Bezos in talks to raise $100 billion to revamp manufacturers with AI
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is in talks to raise $100 billion for a fund that would acquire manufacturing companies and infuse them with artificial intelligence, according to the Wall Street Journal. Investor documents describe the vehicle as a “manufacturing transformation vehicle,” targeting sectors including chipmaking, defense, and aerospace. The fund would draw on technology from Project Prometheus, a startup co-led by Bezos that focuses on applying AI to industrial manufacturing.
Morgan Stanley sets MSBT ticker and $1 million seed capital for Bitcoin ETF
Morgan Stanley has filed a second SEC amendment for its planned spot Bitcoin ETF, which will trade on NYSE Arca under the ticker MSBT with $1 million in seed capital at launch. The bank is positioned to become the first major U.S. lender to issue a spot Bitcoin ETF directly under its own name, with BNY Mellon handling administration and Coinbase serving as custodian.
Coinbase’s bitcoin yield fund goes on-chain with Apex’s tokenization push
Coinbase Asset Management has launched a tokenized share class of its Bitcoin Yield Fund on the Base network, in partnership with Apex Group. The fund targets an annual return of 4–8% denominated in Bitcoin and is currently available to non-U.S. institutional investors only.
OpenAI plans desktop superapp merging ChatGPT, Codex, and browser
OpenAI will combine its ChatGPT app, Codex coding platform, and AI-powered browser into a single desktop superapp, with Fidji Simo, its CEO of Applications, overseeing the transition alongside President Greg Brockman. The move is aimed primarily at enterprise and developer users, with the mobile ChatGPT app expected to remain unchanged.
Avalanche gains regional momentum through Animoca alliance
Animoca Brands has made a strategic investment in Ava Labs, the company behind the Avalanche blockchain, with the partnership targeting expansion across Asia and the Middle East. Focus areas include entertainment, real-world asset tokenization, and digital identity, with Animoca leveraging its recently obtained Dubai VARA licence and growing South Korean institutional relationships.
Crypto.com cuts 12% of staff in AI pivot
Crypto.com has laid off roughly 180 employees, around 12% of its workforce, as the Singapore-based exchange doubles down on AI-driven efficiency. CEO Kris Marszalek said the cuts targeted roles that “do not adapt in our new world,” warning that companies that fail to integrate AI immediately “will fail.” The move follows similar AI-linked workforce reductions at Block, Gemini, Algorand, and Messari in recent weeks.
Ripple survey shows banks, fintechs, and corporates all-in on digital assets, prioritizing stablecoins and custody
A Ripple survey of more than 1,000 finance leaders found broad consensus that digital asset adoption has moved from intent to execution, with stablecoins the standout priority — 74% of respondents said they can improve cash-flow efficiency. Custody ranked as the single most important capability for institutions evaluating tokenization, cited by 89% of respondents. A Coinbase and EY-Parthenon survey similarly found that 73% of institutional decision makers plan to increase digital asset allocations.
Nvidia deepens grip on cloud AI with major AWS chip deal
Nvidia will deliver 1 million GPUs to Amazon Web Services by the end of 2027, in one of the most significant chip supply agreements in cloud computing history. The deal, announced at Nvidia’s GTC conference, also covers networking equipment and a new chip family designed for AI inference tasks. Financial terms were not disclosed.