Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation (MoCTI), Bhutan National Digital Identity Ltd. (Bhutan NDI), and the SIGN Foundation have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly design, develop, and implement a national digital identity platform for Sierra Leone. The initiative will use open-source technologies and W3C-standard verifiable credentials, with a stated focus on privacy, security, and data sovereignty. Under the cooperation framework, MoCTI will lead strategy, policy development, and coordination across government agencies; Bhutan NDI will contribute experience from a mature national digital identity architecture and provide an open-source identity framework; and the SIGN Foundation will take charge of system design, solution architecture, and technical implementation. The platform is intended to help citizens securely manage and prove their identities while improving the efficiency of public service delivery.

Trump appoints Paul Atkins as SEC chair, bypassing congressional gridlock. Coordinated with CFTC's Michael Selig, rules are expected by 2026-2027, providing legal clarity and growth runway for crypto.

Bithumb and Circle are set to sign an MOU focused on expanding USDC-related B2B services in South Korea. The partnership signals rising institutional adoption of stablecoins and may support cross-border payments, treasury management, and regulated digital asset infrastructure.

South Korean bitcoin treasury company Bitplanet has signed a memorandum of understanding with Nasdaq-listed Antalpha and its partners to bring in KRW 15 billion worth of bitcoin mining equipment, with full-scale mining operations scheduled to begin this month. Under the first-phase plan, the deployed machines are expected to produce more than 7 BTC per month and over 80 BTC annually, although actual output will depend on equipment utilization rates and electricity costs. The company said mined bitcoin will be recognized as operating revenue and managed as a long-term financial asset. The mining fleet is set to be deployed in overseas jurisdictions with more competitive power prices, including Oman and Paraguay, under an offshore hosting and joint-venture operating structure. The move suggests Bitplanet is testing a treasury growth model that relies not only on spot accumulation but also on internally generated bitcoin production.

The New York Stock Exchange has partnered with tokenization specialist Securitize to design the infrastructure for a digital trading platform. This move accelerates blockchain adoption in traditional equities, enabling 24/7 trading and instant settlement.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins unveiled 'Project Crypto' and a token taxonomy with the CFTC, plus an innovation exemption for on-chain tokenized securities. Bitcoin rebounded to $77,586 amid institutional inflows, but skeptics warn of potential bull traps. All eyes on Bitcoin 2026 conference.

Solana holds near $83 with a 2% daily dip, but partnerships with Shinhan Card for stablecoin payments and Meta's USDC support on Solana boost sentiment. Technically, $80 is a key support; a breakdown could target $73, while a break above $86 EMA may push toward $100.

Binance Research reports TradFi-perps average daily volume surged from $3B to $8.6B in Q1 2026. Weekend perps correctly predicted 89% of Monday gaps. Gold and silver perps surpass regional exchanges. SEC-CFTC MOU boosts regulatory clarity.