News & Research

Aqua1 Foundation, a Web3 investment fund, has invested $100 million in WLFI, the governance token of Trump-linked DeFi platform World Liberty Financial, according to its Medium blog. The partnership aims to advance blockchain-based finance, focusing on real-world asset tokenization, stablecoin use and global expansion. The two entities will also co-develop BlockRock, a platform for institutional-grade RWA tokenization.

Taurus, a digital asset infrastructure provider, has launched a private stablecoin contract on the Aztec Network, targeting financial institutions wary of privacy issues, according to CoinDesk. The contract combines zero-knowledge privacy with USDC-style compliance features, allowing encrypted transactions while enabling regulatory access when needed.

U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) declined at an annual rate of 0.5% in the first quarter of 2025, missing the market forecast of a 0.2% contraction, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis available on Investing.com. This marks a significant reversal from the previous quarter’s 2.4% expansion. The figure released today is the final estimate.

Stablecoin payments platform Rain has partnered with Toku, a compliance provider for digital asset compensation, to launch a stablecoin payroll system. According to CoinDesk, this system enables real-time, cross-border payroll processing while adhering to labor and tax laws in over 100 countries. Initially supporting USDC, RLUSD and USDG, the service integrates with existing payroll systems and will expand stablecoin support based on demand and compliance.

Canadian cryptocurrency mining company HIVE Digital Technologies announced via its official website that it holds $181.1 million in digital assets as of the end of fiscal year 2025, including 2,201 Bitcoin.

The Central Bank of Brazil will update its accounting rules for digital assets held by companies, including those issued, received or held in custody, according to Bitcoin.com News. A public consultation on the regulatory draft will begin on Aug. 24, covering assets from staking and airdrops.

Swedish-listed firm Bitcoin Treasury Capital revealed on X that it has acquired 66 Bitcoin for approximately $7 million, or 66 million Swedish kronor, at an average price of around $105,270 per coin. The company said the purchase marks the start of its long-term Bitcoin treasury strategy.

Financial services and investment management firm Galaxy Digital has raised $175 million for its new venture fund, surpassing its initial $150 million target, to invest in startups at the intersection of traditional finance and crypto, according to Fortune Crypto. The firm has already deployed $50 million into companies like EVM-compatible blockchain project Monad and stablecoin protocol Ethena (ENA).

CoinDesk senior analyst James Van Straten reported that Semler Scientific's stock is trading at a premium to its Bitcoin (BTC) holdings for the first time in three weeks, with a multiple net asset value (mNAV) of 1.149. The company’s market cap of $550 million exceeds its $477.8 million in Bitcoin holdings, suggesting a potential return to Bitcoin purchases. Semler aims to reach 10,000 BTC by year-end, but its current holding of 4,449 BTC falls short of the target.

Bitcoin (BTC) miners recorded their weakest earnings in a year, according to CryptoQuant on X. Daily revenue dropped to $34 million in June, the lowest level since April, as declining transaction fees and a falling Bitcoin price continue to erode profit margins.