S&P Global has made a bold move into the world of digital assets with the launch of the S&P Digital Markets 50 Index, a groundbreaking benchmark that tracks both cryptocurrencies and publicly traded crypto-related companies. Developed in partnership with U.S.-based platform Dinari, the index features 35 equities and 15 major cryptocurrencies, creating a unified view of the fast-growing digital economy.

Dinari plans to issue a tokenized version of the index through its dShares platform by year’s end, giving investors on-chain access to a diversified mix of crypto and blockchain-linked assets. Each asset will be capped at 5% to ensure balance, and the index will follow S&P’s quarterly governance and rebalancing standards.

This initiative signals Wall Street’s deeper integration with blockchain technology. As crypto markets rebound—with Bitcoin hitting new highs—S&P’s entry offers institutional investors a regulated, rules-based gateway into digital assets, bridging traditional finance and the crypto frontier.

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Lava, a leading bitcoin fintech company backed by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund and Khosla Ventures, today announced an angel investment from Alex Crognale, the first professional soccer player in the United States League (USL) to receive a portion of his salary in bitcoin. The investment aligns with the launch of Lava’s innovative “Get Paid in Bitcoin” feature, which enables users to seamlessly convert their paychecks into bitcoin with “zero fees”, according to a press release shared with Bitcoin Magazine.

Crognale, a defender for San Antonio FC, gained attention in 2021 when he opted to receive part of his salary in bitcoin. Since October 2021, when he publicly…

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Breez, in partnership with Lightspark, Tether, and other Bitcoin industry leaders, has launched Time2Build, a global developer challenge and international hackathon to embed Bitcoin payments into open-source software. The initiative offers a $25,000 prize pool in Bitcoin and residencies at Draper University and PlebLab, and is backed by Plan B Network, and Fulgur Ventures, Geyser Fund, according to a press release shared with Bitcoin Magazine. 

This ambitious hackathon looks to create sustainable adoption of peer-to-peer money in applications used by millions. Lead by Breez, Time2Build requires developers to integrate the Breez SDK — a free, open-source toolkit for…

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S&P Global has entered the crypto arena with the launch of the S&P Digital Markets 50 Index, a first-of-its-kind benchmark tracking both digital assets and publicly traded crypto-related companies.

Developed with Dinari, a U.S. platform specializing in tokenized public securities, the index includes 35 equities and 15 cryptocurrencies drawn from S&P’s digital asset suite.

In other words, the index will combine 15 major cryptocurrencies with 35 crypto-related stocks. Eligible companies include those involved in crypto operations, blockchain technology, and other related sectors, according to S&P.

Dinari will issue a tokenized version through its dShares platform by year’s…

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Meanwhile, the world’s first regulated Bitcoin life insurance company has secured $82 million in funding to expand its offering of Bitcoin-denominated insurance and retirement products. The funding round, co-led by Bain Capital Crypto and Haun Ventures, with participation from Pantera Capital, Apollo, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, and Stillmark, brings the company’s total 2025 funding to $122 million.

The Bermuda-based company, regulated by the Bermuda Monetary Authority, has pioneered several innovations in the Bitcoin financial sector, including becoming the first Bitcoin-denominated life insurer globally and securing Bermuda’s first long-term insurance license….

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Crypto-friendly Senator Cynthia Lummis has announced that the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) could start acquiring funds “anytime,” though legislative hurdles are slowing the process. Lummis credited President Trump’s administration for enabling the SBR initiative, calling it a vital step toward integrating Bitcoin into national strategy.

Her statement came in response to ProCap BTC CIO Jeff Park, who proposed leveraging the government’s $1 trillion in gold paper gains to invest in Bitcoin — a move he said could help offset America’s $37.88 trillion fiscal debt. Lummis praised the idea, calling it a strong case for advancing the BITCOIN Act and officially launching the SBR.

Although the government has not confirmed when BTC purchases will begin, early plans suggest the reserve will start with Treasury-owned Bitcoin seized in legal cases and may later expand through tax-neutral acquisitions. Market watchers believe a U.S. Bitcoin-buying announcement could come soon.

Morgan Stanley’s Global Investment Committee has formally recommended that clients allocate between 2% and 4% of their portfolios to bitcoin and crypto.

The new report, issued on October 1, outlines crypto (primarily bitcoin) allocations based on investor risk profiles. Opportunistic growth portfolios, which target higher-risk and higher-return strategies, should include up to 4% in crypto, while balanced growth portfolios are capped at 2%, the report read.

The committee who wrote the report characterized bitcoin as a scarce asset comparable to digital gold, suggesting that it now occupies a legitimate role within diversified investment strategies. 

“We place the…

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