OpenAI and SoftBank each committed $500 million to SB Energy to build a 1.2 GW Stargate data center in Texas, advancing the $5 trillion Stargate AI infrastructure initiative. The funding underscores growing private capital flows into large-scale AI compute projects and could boost interest in STG-linked assets.
Senior Labour backbenchers are pressing Prime Minister Keir Starmer to prohibit cryptocurrency donations to political parties, warning digital assets and AI lower costs and make foreign interference harder to trace. The move adds pressure for clearer rules on campaign finance and crypto oversight.
Andreessen Horowitz announced a $15 billion fund focused on AI and crypto after capturing more than 18% of venture funding in 2025. The firm frames the move as part of a mission to “give everybody a shot.”
BlackRock’s 2026 Global Outlook warns that AI is not just software but a new form of energy demand, with electricity emerging as a critical bottleneck. The firm says this could trigger an energy competition with Bitcoin miners and prompt market repricing.
Andreessen Horowitz has raised $15 billion across several funds to back new technology investments and strengthen America’s competitive position in global tech. The move highlights continued private capital commitment to emerging sectors where the firm has been active.
NVIDIA on Jan 8, 2026 announced Spectrum‑X Ethernet Photonics, a co‑packaged optics approach designed to boost scalability and cut power use in next‑generation AI infrastructure. The move targets bandwidth, density and energy limits in large AI data centers.
Ripple is pursuing a collaboration with Amazon Web Services to test Amazon Bedrock’s AI capabilities on the XRP Ledger, aiming to broaden on‑chain use cases. The exploratory move could speed enterprise adoption and unlock new AI-driven features for XRPL developers and users.
Lloyds is replacing physical paperwork with blockchain and AI systems across trade and lending to speed transactions and cut costs. The bank says it will explore tokenized deposit products with an eye toward launch by 2027.
El Salvador has reinforced its Bitcoin-focused strategy, pushing broader adoption while pursuing a role as an AI hub; the plan could boost BTC demand and attract tech capital, though challenges remain.
Chainlink unveiled an AI-powered blockchain infrastructure built with 24 financial institutions to streamline corporate actions processing, targeting an estimated $58 billion in annual cost savings. The move expands Chainlink's role from oracle services to enterprise financial infrastructure.