The launch delivers on a memorandum of understanding the two firms signed in August 2025 and builds on a relationship dating to 2016, when Ripple and SBI began working together on cross-border payments and blockchain infrastructure in Asia.
RLUSD will “serve as a bridge for payments, tokenization and collateral management,” connecting Japanese businesses to global dollar liquidity, said Jack McDonald, Ripple’s senior vice president of stablecoins, in a statement.
RLUSD is Ripple’s bet on the regulated end of the stablecoin market, and it is separate from XRP, the closely-linked token the company is best known for. Ripple has long pitched RLUSD as an enterprise token for settlements and tokenization, the practice of issuing real-world assets onchain.
The Japan launch extends that effort into Asia at a moment when stablecoins are drawing formal rules in the U.S., Europe and across the region, turning the dollar-token market into a race for official approval as much as for users.
Whether RLUSD can close the gap on USDT and USDC remains to be seen, however. Approvals like Japan’s give it the credentials to compete for institutional use, but it still has to convert that standing into the volume and liquidity its much larger rivals already command.
Actively managed ETFs worldwide hit a new asset record in May, reaching $2.49 trillion, according to ETFGI’s May 2026 Active ETF industry landscape report. Assets topped a prior high set just one month earlier.
Key Takeaways:
Active ETF assets hit a record $2.49 trillion at the end of May, surpassing a prior high set just one month earlier.
Year-to-date inflows of $411.75 billion are nearly double the $220.53 billion gathered through May 2025.
May marked the 74th straight month of positive net inflows into actively managed ETFs globally.
Investor appetite for active ETFs has shown no signs of slowing. These are funds where portfolio managers make investment decisions, rather than simply tracking a market index. Year-to-date inflows hit $411.75 billion, nearly double the $220.53 billion gathered through May 2025, according to ETFGI.
May’s record topped a previous high of $2.33 trillion set in April, per ETFGI. Assets have grown 28.8% year-to-date, up from $1.93 trillion at the end of 2025. Global active ETFs now span 5,295 funds across 49 exchanges in 39 countries.
During May, actively managed ETFs pulled in $100.08 billion in net inflows. For comparison, inflows through May 2025 totaled $220.53 billion, while the same period in 2024 brought in $124.35 billion, according to ETFGI.
Active ETF Inflows Spread Across Asset Classes
Equity-focused active ETFs led the way in May, collecting $60.97 billion. Year-to-date, equity active ETF inflows reached $242.18 billion, compared to $124.28 billion at the same point last year, per ETFGI.
Fixed income active ETFs contributed $26.12 billion in May, per ETFGI. Year-to-date, that total reached $136.73 billion, up from $82.09 billion through May 2025.
Strong market returns during the period may have reinforced the flow trends. According to Deborah Fuhr, managing partner and founder of ETFGI, the S&P 500 rose 5.26% in May and is up 11.27% year-to-date. Developed markets outside the U.S. gained 5.2% during the month.
Among 717 active ETF providers globally, three firms controlled nearly a third of all assets, according to ETFGI. Dimensional Fund Advisors led with $296.82 billion and 11.9% market share. JPMorgan Asset Management ranked second at $291.38 billion and 11.7%, while iShares came in third at $168.64 billion. Together, those three held 30.4% of all global active ETF assets.
One fund topped all others in May. The Roundhill Memory ETF (DRAM) pulled in $8.12 billion in net new assets, more than any other single fund during the month. Collectively, the top 20 active ETFs by net new assets gathered $37.89 billion in May, per ETFGI. It was also the industry’s 74th consecutive month of positive net inflows.
Venice Token [VVV] fell 11.32% to $13.41 over the last 24 hours at press time, even as trading volume climbed 21.02% to $28.68 million. This highlights growing activity during the token’s price decline.Â
The increase in participation, however, failed to stabilize price action as sellers maintained control throughout the session. Recent candles pushed VVV closer to an important support area that has attracted buyers several times before. While volume expanded noticeably, the market did not translate that activity into sustained demand.Â
Instead, traders appeared to use the increased liquidity to exit positions. As a result, VVV entered a critical phase where support preservation became more essential than short-term trading activity.
Has VVV overheated phase finally cooled?
CryptoQuant’s Spot Volume Bubble Map showed that VVV remained within an overheated zone as of writing, after months of aggressive price appreciation.Â
Large clusters of elevated trading activity emerged when the token traded between roughly $15 and $20. Those regions historically reflected periods where speculation intensified and traders chased upside moves. However, recent bubbles appeared smaller than those recorded near the peak, indicating that participation gradually cooled as the rally lost strength.Â
Price also retreated from the overheated region toward lower levels where demand previously emerged. Although overheating conditions remained visible on the broader chart, the latest readings pointed to moderation rather than renewed acceleration.Â
Therefore, market participants appeared more focused on preserving capital than aggressively pursuing higher prices.
Source: CryptoQuant
Exchange withdrawals continue despite the decline
At the time of writing, spot flow data revealed that VVV continued leaving exchanges even as the token experienced a double-digit daily decline. The latest reading showed net outflows of approximately $440,000, extending a broader pattern that emerged throughout recent months.Â
Several larger outflow spikes also appeared during May and June, reflecting consistent token movement away from trading platforms. Such activity often reduces immediately available exchange supply and can indicate a preference for holding rather than selling. Nevertheless, the continued decline in price showed that outflows alone did not create sufficient buying demand.Â
Selling pressure still outweighed available bids during the latest correction. Even so, the persistent withdrawal trend suggested that some market participants retained confidence in VVV despite the ongoing weakness and heightened market uncertainty.
Source: CoinGlass
Technical structure tests key support amid bearish momentum
At the time of analysis, VVV hovered near a critical support zone around $12.87, forming a potential triple-bottom pattern after multiple retests in recent weeks. This level remained pivotal, as repeated defenses suggested underlying demand, though confirmation required a sustained bounce.Â
Price action stayed below both the 9-day ($14.72) and 21-day ($15.30) Moving Averages, reinforcing short-term bearish momentum and establishing these levels as immediate resistance.Â
At press time, the MACD further supported this outlook, with the MACD line below the signal line and both positioned under the zero mark, while the histogram printed consistent negative values. These signals indicated continued downside pressure despite attempts at stabilization.Â
Source: TradingView
A successful hold above $12.87 could trigger a recovery toward $15.76, while a breakdown would invalidate the pattern and likely accelerate losses toward lower support zones.
SecondFi, the Cardano wallet formerly known as Yoroi, says it has patched a major exploit that drained roughly 16 million ADA, worth approximately $2.4 million, from 374 user wallets across three separate attacks.
The root cause was a flaw in SecondFi’s proprietary wallet generation software. The vulnerability sits at the address level, meaning simply moving a seed phrase to another wallet offers no protection. “The security risk occurs when an affected user signs a transaction,” the team said on X.
Before attackers could reach a further 129 million ADA, SecondFi said it triggered emergency rescue measures, routing the funds to an independent third-party custodian. An external accounting firm has been engaged to verify those holdings and affected users can submit claims to SecondFi.
Blockchain security firm SlowMist estimates total losses could exceed $20 million when accounting for the full range of compromised wallets and tokens, a figure that remains unconfirmed pending an independent audit.
Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson acknowledged the incident but noted the dollar amount was modest relative to other crypto hacks, though he stressed that offered little consolation to those affected. “It hurts them whenever they lose anything,” he said. “This is the unfortunate reality of crypto.”
ADA is currently trading around $0.15, its lowest level since 2020.
PowerFleet, Inc. (NASDAQ:AIOT) is among the best low priced stocks to get rich in 2026. On June 16, Raymond James cut the price target on PowerFleet, Inc. (NASDAQ:AIOT) to $7, down from $8. This comes despite the company’s Q4 results surpassing expectations and a strengthened FY27 outlook pointing to stronger growth and profitability into year-end.
As noted by Raymond James, the improved performance will be driven by various factors, including solid subscription-based services growth, surging annual recurring revenue, and enhanced adoption. The firm has an Outperform rating on the stock.
How Five9 (FIVN) Is Expanding Its Agentic AI Push Across Customer Experience Workflows
Moreover, accelerating demand for AI video and in-warehouse solutions, along with channel growth and margin expansion, point to the same positive, bigger-picture trend, the firm added. Thanks to these drivers, PowerFleet, Inc. (NASDAQ:AIOT) is one of the best low-priced stocks to get rich in 2026.
In PowerFleet, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AIOT) results delivered a day earlier, total revenue and adjusted EBITDA were up 11% YoY and 42% YoY, respectively, in Q4. The company remains focused on investments in go-to-market capabilities, channel partnerships, and South African deployment.
PowerFleet, Inc. (NASDAQ:AIOT) is a New Jersey-based provider of artificial intelligence-of-things (AIoT) solutions. Founded in 1993, the company provides a unity solution portfolio, as well as hosting, maintenance, and consulting services.
While we acknowledge the potential of AIOT as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you’re looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on thebest short-term AI stock.
The new Democratic nominee for a congressional seat in Manhattan had a strong message for the AI industry on Tuesday night.
After defeating a crowded field of eight candidates in New York’s 12th congressional district, Micah Lasher, who won by 39.1%, took aim at the tech giants and their allies who spent heavily to shape the outcome of the deep-blue seat.
“I have some news for the two big AI companies who’ve taken such an unusual interest in who won this congressional seat,” Lasher said at a rally atJacob’s Pickles, an NYC staple famous for elevating the pickle from a garnish to a main course, following his victory. “I won’t be taking my cues from either of you when it comes to protecting our kids, our jobs.”
The swipe at AI companies didn’t come out of nowhere. On the trail, Lasher cast himself as a skeptic of Silicon Valley’s push for lighter-touch regulation, stating on his website that AI could “displace workers, exacerbate inequalities, and pose a threat to our environment and public safety.” He has also raised concerns about the rapid expansion of AI data centers and the industry’s growing energy demands.
The race in Manhattan became an unlikely battleground in the fight over how Washington should regulate AI, illustrating a schism in Silicon Valley.
Millions of dollars flowed into the contest, much of it aimed at either helping or hurting Assemblymember Alex Bores, a Democrat and former Palantir employee who backed stronger AI safeguards, as competing factions of the tech world backed different candidates and different visions for AI policy.
Bores quit Palantir during Donald Trump’s first term, citing concerns about the company’s work on immigration enforcement.
According to Federal Election Commission filings, Think Big, a super PAC opposed to additional AI regulations backed in part by leaders at OpenAI and Andreessen Horowitz, spent about $8 million to prevent Bores from winning. Meanwhile, tech giants backing more AI safety regulations, including the Jobs and Democracy PAC, supported by donors with ties to Anthropic and Adobe, spent more than $13 million to boost Bores’ candidacy.
The clash came as New York emerges as one of the more aggressive states in the country in regulating the AI industry, and as data centers have become a growing flash point. New York State lawmakers have advanced proposals that would temporarily halt the issuance of permits for large new data centers while officials study their impact on the electric grid, utility bills, water consumption, and climate goals.
Lasher is a cosponsor of New York’s Responsible AI Safety and Education Act, a proposal aimed at placing safeguards on advanced AI systems, which is the same legislation that made Bores a target for some AI industry groups.
Anthropic, OpenAI, and the Lasher campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This trend is becoming even more relevant as real-world assets enter the digital landscape. Stablecoins have already demonstrated the power of blockchain-based representations of traditional value, becoming the most successful digital asset use case to date. Tokenized deposits, bonds, funds, and other real-world assets are poised to follow, expanding the range of opportunities available to businesses and individuals worldwide.
For the end user, however, the underlying asset may become increasingly irrelevant. Most people are unlikely to care about the blockchain protocol, token standard, or settlement mechanism powering a transaction. What matters is accessibility, speed, security, and trust. Users want to access global opportunities using their local resources, through partners they know and platforms they can rely on.
In this environment, the long-term competitive advantage belongs to those who build and operate the infrastructure connecting participants, assets, and markets. Coins may evolve, protocols may change, and new forms of digital value will continue to emerge. But the institutions that enable trust, connectivity, and seamless access will remain at the center of the ecosystem.
The prevailing currency in digital assets may change over time. Infrastructure, however, is what endures.
Principled Perspectives
Bitcoin’s liquidation cascade peaked before the bottom
– By Alen Pavlović, Portfolio Manager, Liquibit Capital
Using CoinDesk’s liquidation feed, the forced selling flushed early and high. By the time Bitcoin bottomed on 5 June, the cascade was already over.
