-performance computing and quantum research are redefining scientific progress.

With over 600 NVIDIA Inception startups and more than 20 universities using NVIDIA technologies, Australia’s AI ecosystem is expanding rapidly. Partners like Firmus Technologies, ResetData and SHARON AI underscored how AI Day Sydney demonstrated the nation’s readiness to become a regional AI hub.

The event also hosted Australia’s first ‘Startup, VC and Partner Connect’, linking entrepreneurs, investors and government officials to accelerate collaboration.

Presentations from quantum and healthcare innovators, alongside hands-on NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute sessions, showcased real-world AI applications from generative design to medical transcription.

NVIDIA’s Sudarshan Ramachandran said Australia’s combination of high-performance computing heritage, visual effects expertise and emerging robotics sector positions it to lead in the AI era.

Through collaboration and infrastructure investment, he said, the country is building a thriving ecosystem that supports discovery, sustainability and economic growth.

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Amazon launches Help Me Decide to simplify shopping

Amazon has introduced Help Me Decide, a new AI-powered feature designed to make shopping faster and more personalised. The tool analyses browsing history and preferences to recommend the best product with one tap, offering clear explanations.

The feature appears after viewing several similar items, allowing shoppers to quickly narrow choices. It also offers options for an upgrade or a budget-friendly alternative.

Help Me Decide works alongside Amazon’s existing AI tools, including Interests, Shopping Guides, and the assistant Rufus, which provide notifications, expert guidance, and real-time answers.

Using large language models and AWS services, the tool cross-references your shopping data with product details and customer reviews. A family browsing camping gear might get a tent recommendation based on prior searches for sleeping bags, stoves, and hiking boots.

Available on the Amazon app and mobile browser, Help Me Decide helps users save time, reduce guesswork, and shop with confidence. Amazon says the feature reflects its ongoing commitment to AI-driven, user-focused shopping experiences.

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$MELANIA coin faces court claims over price manipulation

Executives behind the $MELANIA cryptocurrency, launched by Melania Trump in January, are accused in court filings of orchestrating a pump-and-dump scheme. The coin surged from a few cents to $13.73 before falling to 10 cents, while $TRUMP dropped from $45.47 to $5.79.

Investors allege the creators planned the price surge and collapse to profit from rapid trading. Court papers allege Meteora executives used accomplices to buy and sell $MELANIA quickly, securing large profits while ordinary investors lost money.

Melania Trump herself is not named in the lawsuit, which describes her as unaware of the alleged scheme.

The $MELANIA allegations are now part of broader legal proceedings involving multiple cryptocurrencies that began earlier this year. Meteora has not commented, while the Trump family reportedly earned over $1bn from crypto ventures in the past year.

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South Korea moves to lead the AI era with OpenAI’s economic blueprint

Poised to become a global AI powerhouse, South Korea has the right foundations in place: advanced semiconductor production, robust digital infrastructure, and a highly skilled workforce.

OpenAI’s new Economic Blueprint for Korea sets out how the nation can turn those strengths into broad, inclusive growth through scaled and trusted AI adoption.

The blueprint builds on South Korea’s growing momentum in frontier technology.

Following OpenAI’s first Asia–Pacific country partnership, initiatives such as Stargate with Samsung and SK aim to expand advanced memory supply and explore next-generation AI data centres alongside the Ministry of Science and ICT.

A new OpenAI office in Seoul, along with collaboration with Seoul National University, further signals the country’s commitment to becoming an AI hub.

A strategy that rests on two complementary paths: building sovereign AI capabilities in infrastructure, data governance, and GPU supply, while also deepening cooperation with frontier developers like OpenAI.

The aim is to enhance operational maturity and cost efficiency across key industries, including semiconductors, shipbuilding, healthcare, and education.

By combining domestic expertise with global partnerships, South Korea could boost productivity, improve welfare services, and foster regional growth beyond Seoul. With decisive action, the nation stands ready to transform from a fast adopter into a global standard-setter for safe, scalable AI systems.

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Oracle and Google Cloud launch multicloud database service in Australia

A new chapter in Australia’s cloud computing landscape has begun as Oracle and Google Cloud introduce Oracle Database@Google Cloud to local customers.

The service enables organisations to run Oracle Exadata Database Service on Dedicated Infrastructure hosted on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure within Google Cloud’s Melbourne data centre.

A collaboration that allows businesses to integrate Oracle’s enterprise database power with Google Cloud’s AI and analytics tools, improving decision-making, innovation and compliance with data residency requirements.

Through the Google Cloud Marketplace, Oracle and Google Cloud partners in Australia can now resell Oracle Database@Google Cloud, expanding access to multicloud solutions.

The launch marks growing demand for flexible, multicloud environments that blend high performance with AI-driven capabilities. Oracle’s Exadata Database Service on Dedicated Infrastructure and Oracle AI Database 26ai will help enterprises enhance analytics, AI productivity and application development.

These technologies deliver faster processing, secure data handling and new AI-driven search and development features.

Industry leaders such as Accenture say the partnership represents a significant step toward integrated, data-centric innovation.

With Oracle and Google Cloud combining their strengths, Australian organisations can modernise IT foundations, scale operations and accelerate digital transformation across industries.

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Amelia brings heads-up guidance to Amazon couriers

Amazon unveiled ‘Amelia’ AI-powered smart glasses for delivery drivers with a built-in display and camera, paired to a vest with a photo button, now piloting with hundreds of drivers across more than a dozen partners.

Designed for last-mile efficiency, Amelia can auto-shut down when a vehicle moves to prevent distraction, includes a hardware kill switch for the camera and mic, and aims to save about 30 minutes per 8–10-hour shift by streamlining repetitive tasks.

Initial availability is planned for the US market and the rest of North America before global expansion, with Amazon emphasizing that Amelia is custom-built for drivers, though consumer versions aren’t ruled out. Pilots involve real routes and live deliveries to customers.

Amazon also showcased a warehouse robotic arm to sort parcels faster and more safely, as well as an AI orchestration system that ingests real-time and historical data to predict bottlenecks, propose fixes, and keep fulfillment operations running smoothly.

The move joins a broader push into wearables from Big Tech. Unlike Meta’s consumer-oriented Ray-Ban smart glasses, Amelia targets enterprise use, promising faster package location, fewer taps, and tighter integration with Amazon’s delivery workflow.

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