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Russia's largest bank, Sberbank, plans to launch compliant crypto wallets and custody services this year.
PANews reported on July 6th that, according to CoinDesk, Russia's largest bank, Sberbank, plans to launch a cryptocurrency wallet and digital custody vault by December, provided the "Digital Currency and Digital Rights Law" officially takes effect in September. The service will be integrated into the "Sberbank Online" and "SberInvestments" apps, providing customers with access to authorized crypto assets within the banking system. The new law will establish a licensing framework for crypto trading, custody, fiat currency exchange, and cross-border settlement, with a trading limit of approximately 300,000 rubles (about $3,800) per year for non-accredited investors. Other large banks, including VTB and T-Bank, are also preparing related digital custody services.
Linkage Technology: First-half net profit expected to increase by 73%-139% year-on-year; semiconductor testing equipment industry continues to enjoy upward momentum; company has ample order backlog.
According to Mars Finance, LianDong Technology (301369.SZ) announced that it expects its net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company for the first half of 2026 to be between RMB 21 million and RMB 29 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 73.39%-139.44%. The performance change is mainly attributed to strong demand from downstream application areas such as AI, high-performance computing, and new energy vehicles, leading to a continued upward trend in the semiconductor testing equipment industry. The company seized the strategic window of domestic substitution for semiconductor testing equipment, leveraging its technological accumulation and brand advantages to vigorously expand the market. During the reporting period, the company had a sufficient order backlog, achieving steady growth in operating performance. Note: The company's Q2 net profit is expected to be between RMB 18 million and RMB 26 million, compared to RMB 3 million in Q1. Based on this, Q2 net profit is expected to increase by 415%-649% quarter-on-quarter. (Cailian Press)
Salesforce plans to invest $1 billion in Switzerland over the next five years.
On July 7, a statement revealed that Salesforce plans to invest $1 billion in Switzerland over the next five years. This investment will support the local workforce, customer base, and the development of artificial intelligence skills. (Jiemian)
Saudi Arabia drastically cut crude oil prices, with the largest drop in at least 26 years.
Odaily Odaily reports that Saudi Arabia has cut its official selling prices for key crude oil grades to Asian customers in August, the largest reduction in at least 26 years, as surging global supply intensifies competition for buyers. According to a price list, Saudi Aramco lowered the price of its Arab Light crude oil exports to Asia by $11 per barrel in August, representing a discount of $1.50 per barrel to the regional benchmark price. This reduction is larger than the $8 per barrel expected in institutional surveys. Middle Eastern crude oil prices have recently declined. After resuming exports from the Rastanura port on the Persian Gulf, Saudi Aramco had increased its crude oil shipments to approximately 90% of pre-war levels. Before the war, Rastanula was Saudi Arabia's main port of call for crude oil exports. Due to the war's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Aramco diverted most of its crude oil to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea. Previously, the OPEC+ oil-producing group had agreed to continue a small production increase in August. Now, with the resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf oil-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Kuwait will be able to utilize their higher quotas. (Jinshi)
Mirae Asset's Hong Kong branch will launch a tokenized asset trading platform within three years, initially targeting Hong Kong clients.
According to a report by Straight News, Mirae Asset's Hong Kong branch plans to launch a tokenized asset trading platform within the next three years. This platform aims to convert existing investment assets and traditional financial assets into tokens for clients to trade. The company has recently expanded its business based on its newly launched trading platform, MAPS (Mirae Asset Portfolio Service), striving to transform from institutional business to a client-centric platform. Initially targeting Hong Kong clients, the platform's long-term goal is to establish a cross-regional trading architecture connecting South Korea and overseas markets.
Flutterwave receives investment from Circle Ventures to expand its USDC payment and settlement business in Africa.
According to Foresight News , African fintech company Flutterwave announced it has received investment from Circle Ventures, with the specific investment amount undisclosed. This investment aims to expand Flutterwave's USDC payment and settlement business in Africa. Flutterwave stated that stablecoins are becoming core financial infrastructure, and the company is committed to building faster and more flexible cross-border fund transfer methods to help businesses achieve cash flow. According to a previous report by Foresight News , Ripple acquired a stake in African fintech company Flutterwave in June of this year for a valuation of $3.3 billion.