All about Ethereum’s latest test of a key supply zone after spike in Korea Premium Index
What’s next for the altcoin’s short-term price action?
Spain Defies Big Tech Pressure With Tough AI and Social Media Rules
Spain is moving ahead with stricter regulations on artificial intelligence and social media platforms despite growing pressure from major technology companies. The Spanish government says the measures are necessary to protect citizens, especially minors, from harmful online content, cyberbullying, and AI generated abuse. Digital Transformation Minister Oscar Lopez said the government would not allow large […]
The post Spain Defies Big Tech Pressure With Tough AI and Social Media Rules appeared first on Modern Diplomacy.
Pi Network’s PI Attempts Comeback as Team Drops Important KYC Announcement
Despite the growing criticism toward some of its features and initiatives, Pi Network’s Core Team continues to make major announcements on the KYC front.
In the latest such statement, they outlined the total number of users who have successfully passed the verification procedures and those who have migrated to Mainnet.
Millions and Millions
The blog post on X from the team reveals that over 18.1 million users have already been approved and verified through Pi Network’s comprehensive Know-Your-Customer procedure. In addition, more than 16.7 million Pioneers have been successfully migrated to Mainnet.
The team has frequently outlined that one person is one account, which is Pi Network’s core belief. This means that each of those millions and millions of accounts represents an actual human. According to them, this is what keeps the ecosystem functioning as mining rewards remain fair, payments rely on real participants, and apps can trust actual user engagement.
However, there’s a bit of a catch. Some users continue to be stuck in “Tentative KYC” status. Although many of them keep complaining on X that it has been months and even years in some rare and extreme cases, the team said this does not mean a complete rejection.
Those Pioneers need to complete additional verification as the system is “double-checking for authenticity.” This ‘cautious’ approach helps filter out bots and fake accounts, protect real users, and maintain long-term network integrity, the post reads.
It’s worth noting that Pi Network’s Core Team recently introduced AI-powered infrastructure that will enhance processing and approval speeds and reduce bottlenecks. Nevertheless, they remain committed to human effort as such input is still a notable part of the entire verification process.
PI Returns to Top 50
The native token’s price performance has been quite controversial, to say the least, in the past few months. Every major breakout attempt has been halted in its tracks, and the subsequent rejection has pushed the asset south to its starting point.
This resulted in a growing selling pressure that drove the token to under $0.17 yesterday, which knocked it out of the top 50 alts by market cap after a 6% weekly decline. Nevertheless, PI has rebounded slightly on a daily scale, though the weekly chart is still well in the red, and the overall market weakness has helped it return to the top 50 alts with a market cap of $1.8 billion.
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Trump Pushes China Trade Agenda With Nvidia CEO on Beijing Visit
U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing for a high stakes visit focused on trade, technology, and geopolitical tensions. The trip marks the first visit by a U.S. president to China in nearly a decade and comes as Washington seeks economic gains amid rising domestic political pressure. Joining Trump on the trip is Jensen Huang, […]
The post Trump Pushes China Trade Agenda With Nvidia CEO on Beijing Visit appeared first on Modern Diplomacy.
Banking Africa: Cantor8 Moves Deeper Into Africa’s Mobile Money Sector via Yiksi Limited
[PRESS RELEASE – Zug, Switzerland, May 12th, 2026]
As part of a broader initiative to expand access to essential banking infrastructure across Africa, Cantor8 has revealed plans to bring leading mobile money systems such as M-PESA and EVC Plus onchain via Yiksi Limited.
Cantor8 has secured exclusive MOUs with Yiksi Limited, outlining plans to bring leading mobile money systems onchain and enable direct digital money services-to-crypto conversion via blockchain rails.
Through its partnership with Taran App, a leading African fintech platform, and Yiksi, Taran App’s cryptocurrency exchange, Cantor8 will leverage Taran App’s infrastructure to bring two of Africa’s most widely used forms of mobile money on-chain via the Canton Network.
The partnership serves as a crucial pilot for a broader rollout across additional African nations and mobile money ecosystems, demonstrating how onchain digital money infrastructure can scale across the continent.
Mobile Money Infrastructure and Blockchain Integration
Limited banking infrastructure in regions like Kenya and Somalia has led to the widespread adoption of mobile money systems like M-PESA and EVC Plus.
These platforms are vital for financial inclusion and economic activity in mobile-first ecosystems where traditional bank penetration, around 15% in Somalia, remains low due to physical and documentation barriers.
Migrating these systems to blockchain networks like the Canton offers a significant opportunity to enhance interoperability, settlement efficiency, and global connectivity. This evolution, in turn, provides users with a fully integrated digital financial system that bypasses conventional infrastructure.
Despite access challenges, ongoing innovation in digital onboarding continues to reduce barriers, scaling payments and remittances across these emerging markets.
The Need for Digital Money in African Economies
To understand the impact of digital money and mobile-based transfer systems like M-PESA and EVC Plus, it helps to first understand the regions in which they operate and have seen widespread adoption.
At the core, three key factors have driven the success of these systems in emerging economies like Somalia and Kenya:
- Limited-to-non-existent access to reliable banking infrastructure.
- A high degree of mobile phone access and competence.
- Unworkable local currencies.
The Banking Gap
Since 1991, Somalia has transitioned into a mobile-first economy led by services like EVC Plus, filling the void left by a sparse traditional banking sector. According to the US State Department’s 2025 Investment Climate Statement, formal banking penetration sits at just 15% due to branch scarcity and rigid ID requirements.
Cantor8 aims to bridge this gap by integrating secure digital infrastructure and modernizing mobile connectivity.
The firm is targeting similar inclusion gaps in Kenya, where M-PESA dominates but rural barriers persist. By deploying mobile-first technology, Cantor8 intends to scale financial access and integrate these emerging markets into a cohesive digital ecosystem.
Nonviable Local Currencies
Somalia and Kenya are increasingly pivoting toward mobile-first financial systems to navigate structural economic challenges.
In Somalia, decades of central banking limitations and counterfeit Somali Shilling (SOS) circulation have driven a market shift toward the US Dollar and mobile money for stability.
Kenya’s Shilling (KES) remains more integrated into global markets, though its debt profile reflects heavy infrastructure investment. Despite macroeconomic pressures, Kenya continues to lead in digital innovation, utilizing mobile platforms to deepen economic participation.
Together, both nations demonstrate a move away from physical cash toward digital foundations, clearly setting the stage for next-generation payment infrastructure and improved fiscal stability across East Africa.
Mobile-Native Populations
Somalia and Kenya are cementing their status as mobile-first economies as cellular connectivity outpaces traditional banking growth. Somalia’s mobile penetration has reached nearly 60%, with 11.5 million connections growing at a 7% annual clip, driving widespread adoption of digital finance.
Kenya’s ecosystem is even more saturated; as of late 2025, SIM subscriptions hit 78.4 million (a 149.5% penetration rate). This high density of roughly 1.5 SIMs per person underscores the central role of telecoms in regional commerce.
Together, these metrics provide a robust foundation for next-generation digital payment infrastructure across East Africa’s most connected populations.
The Rise of Digital Money
The aforementioned factors create the perfect conditions for a financial system that is (a) denoted in USD, (b) immediately accessible through mobile devices, and (c) provides similar functionality to bank accounts, to flourish.
Digital money system, EVC Plus (operated by Hormuud Telecom) is now the backbone of Somalia’s economy. Mobile money adoption in Somalia is among the highest in the world, with over 87% of the population using mobile money services.
For additional context, Hormuud currently serves nearly 5 million users, the vast majority of which use EVC Plus for daily transactions.
Similarly, as of 2025, a staggering 85% of Kenyan adults had access to financial services through digital platforms like M-PESA. Indeed, several estimates put M-PESA’s share of mobile money transaction value in Kenya at well over 90%.
Enter Canton Network & Cantor8
By leveraging Cantor8’s cutting edge infrastructure components, such as its C8 Registry token issuance engine, mobile money systems like M-PESA and EVC Plus can be brought directly onto blockchain rails – Canton Network specifically.
In doing so, said mobile money gains access to both the advantages brought by blockchain generally, and those that only Canton Network can deliver.
Instant Settlement
Blockchain rails are able to provide atomic settlement on transactions, meaning transfers and other actions are settled instantly, all in one single transaction. This entirely eliminates the aforementioned ‘in-transit’ risk and dramatically reduces the operational burden placed on mobile money providers.
No settlement gap. No extractive middlemen. More efficient money.
Compliant Privacy
While public blockchains like Ethereum and Solana expose all historical transaction data, the Canton Network provides a privacy-focused alternative essential for regulated industries like banking. Built to shield sensitive details, including counterparties, balances, and timing, Canton ensures transaction data remains confidential.
To meet compliance standards, the network generates tamper-proof audit trails accessible only to authorized regulators and auditors. Integrating M-PESA and EVC Plus onto Canton’s rails allows users to maintain total financial privacy while enabling seamless, foolproof oversight for authorities.
Interoperability
Canton operates a so-called ‘network-of-networks’ where differing institutions operate and maintain their own blockchain ledgers, ensuring privacy is maintained, while the network’s key interoperability component (The Global Synchronizer) allows for these separate networks to interact seamlessly.
In the case of mobile money, users will be able to put their funds to use in different countries and at different merchants, without undertaking lengthy and high-risk conversation processes.
Banking Africa
Through an interoperable system of mobile money platforms, users will be able to leverage the stability of the US Dollar, seamlessly use and transfer their funds across borders, and much more.
The end goal of Cantor8’s initiative is to create a seamless pan-African payments system that remedies inequalities around banking infrastructure and creates a more interconnected and efficient African economy. This is just the beginning.
About Cantor8
Cantor8 is the leading infrastructure provider for the Canton Network ecosystem. Founded and operated by Oxbridge alumni, exited founders, and best-in-class DAML developers, Cantor8’s product suite spans self-custody wallet solutions, private transfer infrastructure, compliant token issuance, bespoke development services, and much more besides.
If you are interested in speaking with us, users can reach out to reni@cantor8.tech.
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Strategy adds 535 BTC – Still ‘buying the dip’ or something else entirely?
Traders appear to be using MSTR more and more as a leveraged Bitcoin proxy.
French woman battling hantavirus is critically ill and on an artificial lung
A French woman repatriated from the cruise ship struck by hantavirus is in intensive care and being treated with an artificial lung, doctors at a Paris hospital said Tuesday as the country’s health minister said there was “no evidence” of widespread circulation of the rare virus.
Bitcoin Suisse expands with Digital Asset License and Investment Business Act Registration Approval in Bermuda
[PRESS RELEASE – Zug, Switzerland, May 12th, 2026]
Bitcoin Suisse (International) Ltd., an affiliate of the Bitcoin Suisse Group, has received a Class F license under Bermuda’s Digital Asset Business Act and Class B registration approval under the Investment Business Act from the Bermuda Monetary Authority, authorising regulated digital asset management and investment advisory services for professional and institutional clients.
The Bitcoin Suisse Group today announced that its affiliate Bitcoin Suisse (International) Ltd. has obtained a Class F digital asset business license under Bermuda’s Digital Asset Business Act and Class B registration under the Investment Business Act 2003 from the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA). The approval has been granted on a pre‑operational basis, subject to the completion of customary conditions prior to commencing regulated digital asset management and investment advisory services for professional and institutional clients.
The BMA’s approval marks a significant step in Bitcoin Suisse’s international expansion. Bitcoin Suisse (International) Ltd. now has the regulatory foundation to provide investment advisory and asset management services to professional and institutional clients outside Switzerland through a dedicated entity.
“Institutional investors increasingly recognize digital assets as a permanent part of their portfolios. What they need is a partner who combines deep crypto-native expertise with the governance and regulatory standards they expect from traditional financial services. The BMA approvals mark an important step in Bitcoin Suisse’s transition towards a global wealth management platform and allow us to be exactly that partner for clients internationally.” – Andrej Majcen, Co-Founder and Group CEO of Bitcoin Suisse.
Regulated Investment Advisory and Asset Management
Bitcoin Suisse (International) Ltd. is domiciled in Hamilton, Bermuda, and is fully owned by BTCS Holding Ltd., the group’s holding entity. The DABA license covers the provision of regulated digital asset business services, while the IBA registration enables the entity to provide investment advisory and discretionary portfolio management. The entity will serve professional and institutional clients with a suite of services spanning investment advisory, discretionary portfolio management mandates, and proprietary investment strategies. Clients may fund mandates in Bitcoin, stablecoins, or fiat currency.
The entity operates on a non-custodial basis and relies on regulated custodial providers and partner banks to deliver institutional-grade security. An experienced CIO Office and dedicated research function underpin all investment decisions, drawing on Bitcoin Suisse’s proprietary Crypto Analysis Framework and its Global Crypto Taxonomy – a classification system covering approximately 600 digital assets across six sectors, developed over more than a decade of crypto-native research.
Bermuda: A Premier Jurisdiction for Regulated Digital Asset Services
Bermuda has established itself as one of the world’s leading jurisdictions for digital assets, having introduced the Digital Asset Business Act in 2018 as one of the first comprehensive frameworks of its kind. The granting of both a DABA license and an IBA registration to Bitcoin Suisse (International) Ltd. reflects the group’s compliance infrastructure, governance standards, and operational maturity.
Part of a Broader Global Regulatory Rollout
The presence in Bermuda complements Bitcoin Suisse’s existing international footprint. The group already holds an In-Principle Approval (IPA) from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), reflecting its commitment to serving clients across the Middle East under a regulated framework. Together, these milestones underline Bitcoin Suisse’s ambition to bring its native crypto expertise to professional and institutional clients across multiple jurisdictions, including (U)HNWIs, family offices, external asset managers, and corporate counterparties.
About Bitcoin Suisse AG
Bitcoin Suisse AG is a leading premium crypto financial services provider. Founded in 2013 by crypto-native experts, it provides a cohesive suite of trading, custody, staking and lending services for institutional clients, crypto foundations, family offices, asset managers and high-net-worth individuals. Bitcoin Suisse is headquartered in Zug and has built a team of over 200 highly qualified experts in Switzerland, Europe and the Middle East. www.bitcoinsuisse.com
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Charted: India’s Internet Use Surged 5x in a Decade
Charted: India’s Internet Use Surged 5x in a Decade
Key Takeaways
- India’s internet penetration rose from 15% in 2015 to roughly 70% in 2025.
- The country now has more than 900 million internet users, second only to China globally.
- Affordable smartphones and low-cost mobile data helped accelerate adoption across rural India.
India’s internet adoption has accelerated dramatically over the last decade, creating one of the world’s largest online populations.
The chart above, created by Our World in Data using World Bank data, shows the share of India’s population using the internet from 1990 to 2025.
After remaining at just 15% as recently as 2015, India’s internet penetration surged to around 70% in 2025, marking one of the fastest large-scale connectivity expansions globally.
India’s Rapid Digital Expansion
Much of India’s growth was driven by inexpensive Android smartphones, expanding mobile networks, and some of the world’s cheapest mobile data plans.
| Year | India – Share of People Using the Internet |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 0.02% |
| 1996 | 0.04% |
| 1997 | 0.07% |
| 1998 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | 0.27% |
| 2000 | 0.52% |
| 2001 | 0.66% |
| 2002 | 1.2% |
| 2003 | 1.4% |
| 2004 | 1.6% |
| 2005 | 1.9% |
| 2006 | 2.2% |
| 2007 | 3.5% |
| 2008 | 3.8% |
| 2009 | 4.5% |
| 2010 | 7.5% |
| 2011 | 10.5% |
| 2012 | 11.0% |
| 2013 | 12.3% |
| 2014 | 13.5% |
| 2015 | 15.0% |
| 2016 | 16.5% |
| 2017 | 18.0% |
| 2018 | 20.0% |
| 2019 | 29.0% |
| 2020 | 43.0% |
| 2021 | 49.2% |
| 2022 | 56.0% |
| 2023 | 60.2% |
| 2024 | 64.9% |
| 2025 | 70.0% |
India now has one of the world’s largest internet user bases, with reports in 2025 estimating more than 900 million users nationwide.
According to India’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, much of this expansion has been driven by mobile-first connectivity, particularly in smaller cities and rural regions, narrowing the historical urban-rural divide.
How India Compares Globally
India’s rapid rise highlights how internet adoption across emerging markets is increasingly driven by mobile connectivity rather than desktop infrastructure. Countries including Indonesia, Nigeria, and Bangladesh are also seeing rapid growth as smartphones become cheaper and wireless coverage expands.
However, significant digital gaps still remain worldwide. Many lower-income countries continue to face infrastructure challenges, limited electricity access, and higher connectivity costs that slow adoption rates.
Meanwhile, highly connected economies such as South Korea, the United States, and much of Western Europe already have internet penetration rates above 90%, shifting their focus toward faster networks, AI infrastructure, and digital services rather than first-time access.
Why India’s Digital Growth Matters
India’s growing online population is reshaping everything from banking and shopping to entertainment and government services. With hundreds of millions of new users coming online over the last decade, the country has become one of the world’s largest markets for digital platforms and mobile-first services.
As more citizens come online, internet access can improve productivity, financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, and access to information. Still, internet access alone does not guarantee economic gains.
The next challenge for India will be turning connectivity into deeper digital engagement. If managed effectively, the country’s expanding online population could help power one of the world’s largest digital economies over the coming decades.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
To explore more technology and connectivity trends, check out Visualizing Internet Usage Over Time on the Voronoi app.
Tokenized pre-IPO markets face ‘reckoning’ as Anthropic warns of ‘void’ shares
Will Anthropic’s crackdown melt down the tokenized pre-IPO markets?
