Invest ideasNews
12 May 2026, 20:25
Google and SpaceX are in talks to launch orbital data centers as part of Google's Project Suncatcher
Google and SpaceX are in talks for launching its Project Suncatcher, a plan to put data centers in space. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news on Tuesday morning. Later, Reuters also cited Google confirming the talks with SpaceX and other companies. The tech giant wants to build a network of solar-powered satellites carrying its Tensor Processing Units to create what it calls an orbital AI cloud. The talks come as SpaceX prepares for a highly anticipated stock market debut that company insiders say will need serious money to fund the orbital data center project. Musk helped start OpenAI back in 2015 because he worried about Google’s AI work. He had fallen out with Google co-founder Larry Page over questions about AI safety. Now, both SpaceX and Google are racing to be first with data centers in space. Building these orbital facilities is a big reason SpaceX wants to go public. The work will cost a lot and push current technology to its limits. Just last week, AI company Anthropic said it would use all the computing power at SpaceX’s Colossus 1 center in Memphis. Anthropic also said it wants to work with SpaceX on building several gigawatts worth of data centers in space. Musk wrote in February that “Anthropic hates Western Civilization.” But by Wednesday, he changed his mind. He posted on X that he spent a lot of time with Anthropic’s top people over the past week and said he was impressed with what he learned. Industry rush to Space As reported by Cryptopolitan previously, SpaceX filed papers with the Federal Communications Commission asking permission to launch up to one million data centers into orbit around Earth. The company says this would let AI grow without causing environmental problems on the ground. SpaceX is not alone in this push. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said last year that tech companies will move their big computing operations to space. Google plans to send up 80 data-processing satellites as soon as next year. A Washington State startup called Starcloud already launched a satellite last November with a high-end Nvidia H100 chip on board. It was the first time an advanced AI chip was tested in orbit. Starcloud thinks it can have data centers in space as big as the ones on Earth by 2030. Space data centers dream meets technical reality Supporters say space-based data centers make sense. The AI boom is putting heavy pressure on power grids and water supplies. Computer cooling uses huge amounts of water. People living near big data centers worry about rising costs for electricity and water. In space, those problems go away, supporters argue. Satellites in certain orbits get constant sunlight, giving them non-stop solar power. The cold vacuum of space would soak up excess heat. And with launch costs dropping, especially with big rockets like SpaceX’s Starship, the economics might work out. But critics point to serious obstacles that may not be solved anytime soon, as mentioned in an MIT review. Heat management poses a major challenge as orbital data centers would reach 80 degrees Celsius, according to Lilly Eichinger from Satellives, though Yves Durand from Thales Alenia Space said his 2024 study found gigawatt-scale facilities possible before 2050. Ken Mai from Carnegie Mellon said radiation damages chips, while Greg Vialle from Lunexus Space noted low Earth orbit can safely hold only 240,000 satellites, making SpaceX’s one million plan difficult without a unified network. On the ground, Google is talking with Marvell Technology about making two new AI chips, The Information reported Sunday. One chip would handle memory processing alongside Google’s tensor processing units. The other would be a new tensor processing unit built just for running AI models. The companies hope to finish designing the memory chip next year before sending it for test production. The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them .
12 May 2026, 19:38
Ethereum Developers Propose Fix to 'Blind Signing' Risk Tied to Massive Losses
Ethereum developers proposed a solution that would end "blind signing," a technical feature that has led to potentially billions in losses.
12 May 2026, 19:30
The EU’s war on Big Tech just got a second front
ByteDance’s video-sharing app TikTok went before Europe’s highest court on Tuesday, trying to overturn rules that force it to follow stricter regulations meant to limit the influence of major technology companies. The hearing at the EU Court of Justice marks the first time a company has challenged its classification under the bloc’s Digital Markets Act. How the judges decide could shape whether European regulators succeed in their push to break up tech monopolies and give users more options. European officials labeled TikTok a “gatekeeper” in September 2023, putting it in the same category as other tech giants with over 45 million users each month. The list includes Google, owned by Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG), along with Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META), Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), and Booking.com (NASDAQ: BKNG). A year later, a lower court rejected TikTok’s initial complaint, ruling the company clearly fit the requirements for the gatekeeper label. As reported by Cryptopolitan previously, Apple also made a similar move against DMA, arguing the regulation hurts security and makes things harder for customers. Companies that fall under these rules face strict obligations designed to reduce their market power. Breaking the rules can cost them fines reaching up to 10% of what they make in a year. Tiktok says it doesn’t fit the standards TikTok’s legal team told the court the earlier tribunal made mistakes when it decided the platform met all three tests for gatekeeper status, like having major market influence, serving as an essential channel for businesses to reach customers, and maintaining a dominant position that’s hard to challenge. “ByteDance showed not only that its market cap is overwhelmingly derived from its Asian businesses but also they had no connection to Europe, face different competitive dynamics and operate in a distinct regulatory, linguistic and cultural environment,” Bill Batchelor, representing TikTok, told the court. Batchelor explained to the 15 judges that between 70% and 80% of people who use TikTok also use several other platforms at the same time, including Facebook and Instagram from Meta Platforms, plus Snap and X. This means users aren’t stuck with just TikTok, he argued. “We refer to this as ‘multihoming.’ That means businesses can reach the same end users via multiple other platforms,” Batchelor said. A lawyer working for the European Commission pushed back against TikTok’s reasoning. “Lock-in can occur even when some degree of multihoming exists. For example, there may be specific user groups that depend on TikTok,” Mislav Mataija argued before the judges. The court’s decision will come sometime in the next few months. Meta Platforms is also fighting its gatekeeper classification for its Messenger and Marketplace services. Europe targets features that hook young users European regulators are stepping up pressure on social platforms and plan to take action against design choices on TikTok and Instagram that they say get kids addicted. Governments around the world are trying to shield children from social media’s negative effects. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Tuesday at the European Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Children in Denmark that action against certain platform features would happen later this year. “We are taking action against TikTok and its addictive design – endless scrolling, autoplay, and push notifications. The same applies to Meta, because we believe Instagram and Facebook are failing to enforce their own minimum age of 13,” von der Leyen said. “We are investigating platforms that allow children to go down ‘rabbit holes’ of harmful content – such as videos that promote eating disorders or self-harm,” she added. The EU has built its own age-checking application that von der Leyen called having “the highest privacy standards in the world.” Member countries will be able to add it to their digital wallets soon, making it easy for online platforms to use it. “No more excuses – the technology for age-verification is available,” the EU chief said. A formal legal proposal could be ready by summer, once the EU’s Special Panel of experts on Child Safety Online finishes its work. European enforcement of rules holding tech giants accountable has ramped up over the past year, resulting in penalties that have annoyed American officials who warn Europe might lose out on opportunities in artificial intelligence. U.S. President Donald Trump is fighting back against penalties hitting American businesses, which have added up to more than $7 billion in the past two years. Trump signed a memorandum in February looking at possible tariffs to “combat digital service taxes (DSTs), fines, practices, and policies that foreign governments levy on American companies.” If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter .
12 May 2026, 18:45
DTCC to use Chainlink to power 24/7 collateral management network
The world’s largest post-trade infrastructure provider will integrate Chainlink technology into its tokenized collateral platform ahead of a Q4 2026 launch.
12 May 2026, 18:30
Crypto Founder Shares Critical Warning About Bitcoin, Here’s What He Said
Bitcoin is currently at the center of a debate after Avalanche founder Emin Gün Sirer raised concerns about the network’s long-term security and mining economy . In a recent X post shared on May 10, 2026, the crypto founder argued that BTC could eventually face a serious challenge tied to declining miner incentives . His comments have quickly sparked discussions on what this could mean for Bitcoin’s future stability. Bitcoin Mining Pressure Builds The warning from the crypto founder centered on a growing concern that has followed Bitcoin for years but is now attracting renewed attention as block rewards continue to shrink. Bitcoin miners currently secure the network by verifying transactions and maintaining the blockchain through energy-intensive mining operations . In return, miners receive newly issued BTC alongside transaction fees. However, Bitcoin’s halving system cuts mining rewards in half every four years. While this system helps control BTC’s supply and supports its scarcity, it also reduces the amount miners earn over time. Sirer warned that this could eventually create a difficult situation for BTC where mining rewards are no longer enough to cover the high costs of electricity, equipment, and mining operations. The concern becomes more significant because Bitcoin’s security depends heavily on miner participation. If mining becomes less profitable over time, smaller mining firms could struggle to survive , potentially forcing some operators out of the market. This could reduce competition among miners and increase centralization risks, something critics have warned about for years. The Avalanche founder also pointed toward a future where transaction fees may eventually become the main source of income for miners. However, that could create another challenge if fees become too expensive for everyday users or fail to generate enough revenue to maintain strong network security. Crypto Founder Suggests New Direction For BTC As discussions around the warning grew, attention also turned to the solution proposed by the crypto founder. Sirer suggested that BTC could eventually use an extra transaction layer connected to Avalanche technology before transactions are fully completed on the Bitcoin network. The goal of the idea is to reduce pressure on Bitcoin’s current system while helping transactions move through a faster and more efficient verification process. Even though the technology behind it is complex, supporters believe it could help BTC handle future challenges linked to declining mining rewards and growing network demands. However, the proposal may not easily gain support from the BTC community. Many long-time BTC supporters are known for opposing major changes to the network , especially when outside technologies or different consensus systems are involved. Even so, the warning highlights a broader concern already being discussed across the crypto industry. Some investors believe Bitcoin’s increasing price and future transaction activity could eventually solve the problem naturally. Others believe declining miner rewards could become a serious long-term issue if solutions are not presented early enough.
12 May 2026, 18:30
DTCC to adopt Chainlink CRE for its collateral appchain integration. launch target set for Q4 2026
The DTCC (Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation) has announced it would adopt Chainlink’s Runtime Environment (CRE) for its blockchain-based Collateral AppChain today, May 12. The launch of the product has been slated for Q4, 2026. The Collateral Appchain platform’s objective is to automate collateral pricing and valuation, margining, and ensure settlement 24/7. This is intended to further improve the relationship between legacy markets and blockchains. DTCC processed about $4.7 quadrillion in securities transactions in 2025, which has led to the need for a platform like the Collateral AppChain. The platform will operate as shared infrastructure for easing collateral movement between providers, receivers, and other financial stakeholders. The Collateral AppChain will run on Hyperledger Besu and rely on the use of smart contracts in tokenizing traditional assets, enabling near real-time collateral transfers and settlements across institutions and time zones. Chainlink’s CRE will be integrated into the platform to provide the infrastructure needed to coordinate information and workflows across both blockchain networks and traditional financial systems. It would serve as the data layer for the platform, where new collateral use cases can be expanded upon without rebuilding a data pipeline or performing custom integrations for each asset class or data type. Chainlink’s integration The Chainlink layer will handle several core functions within the AppChain. It will ensure eligibility checks and optimizations for collateral, valuation of multiple assets using on-chain price data, margin calculations, in addition to settlement instructions. “By leveraging tokenization and distributed ledger technology to modernize collateral mobility, our goal is to enable 24/7, near real-time collateral management across global markets and blockchains,” said Nadine Chakar, DTCC Managing Director and Global Head of Digital Assets, in the announcement statement. Chainlink Co-Founder Sergey Nazarov called collateral management “the killer application that institutional finance has been waiting for from the blockchain sector.” He also said CRE can “pull together and orchestrate many critical outputs in a secure, private and compliant manner.” DTCC tokenization efforts The company has continued to expand its tokenization efforts across multiple areas of finance. Earlier in the month, DTCC announced that more than 50 firms had joined a working group tied to the Depository Trust Company’s separate tokenization platform. According to the organization, limited production trades are expected to begin in July, with a broader commercial rollout planned for October . In 2024, JPMorgan, Franklin Templeton, and BNY Mellon all took part in a pilot by both DTCC and Chainlink, where the transfer of asset data to blockchain networks for tokenization purposes was explored. Collateral management in Traditional Finance DTCC’s depository subsidiary was in charge of about $114million in securities in 2025 while processing more than 25 billion trade messages yearly. Collateral management across traditional finance still remains a broken process since assets are often locked across multiple institutions and time zones, creating delays in how market risks are assessed and acted on. Tokenization is viewed as a solution to these inefficiencies. Automating workflows through smart contracts and converting collateral has the potential to reduce settlement times and free up capital tied between counterparties. The Collateral AppChain is designed to reduce reconciliation errors by using a consistent data format for collateral information flowing between blockchains and traditional systems. If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter .
