Real-world asset markets posted another week of measured growth in the Sept. 4 to Sept. 11 period, with on-chain RWA market capitalization rising to $39.07 billion and total holders climbing to 3.885 million, according to data cited in the report. Stablecoins also expanded, reaching a combined market cap of $304.93 billion, while monthly transfer volume jumped to $7.8 trillion and monthly active addresses rose to 56.64 million. Policy and product updates drove much of the week’s activity. Canada’s OSFI said tokenized deposits carry the same legal character as traditional deposits. In India, SEBI and the RBI launched a corporate bond tokenization pilot tied to wholesale digital rupee settlement. Uzbekistan moved ahead with a sandbox for a som-pegged stablecoin backed by government securities. On the product side, ARK filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to add exchange-listed and tokenized share classes to its Venture Fund, while a range of banks, payment firms and crypto platforms pushed forward with tokenized deposits, securities platforms and stablecoin infrastructure. The week also brought new funding deals, including Latitude’s $35 million Series A and Circle’s planned $400 million stock acquisition of cross-border payments platform Tazapay. The report also highlighted rising speculation around tokenized U.S. equities, including Robinhood Chain and Four.meme’s 4Stock experiment.

UniCredit is seeking a technology provider to support infrastructure for digital asset trading, custody and access to tokenized investment products, according to Bloomberg, which cited people familiar with the matter. The report said discussions at the Italian bank remain at an early stage and are focused on several areas: crypto custody, brokerage capabilities, tokenized investment products, and stablecoin-based fixed-income securities. Cointelegraph said it had contacted UniCredit for comment on which provider could fill the infrastructure gap. The report places UniCredit alongside other large banks exploring digital asset rails. U.S. Bank, described as America’s fifth-largest commercial bank, completed a live cross-border payment using its proprietary USBDC stablecoin on Wednesday. Standard Chartered launched spot Bitcoin and Ether trading for institutional clients in the United Arab Emirates on Sept. 3, after previously rolling out digital asset custody services in the region in September 2024. In August, Israel’s largest bank, Leumi, partnered with Galaxy Digital to offer Bitcoin, Ether and Solana trading through its investment platform, with the launch expected in early 2027.

Apple’s Sept. 10 product event introduced the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the company’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, while the regular iPhone 18 did not appear on stage and may arrive in the first quarter of next year, according to the source article. Pre-orders for the Pro models are scheduled to open at 8 p.m. on Sept. 12, with retail availability on Sept. 18. The iPhone Duo is set for pre-orders on Oct. 16 and launch on Oct. 23. The source frames the Duo as a device aimed mainly at entertainment and mobile productivity. It carries a 5.4-inch outer display, a 7.6-inch inner screen, support for Apple Pencil (USB-C) later this year, and prices ranging from 15,999 yuan to 26,499 yuan, though the article points to compromises in telephoto imaging and unlocking convenience. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are described as more conventional upgrades centered on the A20 Pro chip and a variable-aperture main camera, with starting prices of 9,999 yuan and 10,999 yuan. For buyers with tighter budgets, the source argues that the delayed standard iPhone 18 may still be the most practical option to wait for, citing reported memory upgrades, a potentially smaller Dynamic Island and expected pricing closer to the current iPhone 17 range.

U.S. Bank said it completed a live cross-border payment between its North American and European entities using USBDC, a dollar-backed stablecoin the bank issued on Stellar. The pilot placed a federally regulated bank’s token on a permissionless blockchain and tested controls including minting, freezing, clawback and payment redemption. The bank said the transaction settled on Stellar while remaining linked to its core finance, risk, compliance and operations systems, and also validated its internally built Digital Asset Platform for issuing and moving tokenized assets. U.S. Bank did not disclose the amount transferred, whether the token will be made available to clients, what specifically backs USBDC, or where reserves are held. Potential use cases still under review include liquidity management, collateral mobility and cross-border treasury operations. The move adds to Stellar’s growing roster of institutional users, which already includes Franklin Templeton and DTCC, according to Nora Wahlbrink of Breakwater Strategy.

U.S. Bank said it has issued USBDC, a dollar-backed stablecoin, on the Stellar network and completed a real-time cross-border payment pilot between its North American and European entities. The pilot tested minting, freezing, clawback, and payment redemption functions. The transaction settled on Stellar while remaining connected to the bank’s core finance, risk, compliance, and operations systems. The test also validated an internally developed digital asset platform designed to issue and transfer tokenized assets and link the bank’s existing infrastructure with blockchain networks. Chair and CEO Gunjan Kedia said the pilot showed the bank’s ability to accelerate global cash management and the movement of funds. U.S. Bank did not disclose the transfer amount, whether USBDC will be made available to clients, or the composition of the token’s reserves. Potential uses including liquidity management, collateral mobility, and cross-border treasury operations are still under evaluation. The report also noted that real-world asset balances on Stellar have been growing, with Franklin Templeton and DTCC building on the network as well.

Crypto markets saw an unusually dense flow of developments between Sept. 9 and Sept. 10, with LAPTOP drawing the most attention after its launch, airdrop claims, market-maker allocations, liquidity incentives and extreme price moves all unfolded in quick succession. Security concerns emerged at the same time, including phishing warnings tied to LAPTOP and a separate email phishing alert from hardware wallet maker Trezor. Beyond LAPTOP, on-chain activity showed large ZEC buying through three wallets, a profitable six-month run in VVV and LIT by whale address 0x7378, and fresh positioning by trader Based16z. Binance listed Niulai and expanded related services, while Binance Alpha added 4Stock and A Meme Coin. Institutional and infrastructure news also arrived in size. Aave launched an official MCP server for AI agents, Consensys spun out MetaMask into an independent entity, U.S. Bank tested cross-border payments using USBDC on Stellar, PayPal formally rolled out its PYUSDx platform, and Tether teamed up with Fasanara Capital on a $400 million private credit fund. Regulators and policymakers were active as well, with U.S. enforcement action against Xinbi Guarantee, fresh pressure in Washington around the CLARITY Act, and an EU move to extend local contact-point rules to crypto service providers.

Apple used its Sept. 9 fall event in the U.S. West Coast time zone to roll out a broad hardware lineup, including the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, its first foldable phone called iPhone Duo, AirPods 5, Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. Taiwan will get the products on the same schedule, with the iPhone 18 Pro starting at NT$44,900 and the foldable iPhone Duo starting at NT$74,900. The event was also the first fall launch under new CEO John Ternus, who said in the iPhone Duo press release that the device "redefines how people use a foldable phone." Apple also detailed pricing, preorder dates, new camera and health features, the release timing for iOS 27 and Apple Intelligence, and a usage cap for server-side AI features that may later be expanded through paid tiers.

U.S. Bank, the fifth-largest commercial bank in the United States and a unit of U.S. Bancorp, has completed a real-time cross-border payment test using its own dollar-backed stablecoin, USBDC, according to CoinDesk. The transaction was settled between the bank’s North American and European entities over the Stellar blockchain. The pilot covered minting, payment redemption, freezing and clawback functions, and also tested the bank’s internally built digital asset platform for issuing, managing and transferring tokenized assets. U.S. Bank said the setup is designed to connect traditional banking infrastructure with blockchain rails and support always-on, 24/7 transaction capability. Chairman and CEO Gunjan Kedia said the live pilot demonstrated the bank’s ability to speed up global cash management and fund movement. The test was carried out under U.S. Bank’s strategic partnership with the Stellar Development Foundation. Future use cases mentioned in the report include liquidity management, collateral transfers and cross-border treasury operations. The move comes as banks step up stablecoin efforts while regulation advances globally.