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23 Jan 2026, 05:44

Capital One to buy stablecoin fintech Brex for $5.15B in cash-and-stock deal

Capital One Financial Corp. has agreed to acquire fintech startup Brex in a deal valued at $5.15 billion, the transaction was disclosed on Thursday. Under the terms of the agreement, Capital One will pay 50% in cash and 50% in stock. Brex was previously valued at $12.3 billion, highlighting the valuation reset that has swept through the fintech sector amid higher interest rates and tighter funding conditions. Capital One founder and CEO Richard Fairbank said the acquisition reflects the bank’s long-term strategy to build a payments business shaped by technological innovation. “Since our founding, we set out to build a payments company at the frontier of the technology revolution,” Fairbank said in a release. “Acquiring Brex accelerates this journey, especially in the business payments marketplace.” He added that Brex brought together corporate cards, banking, and spend management software, calling it a vertically integrated platform built “from the bottom of the tech stack to the top.” A fintech built for fast-growing companies Founded in 2017, Brex established its reputation by providing corporate cards and cash management tools tailored for startups and technology companies. Over time, it expanded its customer base to include larger enterprises, providing payments, expense management, and banking services. Brex now serves a broad mix of clients across sectors, including Robinhood, Zoom, and Anthropic. While the company initially gained attention for extending credit to startups during a period of low interest rates, it later diversified beyond technology into other industries. How it fits into Capital One’s growth plan Under Fairbank, a rare founder-CEO of a major US bank, Capital One has pursued large strategic deals. Last year, Capital One agreed to buy Discover Financial for about $35 billion, a transaction that gave the bank access to one of the few payment networks operating at scale in the US. The Brex purchase aligns with that strategy by expanding Capital One’s presence in business payments and software, an area the company says is key to its broader payments ambitions. Stablecoins and the crypto angle The deal is also notable for Brex’s growing relevance to crypto and digital assets. In September 2025, Brex announced plans to launch native stablecoin payments, saying it would become the first global corporate card platform to enable instant balance payments using stablecoins. “Stablecoins make it possible to move millions of dollars across borders in seconds,” Brex CEO Pedro Franceschi said at the time, adding that Brex aimed to give companies a single, secure platform to manage critical payments. Several crypto and blockchain-focused firms, including Figure, Solana, and Alchemy, joined the waitlist for the product, showing Brex’s position in the digital asset ecosystem. Strategic rationale Capital One said it became increasingly convinced that Brex’s model represented the future of business payments, according to a CNBC report. Franceschi told CNBC that the company did not pursue a sale out of necessity. “We didn’t have to pursue this acquisition, our growth was incredibly strong,” Franceschi said. He added that combining Brex’s technology with Capital One’s scale and resources would allow the platform to grow faster than it could as an independent firm. The post Capital One to buy stablecoin fintech Brex for $5.15B in cash-and-stock deal appeared first on Invezz

23 Jan 2026, 05:14

Quantum breakthroughs pose a risk to Bitcoin’s ECC cryptography

Glassnode’s chief analyst, James Check, has rejected fears of quantum computing as the main reason for Bitcoin’s price slump, calling them misguided. Some Bitcoiners across the crypto landscape have alluded to this and remain skeptical that quantum computing is to blame for BTC’s price remaining low despite bullish forecasts last year that targeted as high as $250,000 by year’s end. Contrary to Bitcoiners’ opinions, traditional finance executives, including Jefferies strategist Christopher Wood, have expressed serious concerns about the impact of quantum computing, particularly on the security of the Bitcoin network. Wood removed BTC from his portfolio recently, citing quantum fears, which in turn triggered debates across the industry, reflecting that quantum fear is entering institutional risk frameworks. Quantum breakthroughs pose a risk to Bitcoin’s ECC cryptography According to a Cryptopolitan report , Quantum computing uses quantum bits (qubits) to process data in a fundamentally different way from traditional computers. At the moment, QC technology is still in its infancy, although some institutions have claimed several breakthroughs. Google claimed that it had developed a computer algorithm with the potential for practical applications in quantum computing, generating unique data for use with AI. This. QC keeps some capital away, but this argument that gold is up and Bitcoin is down because of it just isn't it. Gold has a bid because sovereigns are buying it in place of treasuries. The trend has been in place since 2008, and accelerates after Feb-22. Bitcoin saw… https://t.co/3KoYBKbf7x — _Checkmate 🟠🔑⚡☢️🛢️ (@_Checkmatey_) January 21, 2026 IBM has also achieved a significant milestone by entangling 120 qubits into a stable state. This was verified with a fidelity of 0.56, and it used the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states, which reduce noise in superconducting circuits and bring QC close to breaking elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) used in Bitcoin. This chain of events has sparked debates over whether quantum computing poses a threat to the cryptographic methods used to secure blockchains and whether it is the reason BTC’s price has remained down despite bullish forecasts. Jefferies strategist Christopher Wood removed BTC from his ‘Greed & Fear’ portfolio last week. He cited that new developments in quantum computing could affect the long-term security of crypto blockchains and drive down prices. Other Bitcoiners, including Castle Island Ventures partner Nic Carter, said the primary catalyst for BTC’s price action is quantum computing risk and is the only story that matters this year, according to him. Jamie Coutts, chief crypto researcher at RealVision, noted that quantum risks do not correlate with price movements. Still, markets that focus on QC threats could influence Bitcoin’s future performance, especially as prices change and the industry’s preparedness for potential risks evolves. He supported Wood’s decision, noting that it signals that quantum risks are already in institutional risk frameworks, even if broader views still differ. Boyapati remains skeptical of the impact of QC on BTC price Vijay Boyapati, a Bitcoin author, noted on a post that he is highly skeptical that the price of BTC can be explained by quantum computing, despite some investors picking up the narrative. Boyapati agrees that QC has a legitimate concern about BTC security. Still, for him, the real reason is the unlocking of additional supply once a magic number is hit for many whales. Boyapati further called for discussion on solutions to quantum risks. James Check, Glassnode’s lead analyst, argued that while QC may be keeping some capital away from BTC due to the risks it poses, the current weakness in the token’s performance is largely due to heavy selling pressure from long-term holders. He noted the October bearish momentum that drew away approximately $19 billion from the crypto market killed every prior bull thrice over, and then once more. At the time of publication, BTC was trading at $89,800, unchanged over the past 24 hours and up approximately 6% over the past week. BTC has struggled to regain $100K since the beginning of the year, trading sideways between $87K and $97K. The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them .

23 Jan 2026, 04:54

Capital One Agrees to Acquire Technology and Stablecoin Firm Brex in $5.15B Deal

Capital One has agreed to acquire fintech firm Brex in a deal valued at $5.15 billion, marking one of the largest fintech transactions in recent years and signaling the bank’s growing interest in stablecoin-based payments. Key Takeaways: Capital One will acquire Brex for $5.15 billion, gaining its payments technology and stablecoin infrastructure. The deal strengthens Capital One’s push into business payments as competition from fintech firms intensifies. Growing regulatory clarity and market growth are driving banks to explore stablecoins for mainstream payments. The US banking giant said on Thursday that the transaction will be structured as a combination of cash and stock and is expected to close in mid-2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. As part of the deal, Capital One will absorb Brex’s payments technology, including its stablecoin infrastructure. Capital One Says Brex Deal Accelerates Push Into Business Payments “Since our founding, we set out to build a payments company at the frontier of the technology revolution,” Capital One founder and CEO Richard Fairbank said in a statement. He added that the acquisition would accelerate the bank’s push into business payments, an area where competition from fintech firms has intensified. Brex, best known for its corporate cards and spend management tools, has increasingly positioned itself at the intersection of traditional finance and crypto. In October, the company announced plans to become the first global corporate card provider to support native stablecoin payments, beginning with USDC. That move placed Brex among a small but growing group of fintech firms experimenting with blockchain-based settlement for everyday business transactions. Brex co-founder and CEO Pedro Franceschi said he would continue to lead the company following the acquisition. Writing on X, Franceschi said the deal would allow both firms to move faster and invest more deeply, bringing expanded financial tools to businesses that remain underserved by traditional banks. https://t.co/IfEmfj5RSJ — Pedro Franceschi (@pedroh96) January 22, 2026 The acquisition comes as stablecoins draw renewed attention across Wall Street. Following the passage of comprehensive US stablecoin legislation last year, major financial institutions have begun exploring how tokenized dollars could fit into payments, treasury management, and cross-border transfers. According to CoinGecko, the total market capitalization of stablecoins has climbed 18.6% since the GENIUS Act was passed in July 2025, reaching a record $314 billion. That growth has sharpened interest from banks seeking to modernize payment rails while staying within regulatory boundaries. Stablecoin Transactions Hit $33 Trillion in 2025 as USDC Leads Usage Global stablecoin transaction value reached $33 trillion in 2025, marking a 72% increase from the previous year, according to Bloomberg data compiled by Artemis Analytics. USDC emerged as the most-used stablecoin by transaction volume, processing $18.3 trillion, while Tether’s USDT handled $13.3 trillion, despite maintaining its lead by market capitalization at $187 billion. The surge in activity followed the passage of the GENIUS Act in July 2025, the first comprehensive U.S. regulatory framework for payment stablecoins. Industry participants say the legislation has provided legal certainty that encouraged broader institutional and global adoption. As reported, stablecoin usage on fintech platform Revolut also accelerated sharply in 2025 , with payment volumes estimated to have climbed 156% year over year to roughly $10.5 billion, as digital dollars gain ground in everyday payments. The post Capital One Agrees to Acquire Technology and Stablecoin Firm Brex in $5.15B Deal appeared first on Cryptonews .

23 Jan 2026, 04:43

CZ believes cryptocurrency is an effective method for exchanging value for AI

Changpeng Zhao, the entrepreneur behind Binance and one of the most influential figures in the cryptocurrency world, has delivered a bold vision of how digital assets could help society adapt to a future shaped by artificial intelligence and automation. In an X post, CZ argued that as AI takes on a growing share of traditional work, blockchain‑based technologies such as cryptocurrency, tokenization , and decentralized finance will become essential components of a new global economic system. CZ insists that artificial intelligence is already transforming industries from customer service to logistics, and that this will require new forms of economic infrastructure to enable autonomous digital interactions, including payments. He predicted that future AI agents might transact independently on behalf of users or businesses. Additionally, he notes that crypto will be the natural medium for those interactions rather than legacy systems like credit cards. CZ believes cryptocurrency is an effective method for exchanging value for AI Earlier, CZ shared his vision for the future of cryptocurrency at the WebX event in Tokyo. For better understanding, he broke this point down by connecting digital assets with AI and recent policy revisions. The former Binance CEO began by praising US President Donald Trump’s pro-crypto stance and his contribution to establishing US crypto policies. Some of these policies he approved included stablecoin laws and the Genius Act. Nonetheless, CZ condemned central bank digital currencies. Afterwards, the Binance founder stressed that embracing new technologies is crucial to maintaining a global competitive edge. At this moment, CZ asserted that cryptocurrency will naturally emerge as the leading method for exchanging value for AI, displacing traditional money, banks, and credit cards. According to Zhao, blockchains’ application programming interfaces (APIs) outperform banks in terms of integrating with AI-driven economic activities. Meanwhile, since stepping down from his position at Binance, CZ has demonstrated a commitment to education and advisory roles. To support this claim, sources noted that he offers advice to more than 12 governments on effective ways to regulate and adopt cryptocurrencies. To further illustrate his dedication to backing the crypto ecosystem, CZ made clear his intentions to mentor startup founders and support early-stage initiatives through EZ Labs, his investment company. These plans emphasize the significance of ethical conduct and the establishment of long-term value. CZ warns that everything in the crypto ecosystem is about to undergo change As the Binance founder continued to emphasize the vital role of the crypto Industry, he mentioned that his main goal is to see crypto-AI agents with tokens illustrating real utility. CZ raised this concern after arguing that almost all the available ones are useless. To explain this argument, Zhao noted in a fireside chat at Token2049 in Dubai, that, “Today there are so many different AI agents with a token, but agents don’t have a utility. I want to see real agents with real utility that can really help you with tokens. There are AI token launchpads where you click a button and get an AI named after you. That token is useless — 99.99% of them are useless.” He further added that, “What we want to see is real AI agents that can use things.” CZ warned that AI will completely revolutionize the crypto user experience and how users interact with blockchains. This could consist of customer support, the app experience, and risk monitoring, among other updates. To demonstrate the seriousness of the situation, the former Binance boss insisted that everything is about to change in the crypto industry. According to Zhao, the crypto industry’s development before AI was unfortunate, as it may have been forced to shift its focus to AI to leverage its benefits. Want your project in front of crypto’s top minds? Feature it in our next industry report, where data meets impact.

23 Jan 2026, 04:30

Gold nears $5,000, silver closes on $100 while bitcoin remains listless

Prediction markets price further upside for bullion as volatility data shows silver absorbing momentum while gold grinds higher

23 Jan 2026, 03:00

Iran Turns To USDT, Acquiring $507 Million To Defend Its Currency

Iran’s central bank quietly built up a large stash of Tether’s USDT last year as the rial struggled and trade with the outside world grew harder. The move turned parts of the crypto ledger into a public trail of a policy that would normally be private. Central Bank’s Crypto Moves According to a blockchain analysis by Elliptic , the Central Bank of Iran acquired at least $507 million in USDT over 2025, a figure the firm treats as a conservative minimum because it only counts wallets it could tie to the bank with high confidence. Reports say much of the buying happened in the spring months of 2025 and that payments were routed through channels that included Emirati dirhams and public blockchains. Those stablecoins were then used in local crypto markets to add dollar-linked liquidity and help slow the rial’s slide. New Elliptic research: We have identified wallets used by Iran’s Central Bank to acquire at least $507 million worth of cryptoassets. The findings suggest that the Iranian regime used these cryptoassets to evade sanctions and support the plummeting value of Iran’s currency,… pic.twitter.com/I7NHGO0wtP — Elliptic (@elliptic) January 21, 2026 How The Money Flowed Elliptic’s tracing shows an early flow of USDT into Nobitex, Iran’s biggest crypto exchange, where the coins could be swapped into rials and fed into the market. After a breach and growing scrutiny in mid-2025, other paths were used, including cross-chain bridges and decentralized exchanges, to move and convert funds. A Freeze And A Warning That open ledger also left the transactions visible to outside observers. On June 15, 2025, Tether blacklisted several wallets linked to the central bank and froze about $37 million in USDT , showing that stablecoins can be cut off when issuers or regulators step in. That intervention narrowed some options for on-chain liquidity. This episode matters for two reasons. First, it shows how a state institution can use stablecoins to gain access to dollar value when normal banking routes are closed. Second, it highlights a weakness: if a private issuer can freeze balances, those reserves are not the same as cash held in hard foreign accounts. Trade, Sanctions, And A New Tool Reports note the purchases likely served a twin goal — to smooth domestic exchange rates and to help settle trade with partners who avoid direct dollar banking. The method is blunt. It gives a way to move value, but it also creates new points of control and exposure that can be tracked on public ledgers. Analysts will be watching how regulators and stablecoin issuers respond. They will also track whether other countries under pressure turn to similar mixes of centralized and decentralized tools. The public tracing of these flows makes it harder to hide big moves, even when actors try to obscure them across chains and exchanges. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView