UBS

U.S. stock futures pushed higher as easing Treasury yields brought buyers back after semiconductor weakness pressured major indexes. The next test comes from PCE inflation before Wednesday’s open and Nvidia earnings after the close, with traders focused on whether the AI trade can regain momentum.

UBS reported a sharp quarterly increase in call option exposure linked to BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, with calls representing 1.95 million underlying shares as of June 30. The Swiss banking group also increased direct IBIT holdings while reducing put option exposure during the quarter.

A group of major global banks has completed real cross-border payments using tokenized central bank reserves and commercial bank deposits in a BIS-led pilot. The test points to growing institutional interest in shared-ledger settlement as banks seek faster, more traceable international payments.

Swift is preparing live transaction tests for a blockchain-based shared ledger with 17 major banks, including HSBC, UBS, Wells Fargo and Citi. The platform is designed to support tokenized deposits and regulated digital money while keeping final settlement connected to existing payment rails.

Chainlink’s LINK token rose above $24 after partnering with UBS and DigiFT in Hong Kong to automate tokenized fund operations. Learn about the project, CCIP expansion, and technical outlook for LINK.