OpenAI’s GPT-4o Goes Visual
USDC’s approval in Japan, Visa’s partnership with Worldcoin, and growing adoption of AI in creative industries. Rise of stablecoins, NFT collaborations, and significant fund for Manas AI
🚀 Web3 Weekly Rundown
Deep insights. No fluff. Just the facts.
News Flash
Kraken eyes a $1B debt raise ahead of a potential 2026 IPO. Link
Custodia Bank and Vantage Bank launched the Avit stablecoin. Link
CME Group pilots asset tokenization using Google Cloud’s Universal Ledger. Link
World Liberty Financial has launched USD1, a non-tradable stablecoin. Link
Worldcoin to develop World Wallet with Visa. Link
Marina Abramović launches her NFT collection. Link
Crocs launches on Fortnite. Link
NYX Professional Makeup’s new Minecraft Movie-inspired collection. Link
Cartoon Network’s major update on Roblox. Link
💸 Stablecoin Wars
USDC Goes Big in Japan
Regulatory First: Circle’s USDC is now Japan’s first globally approved stablecoin.
Market Impact: Listed on SBI VC Trade, Binance Japan, and bitFlyer.
Why It Matters: Japan’s tight regulations make this a huge win for stablecoins. Read more.
USDC Market Cap: Surpassed $60B for the first time.
Trump’s USD1 Stablecoin
Issuer: World Liberty Financial.
Tradeable? No—it’s non-tradable (why?).
Speculation: Adds another layer to the stablecoin race. Details here.
Yield-Bearing Stablecoins Explode
Market Surge: From $4B → $13B since November.
Top Players: USDe (Ethena), BUIDL (BlackRock), USDY (Ondo).
JPMorgan Says that yield-bearing stablecoins could take 50% of the market (now at 6%).
Compare Options: Check yields.
🌐 Web3 Power Moves
Visa x Worldcoin’s ‘World Wallet’
Launch: A Visa card that lets you spend stablecoins.
Goal: Onboard millions into crypto payments.
Implication: Stablecoin payments are going mainstream. Try it here.
Fidelity & Wyoming Enter Stablecoin Race
Regulatory Watch: The STABLE Act is pushing for stricter rules.
What’s Next? Fidelity is rumored to launch its own stablecoin. Read more.
Kraken’s $1B Debt Raise → IPO?
Why? Prepping for a 2026 IPO.
Bullish Signal? Institutional investors might be betting big.
Deep Dive: Kraken’s strategy.
🎨 NFTs, Gaming & Brands
Marina Abramović Goes Crypto
NFT Collection: Digital performance art meets blockchain.
Critics Say: A new way to monetize avant-garde art. View collection.
Crocs in Fortnite
Virtual Clogs: Another brand jumping into Web3.
Big Picture: More IRL brands are entering digital spaces. Play.
🤖 AI & Tech Shifts
xAI Acquires X (Twitter)
Valuation: xAI ($80B) buys X ($33B).
Impact: What happens to privacy & free speech? Breakdown.
Butterfly Effect’s $500M Valuation
AI Startup: Maker of Manus AI—a next-gen automation tool.
Investor Buzz: New VC round 5x its last valuation.
Waitlist: 2.6M users in beta. Read.
OpenAI’s GPT-4o Goes Visual
New Feature: Generate & edit Studio Ghibli-style AI images.
Viral Trend: AI-powered Ghibli-themed memecoins skyrocketed.
Biggest Winner: Ghiblification (GHIBLI) hit $20.8M market cap in 19 hours.
🔄 Quick Hits & Money Moves
Custodia Bank launched Avit Stablecoin. Read.
CME + Google Cloud testing asset tokenization. Learn.
GCash Adds USDC—crypto adoption grows in the Philippines. Guide.
Tabit DeFi secured $40M Bitcoin-backed funding. Details.
Chronicle Protocol raised $12M Seed round (Strobe Ventures). More.
📚 Top Reads This Week
Blackbird: Revolutionizing the Restaurant Business with Blockchain. Link
TradFi tomorrow. Paradigm. Link
The AI Hype Index. MIT Tech Review. Link
Agent MPC is going wild. 51x. Link
The State of Onchain Futarchy. Galaxy. Link
Battle of the EVM Chains: Who’s Winning the Giga Gas War? Delphi Digital. Link
Steil and Hill Introduce STABLE Act [Bill]. Link
DeAI is eating AI. 51x. Link
👉 Want deep insights before they trend?
Why This Matters
Stablecoins are eating traditional finance.
Big brands (Visa, Fidelity) are all-in on Web3.
AI is reshaping creativity & business ops.
Cheers,
Akash
P.S. Kraken’s $1B debt raise could mean big moves soon. Stay ahead. 🕶️