Ripple Wins Preliminary MiCA Approval in Luxembourg
Luxembourg's regulator, the CSSF, issued Ripple a Green Light Letter toward a MiCA crypto-asset service provider (CASP) license. Once finalized, a single CASP authorization passports across all 30 EEA countries, the largest expansion of Ripple's regulated reach in Europe to date.
Paired with its existing Luxembourg electronic money institution (EMI) license, the approval clears a path for Ripple to issue and redeem its RLUSD stablecoin for European clients under MiCA. For now it is preliminary, still subject to final conditions.
👉 coindesk.com/policy/2026/06/23/ripple-targets-eu-wins-preliminary-mica-approval-from-luxembourg-financial-regulator
Luxembourg's regulator, the CSSF, issued Ripple a Green Light Letter toward a MiCA crypto-asset service provider (CASP) license. Once finalized, a single CASP authorization passports across all 30 EEA countries, the largest expansion of Ripple's regulated reach in Europe to date.
Paired with its existing Luxembourg electronic money institution (EMI) license, the approval clears a path for Ripple to issue and redeem its RLUSD stablecoin for European clients under MiCA. For now it is preliminary, still subject to final conditions.
One license, 30 markets: instead of seeking approval country by country, Ripple can serve the entire European Economic Area from its Luxembourg base.
👉 coindesk.com/policy/2026/06/23/ripple-targets-eu-wins-preliminary-mica-approval-from-luxembourg-financial-regulator
Google Invests $75M in A24 for AI Filmmaking
Google is taking a roughly $75M equity stake in A24, the studio behind Backrooms, as part of a multiyear, nonexclusive research partnership with Google DeepMind. It is Google's first equity stake in a film studio.
A24 filmmakers gain hands-on access to DeepMind's research infrastructure, while DeepMind gets real-time feedback from working directors. An early project at A24 Labs uses AI to generate storyboards.
👉 variety.com/2026/film/news/google-a24-ai-filmmaking-tools-1236787297
Google is taking a roughly $75M equity stake in A24, the studio behind Backrooms, as part of a multiyear, nonexclusive research partnership with Google DeepMind. It is Google's first equity stake in a film studio.
A24 filmmakers gain hands-on access to DeepMind's research infrastructure, while DeepMind gets real-time feedback from working directors. An early project at A24 Labs uses AI to generate storyboards.
The deal does not give Google access to A24's existing film library or content data. DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis framed the goal as building tools that work with artists from day one, not in isolation.
👉 variety.com/2026/film/news/google-a24-ai-filmmaking-tools-1236787297
Immutable Pivots From Web3 Gaming to AI-Powered Growth Tools
Immutable is restructuring its business, cutting 29 game development roles and outsourcing most operations related to its gaming titles, including Gods Unchained and Guild of Guardians.
The company is pivoting toward its AI-powered marketing platform, Immutable Audience.
Despite a challenging Web3 gaming market and IMX trading over 98% below its all-time high, Immutable says it still has a 10-year runway following its $200M Series C raise. The company expects its new strategy to accelerate platform growth, targeting up to 500 new games annually.
👉 forbes.com.au/news/innovation/radical-reshaping-3-5b-immutable-scraps-crypto-gaming
Immutable is restructuring its business, cutting 29 game development roles and outsourcing most operations related to its gaming titles, including Gods Unchained and Guild of Guardians.
The company is pivoting toward its AI-powered marketing platform, Immutable Audience.
The platform helps game publishers improve player acquisition, engagement, and conversion rates across both Web2 and Web3 games. According to Immutable, Ubisoft's Might & Magic: Fates achieved a 3x increase in download conversion using the product.
Despite a challenging Web3 gaming market and IMX trading over 98% below its all-time high, Immutable says it still has a 10-year runway following its $200M Series C raise. The company expects its new strategy to accelerate platform growth, targeting up to 500 new games annually.
👉 forbes.com.au/news/innovation/radical-reshaping-3-5b-immutable-scraps-crypto-gaming
Allium Raises $40M Series B to Scale Blockchain Data Infrastructure
Allium has secured $40M in Series B funding led by Amplify Partners, with participation from Kleiner Perkins, Theory Ventures, and Pruven Capital. The round will support product development and team expansion as institutional adoption of blockchain technology accelerates.
Since its Series A, Allium has grown revenue more than 10x as demand for blockchain data solutions continues to rise. The company says increasing stablecoin adoption, tokenized assets, and on-chain payments are driving the need for reliable blockchain data across the financial sector.
👉 allium.so/blog/allium-raises-40m-series-b-led-by-amplify
Allium has secured $40M in Series B funding led by Amplify Partners, with participation from Kleiner Perkins, Theory Ventures, and Pruven Capital. The round will support product development and team expansion as institutional adoption of blockchain technology accelerates.
The company provides standardized blockchain data infrastructure across more than 150 networks, helping enterprises transform raw on-chain activity into actionable insights. Its customers include Visa, which uses Allium for its Onchain Analytics Dashboard, and Boston Consulting Group.
Since its Series A, Allium has grown revenue more than 10x as demand for blockchain data solutions continues to rise. The company says increasing stablecoin adoption, tokenized assets, and on-chain payments are driving the need for reliable blockchain data across the financial sector.
👉 allium.so/blog/allium-raises-40m-series-b-led-by-amplify
Ethereum Foundation Cuts 20% of Workforce in Major Reorganization
The Ethereum Foundation has announced a significant restructuring, reducing its workforce by 54 employees, or roughly 20% of its staff. The move follows a months-long review aimed at aligning the organization with its updated mandate and long-term priorities.
The Foundation stated that the restructuring will allow it to concentrate resources on critical initiatives while reducing distractions from short-term market conditions. Departing employees will receive severance packages and transition support as they pursue new opportunities within the broader Ethereum ecosystem.
👉 blog.ethereum.org/2026/06/23/ef-structure
The Ethereum Foundation has announced a significant restructuring, reducing its workforce by 54 employees, or roughly 20% of its staff. The move follows a months-long review aimed at aligning the organization with its updated mandate and long-term priorities.
As part of the overhaul, the Foundation introduced a new structure built around five core areas: Protocol, Access, User, Community, and Institutional Layers. The changes are designed to strengthen Ethereum’s focus on scalability, privacy, decentralization, and real-world adoption.
The Foundation stated that the restructuring will allow it to concentrate resources on critical initiatives while reducing distractions from short-term market conditions. Departing employees will receive severance packages and transition support as they pursue new opportunities within the broader Ethereum ecosystem.
👉 blog.ethereum.org/2026/06/23/ef-structure
TurboFlow Raises $6M Seed Round Led by Pantera Capital
TurboFlow, an onchain trading platform focused on prediction markets and perpetual futures, has raised $6 million in seed funding.
Pantera Capital led the round, with Susquehanna Crypto and Digital Currency Group also participating. The deal closed in March and was structured as a SAFE with token warrants.
The platform says it has been in beta for over six months, attracted more than 15,000 registered users, and processed over $19 billion in trading volume. TurboFlow currently has more than 30 employees and plans to stay relatively lean as it scales.
👉 theblock.co/post/405706/turboflow-funding-crypto-pantera-capital
TurboFlow, an onchain trading platform focused on prediction markets and perpetual futures, has raised $6 million in seed funding.
Pantera Capital led the round, with Susquehanna Crypto and Digital Currency Group also participating. The deal closed in March and was structured as a SAFE with token warrants.
Based in Hong Kong, TurboFlow wants to become the Kalshi of APAC, targeting a region where prediction markets remain far less developed than in the West. He said the company aims to bridge the gap between Asian users and institutional-grade liquidity through localized products and faster execution.
The platform says it has been in beta for over six months, attracted more than 15,000 registered users, and processed over $19 billion in trading volume. TurboFlow currently has more than 30 employees and plans to stay relatively lean as it scales.
👉 theblock.co/post/405706/turboflow-funding-crypto-pantera-capital
CryptoDiffer Monthly: DeFi in the Last 30 Days
Total DeFi TVL fell -10.5% — from $80.9B (May 24) to $72.4B (Jun 23). But the headline hides a split market: a few chains and protocols posted explosive growth while the majors shed billions.
Total DeFi TVL fell -10.5% — from $80.9B (May 24) to $72.4B (Jun 23). But the headline hides a split market: a few chains and protocols posted explosive growth while the majors shed billions.
Meta Plans 'Arena,' a Prediction Markets App to Rival Polymarket and Kalshi
Mark Zuckerberg has tasked a small team with building a standalone prediction-markets app, internally called Arena, that would put Meta head to head with Polymarket and Kalshi.
At first Arena would run on points rather than cash, closer to a game than a betting venue. Meta has not ruled out real-money wagering later, and insiders say the app may not ship at all. It would sit apart from Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger.
👉 theblock.co/post/405838
Mark Zuckerberg has tasked a small team with building a standalone prediction-markets app, internally called Arena, that would put Meta head to head with Polymarket and Kalshi.
At first Arena would run on points rather than cash, closer to a game than a betting venue. Meta has not ruled out real-money wagering later, and insiders say the app may not ship at all. It would sit apart from Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger.
Prediction-market volumes have jumped from about $50B in 2025 to over $130B in 2026, even as Polymarket faces a CFTC probe, the backdrop for Meta's cautious, points-first entry.
👉 theblock.co/post/405838
Chainlink Joins 47 Banks in 'Project Pangea' to Settle Cross-Border FX Instantly
Chainlink has joined Project Pangea, a coalition of 47 European and South Korean banks building real-time, stablecoin-based settlement for cross-border foreign-exchange trades.
Spanning the Qivalis euro-stablecoin consortium and Korea's UniKA alliance, the group aims to move FX settlement from a 48-hour T+2 cycle toward near-instant T+0 across a $150B EUR-KRW trade corridor.
👉 coindesk.com/markets/2026/06/23/chainlink-teams-up-with-47-south-korean-european-banks-to-speed-up-international-money-transfers
Chainlink has joined Project Pangea, a coalition of 47 European and South Korean banks building real-time, stablecoin-based settlement for cross-border foreign-exchange trades.
Spanning the Qivalis euro-stablecoin consortium and Korea's UniKA alliance, the group aims to move FX settlement from a 48-hour T+2 cycle toward near-instant T+0 across a $150B EUR-KRW trade corridor.
Banks keep triggering transactions over Swift and ISO 20022, while Chainlink translates them into atomic swaps on a neutral Pangea L1 chain. Live transactions are targeted within 12 months.
👉 coindesk.com/markets/2026/06/23/chainlink-teams-up-with-47-south-korean-european-banks-to-speed-up-international-money-transfers
Cboe Launches 'Cboe Predicts' With Binary Options on the S&P 500
Exchange operator Cboe has rolled out Cboe Predicts, a suite of binary options tied to the Mini-S&P 500 Index (XSP), putting a regulated exchange into a sector so far dominated by Polymarket and Kalshi.
The first contracts, XSPBW and XSPBX, pay a fixed $100 or $0 based on where the S&P 500 settles, and are live through Interactive Brokers. Charles Schwab will add access in the coming months, with more brokers to follow.
👉 theblock.co/post/405930/cboe-launches-prediction-market-suite
Exchange operator Cboe has rolled out Cboe Predicts, a suite of binary options tied to the Mini-S&P 500 Index (XSP), putting a regulated exchange into a sector so far dominated by Polymarket and Kalshi.
The first contracts, XSPBW and XSPBX, pay a fixed $100 or $0 based on where the S&P 500 settles, and are live through Interactive Brokers. Charles Schwab will add access in the coming months, with more brokers to follow.
It is one of the clearest signs yet of regulated TradFi moving into prediction markets, the same fast-growing arena Meta is reportedly eyeing with its 'Arena' app.
👉 theblock.co/post/405930/cboe-launches-prediction-market-suite
LastPass Customer Data Stolen via Third-Party Klue Breach
Password manager LastPass says attackers stole customer support and sales records through a breach at Klue, a market-research partner. Its own systems and users' password vaults were not affected.
Exposed data spans names, emails, phone numbers, addresses, and support cases for a service with over 33 million users. A group calling itself Icarus claimed the hack and is threatening to leak the data unless it is paid.
👉 techcrunch.com/2026/06/23/password-manager-maker-lastpass-says-hackers-stole-customer-support-case-data-during-klue-breach
Password manager LastPass says attackers stole customer support and sales records through a breach at Klue, a market-research partner. Its own systems and users' password vaults were not affected.
Exposed data spans names, emails, phone numbers, addresses, and support cases for a service with over 33 million users. A group calling itself Icarus claimed the hack and is threatening to leak the data unless it is paid.
No credentials leaked, but the contact and support details are prime fuel for targeted phishing, the same vector that followed LastPass's 2022 breach and fueled a wave of crypto wallet thefts.
👉 techcrunch.com/2026/06/23/password-manager-maker-lastpass-says-hackers-stole-customer-support-case-data-during-klue-breach
SBI Launches JPYSC, Japan's First Trust-Bank-Backed Yen Stablecoin
Financial group SBI Holdings has issued JPYSC, the first yen stablecoin to apply a trust-bank structure under Japan's revised Payment Services Act, with reserves managed by an SBI-affiliated trust bank.
Classified as a Type 3 electronic payment instrument, JPYSC carries no transaction cap, unlike earlier yen stablecoins limited to 1 million yen, opening it to corporate settlement and large institutional trades.
👉 theblock.co/post/405952/japan-sbi-group-launches-jpysc
Financial group SBI Holdings has issued JPYSC, the first yen stablecoin to apply a trust-bank structure under Japan's revised Payment Services Act, with reserves managed by an SBI-affiliated trust bank.
Classified as a Type 3 electronic payment instrument, JPYSC carries no transaction cap, unlike earlier yen stablecoins limited to 1 million yen, opening it to corporate settlement and large institutional trades.
SBI VC Trade, a licensed Japanese exchange, will handle distribution, with the token built jointly with Singapore's Startale Group after sign-off from Japan's FSA.
👉 theblock.co/post/405952/japan-sbi-group-launches-jpysc
Binance Vows to Stay in Europe Despite MiCA Licence Setback
Binance says it is not leaving Europe after its bid for a MiCA licence through Greece looked set to be rejected. Its head of Europe said the exchange will seek authorisation through another EU member state.
The EU's transitional period ends June 30, after which any exchange without a CASP authorisation cannot legally serve clients in the bloc. Binance has roughly a week to secure a licence or wind down its EU business.
👉 reuters.com/business/finance/binance-vows-stay-europe-despite-licence-setback-2026-06-24
Binance says it is not leaving Europe after its bid for a MiCA licence through Greece looked set to be rejected. Its head of Europe said the exchange will seek authorisation through another EU member state.
The EU's transitional period ends June 30, after which any exchange without a CASP authorisation cannot legally serve clients in the bloc. Binance has roughly a week to secure a licence or wind down its EU business.
The firm says it remains fully committed to MiCA, pointing to more than 1,500 compliance staff, even as the standoff sets up a direct clash with European regulators.
👉 reuters.com/business/finance/binance-vows-stay-europe-despite-licence-setback-2026-06-24
Avalanche Unveils New Brand Identity Focused on Enterprise Blockchain Adoption
Avalanche has launched a major brand refresh centered around a new vision, becoming the blockchain infrastructure powering real-world business applications.
Avalanche also showcased growing real-world adoption across tokenized assets, payments, fintech, and consumer engagement, featuring use cases from Dinari, OpenTrade, and leading sports organizations.
"Technology Built for Business" becomes the platform’s new core message as Avalanche positions itself for the next phase of institutional blockchain adoption.
👉 x.com/avax/status/2069412686069379392?s=46
Avalanche has launched a major brand refresh centered around a new vision, becoming the blockchain infrastructure powering real-world business applications.
The network highlighted its key advantages for enterprises, including instant transaction finality, customizable Avalanche L1 chains, EVM compatibility, and built-in compliance solutions for regulated institutions.
Avalanche also showcased growing real-world adoption across tokenized assets, payments, fintech, and consumer engagement, featuring use cases from Dinari, OpenTrade, and leading sports organizations.
"Technology Built for Business" becomes the platform’s new core message as Avalanche positions itself for the next phase of institutional blockchain adoption.
👉 x.com/avax/status/2069412686069379392?s=46
Kraken-Backed Ink Signs Multi-Year Infrastructure Deal With Optimism
Ink is upgrading to Optimism’s OP Enterprise Fully Managed under a multi-year agreement. The deal will see Optimism operate Ink’s production infrastructure while the Ink Foundation focuses on ecosystem expansion and new financial products.
Launched in December 2024, Ink processed over 1 million transactions within its first 24 hours and now supports applications generating nearly $40 million in annual revenue.
The collaboration marks one of the first major cases of a Layer 2 outsourcing infrastructure operations to a managed provider, further strengthening the Optimism ecosystem.
👉 theblock.co/post/405957/kraken-incubated-ink-upgrades-to-optimism-op-enterprise-fully-managed
Ink is upgrading to Optimism’s OP Enterprise Fully Managed under a multi-year agreement. The deal will see Optimism operate Ink’s production infrastructure while the Ink Foundation focuses on ecosystem expansion and new financial products.
Launched in December 2024, Ink processed over 1 million transactions within its first 24 hours and now supports applications generating nearly $40 million in annual revenue.
As part of the partnership, Ink will also become a design partner for OP Enterprise, helping shape infrastructure tools for institutions and exchanges building onchain financial products. The roadmap includes programmable block building, faster withdrawals, and compliance-focused features.
The collaboration marks one of the first major cases of a Layer 2 outsourcing infrastructure operations to a managed provider, further strengthening the Optimism ecosystem.
👉 theblock.co/post/405957/kraken-incubated-ink-upgrades-to-optimism-op-enterprise-fully-managed
Hermes Agent Adds /learn Command to Auto-Build Skills
Nous Research has updated its open-source Hermes Agent with a new /learn command that can scan codebases, PDFs, manuals, and configs to build reusable Markdown skills.
The generated skills can then be turned into slash commands for tasks like file edits and web searches.
👉 x.com/NousResearch/status/2069526242236182697?s=20
Nous Research has updated its open-source Hermes Agent with a new /learn command that can scan codebases, PDFs, manuals, and configs to build reusable Markdown skills.
The skills are stored persistently, making them available for 24/7 use across Telegram, Discord, or CLI workflows. That gives developers a faster way to turn source material into practical automation.
The generated skills can then be turned into slash commands for tasks like file edits and web searches.
👉 x.com/NousResearch/status/2069526242236182697?s=20
Onyx Odds Raises $20M Series A at $220M Valuation
Onyx Odds has raised a $20 million Series A round led by Payward, the parent company behind Kraken, NinjaTrader, and Bitnomial. The round values the sports prediction platform at $220 million, less than a year after it exited beta.
As part of the deal, Onyx will integrate with Payward Services to power its prediction markets offering on Payward’s licensed U.S. derivatives stack. The integration will also bring crypto trading directly into the Onyx app.
👉 businesswire.com/news/home/20260617562600/en/Onyx-Odds-Announces-Series-A
Onyx Odds has raised a $20 million Series A round led by Payward, the parent company behind Kraken, NinjaTrader, and Bitnomial. The round values the sports prediction platform at $220 million, less than a year after it exited beta.
Founded in 2025, Onyx Odds lets users trade on sports outcomes through exchange-traded instruments. The company says it has already built a large and engaged user base, with nearly 1 million users and strong retention metrics.
As part of the deal, Onyx will integrate with Payward Services to power its prediction markets offering on Payward’s licensed U.S. derivatives stack. The integration will also bring crypto trading directly into the Onyx app.
👉 businesswire.com/news/home/20260617562600/en/Onyx-Odds-Announces-Series-A
The Stablecoin Rulebook: 🇪🇺 MiCA vs 🇺🇸 GENIUS
In three weeks, the two biggest jurisdictions in crypto draw their lines: MiCA goes fully live July 1, and GENIUS Act final rules are due July 18.
Different systems — same target. Both demand:
• licensed issuers only
• full 1:1 reserves, segregated
• ❌ no yield to holders — banned on both sides
That last one is the killer: yield-bearing stablecoins are effectively dead for retail in the US and EU.
The US and EU disagree on almost everything — except what a stablecoin is allowed to be: licensed, fully-reserved, and yield-free.
So which coins actually survive? Next 👇
In three weeks, the two biggest jurisdictions in crypto draw their lines: MiCA goes fully live July 1, and GENIUS Act final rules are due July 18.
Different systems — same target. Both demand:
• licensed issuers only
• full 1:1 reserves, segregated
• ❌ no yield to holders — banned on both sides
That last one is the killer: yield-bearing stablecoins are effectively dead for retail in the US and EU.
The US and EU disagree on almost everything — except what a stablecoin is allowed to be: licensed, fully-reserved, and yield-free.
So which coins actually survive? Next 👇
The Compliance Matrix: Which Stablecoins Survive
We mapped every major stablecoin against both rulebooks — MiCA (EU) and GENIUS (US):
✅ Cleared in both — USDC · USDG · EURC
🇪🇺 EU only — EURI · EURCV · EURe · EURQ
🇺🇸 US-positioned — PYUSD · USDP · RLUSD · USD1
❌ Locked out (neither) — USDT · USDe · DAI · USDY
The takeaway no one expected: the biggest stablecoin in the world, USDT, clears neither. And every yield-bearing model lands in the "locked out" corner.
Offshore and high-yield built crypto's $250B stablecoin market — the rules taking effect this summer are built to end them.
Full rules breakdown in our previous post ☝️
We mapped every major stablecoin against both rulebooks — MiCA (EU) and GENIUS (US):
✅ Cleared in both — USDC · USDG · EURC
🇪🇺 EU only — EURI · EURCV · EURe · EURQ
🇺🇸 US-positioned — PYUSD · USDP · RLUSD · USD1
❌ Locked out (neither) — USDT · USDe · DAI · USDY
The takeaway no one expected: the biggest stablecoin in the world, USDT, clears neither. And every yield-bearing model lands in the "locked out" corner.
Offshore and high-yield built crypto's $250B stablecoin market — the rules taking effect this summer are built to end them.
Full rules breakdown in our previous post ☝️
Helius Released Balance-At for Solana Wallet History
Solana infrastructure provider Helius has launched Balance-At, an API endpoint that returns a wallet's exact SOL or SPL token balance at any past date, time or slot in a single call.
It replaces the brittle, multi-step RPC queries developers previously had to stitch together by hand, turning historical balance lookups into one request.
👉 helius.dev/docs/wallet-api/balance-at
Solana infrastructure provider Helius has launched Balance-At, an API endpoint that returns a wallet's exact SOL or SPL token balance at any past date, time or slot in a single call.
It replaces the brittle, multi-step RPC queries developers previously had to stitch together by hand, turning historical balance lookups into one request.
Helius pitches it for PnL tracking, portfolio charts, snapshots and cost-basis math. The endpoint ships as part of the Wallet API, currently in beta.
👉 helius.dev/docs/wallet-api/balance-at
Ornn Raises $33M Seed to Build a GPU Compute Market
Compute marketplace Ornn has raised a $33 million seed led by a16z crypto, turning raw GPU power into a commodity that can be priced, bought and sold on an open market.
Its first product, Ornn Compute, pools dedicated GPU capacity from several neoclouds into one platform, with a single onboarding flow and a secondary market where capacity can be transferred or sublet on demand.
👉 a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/investing-in-ornn
Compute marketplace Ornn has raised a $33 million seed led by a16z crypto, turning raw GPU power into a commodity that can be priced, bought and sold on an open market.
Its first product, Ornn Compute, pools dedicated GPU capacity from several neoclouds into one platform, with a single onboarding flow and a secondary market where capacity can be transferred or sublet on demand.
Backers include a16z crypto (lead), Galaxy Ventures and SV Angel. Ornn also runs the OCPI price index, the benchmark ICE is using to launch its own GPU compute futures.
👉 a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/investing-in-ornn
