The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved new generic listing standards for exchange-traded products that hold spot commodities, including digital assets. Exchanges can now list and trade Commodity-Based Trust Shares without submitting a separate SEC rule change.
SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins said the move aims to maintain America’s capital markets as a leading hub for digital asset innovation. The decision is expected to increase investor choice and streamline access to digital asset products.
Jamie Selway, Director of the Division of Trading and Markets, highlighted that the approval offers clear regulatory guidance and ensures investor protections while making it easier for products to reach the market.
Alongside the generic standards, the SEC approved the Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund listing, which tracks the CoinDesk 5 Index of spot digital assets.
The regulator also authorised p.m.-settled options on the Cboe Bitcoin US ETF Index and the Mini-Cboe Bitcoin US ETF Index with multiple expiration formats.
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Google has unveiled the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), a new system enabling AI applications to send and receive payments, including stablecoins pegged to traditional currencies.
Developed with Coinbase, the Ethereum Foundation, and over 60 other finance and technology firms, AP2 aims to standardise transactions between AI agents and merchants.
The protocol builds on Google’s earlier Agent2Agent framework, extending it to financial interactions. AP2 supports credit and debit cards, bank transfers, and stablecoins, providing a secure and compliant foundation for automated payments.
By introducing a shared language for AI-led transactions, the system addresses risks linked to authorisation, authenticity, and accountability without human intervention.
The project reflects growing interest in stablecoins, whose circulation recently rose to $289 billion from $205 billion at the start of the year. Integrating stablecoins into AI could change how automated systems manage payments, from daily purchases to complex financial tasks.
Google and its collaborators emphasise AP2’s goal of interoperability across industries, offering flexibility, compliance, and scalability. The initiative makes digital money central to AI, signalling a shift in automated financial transactions.
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PostFinance, Sygnum Bank and UBS, under the Swiss Bankers Association, have successfully tested a deposit token on a public blockchain. For the first time, banks completed a legally binding cross-bank payment with tokenised deposits, a breakthrough for Switzerland’s financial sector.
The proof of concept (PoC) explored how bank deposits can be represented on blockchain to enable faster, programmable and fully automated payments. Smart contracts on the system allow transactions to be triggered only when agreed conditions are met, reducing risk while increasing efficiency.
Use cases tested included payments between customers of different banks and escrow-style settlements for tokenised assets.
Results confirm that deposit tokens are technically and legally feasible across banks when combined with a public blockchain and permissioned applications. Such infrastructure could enable automated insurance settlements, instant securities trading, and machine-to-machine payments.
Industry leaders stressed that while the PoC proves feasibility, scaling will require broader cooperation with other institutions, regulators and infrastructure providers.
Project representatives described the work as a decisive step toward digital money innovation in Switzerland, reinforcing the country’s role as a pioneer in blockchain-based finance.
The Swiss Bankers Association confirmed that the project aligns with its strategic focus on digital currencies, though the results do not yet mean deposit tokens will be formally launched.
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The service integrates seamlessly with existing investments, removing the need to transfer funds to other platforms. It also provides the protection of MiCA regulations and the backing of Santander.
Competitive fees of 1.49% per trade apply, with no custody charges, and the service will soon be available to customers in Spain. Over the coming months, Openbank plans to expand its portfolio and introduce new features, such as direct conversion between different digital assets.
The launch strengthens Openbank’s investment offerings in Germany, complementing its Robo Advisor and thousands of stocks, funds, and ETFs. It also includes an AI-powered broker platform providing target prices for European and US stocks.
Grupo Santander emphasises that the new crypto trading service responds to customer demand while broadening the bank’s range of innovative, technology-driven investment products.
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Swedish prosecutors have confirmed that a cyberattack on IT systems provider Miljodata exposed the personal data of 1.5 million people, nearly 15% of Sweden’s population. The attack occurred during the weekend of August 23–24.
Authorities said the stolen data has been leaked online and includes names, addresses, and contact details. Prosecutor Sandra Helgadottir said the group Datacarry has claimed responsibility, though no foreign state involvement is suspected.
Media in Sweden reported that the hackers demanded 1.5 bitcoin (around $170,000) to prevent the release of the data. Miljodata confirmed the information has now been published on the darknet.
The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection has received over 250 breach notifications, with 164 municipalities and four regional authorities impacted. Employees in Gothenburg were among those affected, according to SVT.
Private companies, including Volvo, SAS, and GKN Aerospace, also reported compromised data. Investigators are working to identify the perpetrators as the breach’s scale continues to raise concerns nationwide.
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The UN Development Programme (UNDP) plans to launch a ‘Government Blockchain Academy’ next year to educate public sector officials on blockchain, AI, and other emerging technologies.
The initiative aims to help governments leverage tech for economic growth and sustainable development.
The academy will partner with the Exponential Science Foundation, a non-profit promoting blockchain and AI. Training will cover financial services, digital IDs, public procurement, smart contracts, and climate finance to help governments boost transparency, inclusion, and resilience.
UNDP officials highlighted that developing countries, including India, Pakistan, and Vietnam, are already among the leading adopters of crypto technology.
The academy will provide in-person and online courses, workshops, and forums to guide high-impact blockchain initiatives aligned with national priorities.
The programme follows last year’s UNDP blockchain academy, created in partnership with the Algorand Foundation, which trained over 22,000 staff members to support sustainable growth projects in participating countries.
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PayPal has introduced PayPal links, a new way for users to send and receive money via personalised, one-time links. Users can share links through text, chat, or email, add notes or emojis, and cancel or remind recipients before links expire after 10 days.
The service will initially be available in the US, with the UK, Italy, and other markets set to follow later this month.
The company confirmed gifts, reimbursements, and split payments remain exempt from tax reporting to keep personal transfers private. PayPal said the links are designed to simplify payments, attract new users, and enhance interoperability with Venmo and other wallets.
Crypto support also allows peer-to-peer transfers between digital assets and stablecoins.
PayPal also introduced Pay with Crypto, enabling merchants to accept over 100 cryptocurrencies and wallets, including Coinbase and MetaMask, with instant conversion to stablecoins or fiat. The platform charges just 0.99% per transaction, cutting costs compared with international credit card payments.
Looking ahead, Venmo users can shop online and in-store at millions of merchants starting in 2026. PayPal said these initiatives aim to expand global reach, provide more payment options, and drive growth for merchants while enhancing the user experience.
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European regulators from Italy, France, and Austria have called for changes to the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). Their proposals aim to fix supervisory gaps, improve cybersecurity, and simplify token white paper approvals.
The regulation, which came into force in December 2024, requires prior authorisation for firms offering crypto-related services in Europe. However, early enforcement has shown significant gaps in how national authorities apply the rules.
Regulators argue these differences undermine investor protection and threaten the stability of the European internal market.
Concerns have also been raised about non-EU platforms serving European clients through intermediaries outside MiCA’s scope. To counter this, authorities recommend restricting such activity and ensuring intermediaries only use platforms compliant with MiCA or equivalent standards.
Additional measures include independent cybersecurity audits, mandatory both before and after authorisation, to bolster resilience against cyber-attacks.
The proposals suggest giving ESMA direct oversight of major crypto providers and centralising white paper filings. Regulators say the changes would boost legal clarity, cut investor risks, and level the field for European firms against global rivals.
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Cryptocurrency groups are urging the Bank of England to abandon proposals that would cap the amount of stablecoins individuals and businesses can hold. Industry leaders argue the measures would leave the UK with stricter oversight than the US and the European Union.
Under the plan, individuals would face limits between £10,000 and £20,000, while businesses would be restricted to about £10 million in systemic stablecoins.
The central bank maintains that caps are needed to protect financial stability and prevent deposit outflows from banks. Executives argue the approach is unworkable and could damage London’s role as an economic hub.
Coinbase executive Tom Duff Gordon warned the limits would harm UK savers and undermine confidence in sterling. Others highlighted practical issues, noting that enforcement could require digital IDs, and pointed out the absence of similar caps on cash or bank accounts.
The Payments Association said the rules’ make no sense’ given how other jurisdictions are approaching stablecoins.
By contrast, the US introduced the GENIUS Act in July, setting licensing and reserve requirements without placing restrictions on holdings. The EU’s MiCA framework also avoids caps, focusing instead on reserves, governance, and regulatory oversight.
Industry voices now caution that the UK risks falling behind its global peers if the BoE proceeds with the current plan.
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The rise of quantum computing is sparking fresh concerns over the long-term security of Bitcoin. Unlike classical systems, quantum machines could eventually break the cryptography protecting digital assets.
Experts warn that Shor’s algorithm, once run on a sufficiently powerful quantum computer, could recover private keys from public ones in hours, leaving exposed funds vulnerable. Analysts see the mid-to-late 2030s as the key period for cryptographically relevant breakthroughs.
ChatGPT-5’s probability model indicates less than a 5% chance of Bitcoin being cracked before 2030, but risk rises to 45–60% between 2035 and 2039, and nearly certainty by 2050. Sudden progress in large-scale, fault-tolerant qubits or government directives could accelerate the timeline.
Mitigation strategies include avoiding key reuse, auditing exposed addresses, and gradually shifting to post-quantum or hybrid cryptographic solutions. Experts suggest that critical migrations should be completed by the mid-2030s to secure the Bitcoin network against future quantum threats.
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