Mastercard launched Agent Pay for Machines (AP4M), allowing autonomous AI agents to permission, orchestrate, and settle transactions without real-time human approval. The initiative features over 30 initial industry partners, including crypto heavyweights Coinbase, RippleX, Aave Labs, OKX, Polygon, and the Solana Foundation. The system integrates multi-rail settlement from day one, explicitly supporting regulated stablecoins alongside...
US Inflation Hits 4.2% in May as Fed Rate Cut Hopes Dwindle Ahead of FOMC Meeting
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The U.S. Labor Department announced Wednesday that the consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.5% in May over April. While the monthly increase was expected by consensus forecasts, the annualized headline inflation rate surged to 4.2%, up from 3.8% recorded the previous month. US CPI inflation climbed to 4.2% on an annualized basis in May, matching economist estimates but marking the hottest print since April 2023. The month-over-month headline...
Crypto Markets Face Sharp De-Risking Cascade as U.S.-Iran Military Tensions Escalate
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Bitcoin sank to an intraday low of $60,892 following news of retaliatory U.S. military strikes against Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz. The geopolitical flare-up triggered $664.86 million in total crypto liquidations over a 24-hour window, pushing market sentiment into extreme fear. Sustained pressure from institutional capital flight remains high, with U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recording over $4.4 billion in net outflows since...
EU Proposes Expanded Crypto Sanctions on Russia in 21st Package, Targeting Third-Country Platforms
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The European Commission proposed the 21st sanctions package focusing on energy, finance, crypto, trade, and fisheries.
Measures include transaction bans on additional Russian banks and 20 third-country entities, including crypto platforms.
For the first time, the EU eyes a full ban on crypto-asset services from non-EU countries hosting evasion platforms.
The move aims to close loopholes amid rising illicit crypto volumes linked...
Crypto regulation, Cryptocurrencies, Front page, News, Regulation
MicroStrategy Resumes Accumulation with $101 Million Bitcoin Buy, Boosts Cash Reserve to $1 Billion
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MicroStrategy purchased 1,550 bitcoin for approximately $101.3 million between June 1 and June 7, averaging $65,332 per coin. The acquisition follows a controversial 32 BTC sale the prior week, which was executed to fulfill preferred stock dividend obligations. The company simultaneously bolstered its specialized U.S. dollar reserve to $1 billion, significantly reducing the risk of near-term liquidations.
MicroStrategy has resumed its...


