Fin, founded by two former Citadel engineers, raised capital to launch a stablecoin app for cross-border payments as banks and fintechs expand into digital assets. Former Citadel engineers Ian Krotinsky and Aashiq Dheeraj have raised $17 million to launch Fin, a stablecoin-powered payments app designed for high-value cross-border transactions. According to Fortune on Wednesday, the startup, previously known as TipLink, closed the round with backing from Pantera Capital, Sequoia and Samsung Next. Fin plans to pilot the app within the next month, targeting import-export businesses that often move hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time. Built around stablecoin rails, Fin will enable users to send funds to other payment apps, bank accounts, and crypto wallets, aiming to reduce costs compared to traditional wire transfers. Read more
Cryptocurrencies show strength despite investors’ concerns about the AI industry and weak US labor and consumer data. Would an acceleration of money printing boost Bitcoin? Key takeaways: Low BTC and ETH leverage appetite contrasts with strong stock markets, highlighting fragile sentiment despite improving liquidity expectations. While economic uncertainty persists, anticipated monetary easing reduces downside risk for cryptocurrencies, favoring a potential bullish momentum. Read more
Crypto deals activity surged to record levels this year, even as the industry continued to face significant market turbulence and macroeconomic headwinds. Crypto merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in 2025 reached $8.6 billion as of November, with companies closing a record 133 deals, marking an all-time high in both deal count and total value. The total dollar amount of business deals exceeded the combined total of the previous four years, according to Bloomberg, citing Pitchbook data. Coinbase led the M&A activity, with six acquisition deals completed in 2025, including the $2.9 billion purchase of Deribit, one of the largest crypto derivatives marketplaces. Read more