Major economies accelerated crypto institutionalization this week, with BlackRock adding $204M of bitcoin and Morgan Stanley formally filing for SOL and ETH spot ETFs. Japan’s parliament passed a bill to legalize crypto ETFs, while South Korea classified crypto as a “national asset.” Ethereum ETFs recorded $105M of net purchases for the week, the highest in 11 weeks, as BTC and ETH rose to a one-month high and a six-week high, respectively. The developments center on tangible regulatory advances and execution by top asset managers, strengthening the policy backdrop for major crypto assets.

The headline points to signs of a strong recovery in Solana’s SOL price alongside record-high on-chain perpetual DEX trading volume. The data is framed as evidence of concrete progress in Solana’s derivatives infrastructure. It also suggests that user activity and protocol TVL may be expanding in tandem. No verifiable details are provided on volume figures, protocol names, or the relevant time window.

India’s government is considering reinstating a 5–7 basis-point Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions for large merchants with annual turnover above Rs 1–1.5 crore, while small merchants and peer-to-peer transfers would remain free. The move is aimed at addressing payment service providers’ lack of a direct revenue stream under the current zero-MDR regime. A Zeta executive estimates the change could generate Rs 3,500–5,000 crore in annual industry revenue. ZETAUS, an India-focused payments infrastructure provider listed in the US, would directly benefit from the potential regulatory shift.

Rane Holdings said it will pay a dividend of ₹47 per equity share for the financial year ended March 31, 2026. The record date is August 6, 2026, and the payment is scheduled for August 24, 2026. The company also said it intends to acquire the Friction Division of Hindustan Composites for ₹370 crores. Its 90th Annual General Meeting is set for August 13, 2026 to take up the financial statements, the dividend and director-related items.

Donald Trump held a livestream conversation with Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse focused on XRP’s future and Ripple’s role in transforming global finance. The Ripple-led event highlighted progress around XRP in cross-border payments, regulatory compliance, and policy support. No new partnerships, technical upgrades, or regulatory rulings were announced, but the appearance functioned as a high-profile joint political-industry message. With XRP the only crypto asset explicitly named, the attention and narrative lift could bolster near-term trading sentiment and capital focus.

Pakistan’s stock market fell 2,321 points, down 1.3%, on Friday as intensified US-Iran military action in the Middle East stoked fears of supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices rose, amplifying concerns about Pakistan’s energy import costs and inflation pressures. The report noted declines across the PSX index, with several local energy and financial stocks under pressure.

TermMax Alpha has launched a new derivatives protocol on BNB Chain, offering U.S. equity-mirrored tokens including SPYon, QQQon, Tesla ($TSLAB) and Nvidia ($NVDAB). The protocol supports leveraged long and short positions while promoting what it describes as zero liquidation risk. It says its mechanism design aims to reduce forced-liquidation risk triggered by on-chain price spikes, and it also allows depositors to earn premiums. The rollout is positioned as a DeFi infrastructure upgrade for the BNB Chain ecosystem, adding asset variety, improving capital efficiency and supporting TVL growth, with TSLAB among the first single-asset listings to gain a native on-chain liquidity and trading venue.

TXNM Energy and Blackstone said they have extended the terms of their $11.5 billion merger agreement, with the companies now estimating the transaction will close in the first half of 2027. The extension follows a New Mexico Public Regulation Commission decision ordering the companies to unwind a $400 million TXNM stock sale to Blackstone affiliates, saying it lacked PRC approval and was illegal, and imposing $300,000 in fines. TXNM said it entered into a $400 million loan to reverse the stock sale and that the debt will sit at the parent company level. The transaction still requires final approvals from New Mexico’s PRC and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and TXNM shares fell on the day.