Finance News

Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are set to redefine the global financial system, and India proposes an ambitious project for the BRICS countries. By aiming to interconnect CBDCs, the initiative could simplify cross-border payments and strengthen the integration of sovereign digital currencies in international trade. This advance, led by India, could transform economic relations among BRICS members and redefine global geopolitical dynamics.

Kevin Hassett has withdrawn from consideration to lead the U.S. Fed, narrowing the field in a leadership contest increasingly shaped by political and legal pressure. President Donald Trump has made clear that he prefers Hassett to remain in his current White House role. And this stance has effectively removed him from contention and reshaped expectations around the Fed’s next chair.

Trump dreams of buying Greenland, taxes his allies, and awakens European pride: Brussels finally draws its economic bazooka, ready to fire faster than its diplomatic shadow.

Crypto markets appear to have moved past the leverage-driven stress seen in October, according to asset manager Grayscale. Recent research shared by the firm suggests derivatives activity has stabilized, supply pressure has eased, and market direction is now more closely tied to fundamentals and policy developments. As a result, price action may be better positioned to respond to upcoming regulatory and institutional shifts rather than past disruptions.

European regulators are increasing pressure on TikTok to strengthen how it verifies the age of its users. In response, the video platform is introducing a new system designed to better detect accounts run by children under 13 and remove them when necessary. According to reports, the rollout will begin in Europe in phases over the coming months, following a year of testing.

Wall Street panics its block: Jefferies trades bitcoin for bullion. Reason? Quantum computers, these little geniuses capable of cracking digital vaults.

Singapore, 16 January 2026 – Veera, a crypto-powered financial services platform focused on inclusion and usability, has raised a total of $10 million across its pre-seed and seed funding rounds to accelerate product development and to expand access to on-chain financial services globally. 

Société Générale, through its subsidiary SG-Forge, and the SWIFT network have just taken a major step forward in integrating blockchain with traditional finance. Together, they executed the settlement of tokenized bonds using a stablecoin backed by the euro, the EUR CoinVertible. This unprecedented experiment, compliant with the European MiCA framework, marks a key milestone towards concrete interoperability between classic banking systems and cryptos.

Gold and silver closed 2025 at record highs, and that rally has accelerated into early 2026. A combination of strong demand, constrained supply, and rising political uncertainty is driving investors toward precious metals. New concerns about central bank independence have further intensified buying pressure.

Franklin Templeton has upgraded two traditional funds to work on blockchain platforms, letting institutions manage stablecoin reserves with familiar tools.

Investment firm VanEck expects the first quarter of 2026 to favor risk assets, citing clearer fiscal policy, steadier monetary signals, and renewed interest across several major investment themes. After years of uncertainty, improved visibility is shaping how investors position their portfolios heading into the new year.

The crypto market is entering a major zone of uncertainty. According to Wintermute, the historic four-year cycle, a pillar of investment strategies for over a decade, may have reached its limits. In a report published in early January, the market maker mentions a deep break in 2025, a strong signal that 2026 will not be a simple rebound, but a true test of resilience for an ecosystem undergoing redefinition.

When a former politician buys a medical company to stack Bitcoins, crypto becomes a politico-financial novel where health and speculation share the same digital core.

The crypto landscape is evolving rapidly. Once dominated by individuals, the market is now entering a phase where institutional giants take control. This change is no longer measured in trends, but in S-1 filings, MSCI indexes, and billions reallocated. According to the latest Binance Research report, the ecosystem is undergoing a structural transformation. Crypto no longer operates on the margins of traditional markets; it is now deeply rooted there.

While Bitcoin naps, BitMine stacks ETH: one million staked, billions locked... and an ambition that would make even traditional finance blushing on Ethereum drip.

Barely relaunched in the United States, Polymarket is already facing local regulation. Tennessee has just issued an official injunction, accusing it of illegally offering contracts on sporting events. This decision, a first at the state level, could mark a turning point in the legal battle between blockchain platforms and state authorities. At the heart of the case is the legitimacy of predictive markets under federal regulation versus strict local gambling laws.

While crypto coughs, SharpLink stacks millions on Ethereum: from staking to restaking, the company turns its digital treasury into a well-oiled cash machine.

Facing a crypto ecosystem in search of clear landmarks, Nasdaq and CME Group combine their expertise to establish a new benchmark index. With the Nasdaq CME Group Crypto Index, the two giants aim to structure a still fragmented market by providing a robust, transparent, and calibrated framework for the needs of institutional investors. A strategic initiative that could redefine the standards of crypto exposure in traditional finance.

The crypto sector, already weakened by tax issues and complex regulation, faces a new threat: the leak of sensitive data. An investigation in France reveals that a tax agent allegedly exposed private information about crypto owners. This revelation raises concerns about the security of tax data and the increased risk of physical attacks against investors. Such a scandal highlights the vulnerabilities of a system meant to protect citizens' confidentiality.

Donald Trump has refused to grant a pardon to Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, involved in one of the biggest scandals in crypto history. This decision, far from anecdotal, raises questions about the balance between politics and the crypto industry. It also raises issues about sector regulation and the future of executives accused of fraud, in a context where investor and regulator confidence is already weakened.

Nexo reinvents itself and announces zero interest crypto loans. The crypto finance market finally seems to turn the page on post-FTX chaos. Beware of getting too excited.

Crypto in orbit? Not so fast! Three grains of sand could well jam the rocket... What if Wall Street or the US Congress hit pause?

At Visa, it's no longer a toss-up with crypto: 91 million later, the card becomes the new favorite toy of decentralized financiers. To be continued…

Crypto magnates to the rescue of Trump: when tokens waltz and senators hesitate, who is really manipulating whom? Has digital democracy found its biggest speculator?

U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that reviving Venezuela’s oil industry will be a central focus of Washington’s intervention following the removal of President Nicolas Maduro, framing the effort as both a geopolitical and economic play. Speaking from Mar-a-Lago, Trump said U.S. energy companies are expected to take a leading role in repairing the country’s oil infrastructure while the United States oversees a temporary transition of power.

While Donald Trump promises to revive the Venezuelan economy through a strong comeback of its oil industry, the major players in the American oil sector remain skeptical. Behind the stated ambition, the facts are relentless: crumbling infrastructure, political instability, and widespread distrust in the markets. Both Wall Street and the oil majors see this project as a high-risk gamble, with colossal costs and no guarantee of success. Venezuela's rebound under Trump might well remain an illusion.

When the yen drowns, Metaplanet rows towards bitcoin: a strategy that makes Tokyo smile... except creditors. While Japan goes into debt, others stack BTC.

The dollar pulls the strings, Maduro falls, Kiyosaki philosophizes... and bitcoin rises! Simple coincidence? Not sure, but it's worth a little tour behind the scenes of oil.