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partnership

Kazakhstan Launches Solana-Powered Stablecoin In Partnership With Mastercard

by admin September 24, 2025

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The National Bank of Kazakhstan today announced the launch of its tenge-backed stablecoin called Evo (KZTE). The stablecoin is launched in partnership with Mastercard and the leading smart contract platform, Solana (SOL).

Kazakhstan Unveils Solana-Powered Evo Stablecoin

In an announcement made earlier today, the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan unveiled a pilot project for its tenge-baked stablecoin, dubbed Evo. For the uninitiated, the tenge is the national currency of Kazakhstan.

According to the announcement, Evo’s issuance will be managed by other participants of the country’s digital assets regulatory sandbox. Notably, the two entities that will be overseeing the Evo stablecoin are likely to be crypto exchange Intebix and Eurasian Bank.

The developers have dubbed Evo the “national stablecoin” and aim to leverage the technology to bridge the gap between blockchain innovation and traditional finance. The stablecoin will be used for a variety of purposes, including expanding crypto-fiat gateways, swapping digital assets, and aiding crypto card-based transactions.

Low-latency and high-throughput smart contract platform, Solana, will be used to power the Evo stablecoin. Solana’s rapidly growing infrastructure will be critical in ensuring a smooth payment experience and large-scale stablecoin adoption in Kazakhstan.

Besides powering the stablecoin, Solana has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Digital Development to create a special blockchain economic zone in the country.

Source: onchain.org

In the same vein, Mastercard will leverage its expertise in payments to integrate KTZE with stablecoin issuers around the world. Such integrations could open the doors for cross-border payments and international utility.

It is worth noting that the National Bank of Kazakhstan will not issue the stablecoin directly. Rather, the regulator will provide a legal framework for the issuers to issue the stablecoin. The framework will also be used to test Evo and to develop the virtual currency market.

The Head of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, Timur Suleimenov, pointed toward the importance of the pilot project, saying that cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology could play a significant role in increasing financial accessibility.

Stablecoin Growth Is Taking Over

While leading cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) continue to witness rising adoption, an unlikely class of digital assets like stablecoins is experiencing just as much adoption, if not more.

For example, South Korean banks are reportedly in talks with leading stablecoin issuers such as Circle and Tether to develop a market for Korean won-backed stablecoins. Similarly, Standard Chartered is expected to apply for a Hong Kong stablecoin license.

Earlier this year, Citigroup predicted that the stablecoin market is likely to grow by another $1.6 trillion by 2030. At press time, BTC trades at $112,637, up 0.1% in the past 24 hours.

Bitcoin trades at $112,637 on the daily chart | Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView.com

Featured image from Unsplash.com, charts from onchain.org and TradingView.com

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September 24, 2025 0 comments

GameFi Guides

US And UK Announce Partnership For New Crypto Regulatory Framework

by admin September 23, 2025

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

The United States and the United Kingdom have announced the formation of a “task force for markets of the future,” aimed to enhance cooperation on capital markets and crypto regulation.

UK And US Unite To Tackle Crypto Market Challenges

The agreement was reached during talks in Downing Street between UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, just ahead of President Donald Trump’s state visit to Britain.

While the announcement came with limited specifics regarding the focus areas of the task force, it underscores a mutual interest in fostering collaboration in the growing digital asset market.

The backdrop for this initiative is particularly relevant, as the UK has been grappling with a prolonged downturn in its capital markets. Many companies have opted to relocate their listings from London to New York, attracted by the promise of higher valuations and a more favorable regulatory environment.

Meanwhile, the US has actively embraced the cryptocurrency industry under the current Trump administration, appointing crypto-friendly regulators, dismissing lawsuits against major players, and enacting landmark legislation governing stablecoins.

In contrast, the UK has faced criticism from crypto executives for its slow regulatory response, which has left it trailing behind the US and other competitive financial hubs.

The UK Treasury has indicated that the new task force will explore options for both short- and medium-term collaboration on digital assets while regulatory frameworks are still being developed. Additionally, the group will aim to streamline the process for UK and US firms seeking to raise capital across borders.

Collaboration For Change

Chaired by officials from both the UK and US Treasury departments, the task force is expected to include regulators responsible for overseeing capital markets and crypto assets on both sides of the Atlantic. It is tasked with reporting back within 180 days with recommendations on how best to proceed.

Former Conservative Chancellor George Osborne has been vocal about the challenges facing the UK in the crypto space, warning that the country risks becoming irrelevant amid a financial revolution reminiscent of the “Big Bang” era of the 1980s.

Osborne, who currently serves on the global advisory council of US-based crypto exchange Coinbase, has criticized the current government’s approach, suggesting that it is leaving the UK lagging behind.

The UK Crypto asset Business Council, a trade organization, welcomed the announcement of the task force, viewing it as a strong endorsement from the US of the UK economy. They emphasized that if executed correctly, this initiative has the potential to invigorate the City of London and strengthen the transatlantic economy.

The daily chart shows the market’s total capitalization at $3.8 trillion. Source: TOTAL on TradingView.com

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

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September 23, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Disney and Webtoon’s Partnership Is Leading to a Massive New Comics App

by admin September 16, 2025

Last month, Webtoon announced a major new deal with Disney to bring a litany of original licensed stories and past comics from across Marvel’s library to the scrolling format that has made Webtoon a significant force in the comics space. Today, however, the two companies confirmed that those plans are actually much, much bigger.

Today Webtoon Entertainment confirmed that Disney would be acquiring a 2% equity interest in the company as part of a non-binding term sheet that will also see the two companies develop a brand new digital comics platform that will be home to “current comic book runs and include decades of past comics from across Disney’s portfolio, including Marvel, Star Wars, 20th Century Studios, and more,” according to a press release.

The new, currently unnamed platform will host over 35,000 comics and is framed in the announcement as “an expansion upon Marvel Unlimited.” It’s currently unclear whether or not the new platform, which will be operated by Webtoon, will be set up to replace Marvel Unlimited, the publisher’s digital comics platform and subscription service that first launched in 2007. That said, further information provided by the companies says that the new platform will “provide decades of iconic comics for current Marvel Unlimited subscribers and bring in even more fans to experience storytelling from across the Disney portfolio along with a selection of Webtoon Original stories,” suggesting that the Unlimited subscription will continue to exist in some capacity alongside the new platform.

Subscribers to Disney+ will also be able to read a curated selection of comics in the new app as part of the streaming service’s perks program, and the new app is described as including “a mix of vertical and traditional formats” across its library of archived comics, current runs, and original content made by Disney and Webtoon, similar to how Marvel Unlimited currently includes scrolling-format exclusive series as part of its Infinity Comics line as well as standard digital comic formats. The new platform will also feature select translations of material for Korean and Japanese audiences.

The news comes in the wake of last August’s announcement that Webtoon will bring a selection of recent Marvel Comics output to its own service in the next few years, including the latest volume of Amazing Spider-Man, the 2015 revival of Marvel’s Star Wars ongoing, Jonathan Hickman’s 2012 Avengers run, and the 2021 Alien series, alongside a new adaptation of the 2016 Liz Braswell novel, As Old As Time: A Twisted Tale.

“With a new platform that will combine our product and technical expertise with Disney’s full comic catalog, we’re giving new and longtime fans all over the world a new way to discover these legendary characters and stories,” Junkoo Kim, Webtoon Entertainment’s CEO, said in a provided statement. “Disney’s extraordinary storytelling legacy is second to none, and we’re honored to work with them to build the future of digital comics. This is a powerful next step for our growing global business, and a strong foundation for even greater collaboration with Disney in the years ahead.”

The news of Disney and Webtoon’s partnership comes at an interesting time for digital comics, as the industry has seen a collapse into siloed, publisher-specific services in the wake of Amazon’s disastrous handling of Comixology, leading to the marketplace’s shuttering and folding into the retailer’s Kindle service in 2023. The union between one of the biggest studios in the world and one of the biggest digital comics platforms around will certainly raise some eyebrows.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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September 16, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Microsoft and OpenAI announce the ‘next phase’ of their partnership

by admin September 12, 2025

Microsoft and OpenAI have issued a joint statement to say that they have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding for the “next phase” of their partnership. The companies are still finalizing the terms of agreement and haven’t shared the details of what their future would look like exactly. But according to The New York Times, the deal includes hows the parties share technology and and the revenue from those technologies. The new agreement also reportedly modifies the clause in the original, which states that Microsoft cannot access OpenAI’s most powerful technology if its board decides that it has reached human-like artificial general intelligence or AGI.

In addition to the new deal, The Times says OpenAI is giving an equity stake worth at least $100 billion to its nonprofit arm that will continue to oversee and control the organization. As the publication notes, a change in the company’s agreement paves the way for OpenAI to transition into a public benefit corporation, a type of corporation that’s meant to make a positive impact on society, and for an eventual IPO. OpenAI had to reach an acceptable agreement with Microsoft first, including how much equity it’s getting in the AI firm’s for-profit arm. Microsoft had invested over $13 billion into OpenAI and is entitled to 49 percent of its future profits.

Reports about OpenAI moving away from its complicated non-profit structure started coming out last year. After Christmas in 2024, it officially announced its plan to transform itself into a public benefit corporation with ordinary shares of stock. “It will enable us to raise the necessary capital with conventional terms like others in this space,” it said at the time. In May, however, OpenAI announced that it was no longer going to remove the control of its for-profit arm from its non-profit board. “OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit, and is today overseen and controlled by that nonprofit. Going forward, it will continue to be overseen and controlled by that nonprofit,” it said.

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September 12, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Ripple Expands Custody Solutions Across Europe in Latest Partnership, XRP Reacts

by admin September 11, 2025

Renowned Spanish banking firm BBVA has joined the long list of Ripple partners as institutional adoption continues to grow.

According to a recent report today, Ripple has extended its custodial footprint across the European banking industry after signing a new partnership with Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA).

With this partnership, Ripple has not only expanded its ecosystem and propelled XRP for further upsurge, it has also positioned BBVA’s customers for a secure and exclusive crypto trading experience.

Marking one of Ripple’s major partnerships focused on fostering its adoption among major institutions across the globe, the partnership deal will see BBVA integrate Ripple’s custody technology to support its retail crypto trading platform in Spain. With the help of Ripple, BBVA will now be able to offer its clients secure direct custody of Bitcoin and Ethereum.

What’s in for XRP?

With Ripple’s latest partnership coinciding with an epic shift in investors’ sentiments across the crypto market today, it has sparked reactions and stirred fresh debates among market participants.

Following Ripple’s latest partnership with the Spanish banking giant, the price of XRP was spotted registering a sharp upside movement, rebounding above key resistance levels. Hence, market watchers have expressed curiosity as to whether Ripple’s recent third-party engagement has garnered momentum for XRP, leading to the surge witnessed in its price today.

The debate appears to have remained unsettled as many believe that XRP had only surged in response to the broader market rally which saw other leading cryptocurrencies rebound back above previous highs.

Uber reveals plans to offer helicopter taxis in new partnership

by admin September 10, 2025

Uber users in will soon be able to book helicopter rides through the app, thanks to an expanded partnership with Joby Aviation’s new Blade transport company.

The new option will let travelers request Joby-operated helicopters to and from area airports directly in the Uber app, appearing as a premium alternative alongside regular ride types. The feature is expected to go live as early as 2026.

Uber has worked with Joby Aviation since 2019, when it sold its Elevate division to the electric aircraft developer. Joby is targeting FAA certification for its electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft in 2025, with a commercial launch slated for 2026. Once certified, Joby’s eVTOL aircraft will also be integrated into the Uber platform.

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This comes after Joby announced its $125 million acquisition of Blade, a helicopter and air transport company that will be the structure behind the Uber helicopters.

Unsplash: austindistel

Uber’s familiarity with helicopters

This isn’t the first time Uber has given customers the ability to order a helicopter through the app. Before 2020, the rideshare company offered rides around New York – but those flights ended when they sold that division to Joby in 2020.

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Uber has also offered its UberChopper service in Dubai, where customers in the country could order 12, 15, or 25-minute sightseeing tours around the area. But, like the New York flights, the Dubai tours are no longer available in 2025.

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The deal underscores Uber’s strategy to expand into aerial transport, starting with helicopters now and moving toward electric air taxis once regulators give the green light.

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September 10, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

Xbox is coming to cars thanks to an LG and Microsoft partnership

by admin September 9, 2025

Microsoft and LG are partnering up to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to internet-connected vehicles. A new Xbox app will soon be available on cars that use LG’s Automotive Content Platform (ACP), allowing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to access cloud versions of Xbox titles directly on in-car screens.

The Xbox app will be able to stream games when you’re charging an EV or trying to entertain passengers on a road trip. LG’s ACP is already available on Kia’s EV3 in Europe, and is also coming to the EV4, EV5, and new Sportage. ACP runs LG’s webOS platform, the same software that powers its smart TVs, and provides access to a variety of content like Netflix, Disney Plus, YouTube, and more.

Microsoft already partnered with LG to bring its Xbox app to smart TVs earlier this year, and the extension to compatible cars comes as the software maker gets ready to expand Xbox Cloud Gaming to Game Pass Core and Standard subscribers. “Our work with LG is the latest example of Xbox expanding to new places, building on partnerships that already bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to mobile devices, PCs, and TVs,” says Christopher Lee, vice president of Xbox marketing. “By adding vehicles to the mix, we’re giving players more choice than ever in how they enjoy their games.”

Speaking of cars, Microsoft also announced overnight that it’s returning to the Tokyo Game Show later this month. An Xbox stream will be held on September 25th at 3AM PT / 6AM ET / 11AM UK, where Forza Horizon 6 is widely expected to be announced. The Xbox teaser for the Tokyo Game Show includes an urban neon aesthetic street scene that looks like it would be ideal for a new Forza game set in Japan.

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September 9, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

Mastercard expands stablecoin push with Circle partnership

by admin August 27, 2025

Mastercard and Circle partnered to enable stablecoin settlements for merchants across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Summary

Mastercard and Circle will enable settlement across the EEMEA region
USDC and EURC settlements happen instantly, with lower fees

Credit card giant Mastercard is deepening its involvement in stablecoins. On Tuesday, August 26, Mastercard and Circle partnered to enable USDC and EURC settlement for acquirers across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

“This is a key move for Mastercard. Our strategic goal is to integrate stablecoins into the financial mainstream by investing in the infrastructure, governance, and partnerships to support this exciting payment evolution from fiat to tokenized and programmable money,” Dimitrios Dosis, president, Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Mastercard.

The move means that Mastercard acquirers across the EEMEA region will be able to settle payments in Circle’s stablecoins. These companies, also called acquiring banks, connect merchants to the Mastercard payments network, collecting payments from customers and settling the funds with the merchants.

“Our expanded partnership with Mastercard will enable wider reach, global access, and scaled impact, so that USDC can become as ubiquitous as traditional payments. Together with Mastercard, we are advancing the role of stablecoins as a foundational tool for everyday financial activity worldwide,” Kash Razzaghi, Chief Business Officer at Circle.

Unlike traditional payments, stablecoin settlements can move instantly, with lower fees. Stablecoin payments can also be automatically programmed for specific purposes.

Mastercard backs stablecoin post-GENIUS Act

Following the passage of the U.S. GENIUS Act, credit card giant Mastercard has announced its intention to get more involved in the stablecoin business. Notably, the company hopes to leverage its reputation and existing connections to play a key role in the emerging ecosystem of stablecoin payments.

On July 17, the company praised stablecoins for their role in cross-border payments and remittances as a fast and low-cost alternative to traditional banking.

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August 27, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

Price Falls Despite Major SBI Group Partnership

by admin August 25, 2025

Native token of oracle network Chainlink LINK$24.20 declined in tandem with the broader crypto market despite a fresh partnership with Japanese financial giant SBI Group.

LINK declined to $24.4, down more than 6% over the past 24 hours, CoinDesk data shows. That’s a sharp reversal from the Friday’s year-to-date peak over $27.

The downward trajectory accelerated through successive trading sessions with persistent lower peaks, whilst the concluding hour exhibited stagnation with negligible volume, suggesting potential consolidation, according to CoinDesk Research’s technical analysis model.

On the news side, SBI Group, one of Japan’s largest financial conglomerates, said on Monday it has teamed up with Chainlink to develop tokenized assets and stablecoin solutions in Japan, with future plans to expand into other Asia-Pacific markets.

SBI will use Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) to support transactions across different blockchains while maintaining compliance. The firms will also test tokenized funds by bringing net asset value data on-chain and explore payment-versus-payment settlement for foreign exchange and cross-border transactions. Chainlink’s Proof of Reserve will be used to verify stablecoin reserves.

SBI and Chainlink have previously collaborated under Singapore’s Project Guardian, a Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) initiative exploring blockchain use in finance.

Technical Indicators Analysis

Resistance established at $26.61 with sharp reversal upon elevated volume activity.
Critical support emerged at $24.37 with purchasing interest.
Extraordinary volume of 7,850,571 units during peak volatility, substantially exceeding 24-hour average of 2,687,393.
Systematic lower peak formations indicating bearish momentum acceleration.

Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk’s full AI Policy.

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August 25, 2025 0 comments

Volatility Shares launches first XRP futures ETF on Nasdaq

NFT Gaming

Ripple’s RLUSD to launch in Japan through SBI partnership by Q1 2026

by admin August 22, 2025

Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin is set to debut in Japan in early 2026 through a distribution partnership with SBI Holdings and its crypto arm, SBI VC Trade.

Summary

Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin will be distributed in Japan via SBI VC Trade under a new agreement.
The Japan rollout follows Ripple’s RLUSD gaining regulatory approval in Dubai and comes as Japan prepares to issue its first official stablecoin.

Ripple (XRP) announced today that it will begin distributing its U.S. dollar–backed stablecoin, Ripple USD (RLUSD), in Japan during the first quarter of 2026 in partnership with SBI Holdings, a Japanese financial conglomerate. The rollout will be handled by SBI VC Trade, the licensed crypto exchange unit of SBI, under a newly signed memorandum of understanding between the two firms.

“The introduction of RLUSD will not just expand the option of stablecoins in the Japanese market, but is a major step forward in the reliability and convenience of stablecoins in the Japanese market, and an important step in further accelerating the convergence of finance and digital technology,” said SBI VC Trade CEO Tomohiko Kondo.

“RLUSD is designed to be a true industry standard, providing a reliable and efficient bridge between traditional and decentralized finance. We are confident that this partnership will not only drive stablecoin utility in Japan but also set a new benchmark for the entire market,” said Jack McDonald, Ripple’s Senior Vice President of Stablecoins.

Ripple’s RLUSD: market position and global expansion

Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, first launched in December last year, is fully collateralized by U.S. dollar deposits, short-term Treasury securities, and other liquid cash equivalents, with independent monthly attestations. As of August, it holds a market capitalization of $666 million, ranking as the eighth-largest stablecoin by market value, just behind PayPal USD, according to CoinMarketCap’s stablecoin rankings.

The expansion into Japan coincides with the country’s preparations to launch its first officially sanctioned stablecoin. It also follows Ripple securing approval from the Dubai Financial Services Authority in early June, which enabled RLUSD’s integration into the region’s payment platforms.

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August 22, 2025 0 comments