AI Is Now Capturing 40% of Crypto VC Funding — A Major Shift in Capital Allocation
Artificial intelligence is rapidly absorbing a growing share of venture capital funding, forcing crypto startups to rethink how they position themselves to investors. As VCs prioritize AI-driven opportunities with clearer near-term returns, crypto firms are adapting by integrating AI into their products, refining business models, and emphasizing real-world utility. This shift is creating a more competitive funding landscape, where pure-play crypto projects struggle unless they demonstrate strong differentiation or synergy with AI. Some firms are pivoting toward hybrid models that combine blockchain infrastructure with AI capabilities, aiming to stay relevant in investor portfolios. Others are focusing on profitability and sustainable growth rather than relying on speculative funding cycles. The broader implication is a maturation of the crypto sector, as it aligns more closely with tangible use cases and technological convergence. Ultimately, the intersection of AI and crypto may define the next wave of innovation—and investment—in fintech.
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The Ultimate Directory of Agentic Commerce and Payment Protocols / Tools
What this directory covers
“Agentic commerce” is a shift from human-operated checkout (clicking “Buy”) to software agents that discover, negotiate, and transact on a user’s behalf often across multiple systems, surfaces, and payment methods. Multiple initiatives are trying to prevent this ecosystem from fragmenting into one-off integrations by defining shared languages, primitives, and trust/authorization artifacts.
This directory treats “protocol” broadly as any standardized interface that enables interoperable agent-led commerce, including:
Commerce/checkout standards (how agents and merchants coordinate carts, checkout, order lifecycle).
Payments authorization and audit standards (how intent, consent, and accountability become cryptographically provable).
Trust and traffic authenticity mechanisms (how merchants distinguish trusted commerce agents from malicious automation).
Agent tooling surfaces (MCP servers, SDKs, toolkits) that make these protocols practical to implement.
Curated News
💳 Payments
EBANX Expands into Southeast Asia and Turkey
EBANX is entering new markets across Southeast Asia and Turkey, unlocking access to a $610B digital commerce opportunity. The expansion strengthens its position as a global cross-border payments leader.
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TNG Digital Rolls Out E-Wallet Salaries for Migrant Workers
TNG Digital and KK Mart are enabling migrant workers to receive salaries via e-wallets. This initiative promotes financial inclusion and reduces reliance on cash-based systems.
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Tabby Secures Wallet License in the UAE
Tabby has obtained a wallet license, expanding its financial services offering in the UAE. This move strengthens its position in the fast-growing BNPL and digital wallet market.
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MegPrime Launches Universal Payments App for Homebuyers
MegPrime introduced a payments platform tied to homebuilding incentives. The solution blends payments with real estate financing to create new ownership pathways.
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🏦 Banking
Backbase and Ninth Wave Expand Open Finance Connectivity
Backbase and Ninth Wave are enabling enhanced open finance capabilities for commercial banks. This allows better data integration and new financial services innovation.
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NatWest Expands Financial Education into Workplaces
NatWest is bringing financial education programs directly into workplaces. This initiative aims to improve financial literacy and confidence among employees.
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💰 Fintech
Palm Secures Amex Backing for Portable Business Identity
Palm has received investment from Amex Ventures to develop portable business identity solutions. This could streamline onboarding and verification across platforms.
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Capsule Security Raises $7M to Control AI Agent Risks
Capsule Security is tackling risks from autonomous AI agents with runtime monitoring tools. The funding highlights growing concern around AI safety in fintech.
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Spektr Raises $20M for AI Compliance Platform
Spektr secured funding to automate compliance processes using AI. The platform aims to reduce manual KYC and AML workloads for financial institutions.
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Clear Street Expands in Europe with MiFID II License
Clear Street has obtained a MiFID II license in the Netherlands to grow its European presence. This move enables broader access to capital markets infrastructure.
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Navan IPO Boosts Returns for Fintech Investors
Navan’s IPO has delivered gains for fintech-focused VC Group 11. This signals renewed optimism for fintech exits after a slower period.
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🪙 Crypto
Kraken Parent Acquires Bitnomial for $550M
Kraken’s parent company is acquiring derivatives exchange Bitnomial. This strengthens its position in crypto derivatives and institutional trading.
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ABN AMRO Launches Regulated Crypto Investment Products
ABN AMRO is offering regulated crypto investment options to clients. This reflects increasing demand for compliant digital asset exposure.
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Retail Trader Turns $2.5K into $500K on Meme Coin
A crypto trader achieved massive gains from a meme coin surge. The story highlights ongoing speculation and volatility in the crypto market.
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Bitcoin Holdings Drive Strategy Stock Surge
A company’s stock jumped as its Bitcoin holdings returned to profit. This underscores how crypto exposure can significantly impact corporate valuations.
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⚖️ Regulation
FCA and Turing Institute Use Synthetic Data to Fight Money Laundering
The FCA and Turing Institute are developing synthetic datasets to improve AML detection. This approach allows innovation while protecting sensitive financial data.
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📊 Other
Ecommpay Highlights Key Challenges in E-Commerce Fraud
Ecommpay outlined major issues driving fraud in online commerce. The insights emphasize the need for stronger fraud prevention strategies.
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Early Warning Enhances Fraud Intelligence Capabilities
Early Warning has upgraded its fraud detection tools with improved intelligence systems. This aims to better identify and prevent financial crime.
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iDenfy Improves Hybrid Identity Verification Model
iDenfy has enhanced its identity verification system to better detect fraud. This reflects continued innovation in digital identity and security solutions.
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Rumble Merges with Northern Data to Scale Infrastructure
Rumble is merging with Northern Data to strengthen its infrastructure capabilities. The deal reflects growing demand for scalable data and computing resources.
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