Bhutan Taps 3iQ to Manage Bitcoin Treasury as Digital Hub Emerges

Samsung SDS, the technology arm of the South Korean conglomerate, has announced a strategic partnership with Dunamu, operator of the Upbit cryptocurrency exchange, to expand its presence in the stablecoin market. This alliance combines Samsung SDS's robust cloud, cybersecurity, and IT services with Dunamu's blockchain expertise, positioning both companies to capitalize on South Korea's emerging digital asset infrastructure market. The plan was unveiled by President and CEO Lee Jun-hee during Samsung SDS's second-quarter 2026 earnings call on July 29. This collaboration represents a significant move in consolidating South Korea's crypto ecosystem, where technology giants and blockchain specialists are joining forces to shape the future of digital finance. The partnership has the potential to accelerate stablecoin adoption and drive digital asset infrastructure development in the country.

The Bitcoin treasury company Strategy reported an $8.22 billion second-quarter net loss, driven primarily by an $8.32 billion unrealized loss on its Bitcoin holdings as the cryptocurrency's price declined during the quarter. Despite the market downturn, Strategy maintained its accumulation strategy, holding 843,775 Bitcoin as of July 26, representing a 25% increase since the beginning of the year.

Strategy implemented its BTC monetization program, selling approximately $218.4 million worth of Bitcoin to help fund a portion of its preferred stock dividend obligations. The company has built a $3.75 billion cash reserve, enough to cover more than two years of preferred dividend payments and interest obligations. With the recent repurchase of $25 million of STRC preferred shares at a discount to par, Strategy demonstrates confidence in its long-term strategy, intending to continue purchasing these securities while they trade below $100.

CoolWallet, a leading hardware wallet in the cryptocurrency market, has announced a strategic partnership with ChangeNOW, integrating its swap platform as a native provider within the CoolWallet application. This integration allows users to perform direct cryptocurrency swaps without leaving the CoolWallet interface, providing a unified and secure user experience. The move represents a significant advancement in hardware wallet adoption, eliminating the need for users to transfer assets to third-party platforms to perform swaps. With ChangeNOW, CoolWallet offers access to over 500 cryptocurrencies and competitive rates, strengthening its position as an all-in-one solution for digital asset management.

Oracle has announced a strategic partnership with Google Cloud, gaining direct access to Gemini AI models and intensifying the battle for corporate cloud dominance. This collaboration marks a significant leap in Oracle's AI capabilities, positioning it as a more formidable competitor in the cloud services market. The alliance between Oracle and Google Cloud is reshaping enterprise cloud strategies, forcing other market players to accelerate their innovations. With access to Gemini models, Oracle can now offer more advanced AI solutions, potentially capturing a larger share of the cloud AI services market.

Samsung SDS, the IT services arm of Samsung Group, is exploring stablecoin infrastructure and AI-based payment models with Dunamu, the operator of South Korea's largest crypto exchange, Upbit. This strategic partnership positions the tech giant in the burgeoning digital asset market, leveraging Samsung SDS's experience with tokenized securities platforms and end-to-end stablecoin processes from issuance to settlement.

The collaboration marks a significant advancement for stablecoin adoption in Asia, combining Samsung's technological prowess with Dunamu's crypto exchange expertise. With the global stablecoin market exceeding $130 billion, this partnership could accelerate innovation in digital payments and asset systems in South Korea and beyond, solidifying the region's status as a fintech hub.

Chelsea Football Club is strategically expanding its crypto footprint through a partnership with exchange BingX, coinciding with the acquisition of defender Maxence Lacroix as the club's fifth summer signing. This move comes amid increasing regulatory scrutiny surrounding cryptocurrency marketing in sports, positioning Chelsea at the intersection of traditional football and digital finance.

The collaboration between the Premier League club and the crypto trading platform exemplifies the growing trend of integrating digital finance with sports marketing, despite regulatory concerns. As fans debate the merits of the new defender, the crypto industry watches closely how this partnership will unfold and potentially set a precedent for other high-profile teams in the evolving landscape of sports sponsorships.