The popular AI framework Virtuals Protocol will host an in-person meet-up in Hong Kong on Friday, January 17.

May 6 – Google Cloud and the Solana Foundation have jointly launched Pay.sh, a payment system for AI agents that supports on-demand API fee payments on the Solana blockchain using stablecoins. Built on the x402 protocol incubated by Coinbase, the system lets AI agents discover, call, and pay for API resources without account registration or subscriptions—enabling a "pay-as-you-go" micropayment model. AI agents can link a Solana wallet as their identity and top up balances via stablecoins or credit cards, with payments automatically completed when accessing cloud services like data analysis and model inference. Pay.sh runs on Google Cloud, connecting to backend services (including large-model calls and containerized apps) through an API proxy layer. Additionally, the system is compatible with the Machine Payments Protocol (MPP) and integrates with over 50 API service providers across use cases such as communication, e-commerce, and on-chain data. An official statement notes thi

May 5th. Bitcoin mining firm Cipher Digital reported a net loss of $114 million for Q1 2026, a wider shortfall than the $39 million it posted in the same period last year. Per its financial report, the company’s quarterly Bitcoin mining revenue fell to $35 million—down from $49 million in the year-ago quarter—while its Bitcoin holdings dropped from $125 million to $76 million. Despite performance pressure, CEO Tyler Page stressed the firm is accelerating its shift toward AI and high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure. Cipher Digital signed a lease for its third AI data center campus in Q1, with the tenant being an investment-grade hyperscale cloud provider. Currently, Cipher Digital is moving away from a single mining model to leasing power and computing infrastructure to AI and cloud computing firms. It’s also advancing construction on two major data center projects: Barber Lake and Black Pearl. Additionally, the company recently secured a $200 million maximum revolvi

On May 5th, Bitcoin mining firm IREN Limited struck an all-stock deal worth approximately $625 million to acquire cloud infrastructure software company Mirantis, aimed at boosting its AI cloud operations. The acquisition will deliver critical software and orchestration capabilities to IREN, enabling it to better monetize its expanding GPU and data center resources. Mirantis specializes in Kubernetes-powered cloud infrastructure tools that automate the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized apps. Analysts note the deal values Mirantis at roughly 4 to 5 times its annual revenue, as the move aims to help IREN narrow the gap with AI cloud rivals like CoreWeave and build out a full-stack cloud offering. This marks a major milestone in IREN’s shift from a Bitcoin mining company to an AI infrastructure platform. The firm previously raised roughly $3.6 billion via equity and convertible bond financing to expand GPU and data center capacity, with total construction spendi

May 5 — President Trump said about the Iran situation that Iran is "trying very hard to survive" and wants to reach an agreement with the U.S., but also criticized Iran for denying what was discussed during their call, calling the country out for "playing games." Trump emphasized the current situation is "completely in U.S. control" and noted Iran "respects the U.S. more than ever before." He also pointed out Iran has not targeted U.S.-protected vessels. When asked about the possibility of arming Iranian civilians, Trump declined to directly answer, only saying, "I'd rather not say."

May 5th Markets are currently focused on the fragile US-Iran ceasefire and the impact of surging energy prices on inflation and interest rates—driving gold prices higher during U.S. trading hours. Analyst Fawad Razaqzada noted: “Unless we see meaningful progress toward Gulf region stability, elevated oil prices may continue to lift short-term U.S. yields, thereby bolstering the U.S. dollar. This combination bodes poorly for gold’s short-term outlook.” (FXStreet)

On May 5, BlackRock is set to announce a mega-scale data center deal this week. (Source: Kryptonite)