Zcash’s public testnet began producing 25-second blocks on October 5, reaching NU7’s activation height a day before the October 6 date previously expected. The shorter interval will be visible to users, but the next few weeks are really about whether the services around Zcash can operate smoothly at the new pace.

An AI assistant can prepare an XRP transfer, but XRPL’s developer guidance requires human approval by default and explains how users can grant limited permission for automated payments.

Some Russian Finance Ministry employees received their October 1 salaries in digital rubles, putting the central bank’s new payment system into use for a familiar purpose: payday.

Kraken’s parent, Payward, is reportedly discussing a crypto infrastructure deal with BNY that could expand the services available to the bank’s institutional clients.

Lloyds and Visa settled payment obligations with stablecoins over the weekend, testing whether institutions can move money more flexibly while customers keep using familiar payment methods.

The Ethereum Foundation and Open Anonymity Project have launched a system designed to let people pay for AI services without tying requests to a permanent billing identity.

DogeOS has opened a public testnet for Dogecoin applications. It gives developers a place to test new uses for DOGE, including lending, stablecoins, games and trading.

Ethereum’s Glamsterdam upgrade is scheduled for Sepolia on October 6, testing changes to block processing and gas accounting before developers set a date for mainnet activation.

Morgan Stanley has established a crypto lab to test stablecoins, tokenization and DeFi vaults, exploring how blockchain tools could support payments and investment management across its business.

Petrobras has developed a research platform on Cardano to track sustainable aviation fuel claims, including who receives an environmental attribute and when it has been used.

A Brazilian market-infrastructure operator has started testing XRP Ledger as a shared recordkeeping layer for investment funds, while retaining control of the official ownership register.

Zcash developers have started moving Project Tachyon’s recursive-proof technology into Zakura Common, a shared cryptographic software stack used by the new Zakura full node and other ecosystem projects. The update concerns implementation work; it does not change Zcash Mainnet throughput, fees or wallet behaviour today.