(Dinarian Note: This is becoming my favorite asset and diamond in the ruff token next to Theta and XRP, XLM, XDC of coarse, but I would say XPRT has the most upward potential out of all of them LONG TERM.)
Watch @BoHines sit down with @CryptoAmerica_ to discuss key details of the White House crypto report including anticipated new DOJ guidance, as well as fresh commentary on the @rstormsf trial, and the nomination of @BrianQuintenz to lead the @CFTC.
Custom AI assistants that print money in your sleep? š
The future of Crypto x AI is about to go crazy.
š Hereās what you need to know:
š 'Based Agent' enables creation of custom AI agents
š Users set up personalized agents in < 3 minutes
š Equipped w/ crypto wallet and on-chain functions
š Capable of completing trades, swaps, and staking
š Integrates with Coinbaseās SDK, OpenAI, & Replit
š What this means for the future of Crypto:
1. Open Access: Democratized access to advanced trading
2. Automated Txns: Complex trades + streamlined on-chain activity
3. AI Dominance: Est ~80% of crypto štxns done by AI agents by 2025
šØ I personally wouldn't bet against Brian Armstrong and Jesse Pollak.
On avantis, there's something for everyone
fuelled by instinct and flash-level speed
powered by @PythNetwork
š® š
In the latest episode of the XDC MENA Podcast, host Rebecah Dausen is joined by Amir Neghabian, founder of Vital Veda, to explore how blockchain is modernizing the way we approach Fitness.
Why you should tune in:
-Learn how decentralized systems can verify the authenticity of Fitness
-Discover how Web3 opens access to Fitness knowledge
-Understand XDCās role in enabling trusted, wellness-driven ecosystems
š„ Watch now:
Welcome back toĀ The Epicenter, where crypto chaos meets corporate cringe.
But surprisingly, crypto hasĀ notĀ been the most chaotic corner of the internet as of late.
That honor goes to the startupĀ Astronomer, whose CEOās cheating scandal broke the web in a glorious meme-fueled media frenzy. The companyās damage control? Hiring Gwyneth Paltrow as a ātemporary spokesperson.ā Do we think theyāre grasping at straws or setting a new standard for PR?
Meanwhile, the markets didnāt blink. BTC is still flexing near its all-time highs. Michael Saylorās bringing a bitcoin-adjacent money-market product to Wall Street. A pharma company just earmarked $700M to stack BNB, and analysts are calling time of death on the four-year crypto cycle. Itās a steady boom now, kittens.
A few things that are also worth noting: Winklevoss vs. JPMorgan, Visaās take on stablecoins, and Robinhoodās Euro drama that defies the chillness of eurosummer.
Letās get into it š
āļø The On-Chain Pulse: Whatās Happening on the Front Lines of Finance
This weekās biggest news in crypto and all things digital assets
PR crisis? Just add Gwyneth;Ā data company Astronomer tapped Gwyneth Paltrow as its ātemporary spokespersonā amid a workplace cheating scandalābecause nothing says damage control like Chris Martinās ex-wife
Winklevoss twins claim JPMorgan blocked Gemini onboarding in retaliation for criticizing its new data access feesāJPM says itās just trying to protect consumers
Michael Saylor is backing a new money-market-style fund that doesnāt hold Bitcoin directly, but taps its return profile to deliver high yields to Wall Street investors
Windtree Therapeuticsāa Nasdaq-listed drug companyāplans to buy up to $700M in BNB after the token hit a new ATH, raising eyebrows as it adds the fifth-largest crypto to its balance sheet
The 4-year crypto cycle is āofficially dead,ā according to experts, who now see a steadier boom driven by ETFs, institutional demand, and macro tailwinds
Bitcoin Cash surged past $580 this weekend, with analysts eyeing a breakout toward the $620ā$680 range amid bullish chart patterns
Two brokers are battling to become Asiaās RobinhoodĀ as Hong Kongās new stablecoin bill sparks optimism around a boom in regional crypto trading
Visaās head of crypto says the payments giant isnāt sweating stablecoins, despite growing momentum across blockchain-based payment rails
Senator Elizabeth Warren slammed the GENIUS ActĀ (to absolutely no oneās surprise) warning that crypto lobbying is setting up Americans to "pay the price" like they did before the 2008 financial crisis
XRP Mining just launched a mobile app that turns your smartphone into a passive income machineāno hardware, no skills, just daily mining rewards from your pocket
Stuff you should repost (or maybe evenĀ coughĀ reword and take credit for)
Doug Colkitt argues thatĀ DeFiās obsession with decentralization at all costs sacrifices performance, and what the space really needs is minimum viable decentralization (MVD)
Kinjal Shah of Blockchain Capital points toĀ the latest charts showing that DEXs are flipping CEXs and the āDeFi mulletā is officially in style; think slick frontends, protocol backends, and a market moving at warp speed
David Sacks saysĀ this week marked a turning point for US AI policy, with Trumpās first major AI speech, a new White House Action Plan, and three executive orders signed into law
Emilie Choi of Coinbase saysĀ she doesnāt want to be the best female COOājust the best COO
Boring Business reminds us thatĀ em dashes have been ruined foreverĀ (we should probably hold a funeral)
Things you should care about if you want to impress your coworkers
Estoniaās top tech founders are backing Lightyear, a European Robinhood rival that just raised $23M and dropped new AI features to help retail investors decode stock moves
Fintech and crypto groups are urging Trump to safeguard open banking rules, warning that rollbacks could jeopardize access to wallets, DeFi apps, and stablecoins amid mounting pressure from traditional banks
Robinhood stock is up 280% as the company leans into crypto and wealth managementābut analysts are cooling off, citing overvaluation risks despite the growth
Meta is investing $14.3B into Scale AI and hiring its CEO, Alexandr Wang, as part of a sweeping AI push that marks one of the biggest talent acquisitions in the space this year
Mastercardās 2024 Impact Report spotlights its efforts across financial inclusion, climate action, and digital access, framed around its āPeople, Prosperity & Planetā pillars
From meme-fueled PR stunts to Bitcoin-backed money-market funds, this week reminded us that markets move fastāand headlines move faster. With Wall Street automating itself, fintechs beefing with banks, and even your smartphone becoming a miner, anything is possible. Stay curious, stay cynical, and as alwaysāstay sharp and stay liquid. Weāll see you back here in two weeks.
āĀ The Epicenter, powered by Pyth Network
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š³ PayPal:Ā
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The fintech revolution is reshaping the way we manage, invest, and move money, breaking down traditional barriers and empowering individuals worldwide. As financial technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, a select group of innovative companies are leading the charge by offering groundbreaking solutions that redefine banking, payments, and digital assets. Whether youāre a savvy investor, an industry professional, or simply curious about the future of finance, discovering these trailblazing fintech companies is essential to understanding todayās dynamic financial landscape.
Ā
Alina is aimed at women under 25 who identify as beginner investors. They're an SEC-registered investment advisor that charges $120/year for membership. The service "buys and sells for you" and gives up notification updates of recent transactions like a wealth manager would.
š Getting people to invest early is crucial to building long-term wealth. One thing that holds them back is a lack of confidence and experience. Being targetted "for beginners" and people who live on TikTok should appeal. I love the sense of "we're buying and selling for you." Funds always do that, but making it an engagement mechanic is very smart. The risk here is that building a wealth business will take decades for the AUM to compound. But the next generations, Wealthfront or Betterment, will look something like Alina.
2.Ā Blue layerĀ - The Carbon project funding platform
Bluelayer allows Carbon project developers to take from feasibility studies to issuing credits, tracking inventory, and managing orders. Developers of reforestation, conservation, direct air capture, and other projects can also directly report to industry registries.Ā
š Carbon investing and tax credits are heavily incentivized but need transparent data.Ā By focusing on the developers, Bluelayer can ensure the data, reporting, and credits lifecycle is all managed at the source. This is smart.
3.Ā AkirolabsĀ - Modern Procurement for enterprise
Akiro is a "strategic" procurement platform aiming to help enterprise customers identify risks, value drivers, and strategic levers before issuing an RFP. It aims to bring in multiple stakeholders for complex purchasing decisions at multinationals.Ā
š Procurement is a great wedge for multinational corporate transformation.Ā Buying anything in an enterprise that uses large-scale ERPs is a nightmare of committees and spreadsheets. Turning an oil tanker-sized organization around is difficult, but the right suppliers can have a meaningful impact in the short term. That only worksĀ if you can buy from them. Getting people on the same page with a single platform is a great start.
4.Ā NeoTaxĀ - Automated Tax R&D Credits
NeoTax allows companies to connect their engineering tools to calculate available tax advantages automatically. Once calculated, the tax fillings are clearly labeled with supporting evidence for the IRS.
š AWS and GCP log files and data are a goldmine.Ā Last week, I covered Bilanc, which uses log files to figure out per-account unit economics. Now, we calculate R&D tax credits. The unlock here is LLM's ability to understand unstructured data. The hard part is understanding the moat, but time will tell.
In an era where technology and finance are increasingly intertwined, these four fintech companies stand out as catalysts for positive change. By driving progress in digital payments, asset management, lending, and decentralized finance, they are not only making financial services more accessible and efficientāthey are also paving the way for a more inclusive and empowered global economy. Staying informed about their innovations can help you seize new opportunities and take part in the future of finance.
Ā
PayPal issued low guidance and warned of a ātransition year.ā The stock is down 8% in extended trading despite PayPal reporting a 9% growth in revenue and 23% EBITDA. Gross profit is down 4% YoY. PayPal's total revenues were $29Bn for the year
Adyen reported 22% revenue growth and an EBITDA margin of 46% for the full year. Adyen's total revenues were $1.75bn for the full year. The margin was down from 55% the previous year, impacted by hiring ahead of growth.
š¤Ā PayPalās Braintree (unbranded) is losing market share in the US, while Adyen is winning it.Ā eCommerce is growing ~9 to 10% YoY, and PayPalās transaction revenue grew by 6.7%. The higher interest rate environment meant interest on balances dragged up the total revenue figure. Their core business is losing market share. Adyen is outgrowing the market by ~12%.
š¤Ā The PayPal button (branded) is losing to SHOP Pay and Apple Pay.Ā The branded experience from Apple and Shopify is delightful for users; itās fast and helps with small details like delivery tracking. That experience translates to higher conversion (and more revenue) for merchants.
š¤Ā The lack of a single global platform hurts PayPal, but it helps Adyen.Ā In the earnings call, the new CEO admitted their mix of platforms like Venmo, PayPal, and Braintree are holding them back. They aim to combine and simplify, but thatās easier said than done.
š¤Ā Making a single platform from PayPal, Venmo, and Braintree wonāt be easy.Ā Thereās a graveyard of payment company CEOs who tried to make āone platformā from things they acquired years ago. Itās crucial if theyāre going to grow that they get their innovation edge back. Adyen has one platform in every market.
š¤Ā PayPalās UK and European acquiring business is a bright spot.Ā The UK and EU delivered 20% of overall revenue, growing 11% YoY. Square and Toast donāt have market share here, while iZettle, which PayPal acquired in 2018, is a strong market player. Overall though, itāsĀ yet anotherĀ tech stack and business thatās not part of a single global platform.
The two banks provided accounts to UK front companies secretly owned by an Iranian petrochemicals company. PCC has used these entities to receive funds from Iranian entities in China, concealed with trustee agreements and nominee directors.Ā
š¤Ā This is the headline every bank CEO fears. Oof.Ā Shares of both banks have been down since the news broke, but this will no doubt involve crisis calls, committees, appearing in front of the regulator, and, finally, some sort of fine.
š¤Ā The "risk-based approach" has been arbitraged.Ā A UK company with relatively low annual revenue would look "low risk" at onboarding.Ā One business the FT covered looked like a small company at a residential address to compliance staff. They'd likely apply branch-level controls instead of the enterprise-grade controls you'd see for a large corporation.Ā
š¤Ā Hiring more staff won't fix this problem; it's a mindset and technology challenge.Ā In theory, all of the skill and technology that exists to manage risks with large corporate customers (in the transaction banking divisions) are available to the other parts of a bank. In practice, they're not. Most banks lack a single data set and the ability for compliance officers in one team to see data from another part of the org. Getting the basics right with data and tooling is incredibly hard and will involve a multi-year effort.Ā
š¤Ā These things are rarely the failure of an individual or department; the issue is systemic.Ā While two banks are named in this headline, the issue isĀ everywhere. Banks need more data and better data to train better AI and machine learning. That all needs to happen in real-time as a compliment to the human staff. Throwing bodies at this won't solve the visibility issue teams have.
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If you find value in my content, consider showing your support via:
š³ PayPal:Ā
1) Simply scan the QR code below š²
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Your generosity keeps this mission alive, for all! NamastĆ© š Crypto Michael ā” Ā The Dinarian
Ā
If you're new to XRP, you may have noticed some of us discussing another network named 'Xahau'.
It's Like XRP ... But Different
The Xahau network was created in 2023, and its starting point was the open-source code for the XRP Ledger. A small team of researchers and entrepreneurs decided to add smart contracts to the network code.
The XRP Ledger has no smart contract capabilities, by default.
To integrate smart contracts, the team decided to use an architecture that includes 'WASM' or 'web assembly' code. Each account can have up to 10 'hooks' installed that are triggered for transactions that match specific criteria. They can run before or after a transaction is processed. This enables a variety of use cases that do not involve the need to change the network's core code.
Hooks
A 'hook' is what is known as a smart contract that can be triggered in relation to a specific account and its transactions.
š Donations Accepted š
If you find value in my content, consider showing your support via:
š³ PayPal:Ā
1) Simply scan the QR code below š²
2) or visitĀ https://www.paypal.me/thedinarian
š Crypto ā Support via Coinbase Wallet to:Ā [email protected]
Or Buy me a coffee:Ā https://buymeacoffee.com/thedinarian
Your generosity keeps this mission alive, for all! NamastĆ© š Crypto Michael ā” The Dinarian
