Stablecoin Liquidity Surges, JPMorgan Predicts Q4 Gains, and More — Week in Review

In September 2024, stablecoin liquidity hit record highs. Meanwhile, JPMorgan analysts predicted further Bitcoin gains, citing October’s historical “Uptober” trend. The FBI made headlines by charging 18 individuals involved in crypto fraud after setting up a fake crypto operation. Economist Peter Schiff warned of impending financial ruin unless the U.S. allows its “phony economy” to … Read more

Blockchain and Nation-State Infrastructure: Why Bother?

We listen to talk after talk about crypto finally achieving asset-class legitimacy, but truly speaking, the encroachment of Wall Street giants into the blockchain space is a double-edged sword. The following is an opinion editorial written by Karel Kubat, Founder of Union Labs. As blockchain enthusiasts, we’ve long championed decentralization, transparency, and democratized access—the 2008 … Read more

Standard Chartered-Backed Blockchain Firm Partior Closes $60 Million Series B Round

Blockchain firm Partior announced on July 12 that it had closed a $60 million Series B funding round led by Peak XV Partners. The investment will be used to enhance Partior’s capabilities, including intraday foreign exchange swaps, cross-currency repos, and just-in-time multi-bank payments. Partior Aims to Integrate Ten More Currencies JPMorgan and Standard Chartered-backed blockchain … Read more

South African Currency Plunges to New Low Versus the Dollar a Day After the US Accused Country of Secretly Supplying Ammunition to Russia

The South African currency’s exchange rate versus the U.S. dollar plunged to a new all-time low of ZAR19.51:US$1 on May 12. The rand’s latest fall came a day after the U.S. ambassador to South Africa accused the country of secretly supplying weapons to Russia. Banking giant JP Morgan said it now projects South Africa’s gross … Read more