Block (XYZ) Company Report

Paxos Labs has launched USAD, a privacy-preserving, dollar-pegged stablecoin on Aleo's zero-knowledge Layer 1 mainnet, which was announced live on February 11, 2026.
USAD is designed for real-world applications such as payments, discreet payroll, and private DeFi, with Toku planning confidential payroll deployments in Q1 targeting processing volumes above $1 billion.
The stablecoin is backed by Paxos' established issuance infrastructure, also used by PayPal, and its launch is expected to boost on-chain activity and trading interest in ALEO.

2 days ago

Morningstar

Franklin Templeton and Binance Launch Off-Exchange MMF Collateral Program

XYZ

New Projects/Investments

Product Launch

Franklin Templeton and Binance have launched an institutional off-exchange collateral program, enabling eligible clients to pledge tokenized money market fund (MMF) shares (specifically, the BENJI token representing shares in its OnChain U.S. Government Money Fund) as collateral for trading on Binance.
This program is designed to reduce counterparty and custody risk by keeping underlying assets in regulated custody and mirroring collateral balances, while allowing pledged MMF shares to continue earning yield.
The initiative aims to improve capital efficiency for large traders by utilizing yield-bearing, low-volatility instruments instead of idle stablecoins or cash.
Binance executives, including Richard Teng, view this as a step to bridge traditional finance and crypto, with market commentators anticipating it could deepen market depth and potentially boost trading volumes for major trading pairs.

3 days ago

Morningstar

Beast Industries Acquires Step

XYZ

M&A

New Projects/Investments

Beast Industries has acquired Step, a fintech company focused on accessible financial literacy and wealth management tools, as announced on February 10, 2026.
This strategic acquisition aims to expand Beast Industries' global platform by integrating Step's technology and fintech team to reshape financial services for the next generation.
Step has attracted over 7 million users and its co-founders bring over 50 years of fintech experience, including previous roles at companies such as Block.
Beast Industries, founded by YouTube creator Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast), is a diversified entertainment and consumer products company with a vast global audience.

3 days ago

Press Release

Beast Industries Acquires Step to Integrate Financial Services

XYZ

M&A

New Projects/Investments

Beast Industries announced the acquisition of fintech company Step on February 9, 2026, to integrate financial services into its global platform.
The acquisition aims to enhance financial literacy and make money management more accessible, leveraging Step's existing base of over 7 million users.
Beast Industries, led by Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast), is a diversified company known for its entertainment content, consumer packaged goods, and large-scale social impact initiatives.

4 days ago

Press Release

Beast Industries Acquires Step

XYZ

M&A

New Projects/Investments

Beast Industries has acquired Step, a financial technology company, as announced on February 9, 2026.
This strategic acquisition expands Beast Industries' global platform into financial services, aiming to redefine the sector by combining technology, content, and purpose.
Step specializes in making financial education and money management accessible, bringing over 7 million users and aligning with Beast Industries' philanthropic initiatives.
The acquisition is intended to accelerate Beast Industries' capacity to provide comprehensive financial well-being solutions.

4 days ago

Press Release

Beast Industries Acquires FinTech Company Step

XYZ

M&A

New Projects/Investments

Beast Industries has acquired Step, a financial technology company dedicated to making financial literacy and money management accessible.
This strategic acquisition expands Beast Industries' platform to include financial services, aiming to deliver innovative financial wellness solutions.
Step brings its robust technology platform and over 7 million users to Beast Industries' extensive audience reach and philanthropic initiatives.
The combined organization will leverage Step's fintech expertise with Beast Industries' global creator-based platform, led by Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast).

4 days ago

Press Release

Block Plans Workforce Reductions and Strategic Reallocation

XYZ

Layoffs

New Projects/Investments

Share Buyback

Block Inc. is preparing performance-review-driven layoffs that could reduce its workforce by up to 10%, impacting approximately 1,100 roles by late February.
These reductions are intended to simplify the operating model, remove overlapping roles, and speed decision-making by more tightly integrating Cash App and Square, rather than being an emergency cost-cutting measure.
The company is also reallocating resources towards longer-term strategic initiatives, such as its Bitcoin mining unit Proto and an internal AI project called Goose.
The layoffs follow previous cuts in early 2024 and March 2025, and occur against a mixed financial backdrop despite an ambitious multi-year profit framework and a $5 billion buyback increase.

6 days ago

Bloomberg

Tether Reports $10 Billion Profit for 2025 Amidst Growth and Audit Concerns

XYZ

Earnings

Product Launch

New Projects/Investments

Tether reported a net profit of just over $10 billion for 2025, representing a 23% decrease from approximately $13 billion in 2024.
By 2025, USDT circulating supply exceeded $186 billion, supported by total reserves of about $193 billion and roughly $6.3 billion in excess reserves.
The company significantly increased its U.S. Treasury exposure to approximately $122 billion (or $141 billion including reverse repos) and holds about $17.4 billion in gold and $8.4 billion in bitcoin.
Tether launched USAT, a U.S.-tailored stablecoin, and formed a U.S. subsidiary to enhance regulatory and market engagement.
Concerns about systemic risk and transparency, including the absence of a Big Four audit, have been raised by critics and officials.

Jan 30, 2026, 10:24 PM

Bloomberg

Block surpasses $200 billion in global lending

XYZ

New Projects/Investments

Revenue Acceleration/Inflection

Block, Inc. has provided more than $200 billion in lending across its credit products, including Cash App Borrow, Afterpay, and Square Loans.
The company's underwriting leverages near real-time behavioral data, which has enabled approximately 38% more Cash App Borrow approvals at comparable loss rates, with stable loss rates since 2013.
Key performance metrics include a 97% repayment rate for Cash App Borrow's short-term loans, about 96% of Afterpay installments paid on time, and Square Loans maintaining loss rates below 3%.
Square Loans has directed 58% of its loans to women-owned businesses and 34% to minority-owned businesses.

Jan 20, 2026, 12:47 PM

Morningstar

Anchorage Digital Seeks Capital Ahead of Potential IPO

XYZ

New Projects/Investments

M&A

Anchorage Digital is seeking $200 million to $400 million in fresh capital in anticipation of a potential IPO next year.
The company's affiliate operates as the first federally chartered U.S. digital-asset bank and has partnered with Tether to launch a U.S. stablecoin called USAT.
Anchorage has diversified through strategic acquisitions, including Securitize For Advisors and Hedgey, and is backed by major investors such as Goldman Sachs and Andreessen Horowitz.

Jan 16, 2026, 10:02 PM

Bloomberg