Payward, the company behind the US-based crypto exchange Kraken, has announced a collaboration with Nasdaq to develop tokenized equities using its xStockz product. The initiative will use a permissionless infrastructure layer to support issuer-sponsored equity tokens and expands on xStockz's reported total transaction volume of over $25 billion. Kraken will act as a distribution partner in a move that reflects the broader trend of bringing traditional equities and commodities into blockchain-based markets.

Oil prices, which had surged to nearly $120 per barrel amid the armed conflict involving Iran, the US, and Israel, dropped sharply after reports that G7 members may discuss a coordinated release of up to 400 million barrels from reserves. US crude slid toward $101, while Bitcoin rebounded from an intraday low near $65,600 to around $67,400 as the broader crypto market's capitalization rose to $2.38 trillion, up 0.2% over the past 24 hours.

In February 2026, Elon Musk said X Money, the payments arm of X, was already running in a closed beta inside the company and would move to a limited external beta before a global rollout. Actor William Shatner shared screenshots showing features such as a debit card with cashback, fueling expectations that the service could later add crypto functionality, especially after Musk reacted positively to a post mentioning potential crypto integration.

Over the last 24 hours, Google researchers detailed a powerful iPhone exploit kit dubbed Coruna that threatens crypto wallet seed phrases on older iOS versions. In parallel, Morgan Stanley moved toward a Bitcoin trust product with Coinbase and BNY Mellon, Zerohash applied for a U.S. National Trust Bank Charter, a16z targeted around $2 billion for a new crypto fund, and Tether backed Eight Sleep at a $1.5 billion valuation.

Kraken’s banking subsidiary, Kraken Financial, has obtained a limited-purpose master account from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas, becoming the first crypto-linked firm with this type of access. The account lets Kraken connect directly to core Fed payment rails and reduce dependence on intermediary banks, although it does not include commercial-bank privileges such as interest on reserves or Fed lending facilities. The move is seen as a key infrastructure milestone for integrating digital asset businesses into the traditional US dollar payments system and broader financial markets.

During the latest trading session, South Korea's KOSPI index tumbled by more than 12% after already losing 7% the previous day, marking its steepest downturn since 2008. Trading in both KOSPI and Kosdaq was briefly halted by circuit breakers as investors reacted to war-related tensions in Iran and the Middle East, profit-taking, and concerns over the high energy costs of AI data centers. Global equity indices in Japan and the United States also faced volatility, while crypto markets stayed relatively flat, with Bitcoin edging up 0.6% and total market capitalization hovering around $2.3 trillion.

XRP has declined 15% over seven days, 26% over two weeks, and more than 40% over the past year; the article also notes a Fear and Greed Index reading of 7 yesterday. The review traces price points from 2018 through July 2025 and discusses Ripple, RLUSD, token concentration, and why XRP's value may not track the company's growth.

Ripple announced Ripple Treasury, a unified platform for CFOs, treasurers and accounting teams to manage traditional cash and digital assets. Built with GTreasury, it supports cross-border settlement via RLUSD and offers 3-5 second completion, real-time tracking and removal of pre-funding. The service adds automated FX policies and access to competitive rates.

A speculative comparison of BTC, ETH, and XRP argues that XRP could deliver the highest percentage returns by 2029, while Bitcoin is characterized as the safer reserve allocation and Ethereum as a utility-driven play. The discussion comes alongside Trump's pledge to make the U.S. a crypto hub, as Bitcoin is down 15% since his inauguration and many altcoins fell 70%–90%.