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Spot gold surged past the $3,500 mark, reaching new record highs amid mounting anticipation of Federal Reserve interest rate reductions and a weakening dollar. Bullion briefly traded near $3,508 an ounce, extending its year-to-date gains to around 30%, as markets grow increasingly uneasy over central bank independence and geopolitical stress.

Markets are pricing in a high likelihood—approaching 90%—that the Fed will proceed with a 25-basis-point cut at its upcoming meeting in mid-September, following dovish signals from Fed Chair Powell and softening macro data. A key US non-farm payrolls release this Friday is expected to reinforce the case for monetary easing, given signs of cooling in the labour market. Lower rates would reduce the appeal of interest-bearing assets, boosting demand for non-yielding gold.

The US dollar’s decline has played a significant role in elevating gold’s appeal, making bullion more attractive to global buyers. Safe-haven flight intensified after mounting investor concern regarding the Fed’s autonomy, stemming from high-profile political pressure, including moves to dismiss Governor Lisa Cook—actions perceived as jeopardising monetary policy credibility.

Investor sentiment has translated into tangible market flows: holdings in gold-backed ETFs have climbed steadily, piling pressure on available stockpiles and raising lease rates, especially in London’s bullion markets. Central banks, including those in emerging economies, continue to accumulate gold, adding institutional momentum to the rally. As a result, gold is increasingly viewed as a strategic hedge amid persistent inflation uncertainty, trade tensions, and an unpredictable global political landscape.

Strategists at UBS have noted that softer economic indicators, lower interest-rate environments, and elevated macro-geopolitical risks enhance gold’s function as a portfolio diversifier. Their outlook anticipates continued upward price movement into the coming quarters. Likewise, Goldman Sachs has raised its year-end target, citing strong central bank demand and ETF inflows despite broader market volatility.

DWF Ventures, the investment arm of Web3 market‑maker DWF Labs, has delivered a detailed evaluation of $WLFI, World Liberty Financial’s newly issued utility token. Published via X, the analysis emphasises $WLFI’s integration into World Liberty’s broader ecosystem and its potential as a key enabler in connecting traditional finance with on‑chain liquidity. Unlike World Liberty’s $TRUMP memecoin, $WLFI is purpose‑built to power the upcoming “WLFI super app”, which will streamline access through web wallets and bank on‑ramps, and underpin planned lending and borrowing services.

The report highlights the success of the USD1 stablecoin—backed by short‑term US Treasuries and cash equivalents—which now commands a market capitalisation approaching $2.5 billion and enjoys listings on major exchanges such as Binance and Coinbase. These developments have significantly boosted investor attention toward the $WLFI token.

World Liberty has raised approximately $500 million across two funding rounds by selling about a quarter of its 100 billion token supply. Among its backers are DWF Labs itself and crypto figure Justin Sun, while ALT5 Sigma has outlined a $1.5 billion treasury strategy centred around $WLFI. DWF Ventures expects that the token could soon be integrated by several DeFi protocols, including Falcon Finance, Ethena and Mantle.

Importantly, DWF Ventures positions $WLFI’s launch as more than a token debut; it sees the initiative as a structural pivot that could catalyse institutional adoption and facilitate compliant capital onboarding—possibly even drawing interest from sovereign investors.

But $WLFI’s entry into the market has triggered concerns. Reports reveal technical difficulties involving the Lockbox contract, intended to unlock 20 percent of token allocations for early investors, which have left many users unable to activate the mechanism. Pre‑market trading responded with a 40 percent drop, raising doubts about launch readiness. Coupling these issues with the political profile of its founders, the token has become entangled in financial and reputational risks.

Indeed, WLFI’s connection to the family of the former president has cast a shadow over its market potential. The token’s political dimensions have already affected diplomatic engagements—such as withdrawals from the Bitcoin Asia 2025 conference—and prompted ethical criticism over conflicts of interest.

Broader scrutiny of World Liberty Financial underscores such tensions. Investigations have revealed that the Trump family commands a substantial share of revenue from token sales and that governance design reflects unusual centralisation for a DeFi project. Further concerns relate to self‑dealing practices: for instance, ALT5 Sigma—a firm acquired by World Liberty—purchased $750 million worth of WLFI tokens. As part of this arrangement, its leadership includes Eric Trump and WLFI co-founder Zach Witkoff, a structure that regulators and critics view as raising red flags.

Ethics experts warn that such close ties between ruling office, private enterprise and foreign investment could undermine democratic safeguards. The New Yorker, for one, described the venture as stretching the norms of political ethics, with World Liberty seen by some as a mechanism for influence through token‑based access channels.

The $WLFI launch is clearly more than a token generation event—it is shaping into a test case for the nexus of politics, finance and regulation in the emerging Web3 era.

Mastercard and Circle have deepened their collaboration to enable settlement of transactions in USDC and EURC stablecoins for acquirers and merchants across Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Arab Financial Services and Eazy Financial Services are among the first institutions to access this capability, which integrates stablecoin payments into Mastercard’s established global network.

The initiative marks a clear shift towards tokenised money. Mastercard’s President for EEMEA, Dimitrios Dosis, emphasised the ambition to bring stablecoins into mainstream finance by investing in infrastructure, governance and partnerships, while leveraging the company’s longstanding expertise in security and compliance. Kash Razzaghi, Chief Business Officer at Circle, framed the move as a step towards “borderless, real‑time commerce,” seeking to make USDC as ubiquitous as traditional payments.

Arab Financial Services highlighted the tangible value of the new model: improved liquidity, operational efficiencies and dramatically reduced friction in high‑volume reconciliations. Eazy Financial Services underscored how the expanded settlement option aligns with its mission to offer faster, more secure, and efficient payment solutions, setting a fresh standard for digital settlements in EEMEA.

This development builds on existing collaborations such as crypto payment card solutions with the likes of Bybit and S1LKPAY, which already use USDC for settlement in the region. Mastercard further extends its stablecoin portfolio beyond USDC and EURC, already supporting USDG, FIUSD and PYUSD across various use‑cases spanning remittances, B2B, and payouts via platforms like Mastercard Move and the Multi‑Token Network, underpinned by its Crypto Credential and Crypto Secure frameworks.

Financial infrastructure experts view the rollout as particularly meaningful for emerging markets. World Bank data indicates cross‑border transfer costs remain high—around 8% on average—far exceeding the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal threshold of 3%. Introducing stablecoin settlement is expected to trim costs, accelerate transfers, and bolster working capital and currency resilience for small and medium businesses.

Analyses point to early adopters witnessing significant gains: settlement speeds up by 30%, and liquidity costs drop around 20%, according to some reports. Mastercard’s compliance infrastructure, combined with evolving regulatory frameworks like the European MiCA and US GENIUS Act, fosters institutional trust in this digital settlement evolution.

Circle is working to fortify USDC’s global footprint beyond this initiative. Its broader strategy includes partnerships with Finastra to plug USDC into traditional payment hubs, OKX for zero‑fee USDC conversions, and ventures with SBI Group and Ripple in Asia—all aimed at building liquidity, interoperability and widespread adoption.

UAE companies are recalibrating their compensation strategies amid evolving market pressures, rising costs, and intensifying competition for skilled professionals.

Salary growth across the board is projected at a modest 4 per cent in 2025, reflecting economic moderation rather than exuberance. Mercer’s Total Remuneration Survey indicates that more than 28 per cent of firms plan to increase headcount, signalling a continuing demand for talent despite budgetary constraints. In-demand sectors such as technology, life sciences, and consumer goods are expected to see slightly higher increases—around 4.2 to 4.5 per cent—while energy and financial services align with the broader average.

MaxHR’s projections paint a slightly more optimistic picture for key verticals: salary hikes for technology roles could reach 8–12 per cent, while finance and banking roles may grow by 5–7 per cent, significantly outpacing other industries.

Employers are embracing variable compensation as cash-strapped budgets and workforce expectations diverge. There is a growing preference for pay-for-performance models, personalised benefits, and flexibility—designed to engage younger professionals who prioritise purpose and work-life integration alongside financial reward.

These shifts align with broader market signals. Tuscan Consulting notes that after post‑pandemic salary surges, firms are now reassessing compensation strategies, balancing retention needs with cost control. Executive packages increasingly include sign‑on or retention bonuses, deferred incentives, and more nuanced benchmarking—often comparing pay between UAE and KSA to remain competitive.

Yet not all data points suggest growth. Business Insider reports that salaries across the UAE may remain flat in 2025, attributed to a swelling expat population that expands the available talent pool and reduces pressure on employers to offer premium pay. Meanwhile, exponential increases in living costs—rent rose 16 per cent in the prior year—have squeezed middle-income professionals, eroding disposable income despite tax‑free earnings.

At the same time, the Dubai government is extending a labour-market lifeline to targeted expatriates, offering roles with monthly salaries up to Dh 50,000. This contrasts with the broader cautious recruitment trends in the private sector, where AI, automation, and tax uncertainties are prompting a more measured approach to hiring.

Dubai’s finance sector is expanding—hiring regulators, investment bankers, and compliance professionals to match its rapid growth. Compensation packages often exceed those in London by up to four times once tax advantages and relocation benefits are included, although professionals note that reward expectations and infrastructure pressures are testing the city’s appeal.

A cohesive picture emerges: employers are shifting from purely salary-driven offerings to total-reward packages that integrate flexibility, performance incentives, and career development. While headline salaries may be easing off, especially for mid-tier roles, specialized sectors and public entities continue to push compensation envelopes to secure talent and drive strategic priorities.

The US Department of the Treasury has issued a formal call for public feedback on cutting‑edge mechanisms that regulated financial institutions might deploy to detect illicit digital asset activity. This request stems from the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U. S. Stablecoins Act, signed into law on 18 July 2025, mandating that entities issuing payment stablecoins are treated as financial institutions under anti‑money laundering, sanctions, and related frameworks. The Treasury now seeks input on application programming interfaces, artificial intelligence, digital identity verification, and blockchain analytics as tools to bolster enforcement and transparency. Respondents are invited to submit comments by 17 October 2025.

The Treasury plans to assess submissions to evaluate how these technologies may enhance detection abilities, weigh the associated costs and privacy and cybersecurity implications, and understand operational hurdles. This evaluation will inform a report to Capitol Hill, which will include suggestions for legislative and regulatory action, possibly followed by guidance or rulemaking.

The request arrives on the back of Executive Order 14178, issued in January 2025, advocating for US leadership in digital finance technologies. It also follows the Working Group on Digital Asset Markets report, released in July 2025, which called for stronger AML/CFT and sanctions frameworks, including enhanced public–private cooperation and digital identity measures.

Regulated entities are urged to outline how they are using—or could use—APIs to improve risk detection, for example through real‑time data sharing or transaction monitoring. AI deployment examples might cover systems capable of spotting complex illicit finance networks via large‑scale transaction analysis. Digital identity verification inputs could focus on portable credentials or biometrics, and the blockchain component invites discussion of analytics tools that integrate on‑chain and off‑chain data, as well as efforts to overcome obfuscation techniques.

Treasury’s criteria for evaluating the proposals extend beyond efficacy. Institutions must weigh how sensitive the data is, the privacy implications of collection and analysis, the technological and operational burdens of implementation, and any cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

Industry reactions underscore both opportunity and burden. As the Treasury’s announcement puts it, “innovative tools are critical to advancing efforts to address illicit finance risks but can also present new resource burdens for financial institutions.” Advocacy groups like America’s Credit Unions have endorsed the consultation, framing it as a critical step in aligning stablecoin activity with the GENIUS Act’s one‑year implementation horizon, urging rapid progress toward safe digital asset services for communities.

Law‑firm analysis also points to the broader AML/CFT context. The consulting documents note that the GENIUS Act and its complementary Executive Order seek to fold stablecoin activities into the Bank Secrecy Act framework—bringing them under familiar obligations for AML, sanctions screening, transaction monitoring, and customer due diligence.

The public consultation ends on 17 October 2025. Following that, the Treasury is expected to synthesise the feedback into a report for the Senate’s Banking committee and the House Financial Services committee, and potentially proceed with issuing guidance or initiating rulemaking.

Beyond these regulatory actions, separate developments in the enforcement space illustrate an increasing reliance on technology to combat illicit finance. The IRS’s CI‑FIRST initiative streamlines subpoena processes and heightens data‑sharing with financial institutions to tackle financial crimes, including those linked to illicit trafficking and fraud, using AI and automation.

In parallel, academic innovations continue apace. Recent studies have explored graph neural networks and unsupervised anomaly detection for tracing illicit flows through Bitcoin, offering early malice‑detection frameworks that prioritise interpretability and adaptability—trends that align well with the Treasury’s probe into AI, APIs, identity verification and blockchain monitoring.

Saudi Arabia’s non‑oil private sector sustained strong expansion in July, although growth eased compared with June. The Purchasing Managers’ Index, compiled by S&P Global for Riyad Bank, slipped to 56.3 from June’s 57.2, yet remained well above the 50‑point mark that separates expansion from contraction.

Domestic demand continued to underpin business activity, prompting firms to recruit aggressively. Employment surged again in July, marking another historic increase following June’s 14‑year high. Chief Economist Naif Al‑Ghaith commented that “the non‑oil economy remained on a solid growth track in July, supported by higher output, new business, and continued job creation”.

Despite this resilience, output growth moderated, registering its slowest pace since January 2022. Firms pointed to rising competition and reduced customer visits as key factors behind the slowdown. One of the more notable concerns was the first decline in new export orders in nine months, highlighting challenges in attracting foreign clients.

Cost pressures, while still elevated, showed a slight easing. Input price inflation decelerated marginally, though labour expenses remained steep amid efforts to retain staff through bonuses. Nevertheless, firms passed on some of this pressure to consumers, with output prices rising for a second consecutive month.

Looking back to June, the sector had posted particularly robust growth. The PMI rose to 57.2, driven by strong domestic demand, new project starts, and intensified marketing efforts. New orders reached a four‑month high, while hiring surged at its fastest pace since May 2011. Input costs rose sharply and were reflected in higher output prices, even as confidence among firms reached a two‑year high.

This strong performance aligns with broader economic diversification goals by boosting sectors beyond oil. In March, S&P upgraded Saudi Arabia’s sovereign credit rating to ‘A+’ from ‘A’, citing sustained progress under Vision 2030 and confidence in rising activity in construction, manufacturing, logistics, and mining. While the International Monetary Fund earlier revised down the country’s GDP forecast for 2025 to 3 percent, it acknowledged continued resilience in the non‑oil sector.

Regionally, the trends contributed to relative stability in the stock market. While shares in Saudi Arabia ended largely flat amid sectoral shifts, healthcare and energy gained traction, even as real estate, finance, and materials lagged behind. Firms operating across the region reported softer non‑oil demand signals, reinforcing cautious optimism among investors.

As Saudi Arabia navigates through post‑oil economic structures, the non‑oil sector stands out for its adaptability. Businesses continue to expand teams and absorb input challenges, yet face mounting pressure from market competition and weakened foreign demand. While optimism about future activity remains, it has notably softened to the lowest level since July 2024.

Emirates NBD has joined the Sustainable Markets Initiative’s Financial Services Task Force, becoming the first bank from the GCC to participate in the group of global banking CEOs aiming to mobilise large-scale capital for climate- and nature-positive investment.

The move positions the Dubai-based lender at the forefront of sustainable finance in the MENAT region, enabling it to collaborate in setting industry-wide standards for environmentally conscious banking.

Shayne Nelson, Group Chief Executive, described sustainability as central to the institution’s culture and strategy, emphasising that its established ESG achievements underpin its inclusion. He noted that this engagement will boost collective efforts to tackle climate and biodiversity challenges.

Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, Chief Executive of the Sustainable Markets Initiative, welcomed Emirates NBD’s integration, reaffirming the importance of unified private-sector action to drive transition at the scale and pace needed globally.

Vijay Bains, Chief Sustainability Officer and Group Head of ESG at Emirates NBD, stated that the bank is adopting both national and international standards and engaging all stakeholders—from employees and customers to investors and communities—in delivering meaningful impact. He underlined that the ESG strategy extends beyond climate risk to include inclusive, low-carbon products and governance.

Since its launch in 2020 by His Majesty King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales, the Sustainable Markets Initiative has formed alliances across private sectors and governments to devise and scale solutions for sustainable transition. The Financial Services Task Force has already developed standardised methodologies for banking transitions and expertise in nature-based financial instruments.

Emirates NBD’s inclusion marks a significant milestone for the GCC’s role in global sustainable finance. The partnership enables the bank to influence practices beyond the region, particularly in infrastructure investment and climate-aligned financial innovation.

This move arrives against growing investor demand for eco-conscious operations and the UAE’s increasing focus on embedding sustainability across its economic policy and corporate governance.

Pepeto has crossed the $6 million milestone in presale funding, nearing the completion of stage 10 of its ongoing token sale. The project has raised significant attention in the cryptocurrency space due to its innovative features and growing investor confidence, having sold millions of its tokens thus far. With this latest achievement, the project continues to demonstrate its appeal to investors and enthusiasts in the blockchain and decentralized finance ecosystem.

The presale has proven to be a critical element in Pepeto’s funding strategy, propelling the project forward as it works towards achieving its long-term goals. Stage 10’s closure marks a pivotal point, as the team behind Pepeto prepares for the next phase. This substantial funding amount reflects not only the interest in Pepeto’s token but also the increasing importance of such projects within the broader cryptocurrency market.

Pepeto’s rise can be attributed to its unique positioning in the blockchain space, offering a platform that integrates various DeFi solutions and catering to both retail and institutional investors. As more tokens are sold during each stage, the market is beginning to recognise the value in Pepeto’s approach to decentralisation and smart contract utilisation. The project’s transparent presale structure has encouraged early participation, with tokens being sold in increments that give investors the opportunity to buy in at various price points.

The strategy has sparked considerable interest among investors, including those seeking to capitalise on the growing adoption of blockchain-based technologies. As of the close of stage 9, the project had already surpassed $5 million in funds, with a marked increase in engagement and buzz surrounding its future potential. With stage 10 expected to conclude shortly, the focus now shifts to how Pepeto will navigate the next stages of its development, including its full-scale launch and the introduction of its core platform features.

One of the key factors contributing to Pepeto’s momentum is its roadmap, which outlines a clear vision for the project’s growth. Investors have expressed confidence in the project’s ability to deliver on its promises, largely due to the team’s track record in the cryptocurrency space. The development of Pepeto has been closely watched, with industry experts highlighting its potential to drive further innovation within the DeFi sector.

Pepeto’s presale funding figures not only underscore the enthusiasm surrounding the project but also signal a shift in the market’s focus towards platforms offering a wide array of financial services. As decentralised finance continues to disrupt traditional banking and financial institutions, Pepeto’s platform aims to bridge the gap by providing users with accessible, transparent, and secure financial tools.

For the project’s backers, the successful fundraising through presale stages provides early access to what many believe could be a highly lucrative investment opportunity. By securing substantial funds before its full-scale launch, Pepeto aims to build a robust platform that can withstand the volatility of the cryptocurrency market and offer long-term value to its users.

Despite the success of its presale, Pepeto remains focused on developing its core infrastructure. This includes ensuring that the platform is scalable, secure, and capable of supporting a wide variety of financial transactions. With cryptocurrency adoption growing at a rapid pace, platforms like Pepeto are positioning themselves as leaders in the DeFi space, seeking to offer solutions that meet the needs of an increasingly sophisticated investor base.

The project has also been building strategic partnerships to enhance its ecosystem, further increasing its potential for success. With blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies becoming more mainstream, Pepeto’s team is working on ensuring the platform’s relevance across multiple sectors. These partnerships will play a crucial role in driving the adoption of Pepeto’s token and expanding its user base.