Lava, the Bitcoin-backed loans software company, sparked controversy among Bitcoin CEOs recently, after a series of announcements following a $200 million fundraise. The company, led by Shehzan Maredia, had previously been marketed as a self-custody wallet and platform, mirroring the functionality of DeFi or decentralized finance products. The new update to the Lava app changed the custody model to a fully custodial and trusted fintech platform, raising questions about the lending company’s legal status. 

The announcement about the fund raise drew the attention of Bitcoin industry leaders, who raised questions about the nature of the investment and the implications of the…

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Amboss Technologies and Voltage have joined forces to launch a new enterprise payment stack that could redefine how businesses handle Bitcoin and stablecoin transactions, according to a release shared with Bitcoin Magazine. 

The collaboration combines Voltage’s Lightning Payments API with Amboss Rails, allowing instant, low-cost payments and automated yield generation on self-custodied Bitcoin.

The goal of the collaboration is to turn what has traditionally been a cost center — payment processing — into a potential revenue stream.

In high-volume industries such as iGaming, prediction markets, and exchanges, fees can consume up to 5% of total transaction volume….

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The Czech National Bank (CNB) has bought bitcoin for the first time in its history. The $1 million purchase marks a cautious but symbolic step by a European central bank into the world of digital assets.

The Czech National Bank said the small portfolio, made outside of its international reserves, is part of an experiment to gain hands-on experience with blockchain-based assets. 

Alongside bitcoin, the portfolio includes a U.S. dollar-based stablecoin and a tokenised deposit. Governor Aleš Michl said the goal isn’t to speculate or diversify reserves, but to learn. 

“The aim was to test decentralised bitcoin from the central bank’s perspective and to evaluate its…

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Cash App has unveiled a major update allowing users to pay with Bitcoin instantly — even if they don’t own any. The app now automatically converts USD from a user’s balance into Bitcoin at checkout, letting all 58 million monthly users make BTC payments without affecting their holdings or creating taxable events. Merchants benefit too, with zero fees, no chargebacks, and borderless transactions powered by the Bitcoin Lightning Network.
The rollout is part of “Cash Releases,” the company’s first bundled feature launch, which also includes stablecoin support and a new Bitcoin Map showing nearby BTC-accepting merchants. Users can send or receive stablecoins globally, which are instantly converted to USD for convenience, bridging traditional finance and crypto payments.
Block’s Bitcoin Product Lead, Miles Suter, called Bitcoin “Money 2.0” and said Cash App is building tools to make it truly usable — fast, open, and borderless. With Square merchants already accepting Bitcoin, Block Inc. continues positioning itself as a leader in real-world crypto adoption.

Cash App is making bitcoin more usable for everyday payments. Starting today, the app will let you pay with Bitcoin instantly — even if you don’t hold any — by automatically converting your USD balance on the app into bitcoin for the merchant.

In a series of app features announced today, the app will now spend bitcoin locally, pay in USD over the Lightning Network, and send or receive stablecoins. All these updates are part of Cash Releases, the platform’s first bundled launch of new features, the company shared with Bitcoin Magazine.

With the new ‘Bitcoin Payments with USD’ feature, users can make instant bitcoin payments even if they don’t hold BTC. Cash App will…

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Hesperides University today announced the launch of the Master in Bitcoin, the world’s first English-language higher education program dedicated solely to Bitcoin studies, according to a note shared with Bitcoin Magazine. 

The program marks a milestone in the academic recognition of Bitcoin as a serious field of study.

Unlike most universities, which group Bitcoin under broader “crypto” or “blockchain” programs, Hesperides has created a curriculum focused entirely on just Bitcoin — its technology, economics, and societal impact. The program is aimed at professionals, entrepreneurs, and researchers seeking a deeper understanding of Bitcoin and its global… Read more on BitcoinMagazine

Global payments leader Visa has launched a new pilot enabling direct stablecoin payouts using Circle’s USDC, marking a major step toward faster and borderless digital payments. The program, designed for creators, freelancers, and gig workers, allows U.S. businesses using Visa Direct to send funds in fiat while recipients can instantly receive payments in USDC stablecoins.

Visa says this innovation gives workers “universal access to money in minutes,” offering a lifeline for those in regions with unstable currencies or limited banking access. The pilot follows Visa’s earlier stablecoin pre-funding test in September but now extends directly to end users, putting digital dollars straight into wallets that meet Visa’s KYC and AML standards.

Currently launching with select partners, the program will expand globally by late 2026. Visa has already processed over $140 billion in crypto and stablecoin transactions, and CEO Ryan McInerney confirmed that stablecoin-linked Visa card spending quadrupled over the past year.