News

FCA Sandbox First to Include Agent Payments, Anthropic Provides Claude Support

UK FCA’s Supercharged Sandbox has for the first time listed “AI agent-led payments” as a test case, with Anthropic providing Claude model support. Regulators and AI firms join forces to explore the compliance and security boundaries of agent payments.

Circle CEO: Stablecoins to Evolve into 'Invisible' Infrastructure, Becoming the Underlying Protocol for AI Agent Payments

Visa Launches Stablecoin Treasury Engine, Deepens Institutional Settlement On-Chain

Natural Raises $30M to Build AI Agent Payment Stack, Compliance and Security as Core Selling Points

U.S. fintech startup Natural has closed a $30 million Series A round to build payment infrastructure for AI agents. Its tech architecture emphasizes pre-settlement compliance and identity verification, directly addressing security and regulatory challenges in agent payments.

Augustus Raises $180 Million and Receives Preliminary U.S. Banking License Approval, Deepening Integration of Stablecoin Settlement with Traditional Banking

Stablecoin infrastructure provider Augustus completes a $180 million Series B at a $1 billion valuation and receives conditional preliminary approval from the OCC for a national bank charter, aiming to access a Federal Reserve master account for direct dollar clearing.

Japan's Logistics Giant Plans to Pay 2,300 Partners with JPYC, Yen Stablecoin Gains Traction in B2B Settlements

AZ-COM Maruwa Holdings, a logistics service provider for Amazon Japan, plans to use JPYC to pay around 2,300 logistics partners and individual carriers. While not a direct Amazon adoption or cross-border settlement project, it could become one of the largest enterprise-level stablecoin applications in Japan to date.

Hecto Financial Joins x402 Foundation, Linking AI Agent Payments to Stablecoin Settlement Networks

Hecto Financial has officially joined the x402 Foundation, combining its integration with Circle Payments Network (CPN) and traditional payment capabilities to further build out AI agent payment infrastructure.

HSBC Joins Effort to Set Asia-Pacific Rules for Agent Payments: When AI Starts Spending, Who Confirms Identity and Bears Responsibility?

The Emerging Payments Association Asia (EPAA) has launched an AI and Agent Payments working group, with HSBC as a founding member, aiming to establish common standards for agent identity, payment authorization, liability allocation, and fraud risk. As AI agents begin to initiate real transactions on behalf of individuals and businesses, the industry must address not just 'how machines pay,' but 'who authorizes, who is responsible, and how to stop risk before funds move.'

UK Parliament Launches Inquiry into Access to Banking Services for Crypto Firms

The Treasury Committee of the UK Parliament has opened an investigation into obstacles facing crypto firms in obtaining banking services, inviting industry, regulators and banks to provide testimony.

Hong Kong's First Regulated Stablecoin Expected to Launch in July, Distributors Begin Testing This Month

Caixin reports that the stablecoin, issued by a licensed entity, will undergo review by the HKMA and SFC, marking a key step in virtual asset compliance.

Bitcoin Is Coming for the $12T Repo Market: Digital Credit and Onchain Repo

Russia’s Crypto Bill Set for Second and Third Readings in State Duma

The State Duma plans to advance the Digital Currency and Digital Rights bill on July 21, establishing a regulatory framework for crypto trading, custody, investor access, and cross-border settlements under central bank oversight.