Sustainable development

Europol backs major takedown of Cryptomixer in Switzerland

Europol has supported a coordinated action week in Zurich, where Swiss and German authorities dismantled the illegal cryptocurrency mixing service Cryptomixer.

Three servers were seized in Switzerland, together with the cryptomixer.io domain, leading to the confiscation of more than €25 million in Bitcoin and over 12 terabytes of operational data.

Cryptomixer operated on both the clear web and the dark web, enabling cybercriminals to conceal the origins of illicit funds. The platform has mixed over €1.3 billion in Bitcoin since 2016, aiding ransomware groups, dark web markets, and criminals involved in drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and credit card fraud.

Its randomised pooling system effectively blocked the traceability of funds across the blockchain.

Mixing services, such as Cryptomixer, are used to anonymise illegal funds before moving them to exchanges or converting them into other cryptocurrencies or fiat. The takedown halts further laundering and disrupts a key tool used by organised cybercrime networks.

Europol facilitated information exchange through the Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce and coordinated operational meetings throughout the investigation. The agency deployed cybercrime specialists on the final day to provide on-site support and forensics.

Earlier efforts included support for the 2023 takedown of Chipmixer, then the largest mixer of its kind.

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NVIDIA and Synopsys shape a new era in engineering

The US tech giant, NVIDIA, has deepened its long-standing partnership with Synopsys through a multi-year strategy designed to redefine digital engineering across global industries.

An agreement that includes a significant investment of two billion dollars in Synopsys shares and a coordinated effort to bring accelerated computing into every stage of research and development.

The aim is to replace slow, fragmented workflows with highly efficient engineering supported by GPU power, agentic AI and advanced physics simulation.

Research teams across semiconductor design, aerospace, automotive and industrial manufacturing continue to face rising complexity and escalating development costs. NVIDIA and Synopsys plan to respond by unifying their strengths, rather than relying on traditional CPU-bound methods.

NVIDIA’s accelerated computing platforms will connect with Synopsys tools to enable faster design, broader simulation capability and more precise verification. The collaboration extends to autonomous engineering through AI agents built on Synopsys AgentEngineer and NVIDIA’s agentic AI stack.

Digital twins stand at the centre of the new strategy. Accurate virtual models, powered through Omniverse and Synopsys simulation environments, will allow engineers to test and validate products in virtual space before physical production.

Cloud-ready access will support companies of all sizes, rather than restricting advanced engineering to large enterprises with specialised infrastructure. Both firms intend to promote adoption through a shared go-to-market programme.

The partnership remains open and non-exclusive, ensuring continued cooperation with the broader semiconductor and electronic design ecosystem.

NVIDIA and Synopsys expect accelerated engineering to reshape innovation cycles, offering a route to faster product development and more reliable outcomes across every primary technical sector.

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Spar Switzerland expands crypto payments across its mobile app

Spar Switzerland has advanced retail crypto adoption by adding Bitcoin and over 100 digital assets to its mobile app. On-chain QR payments now replace third-party processors, following earlier pilots with the Lightning Network and Binance Pay.

Supportive national regulations continue to make Switzerland one of the most active retail environments for crypto payments. Merchants across the country have increasingly embraced digital assets, encouraged by clear legal frameworks and a population already familiar with fintech services.

The update follows previous pilots involving the Lightning Network and Binance Pay that began in 2025. Lessons from those trials helped shape Spar’s shift towards a fully integrated on-chain payment system.

Industry analysts view the expansion as a strong signal of growing consumer demand for flexible payment options. Broader access in major retail chains often accelerates mainstream adoption and encourages users and businesses to engage more confidently with the crypto economy.

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Mixx and MVola services grow under Axian’s partnership with Mastercard

Axian Group has entered a strategic partnership with Mastercard to expand digital payment services across its mobile network markets. The collaboration covers virtual and physical cards under the Mixx and MVola brands. Both companies say the tools will enable safer, faster cross-border payments.

Consumers will activate and top up virtual cards via the Mixx and MVola apps in markets such as Madagascar and the Comoros. Axian says real-time monitoring features will simplify international transactions. The rollout is designed to broaden financial access through mobile channels.

Axian’s fintech lead, Erwan Gelebart, says the initiative will help SMEs and entrepreneurs in Senegal and Togo adopt secure mobile-payment tools. He argues the partnership strengthens local digital ecosystems. Mastercard sees the cooperation as part of wider financial-inclusion efforts.

Mastercard executive Mete Guney says the collaboration will expand secure digital-payment infrastructure in Tanzania and neighbouring regions. He says new services aim to improve how people pay and get paid. The companies plan phased deployment as demand grows.

Axian rebranded its mobile units to Yas in 2024 across Madagascar, Comoros, Senegal, Togo and Tanzania. Its financial services arms now operate as Mixx by Yas. The new merchant and card tools build on this unified-market strategy.

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DeepSeek opens access to gold-level maths AI

Chinese AI firm DeepSeek has released the first open AI model capable of achieving gold-medal results at the International Mathematical Olympiad. Math-V2 is now freely available on Hugging Face and GitHub, allowing developers to repurpose it and run it locally.

Gold-level performance at the IMO is remarkably rare, with only a small share of human participants reaching the top tier. DeepSeek aims to make such advanced mathematical capabilities accessible to researchers and developers who previously lacked access to comparable systems.

The company said its model achieved gold-level scores in both this year’s Olympiad and the Chinese Mathematical Olympiad. The results relied on strong theorem-proving skills and a new ‘self-verification’ method for reasoning without known solutions.

Observers said the open release could lower barriers to advanced maths AI, while US firms keep their Olympiad-level systems restricted. Supporters of open-source development welcomed the move as a significant step toward democratising advanced scientific tools.

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EU members raise concerns over the Digital Networks Act

Six EU member states urged the Union to reconsider the direction of the Digital Networks Act by asking for greater room for national decision-making.

Their joint position emphasised the wish to retain authority over frequency management and questioned proposals that could expand telecom rules into the digital services sector.

An intervention that followed previous debates at the ministerial level, where governments signalled reluctance to introduce new interconnection measures and stressed the need to consider the specific roles of different actors across the value chain instead of applying a single regulatory model to all.

Consumer groups and business organisations voiced further doubts as plans for network fees resurfaced in recent discussions. They argued that earlier consultations had already shown major risks for competition, innovation, and net neutrality, making renewed consideration unnecessary.

The US–EU trade agreement added another layer by including a clause that commits the EU to avoid such fees, leaving open how the Commission will balance domestic expectations with international obligations.

The Digital Networks Act faced an additional setback when the EU’s Regulatory Scrutiny Board delivered a negative opinion about its preparedness. That view disrupted earlier hopes of releasing a draft before the end of the year.

Even so, the Commission is expected to present an updated proposal in January 2026, setting the stage for one of the most difficult legislative debates of the coming year.

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EU-South Korea digital partnership enhances collaboration

The European Union and the Republic of Korea strengthened their digital partnership during the third Digital Partnership Council meeting in Seoul, where both sides emphasised the value of deeper cooperation in advanced technologies.

The discussions focused on how joint research on semiconductors, 6G, AI and quantum technologies can support competitiveness and provide broader economic benefits.

Both sides agreed to continue collaborative work on semiconductor research to advance more efficient chips suitable for AI and automated mobility. Quantum research under Horizon Europe is set to expand through shared expertise and long-term cooperation.

Regulatory alignment on AI will progress through dialogue on conformity assessment results linked to the EU AI Act, supported by joint work on innovation, standardisation and safety evaluation.

Information exchange on emerging data spaces is also expected to grow, with both partners assessing whether a dedicated working group could enhance interoperability.

Cyber cooperation remains a priority, covering threat information sharing, software supply chain security and the safety of connected devices, combined with efforts to strengthen skills and explore new research.

Engagement in international standardisation bodies such as the International Telecommunications Union will continue to support broader global alignment. The two partners plan to meet again in Brussels in 2026 to assess progress.

The partnership reflects broader EU objectives in the Indo-Pacific and supports the goals of the International Digital Strategy.

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Estonia invests in Germany to strengthen European tech independence

During an official visit to Germany, Prime Minister Kristen Michal joined Saxony’s Minister President Michael Kretschmer to open a new Skeleton Technologies factory near Leipzig, underlining Estonia’s long-term commitment to European technological development.

An investment of 220 million euros that marks the most significant industrial commitment an Estonian company has made in Germany and reflects a shift towards mutual economic engagement.

The factory produces supercapacitors that aim to reduce energy consumption in AI data centres while enhancing the reliability of the power grid.

Michal noted that the relationship between the two countries has entered a new phase, as Estonia is now investing in Germany, rather than only receiving investment. He pointed to Germany’s industrial capacity and Estonia’s digital expertise as complementary strengths.

The project benefited from financial and strategic support through programmes such as EUBatIn, while partnerships with Siemens and Marubeni strengthened the technological foundation of the initiative.

Cooperation between Estonia and Saxony already extends across innovation, microelectronics and digital public services.

Several Estonian technology firms operate in the region, while universities in both countries maintain active collaboration in engineering, IT and business administration. These links continue to grow and support talent, research and industrial development.

The new factory is presented as a practical step towards European technological resilience, as the components used in the supercapacitors are sourced from European suppliers.

Estonian officials argue that Europe must develop and produce key technologies instead of relying on external suppliers. The opening of the plant is seen as the beginning of broader cooperation in IT, green technology, defence and advanced manufacturing.

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Salesforce expands investment in Greece with Greek AgentForce

The presence in Greece is expanding as Salesforce increases its investment and introduces AgentForce in the Greek language.

Salesforce works with major Greek groups such as Motor Oil and OPAP and plans to enter more sectors, including banking and insurance. Senior executives view Greece as a market with strong potential for broader adoption of AI tools.

Executives at the company highlighted growing interest among Greek firms that are already testing or deploying AI agents to support customer services and internal operations.

Robin Fisher, Senior Vice President for the EMEA Growth Markets, noted that the organisation has doubled the number of staff supporting the Greek market over the past two years and intends to continue increasing its investment every three years or sooner.

He also pointed to the presence of Energy Cloud in Greek enterprises and the rapid development of new AI agents for local clients.

The introduction of AgentForce in the Greek language is expected to help companies manage processes more efficiently and support a more profound digital transformation. The initial release covers AgentForce Service and Employee Agent, with broader availability planned for the future.

AgentForce Service operates as a constantly available customer service platform that can be adapted to any sector, offering faster issue resolution and more personalised assistance based on real-time data.

Its design enables full cooperation between employees and AI agents, providing a more effective service model.

Employee Agent functions as a proactive digital assistant that supports staff with daily tasks inside familiar environments, such as Slack or mobile devices. It can manage meetings, assist with onboarding, access internal knowledge and prepare summaries before client discussions.

Salesforce emphasises that the broader rollout of Greek language support will help organisations improve productivity and achieve greater efficiency by combining human expertise with automated capabilities.

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New digital strategy positions Uzbekistan as emerging AI hub

Uzbekistan has outlined an extensive plan to accelerate digital development by introducing new measures at major AI forums in Tashkent.

The leadership detailed a national effort to strengthen the domestic AI ecosystem, supported by a supercomputer cluster built with Nvidia and a National Transfer Office established in Silicon Valley.

AI-focused curricula will be introduced across regional Future Centres to broaden access to advanced training.

A strong emphasis has been placed on nurturing young talent. An annual interschool competition will identify promising AI startup ideas. At the same time, a presidential contest will select one hundred young participants each year for internships in leading technology companies in the US, the UAE and Europe.

November will be marked as ‘AI month for youth’, and the Silk Road AI Forum will become a recurring event.

A central part of the strategy is the ‘five million AI leaders’ project, which aims to train millions of students, along with teachers and public servants, by 2030. The programme will integrate AI education across schools, vocational institutions and universities instead of limiting it to specialist groups.

The government highlighted the country’s growing appeal for technology investment. Nearly two billion dollars have already been secured for AI and digital projects, IT service exports have risen sharply, and startup activity has expanded significantly.

Work has begun on a central green data centre, developed in collaboration with a Saudi partner, as Uzbekistan seeks to strengthen its position in regional digital innovation.

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