6 stories from 3 sources
Supporting Articles
Spending through cryptocurrency-linked cards reached $1.04 billion in July, more than triple the level a year earlier. Dollar-backed stablecoins accounted for 70% of more than 10 million tracked transactions, with spending increasingly tied to everyday purchases such as groceries.
8:51 PMPYMNTS
UK fintech companies raised £1.8 billion in the first half of 2026, the sector's weakest funding performance in a decade.
8:01 PMFinextra
BitMart is reconsidering its plan to wind down its cryptocurrency exchange and is developing a potential restructuring plan after discussions with users, stakeholders and advisers.
6:54 PMPYMNTSSummary
Spending through cryptocurrency-linked cards reached $1.04 billion in July, more than triple the level a year earlier. Dollar-backed stablecoins accounted for 70% of more than 10 million tracked transactions, with spending increasingly tied to everyday purchases such as groceries.
The shift is from crypto cards as a speculative or niche product toward routine retail
Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story mattersWhy it matters
Stablecoins are starting to translate crypto ownership into measurable consumer payment activity.
Summary
UK fintech companies raised £1.8 billion in the first half of 2026, the sector's weakest funding performance in a decade.
The funding pullback limits the capital available for expansion, hiring and new product development across
Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story mattersWhy it matters
A prolonged funding drought could accelerate consolidation and reduce the UK's pipeline of new fintech challengers.
Summary
BitMart is reconsidering its plan to wind down its cryptocurrency exchange and is developing a potential restructuring plan after discussions with users, stakeholders and advisers.
The shift from closure to restructuring keeps the exchange operating as a possibility, but does
Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story mattersWhy it matters
BitMart's reversal shows how distressed crypto platforms may seek restructuring before accepting a full shutdown.
A curated list of other prominent stories from this day.
Egypt's Commercial International Bank has received preliminary regulatory approval to establish a digitally native banking subsidiary.
8:01 PMFinextra
Canadian payments company Helcim has raised $38 million in a Series C round to expand its platform for small and medium-sized businesses. The funding comes as several major Canadian banks sell or outsource their merchant services operations.
7:14 PMPYMNTS
The mysterious collapse of a European cryptocurrency exchange is linked to the disappearance of its former boss four years ago and the more recent disappearance of his successor. The case shows how opaque crypto businesses can unravel alongside their leadership.
5:16 AMThe New York TimesSummary
Egypt's Commercial International Bank has received preliminary regulatory approval to establish a digitally native banking subsidiary.
The approval gives CIB a path to compete through a separate digital operating model, rather
Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story mattersWhy it matters
CIB is positioning itself for Egypt's next phase of digital banking competition.
Summary
Canadian payments company Helcim has raised $38 million in a Series C round to expand its platform for small and medium-sized businesses. The funding comes as several major Canadian banks sell or outsource their merchant services operations.
Helcim is raising capital as incumbent banks retreat from parts of the merchant services market,
Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story mattersWhy it matters
Bank retrenchment is opening a potentially valuable distribution gap for fintechs serving small businesses.
Summary
The mysterious collapse of a European cryptocurrency exchange is linked to the disappearance of its former boss four years ago and the more recent disappearance of his successor. The case shows how opaque crypto businesses can unravel alongside their leadership.
Two disappearances tied to the same exchange deepen questions about fraud, governance, and criminal exposure
Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story mattersWhy it matters
A failed exchange with disappearing leaders reinforces the risks of entrusting money to lightly governed crypto platforms.
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