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The Bifrost subsea cable system has been certified as Ready for Service, paving the way for commercial data traffic between Singapore and the western United States.

Stretching more than 20,000 km, Bifrost charts a novel route via Indonesia—across the Java Sea and Celebes Sea—enabling the first direct subsea connection between Singapore and the U. S. West Coast. Its design supports over 260 Tbps of capacity, and the round-trip latency between Singapore and the U. S. is projected at under 165 milliseconds, approximately 10 ms faster than many alternative routes.

Keppel Ltd holds five of the total 12 fibre pairs in Bifrost, through a 40-60 joint venture with private fund co-investors. The cable system’s landing stations include Grover Beach, Winema, Guam, Singapore, and branching units to Jakarta, Manado, and Davao in the Philippines.

Manjot Singh Mann, CEO for Connectivity at Keppel, described Bifrost as a “landmark project” that will “bolster digital connectivity between Southeast Asia and the USA” and reinforce Singapore’s status as a regional digital hub. Alcatel Submarine Networks handled the cable’s construction; its CEO, Alain Biston, noted that reaching readiness reflects “the hard work of ASN teams working hand in hand with our client.”

In the Philippines, Converge ICT serves as the landing party at Davao. Dennis Anthony Uy, Converge’s CEO, said that the cable will “not only boost the company’s international bandwidth capacity, but for the Philippines, it will mean redundancy and diversity in network infrastructure.”

The significance of Bifrost lies not only in its raw capacity and speed but also in route diversification. By crossing via Indonesia, the cable offers an alternate path independent of existing transpacific systems, lowering the risk of congestion or outages on established corridors. Analysts view its timing as aligned with surging demand for bandwidth, driven by growth in AI workloads, real-time applications, cloud services, and digital transformation across Asia.

Bifrost enters a competitive environment of subsea infrastructure expansion. Projects such as Echo, Apricot, Hawaiki Nui, and others vie for roles in connecting Asia with the Americas and the Pacific islands. Echo is expected to link Singapore to Guam and onward to Eureka, California. Apricot, largely intra-Asia in scope, is ramping up deployments across Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

Market commentators point out that Bifrost’s success will hinge on uptake from global cloud providers, telcos, and hyperscalers. Keppel’s stake reflects a confidence in long-term returns. Some financial analyses anticipate internal rates of return exceeding 30 percent, with projected revenue from operational and maintenance fees per fibre pair exceeding S$200 million over 25 years.

Because Keppel and its partners delayed the original launch schedule, the push to achieve RFS signals a resolve to catch up with escalating infrastructure demand.

Space42 has issued its Foresight Constellation Viewpoint, a strategic dossier that underscores how Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite systems, when paired with artificial intelligence, can reshape decision making for governments and industries. The viewpoint emphasises the capacity for persistent imaging, all-weather operation and near-instant analytics — capabilities that are becoming mission-critical in an era of intensifying climate, security and infrastructure challenges.

At the heart of the Viewpoint is GIQ, Space42’s AI engine that converts raw SAR data streams into decision-grade intelligence within minutes. The report argues that the combination of high-resolution persistent coverage and AI transforms Earth observation from static imagery into a dynamic intelligence layer for monitoring, planning and emergency response. Launching Foresight-1 in August 2024 and Foresight-2 in January 2025 has already bolstered the UAE’s Earth observation capability.

Space42 frames its approach as not just a technological upgrade, but a sovereign asset: reliance on third-party satellite data leaves states vulnerable to disruptions, but a domestic SAR-analytics ecosystem offers resilience and control. The global SAR market, currently estimated around $5.8 billion, is forecast to nearly double to $9.8 billion by 2030. According to the Viewpoint, deployment of integrated SAR systems can yield cost savings — for instance, reducing predictive maintenance expenses by up to 30 per cent while improving emergency response by as much as 90 per cent.

The technical backbone of this strategy depends on both the satellite constellation and ground systems. Space42 has entered into a joint venture with ICEYE to localise manufacturing of SAR satellites in the UAE, aiming to strengthen supply chains and transfer expertise. The joint venture builds on prior collaboration: ICEYE’s technology underpins the Foresight satellites, and cooperation is intended to deepen over coming years.

Foresight-2 was successfully deployed via a rideshare launch on 14 January 2025, expanding the constellation’s capabilities and reinforcing its ability to revisit areas multiple times per day. With Foresight-1 and 2 in orbit, the full constellation is expected by 2027. The satellites exploit SAR’s unique ability to image through clouds and in darkness — a significant advantage over optical systems, especially in disaster and high-latency environments.

The Viewpoint also positions its narrative with real-world scenarios. It cites the 2023 Turkey earthquake, in which optical systems were hindered by cloud cover, while SAR satellites continued functioning — enabling assessments of a major dam’s structural integrity in crisis conditions. That example supports the argument that SAR ecosystems must be treated not as supplements but as core infrastructure for resilience and security.

Space42 positions itself as a full-stack player: not merely a satellite operator but a systems integrator combining space services, geospatial analytics and AI. Its dual business units—Space Services and Smart Solutions—serve satellite operations and downstream intelligence markets respectively. Among its touted use cases are border surveillance, maritime monitoring, infrastructure health, mobility and disaster management.

Yet challenges remain. Building sovereign SAR ecosystems demands investment in ground infrastructure, antenna networks, data processing centres and skilled personnel. Market competition is increasing: global players—commercial and governmental—are accelerating developments in miniaturised SAR payloads, hybrid optical/SAR systems and edge AI processing. Moreover, the cost dynamics of deploying dense constellations must be managed against returns from clients in defence, environment and infrastructure sectors.

A wave of investor appetite lifted the combined market cap of the top 15 public bitcoin miners to $58.1 billion in September, up from $41.6 billion in August and nearly three times the March low of $19.9 billion. That gain vastly outpaced bitcoin’s six-month rise of 21 per cent.

Iris Energy delivered a standout return of +624 per cent, while Applied Digital jumped +345 per cent and Cipher Mining rallied +321 per cent. Other strong performers included TeraWulf, Hut 8 and Bitfarms, up between +179 and +280 per cent; Riot Platforms added +147 per cent, HIVE rose +133 per cent, and Core Scientific gained +105 per cent. Even industry heavyweights such as CleanSpark, Bitdeer and Mara Holdings posted returns well above bitcoin’s own gain.

The bullish momentum coincided with accelerating pivots by mining firms into high-performance computing and AI infrastructure. Cipher Mining secured a 10-year colocation deal with AI cloud provider Fluidstack worth $3 billion, supported by $1.4 billion in backing from Google for lease obligations in return for share warrants. This deal boosted investor confidence and underscored the strategic shift beyond raw bitcoin mining.

Analysts note that miners with credible AI/HPC pivots posted average gains of roughly 57 per cent over the past month, significantly beating more traditional or “pure-play” miners. Those gains also outstripped bitcoin’s roughly 9 per cent rise in the same period.

At the same time, the bitcoin network’s hash rate jumped 9 per cent month on month, reaching an average of about 1,031 exahashes per second. That increase intensified competition and compressed margins: daily block reward revenue fell 10 per cent, and gross profit dropped 17 per cent compared to August.

Although elevated valuations reflect renewed investor faith in the mining sector, concerns about sustainability persist. The widening gap between equity valuations and operating revenues prompts questions about whether mining operators can sustain growth amid rising electricity costs, regulatory risks and hardware supply constraints.

Several firms are doubling down on their diversification efforts. Iris Energy has expanded into cloud services, while Core Scientific is pushing deeper into enterprise AI hosting. TeraWulf recently announced multi-year AI hosting contracts backed by Google and leased deployment capacity across its sites.

By K Raveendran Bill Gates’ recent revelation about how a critical recruitment drive of fifteen Indian engineers had once saved Microsoft from slipping into irrelevance comes at a time when the United States under Donald Trump is imposing restrictive visa measures that are designed to block the very talent pool that had proven indispensable for […]

The article Trump’s Visa Tariff May Be Blessing In Disguise For India’s Talent Reservoir appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

U. S. securities regulators have delivered a rare favourable response to a crypto infrastructure startup, granting a “no-action” letter to DoubleZero that clears its 2Z token from immediate enforcement risk under securities laws. The Division of Corporation Finance stated that, based on the facts presented, it would not recommend enforcement action and that the 2Z token need not be registered as a class of equity securities.

The letter, dated 29 September 2025, indicates that the Division accepted the argument that DoubleZero’s programmatic transfers of 2Z tokens—automatic distributions tied to network contribution—fall outside the classic securities framework if conducted as specified. The Division emphasised that its position is fact-sensitive: any deviation from the described token model could alter the assessment.

SEC Chief Counsel Michael Seaman signed the response, and the Division’s stance affirms that, under the conditions laid out by DoubleZero and its counsel, compliance with Sections 5 and 12 of U. S. securities law is not required for this token model. The decision does not amount to a general opt-out for all tokens, but offers a regulatory precedent for projects structured similarly.

Commissioner Hester Peirce, in a public statement accompanying the action, framed the move as a model for how the SEC might engage with innovation without expanding its reach beyond mandates set by Congress. She observed that Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network projects like DoubleZero differ fundamentally from capital-raising schemes: tokens issued in DePIN networks are intended to incentivise contributors rather than to deliver profits derived from managerial efforts. Peirce argued that applying securities laws to such tokens risks stifling infrastructure growth rather than protecting investors.

DoubleZero’s model reconstructs how blockchain systems interact with underutilised physical fibre infrastructure. Contributors supplying fibre bandwidth or network connectivity can earn 2Z tokens as compensation. The company asserts that these tokens function primarily as utility instruments—facilitating access and rewarding service—not as speculative investments. The SEC’s letter affirms that under its described assumptions, Howey-style securities analysis does not capture this design.

Market response was muted. Tokens in the DePIN ecosystem dipped by around 2 % in the 24 hours following the announcement—suggesting that while the regulatory clarity is a positive signal for builders, traders may be cautious about immediate upside.

Industry stakeholders view this as a potentially transformative moment. Legal and crypto analysts argue that the DoubleZero relief may embolden other infrastructure-oriented projects to seek direct regulatory engagement, rather than assuming hostile enforcement. The letter gives craftable guardrails for teams to align token economic models with functional incentives.

Nevertheless, the relief comes with caveats. The Division reserves the right to reconsider if conditions change. As critics note, this decision does not immunise DePIN tokens universally—each must be evaluated on whether token distribution is truly non-speculative, decentralised, and aligned with service contribution. Projects must maintain transparent, algorithmic issuance plans and avoid marketing that emphasises profits or speculation.

Bitcoin miners now hold approximately 1.8 million BTC, down from about 2.5 million in 2019—a shift that signals diminishing influence over the market and illustrates their evolving role in the ecosystem.

At their peak influence, miners were among the few entities controlling large pools of newly minted coins. Over time, however, many mining operators have adopted a business-like approach: periodically selling part of their mined yield to cover operational expenses, upgrade hardware, and manage liquidity. Those sales dilute their concentrated sway over supply movements.

On-chain data indicates miner outflows have shrunk sharply. CryptoQuant reports daily outflows dropped from 23,000 BTC in early 2025 to about 6,000 BTC in the most recent windows, with no extreme outflow days since February. Transfers from miner addresses to exchanges remain subdued, reinforcing the trend.

Despite dips in miner revenue—for example, daily earnings fell to about US$34 million in June—there is no evidence of forced liquidations. Instead, many miners are accumulating reserves while selectively monetising operations.

Publicly listed mining firms are increasingly decoupling their revenue streams from pure blockchain activity. CleanSpark, for instance, expanded a $100 million crypto-backed credit facility tied to its Coinbase holdings, with plans to fund growth across energy infrastructure and compute assets. Meanwhile, Cipher Mining struck a 10-year colocation deal with AI‐cloud provider Fluidstack, which could generate up to $3 billion in revenue over time and repurposes its infrastructure toward high-performance computing.

These developments reflect a broader industry evolution. With Paul’s halving in April 2024 slashing block rewards in half, miners now balance hash power growth against diminishing direct coin yield. To survive and scale, many operators are diversifying into hosting, AI, carbon credits, and “mining-as-a-service” models.

Smaller miners are under intense pressure. Rising energy costs, grid constraints, and compliance burdens marginalise those without scale or access to cheap power. Major operations are increasingly concentrated in jurisdictions with deregulated energy markets or surplus renewable capacity.

From a market impact perspective, miners’ strategic behaviour brings both stability and constraints. On one hand, their reduced dominance helps prevent supply shocks triggered by sudden bulk sales. On the other, their periodic selling still exerts friction on price rallies. Analysts suggest that sophisticated off-exchange OTC arrangements increasingly cloak miner sales, making their impact less visible but persistent.

Fog enveloped numerous regions across the UAE, including Al Dhafra, Ghiyathi, Yaw Al Nadhrah, Baynounah and Um Al Ashtan, as well as parts of Dubai, resulting in variable speed limits on key highways and frequent warnings from traffic authorities. In Abu Dhabi, electronic signboards are being used to dynamically adjust permissible speeds in response to shifting visibility. Authorities also issued repeated reminders to follow traffic signals and stay alert to sudden changes in road conditions.

The NCM forecast clear to partly cloudy skies for the day, but cautioned that humidity levels would rise overnight, which may cause fog formation to persist into early Monday morning in inland and coastal areas. Winds are expected to be light to moderate, occasionally gusting to 40 km/h over sea areas. Sea conditions are likely to remain slight to moderate in the Arabian Gulf, becoming rough toward the western zones, while the Gulf of Oman is expected to stay relatively moderate.

Temperature highs for the day are projected to reach around 40 °C in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, while overnight lows may dip to between 25 °C and 31 °C, further elevating the risk of condensation and mist formation by dawn. Humidity is set to reach levels as high as 90–95 percent, especially in coastal zones.

Abu Dhabi Police, in a public advisory, urged motorists to keep lights on, maintain safe following distances and heed variable speed signs. They reiterated that foggy patches may develop unpredictably along inter-emirate and rural routes. Traffic safety officers are being stationed at vulnerable corridors to assist drivers and manage flow.

Ethereum co-founder Jeffrey Wilcke has moved 1,500 ETH into the Kraken exchange, sparking debate over whether he plans further liquidations as the market faces renewed pressure. The transfer coincided with Ether’s slide below the $4,000 threshold.

Wilcke’s latest deposit comes less than a month after he offloaded ETH worth approximately $9 million, according to on-chain analytics. His known holdings still exceed 90,000 ETH, translating to a valuation above $350 million at current market rates.

Moving cryptocurrency into exchange wallets often suggests intent to sell, but it doesn’t guarantee action. Observers note this transaction fits Wilcke’s pattern of prior transfers, including earlier large deposits of 105,737 ETH and 9,840 ETH to Kraken. He has also reshuffled holdings across multiple wallets in the past — a tactic that clouds the true motive.

Ether’s price has lost ground recently, breaking technical support at $4,000. That drop has intensified concerns about downward momentum, amid warnings that failure to reclaim $4,841 could trigger a deeper pullback toward $2,750.

Yet the broader market tells a mixed story. Over the past two days, at least 15 whale wallets have acquired more than 406,000 ETH, sourcing tokens from major platforms including Kraken, Galaxy Digital, BitGo, and FalconX. That level of accumulation suggests some large holders see current prices as a buying opportunity.

The timing of Wilcke’s transfer coincided with Kraken’s own developments: the exchange announced a $500 million funding round, valuing it at $15 billion and laying groundwork for a prospective 2026 IPO. Some analysts have argued that Wilcke’s move could be a strategic internal adjustment ahead of market shifts rather than a direct sale.

Wilcke’s role in the Ethereum project dates back to its earliest years, notably in the development of Geth, the Go-based client now central to the network’s operations. Although he stepped back from core Ethereum development in 2018, he later founded Grid Games, a venture into online gaming. His pattern of wallet activity in recent years has drawn attention — transfers of tens or hundreds of thousands of ETH have periodically triggered speculation.