Blockchain News page 28

The industry group warns that broad identification requirements could otherwise sweep in nearly every stablecoin transaction. The Blockchain Association, a Washington-based crypto industry group, has called for stablecoin identification rules to carve out peer-to-peer transfers. The group argues that requiring identity checks on wallet-to-wallet transactions would extend far beyond the intent of existing anti-money-laundering frameworks.

Both assets rallied together in August, with sources differing on whether gold's gain marks its best month since 1999 or simply its best in decades. Bitcoin traded above $81,000 this week, extending a rally that has unfolded alongside a historic surge in gold prices.

The crypto trade group says stablecoin-specific rules would fit better than generic bank-style customer checks. The Blockchain Association, a Washington-based trade group representing crypto companies, has called on the U.S. Treasury to write know-your-customer rules tailored to stablecoin issuers. The group argues that generic, bank-modeled KYC standards do not fit how stablecoins actually operate.

The mainnet upgrade targets cross-chain bridge vulnerabilities as BNB Chain continues hardening its infrastructure. BNB Chain has completed activation of the Pasteur hard fork on its mainnet. The upgrade is designed to strengthen the security of bridge infrastructure connecting the chain to other blockchain networks.

New sanctions campaign hits digital assets, gold, aviation and shipping as Iran promises retaliation Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a broad new sanctions initiative on Monday targeting Iran's use of digital assets and technology. The campaign, named Operation Economic Outcast, expands Washington's economic pressure on Tehran across several sectors at once.

CEO Brian Armstrong unveiled a Slack-based tool that settles AI micropayments in about 200 milliseconds without subscriptions. Coinbase has developed a Slack bot designed to let artificial intelligence agents pay for services instantly, according to reporting on the new tool.

The corporate Ethereum holder expanded its treasury by 32,447 ETH during a week that saw the token jump roughly 30%. BitMine Immersion Technologies has expanded its Ethereum holdings by 32,447 ETH, a purchase valued at approximately $81 million, according to figures reported this week.

A new projection points to sharply rising electricity consumption from Australian data centers, with implications for energy markets and digital infrastructure. Australia's data center electricity use is projected to climb sevenfold over the next decade, according to a report published by CryptoBriefing.

The exchange's Base network now hosts tokenized shares, positioning Coinbase in the growing race to bring equities onchain Coinbase has begun issuing tokenized stocks on Base, its Ethereum layer-2 network, according to reports from CryptoBriefing and Bankless.

Coinbase's tokenized equities go live on the Base network, relying on Chainlink's price feed infrastructure. Coinbase has begun offering tokenized versions of US stocks on Base, the layer-2 network it developed. The exchange selected Chainlink to supply price feed infrastructure supporting the new product, according to reports from CryptoBriefing, Coinfomania, and Cointelegraph.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says trade negotiations with the Trump administration have broken down entirely. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says his country is now locked in an economic war with the United States.

The company's stockpile of TRX tokens has grown past 711 million as its stock price climbs, though reports differ on the exact size of the gain. Tron Inc. has grown its corporate treasury to more than 711 million TRX, according to newly reported figures.

A steep new fee targets skilled foreign workers, reviving a policy blocked earlier by federal judges. The Trump administration has proposed a new fee of $103,265 for H-1B visa applications, according to reports from CryptoBriefing and Nairametrics. The figure applies to visas used to bring highly skilled foreign workers into the United States.

Canadian equities swing as negotiations break down and steep new duties kick in Negotiations between the United States and Canada have collapsed, according to reporting from Invezz. The breakdown paves the way for tariffs of 50% to take effect on trade between the two countries.

A meme token tied to a Grand Theft Auto 6 leak rallied sharply, though on-chain data suggests it may have existed before the leak surfaced A cryptocurrency token named CYBERLEEK rallied sharply this week, gaining roughly 80% in value.

The billionaire investor's move gives him indirect exposure to the fast-growing decentralized exchange network Hyperliquid. Stanley Druckenmiller, the billionaire investor known for running Duquesne Capital and later his family office, has acquired a $23 million stake in a company that holds Hyperliquid tokens as part of its corporate treasury.

The exchange joins a growing field of firms racing to bring equities onto public blockchains. Coinbase has begun offering tokenized versions of stocks on Base, according to reports from CryptoBriefing and CoinDesk. Base is the layer-2 network built by Coinbase on top of Ethereum, designed to lower transaction costs and speed up settlement.

The crypto advocacy group widens its political footprint as digital asset policy heads into a pivotal election cycle Stand With Crypto has announced endorsements for 32 candidates seeking House seats in the 2026 midterm elections. The group framed the move as part of a broader push to influence federal crypto policy through direct political engagement.