Telegram is rapidly becoming a proving ground for Bitcoin’s Lightning Network, with independent developers turning the messaging app into a hub for instant, low-cost payments. Lightning.News reports that bots such as Sats.mobi and BitTip now provide wallet and point-of-sale services, allowing users to tip, trade, and transact without leaving chat. Others, like lnp2pBot, enable global, KYC-free peer-to-peer trading, while BitcoinVoucherBot facilitates voucher-based acquisition with privacy features such as Tor compatibility and randomized payments. Creative integrations are also emerging: BitBit links Lightning to X handles, and a DALL-E 2 bot accepts satoshi micropayments for AI-generated art. While most operate on custodial models, many support wallet exports to Zeus or BlueWallet for added security. As Lightning.News notes, “Telegram Lightning bots have transformed Bitcoin from a store of value into a practical medium of exchange.” Future iterations may expand into e-commerce, content monetization, and AI-driven services.
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Fold has unveiled plans for the first Bitcoin-only credit card, partnering with Stripe and Visa to deliver a global payments product that converts everyday purchases into Bitcoin rewards. As reported by Micah Zimmerman, the Fold Bitcoin Credit Card™ will offer 2% back in Bitcoin instantly, with an additional 1.5% for users paying balances through a Fold Checking Account. Retail partners including Amazon, Starbucks, and Uber will provide rewards up to 10%. CEO Will Reeves called the launch “simple enough for someone new to Bitcoin, but built with the transparency and control early adopters expect.” Stripe’s Sateesh Kumar Srinivasan emphasized the infrastructure support for rapid product rollout, while Visa’s Cuy Sheffield highlighted the appeal of “a safe, simple way to earn bitcoin as they shop.” With consumer credit woven into Bitcoin accumulation, the initiative could normalize earning Bitcoin alongside routine spending, signaling deeper integration of digital assets into traditional finance.
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Alphabet has confirmed it will reinstate YouTube channels banned for COVID-19 and election misinformation, attributing past takedowns to pressure from the Biden administration. As reported by Ryan Whitwam in Ars Technica, the company told Rep. Jim Jordan that it is shifting toward a lighter moderation approach, saying its current rules allow a “wider range of content.” The change could see high-profile figures like Dan Bongino, now FBI Deputy Director, and White House counterterrorism chief Sebastian Gorka return to the platform. YouTube’s move mirrors Facebook’s retreat from ‘fact-checking’, with both companies exploring community notes-style systems. While Alphabet framed the shift as support for free expression, it also flagged EU regulations such as the Digital Services Act as potential threats to speech online. Whether creators return remains uncertain, but the policy reversal signals a recalibration of political content moderation in the digital sphere.
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Tether Holdings is in early talks to raise up to $20 billion for a roughly 3% stake, a deal that would value the stablecoin issuer near $500 billion, placing it alongside SpaceX and OpenAI as one of the world’s most valuable private firms. Cantor Fitzgerald is reportedly advising on the potential equity raise. The move demonstrates Tether’s evolution from a dollar-pegged token provider into what CEO Paolo Ardoino calls a “reserve-backed financial powerhouse,” with $4.9 billion in quarterly profit and claims of a 99% margin. Crucially, Tether has accumulated over 100,000 BTC, worth more than $11 billion, making it one of Bitcoin’s largest corporate holders. With plans to issue stablecoins natively on Bitcoin via the Lightning Network and RGB protocol, a successful raise could more deeply entwine Tether’s trajectory with Bitcoin’s future, reinforcing it as the monetary backbone for digital assets.
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