Finance and Business News page 29

The bank plans to fold digital asset custody into its Custody+ platform, with a rollout targeted later in 2026. Citi is preparing to launch a bitcoin custody service for institutional clients, according to reports published August 18.

The agency's plan arrives as lawmakers remain stalled on broader digital asset legislation. The Securities and Exchange Commission has put forward a new set of proposed rules addressing crypto asset investment contracts. Investing.com Crypto reported the proposal on Monday, framing it as a formal regulatory step for digital asset offerings.

With comprehensive market-structure legislation stuck in the Senate, federal regulators are moving to write their own crypto rules Federal financial regulators under the Trump administration are moving to shape crypto policy through agency action rather than wait for Congress.

Small, traceable transfers tied to the sanctioned platform HTX are reportedly reaching unrelated wallets. An unidentified party has been sending small, traceable amounts of cryptocurrency linked to sanctioned exchange HTX to unrelated wallet addresses, according to a report from Protos.

The asset manager's tracker suggests the current Bitcoin correction could be approaching its later stages. VanEck, the asset management firm known for its exchange-traded fund products, has published an update on its Bitcoin capitulation framework. The firm reports that 8 of 12 signals it monitors are currently active.

The agency is asking industry and the public to weigh in on changes affecting commodity pool operators and trading advisors, a category that increasingly includes digital asset fund managers. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has proposed changes to the registration rules governing commodity pool operators and commodity trading advisors.

Reports indicate holders will receive the token ahead of the network it is meant to power. Arthur Hayes, the former chief executive of derivatives exchange BitMEX, is again drawing attention in crypto circles. This time it concerns a new token tied to his name.

The raise will reportedly support growth plans across the United States, though reports differ on which Ripple entity led the deal. A Ripple-linked entity has completed a $275 million private placement, with proceeds earmarked for expanding operations in the United States.

The new platform pairs transaction privacy with compliance tools aimed at institutional and regulated trading activity. Provable has begun early access rollout for Shield Swap, a trading venue built to keep transaction details confidential while still meeting compliance expectations. The announcement was reported by BeInCrypto and AMBCrypto on August 18, 2026.

Total capital raised stayed roughly flat even as the number of funded deals declined, according to new data. Crypto fundraising totaled roughly $1.36 billion in July, according to data reported by Invezz and Cryptopolitan. The figure held near recent levels even as the number of individual deals declined during the month.

The exchange's new debit card supports more than 600 currencies as it pushes into everyday crypto spending in the American market. Kraken has introduced the Krak Card to customers in the United States, according to an announcement from the exchange.

The new HINC fund brings tokenized exposure to high-yield credit, with Avalanche among the supported networks. Securitize has introduced the Neuberger Securitize High Income Tokenized Fund, a new product built to give investors blockchain-based access to high-yield credit markets. The fund, trading under the ticker HINC, is being made available across four separate blockchain networks.

The tokenized fund, reported to trade under the ticker HINC, is live on Avalanche alongside three other networks Securitize has introduced a new tokenized fund built in connection with asset manager Neuberger Berman, according to reporting from CryptoBriefing and CoinGape.

The auto lender's finance arm is letting everyday users buy digital bond products directly from a smartphone payment application Toyota Finance has started allowing retail investors to purchase tokenized bonds directly through a mobile payment application. The development was reported by Cointelegraph and CryptoBriefing on August 18, 2026.

The new teen-focused build arrives as OpenAI faces a growing number of legal complaints over its chatbot's interactions with minors. OpenAI has introduced a version of ChatGPT built for users under the age of 18, according to reports published on August 18, 2026.

The card network is searching for a replacement after rival Mastercard bought its stablecoin infrastructure partner BVNK. Visa is searching for a new stablecoin settlement partner following Mastercard's acquisition of BVNK, according to reports from CoinDesk and CryptoBriefing. BVNK had reportedly worked with Visa on stablecoin settlement infrastructure before Mastercard moved to acquire the company.

The bank expects to offer digital asset custody, including Bitcoin, later this year. Citi is moving ahead with plans to offer digital asset custody, including Bitcoin, according to CryptoBriefing and The Block. The new service will operate under a platform the bank calls Custody+.

Derivatives data show traders paying steep premiums to hold long positions, a signal some analysts read as bullish momentum Bitcoin's funding rate on perpetual futures contracts has climbed to its highest point since late 2024, according to data cited by several market observers on August 18.