Eric Forst

Great conversation on the collision course between fintech, crypto, and traditional financial institutions as we head into 2026. These players are rapidly converging on the same customers—and competition will only intensify. The winners won’t be defined by brand alone, but by differentiated products built on flexible, customizable blockchain infrastructure. Optimism Foundation

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When strategizing for credit card acquisition, especially with the 'Trifecta' or 'Duo' approach, the order matters. A common and safe method is to acquire no-annual-fee cards first, followed by annual-fee cards. This strategy helps build an issuer's ecosystem before pursuing premium cards. However, limited-time offers can be a compelling reason to adjust this order. If a lucrative limited-time promotion arises for either a no-annual-fee or an annual-fee card, it may be strategically advantageous to prioritize that offer. Ultimately, the optimal sequence depends on evaluating issuer ecosystems and capitalizing on timely promotions. #CreditCards #FinanceTips #Strategy #MaximizingRewards #FinancialLiteracy

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While other miners are dumping BTC holdings at the bottom of the market, BitFuFu ($FUFU) continues to stack. #Bitcoin #CloudMining #BTCTreasury

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The U.S. government recently took a historic step toward crypto regulation. With the GENIUS Act now signed into law, the country has its first federal framework for stablecoins. The implications for capital markets are massive. For the first time, dollar-backed stablecoins have clear regulatory guidance. That clarity could accelerate adoption across payments, savings, and even creator monetization. Startups, investors, and consumers stand to benefit from faster settlements, lower fees, and broader access. Stablecoins are evolving from a crypto niche into financial infrastructure. Companies like Mastercard, Walmart, and Airbnb are exploring blockchain transactions that remove friction and deliver instant payments. These early signals point to a shift in how financial systems are being rebuilt for scale and speed. When the rails of capital movement start to shift, founders need to be in the room. Stablecoins have the potential to support treasury operations, loyalty programs, and investor engagement. That opportunity belongs to those who are ready to move early and build with agility. At DealMaker, we’ve seen how digital capital tools reshape access. This moment feels similar to the early growth of Reg A and Reg CF: open-ended, high-impact, and filled with possibility. Programmable capital is on the way. Founders who understand it now will be best positioned to lead what comes next.

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As the largest RWA market on Ethereum, Horizon unlocks a powerful opportunity for fintech integrators to offer stablecoin lending against traditional assets - fully onchain - while delivering instant liquidity to borrowers. Discover how Aave’s Horizon works.

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Canadian MGAs handle thousands of ACORD submissions each year, yet much of this work remains rooted in outdated practices—relying heavily on copy, paste, and retyping. This manual approach can take 90–120 minutes per submission, proving to be quite time-consuming. To tackle this challenge, we are developing MGAC AI, an AI layer aimed at automatically extracting structured data from ACORD forms. This innovation will enable underwriters to focus on their core responsibilities rather than data entry. We are currently in the early stages and are looking for three Canadian MGAs to collaborate with us in shaping this solution. There is no commitment required, and participants will have a genuine opportunity to influence the product. Additionally, participants will gain direct access to the founders. For more information, please contact me directly or visit: https://lnkd.in/g3CVqCfm

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my head of marketing said that if i didn't put "tokenmaxxing" in the title it would be massive missed opportunity I don't know if I'm ready for that. I still double space after I finish a sentence. Anyways, here's the point: CFOs of level 3 companies are excited about massive increases in token spend. But most of the ones I've been talking to are level 1 / level 2, and stressing out watching their budgets bleed dry from rapidly expanding token costs (there's a reason Anthropic's revenue has skyrocketed!). I sympathize with them, but I think there's a mindset shift needed if you want to stay competitive. The full answer is in the linked article -

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Every time we talk about synthetic identity fraud, I’m reminded that this isn’t just about catching bad actors — it’s about protecting good people. This short piece is worth the scroll. We need more conversations like this — clear, sharp, and focused on the risks that are already here. #FraudPrevention #SyntheticID #Deepfakes #TrustAndSafety #DigitalIdentity

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The Enterprise Token Fund (EFT) initiative, a strategic partnership between Straw Technologies and Bibb Reserve, presents a first-mover opportunity for institutional capital to gain protocol-level exposure to the foundational assets of the U.S. economy. This venture is strategically engineered to establish a new financial infrastructure by securitizing and fractionalizing ownership in U.S. infrastructure, energy, and AI assets 

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Seth Levine nailed it! The concentration problem isn't just a GP pain point... it's choking innovation. When capital pools around the same 20 funds, emerging managers and founders get shut out. Love that he's using his platform to call this out. Foundry has backed 50+ emerging managers. That's the diversification the ecosystem needs. This is exactly why Carta exists — making capital allocation visible and accessible. Capital Evolution hits at exactly the right moment. Thanks for having us Daniel Dart. Team Carta loves the community of FUTURE TITANS you have built 🚀

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“Leadbolt.io connected us to more qualified distributors across complex markets than our own sales team did in the past year and a half.” This came from a Senior Export Director at a National Petroleum Company, here in the GCC. That single sentence is proof that our proprietary systems work anywhere in the world when deployed the right way. And that Sales Technology through Digitization, is the future for Industrial B2B. I’ll be honest: I had that “won the lottery” feeling. But the truth is, this kind of satisfaction doesn’t come by chance. It’s earned. Especially in technical markets like the finished lubricants industry.

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Big update for the crypto industry: The California Assembly has passed AB 1052, a bill that would regulate digital assets under the state’s unclaimed property laws. It now moves to the Senate. What's happening: California is moving to explicitly include crypto assets in its unclaimed property laws. If signed into law, it would rewrite how crypto companies need to escheat abandoned digital assets to the state, just like banks and brokerages do today. Why this matters: To date, most Californians have not had their crypto escheated. The legal framework has been vague, and enforcement limited. If this bill becomes law, it would trigger a wave of escheatment for inactive crypto accounts across the state. Who’s affected: This will impact: - Crypto exchanges: Binance.US, Coinbase, Kraken Digital Asset Exchange, Gemini - Crypto custodians: BitGo, Anchorage Digital, Fidelity Digital Assets - Crypto payment processors: Bridge, BitPay, MoonPay, Circle, Ripple These companies will need to: - Track dormancy and last contact across millions of wallets and balances - Attempt due diligence outreach after 3 years of inactivity - Remit unclaimed crypto assets to the state One key improvement: Unlike most states that require liquidation to fiat, California’s bill would allow crypto to remain in-kind. The state would even accept BTC for redemption - avoiding forced sales and preserving asset value for owners. At Eisen, we’ve been supporting Binance.US with their escheatment program and have seen a surge in interest from other crypto companies as states begin to act. The message is clear: States are moving on crypto escheatment. It’s time to prepare. Credit: Bitcoin Laws on Twitter

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Today we’re introducing PCP: the Programmable Credit Protocol. A new institutional credit rail that allows financial institutions to request, receive, and enforce bilateral credit directly inside custody, without moving collateral, without bespoke legal negotiation, and with full regulatory alignment. Tokenization has unlocked settlement efficiency. PCP brings credit utility to these assets. Built with custodians, asset managers, and lenders, PCP standardizes: • Pre-loan negotiation via FIX (RFQ & pricing) • Custodian-enforced pledging, settlement & lifecycle events • Legal enforceability via a standardized & tested Securities Lending agreement, from ISLA. This unlocks compliant, scalable financing for tokenized MMFs, stocks, bonds, BTC/ETH, RWAs, and other digital & tokenized assets. After a successful pilot, we're now welcoming custodians, asset managers, banks, Lending desks and other institutions to join the waitlist and help shape the future of Credit for Programmable assets ! Thanks to everyone that made this happen ! Zodia Custody, Sahil Sood , Sophie Kazemi , Zane Suren 🚀, Franklin Templeton, Rafael Mastroberardino, Nate Pola, Avalanche Ava Labs , Maia Zennie Khalid Dannish , Oasis , William Wendt, Robert Brienza, Mark Kalin, M. Sc. CMS, Matthew Nyman, SemiLiquid Labs, PCP , Humayun Javed, Quentin H. Farzan Saqib, Muhammad Husnain, Muhammad Tayyab Ashraf, Maryam Noor, M11 Funds , Thibault Labidi , Logan Lim , Geoff McAlister , Stephen Whyman, Patrick McIntyre, Veris Ventures, Michael Tan, Mark Vere Read the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/ednuzFtw Website: https://pcp.co

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Transforming Capital Markets One Block at a Time Avalanche is taking another significant step toward the future of global finance. The launch of the Dinari Financial Network brings tokenized U.S. equities onchain, enabling seamless, compliant, and programmable access to over 150 public stocks, from AAPL to TSLA, in more than 85 countries. This builds on Avalanche’s growing leadership in onchain capital markets, with tokenized private equity funds, money markets, U.S. Treasuries, and stablecoins already live. By bridging traditional financial infrastructure with blockchain technology, Avalanche is enabling 24/7 access, greater efficiency, and global connectivity, setting a new standard for capital markets innovation. The next frontier in finance is here. 🔺 #Avalanche #OnChainFinance #Tokenization #CapitalMarkets #BlockchainInnovation #FutureOfFinance

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Excited to share a new Particle Accelerator Podcast episode with Glen McCready, Founder & CEO of Inara (Inara World). We talk about a real problem creators and publishers are facing: subscription fatigue, paywalls, and broken monetization models and how Glen is using distributed ledger technology to enable pay for what you choose microtransactions. 🎧 Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gUrxk3RG #Blockchain #DigitalPublishing #Microtransactions

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🇺🇸 The U.S. Senate moves on crypto regulation The Senate Agriculture Committee has released its long-awaited draft for a crypto market structure bill, aiming to clarify which agency (CFTC or SEC) oversees digital asset trading. The proposal sets the stage for joint rulemaking, clearer regulatory roles, and aims to address gaps around DeFi and overall market structure. 🔹 The draft gives the CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission), which regulates derivatives and commodity markets, more authority over spot digital asset markets. 🔹 The SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), responsible for protecting investors and overseeing securities, would continue to regulate tokens considered securities. 🔹 Several sections remain open (coordination with SEC, DeFi treatment, etc.). 🔹 Timing remains uncertain, with votes likely not before early 2026. While still a draft, this marks a major step toward regulatory clarity in the U.S., something both institutional investors and builders have been waiting for. Clear rules won’t just add compliance layers, they’ll create predictability, investor confidence, and sustainable innovation in digital finance. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eTBd-h-R #DigitalAssets #Regulation #CryptoMarkets #CFTC #SEC #DeFi #Finance

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Yesterday, the US Senate passed a bill to create a regulatory framework for stablecoins. For those of us in #crypto, the #GENIUS Act could actually move the needle. The bill calls for evidence-based evaluation of emerging technologies like #blockchain, with an emphasis on public impact, risk assessment, and long-term value. Finally a policy move that’s not just reactive. Now for some interesting facts: 👉 Over 75% of crypto legislation introduced since 2021 has focused on consumer protection or enforcement, not innovation. 👉 Meanwhile, federal R&D investment in blockchain accounts for less than 0.5% of total emerging tech funding. 👉 The GENIUS Act would fund independent studies on tech like DeFi, NFTs, and Layer 1 protocols, moving beyond headlines to actual data. We need regulation that’s built on research, not fear. If the GENIUS Act passes, it could help reshape the U.S. approach to crypto, from skeptical to strategic. While this won’t solve everything, it is a clear signal that the conversation around crypto in DC is maturing. #CryptoPolicy #GENIUSAct #Web3 #Blockchain #Regulation #EmergingTech #OwnEcho

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Today Agora filed with the OCC for a bank charter. When you work with us, you get access to the bare metal. We believe in building out the infrastructure and doing hard things, all the way, so we can serve our customers with a full-money stack. That's why we started with issuance and we're continuing to go deep here. Above all, we want to help our partners win, this is the next step in that. More product news, very soon!

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