Telegram CEO and co-founder Pavel Durov has announced plans to launch what he described as the largest ever rollout of a non-custodial crypto wallet this summer.

 

According to Durov, the non-custodial Gram Wallet will provide Telegram's more than 1 billion users with access to instant zero-fee crypto transactions. Because the wallet is non-custodial, users will retain full control of their private keys.

 

Built on The Open Network (TON) blockchain, Gram Wallet, formerly known as TON Wallet, was developed primarily by The Open Platform (TOP) in close collaboration with the Telegram team. The wallet was designed to make interacting with crypto seamless and easy.

 

Despite its initial legal challenge with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2018, the TON project continued to evolve. In 2023, TON Wallet was integrated with Telegram Mini Apps, contributing to significant growth and adoption in 2024. During that period, the wallet grew from a niche product to more than 100 million activated wallets.

 

In June this year, Toncoin (TON), the native cryptocurrency of the TON ecosystem, was rebranded to GRAM. According to Durov, the rebrand was intended to return the project to its original roots. He noted that Gram was the original name of TON's currency in its first white paper. "We're returning to our roots and starting a new chapter," Durov said in the announcement.

 

With the launch of the non-custodial wallet, users will no longer need to access existing wallets through bots or a separate section of the Telegram app. Instead, the wallet will be integrated directly into Telegram, making it easily accessible and enabling users to send and receive crypto at no cost.

 

 

Former New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has been appointed to the Board of Directors of cryptocurrency exchange OKX.

 

The appointment, announced in a recent OKX blog post, comes three years after Cuomo joined the exchange in 2023 as a member of its advisory team, where he advised the company on its regulatory and institutional strategy in the United States.

 

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"Governor Cuomo has been a thoughtful voice for OKX for years, and his move to the board formalizes a relationship that has already shaped how we approach the U.S. market," said Star Xu, Founder and CEO of OKX.

 

"As we build OKX into the infrastructure layer for both traditional and digital finance, we need people who understand how governments, institutions, and markets actually think. That's exactly what he brings."

 

Cuomo's appointment to the OKX Board comes as the exchange accelerates its expansion efforts. Last month, it signed a joint venture with Intercontinental Exchange, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, to build next-generation infrastructure for digital assets.

 

The infrastructure is intended to bridge the gap between traditional finance and the crypto market, giving more than 120 million registered OKX users access to ICE futures and tokenized NYSE-listed equities. Following the partnership, ICE reportedly invested $200 million in OKX, valuing the exchange at $25 billion.

 

Despite the regulatory challenges it has faced in the United States, including being barred from operating after violating anti-money laundering laws and being ordered to pay $504 million in penalties and forfeitures, OKX has continued to deepen its presence in the country following its relaunch a few months after the ban.

 

Since its relaunch, OKX has maintained compliance with U.S. laws by strengthening its anti-money laundering and know your customer systems while strategically appointing key executives, including former Barclays executive Roshan Robert as CEO of OKX U.S. and Andrew Cuomo as a board member and Co-Chair of the OKX ICE joint venture.

 

 

Bank of America has announced the appointment of senior executives Kevin Milson and Sonali Theisen in its latest move to drive AI adoption and implementation across its global markets group.

 

Kevin Milson was named Head of Platforms and AI Transformation, where he will help lead the broader implementation of artificial intelligence across the bank's global markets platforms.

 

Sonali Theisen was appointed Head of Global Digital Assets Platform. In this new role, she will oversee the design and development of the bank's digital asset initiatives while retaining her current position as Head of Global FICC E Trading and Markets Strategic Investments.

 

FICC, short for Fixed Income, Currencies, and Commodities, is the division that handles sales, trading, market making, research, and risk management across several core asset classes for institutional clients.

 

According to a memo seen by Reuters, Amy Avery and her Analytics, Modeling and Insights team will also join the bank's Global Platforms group, where she will oversee data-driven insights across the company.

 

The move by Bank of America comes as several other financial institutions, particularly banks and asset managers, make strategic appointments in an effort to adopt and integrate blockchain technology into their infrastructure.

 

In January this year, Morgan Stanley appointed Amy Oldenburg to lead its digital asset strategy following the firm's filing for spot Bitcoin and Solana ETFs.

 

Royal Bank of Canada, JPMorgan, and Standard Chartered have also made strategic appointments, naming executives to lead and expand their digital asset strategies. Meanwhile, Vanguard, one of the world's largest asset managers, has announced that it is seeking its first Head of Digital Assets.

 

 

SBI Holdings, one of Japan's largest financial conglomerates, has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Singapore-based crypto platform Coinhako, following approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

 

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According to an SBI press statement, the acquisition of Coinhako represents a significant step in advancing its global digital asset strategy. Through the acquisition, SBI Holdings aims to leverage Coinhako's customer base, expertise, and regional network alongside its own financial services, technology, and global network.

 

"Our group aims to create a global corridor for digital assets by connecting exchanges around the world, enabling investors worldwide to make optimal investments without being hindered by national borders or currency barriers," said Yoshitaka Kitao, Chairman and President of SBI Holdings, Inc.

 

"Singapore, where regulations related to digital assets are ahead of the curve, is a crucial region in this regard, and we are very pleased that Coinhako, with its solid customer base and business know-how, has joined the SBI Group."

 

SBI Holdings' acquisition of a majority stake in Coinhako comes shortly after the company partnered with the Solana Foundation to launch Japan's first on-chain financial market, which it said is intended to seamlessly connect Japan with Southeast Asia.

 

About Coinhako 

Launched in 2014, Coinhako is a Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange often described as one of the longest-standing in the Asia-Pacific region. Its founders, Yusho Liu and Gerry Eng, built it with a simple goal: to make it easy for Asians, especially Singaporeans, to buy Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies with local fiat currencies.

 

Since its launch, Coinhako has grown into one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in Singapore, serving nearly 400,000 users and processing more than $10 billion in crypto transactions over the past two years. Its assets under custody are reported to total around $1 billion to $1.1 billion, while its workforce has grown from a small team to several dozen employees.

 

Image credit: open access government 

 

The United States Department of the Treasury and the United Kingdom's HM Treasury have jointly released a framework outlining recommendations to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries.

 

Although the report is not solely about cryptocurrencies, the framework focuses on the broader digitalization of the financial sector, including stablecoins, tokenized financial assets, and digital market infrastructure.

 

According to a press release from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the recommendations, which build on the longstanding relationship between the U.S. and U.K. financial markets, aim to reduce unnecessary friction hindering economic ties between the two countries while identifying opportunities to enhance cross-border capital raising, strengthen supervisory cooperation, and provide greater clarity for tokenized financial activity.

 

Regarding the goal of the Transatlantic Taskforce, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, "The Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future reflects the strength and depth of U.S. and UK markets and our shared commitment to fostering economic growth and advancing global standards that reward innovation and competition."

 

Following the Taskforce's recommendations, the United States and the United Kingdom released a joint statement on stablecoins. The statement reaffirmed both countries' shared commitment to well-regulated stablecoins as a tool for financial innovation.

 

The two countries also emphasized the need for stablecoins to be fully backed on a one-to-one basis by high-quality liquid assets, with strong safeguards for reserves, consumer protection, timely redemption, and financial stability.

 

The Transatlantic Taskforce's release of the policy report comes shortly after the U.K. government published its first tokenized finance roadmap. The report, developed alongside task forces from 54 major financial institutions, including BlackRock, JPMorgan, and Goldman Sachs, focuses on scaling tokenization through initiatives such as the issuance of tokenized government bonds, tokenized repo and collateral markets, and stablecoin-enabled settlement.

 

The report projects that tokenizing wholesale financial markets could add up to £33 billion in annual GDP and £14 billion in tax revenue by 2035.

 

About the U.S.-UK Transatlantic Taskforce

 

The U.S. UK Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future was established by HM Treasury and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, in September 2025.

 

The task force was established to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries, enabling them to explore collaboration in capital markets and digital assets, including stablecoins and tokenization.

 

In addition to HM Treasury and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the task force works with regulators from both countries, including the Financial Conduct Authority, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

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Sony Bank, one of Japan's largest online banks, has received conditional approval from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, or OCC, to establish a national trust bank.

 

According to a press release from Sony Bank, the establishment of the trust bank, named Connectia Trust, is intended to prepare for the commercialization of businesses related to the issuance and management of U.S. dollar-denominated stablecoins in the United States.

 

"The establishment of this trust subsidiary is intended to contribute to the development of a medium to long-term business foundation for the Sony Financial Group's digital asset businesses," Sony Bank said in a press statement.

 

Although Connectia is being established this month, with Sony Bank committing an initial capital investment of $40 million (equivalent to JPY 6.4 billion), the trust bank will not begin full operations or stablecoin issuance until 2027. That is contingent on receiving final approval from the OCC after meeting all regulatory requirements.

 

Sony Bank's approval comes at a time when several other financial institutions, including crypto companies, have sought to establish national trust banks. In December last year, stablecoin issuer Circle received conditional approval to establish a national trust bank before securing final approval this week. Other companies that have received similar conditional approval include Ripple, Paxos, Fidelity, and BitGo.

 

By seeking an OCC national trust charter, companies can gain greater regulatory clarity and credibility to issue and manage U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins, provide custody services, and operate under a single national regulatory framework that preempts many state licensing requirements. An OCC charter can also help companies build trust among institutional clients, enabling them to expand their services to a broader range of customers.

 

 

Swift has launched a blockchain-based ledger that enables banks to execute cross-border payments 24 hours a day, seven days a week, using tokenized deposits while maintaining final settlement on existing infrastructure.

 

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According to Swift, 17 banks from six continents are set to pilot transactions on its blockchain-based ledger. Among the banks participating in the pilot program are Wells Fargo, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Standard Chartered, Bank of New York Mellon, Citibank, HSBC, DBS, and Lloyds Bank, among others.

 

Swift says the shared ledger will provide participating banks with a secure orchestration layer that allows them to issue tokenized deposits on their respective ledgers, enabling customers' funds to move quickly, including on weekends. Participating banks are also expected to benefit from improved client experience and enhanced global liquidity, without compromising their existing compliance, risk, and operational standards.

 

"With our new ledger capability, we're extending the trust and stability of established finance into the frontiers of digital money. It allows tokenized value to move across borders with the velocity and flexibility modern commerce expects, while maintaining the same high levels of resiliency, security, and compliance global finance requires," said Thierry Chilosi, Chief Business Officer at Swift.

 

"The strong support from banks shows the practical value of this approach, one that will help scale benefits globally while creating a foundation for future innovation in areas like programmable money and agentic commerce."

 

Swift said it took nine months to build the blockchain-based ledger, with the team incorporating feedback from financial institutions throughout the development process. According to the company, 75% of payments on the shared ledger will reach beneficiary banks within 10 minutes, and often within seconds. Swift said it also plans for the network to help meet the G20 target for faster international payments.

 

About Swift 

Swift, short for Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, is a global entity that enables banks and other institutions to exchange standardized, secure instructions for cross-border payments, securities, trade, and treasury transactions.

 

Since its inception, Swift has connected more than 11,500 institutions in over 200 countries. Before its most recent blockchain-based ledger pilot, Swift had conducted multiple interoperability pilots, testing tokenized assets, stablecoins, CBDCs, and the integration of traditional financial rails with blockchains.

 

 

Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin issuer, has announced plans to shut down its Alloy platform, along with the platform’s main product, Alloy Tether (aUSDT).

 

According to Tether, the decision was based on a review of user activity levels, market demand, and the company’s broader priorities, with the team planning to focus its resources on areas where it sees stronger user demand, deeper liquidity, and longer-term market opportunity.

 

The wind-down will take place in phases, with Tether disabling both aUSDT minting and the opening of new positions on the Alloy platform. Users will, however, be able to continue redeeming their aUSDT and withdrawing their Tether Gold (XAUT) collateral from the Alloy platform for the next three months, until September 17, 2026.

 

This is not the first time Tether has shut down one of its products. In 2024, the stablecoin issuer discontinued its euro-pegged stablecoin, Euro Tether (EURT), citing low demand. In February of this year, it discontinued issuing its yuan-pegged stablecoin, Chinese Yuan Tether (CNHT), due to low demand and usage.

 

About Alloy 

Alloy by Tether is an open platform launched by Tether that allows users to create Tethered assets, a category of digital assets designed to track the price of referenced assets such as the United States dollar, using over-collateralized assets like Tether Gold (XAUT).

 

 

Keyrock, a leading crypto investment company and digital asset liquidity provider, has secured a Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA) license, advancing its efforts to expand its presence across the European Union (EU).

 

 

The company announced the authorization in a Monday blog post, stating that it was granted through its French subsidiary, Keyrock FR SAS. According to Reza Ghadiri Zare, Keyrock’s general counsel, the MiCA license provides regulatory certainty as the firm scales its operations across EU member states, thereby strengthening investor confidence.

 

“Achieving a MiCA license not only demonstrates our uncompromising market integrity, but also signals our intent for the future,” commented Kevin de Patoul, CEO of Keyrock. “We’ll continue to drive progress in digital assets, but never at the expense of security or transparency. As we grow, we’ll provide clients with the stability and confidence required in a regulated market.”

 

With MiCA licensing secured and regulatory hurdles cleared, Keyrock aims to enhance its cross-border operations across the EU. Coupled with its liquidity and risk management infrastructure, the company plans to further scale its digital asset initiatives.

 

With a valuation of $1.1 billion, Keyrock operates a liquidity infrastructure that spans more than 85 centralized and decentralized exchanges and over 1,400 markets.

 

About Keyrock 

Founded in 2017, Keyrock is a leading global digital asset market maker that aims to make crypto markets more accessible and scalable. Leveraging its high-frequency trading technologies, risk management capabilities, and deep liquidity, Keyrock offers a range of services, including market making, OTC trading, and digital asset and wealth management.

 

As one of the earliest crypto market makers, Keyrock has achieved several significant milestones, including raising more than $170 million and achieving unicorn valuation. The company has also secured the necessary licenses, reducing regulatory uncertainty as it expands across the EU. Keyrock serves institutional clients, including hedge funds, asset managers, and traditional finance companies entering the digital asset market.

 

 

Exodus Movement Inc. (NYSE American: EXOD), a publicly traded financial technology company and developer of the Exodus wallet, has partnered with Ondo Finance to launch Exodus Markets, a platform for trading tokenized assets.

 

 

With Exodus Markets, users can now buy and sell more than 200 tokenized stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and real-world assets directly in the Exodus wallet app on the Solana blockchain.

 

"Tokenized stocks are one of the most important developments in modern finance," said JP Richardson, CEO and co-founder of Exodus.

 

"For the first time, our customers can trade and hold tokenized equities with the same direct control and global access they expect from crypto. Exodus is becoming the front door to every asset you hold, without compromising on trust and control."

 

The launch of Exodus Markets aligns with Exodus’s goal of transforming from a custodial wallet into a full financial platform that allows users to trade, earn rewards, send, spend, and manage money.

 

As part of its efforts to become a comprehensive financial app, Exodus launched Exodus Pay, a self-custodial payment feature within the Exodus app that enables users to transact with digital assets, including stablecoins, for everyday purchases. The company also launched XO Cash, a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar.

 

The Tokenization Space

The tokenization space, particularly real-world assets (RWAs), has experienced significant growth over the past 1 to 2 years. Excluding stablecoins, the tokenization sector grew from roughly $5 billion to $6 billion at the start of 2025 to $27 billion to $31 billion or more by mid 2026, representing an increase of more than 400% over a period of 15 to 18 months.

 

Several institutions are also entering this growing sector, with Bitget most recently launching Reality, its real-world asset (RWA) platform. Kraken has also launched xChange, an on-chain trading engine designed for trading tokenized equities. MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Blockchain.com, and Robinhood have also made strategic moves to enter the sector, partnering with RWA firms and rolling out tokenized assets and stocks.

 

Given the level of growth and adoption the real-world asset and tokenization sector has seen so far, several projections have been made regarding its future potential. The Boston Consulting Group and Ripple have projected that the sector could be worth more than $15 trillion by 2030.

 

 

Zodia Custody, a company that provides institutional custody for cryptocurrencies and digital assets, has secured a payment license from Luxembourg’s Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), the country’s primary financial regulator.

 

 

With this payment license secured, Zodia Custody is set to expand beyond crypto custody, its main offering, and is now moving into both the custody and seamless transfer of electronic money tokens and stablecoins within the European Union.

 

“Institutional adoption of crypto assets demands infrastructure that meets the highest standards of regulatory adherence and operational efficiency,” said Ami Nagata, Managing Director, Luxembourg at Zodia Custody Europe.

 

“Securing a Payment Institution license alongside our MiCA CASP authorization is a critical step in bridging our capabilities across crypto asset safekeeping. With both licenses in place, our clients have the certainty they need to manage their electronic money token and crypto asset strategies across Europe, with full confidence that their assets are safeguarded within a bank-grade environment.”

 

Alongside the payment license and the MiCA license it secured in December last year, Zodia Custody is now well-positioned to serve as a core infrastructure provider for institutional digital finance. Securing these licenses removes structural barriers and counterparty risks commonly associated with crypto asset service providers.

 

The securing of the Luxembourg payment license comes shortly after Standard Chartered made a non-binding offer to acquire Zodia Custody. Although the acquisition cost was not publicly disclosed, the offer has already been accepted by Zodia Custody shareholders.

 

Zodia Custody currently serves a number of institutional clients, including 21Shares, Re7 Capital, Bitwise, and BitMEX. In April of this year, Zodia Custody partnered with BitMEX to integrate the Interchange platform into BitMEX's infrastructure to enable off-exchange trading, a move that enhances the safety of clients' assets on the BitMEX platform, especially in the event of a security breach.

 

 

Kraken has been named the official cryptocurrency exchange supporter of the FIFA 2026 World Cup, which is scheduled to begin on June 11.

 

In a blog post announcing the partnership, Kraken said the collaboration will allow it to leverage its digital technology to enhance the fan experience for the global audience expected to tune in to this year’s World Cup tournament, which will be hosted across three countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The tournament is expected to reach more than 6 billion people worldwide.

 

 

“Innovation has always played a central role in how FIFA evolves and enhances the fan experience. As we prepare to welcome the world to the biggest FIFA World Cup in history, we are delighted to partner with Kraken, an organization that shares our commitment to innovation and technology,” said Romy Gai, FIFA Chief Business Officer.

 

“Together, we look forward to exploring new ways to connect supporters with the tournament, creating memorable experiences that bring fans closer to the game and the moments that make the FIFA World Cup so special.”

 

With Kraken becoming the official cryptocurrency exchange supporter of this year’s World Cup, the company said it will deliver a series of fan-focused product experiences across North America and Europe. Kraken said the initiatives are designed to introduce new audiences to digital assets while strengthening the connection between football engagement and financial participation.

 

About Kraken 

Kraken is one of the world’s oldest global cryptocurrency exchanges. Launched in 2011, the exchange operates as a full-service digital asset platform offering spot trading, margin trading, futures, staking, over-the-counter services, tokenized equities, and stocks. Its mission is to accelerate the global adoption of crypto by enabling broader access to financial services and promoting financial inclusion.

 

Since its launch, Kraken has grown to serve millions of users worldwide. Its services are currently available in more than 190 countries and serve over 13 million users globally. To provide non-U.S. users with access to U.S.-listed stocks and IPO opportunities, Kraken launched xChange, a platform that offers tokenized representations of real U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds to eligible non-U.S. users.