Crypto News Today: Coinbase Leads as Thailand Targets USDT

Key Insights

• Crypto News Today tracked Coinbase’s lead and tighter stablecoin oversight.
• Coinbase Ventures completed 30 investments during 2026’s first half.
• Thailand and Pakistan tested different approaches toward digital assets.

Crypto News Today centered on venture funding and stablecoin oversight on July 13. Coinbase Ventures led first-half investment activity, while Thailand targeted high-value USDT flows. Pakistan’s regulator also sought dialogue after scholars rejected cryptocurrency payments under Islamic law.

The developments showed three pressures shaping the sector simultaneously. Capital stayed concentrated among large investors. Meanwhile, governments examined stablecoins through financial-crime and religious compliance frameworks.

Crypto News Today: Coinbase Leads Investor Activity

CryptoRank data placed Coinbase Ventures first with 30 deals during 2026’s first half. Animoca Brands followed with 19 investments, while Andreessen Horowitz completed 18. Tether recorded 15 deals during the same period.

CryptoRank’s fund database showed Coinbase Ventures had backed hundreds of projects across several market cycles. The first-half ranking reflected deal frequency rather than disclosed investment value. Many listed rounds lacked public amounts, limiting direct comparisons between investors’ capital deployment.

CryptoRank’s first-quarter review showed payments led funding value. Meanwhile, decentralized finance led deal volume. Prediction markets also attracted larger checks during the period.

That split showed investors favored established infrastructure and selected growth themes. However, the funding picture weakened after a brief May recovery.

CryptoRank’s May report recorded $3.52 billion across 83 venture rounds. Its April report recorded $662.4 million across 64 rounds. April marked the lowest monthly total since May 2025.

Those primary figures differed from the circulated totals of $3.8 billion and $698 million. CryptoRank’s dated reports provided a clearer comparison. Concentrated late-stage financing drove May’s rebound.

Coinbase Ventures’ activity suggested large corporate funds still pursued selective opportunities despite lower market participation. However, deal counts alone did not show portfolio quality, valuation discipline, or future returns.

Crypto News Today: Thailand Expands USDT Scrutiny

Bank of Thailand Governor Vitai Ratanakorn outlined broader controls against illicit financial flows. The Nation reported that the central bank planned large-deposit checks during the fourth quarter.

Ratanakorn said authorities would pursue several measures rather than temporary interventions. The Bank of Thailand also worked with Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission.

Their joint review targeted high-volume USDT transactions and other suspicious financial movements. The planned scrutiny covered stablecoins, cash transfers, foreign-exchange transactions, and beneficial ownership.

Regulators aimed to identify transfers linked to scam networks and Thailand’s gray economy. The Nation said deposits of at least 5 million baht would face source verification.

The publication also cited 115 billion baht in scam losses during 2025. Authorities recorded about 173 million fraudulent calls and messages during that year.

Banks would act as the first compliance checkpoint under the proposed controls. Their reviews could connect cash deposits, exchange activity, and digital-asset transfers. That approach targeted movement between traditional accounts and crypto channels.

USDT News therefore, shifted from market liquidity toward transaction monitoring. Tether’s dollar-pegged token supports rapid cross-border settlement. That function also attracts enforcement attention when ownership trails become unclear.

The coordinated review did not amount to a ban on USDT trading. Instead, it placed banks, exchanges, and payment channels under tighter identification expectations.

Pakistan Tests Digital Assets Under Islamic Law

Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority Chairman Bilal bin Saqib met Mufti Taqi Usmani on July 11. Saqib said their discussion covered blockchain systems, stablecoins, tokenized assets, fraud prevention, and public protection.

In his public statement, Saqib argued that different digital assets required separate technical and Shariah assessments. He opposed treating every token or blockchain use through one broad classification.

The meeting followed a June 10 ruling from Jamia Darul Uloom Karachi. Business Recorder reported that Usmani and five other scholars signed the ruling.

They deemed cryptocurrency purchases impermissible under their interpretation of Islamic law. The scholars argued that digital tokens did not qualify as recognized wealth.

The dispute extended beyond trading. Stablecoins, tokenized assets, payment tokens, and blockchain records serve different functions. A single religious classification could affect licensing, consumer products, and institutional adoption differently.

That position introduced a public acceptance issue for Pakistan’s regulatory program. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics counted roughly 231.7 million Muslims in its 2023 census. That figure represented 96.35% of the population.

Pakistan’s regulator therefore, faced two separate tasks. It had to develop licensing rules while addressing religious objections affecting participation and product design.

Crypto News Today Awaits Regulatory Follow-Through

Thailand’s fourth-quarter cash-deposit controls provide the next stated enforcement milestone. Pakistan’s next step depends on further technical and Shariah consultations. CryptoRank’s July report will also test Coinbase’s investment lead.

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