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Mastercard expands Start Path program, adds 5 blockchain startups. The Start Path program showcases Mastercard’s leadership in fintech innovation Selected startups shall receive bespoke training and collaboration opportunities. Mastercard, the global fintech giant, has announced the addition of five new startups to its Start Path Blockchain and Digital Assets program that aims to explore future use cases and scale new solutions by collaborating with startups worldwide. The move underscores Mastercard’s commitment to fostering innovation in blockchain and digital payments. Diverse cohort joins Mastercard’s accelerator program The latest cohort joining Mastercard’s Start Path program represents a diverse range of innovative companies in the blockchain and digital assets space. Among the newcomers are Kulipa, a crypto payment and card issuer; Parafin, a blockchain software firm; peaq, a decentralized physical infrastructure network (D...

The central bank of Russia is preparing to pilot the digital ruble , the country’s central bank digital currency (CBDC).  Starting on Aug. 15, the test will aim to evaluate the feasibility and functionality of a digital rendition of the ruble. Thirteen banks and a limited number of their customers will participate in the pilot program to evaluate the performance of the digital ruble platform.  The bank’s first deputy governor, Olga Skorobogatova, emphasized the significance of this phase, which aims to refine customer engagement methods and create a user-friendly experience. You might also like: Putin approves digital ruble bill Still, the central bank is cautious about integrating the digital ruble into the mainstream financial system. However, by 2025, citizens and businesses could have access to the digital ruble if the pilot phases and testing are successful. The pilot program focuses on core processes such as setting up digital...

BMW will integrate decentralized tech in two phases- first in its daily operations to eliminate complex paperwork, and the second phase would see the development of a customer loyalty program. German car manufacturer BMW plans to integrate block chain technology into its daily operations and create a block chain loyalty program for its customers in Thailand. The popular carmaker has onboarded block chain infrastructure firm Coinweb as its decentralized architecture provider and BNB Chain for settling transactions. The integration of blockchain technology into BMW’s workflow will take place in two phases. First, the decentralized tech will be integrated into BMW’s daily operations with the goal of automating time-consuming manual processes and streamlining the company’s automobile financing services. The second phase of the project would see Coinweb develop a customized Web3 application for BMW’s customer loyalty program . The program will use a block chain -based rewards schem...