Many experts share Bilotta’s AI agent outlook, including Charles Hoskinson, founder and CEO of Cardano’s Input Output, who said that by 2035 they will become more relevant than humans.

The macro numbers support his stance. Data from the U.S. International Trade Administration via Trade.gov shows that business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce across the broader Asia-Pacific region is expanding at a 15% annual clip, with market values projected to climb past $28.9 trillion by the end of this year.

Yet, despite that explosive growth, the plumbing underneath remains broken. The problem is fundamentally an issue of legacy infrastructure and compliance, Bilotta noted.

Global financial regulations, banking protocols and identity verification checks were built strictly for humans. An autonomous AI software agent cannot pass a standard compliance check, he said or execute a payment loop unless a human manually intervenes to clear the transaction.

To bridge this structural gap, the industry requires a compliant backend middleware that acts as a universal interpreter. Bilotta explained that by dropping an Anthropic-standard Model Context Protocol (MCP) server directly into the payment infrastructure, software agents can programmatically navigate compliance, pull real-time FX quotes, and settle transactions natively across borders without human steps.

While institutional gatekeepers like Stripe and Mastercard have spent billions acquiring fiat-to-crypto APIs to secure traditional corporate treasuries, the automated machine-to-machine economy across emerging corridors remains heavily underserved.

Bitcoin BTC$64,937.87 is facing selling pressure ahead of today’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) interest-rate decision at the first meeting under new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh.

The largest cryptocurrency pulled back below $65,000 after trading near $67,000 just a day earlier, CoinDesk data show. The broader market CoinDesk 20 Index (CD200) has lost 1.2% since midnight UTC, with all but four tokens declining.

“The main focus for the week is the FOMC meeting under new leadership, with market expectations of interest rate hikes already priced in through 2027,” Laser Digital said in its weekly note.

The market is pricing in no change in the fed funds rate at this meeting. Instead, the focus will be on Warsh’s post-meeting press conference for signals on his views on inflation. Warsh has criticized the Fed’s frequent press conferences and detailed forecasting and may face questions on his stance.

Among stand-out gainers, Uniswap’s UNI token surged another 20% over 24 hours, buoyed by Standard Chartered’s bullish forecast of $100 by 2030. Meanwhile, NEAR, INJ and several stablecoin-related assets dropped as much as 8%.

Derivatives positioning

• The market remains calm ahead of the Fed decision. Activity has slowed, with crypto futures volume falling 20% in 24 hours to $165 billion and open interest dropping 2.3% to $110 billion. Liquidations fell to roughly $310 million, down 44%.
• The calm is also evident in BVIV, bitcoin’s 30-day implied volatility index, which was hovering near an annualized 39% at the time of writing — a level not seen since June 2, just before it spiked to nearly 59% a few days later. Ether’s volatility index is showing similar stability.
• Cardano’s ADA stands out among altcoins. Open interest has climbed to 2.26 billion tokens, nearing the record 2.32 billion set on June 6 and recovering from the June 13 low of 2 billion.
• The rebound points to renewed capital deployment in leveraged ADA markets, though the move isn’t necessarily bullish. The token’s price has slipped from over 18 cents to under 17 cents in two days alongside a negative 24-hour cumulative volume delta. The combination leans bearish, pointing to aggressive trading at market orders rather than passive limit orders.
• ZEC and SUI are the other notable open interest gainers over the past 24 hours, while NEAR and BCH led the losers.
• NEAR has dropped over 9%, and the decline in open interest suggests traders are unwinding leverage during the selloff rather than piling into fresh shorts.
• Most major tokens, with the exception of TRX and CC, are showing negative 24-hour CVD, pointing to broad bearish dominance in trade flows.
• In options markets, BTC puts continue to dominate 24-hour volume rankings, though the $80,000 call expiring March 26 next year also saw notable activity. In ether’s case, calls are leading volume rankings.

Token talk

• UNI has risen for a seventh straight day, its longest winning streak since August 2023, when it ran eight. The token trades near $2.75, erasing its June losses after jumping by more than 10% earlier in the week.
• The accelerant was a Standard Chartered note. The bank’s digital assets head, Geoff Kendrick, initiated coverage on June 15 with a $100 price target for 2030, roughly 40 times the current level, arguing that tokenized real-world assets, meaning stocks and bonds issued onchain, will flood into DeFi and Uniswap will capture the flow as core market infrastructure. He predicts a path through $6.50 by year-end.
• Two fundamentals sit underneath the call. Uniswap’s fee switch, live since late 2025, routes a share of trading fees into buying back and burning UNI, and has removed about 106 million tokens, more than 10% of supply, turning a pure governance token into a deflationary one.
• Separately, tokenized stocks that launched on the protocol earlier this month have already seen more than $9.1 billion swapped through its real-world-asset pools.

The entire bitcoin market is worth about $1.2 trillion as of Wednesday. SpaceX, at $2.5 trillion, is worth nearly twice that, and it is drawing from the same risk budget that flows to crypto – the point ARK made earlier this week when it funded its SpaceX buying by selling other holdings.

The caution is that expectations now leave little room for error, with some analysts warning that a SpaceX stumble would hit the broader market and the AI winners with it.

“With the expectations already sky high, there is little room for error,” Lukman Otunuga, head of markets at FXTM, told CoinDesk in an email. “Should SpaceX disappoint down the line, the fallout will hit the broader stock market, as well as the beneficiaries of the AI boom.”

The numbers support that worry. SpaceX posted a $4.94 billion net loss in 2025 on $18.67 billion of revenue, and at $2.5 trillion, it trades at more than 130 times sales, a multiple some call meme-stock territory.

As such, SpaceX announced Tuesday that it has formally agreed to take over Cursor in a deal that values the AI coding startup at $60 billion. Cursor investors will have the right to receive SpaceX stock based on the implied equity value of Cursor, according to a company filing.

Key Takeaways

• Over 100 Chinese technology companies, including DeepSeek and CXMT, have avoided U.S. trade restrictions despite receiving security clearance for blacklisting.
• An interagency committee greenlit these companies for Entity List designation, but the Commerce Department hasn’t published the updates.
• The Entity List has seen no new additions since October—marking an unprecedented pause spanning more than ten years of enforcement history.
• Security officials identified DeepSeek as aiding Chinese military objectives and attempting to illegally obtain advanced American semiconductors.
• National security analysts caution that this administrative freeze could enable critical U.S. technology to fall into hostile hands.

The current administration has postponed the blacklisting of more than 100 Chinese corporations through the U.S. Commerce Department’s Entity List, Reuters has revealed. Among the companies awaiting designation are artificial intelligence developer DeepSeek and semiconductor manufacturer ChangXin Memory Technologies, both of which received interagency approval for restrictions but remain unlisted.

Inclusion on the Entity List triggers severe export limitations. American companies are prohibited from transferring products, software applications, or proprietary technology to designated entities without obtaining special government authorization, which authorities routinely reject.

This postponement appears connected to diplomatic strategies aimed at preventing escalation with China. Reports indicate that Jeffrey Kessler, the under secretary of commerce overseeing industry and security matters, has worked to suspend Chinese entity designations since the closing months of 2025.

DeepSeek captured international attention in January 2025 after launching an affordable AI system that sent shockwaves through the tech industry. According to a high-ranking State Department representative, the company has provided assistance to Chinese military and intelligence agencies while orchestrating efforts to procure cutting-edge American processors through intermediary corporations in Southeast Asia.

Anthropic disclosed earlier this year that it uncovered coordinated efforts by DeepSeek alongside two additional Chinese AI developers attempting to extract proprietary capabilities from its Claude AI system. OpenAI similarly alerted congressional members that DeepSeek was conducting operations against its technology platforms.

ChangXin Memory Technologies, representing China’s leading memory chip producer, received designation as a Chinese military-linked corporation by Pentagon officials during the previous Biden administration.

Record-Breaking Pause in Enforcement Actions

No fresh Entity List designations have appeared since October. According to Philip Luck from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, this represents an unprecedented enforcement gap exceeding anything witnessed in the past decade.

“The Entity List functions like whack-a-mole and you need to maintain constant vigilance,” Luck explained.

Kevin Kurland, previously with the Commerce Department, characterized the suspension as evidence that commercial considerations are eclipsing national security imperatives. “The absence of any Entity List additions since October clearly demonstrates that trade policy considerations are taking precedence over a vital national security instrument,” he stated.

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No fewer than 75 Chinese organizations operating in semiconductor manufacturing, chip production equipment, and artificial intelligence development received approval for listing but await official publication.

Additional flagged entities include suppliers of components discovered in Russian unmanned aerial vehicles recovered in Poland last September, plus companies accused of distributing restricted Nvidia processors to Chinese educational institutions.

Commerce Bureau Remains Tight-Lipped on Publication Delays

The Bureau of Industry and Security has not provided substantive responses regarding the publication freeze, declining to address questions about DeepSeek and CXMT specifically.

The agency stated it employs “numerous policy and enforcement mechanisms, including the Entity List, throughout regular operations.”

Additionally, the bureau has failed to issue a successor regulation to the AI chip export controls established under President Biden, creating a potential regulatory void that may have permitted advanced processors to reach Chinese entities operating beyond China’s borders.

The world’s third-largest economy is reclassifying crypto as a financial instrument and charting a path to slash punishing tax rates. The change reaches far beyond Japan, and most of the coverage is getting the details wrong.

On June 11, 2026, the lower house of Japan’s parliament passed a bill that begins one of the most consequential regulatory shifts in the country’s crypto history. The legislation reclassifies cryptocurrency from its current home under the Payment Services Act into the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, the statute that governs stocks and bonds, and it sits alongside a closely linked tax proposal that would cut the tax on crypto gains from a punishing rate near 55% toward a flat 20%.

For more than 135 years, the Kanoo family, one of Bahrain’s wealthiest families, has helped build the Gulf’s entire commercial infrastructure.

The family, with a net worth of up to $6 billion, owns businesses spanning shipping, logistics, travel and finance.

Abdulla Kanoo, one of the heirs to this 135-year-old dynasty, is now involved in crypto. While he refuses to reveal his family’s or his personal bitcoin investments, he says he’s invested in digital assets since 2015 and remains “faithful” to bitcoin BTC$64,740.89.

Kanoo also believes the next generation of global commerce will not be built on ports or banks, but on digital rails or, more specifically, on the blockchain, where programmable money is king.

Kanoo is the co-founder of ARP Digital, a digital asset infrastructure project focused on allowing the movement of money between emerging economies faster, cheaper and with fewer intermediaries.

“The Gulf was where global capital was stored,” he told CoinDesk. “The next chapter is about movement.”

Kanoo is not launching another crypto exchange nor is he pitching a new token. He has his goals set on expanding the family legacy on a global scale.

Most people holding Strategy’s 11.5% dividend-paying STRC, are making a strange bargain with the company; that on monthly snapshot days, the stock will trade near the company’s intended $100 share price.

In between those dates, however, STRC invariably wanders downhill. Indeed, it closed yesterday at $91.79, 8.2% below its target.

Strategy persuades buyers to take the bargain of downside possibility on their investment with an above-market yield of 11.5%.

Strategy, the bitcoin (BTC) treasury company built by Michael Saylor, markets STRC as a near-$100 instrument that strips away BTC’s volatility, providing ostensibly predictable payouts and a USD-stable target.

Anyone who holds STRC at the close of Nasdaq’s regular trading session on the dividend record “snapshot” date receives that payout. 

Because Strategy pays a dividend on the full $100 par regardless of its price on Nasdaq, the company designed STRC to hold near $100 on its snapshot dates.

The actual chart of Nasdaq trades, unfortunately, says otherwise.

STRC had its IPO in July 2025 and didn’t even trade up to $100 until October. For over a trailing month as of publication time, STRC hasn’t traded at or above $100.

STRC crashes ex-dividend

The morning after its snapshot date, the stock trades “ex-dividend,” and holders earn nothing extra for maintaining their investment until another two weeks transpire and another snapshot occurs.

Predictably, the stock always rallies into these snapshot dates and immediately sells off afterward. 

Historical prices bear this out across the security’s short life.

In August 2025, STRC dropped to $92.20 in-between its dividend snapshot dates. 

In September, it drifted to $96.61. October was a similar $96.75. Then November frightened investors with a 9.5% drop from $100 to $90.52.

Although each month’s trading range is unique, this month is risking becoming on of its worst. Just yesterday, shares closed at $91.79.

Run-ups into the dividend snapshots are routine, but declines are just as routine.

China’s central bank leadership has called for tighter attention to stablecoins as privately issued tokens increasingly intersect with cross-border payments and aspects of the international monetary system. In remarks reported by The Paper, Wang Xin, director general of the Research Bureau at the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), urged regulators to monitor stablecoin-driven developments while strengthening international coordination and regulatory cooperation.

The comments also pointed to broader risks regulators associate with payments infrastructure—namely growing uncertainty and the possibility that payment channels could be used in ways that disrupt cross-border transactions. While Wang did not announce new rules or endorse stablecoins, the message aligns with a more restrictive regulatory posture toward private digital money and highlights how compliance requirements could expand for firms operating across jurisdictions.

Key takeaways

• China’s PBOC leadership urged authorities to closely monitor stablecoins’ impact on cross-border payments and the international monetary system.
• Wang Xin warned about uncertainty and potential “weaponization” of payments that could disrupt normal cross-border activity.
• The remarks come after China and multiple agencies previously banned unauthorized renminbi-pegged stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets (RWA) without government approval.
• Wang also flagged central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), saying cross-border CBDC roles warrant similar scrutiny and improved policy coordination.

Stablecoins under PBOC scrutiny: focus on cross-border payment architecture

According to The Paper, Wang Xin said regulators should pay attention to whether stablecoins could assume a larger role in cross-border payments and consider how regulation and international coordination should proceed. The framing is notable because it treats stablecoins not only as a market asset class, but also as potential payment rails that can influence cross-border settlement behavior and, indirectly, monetary and financial stability concerns.

For institutional compliance and risk teams, this matters because cross-border payment use-cases can change a token’s regulatory treatment. Firms that interact with stablecoins—whether as counterparties, liquidity providers, or gateways—may face increased scrutiny around licensing, sanctions controls, and anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) obligations depending on the jurisdiction and the nature of the settlement flows.

Wang’s remarks also referenced risks linked to the governance and security of payment systems. In particular, he cautioned that uncertainty and potential weaponization of payments could interfere with ordinary cross-border transactions. While the statement did not specify mechanisms or actors, it reinforces the policy view that stablecoin-based payment networks could be exposed to geopolitical and operational disruptions.

Regulatory context: China’s earlier ban on unauthorized RMB-pegged stablecoins

Wang’s call for closer monitoring follows enforcement actions and rulemaking that have already restricted stablecoin issuance connected to the renminbi. Months earlier, the PBOC and seven other Chinese agencies banned unauthorized issuance of renminbi-pegged stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets on Feb. 6, according to reporting referenced in the underlying coverage.

As described in the broader record of that regulatory action, the rules were not limited to a single geography: they applied to both foreign and domestic entities and covered onshore and offshore versions of yuan-pegged tokens. The framework required issuers to obtain government approval, reflecting China’s preference for state-controlled digital money rather than privately issued digital currencies.

From a compliance perspective, the enforcement logic is significant. When regulators move from general warnings to binding restrictions tied to authorization, firms must assess where their activities sit in relation to “issuance,” “promotion,” “distribution,” and “use.” In cross-border operations, where marketing and technical access can be fragmented across countries, even indirect participation may raise questions about whether a firm is facilitating prohibited activity.

Broader implications for CBDCs and international coordination

Alongside stablecoins, Wang reportedly said central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) should also be observed more closely in relation to cross-border payments, with improved policy cooperation. This suggests China’s regulatory attention is not limited to private stablecoin markets; it also extends to how state digital currencies could influence international settlement.

The distinction is important for institutions evaluating future settlement models. If regulators view CBDCs as a more controllable alternative to private tokens for cross-border payment flows, then international coordination discussions could eventually translate into standards for interoperability, governance, or compliance expectations. Until those standards are defined, firms face uncertainty over how cross-border “digital money” will be regulated across legal regimes.

Additionally, China’s emphasis on international coordination underscores the inherently cross-border nature of stablecoin risk. Tokens can be transferred globally, but regulatory responsibility remains jurisdictional. This mismatch is a key reason why policy makers across regions increasingly tie stablecoin oversight to existing frameworks—such as AML/KYC expectations, licensing for payment or financial services, and controls aligned with sanctions and illicit finance prevention.

Stablecoin growth and compliance pressure from expanding usage

The PBOC’s renewed attention arrives as stablecoins continue to expand in market activity. The coverage referenced data points indicating that stablecoin supply increased and that stablecoins represented a substantial portion of overall crypto trading volume during the first quarter of 2026. It also noted that transaction volume can be heavily influenced by automated activity, with bots generating a large share of volume in that period.

While market statistics do not determine the legality of a token, they often influence supervisory priorities. Higher usage can increase the probability that compliance failures—such as inadequate customer screening, weak transfer controls, or unclear source-of-funds checks—are noticed by regulators and addressed through enforcement or additional requirements.

Institutional actors should also consider how major regulatory approaches are evolving elsewhere. In the European Union, for example, the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework provides a structured pathway for stablecoin-related obligations, including rules designed to mitigate risks from reserve management, disclosures, and operating conditions. Differences between regimes can create friction for cross-border service providers, particularly those offering custody, exchange, remittance, or settlement tooling connected to stablecoin flows.

Against this backdrop, China’s stance—requiring approval for renminbi-pegged stablecoins and tokenized RWA issuance—illustrates one end of the policy spectrum: a preference for tighter state oversight over private issuance. Even where stablecoins are used in ways not directly tied to issuance, the regulatory focus on cross-border payments signals that regulators may still scrutinize service layers around distribution and transfer.

Closing perspective: what to watch next

Wang Xin’s remarks do not announce immediate policy changes, but they reinforce an enforcement trajectory in which stablecoins and CBDCs are treated as strategic issues for payments governance and international coordination. For regulated firms, the near-term priority is to monitor how Chinese guidance develops and how cross-border compliance expectations evolve alongside international policy frameworks—especially regarding AML/KYC controls, authorization boundaries, and controls that address payment-system geopolitical and operational risks.