Articles by Khal
Latest from Khal
-
SoftBank shares tumble 13% as AI leaders call for safety slowdown
SoftBank Group's stock dropped more than 13% on September 14 after AI company leaders, including Anthropic's Dario Amodei and OpenAI's Sam Altman, raised concerns about rapid AI development and delayed IPO timelines, exposing the risks of the conglomerate's concentrated bet on OpenAI.
-
Anthropic and OpenAI face Trump admin pressure on AI safety and China competition
The Trump administration's push for AI dominance over China collides with internal safety concerns at Anthropic and OpenAI, creating a rare moment where geopolitics and caution intersect—complicating both innovation timelines and investor confidence.
-
SoftBank secures $11.87B loan for OpenAI stake, betting $64.6B total
SoftBank Group has taken out an $11.87 billion loan to fund its OpenAI investment, bringing its total commitment to roughly $64.6 billion and securing a 13% ownership stake in the AI firm. The Japanese conglomerate's aggressive bet on OpenAI comes as it navigates significant financial leverage and valuation risk.
-
SGX wins CFTC approval for US crypto perpetual futures
Singapore Exchange received US Commodity Futures Trading Commission authorization to offer Bitcoin and Ether perpetual futures to American institutions under Regulation 48.10, marking the first major Asian bourse to access US crypto trading desks and challenging CME's market dominance.
-
Microsoft Foundry adds governance and security controls for enterprise AI agents
Microsoft announced new capabilities for Azure AI Foundry on June 3, 2026, embedding governance, identity management, and compliance controls into enterprise AI agent deployment to meet regulatory requirements in finance, healthcare, and legal services.
-
Archax brings 100+ regulated assets to Aptos blockchain via FCA integration
Archax, an FCA-regulated digital securities exchange, integrated with Aptos to tokenize over 100 regulated assets and real-world assets onchain, with the MembersCap Tokenized Global Reinsurance Income Fund as the first product.
-
Goldman Sachs AI datacenter spreads widen to 353bps, raising borrowing costs
Goldman Sachs' high-yield AI datacenter basket is trading at 353 basis points, signaling strain in the AI debt market. Wider spreads mean higher borrowing costs for independent operators, while hyperscalers maintain financing advantages.
-
Strategy's $200M Bitcoin sales signal market maturity, not distress
Strategy sold over $200 million in Bitcoin without triggering a price decline, suggesting institutional demand has matured enough to absorb large supply without panic. Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan argues the sales reflect deliberate capital management, not forced liquidation.
-
CLARITY Act Senate vote looms as AI swarm risks prompt slowdown calls
The CLARITY act faces a crucial Senate vote on September 15 amid crypto regulatory debate, while Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei calls for AI development slowdown following agent-swarm containment concerns. Markets remain steady despite predictions of volatility.
-
Strait of Hormuz LNG blockade costs Asia $7 billion, cuts 20% global supply
US and Israeli strikes on Iran have largely closed the Strait of Hormuz to LNG shipments since February 28, cutting off 20% of global supply. Spot prices have nearly tripled, leaving developing Asian buyers priced out and forcing a rethink of regional energy strategies.
-
Symbiosis recovers 15 BTC after Bitcoin Bridge exploit, offers 20% bounty
Symbiosis halted its Bitcoin Bridge after a vulnerability allowed an attacker to mint roughly $46.1 billion in unbacked syBTC tokens on September 11, though the attacker only realized $336,000 in actual losses. The protocol recovered 15 BTC and offered a 20% bounty for returned funds.
-
McCormick urges Senate vote on CLARITY Act for digital asset regulation
Senator McCormick has called for a Senate vote on the CLARITY Act, a bill that would establish clear regulatory oversight for digital assets by delineating SEC and CFTC responsibilities. The measure has cleared the House and awaits Senate approval.
-
Insight Partners' $90B AI Strategy Favors Vertical Apps Over Foundation Models
Insight Partners, managing $90 billion in assets, is pursuing a diversified AI strategy across three lanes: internal deployment, portfolio company integration, and selective investments in vertical AI applications rather than foundation models.
-
US gasoline prices forecast to stay above $4 per gallon
Bloomberg projects US gasoline prices will stay above $4 per gallon, a level that has recurred multiple times this year and carries implications for consumer spending, crude oil futures, and broader economic dynamics.
-
Symbiosis recovers 15 BTC from bridge exploit; LP compensation terms pending
Cross-chain protocol Symbiosis recovered approximately 15 BTC after an attacker minted trillions in fake Bitcoin (syBTC) on September 11, but the firm has not disclosed compensation details for affected liquidity providers as a white-hat bounty window closes September 13.
-
67% of wealth managers lack crypto allocation, Bitwise survey shows
A Bitwise Asset Management poll of roughly 400 wealth managers found two-thirds have zero cryptocurrency exposure for clients, though 60% plan to add allocations within 12 months as advisor adoption accelerates across the industry.
-
Trump removes US tariffs on Irish whiskey during Ireland visit
President Donald Trump announced the removal of US tariffs on Irish whiskey at his Doonbeg golf resort during a two-day presidential visit to Ireland, potentially benefiting an industry that exports roughly €450 million annually to the US market.
-
DeFi Audits Miss 72% of Attack Vectors, $885M Study Reveals
A preprint by ack3-affiliated researchers examining 135 DeFi incidents in H1 2026 found that 72.1% of losses in audited protocols came from attack paths never covered by their security reviews, raising questions about what an audit actually guarantees.
-
Gulf States-Iran Talks Postponed, Strait of Hormuz Tensions Persist
A planned diplomatic meeting between Gulf Arab nations and Iran intended to address regional tensions and the Strait of Hormuz status has been postponed, marking a setback in efforts to resolve broader Middle East conflict involving the United States.
-
Federal Reserve faces 90% probability of rate hike by end of 2026
The CME FedWatch Tool shows a 90% chance the Federal Reserve will raise rates at least once before 2026 ends, driven by recent inflation data. Economists diverge sharply on the outlook, with some forecasting three hikes and others predicting a hold through 2026.
-
Coinbase and Moov let community banks offer stablecoins in-house
Coinbase partnered with payments platform Moov to let community banks and credit unions offer stablecoin services to customers while retaining the customer relationship. The deal leaves key terms—fees, data access, and liability—undisclosed.
-
BTCPay Server warns of bots probing exposed Lightning nodes
BTCPay Server has warned that automated bots are actively probing exposed Lightning nodes to steal administrative credentials, targeting servers where operators manually restored access after a critical vulnerability patched in August.
-
Hashcats minting slowdown threatens HASH token deflationary model
Hashcats minting activity has dropped significantly in epoch 10, falling well below target pace and weakening the buyback mechanism that has already destroyed 41% of HASH supply. The doubling of entry price appears to have halved user enthusiasm.
-
Manchester City beats United 1-0 in derby; VAR offside call stuns Neville
Manchester City defeated Manchester United 1-0 in a derby match on September 13, with Erling Haaland's VAR-confirmed goal in the 59th minute settling the contest. The offside decision left commentator Gary Neville questioning the rule's clarity.