Mark Townsend

The UAE has carefully crafted a position for itself as a hub for digital assets. Can the good times last?

Nasdaq partners with Kraken’s parent company to develop a platform for tokenized equities, aiming to reshape financial infrastructure by 2027.

Custody giant State Street has launched a Digital Assets Platform as banks respond to surging customer demand for tokenized products.

The NYSE seeks blockchain technology for instant settlement of tokenized securities, aiming to modernize global capital markets.

Ripple Nears Banking License | Global Finance Magazine

Ripple seeks a US bank charter and Fed Master account, signaling push into mainstream finance as stablecoin regulation gains momentum.

Russia Skirts Sanctions Using Bitcoin | Global Finance Magazine

Talabat Stumbles Despite UAE’s Top 2024 Listing | Global Finance Magazine

The US equities market is awaiting the decision by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on several spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications, which could be a game-changer for crypto markets. SEC chair Gary Gensler recently said…

SC Ventures, the fintech and venture capital arm of Standard Chartered Bank, has launched an institutional-grade tokenization platform, as the UK bank joins the race to tokenize traditional areas of finance. The nascent startup, named Libeara,…

The Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange listed Europe’s first-ever spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) in mid-August. The Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange listed Europe’s first-ever spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) in mid-August. This…

Recent court ruling promises significant knock-on effect for XRP. The recent landmark judgment that handed crypto platform provider Ripple Labs a partial victory against complaints brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is likely…

1. Blockchain and cryptocurrencies have become less popular, with AI now trending, but they remain important due to ongoing developments such as the launch of the first Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs).2. The Bank for International Settlements…

Bahrain goes all in to be the Gulf’s crypto hub. The Kingdom of Bahrain, Dubai and the emirate of Abu Dhabi are locked in a three-way race to become the Gulf’s go-to cryptocurrency hub, as distributed ledger and blockchain technology become…

FedNow will permit individuals and institutions to make payments around the clock daily, challenging private sector incumbents such as PayPal, Venmo and Square Cash. The US Federal Reserve (the Fed) is set to overhaul the payments sector in the…

The Middle East could prove a profitable oasis. The dramatic collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), Signature Bank and the voluntary liquidation of Silvergate Capital’s banking arm are significant setbacks for crypto investors that could speed the…

Microsoft’s investment in LSEG comes at a time when big tech names like Google, Amazon and IBM are increasingly engaged in an arms race to deepen relationships with financial firms. In addition to getting a seat on LSEG’s board, the tech behemoth is…

Ripple Labs hopes to facilitate real-time crypto-enabled payments in 35 African countries. Ripple Labs, the creators of the XRP token, entered into a partnership with MFS Africa to facilitate real-time crypto-enabled payments in 35 countries using…

Citi, HSBC, Mastercard and Wells Fargo are among financial companies collaborating with the New York Fed’s Innovation Center in a proof-of-concept pilot using digital dollar tokens. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York will participate in a pilot…