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.

Circle Internet Group (NYSE: CRCL) launched the public testnet for Arc, a Layer-1 blockchain designed to integrate programmable money with real-world economic activity, on October 28, 2025. The testnet has attracted participation from over 100 institutions across global finance and technology sectors, including BlackRock, Visa, and Amazon Web Services. The network offers predictable dollar-based fees, sub-second transaction finality, and direct integration with Circle's platform.

Japan's 2023 Payment Services Act amendment restricts stablecoin issuance to banks and trust institutions, establishing a conservative regulatory regime. Experts warn the framework's exclusion of global stablecoins like USDC and its inward focus may constrain DeFi innovation compared to Hong Kong and Singapore's more open approaches.

Custodia Bank and Vantage Bank Texas have launched a nationwide platform enabling U.S. banks to issue blockchain-based tokens backed by FDIC-insured deposits. The tokens function as traditional deposits within participating institutions and convert to stablecoin-like instruments during inter-institutional transfers. Three trial transactions were completed on Ethereum in March, with Bitcoin integration currently in development.