The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has issued guidance bringing stablecoins, wrapped tokens, tokenized securities, and digital wallets under existing financial product regulations. Service providers must obtain a financial services license by June 30, 2026, under a temporary no-action relief program. The move follows industry consultation and builds on national efforts to strengthen crypto market oversight.

Australia's securities regulator has updated its digital asset framework as the country prepares mandatory licensing for crypto exchanges and stablecoin issuers by 2026. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission published revised guidance on October 29, 2025, clarifying how financial services laws apply to digital asset businesses. The update supports upcoming legislation that will introduce formal licensing requirements for crypto platforms and custody providers.

Nasdaq-listed shipping company OceanPal Inc. closed a $120 million private placement to establish SovereignAI Services LLC, a subsidiary focused on blockchain and AI infrastructure developed with the NEAR Foundation. Kraken, Proximity, Fabric Ventures, and G20 Group participated alongside the NEAR Foundation. The funds will support a NEAR Protocol-based digital asset treasury and a confidential AI cloud platform using NEAR and Nvidia technologies.

Citi and Coinbase announced a collaboration to develop digital asset payment capabilities for institutional clients. The partnership will initially focus on streamlining fiat-to-crypto transfers and expanding into always-on settlement infrastructure, addressing long-standing friction in institutional funding workflows.

Coinbase's x402 payments protocol processed nearly 500,000 transactions between October 14 and October 20, marking a 10,780% increase from the previous month, according to Dune Analytics data. The protocol enables AI agents and users to conduct instant stablecoin payments without intermediaries by utilizing the HTTP 402 status code. Friday recorded the highest daily transaction count at 239,505, while Thursday saw peak transaction volume reaching $332,000.

Crypto hardware wallet provider Ledger has introduced a fee structure for its redesigned Multisig application, charging a $10 flat fee per transaction plus 0.05% on token transfers. The pricing model, announced alongside the Nano Gen5 device launch, has drawn criticism from developers and users who argue the fees contradict self-custody principles. Ethereum developer pcaversaccio stated the company claims alignment with cypherpunk ideals while attempting to establish centralized control over cryptocurrency transactions.

Video platform Rumble announced at the Plan ₿ Forum in Lugano that its 51 million monthly active users will gain access to cryptocurrency tipping in mid-December. The Rumble Wallet will support Bitcoin, USDT, and Tether Gold payments. Tether developed the feature and holds approximately 48% of Rumble following a $775 million investment in 2024.

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller introduced a payment account proposal on October 21 that would provide stablecoin issuers and crypto firms access to Fed payment systems without full master account rights. The account would enable Fedwire and ACH connectivity while excluding interest payments, overdraft facilities, and emergency lending access. The framework aims to support payments innovation while limiting central bank exposure to digital asset entities.

Video-sharing platform Rumble is introducing Bitcoin tipping functionality for its 51 million monthly active users through a partnership with Tether. CEO Chris Pavlovski announced the feature is currently in testing, with full rollout expected by early to mid-December 2025. The initiative was revealed at the Plan ₿ Forum in Lugano, Switzerland.

Video platform Rumble has partnered with stablecoin issuer Tether to introduce Bitcoin tipping for content creators. The feature is scheduled to launch between early and mid-December 2025, following testing phases. Viewers will be able to send cryptocurrency tips directly through Rumble's native wallet, bypassing traditional payment processors.