Author: Ian Mutwiri

IcomTech promoters exploited crypto hype to defraud working-class, Spanish-speaking investors across the United States. U.S. prosecutors continue targeting not only founders but also senior crypto Ponzi scheme promoters. The IcomTech case highlights rising enforcement against large-scale cryptocurrency investment fraud. Another significant crypto fraud case in the U.S achieved another milestone with a federal prosecutor sentencing a top IcomTech promoter to a long prison term. The government indicated that the decision resembled ongoing enforcement of massive Ponzi schemes in digital assets. The case has demonstrated the use of trust in intimate communities as a tool of crypto frauds. It also thumped…

Stablecoins are advancing as critical rails for real-time, low-cost global payments and settlements. AI agentic economies require programmable money, fueling stablecoin demand on high-throughput networks. A unified on-chain corridor for major fiat currencies can significantly boost DeFi and FX efficiency. A significant growth is in progress for Singapore-regulated stablecoins over a top blockchain network. Thus, StraitsX has declared a strategic alliance to expand its digital currency service. This project is expected to improve international payment services and settlement. In addition, the migration is directly aimed at increasing the demand of efficient, multi-chain financial infrastructure. Strategic Integration for AI and Payments…

Coinbase Business launches in Singapore, marking its first expansion outside the United States. Partnership with Standard Chartered enables real-time SGD transfers and instant USDC settlements. The platform offers integrated crypto payments, global payouts, and accounting tools for Singaporean SMEs. Coinbase has officially opened Coinbase Business in Singapore, and this was their first foreign entrance outside the United States. The relocation will create a one-stop crypto operating system to startups and small-to-medium enterprises (SMBs) in need of more efficient and faster financial services. This announcement emphasizes the fact that Singapore is becoming a digital financial hub in Asia. The company says…

Visa enables instant USD-backed stablecoin payouts, enhancing global payment speed and accessibility. Blockchain-powered Visa Direct removes banking delays, empowering creators and gig workers worldwide. Stablecoin payouts expand financial inclusion, offering transparent, borderless, and reliable digital payment options. On Visa Direct, a new pilot program has also been introduced by Visa Inc. which allows creators, freelancers and gig workers to receive instant payouts in stablecoins. The program enables companies and platforms to issue USD-backed stablecoins straight to recipients’ wallets, enabling them to access money more rapidly and also to have increased possibilities to manage their income. The project is also a…

Russia’s Supreme Court ended WEX’s compensation case, blocking client recovery of lost assets. Alexey Ivanov-Bilyuchenko’s conviction stands, but his civil financial penalties were completely revoked. U.S. charges over the Mt. Gox hack remain unresolved, leaving cross-border accountability uncertain. The 18 billion rubles ($221.1 million) fine against the BTC-e and Wex co-founder Alexey Ivanov-Bilyuchenko was canceled by the Russian Supreme Court. The ruling overturned the civil action of World Exchange Services Pte. Ltd., the Singapore-based owner of WEX. The case involved seeking compensation to clients on the losses incurred by the collapse of the exchange. This decision overturns three decisions of…

Kazakhstan strengthens investor confidence through reforms, digital innovation, and financial market growth. The National Bank plans a $1 billion crypto reserve to diversify assets. KASE reports rising liquidity, foreign investor interest, and strong securities market performance. Kazakhstan Capital Markets Day 2025 was hosted by the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE), the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) and the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (ARDFM) at the Bloomberg office in London on November 5, 2025. The conference attracted some of the most influential stakeholders in the government institutions, financial institutions and international investment companies. The theme of macroeconomic…

Solmate’s validator launch positions the UAE as a new Solana infrastructure hub. The Infrastructure Flywheel™ links staking rewards with RPC and colocation-driven revenue growth. Expanding $SOL holdings enhances validator performance, creating a self-reinforcing DeFi ecosystem loop. Abu Dhabi, UAE Solmate Infrastructure (NASDAQ: SLMT) has launched the first performant Solana validator in the UAE, which is a new era in the blockchain infrastructure of Middle East regions. The first block that Solana minted in the region was by the validator, who is currently open to public staking at no commission. The program is an indication of the strategy by Solmate to…

Coinbase failed to monitor €176B in transactions, exposing risks of financial crime. The Central Bank imposed a €21.5M fine after major AML system faults between 2021–2025. Coinbase corrected coding errors and strengthened compliance to prevent future breaches. The Central Bank of Ireland has fined Coinbase Europe Limited 21.5 million euros due to the violation of the anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) regulations between April 2021 and March 2025. The regulator alleged the company did not oversee millions of transactions of customers, making the system prone to criminal misuse. Coinbase Europe, a subsidiary of the Coinbase Group, has owned…

Forward Industries strengthens investor confidence through a $1B buyback and Solana-focused treasury strategy. The resale prospectus filing supports liquidity while emphasizing long-term digital asset value creation. Strategic partnerships with Galaxy Digital and Jump Crypto enhance Solana treasury management efficiency. Major financial initiative in Forward Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORD) has shown an announcement of a significant financial program that involves a share buyback program and a resale prospectus filing, which depicts a great belief in the Solana treasury program. The Board of the company passed a $1 billion share buy-back discharge soon after the registration of shares of its own September…

Ripple Prime integrates Hidden Road’s infrastructure to expand institutional digital trading capabilities. U.S. institutions gain unified OTC access to XRP, RLUSD, and other major assets. Growing XRP ETF optimism aligns with Ripple’s deeper institutional and regulatory market focus. Ripple Labs Inc. has successfully entered the institutional trading sector of the United States of America through the introduction of its digital-asset spot prime brokerage, Ripple Prime. The action enhances the presence of Ripple in the regulated trading area. It also diversifies its business beyond the area of payments and custody into the full-scale institutional services. Clients can now make over-the-counter (OTC)…