Bitcoin matures, Asia leads tokenisation, and AI redefines both culture and care. Catch up on the week’s Web3 and AI headlines.
What’s up, Pasar Crew?
This week, Bitcoin charted a slower, steadier course amidst growing institutional interest, and Asia is stepping up as the global frontrunner in real-world asset tokenisation thanks to regulatory clarity in markets like Japan, Hong Kong, and Dubai.
Meanwhile, legal battles are heating up in the US, with CZ firing back over alleged ties to a Trump-backed stablecoin, and Coinbase suing Oregon for backtracking on crypto regulations behind closed doors.
On the AI front, Nvidia-powered GPUs are now helping experts classify centuries-old ceramics with near-perfect accuracy, while Google is pushing healthcare forward by open-sourcing its MedGemma models.
Australia continues to face scrutiny for advertising on X despite unsavoury outputs from Grok , and Indonesia is going all-in on “Sovereign AI,” partnering with Cisco and NVIDIA to build domestic capabilities.
From regulation and resilience to culture and computation, this week’s stories reflect the fast-evolving relationship between technology, society, and responsibility.
Let’s unpack the rest of this week’s biggest crypto and AI stories.
Web3
Slower Gains, Lower Volatility Anticipated For BTC
1️⃣ Bitcoin’s evolving market, shaped by the introduction of ETFs and a growing options ecosystem, is displaying reduced volatility and more measured, sustainable price growth. These signs of maturity are attracting more sophisticated traders and institutional capital.
Asia Leads Global Tokenisation Boom With Regulatory Clarity
2️⃣ Asia is emerging as the global frontrunner in the tokenisation space, propelled by clear regulatory guidance in the region. Japan is focused on building institutional trust, while Hong Kong is known for its flexible and experimental approach.
CZ Seeks Legal Action Against Bloomberg Over Stablecoin Claims
3️⃣ Binance co-founder CZ denied allegations linking him to USD1, a stablecoin allegedly backed by Donald Trump. The article alleged that Binance wrote USD1’s code and that CZ sought a presidential pardon in connection with a $2 billion deal.
Coinbase Sues Oregon Governor Over Lack of Transparency
4️⃣ Coinbase is taking legal action against Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, accusing her administration of withholding public records related to the state’s lawsuit against the exchange. Oregon is suing Coinbase over allegedly selling unregistered securities.
NFL Player Defrauded of $240K in JPMorgan Chase Scam
5️⃣ Dallas Turner, a linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings, has lost $240,000 in a bank fraud incident involving JPMorgan Chase. A scammer, impersonating a bank employee and armed with confidential account information, convinced Turner to wire two payments of $120,000.
Tether Ends USDT Support on Five Legacy Blockchains
6️⃣ Tether has announced it will discontinue support for USDT redemptions on Bitcoin Cash, Algorand, EOS, Kusama, and Omni Layer. The decision aims to streamline operations and concentrate efforts on networks that offer scalability and active development.
US Bitcoin ETFs Record Over $1 Billion in Inflows
7️⃣ US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs have posted over $1 billion in inflows for two consecutive days—a first since their debut in January 2024. This week’s total inflows reached $2.72 billion, coinciding with Bitcoin’s all-time high of $118,780.
France Launches Probe Into X Over Algorithm Manipulation
8️⃣ French authorities initiated a criminal investigation into social media platform X for suspected algorithmic manipulation and unauthorised user data harvesting. The J3 cybercrime unit is leading the probe following claims of algorithmic bias potentially aligning with Elon Musk’s political views.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI and Gaming GPU Transform Ancient Ceramics Valuation
1️⃣ Researchers have developed an AI system capable of classifying and valuing ancient Chinese ceramics with 99% accuracy. The tool offers an objective alternative to expert appraisal and opens new avenues for valuing cultural heritage.
AI Revolutionises Insurance with Faster Claims and Fraud Reduction
2️⃣ Artificial intelligence is reshaping the insurance industry by dramatically speeding up claims processing and reducing human error by 30%. It equips underwriters with enhanced data analytics for more accurate pricing and proactive risk mitigation.
Australia Continues X Usage Despite Grok’s Antisemitic Comments
3️⃣ The Australian government is maintaining its presence and advertising on X, despite the platform’s Grok chatbot generating antisemitic content. The Department of Finance has not suspended advertising, citing ongoing assessments of brand safety.
Google Open-Sources MedGemma AI to Support Healthcare
4️⃣ Google open-sourced its MedGemma and MedSigLIP AI models to support the medical sector. MedGemma 27B processes medical images and text with benchmark scores of 87.7%, offering strong performance at lower costs. This gives hospitals greater control while improving data privacy.
Grok AI Skews Responses Towards Elon Musk’s Views
5️⃣ Elon Musk’s AI assistant Grok has been found to favour Musk’s personal views on sensitive topics such as the Israel-Palestine conflict, immigration, and abortion. Despite internal instructions to present a range of perspectives, Grok’s responses heavily reference Musk’s statements.
New LSE Centre to Explore AI in Human–Animal Communication
6️⃣ The Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience at the London School of Economics will explore the ethical and practical applications of AI in understanding animal consciousness and improving communication between humans and pets.
Indonesia Pushes Sovereign AI with NVIDIA and Cisco
7️⃣ Indonesia is pushing ahead with its ‘Sovereign AI’ ambitions by launching an AI Centre of Excellence in partnership with Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Cisco and NVIDIA. Part of the country’s “Golden 2045 Vision”, the initiative seeks to develop local AI talent, research, and innovation.
OpenAI’s Windsurf Acquisition Falls Through as Team Joins Google
8️⃣ OpenAI’s proposed acquisition of AI start-up Windsurf has collapsed. Instead, Windsurf’s CEO Varun Mohan, co-founder Douglas Chen, and the R&D team will join Google DeepMind to work on agentic coding capabilities for Gemini.
That’s all for this week’s Pasar Pulse. Want more insights? Stay tuned to our site or subscribe via email!
