UK authorities target suspected illegal crypto trading
UK authorities raided eight London addresses suspected of illegal peer-to-peer crypto trading. The action suggests a crackdown on unlicensed activity in the crypto market.
Finextra ↗Trade Surveillance
Investa gains direct FCA authorisation
Investa has been granted direct authorisation by the Financial Conduct Authority. The announcement indicates the firm has cleared a key regulatory hurdle to operate under FCA oversight.
Finextra ↗Aurionpro launches AI trade finance operating layer
Aurionpro has launched Fintra, an AI-native trade finance platform that uses specialized AI agents to process trade finance instruments. The system includes an operating layer intended to keep humans involved in governance at each decision point.
Finextra ↗Robinhood fund invests $75 million in OpenAI
Robinhood Ventures Fund I said it closed a $75 million investment in OpenAI, buying common stock on April 17, 2026. The announcement highlights continued investor interest in major AI firms and the flow of capital into the sector.
Finextra ↗NatWest launches venture banking with AWS partnership
NatWest has partnered with Amazon Web Services to support technology-led businesses through a new dedicated venture banking department. The move signals a product and business expansion aimed at serving startups and growth companies.
Finextra ↗Citi Wealth adds AI avatar with Google
Citi has partnered with Google to build an AI-powered avatar for Citi Wealth clients. The move highlights continued adoption of generative AI in wealth management client services.
Finextra ↗Coinbase lists first GBP stablecoin
Coinbase has added tGBP, its first British pound-backed stablecoin, issued by BCP Technologies. The listing expands the range of fiat-backed digital assets available on the exchange and may support broader crypto trading activity in sterling.
Finextra ↗Former Royal Mint executives back precious metals trading app
Two former Royal Mint executives have raised over £500,000 to launch Goldwise, a Wales-based fintech for buying and selling fractional physical precious metals through a mobile app. The platform targets savers and investors with access to gold, silver, platinum and palladium.
Finextra ↗TT adds native NZX connectivity
Trading Technologies has partnered with NZX to provide native connectivity ahead of the launch of S&P/NZX 20 Index Futures. The move expands TT’s market access in New Zealand’s equity, debt, funds, derivatives and energy markets.
Finextra ↗Ant International upgrades Alipay+ with privacy tech
Ant International says it has completed an upgrade to Alipay+, its global wallet gateway solution, so that all critical operations are now enabled with privacy-enhancing technologies. The announcement highlights a product and security update aimed at merchants and financial institutions.
Finextra ↗AI World
SpaceX offers $60B buyout path to Cursor
Cursor was reportedly preparing to close a $2 billion funding round before pausing talks after SpaceX made a much larger offer. The proposal included a $10 billion collaboration fee and a potential $60 billion acquisition path.
TechCrunch ↗Google adds Gemini auto-browse to Chrome
Google is bringing Gemini-powered auto-browse features to Chrome for enterprise users. The update lets workers automate tasks such as research and data entry inside the browser.
TechCrunch ↗OpenAI and Infosys expand enterprise AI partnership
OpenAI and Infosys are partnering to bring AI tools to more business customers. The initial focus is on software engineering, legacy modernization, and DevOps to help clients automate workflows and modernize development.
TechCrunch ↗Google signs multibillion-dollar AI infrastructure deal
Thinking Machines Lab has signed a multibillion-dollar agreement with Google Cloud for AI infrastructure. The deal will use Nvidia's latest GB300 chips and deepens the companies' ties in the AI market.
TechCrunch ↗Training AI to admit uncertainty
Researchers developed a new training method that helps AI models better estimate when they are unsure. The approach improves confidence reliability without reducing performance and targets a key cause of hallucinations in reasoning models.
MIT News ↗India app market grows as global platforms win
India’s app market is expanding quickly, with non-gaming apps like streaming and AI leading growth. However, spending per user remains below global levels, and much of the value is flowing to large international platforms.
TechCrunch ↗Tesla lifts capex to $25B, signaling negative cash flow
Tesla has raised its 2026 capital spending plan to $25 billion, about three times its historical level. The company’s CFO said the higher investment will leave Tesla with negative free cash flow for the rest of the year.
TechCrunch ↗Google Cloud unveils new AI chips
Google Cloud launched two new TPU chips that it says are faster and cheaper than earlier versions. The move is aimed at strengthening its position in AI infrastructure while it continues to support Nvidia hardware in its cloud.
TechCrunch ↗Google adds AI Overviews to Gmail for work
Google is bringing AI Overviews to Gmail for workplace users. The feature will generate instant summaries by pulling information from multiple emails.
TechCrunch ↗Startup raises seed to rank AI drug candidates
10x Science raised a $4.8 million seed round to help pharmaceutical researchers make sense of complex molecules and prioritize AI-generated drug candidates. The company aims to address the growing challenge of sorting through the large number of potential drugs produced by AI tools.
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