🔹 Welcome to the HIPTHER Weekly Huddle! 🔹
Your go-to briefing on the latest trends shaping iGaming, AI, Blockchain, Fintech, Cybersecurity, and beyond. Each week, we bring you the biggest industry updates, expert insights, and must-know developments—all in one place.
Stay ahead of the curve, discover key innovations, and make informed decisions with our weekly roundup of news, partnerships, and emerging trends.
Latest HIPTHER Talks Podcast episodes:
HIPTHER Talks S4-Ep21: Firewalls, Real Threats & Why Cybersecurity Isn’t Just for IT Anymore
AI Weekly Highlights – June 23–25, 2025
- AI Computing Divide: There's a significant global imbalance in access to high-performance AI computing, with the United States and China commanding the majority of GPU clusters, leading to "compute deserts" in many other regions.
- Intense AI Talent War: A fierce bidding war for top AI researchers is driving "eye-popping compensation packages" at elite labs, with companies like Meta, Google, and OpenAI vying for "10,000x engineers."
- AI Hardware Collaboration: While Jony Ive's "io" brand has faded, his partnership with OpenAI on bespoke AI hardware persists, focusing on refining custom chassis and thermal solutions for GPU clusters.
- AI Regulation Dispute: President Donald Trump's proposed federal ban on state-level AI regulations is drawing criticism, with Microsoft's Chief Scientist Eric Horvitz warning it could stifle innovation and tailored safety measures.
- Shifting Tech Job Market: Many traditional corporate tech roles are being replaced by positions requiring specialized AI and machine learning expertise, demanding skills in areas like data science, MLOps, and algorithmic bias mitigation.
- Underperforming AI Assistant: LinkedIn's AI writing assistant has underperformed in user engagement, with adoption rates lagging projections, prompting a reevaluation of its feature placement and UX design.
- PlayAI Solutions: This Estonian startup is revolutionizing iGaming customer support with an AI platform for 24/7 chat, account verification, and player retention.
- OpenAI & Apple: Court filings reveal these two collaborated as early as 2023 on "Project Athena," a standalone AI device with custom silicon and an iOS-based AI assistant.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS): Plans to deploy five new AI-optimized data centers in Europe and Asia by Q4 2025 to power next-gen services.
- Goldman Sachs: Launched "Marquee AI" firmwide, an enterprise assistant for real-time market summaries, personalized research, and automated compliance.
- LiveChat & Zendesk: Incumbent customer support providers targeted by PlayAI Solutions in the iGaming market.
- Morgan Stanley & JPMorgan: Expected to follow Goldman Sachs' lead in launching firmwide AI assistants.
- Amazon's AI Data Centers: Amazon is investing heavily (tens of billions) in global AI data centers, aiming to decentralize AI compute resources and address the "compute divide."
- AI in Agriculture: A new AI system uses hyperspectral imaging for early crop disease detection, improving yields and reducing fungicide use.
- AI Copyright Ruling: A U.S. court ruled that training AI on copyrighted material can be fair use if legally obtained, providing clarity for AI developers.
- On-Device Robotics: DeepMind's "Gemini Robotics On-Device" enables real-time AI inference directly on robots, improving autonomy and performance without cloud dependency.
- AI-Designed Perfumes: An AI platform called "Perfume AI" is generating novel fragrance formulas, accelerating R&D and reducing waste in the perfume industry.
Stay in the know with AI Dispatch – your trusted source for weekly breakthroughs, funding news, ethical debates, and disruptive technologies across the AI ecosystem.
Blockchain Weekly Highlights – June 23–25, 2025
- Blockchain Capital invested $10 million in XRP, Stellar, Fetch.ai, Arweave, and Optimism, betting on key Web3 infrastructure.
- Wyoming's state-backed stablecoin pilot is utilizing Aptos and Sei for compliance and speed.
- Algorand Foundation and Paycode are partnering to bring financial inclusion to Africa, targeting 30 million unbanked individuals.
- Indian firms like Zerodha, Groww, and Paytm Money are exploring tokenized mutual funds.
- Dr. Anosh Ahmed's Chicago Crypto Hub is gaining federal support to become a Midwestern Web3 center.
- CEO Ousted Over Fraud: The Daily Blockchain Project's CEO was removed following a $50 million crypto fraud allegation, highlighting the persistent need for better governance in the industry.
- New Crypto Options: ChainOptions launched innovative options contracts for Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and XRP, combined with a "cloud-mining token" for passive income.
- Trump Jr. to Speak at KBW 2025: Donald Trump Jr. will keynote Korea Blockchain Week 2025, alongside partners Sui Stable and 0G Network, boosting the event's profile and showcasing key infrastructure.
- Kraken Expands to DeFi: Crypto exchange Kraken partnered with DeFi Labs to develop on-chain lending and staking products, signaling growing convergence between centralized and decentralized finance.
- Hong Kong's Web3 Blueprint: A government-backed group in Hong Kong issued a comprehensive plan to accelerate blockchain adoption in finance, supply chain, and digital identity.
- Institutional Embrace: Metaplanet, a Japanese investment company, aggressively acquired $48 million in Bitcoin and raised $515 million, positioning BTC as a primary treasury asset. Meanwhile, Wall Street powerhouses Goldman Sachs and Citadel Securities co-led a $135 million funding round for Digital Asset, a blockchain infrastructure startup focusing on tokenized financial instruments and high-speed settlement.
- Stablecoin Utility: The Codex blockchain launched its mainnet with native USDC (Circle's stablecoin) support, aiming to provide a secure and scalable infrastructure for stablecoin operations and DeFi applications that require low-latency, fiat-native settlement layers.
- Predictive Intelligence: The integration of predictive intelligence, leveraging AI and real-time data analytics, is enabling on-chain forecasting for traders and protocols, pushing for more proactive and adaptive decentralized systems.
- Evolving "On-Chain": The meaning of "on-chain" is expanding beyond just transactions to encompass identity, behavior, credentials, and governance, reflecting a deeper integration of presence and authority into programmable, verifiable blockchain substrates.
Stay ahead with Blocks & Headlines – your weekly digest of regulation, innovation, and infrastructure updates shaping the future of Web3 and blockchain technology.
Cybersecurity Weekly Highlights – June 23–25, 2025
- The BlackVeil ransomware gang continues evolving, now circulating stolen data via underground forums.
- Google launched a new bug bounty initiative targeting cloud misconfigurations.
- Trend Micro unveiled a major update in its SaaS protection suite, integrating behavioral analytics.
- In India, SEBI proposed new cybersecurity mandates for financial brokers aimed at intel sharing and multi-factor authentication.
- The UK Economic Plan now includes cybersecurity investments to support digital infrastructure resilience.
- DHS expanded its Cyber Response & Recovery Fund to support mid-sized enterprises facing ransomware fallout.
- KPMG and Dice partnered to train cybersecurity professionals in ethical hacking and cloud defense.
- Stronghold Data launched an encrypted backup product, and SonicWall upgraded firewall protections against C2 evasion tactics.
- Snyk announced a $200 M funding round to enhance its open-source security platform.
- Scale AI is advancing explainable AI (XAI) to monitor anomaly detection in training pipelines.
- MEF introduced a blockchain-based integrity checking system for IoT devices.
- Invariant Labs debuted a serverless-native WAF designed for modern cloud environments.
Stay protected with Cybersecurity Roundup — your weekly dose of threat intel, cutting-edge defense tools, and global security partnerships.
Fintech Weekly Highlights – June 23–25, 2025
- Finom secured €115M in funding from Tiger Global to bolster its SMB banking services in Europe.
- Alchemy reports increasing demand from banks and fintechs looking to integrate DeFi capabilities via its blockchain infrastructure.
- Lead Bank partnered with Prelim to enhance digital onboarding for consumer and business accounts using AI.
- Tipalti acquired Statement, an AI-powered treasury automation fintech, to expand its finance operations offerings.
- Valus, an Egyptian fintech, made a landmark $50M IPO on the EGX, aiming to expand digital payments and lending in MENA.
- Wealthfront Corporation confidentially filed for an IPO on June 23, 2025, aiming to go public with its automated-investing platform, which manages over $30 billion in assets.
- Mastercard launched an initiative in November 2024 to support underrepresented fintech founders, offering mentorship and up to $100,000 in grants to 30 startups.
- James Barrese of Inc. magazine highlighted three key fintech trends: embedded finance, AI-driven hyper-personalization, and DeFi integration.
- Tetrate joined FINOS (Fintech Open Source Foundation) in late June 2025 to develop open-source tools for AI governance in financial services.
- Vantage debuted its new digital advisory platform for high-net-worth individuals at Wealth Expo Peru 2025, tailored for the Latin American market.
- Melio, the Israeli accounts-payable fintech co-founded by Matan Bar and Ilan Atias, is reportedly nearing acquisition by New Zealand's Xero for around $2 billion. Strategic backers include Fiserv, Shopify, and Capital One.
- The World Economic Forum's "Future of Global Fintech" report highlights the industry's shift from rapid expansion to sustainable growth, with focus on regulatory evolution, tech convergence (AI, blockchain), and inclusion.
- A Yahoo Finance review of neobank Upgrade praises its high-yield offerings but critiques its mobile app's user experience and customer service.
- 10x Banking and Australian banking-software provider Constantinople are partnering to deliver AI-driven core systems across APAC, with Great Southern Bank as an early client.
- International Banker's report on the MENA region emphasizes balancing innovation and regulation to foster fintech-led inclusion and efficiency, calling for harmonized frameworks and a regional "fintech passport."
Stay current with Fintech Pulse – your weekly roundup of innovation, partnerships, and regulatory insights shaping the digital finance ecosystem.
In-Person Conferences for 2025
HIPTHER’s in-person conferences bring together the brightest minds and key decision-makers across gaming, tech, and related sectors. Each event is designed to foster meaningful discussions, provide actionable insights, and create unparalleled networking opportunities. Mark your calendars for these must-attend events:
MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit
- Dates: 27-28 May 2025
- Location: Vilnius, Lithuania
- View details
Thank you to everyone who joined us at the MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit in Vilnius! Big thanks to our speakers for sharing their insights, and to all attendees for being part of it. Check out the highlights on LinkedIn: MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit & HIPTHER See you next time!
European Gaming Congress (EGC)
Virtual Events: Introducing “iGaming Exchange: Europe & Americas”
As part of HIPTHER’s commitment to adapting to the needs of a global audience, we’re thrilled to announce the launch of iGaming Exchange: Europe & Americas—a revamped and enhanced virtual event series.
Thank you for joining this week’s Huddle! We’ll be back in January with more top stories, insights, and updates from the industries shaping the future. Got feedback or topics you’d like us to cover? Feel free to reach out—we’d love to hear from you!
In the meantime, stay curious, stay informed, and stay ahead.
