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COMET ROLLS OUT TO PERPLEXITY ENTERPRISE PRO USERS

Perplexity extended its Comet assistant to Enterprise Pro subscribers, enabling secure AI-enhanced browsing and research.

TRADING WITH CHATGPT

A significant number of investors use ChatGPT in ways that influence their trading decisions and market outcomes.

QWEN DEEP RESEARCH ADDS IMAGE AND FILE INPUT SUPPORT

Qwen Chat Deep Research now supports image and file inputs, expanding its capabilities beyond text-only analysis.

US GOVERNMENT WON'T BUY BITCOIN, WILL RETAIN SEIZED ASSETS

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent clarified that the US government will not purchase additional bitcoin for its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, contradicting market expectations of active government accumulation, though it will continue holding seized assets currently valued at $15-20 billion and add future confiscations. The announcement represents a significant policy clarification, as the government will maintain its existing ~198,000 BTC holdings from criminal forfeitures but won't engage in market purchases to expand the reserve. Following Bessent's comments and hotter-than-expected inflation data, bitcoin dropped over 4% from above $121,000 to below $118,000, with broader crypto markets seeing similar declines.

SPOT ETH ETFS ADD $729M IN SECOND-BIGGEST DAILY INFLOW

U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs pulled in $729.1M on Wednesday, the second-largest daily inflow since launch, led by BlackRock's ETHA with $500.9M. The increase follows Monday's $1.02B record and Tuesday's $523.9M, pushing ETH to $4,743, just shy of its all-time high. With Standard Chartered now targeting $7,500 by year-end, ETF demand is helping cement Ethereum's role as a cornerstone of institutional crypto exposure.

INTRODUCING THE GEMINI WALLET

Gemini launched a self-custody wallet featuring a hybrid design that functions as both an embedded wallet for dApps and a portable wallet for users, powered by passkey authentication to eliminate seed phrases and app downloads. Gemini Wallet includes gas fee sponsorship from launch partners Arbitrum, Polygon, Optimism, and Base, free ENS subdomains for all users, and integration with the Gemini exchange for seamless trading once fully deployed later this year. Key partnerships with Blockaid for security, WalletConnect for connectivity, Bungee for cross-chain swaps, and Morpho for DeFi yield opportunities demonstrate Gemini's comprehensive approach to wallet infrastructure. The launch represents Gemini's strategic push into self-custody solutions, positioning passkey-based smart wallets as the key to onboarding mainstream users by removing traditional crypto wallet friction points.

COINBASE CUTS USDC ON-RAMP FEES ON BASE AS CIRCLE BUILDS STABLECOIN L1

Coinbase and Mercuryo have partnered to slash USDC on-ramping fees by ~50% for MetaMask users on Base, as Circle plans a USDC-native Layer 1. The move comes amid growing institutional interest in stablecoins post-GENIUS Act and Circle's report of 90% YoY USDC supply growth to $61.3B. With Base gaining traction and Circle leaning into vertical integration, USDC is positioning as the central rail for stablecoin-native infrastructure.

AUTONOMOUS AGENTS WILL BE ETHEREUM'S POWER USERS

AI agents are becoming increasingly prevalent across our society. However, they remain limited in functionality and without the ability to pay for API calls, storage, or services. x402, an open payments protocol from Coinbase Developer Platform, aims to create a way for agents to pay for services across the internet via onchain microtransactions. It uses the HTTP 402 status code “payment required” to allow any service on the internet to gate access behind a crypto paywall, which can be seamlessly paid by agents. Applications include agents that run autonomous businesses, pay for their own upkeep, and web browsers paying to read gated content. x402 and Ethereum will be the backbone for the first “proto-digital lifeforms.”

PANTERA BLOCKCHAIN LETTER: DAT VALUE CREATION

Pantera has deployed over $300 million across DAT companies that generate yield to grow net asset value per share, with its BitMine investment gaining 1,100% in one month while becoming the largest ETH treasury globally. There is a prediction market renaissance driven by Polymarket and Kalshi's success, regulatory clarity, and growing retail speculation demand, expecting growth in markets with high frequency, leverage, and outcome value. Crypto markets are entering "phase 2" of the bull cycle, where altcoins historically outperform bitcoin and account for 55-66% of total market growth, with regulatory tailwinds now extending beyond Bitcoin to benefit altcoins through initiatives like the GENIUS Act and CLARITY Act.

STABLECOINS, TOKENIZED DEPOSITS, AND CBDCS AREN'T COMPETING, THEY'RE CONVERGING

Stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and wholesale CBDCs serve distinct roles but are converging on a shared onchain financial infrastructure. Stablecoins (e.g., USDC) power global payouts and treasury ops for startups and SMBs, tokenized deposits from banks like JPMorgan offer regulated USD rails for corporates, and CBDCs provide 24/7 settlement with zero credit risk for institutions. With the GENIUS Act unlocking regulatory clarity, Global Systemically Import Banks (GSIBs) are embracing all three formats as complementary rails, making TradFi backward-compatible with DeFi. The result isn't a winner-take-all, it's a unified digital money stack.

BITCOIN EXTENDS SUMMER RALLY TO HIT RECORD HIGH

Bitcoin reached a new all-time high of $124,480 on Thursday, extending its year-to-date gains to 30% driven by two key factors: widespread corporate adoption of "bitcoin treasury" strategies and supportive Trump administration policies. The rally was fueled by 165 public companies now holding bitcoin and Trump's executive order allowing the $9 trillion US retirement market to invest in cryptocurrencies, with companies like Trump's family media business raising $2 billion specifically for bitcoin purchases. Analysts note these bitcoin treasury companies are creating "structural buying pressure" through debt and equity raises, though they warn of potential brutal drawdowns if market conditions deteriorate or capital access tightens.

METAPLANET BECOMES 6TH LARGEST PUBLIC BITCOIN HOLDER

Japan's Metaplanet has climbed to number six on the global corporate Bitcoin leaderboard, now holding 18,113 BTC, passing Trump Media's 15,000 BTC.

SPIKO CROSSES $400M ONCHAIN AUM

Spiko Finance has surpassed $400 million in onchain AUM across its tokenized treasury assets, with significant growth on Arbitrum, Polygon, and Ethereum.

U.S. BANKS URGE CONGRESS TO CLOSE STABLECOIN INTEREST LOOPHOLE

The Bank Policy Institute and major banking groups are pressuring Congress to tighten the GENIUS Act, warning that allowing stablecoin issuers or affiliates to pay interest could trigger $6.6T in deposit outflows.

ETHEREUM ICO WHALES SELL $34M+ AS ETH NEARS ATH

Two early Ethereum ICO participants have transferred a combined $34M+ in ETH to Kraken this week, as the token nears its $4,868 all-time high.

TESLA'S GRAPHICS ARE ABOUT TO GET UNREAL

Tesla's in-car visualizations for Autopilot and Full Self-Driving may switch to Epic Games' Unreal Engine based on firmware evidence. Tesla hacker greentheonly discovered signs of this change in the 2025.20 firmware for Model S and X vehicles with AMD chips. Other automakers, including Rivian, Ford, and Volvo, already use Unreal Engine as Epic pushes into automotive applications.

FASTER ANIMATIONS ON IOS 26 MAKES EVEN OLDER IPHONES FEEL LIKE NEW

iOS 26 introduces faster app launch animations with a subtle warp effect, making apps reach near full-screen about 150 milliseconds quicker and creating the impression of a snappier, more responsive iPhone. While actual performance is unchanged, the speedier pacing—similar to Android's—enhances perceived performance, boosting user satisfaction, especially on high-refresh-rate displays.

DECART RAISES $100M ON $3.1B VALUATION TO GROW REAL-TIME AI VIDEO PLATFORM

Decart raised $100 million on a $3.1 billion valuation to expand its real-time AI video platform technology. The company's GPU optimization breakthrough reduces video generation costs from hundreds of dollars per hour to under 25 cents. Decart's products, Oasis and MirageLSD, enable real-time video generation for gaming, entertainment, and interactive applications.

BEING A DESIGNER USED TO FEEL LIKE A CAREER—NOW IT JUST FEELS LIKE A JOB

Design has transformed from a meaningful career into just a job as modern workflows stripped away its creative essence. Designers ironically built the very systems, design frameworks, templates, and AI tools that automated and sanitized their work while deluding themselves about design's world-changing power. Reclaiming design as a career requires small acts of resistance within existing systems, defending creative choices, and maintaining authorship rather than defaulting to safe, predictable options.

ON TEAMWORK

This reflection on one year at Atlassian explores what makes great teams across sports, tech, and fiction. Five key attributes are identified: high trust, identity, shared intuition, shorthand communication, and mission-driven purpose. Atlassian Design's strength lies in its shared belief that it can become the best team.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE JUNIOR DESIGNERS GONE?

Only 13% of nearly 100 recent graphic design job listings were entry-level, with most seeking senior-level skills from the start. Companies are increasingly replacing junior roles with internships—often unpaid or underpaid—leaving newcomers in cycles of temporary work or unsustainable freelancing without clear career progression.

CURATED LIBRARY OF OPEN GRAPH IMAGES

OGFolio is a curated gallery of high-quality Open Graph images from top websites. Browse by theme, color, or industry to get inspired and level up your link previews.

TURN SCREENSHOTS INTO WORKS OF ART

Shotva helps you create beautiful, shareable images from your screenshots with custom backgrounds, frames, annotations, and AI-powered branding.

HOW I APPROACH MOTION IN PRODUCT DESIGN

A product designer outlines their systematic approach to motion design, highlighting how animation critically shapes product feel, guides user attention, and reinforces brand personality. Core principles include defaulting to ease-out curves, matching animation timing to element size, using faster exit transitions, and embracing spring animations for natural interactions. The framework emphasizes custom animation curves, motion libraries for enhanced capabilities, and purposeful restraint to avoid overwhelming users with excessive animation.

APPLE'S LIQUID GLASS SHATTERS TYPOGRAPHY

Apple's iOS 26 introduces a Liquid Glass UI design that prioritizes aesthetics over readability of typography. The interface suffers from poor color contrast, fragile customization options, and buried accessibility features. Designers should prioritize robust text contrast and accessibility-first design over trendy transparency effects.

MACOS TAHOE ADDS 15 BEAUTIFUL NEW SCREENSAVERS, AVAILABLE HERE

macOS Tahoe, launching next month, brings 15 new screensavers—ranging from Tahoe landscapes to Himalayan peaks and Goa beaches—available now via Apple's direct links. This larger-than-usual collection stems from tvOS 26's expanded screensaver set, with the videos sourced directly from Apple's servers.

ROI OF UX: WHY CFOS AND CEOS NEED TO PRIORITISE DESIGN

Strong UX delivers measurable business gains with companies outperforming industry averages, yet many CEOs and CFOs continue to undervalue design's revenue impact.

THE DESIGN FLAW HOLDING BACK TODAY'S HUMANOID ROBOTS

Current humanoid robots suffer from a fundamental design flaw: rigid bodies with limited joints that contrast with natural, compliant movement.

FUNKY NEW WALLPAPER TO WELCOME THE LATEST APPLE STORE

Apple will open its new Qianhai Yifang City retail store in Shenzhen, which features the brand's signature glass-heavy mall design and a special downloadable wallpaper to mark the occasion, on August 16.

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THE STATE OF AI 2025

AI startups are growing like nothing we've ever seen - some hit $100M ARR in their first year. Bessemer studied 20 companies and found two types: Supernovas that explode to $125M by year two but have 25% gross margins and fragile retention, and Shooting Stars that quadruple yearly with 60% margins. The new benchmark isn't T2D3 anymore, it's Q2T3 (quadruple, quadruple, triple, triple, triple).

COHERE RAISES $500M AT $6.8B VALUATION

Cohere secured $500 million in an oversubscribed round led by Radical Ventures and Inovia Capital, propelled to a $6.8 billion valuation. The company added Joelle Pineau (former Meta AI research lead) as Chief AI Officer and Francois Chadwick (ex-Uber) as CFO. Cohere will invest in agentic AI tools like North, designed to automate enterprise workflows, while maintaining a security-first, on-premises deployment approach.

JACK DORSEY: I THINK OF THE CEO ROLE AS "CHIEF EDITOR" OF THE COMPANY

Jack Dorsey runs Square like a magazine editor - thousands of ideas flood in from engineers, support, and designers, but only one or two really push the company forward. The CEO's job is to review everything and cut ruthlessly.

YOUR PLAYBOOK TO FORECASTING PIPELINE AT SCALE

Rubrik hit $1 billion ARR with a forecasting process that starts five days before executives see numbers. Wednesday: reps validate every deal with managers. Monday: the CRO digs into each opportunity. Friday: C-suite gets a forecast that's been pressure-tested multiple times. It marks deals as "in-path" (leadership believes it) or "out-of-path" (risky). When a rep commits a deal but their manager disagrees, that's an automatic investigation. Quotas come from actual data - Rubrik calculates exactly how many calls turn into meetings or deals, so reps believe their targets are achievable. The company forces sales, marketing, and finance into weekly accountability forums where nobody can dodge revenue questions.

TIME TO EXIT: ARE STARTUPS GETTING OLDER?

Startups are taking longer to exit, with the median age at IPO now at 13.5 years due to increased private capital availability, market pressures, and a focus on profitability. This trend results in longer holding periods for investors, a shift towards later-stage investing, and more emphasis on secondary sales for liquidity. Investors may adapt by extending fund lifecycles, diversifying investment stages, and prioritizing sustainable growth.

ALIGNING PRODUCT AND GO-TO-MARKET WITH METRICS

Dan Teodosiu and a fellow Balderton Capital EIR discuss aligning product and go-to-market teams using customer-value metrics. The article outlines historical examples where companies faltered by neglecting customer value. It encourages leaders to focus on why customers would repeatedly choose their product.

SHOR

Affordable payroll for global teams.

KNOWLIFY

Transform any content into explainer videos.

DOLPHIN

Turn your customer calls into short, ready-to-share highlight reels.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

We all use the same words, but mean completely different things. Your engineer says the feature is "done" (it's not deployed). Your designer says it's "done" (first draft). Your co-founder calls the new strategy "risky" (exciting!). You hear "risky" (we're gonna die). This stuff kills startups. One person's "by end of day" is 5 pm, another's is midnight. One founder's "love" for the company means 60-hour weeks, the other's means sustainable passion. The fix is stupidly simple: just define your terms. What does "shipped" mean at your company? What's "good enough"?

WHEN BUILDING GETS EASY, WINNING GETS HARD

Sam Altman says we're entering the "fast fashion era of SaaS," and he's right. AI split software into two camps - the hard builds like infrastructure and foundation models, and the easy builds you can ship in a weekend with Cursor. When building gets easy, winning gets exponentially harder because everyone has the same product. The margin reality is brutal. Replit swings between -14% and +36% gross margins, while OpenAI sits at 45% and Nvidia at 75%.

THE RED QUEEN EFFECT - MENTAL MODEL: WORK SMARTER, NOT FASTER

The Red Queen told Alice she must run twice as fast just to get anywhere because in Wonderland, running at full speed only keeps you in the same place. This perfectly describes startups that chase every AI update and framework just to avoid falling behind. Teams exhaust themselves implementing every new tool while competitors do the same, so nobody actually pulls ahead. We're so busy keeping up that we forget to ask if we're running in the right direction. Three questions cut through the panic: Are you making real progress or just matching competitors? Why are you moving in this direction? What would actually happen if you paused?

PROFOUND SECURES $35M TO CONNECT BRANDS WITH ONE NEW CUSTOMER: SUPERINTELLIGENCE

Profound secured $35M in Series B funding led by Sequoia Capital to develop a platform that connects brands with AI (superintelligence) as a new customer base.

GOOGLE VET RAISES $8M FOR CONTINUA TO BRING AI AGENTS TO GROUP CHATS

Continua, founded by ex-Google engineer David Petrou, raised $8 million to integrate AI agents in group chats on platforms like SMS and Discord, enhancing collaboration with automated features like reminders and polls.

INDIA'S FIRST AI UNICORN FRACTAL FILES FOR $560 MILLION IPO: A STRATEGIC DEEP DIVE INTO AI'S EMERGING MARKET POTENTIAL

Fractal Analytics, India's first AI unicorn, is preparing for a $400-500 million IPO that will value the company at $3 billion, highlighting AI's growing importance in emerging markets.

GET CERTIFIED BY THE EXPERTS THAT BUILT SASE—BEFORE IT EVEN HAD A NAME. APPLY NOW.

MATRIX PROTOCOL BUGS COULD LET HACKERS SEIZE CONTROL OF SENSITIVE CHAT ROOMS

Matrix Foundation identified two high-severity vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-49090 and CVE-2025-54315) that allow attackers to hijack creator privileges or predict room addresses, disrupting communications used by government and military groups. These flaws affect federated Matrix servers (external servers - internal ones are unaffected) and were fixed in Room Version 12. Administrators are urged to upgrade immediately and restrict access to trusted servers. No exploits have been observed in the wild.

MANPOWER DISCLOSES DATA BREACH AFFECTING NEARLY 145K INDIVIDUALS

Manpower, one of the world's largest staffing companies, is notifying nearly 145K individuals that attackers stole their data in a December 2024 attack. The stolen data includes passports, IDs, SSNs, addresses, contact information, corporate communications, financial statements, HR data, and confidential contracts and NDAs. The RandomHub ransomware group stole the data, but the data has since been removed from its website, suggesting that the ransom may have been paid.