Articles by Khal
Latest from Khal
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Japan Shifts Forex Intervention to Target Speculators, Not Yen Levels
Japan deployed $73.6 billion in forex interventions between April and May 2026, marking its largest monthly campaign in two years. The government has signaled a strategic shift toward preventing speculative volatility rather than defending any specific exchange rate level.
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Nvidia shifts to revenue-sharing model with Australian cloud provider SharonAI
Nvidia announced a six-year partnership with Australian cloud provider SharonAI under a new revenue-sharing model, marking a shift toward predictable, subscription-like income streams from AI infrastructure deployments.
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Bank of Japan raises rates to 1%, highest since 1995
The Bank of Japan raised its policy rate to 1% on June 16, 2026—its highest level since September 1995—citing rising energy costs and yen weakness. The 7-1 vote decision paused bond purchase reductions, supporting risk assets including crypto despite historical patterns of rate hike correlation with Bitcoin declines.
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Dollar holds multi-month highs as US payrolls loom, yen slides to 1986 low
The US dollar is holding firm near 101.1-101.2 on the index while the yen has weakened to its weakest level since 1986. June payrolls data due around July 2 could influence Fed policy and drive further currency moves.
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Lummis defends Clarity Act against Warren's illicit-finance claims
Senator Cynthia Lummis countered Elizabeth Warren's criticism of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, saying the bill includes 16 illicit finance safeguards including BSA/AML rules and Iran-related sanctions provisions.
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Tech Profit-Taking Hits Nasdaq, Semiconductors; Meta Surges on AI Cloud Service
US equity markets declined on July 1 as investors trimmed technology positions, with the Nasdaq falling 0.66% and semiconductors hit hardest. Meta Platforms bucked the trend, surging 9% after announcing plans to monetize excess AI computing capacity through a new cloud service.
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Crypto card deposits hit $10B milestone as stablecoins reshape payments
Crypto card deposits surpassed $10 billion for the first time in early July 2026, marking an 82% year-to-date surge and signaling stablecoins' emergence as practical payment infrastructure rather than speculative assets.
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Mohalla Tech seeks $400M IPO in 2027 after achieving profitability
Mohalla Tech, the company behind India's ShareChat and Moj social platforms, plans to raise up to $400 million through a public listing in 2027 after achieving operational profitability in Q1 FY2027. The move signals a shift toward investor confidence based on unit economics rather than growth-at-any-cost narratives.
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Susquehanna sues unidentified traders over $100M insider trading profit tied to China crackdown
Susquehanna International Group filed a federal lawsuit in Manhattan on June 29 against up to 100 unidentified defendants, alleging they used material non-public information to profit over $100 million from put options on Chinese brokers before China's May 22 regulatory announcement.
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Iran and US establish direct communication channel after Doha talks
Iran and the US concluded indirect technical discussions in Doha and agreed to establish a dedicated communication channel to manage regional disputes. The development may reshape crypto's role in sanctions evasion and international trade frameworks.
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Oil prices fall as US-Iran talks ease supply disruption fears
Oil prices declined for a third consecutive day as progress in US-Iran negotiations and increased Strait of Hormuz shipments reduced supply-disruption concerns. WTI crude fell to $68.08 per barrel, marking a 30% Q2 decline.
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Treasury picks BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street for Trump Accounts ETFs
The US Treasury announced that ETFs from three major asset managers will power Trump Accounts, a new tax-advantaged savings program for children launching July 4 with a $1,000 government seed contribution and an explicit ban on crypto assets.
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Tielemans and Trossard clash, then combine to salvage Belgium's World Cup draw
Youri Tielemans and Leandro Trossard argued during Belgium's 2026 World Cup match against Senegal while trailing 2-0, but later collaborated in the 89th minute to score and level the match at 2-2, keeping Belgium's group stage hopes alive.
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Robinhood launches Robinhood Chain mainnet, expands to UK crypto trading
Robinhood announced the launch of its Robinhood Chain mainnet, a layer 2 blockchain built on Arbitrum, alongside plans to expand crypto trading to UK residents and new DeFi products including a yield-bearing stablecoin lending service.
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Ethereum Institutional Launches With Standard Chartered Backing
Ethereum Institutional launched Wednesday with endorsements from Standard Chartered Bank and major ecosystem figures, marking a push to bridge Ethereum and institutional finance through education and strategic communications.
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Venice AI Reaches $1B Valuation With Privacy-First Chatbot
Venice AI, a privacy-focused ChatGPT alternative founded by cryptocurrency veteran Erik Voorhees, raised $65 million at a $1 billion valuation. Voorhees argues that protecting user conversations from centralized surveillance should be the AI industry's core concern.
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Samsung, Micron, SK Hynix face DRAM price-fixing antitrust lawsuit
A federal antitrust lawsuit filed June 25 accuses Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix of colluding to suppress commodity DRAM production and inflate prices by roughly 700% over four years, marking the second major price-fixing case against the three manufacturers in two decades.
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Xapo Bank: Gibraltar-Regulated Bitcoin Custody and USD Banking
Xapo Bank, a members-only Gibraltar-regulated institution, combines Bitcoin custody with USD banking, debit card access, and yield products for high-net-worth and Bitcoin-native users seeking cross-border financial services.
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American Bitcoin stock hits record low before 1-for-15 reverse split
American Bitcoin Corp., the mining firm co-founded by Eric Trump and majority-owned by Hut 8, fell to an all-time low of $0.6122 on Wednesday, one day before executing a 1-for-15 reverse stock split designed to preserve its Nasdaq listing.
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Robinhood Chain launches on Arbitrum for tokenized assets and DeFi
Robinhood officially launched the public mainnet for Robinhood Chain, a layer-2 blockchain built on Arbitrum, and rolled out new crypto products including decentralized lending and AI-powered trading tools.
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Ethereum Foundation positions blockchain as public infrastructure for governments
The Ethereum Foundation released a new policy guide arguing that Ethereum's decentralized design makes it uniquely suited for government and institutional use, distinguishing it from centralized alternatives and corporate-controlled networks.
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US Treasury sanctions Brazilian nationals for $30M crypto money laundering
The US Treasury's OFAC sanctioned two Brazilian nationals, three Brazilian companies, and one Portuguese firm for laundering over $30 million in drug proceeds through cryptocurrency tied to the PCC criminal organization, marking the third enforcement action against the group.
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World launches Solana prediction market in Phantom wallet
World, a fully onchain prediction market platform, launched on Solana through Phantom wallet, letting users trade contracts on crypto prices and the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup using Chainlink oracles and Phantom's CASH stablecoin.
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Ethereum Institutional nonprofit launches to drive institutional adoption
Ethereum Institutional, a new independent nonprofit backed by Joe Lubin and others, aims to serve as a dedicated liaison for financial institutions exploring Ethereum as the network competes for institutional capital.