Circle Moves to Expand USDC’s Cross-Border Reach
On September 8, Circle signed a definitive agreement to acquire Singapore-based payments platform Tazapay. The proposed deal would add more than 60 banking and fintech partners and local payout rails across over 100 markets; Circle says Tazapay processes more than $25 billion in annualized payment volume, with roughly 60% already involving stablecoins. The transaction is expected to close in 2027, subject to regulatory approval. The move shows stablecoin issuers competing not only on token circulation, but on the banking connections that turn digital dollars into usable cross-border payment infrastructure. Read Circle’s announcement.
MetaMask and Consensys Split Into Two Companies
On September 9, Consensys Software Inc. announced that it will separate its consumer and institutional businesses. The existing company will be renamed MetaMask and focus on self-custodial consumer finance, while a newly formed Consensys will house protocol and institutional infrastructure including Linea and the Besu Ethereum client. Completion is expected by the end of 2026. The split reflects how crypto’s consumer-wallet market and its institutional infrastructure market are maturing into distinct businesses, each requiring its own leadership, investment and operating model. Read the company announcement.
Trezor Warns Users After Third-Party Email Breach
On September 10, Trezor disclosed that Brevo, the third-party platform used for its newsletters, had been compromised the previous day. An attacker used affected customer accounts to send phishing emails, while approximately 347,000 addresses from Trezor’s opt-in newsletter database may now face further phishing attempts. Trezor said no other company systems were affected, but warned that the malicious email asked recipients to download an app and enter their wallet backup. The incident is a reminder that self-custody can protect funds from a platform failure while still leaving users exposed through ordinary communications infrastructure. Read Trezor’s security notice.