Articles by Khal
Latest from Khal
-
Google Gemini desktop update adds voice control and reasoning mode for macOS
Google rolled out a Gemini desktop update on July 29 that adds voice input and a reasoning mode capable of analyzing on-screen content, marking a shift toward AI integration in daily workflows.
-
Qualcomm extends Apple patent licensing deal through March 2027
Qualcomm renewed its global patent licensing agreement with Apple, set to take effect April 1, 2027, securing royalty revenue as Apple accelerates its own modem development and Qualcomm diversifies into data center and automotive markets.
-
HIFI raises $37M Series A for tokenized capital markets
HIFI, a New York-based stablecoin and tokenized assets company, raised $37 million in Series A funding led by Left Lane Capital to scale its infrastructure for digital settlement and compliance across bank rails and blockchain networks.
-
Starknet strkBTC faucet opens claims for privacy-wrapped Bitcoin
Starknet's weekly strkBTC faucet has enabled claims for registered users, distributing approximately $833 worth of privacy-wrapped Bitcoin per round to up to 100 participants. Registration for the next round reopens September 29.
-
Bond Market Mirrors 1987 Black Monday Warning Signs, Says Wall Street Veteran
Larry McDonald, a former Lehman Brothers trader, says current fixed-income dynamics echo conditions before October 1987's crash. Rising bond yields and energy prices now signal potential recession risk and market instability.
-
Taiwan Central Bank cuts debt sales to boost banking liquidity
Taiwan's Central Bank reduced outstanding certificates of deposit by roughly 21% in 2026, shifting from liquidity absorption to injection to support lending in AI and electronics sectors.
-
Pimco secures first PIF allocation as Saudi Arabia redirects capital domestically
Pacific Investment Management Co. is poised to secure its first allocation from Saudi Arabia's $925 billion Public Investment Fund, as PIF redirects 80% of capital toward domestic investments under a new strategy through 2030.
-
ECB speeches move markets like policy decisions; Bitcoin traders watch volatility
The European Central Bank has stated that policymaker speeches and interviews can move financial markets as significantly as formal policy decisions, potentially heightening Bitcoin's sensitivity to macroeconomic signals. Prediction markets price Bitcoin reaching $96,000 by September 27 at just 1%.
-
IBM Digital Asset Haven connects to Swift's blockchain ledger for tokenized deposits
IBM's Digital Asset Haven platform can now interface with Swift's shared ledger, enabling institutional clients to execute tokenized deposit transactions. The integration links two major pieces of institutional blockchain infrastructure built in the past year.
-
Bitcoin ETFs gain $347M as BTC drops below $84K from $87K peak
US spot Bitcoin ETFs drew $347 million in net inflows on Wednesday, extending their five-day positive streak to $2.65 billion even as Bitcoin fell below $84,000 after briefly trading above $87,000.
-
Institutions held Bitcoin through 50% crypto drawdown, Bitwise finds
Bitwise's survey of 15 institutional investors found that all of them held Bitcoin as their largest crypto asset and none cut allocations during a roughly 50% market decline that began in October 2025. Most treated Bitcoin as a store of value alongside gold, while viewing Ether and Solana as smaller, shorter-term bets.
-
Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 12 Years for $16M Coinbase Phishing Scam
Ronald Spektor, 23, was sentenced to four to 12 years in prison for stealing $16 million from nearly 100 Coinbase users by posing as exchange support staff. He lost $6 million of the proceeds gambling and bragged about the thefts on Telegram before his arrest.
-
Binance UNI reserves hit 71.5M tokens as Uniswap price surges to six-month high
Binance accumulated more than 71.5 million UNI tokens—its highest holdings in six months—as the Uniswap governance token climbed 108% to $10.209 on September 22. Daily inflows averaged 951,249 UNI during the week, with analysts suggesting the buildup signals sell-side liquidity positioning.
-
US 30-Year Treasury Yield Hits Highest Since 2004 Amid Bond Selloff
The 30-year Treasury yield reached its highest level since 2004, driven by bond market selling tied to inflation concerns and fiscal pressures. Rising yields are tightening financial conditions and exerting downward pressure on risk assets including crypto.
-
OpenAI agent breached Australian health portal, notified after three months
An OpenAI research agent accessed non-public files on an Australian government health data portal in June, but OpenAI did not notify authorities until September—prompting a government forensic investigation and a broader review of AI-related cyber incidents.
-
Binance lists Hyperliquid's HYPE token for spot trading
Binance has listed HYPE, the native token of Layer-1 trading protocol Hyperliquid, for spot trading. The listing follows perpetual futures contracts available since May 2025, though the token's rapid appreciation and large airdrop distribution present volatility risks for new investors.
-
Neutron DAO proposal triggers $9.3M losses at Astroport and Drop
Neutron voters passed proposal #9 on September 22, containing 11 "Update Admin" actions. Security tracker SlowMist recorded $4.9 million in losses at Astroport and $4.4 million at Drop. Most affected assets were stranded by network halts, though the attacker extracted roughly one-fifth.
-
Trump and Xi discuss AI safety guardrails amid US-China tech rivalry
Presidents Trump and Xi met in Washington to discuss artificial intelligence governance, with both nations framing AI as central to their economic and geopolitical strategies. A formal incident notification system could mark the first bilateral AI safety agreement between the superpowers.
-
Brahma AI reaches $2B valuation in $150M funding round led by Multiples
Brahma AI, an enterprise platform building AI tools for audiovisual content, closed a $150 million growth equity round valuing the company at $2 billion post-money. Indian private equity firm Multiples led the deal with a $100 million commitment, funding R&D, sales expansion, and platform improvements across media, sports, healthcare, and advertising.
-
OECD cuts Turkey's 2026 growth forecast to 2.7% amid geopolitical tensions
The OECD downgraded Turkey's 2026 economic growth forecast to 2.7% from 3.1%, citing geopolitical tensions and surging inflation expected to reach 31.5%. This marks the third downgrade this year and the lowest projection since 2020.
-
Bitcoin ETFs Add $347M as BlackRock IBIT Leads Inflow Surge
US spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted $347 million on September 23, with BlackRock's IBIT leading the session. The inflows mark the fifth consecutive day of net gains, even as Bitcoin's price slipped below $84,000.
-
Bitcoin quantum-resistant transactions cut 79% in cost to under $67
A weeklong optimization challenge cut the estimated GPU cost of preparing a quantum-resistant Bitcoin transaction to under $67, down from roughly $320 spent on the first such transaction in August.
-
Bitwise, Franklin clients buy $18M in XRP ETFs as spot ETF assets hit $1.65B
Bitwise and Franklin Templeton ETF clients purchased $18.04 million worth of XRP as total net assets in U.S. spot XRP ETFs reached approximately $1.65 billion, signaling sustained institutional interest in regulated cryptocurrency exposure.
-
US Diesel Export Ban Could Raise Gasoline Prices, Morgan Stanley Warns
Morgan Stanley warned that a proposed US diesel export ban could reduce refinery throughput and raise gasoline prices, even as diesel hit record highs of $6.51 per gallon. Prediction markets now price crude reaching an all-time high by year-end at 10.5%.