Tether and Bitqik are launching a new crypto education initiative in Laos, focused on Bitcoin, stablecoins, and financial literacy.
The program will deliver online learning and in-person events across cities including Vientiane and Luang Prabang, aiming to reach more than 10,000 students, entrepreneurs, and community members.
The goal is to explain how stablecoins like USDT work in real life – from payments to savings – and help people participate safely in the digital economy.
India, BRICS, digital currencies are back in focus as New Delhi pushes a plan to link central bank digital currencies across the bloc.
The idea, set for discussion at the next BRICS summit, would make cross-border trade and tourism payments faster and cheaper by connecting official digital money systems directly.
Supporters say it could reduce reliance on the US dollar, while critics warn it may heighten geopolitical tensions as Washington keeps a close eye on alternatives to dollar-based payments.
Revolut Peru banking license plans mark the fintech’s next big move in Latin America. The London-based digital bank has applied to operate as a fully regulated bank in Peru, targeting traditional lenders and focusing on remittances and cross-border payments.
Around one million people in Peru rely on money sent from abroad, with inflows topping $4.9 billion last year. The move comes as Revolut reports strong profits and rising stablecoin activity, highlighting how digital banking is reshaping everyday finance across the region.
Bermuda onchain economy plans are taking shape as the island works with Coinbase and Circle to bring stablecoin payments and digital finance into everyday use.
The government says pilots will start inside public agencies before expanding to local businesses, banks, and insurers. Officials argue high banking fees and slow payment rails hurt small island economies, and that dollar-based stablecoins like USDC could lower costs and improve access to global finance – without forcing residents to adopt the technology.
NYSE tokenized stocks are moving closer to reality. The New York Stock Exchange is developing a blockchain-based trading platform that could allow fractional share purchases, dollar-based orders, and near-instant settlement – potentially running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Built with ICE’s trading systems and blockchain post-trade infrastructure, the platform would support both traditional stocks issued as tokens and fully digital securities. Major banks including BNY and Citi are involved as regulators review the proposal.
Crypto advisors are allocating more than ever. New survey data shows 32% of financial advisors now hold crypto in client portfolios, a record high, while nearly all who already invest plan to maintain or increase exposure in 2026. Interest is strongest in Bitcoin, crypto index funds, and crypto equity ETFs, signaling crypto’s steady move into mainstream wealth management.
Crypto users are being warned about fake public WiFi networks that can expose logins and drain accounts. Security experts say “Evil Twin” attacks copy real airport and hotel WiFi names, then trick tired travelers into entering passwords or seed phrases.
The risk is highest when moving funds on public networks. The advice is simple: avoid transfers on free WiFi, never enter a seed phrase, and use your own hotspot or a trusted VPN when traveling.
Crypto sponsorships return to the fast lane as Nexo signs a four-year deal with the Audi Revolut Formula 1 team, putting its brand on cars, helmets, and pit crews ahead of Audi’s 2026 F1 debut. The partnership, worth tens of millions of dollars, signals a shift away from short-term crypto ads toward long-term visibility in elite global sports, following Nexo’s recent Australian Open tennis deal.
Crypto hacks are wiping out projects long after the funds are gone. New data shows nearly 80% of crypto platforms never fully recover after a major breach, not because of the hack itself, but because teams freeze, stay silent, or fail to act fast. As losses hit billions and scams get more sophisticated, how projects respond in the first hours can decide their survival – and whether users ever trust them again.
China digital yuan development is accelerating as new data shows the e-CNY has processed over $2.4 trillion in transactions and the mBridge cross-border payments platform has passed $55 billion. Beijing has also begun allowing interest on digital yuan balances, while US lawmakers debate banning yield on dollar-based stablecoins. The divergence highlights how China and the US are taking different approaches to digital money, trade settlement, and long-term monetary influence.
🚨Vitalik Buterin said Ethereum's extended trustlesness and self-dominance rely on code simpleness, alerting that increasing difficulty challenges safety and and fortitude.
He advocated for an explicit simplification and “garbage collection” process to reduce bloat, strengthen invariants, and slow core changes over time.
The Crypto Radio Live quickfire newsround on 16th January:
• California fined Nexo $500,000 over unlicensed crypto loans. • Coinbase split with Securitize and Dinari over a U.S. crypto bill. • SWIFT tested a euro stablecoin with Societe Generale/SG Forge. • Chainalysis says Iranians moved Bitcoin off exchanges during protests. • Taraxa says industries need specialized blockchains. • State Street launched a tokenization platform for institutions.