#crypto infrastructure

[rwatimes]

Zerohash Pursues $1.5B+ Funding Round After Mastercard Drops Investment Plans

Zerohash seeks a new funding round at a $1.5B+ valuation after Mastercard dropped investment plans, reflecting strong institutional demand for crypto.

➤ Zerohash is seeking over $1.5 billion in funding at a $1.5B+ valuation, despite Mastercard withdrawing its investment plans. ➤ The company operates as a regulated middleware layer for digital asset trading and custody, benefiting from increased institutional adoption of crypto. ➤ While Mastercard's withdrawal may be due to regulatory uncertainty or strategic alignment, institutional investors remain receptive to infrastructure plays like Zerohash.

[rwatimes]

Ripple Ranks Sixteenth On CNBC Disruptor 50 As Crypto Infrastructure Grows

Ripple ranks No. 16 on CNBC Disruptor 50 2026, reflecting crypto infrastructure’s role in real-world finance.

➤ Ripple has been ranked 16th on the 2026 CNBC Disruptor 50 list, highlighting the growing importance of crypto infrastructure in real-world finance. ➤ The company's inclusion alongside AI and other enterprise technology firms signifies the integration of blockchain-based payment, custody, and digital asset services into mainstream finance. ➤ This recognition underscores the increasing demand for blockchain solutions that facilitate faster settlement and link digital assets with traditional financial systems, moving beyond speculative trading.

[rwatimes]

El COO de BlackRock: «La IA es como haber encontrado tecnología alienígena en la Tierra»

Rob Goldstein explicó en el Binance Online por qué la IA y los activos digitales se amplificarán mutuamente de forma exponencial.

➤ BlackRock's COO, Rob Goldstein, likens AI to 'alien technology' and predicts a symbiotic relationship with digital assets. ➤ AI agents will bypass traditional banking systems, utilizing crypto infrastructure for transactions, leading to exponential growth for both. ➤ Despite admitting uncertainty about the exact mechanisms, BlackRock's strong conviction in this convergence highlights the growing institutional interest in the intersection of AI and crypto.

[rwatimes]

Stablecoins in 2026: Why They Are Becoming Crypto’s Biggest Story

Stablecoins are reshaping crypto in 2026. Learn what is driving adoption, key risks to check, and how investors can evaluate them wisely.

➤ Stablecoins are evolving from a simple utility to core crypto infrastructure in 2026, integrating trading, DeFi, payments, and tokenized real-world assets. ➤ Key drivers for adoption include market scale, increasing regulatory clarity in major jurisdictions (US, EU), and their role as a bridge for institutional capital. ➤ While offering significant utility, stablecoins carry inherent risks such as reserve quality, issuer transparency, regulatory changes, and smart contract vulnerabilities, requiring careful evaluation by users.

[rwatimes]

Stablecoins and tokenization push crypto beyond speculation, Andreessen Horowitz says

Stablecoins, tokenized assets, and onchain finance continue expanding as crypto infrastructure moves deeper into payments and capital markets

➤ Andreessen Horowitz highlights that stablecoins and tokenized assets are driving crypto beyond speculation into practical applications like payments and capital markets. ➤ The firm notes increasing adoption of stablecoins for cross-border payments, remittances, and commercial transactions, with growing integration by payment firms and banks. ➤ The expansion of onchain finance, including tokenized bonds and commodities, is seen as a move towards more transparent, globally accessible, and efficient financial infrastructure, supported by evolving regulatory frameworks.

[rwatimes]

Bullish Is Buying Equiniti for $4.2 Billion to Become the Transfer Agent for Tokenized Securities and the Deal Is the Most Consequential Crypto Infrastructure Acquisition Yet

Bullish, the NYSE-listed institutional crypto exchange valued at $13.2 billion after its August 2025 IPO, has agreed to acquire Equiniti from Siris

➤ Bullish, a major crypto exchange, is acquiring Equiniti, a traditional transfer agent, for $4.2 billion to become the leading provider of infrastructure for tokenized securities. ➤ The acquisition aims to bridge traditional capital markets with blockchain technology by integrating Equiniti's established transfer agency services with Bullish's digital asset platform. ➤ This strategic move positions Bullish to control a critical chokepoint in the future of tokenized equity settlement, highlighting the value of infrastructure over trading venues in the evolving financial landscape.

[rwatimes]

European Blockchain Convention Will Bring Together Digital Asset Market Participants in Barcelona in September

European Blockchain Convention will take place in Barcelona. The organizers will bring together key industry players for the 12th time. They said the event will raise questions about who controls crypto infrastructure.

➤ The 12th European Blockchain Convention in Barcelona will convene over 6,000 industry leaders to discuss the future of digital assets, focusing on institutional adoption and control of crypto infrastructure. ➤ Key topics include regulatory harmonization, capital allocation, institutional infrastructure, RWA tokenization, stablecoins, CBDCs, and the role of AI in finance. ➤ The event emphasizes bringing together decision-makers, investors, and infrastructure leaders to foster trust and accelerate progress in Europe's fragmented digital asset landscape.

[rwatimes]

Tether takes 8.2% stake in Bitcoin mining finance platform Antalpha

Tether disclosed an 8.2% stake in Antalpha through a 13D filing, backing a Bitcoin mining finance company as it expands investments across crypto infrastructure.

➤ Tether has acquired an 8.2% stake in Antalpha, a Bitcoin mining finance platform, signaling a strategic expansion into crypto infrastructure. ➤ This investment aligns with Tether's broader strategy of diversifying its holdings using profits, extending into areas like mining, AI, financial services, and tokenized assets. ➤ The article also highlights Tether's recent investments in other digital asset-related ventures, including a real-world asset tokenization protocol (Kaio), sleep-tech products, tokenized gold, and digital asset custody services.