Updated 1m ago

What matters,
briefly.

The world's news, summarised in three sentences or less. Business, Tech, Crypto.

Thursday, 25 June 2026·40 stories

Bitcoin hit fresh 2026 lows as spot ETF outflows and a bearish options expiry weighed on prices. Weakness in US stocks could push the cryptocurrency even lower, analysts warn, as investor losses mount.

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Polymarket will refund users after hackers exploited a compromised third-party vendor to steal millions in cryptocurrency from the prediction betting platform. The breach affected multiple accounts through the website vulnerability.

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Amazon Prime Day deals under $25 include electronics, home goods, and gadgets worth buying now. Shoppers can save on items like smart speakers, kitchen tools, and streaming devices before the sale ends.

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Amazon's Prime Day Apple deals this year are the biggest discounts yet. AirPods, iPads, and MacBooks are all selling at steep markdowns during the sale.

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Amazon Prime Day has dropped prices on top-rated keyboards, mice, and other computer accessories. You'll find deals from brands like Logitech and Corsair if you're looking to upgrade your setup before the sale ends.

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Polestar, the Swedish electric car brand, has exited the US market after struggling to compete. The company cited weak sales and challenging market conditions as reasons for its withdrawal.

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Apple is raising iPad prices soon, so deals on current models won't last long. Retailers are offering discounts now before the increases take effect. Shoppers should act quickly if they want to save on iPads.

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Computer prices have surged due to supply chain disruptions and chip shortages, making upgrades more expensive than usual. Experts warn delays could persist into next year.

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Prime Day offers deep discounts on robot vacuums, with the best deals cutting prices by up to 40% on top brands. These cordless cleaners handle pet hair and hard floors efficiently, making them worth buying now before deals expire.

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RAM chip prices are plummeting as oversupply floods the market, forcing major manufacturers to slash production. This could mean cheaper laptops and phones for consumers, but devastating losses for semiconductor makers betting on high prices.

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Instagram is making changes to keep users scrolling longer on the platform. The company is pushing more content from accounts you don't follow and prioritizing recommendations over posts from friends.

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Xbox consoles are on sale now at lower prices before an expected increase. Shoppers looking to buy should act quickly to get the best deals while stock lasts.

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Invesco, managing $2.5 trillion in assets, filed for a new tokenized fund tied to stablecoin reserves. The move expands the firm's blockchain strategy following its recent takeover of Superstate's tokenized money market fund.

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Patronus AI raised $50M to create virtual environments for testing AI agents. The startup, founded by ex-Meta researchers, is seeing intense customer demand as companies rush to validate their AI systems before deployment.

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Bitcoin options traders are buying downside protection as uncertainty continues, but they're not betting on a crash, according to Anchorage Digital's analysis. The defensive positioning suggests traders expect volatility but not extreme losses in the near term.

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Prediction market platform Polymarket is refunding customers after hackers stole their funds through a third-party breach. The company hasn't disclosed how much money was taken or how many users were affected.

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Bitcoin's plunge to $58,000 matches historical patterns predicted by the power-law model, though futures traders expect it could drop further. The model suggests this level represents a normal part of Bitcoin's boom-bust cycle rather than a crash.

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SBI Holdings is buying crypto exchange Bitbank for $289 million, which would create Japan's largest digital currency trading platform. The deal still needs regulatory approval before it closes.

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Microsoft is raising Xbox prices due to soaring memory and storage costs that have more than doubled. The company joins Apple in passing higher expenses onto customers as component prices climb.

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Coinbase's Ethereum network Base went offline for over two hours due to a block production glitch, but has since recovered. The outage happened before a scheduled upgrade was set to launch.

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UK wealth advisers can't see half their clients' crypto holdings, a survey shows. Many EU firms either ban digital assets or ignore them entirely, leaving clients' crypto portfolios completely off their advisers' radar.

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Notion is killing its email service to focus on AI agents that manage inbox tasks automatically. Users are ditching manual email management for AI-powered automation instead.

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African Bank's interim CEO Zweli Manyathi says the bank's turnaround strategy requires tough decisions in a tough market. The repositioning includes new leadership to better serve customers over the next half year.

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Story Protocol is pivoting from IP management to AI training data after its token collapsed 98%. The rebrand reflects the company's bet that the data market offers better prospects than its original intellectual property focus.

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Crypto exchange CoinEx claims it didn't knowingly help sanctioned Iranian platforms move $3.8 billion in digital assets, though investigators found extensive connections between the exchange and over 60 Iranian crypto services.

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Coinbase's Base blockchain went down for two hours, freezing all transactions on the popular Ethereum layer-2 network. The outage has since been resolved and the network is processing transactions normally again.

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Google has released its Finance app for Android after two decades, loaded with AI features to help users track investments and market data. An iOS version is promised later in 2026.

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Bitcoin has crashed to $58,000 and broken through a bearish pattern, signaling it could fall further to $54,000 or below in the coming weeks.

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A startup backed by venture capital giant a16z is solving power grid problems by installing home batteries that provide backup electricity while helping the grid during peak demand, bypassing lengthy approval delays.

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South Africa's Living Wage Network chair says employers must raise pay standards to ensure workers can afford basic needs with dignity. Professor Ines Meyer outlines specific indicators for calculating fair wages that improve quality of life across the country.

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STRC stock now moves almost in lockstep with Bitcoin, stripping away its main selling point as a stable income option for investors seeking diversification from crypto volatility.

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Itac maintained its wheat price floor despite criticism from GrainSA, with chief commissioner Ayabonga Cawe defending the decision as flexible enough to support the sector while managing market stability.

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Claude is stealing paying customers from ChatGPT, the market leader. Anthropic's AI assistant is winning over users willing to pay for premium features, signaling real competition in the paid AI space.

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California started tracking AI-related job losses, becoming the first state to measure whether artificial intelligence is actually displacing workers. The move comes as policymakers seek real data on automation's impact on employment.

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Digital platforms are using game-like features to get more South Africans investing. Liberty's Ryan Switala says gamification makes wealth-building more engaging and accessible to ordinary people seeking financial growth.

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Namibia has again rejected Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service, citing concerns over foreign control and local competition. The decision reflects ongoing tensions between the government and international tech companies operating in the country.

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Crypto exchange Kraken wants to buy a 15% stake in DeFi lender Aave for $385 million. Aave is recovering after losing billions in deposits following April's KelpDAO exploit, though Aave itself wasn't compromised.

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South Africa's construction sector is showing signs of recovery, according to economist Dr Roelof Botha. The industry, which has struggled in recent years, is beginning to attract new investment and create jobs again.

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Producer prices jumped higher than forecasted, signalling potential inflation pressures ahead. This could prompt the Reserve Bank to reconsider its interest rate stance. Consumers may face steeper costs for goods and services soon.

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