PayPay Deal: Mori Hamada advised PayPay on its proposed $840.2M acquisition of a 70.2% stake in T&D Financial Life Insurance, signaling a push into Japan’s life insurance market. Fraud Probe: India’s CBI searched six sites tied to a Rs 661 crore Haryana/Chandigarh government funds diversion allegedly involving IDFC First Bank and AU Finance Bank, with claims of collusion between officials and bank-linked actors. Stablecoins & Bank Rules: US regulators defended post-crisis banking rollbacks and stablecoin implementation under the GENIUS Act, while lawmakers warned safeguards could weaken. Market Shock: Wall Street logged its worst day of 2026 after stronger US jobs data spiked rate-hike fears, dragging tech, stocks, crypto, and metals. AI Governance: A debate is growing that the next AI race is about rules, not models—standards and oversight that determine how AI gets audited and trusted in finance. Digital Payments Security: US lawmakers warned GPS jamming/spoofing could disrupt payments and critical infrastructure, highlighting the need for backup positioning tech. Fintech in Health: Nigeria stakeholders urged more domestic financing and local ownership to sustain malaria elimination as donor support declines. Carbon Finance: UK’s Green Finance Institute launched a CDR Catalyst deal unlocking £1m financing for a biochar project via Oxbury Bank. Sovereign Crypto Watch: On-chain tracking flagged continued structured drawdowns from Bhutan-linked bitcoin wallets, extending a months-long sell-off pattern.