Day: February 18, 2026

Uber plans $100 million investment in autonomous vehicle charging stations

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Ride hailing giant targets 10 self driving cities by 2026 as stock rebounds 3%. Uber announced today it will invest $100 million to construct fast-charging stations designed for autonomous vehicles across the United States. The infrastructure buildout will begin in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Dallas, supporting the company’s expanding robotaxi operations. The company has set a target of deploying self-driving taxi services in more than 10 cities by the end of 2026. The investment comes as the ride-hailing giant faces mounting pressure from rivals developing driverless…

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon says he holds Bitcoin

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Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, who leads one of Wall Street’s most influential investment banks, confirmed that he personally owns Bitcoin, though he holds only a small amount. Speaking at the World Liberty Forum on Wednesday, Solomon called himself an “observer of Bitcoin” who mainly watches the market to understand its evolution. Although Goldman has been careful with digital assets, Solomon said the bank sees crypto as integral to a long-term shift in financial markets. He rejected the idea that banks and crypto companies are adversaries, calling it a single…

Trump Family-Backed WLFI Token Surges Ahead of Mar-a-Lago Crypto ‘Forum‘

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Lawmakers, Wall Street executives, and cryptocurrency leaders will meet at US President Donald Trump’s private Mar-a-Lago club for a crypto “forum” organized by World Liberty Financial, the company backed by Trump and his sons. Ahead of the event, the price of World Liberty’s WLFI token surged by more than 23%, to about $0.12 from $0.10. Trading volume in the past 24 hours topped $466 million. On Wednesday, the president’s sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. — also the co-founders of World Liberty Financial — along with Coinbase CEO Brian…

Modern Treasury Adds Stablecoin Settlement to PSP

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Modern Treasury, a payments operations software provider that helps companies manage and reconcile money movement, has introduced an integrated payment service provider (PSP) that supports both traditional fiat rails and stablecoins. On Wednesday, the company announced that it has added stablecoin settlement to the same infrastructure that businesses already use for ACH transfers, wire payments and real-time payment networks. At launch, the platform supports Global Dollar (USDG), Pax Dollar (USDP) and USDC (USDC), with USDt (USDT) expected to be added in the future. Modern Treasure acquired stablecoin and fiat payment…

What Happens If XRP Is Building Its Final Base At These Levels?

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XRP’s weekly structure is drawing increased scrutiny as price consolidates within a historically sensitive range. Rather than signaling an end, a prominent XRP enthusiast suggests this phase could be laying the groundwork for a major structural pivot. Understanding this setup is key to seeing how historical consolidation phases define XRP’s expansion framework. Historical Consolidation Phases Define XRP’s Expansion Framework In a recent assessment posted on X (formerly Twitter), XRP market commentator @Austin_XRPL highlighted the asset’s historical price behavior as evidence of a recurring structural process. According to a chart he…

Matt Hogan: Institutional adoption is ending the four-year cycle, Bitcoin halving is losing significance, and covered call strategies are reshaping investment

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The traditional four-year cycle in crypto is becoming obsolete due to the influence of institutional adoption. Institutional investments in crypto have reached a staggering $15 trillion, indicating a major shift in market dynamics. The fear and greed index suggests a stable market outlook despite… Key takeaways The traditional four-year cycle in crypto is becoming obsolete due to the influence of institutional adoption. Institutional investments in crypto have reached a staggering $15 trillion, indicating a major shift in market dynamics. The fear and greed index suggests a stable market outlook despite…

Nick Shalek: The future of finance blends decentralized and permissioned systems, why regulatory clarity is crucial for digital asset adoption, and how tokenization will personalize financial interactions

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Future financial systems will blend traditional and blockchain elements for a more personalized experience. Key takeaways The future of financial systems will integrate both decentralized and permissioned elements. Investing in projects that merge traditional finance with blockchain is seen as promising. Tokenization aims to make assets interpretable for machines, enabling smarter software. The financial system will become more personalized and intelligent, differing greatly from today’s model. Younger companies are more likely to adopt new technologies due to their innovative culture. Regulatory clarity is crucial for the widespread adoption of digital…

ECB To Launch Payment Provider Selection For Digital Euro

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The European Central Bank (ECB) is moving closer to a pilot for a digital euro, with Executive Board Member Piero Cipollone outlining plans to begin selecting payment service providers (PSPs) in early 2026, ahead of a 12-month test scheduled for the second half of 2027. Cipollone on Wednesday held an executive committee meeting of the Italian Banking Association. He said the pilot would involve a limited number of payment service providers, merchants and Eurosystem staff. Selection of participating providers is expected to start in the first quarter of 2026. Cipollone…

How Europe’s Blockchain Sandbox Ties Innovation to Regulation

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The European Union, often criticized for prioritizing rulemaking over innovation, is pointing to the European Blockchain Sandbox as an example of how regulation can boost innovation. After three cohorts of confidential dialogues, the initiative has produced a 230-page best practices report and drawn in nearly 125 regulators and authorities. The European Commission tapped law firm Bird & Bird and its consortium partners to lead the initiative, which matches blockchain use cases with regulators for confidential dialogues aimed at clearing legal challenges. Marjolein Geus, a partner at Bird & Bird, told…

Izabella Kaminska: UK’s decline mirrors Soviet collapse

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The UK is experiencing socio-economic conditions reminiscent of a Soviet-style collapse. Sudden loss of trust in institutions can lead to chaotic environments, ripe for exploitation. Poland’s integration of the former regime into the new structure helped stabilize its transition. Key takeaways The UK is experiencing socio-economic conditions reminiscent of a Soviet-style collapse. Sudden loss of trust in institutions can lead to chaotic environments, ripe for exploitation. Poland’s integration of the former regime into the new structure helped stabilize its transition. Poland’s gradual approach to privatization avoided wealth concentration seen in…