Fireblocks rebuilds transaction handling to prevent queue stalls. August 5, 2026 Crypto Briefing general Positive Fireblocks, the leading institutional digital asset infrastructure provider, has completely rebuilt its transaction handling architecture to eliminate queue stalls and prevent operational bottlenecks that can expose institutions to financial and reputational risk during high-volume market conditions. The upgraded system is engineered to ensure that crypto transaction processing remains reliable and efficient even during periods of extreme network congestion or internal processing surges - a critical capability for institutional players managing large BTC, ETH, and multi-asset portfolios in real time. Fireblocks serves hundreds of financial institutions, banks, exchanges, and fintech companies globally, making the reliability of its transaction infrastructure a systemic priority across the digital asset industry. Transaction queue stalls can result in failed settlements, missed trading opportunities, and compliance failures, all of which carry significant financial consequences for enterprise clients operating at scale. This infrastructure overhaul positions Fireblocks to better compete in the institutional crypto custody and transaction management space as rivals including Anchorage Digital and Copper continue to invest in their own platform capabilities. The rebuild also aligns with growing regulatory expectations around operational resilience for financial institutions using crypto infrastructure, particularly under frameworks being developed in the U.S., EU, and UK. Watch for Fireblocks to announce new enterprise client partnerships or expanded asset support as institutions gain greater confidence in the platform's upgraded reliability. Fireblocks' new system reduces operational risks for institutions by preventing transaction bottlenecks, enhancing efficiency and reliability. Fireblocks rebuilds transaction handling to prevent queue stalls.

First-of-its-kind global rewards infrastructure for businesses, backed by US$5.5 million pre-seed round led by Ethereal Ventures and Further Ventures.

Web3 startup Bundle launches with $5.5 million pre-Seed round. News - 30 July, 2026 * Bundle, a UAE-based Web3 rewards startup founded by Bader Kalooti alongside Mostafa Wanas, has emerged from stealth after raising $5.5 million in a pre-Seed round led by Ethereal Ventures and Further, with participation from Nascent, GSR, Scenius Capital, Anchorage Digital, and Nuwa Capital. * The startup is building a blockchain-powered rewards platform that enables brands to pool their incentive budgets into shared reward pools, allowing businesses to offer larger rewards while lowering customer acquisition costs. * During a pilot across five markets, Bundle distributed $100,000 to more than 1,100 winners, including a $50,000 grand prize, while participating brands recorded conversion rates of up to 4x compared with traditional incentive campaigns. * Bundle plans to launch initially in Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines with more than 50 founding brands, using blockchain technology and stablecoins to power transparent and cross-border reward distribution. Bundle today announced the launch of the world's first networked rewards platform, introducing an entirely new approach to customer acquisition, engagement and retention. For decades, brands have relied on discounts and cashback to attract customers. Yet customer acquisition and retention costs continue to rise, conversion rates continue to decline, and businesses sacrifice billions of dollars in margins every year on incentives that customers increasingly ignore. Closing the Gap Bundle is built on the insight that, in today's age, people are more motivated by the opportunity to earn something meaningful rather than small discounts. The business model responds to an existing gap within the sector, where most businesses, particularly SMEs, cannot afford to offer rewards large enough to capture customer attention. Offering an alternative to isolated rewards programmes, Bundle enables brands to combine their incentive budgets into shared reward pools. By participating in the network, every business gains access to rewards far larger than they could offer independently, giving SMEs the ability to compete with the marketing power of much larger companies. "Bundle was built to level that playing field. We believe every business, regardless of size, should be able to offer their customers the kind of rewards that genuinely excite them, rather than relying on discounting, which is a race to the bottom." Bader Al Kalooti, Co-Founder & CEO of Bundle A Seamless User Experience For users, everyday interactions such as making a purchase, referring a friend, or completing another eligible action become opportunities to earn Bundle tickets and participate in shared reward pools. For brands, it delivers a more engaging incentive model with predictable costs and stronger marketing performance. The platform also removes much of the operational complexity traditionally associated with promotional campaigns. Bundle manages the underlying rewards infrastructure and regulatory framework, allowing brands to launch campaigns across multiple markets through a single permitted platform. Bundle also represents a practical consumer application enabled by Web 3 rails to drive mainstream adoption of blockchain technology. While brands and consumers enjoy a familiar Web2 experience, rewards are distributed using modern stablecoin payment infrastructure, enabling low-cost global payouts and seamless withdrawals via licensed PSPs without any complexity. Momentum, Funding & Expansion Early results have demonstrated strong momentum. During its pilot across five markets with five companies, Bundle rewarded more than 1,100 winners, distributing US$100,000 in total rewards, including a top prize of US$50,000. Participating brands also recorded conversion uplifts of up to four times compared with traditional incentive campaigns. Through its compliance-based operating model, Bundle will look to launch initially across Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines, where more than 50 founding brands have already joined the platform. With a view to accelerating its expansion into global markets, Bundle has newly closed a US$5.5 million pre-seed financing round led by Ethereal Ventures, founded by Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin, and Further Ventures, with participation from Nascent, GSR, Scenius Capital, Anchorage Digital and Nuwa Capital. "The next wave of blockchain businesses like Bundle will drive mainstream consumer applications by feeling native to users and solving real problems. It is a perfect example that uses shared rewards and blockchain rails to help brands drive loyalty and customer growth at scale." Min Teo, Managing Partner at Ethereal Ventures "Through its innovative shared rewards network, Bundle now gives brands of all sizes access to larger rewards to drive higher conversions from their marketing campaigns at a fraction of the cost, creating a more effective way to engage customers. We're excited to support the company as it expands across Asia and beyond to redefine how businesses approach incentives." Robbie Nakarmi, Partner at Further Ventures In addition to accelerating its launch across key markets, funding provided by Ethereal Ventures and Further Ventures will be used to support Bundle's product development and strategic partnership investments