Washington and London signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on AI, nuclear energy, telecommunications and quantum computing. The agreement paves the way for joint research, with quantum in particular focus because of its potential to disrupt encryption standards – the lifeblood of crypto.

US and UK cooperate on AI, quantum computing and nuclear energy

The United States and the United Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday to promote cooperation in artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, telecommunications and quantum computing. Targeted applications range from space travel and defense to precision biomedicine and advanced medical procedures.

The MoU is not legally binding and does not change existing agreements between the two parties. Instead, it proposes joint research initiatives between ministries and government agencies of both countries to explore emerging technologies.

Under the agreement, the US and UK will establish a task force dedicated to developing hardware, software, algorithms and interoperability standards in the field of quantum computing. This is a topic that attracts a lot of attention in the crypto community, because powerful enough quantum computers can break current encryption standards – the security foundation of cryptocurrencies.

In addition, the two countries will also study the development of 6G mobile telecommunications networks, as part of efforts to expand cooperation on future technologies.

US President Donald Trump, left, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, hold a press conference after signing the memorandum of understanding. Source: The White House

Australia relaxes licensing rules for stablecoin distributors

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has just announced a new exemption for stablecoin distributors, as long as these stablecoins are issued by licensed entities.

Under the ASIC Corporations Stablecoin Distributor Exemption Instrument 2025/631, qualified stablecoin distributors will no longer be required to hold a separate financial services license, nor a market or clearing and settlement facility license.

“ASIC is committed to supporting responsible innovation in the rapidly evolving digital asset sector, while ensuring important consumer protections are maintained,” the agency stressed in a statement on Thursday.

The exemption only applies to stablecoins that are considered financial products under the current Corporations Act, and are issued by Australian Financial Services (AFS) licensed entities. Activities covered by the exemption include general advice, market making, secondary trading of stablecoins (excluding issuance), and custody services.

The exemption covers a range of financial services. Source: ASIC

Coinbase CEO: US Crypto Bill Is “The Freight Train That Has Left the Station”

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said Wednesday that the digital asset market structure bill has a “very good chance of passing,” thanks to strong bipartisan support in Congress.

Armstrong revealed that he met with several lawmakers over the past week to discuss the Digital Asset Markets Transparency Act, which he called “a way to ensure the crypto industry can thrive here in the United States, promote innovation, protect consumers, and avoid another Gary Gensler trying to stifle people’s rights.”

“There is strong support in both the Senate and the House; the members I spoke to want this bill to pass,” Armstrong stressed. He said the draft is still being revised and will soon be available for public comment.

If enacted, the bill would clarify the role of major regulators like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and other financial institutions in regulating crypto, especially for non-stablecoin assets like crypto stocks .

“I have never been more optimistic about the passage of this bill. It is like a freight train has left the station – there is no stopping it,” Armstrong said.