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Major Banks Explore Launch of Stablecoin Pegged to G7 Currencies

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Ten of the world’s largest banks — including Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, UBS, Citi, MUFG, Barclays, TD Bank, Santander, and BNP Paribas — are collaborating to explore the creation of a stablecoin pegged to G7 currencies. The initiative marks another major step by traditional finance to adapt to the rapidly expanding digital asset sector.

The banks said the project, still in its early stages, aims to evaluate the potential of blockchain-based tokens backed 1:1 by real-world currencies. The goal is to determine whether a shared stablecoin system could combine the efficiency of digital assets with robust regulatory compliance and sound risk management.

This move follows renewed enthusiasm for stablecoins, driven by a resurgence in cryptocurrency markets and U.S. President Donald Trump’s open support for the sector. Yet global regulators remain cautious. Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey and ECB President Christine Lagarde have both warned that private stablecoins could threaten financial stability and monetary policy.

Currently, stablecoins are mainly used within crypto markets rather than for everyday payments — about 90% of transactions involve crypto trading, according to BCG. The market leader, Tether, holds a dominant $179 billion share out of $310 billion in circulation.

As the global banking industry races to explore blockchain innovation, rival European lenders are also forming new consortiums, including one working on a euro-denominated stablecoin backed by ING and UniCredit.

EcoDataCenter Secures €600 Million to Expand AI Data Centres

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Swedish digital infrastructure firm EcoDataCenter announced on Tuesday that it has secured €600 million ($703.5 million) in debt financing from Deutsche Bank’s Private Credit and Infrastructure unit to accelerate its AI-focused data centre expansion.

The funding will be used to build large-scale facilities in Falun and Borlänge, north of Stockholm, aimed at handling compute-intensive AI workloads and next-generation high-performance computing.

CEO Peter Michelson, a former Ericsson executive, said the new financing provides a two-year runway, but suggested additional capital may be needed as demand for AI infrastructure accelerates.

“If we were to stop building tomorrow, we would be a highly profitable company… but we obviously have ambitions for much more than that,” Michelson told Reuters.

The deal follows €450 million raised earlier this year by EcoDataCenter’s owner Areim, bringing total financing since 2023 to €1.8 billion.

Sweden is becoming a European hub for AI data centres, with major expansions from Microsoft, Meta, and Alphabet driven by the country’s stable power grid and connectivity advantages.

EcoDataCenter, which opened its first site in 2019, counts clients such as DeepL and BMW. Last year, it partnered with CoreWeave to build one of Europe’s largest AI training clusters and now hosts a Nvidia Blackwell SuperPod for DeepL, underscoring its growing role in Europe’s AI infrastructure race.

Tesla Plans Robotaxi Launch Backed by Human Teleoperators, Says Deutsche Bank

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Tesla Inc. (TSLA.O) is planning to debut its robotaxi service in California and Texas next year, supported by human teleoperators for added safety and redundancy, according to a report by Deutsche Bank. The update followed a meeting with Tesla’s head of investor relations, Travis Axelrod, and was published in a note on Friday.

Key Highlights

  • Robotaxi Service: Tesla intends to use a company-owned fleet for the initial phase of its robotaxi operations. The vehicles will be monitored by human teleoperators to ensure safety during the early rollout phase.
  • Ride-Hailing Platform: The service will rely on Tesla’s proprietary ride-hail app, currently under development.
  • Launch Timeline: Tesla continues to target the first half of 2024 for the launch of its highly anticipated lower-cost vehicle, with additional models expected later in the year.

Deutsche Bank’s Analysis

Deutsche Bank noted that Tesla is focusing on maintaining safety during the early stages of the service. “Management believes it would be reasonable to assume some type of teleoperator would be needed at least initially,” the bank stated.

The automaker’s robotaxi service goal for 2024 aligns with its broader strategy to expand its autonomous vehicle capabilities and disrupt the ride-hailing market.

Stock Market Impact

Deutsche Bank raised its price target for Tesla shares from $295 to $370, reflecting optimism over the company’s advancements in autonomous technology and forthcoming product launches. Despite this, Tesla’s shares were trading down nearly 1% at $386.04 on Monday.

Looking Ahead

With its focus on safety and redundancy, Tesla’s planned robotaxi service could reshape the ride-hailing industry if successfully implemented. However, challenges related to regulatory approvals, technology reliability, and market competition may impact its rollout and adoption.