LATETST: Swift Partners With ConsenSys On Blockchain Prototype For Cross-Border Payments

Global financial giant Swift has revealed plans to integrate a blockchain-based shared ledger into its infrastructure, marking a major shift toward digital transformation. The first phase will focus on real-time, 24/7 cross-border payments, powered by smart contracts to securely validate and record tokenized transactions. The system is designed to ensure interoperability with both traditional and emerging financial networks while meeting regulatory standards.

Over 30 leading banks, including Santander, Bank of America, BNP Paribas, and HSBC, are collaborating with Swift to provide feedback and support the rollout. The project builds on a conceptual prototype developed with blockchain firm Consensys, with reports suggesting Swift is testing Ethereum Layer 2 Linea as part of its transition on-chain. CEO Javier Pérez-Tasso said the move aims to enhance the payments experience while keeping Swift at the center of global finance.

Client-focused solutions will also be introduced to enable seamless movement across private and public blockchains. Serving more than 11,500 financial institutions, Swift continues to accelerate its blockchain adoption after initial digital asset transaction trials announced for 2025.

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Ethereum Co-Founder Vitalik Buterin Dumps Memecoin Holdings He Received For Free, Crypto Community Left Wondering Why – Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust (ETH) Common units of fractional undivided beneficial interest (ARCA:ETH)

Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), sold memecoins he got for free on Sunday, sparking a bit of intrigue in the cryptocurrency community.

Buterin Has Crypto World Guessing

The influential cryptocurrency entrepreneur swapped 150 billion I love puppies (PUPPIES) for 28.65 ETH, worth $117,635, and 1 billion ERC20 tokens for $13,900 in USDC (CRYPTO: USDC) stablecoin, according to Lookonchain.

The motive of the transfer was not immediately clear. Buterin didn’t immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment on the matter.

Though the sale amount was modest, Buterin’s actions, particularly in handling the memecoins he was gifted, have always drawn curiosity.

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Vanguard Bitcoin ETF Access | 3rd-Party ETFs

Vanguard, the $10 trillion asset management giant known for being cautious, is quietly getting ready to allow its brokerage clients to buy digital asset exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

This would be a big deal for the world’s second-largest asset manager, which has been opposed to bitcoin products for years.

Vanguard has been opposed to bitcoin ETFs since their launch in 2024. Fidelity and BlackRock launched their highly successful bitcoin ETFs, Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) and iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT).

Vanguard not only chose not to launch its own bitcoin ETF, but also blocked its brokerage clients from buying spot bitcoin ETFs from other funds when they…

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Genius Act Paves Way For Bitcoin To Dominate Global Infrastructure

As the world shifts from a U.S.-dominated unipolar order to a multipolar landscape led by BRICS nations, the U.S. dollar faces unprecedented pressure from declining bond demand and rising debt costs. The Genius Act, passed in July 2025, signals a bold U.S. strategy to counter this by legalizing Treasury-backed stablecoins, unlocking billions in foreign demand for U.S. bonds.

The blockchain hosting these stablecoins will shape the global economy for decades. Bitcoin, with its unmatched decentralization, Lightning Network privacy, and robust security, emerges as the superior choice to power this digital dollar revolution, ensuring low switching costs when fiat inevitably fades. This…

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NEW: SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce States New Era Of Crypto Regulation

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, often called “Crypto Mom,” has declared that U.S. digital asset regulation has entered a “more constructive era.” Speaking at the Coin Center Dinner, she urged the industry to seize the moment and create lasting frameworks that can foster innovation. Peirce also issued a rare apology, admitting she had failed in earlier years to persuade colleagues to adopt a friendlier approach toward crypto.

The shift comes with the Trump administration’s arrival and Paul Atkins taking the helm as SEC chief. Under this leadership, the Commission has rolled out several initiatives, including the launch of a Crypto Task Force led by Peirce, shelving of major lawsuits, and “Project Crypto,” a program to modernize outdated securities rules for digital assets.

This marks a major departure from former Chair Gary Gensler’s era, where enforcement dominated policy. Peirce said the current environment offers a real opportunity for responsible growth: “This is the time to design systems that strengthen safety, encourage prosperity, and improve people’s lives.”

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Ethereum devs finalize Fusaka testnet rollout

Ethereum developers have locked in the testnet rollout for the Fusaka upgrade, paving the way for mainnet activation and turning their sights to the next hard fork, Glamsterdam.

During Thursday’s All Core Devs call #221, contributors confirmed testnet timelines, approved a long-anticipated gas limit bump, and advanced early plans for Glamsterdam, including a proposal to formalize EIP “champions.”

Fusaka testnet schedule, gas limit raised to 60M

Fusaka will activate on Holesky on October 1, followed by Sepolia two weeks later, and Khudai two weeks after that. Each testnet will enable blob parameter optimizations (BPOs) one week after Fusaka itself. The full timeline is now…

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JPMorgan, Citi upgrade Riot Platforms on AI shift

Riot Platforms, a Texas-based company best known for running one of the largest bitcoin mining operations in North America, just won rare back-to-back upgrades from major Wall Street banks. 

Reporting from Coindesk indicates that JPMorgan and Citigroup raised their ratings on Riot’s stock, saying its push into artificial intelligence (AI) could give it a critical edge over competitors.

Bitcoin mining involves using massive amounts of electricity to power computers that secure the Bitcoin network and earn block rewards in the form of newly distributed coins. But every four years, those rewards are cut in half. After the latest halving in 2024, many miners are struggling to stay…

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XRP Falls 10% In 1 Week, But ‘Full Ballistic’ Move May Be On The Cards In Q4, Veteran Trader Says

XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) slipping below $3 hasn’t shaken trader confidence that the altcoin could still launch a major rally later this year.

What Happened: Crypto analyst CrediBULL Crypto on Friday highlighted that although short-term charts look weak, XRP’s long-term structure remains strongly bullish.

He noted that a drop below $2.65 could occur if Bitcoin falls under $105,000, but this wouldn’t invalidate the higher timeframe setup.

A temporary decline to $2–$2.40 would align with market-wide corrections, positioning XRP for a rapid rebound when broader conditions improve.

XRP is expected to be one of the first coins to bounce back, positioning it to recover quickly and eventually push…

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LATEST: Vanguard Eyes Launching Bitcoin And Crypto ETFs For Its Brokerage Clients

Vanguard, the world’s second-largest asset manager overseeing $9 trillion, is preparing to open the door to cryptocurrency exposure through exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Long regarded as a cautious player in digital assets, the firm has begun internal groundwork and external consultations in response to rising client demand and a more favorable U.S. regulatory climate.

Unlike rivals such as Fidelity, Schwab, and BlackRock, Vanguard is not rushing to launch its own crypto funds. Instead, discussions point toward offering brokerage clients access to carefully selected third-party crypto ETFs. While no timeline or product lineup has been finalized, insiders describe the firm’s approach as deliberate and shaped by the rapidly evolving digital asset market since 2024.

The potential shift comes as the SEC, under the Trump administration, has approved new standards for crypto ETFs and index funds tied to major digital currencies. For a firm historically viewed as one of Wall Street’s most conservative institutions, even limited access to crypto would mark a major strategic change.

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Onramp Launches Institutional Bitcoin Custody Platform With Global Multisig Security

Onramp, a Bitcoin-only financial services company, recently launched an institutional-grade asset management offering, built on top of their multisignature, multi-institutional, multi-jurisdictional custody platform. Onramp is by all intents and purposes a 21st-century, full-reserve Bitcoin bank, leveraging Bitcoin’s unique and paradigm-shifting technology, in partnership with institutional custodians like BitGo, CoinCover, and Tetra Trust. 

Founded in Texas in 2022 by Michael Tanguna, a former Google and Unchained Capital executive, Onramp looks to democratize institutional-grade custody, offering the full range of financial services to Bitcoiners of all sizes; Onramp offers…

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