Stablecoin issuer Tether has announced its role as the lead investor in Neura Robotics’ recent Series C funding round. The funding round, which raised an estimated $1.4 billion, included Qualcomm, Amazon, and NVIDIA among other investors.

 

 

By investing in Neura Robotics, Tether is extending its influence beyond the digital asset industry, enabling it to deploy some of its core technologies into the humanoid robotics ecosystem. The partnership also enables the integration of Tether’s Wallet Development Kit and Tether’s self-custody wallets into the Neura Robotics system.

 

Through this integration, Tether provides a foundation that enables Neura Robotics to develop robotic systems that earn micropayments for tasks, transact with other robotic systems, and autonomously facilitate transactions and receive payments between machines without human intervention.

 

As part of its partnership, Neura Robotics will collaborate on testing, improving, and deploying Tether’s QuantumVerse Automatic Computer, known as QVAC, into its Neuraverse ecosystem. QVAC is Tether’s open-source, decentralized artificial intelligence platform that enables users to run and fine-tune large language models directly on their devices without relying on cloud servers.

 

“As robotics moves beyond scripted automation and into true autonomy, the infrastructure behind it must evolve as well,” said Paolo Ardoino, chief executive officer of Tether.

 

“Autonomous machines need the ability to process information locally, make decisions, and transact without relying on centralized intermediaries. QVAC brings that edge-first intelligence to the platform while WDK handles the secure financial layer. Together, they enable machines to execute tasks, account for outcomes, and operate independently. NEURA Robotics shares that vision, and this investment reflects our confidence in what autonomous robotics can become.”

 

About Neura Robotics 

NEURA Robotics is a German-based high technology company that positions itself as a pioneer in cognitive robotics and Physical Artificial Intelligence. It develops artificially intelligent machines that can perceive (see, hear, feel), learn, adapt, and collaborate safely with humans.

 

So far, the company has developed some cognitive humanoid robots, including MAiRA, MiPA, and 4NE1. It has also developed Neuraverse, an open ecosystem and platform that enables robots to share skills, continuously learn, and expand their capabilities.

 

 

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.

 

 

Morpho, a leading decentralized finance lending protocol, has raised $175 million in a funding round led by Paradigm, a16z crypto, and Ribbit Capital. Other firms involved in the round include Apollo Funds, Circle Ventures, VanEck, Ledger Cathay, Variant, Wintermute Ventures, Prelude, IOSG, HashKey, Mirana, NJJ Capital, SBI Group, Bpifrance, and Bam Azizi.

 

 

With the funds raised, Morpho aims to further deepen its technical and commercial integrations with strategic partners and continue its mission of developing and strengthening the on-chain infrastructure businesses need to build programmable credit products.

 

“The true value of finance has always been held back by outdated infrastructure, fragmented systems, and extractive intermediaries,” says Paul Frambot, co-founder of Morpho. “We started Morpho to change that. We’re building the open credit network for the world, connecting those with excess capital to those who need financing globally.”

 

About Morpho 

Morpho is a leading decentralized, permissionless lending protocol operating across Ethereum, Base, and other EVM-compatible blockchain networks. Launched in 2021, Morpho aims to efficiently connect lenders and borrowers globally through its decentralized credit network.

 

Morpho claims to have facilitated more than $11 billion in deposits since its launch. Its decentralized lending platform is currently used by several institutional clients, including Bitwise, Galaxy, Anchorage Digital, Ledger, Trezor, Bitpanda, Coinbase, Kraken, and Binance. In total, Morpho has raised more than $244 million, with a valuation of approximately $2 billion.

 

The State of DeFi Lending

On-chain lending remains one of the largest and most mature sectors in decentralized finance. According to data from DeFiLlama, the total value locked in DeFi lending across more than 600 protocols stands at approximately $35.5 billion to $35.8 billion, with Aave, Morpho, and SparkLend holding the largest market shares in the sector.

 

Institutional adoption in DeFi lending has also accelerated significantly, with blockchain protocols such as Morpho launching Morpho Blue and MetaMorpho vaults, which allow easier integration of the Morpho platform with other centralized finance and institutional platforms. SparkLend has also launched dedicated products targeting institutional clients.

 

Several other companies, including Gemini, Crypto.com, Fireblocks, Bitwise, J.P. Morgan, and VanEck, have also become involved in institutional DeFi lending through partnerships or the launch of DeFi lending products.