Coins.ph Integrates Polkadot Asset Hub for Faster, Cheaper Stablecoin Transfers
Coins.ph has integrated Polkadot Asset Hub, enabling faster and lower-cost transfers of stablecoins like USDT and USDC while offering access to Polkadot’s Web3 ecosystem. The move reduces transaction fees and times, improves interoperability with Polkadot-compatible wallets, and expands opportunities for users to engage in DeFi. CEO Wei Zhou said the partnership makes crypto more practical for everyday use, especially for remittances, while Polkadot contributor Velocity Labs highlighted its real-world impact in the Philippines. (BitDigest)
Bitcoin Surges Past $124K, Overtakes Google as Fifth-Largest Global Asset
Bitcoin hit a new all-time high of $124,126 on Thursday, pushing its market cap to $2.4 trillion and surpassing Google’s parent Alphabet to become the fifth-largest asset globally. The rally is fueled by $1.89 billion in recent Bitcoin ETF inflows, bullish market sentiment, easing miner sell pressure, and expectations of a September U.S. interest rate cut. Ethereum ETFs have also seen record inflows, adding to overall crypto market momentum. (Blockhead)
US Spot Ether ETFs See $729M Inflows as ETH Nears Record High
US spot Ether ETFs recorded $729 million in inflows on Wednesday, their second-largest daily intake ever, driven largely by BlackRock’s ETHA ($500M) and Fidelity’s FETH ($155M), as Ether surged past $4,700. Combined with Monday’s $1.02 billion record inflow, ETFs have attracted $2.3 billion in just three days, pushing total net inflows to $12.1 billion and trading volume to $4.5 billion, both all-time highs. The rally, which has lifted ETH nearly 29% in a week to $4,744, has fueled what analysts call the early stages of “Ethereum FOMO,” with prices now just 3% shy of their 2021 peak. (Cointelegraph)
MetaMask to Launch mUSD Stablecoin by End of August Amid Regulatory Shift
MetaMask, with over 30 million monthly active users, is set to launch its US dollar-pegged stablecoin, mUSD, by late August in partnership with Stripe’s Bridge, M^0, and Blackstone. The move follows the passage of the GENIUS Act, the first U.S. federal stablecoin framework mandating 1:1 reserves, monthly attestations, and full AML/KYC compliance. The initiative, partly revealed through a prematurely posted governance proposal, aims to leverage new regulatory clarity and growing institutional interest in stablecoins. (Crypto Briefing)
Perplexity AI Targets $20B Valuation Amid $34.5B Bid for Google Chrome
Perplexity AI, the fast-growing AI-powered search engine company, is seeking a $20 billion valuation in a new funding round to help finance its unsolicited $34.5 billion bid for Google Chrome, which may be sold due to an antitrust case. The firm’s valuation has soared from $520 million in early 2024 to $18 billion in July 2025, fueled by rapid adoption, $80 million in annual recurring revenue, and 22 million monthly active users. Competing bidders for Chrome could include OpenAI, Apollo Global Management, and Yahoo, underscoring the intensifying AI-driven battle for dominance in web search. (Cointelegraph)
Google Clarifies Non-Custodial Wallets Unaffected by New Play Store Crypto Rules
Google has confirmed that its upcoming Play Store policy update, which will require custodial crypto wallet apps to hold jurisdiction-specific licenses before distribution in regulated markets, will not apply to non-custodial wallets. The clarification comes after initial backlash from the crypto community over fears that self-custodial wallets on Android could be restricted. The new rules, effective October 29, target custodial services like exchange wallets, while leaving non-custodial apps exempt, a move some industry voices see as minor but still reflective of tech giants’ control over app distribution. (Decrypt)