Blockchain & Digital Assets Weekly Briefing - Week 13
- 5 days ago
- 11 min read
Week ending 27h March 2026
This week in digital assets: MoonPay launches free AI rails, Fannie Mae moves toward crypto home down payments, Omnes Capital and Apex bring Bitcoin mining on-chain, BitGo connects AI to institutional infrastructure, and Australia eyes crypto in pensions.
MoonPay introduces an open wallet standard for AI agents.
Americans can now use crypto to make a down payment on a home.
Tokenising bitcoin mining: Omnes and Apex bring institutional hashrate exposure on-chain.
BitGo enables AI agents to access institutional-grade crypto infrastructure.
Australian pension giant explores crypto access for retirement savings.
MoonPay introduces an open wallet standard for AI agents
A missing layer in the agent economy
Over the past year, several major players have developed payment protocols for AI agents. These systems enable autonomous software to initiate and complete transactions, often using stablecoins. However, they share a common assumption: that the agent already has access to a wallet.
That assumption has created a structural problem. While payment rails exist, there has been no universal way to define where wallets live, how they are secured, or how different agents can interact with them. As a result, users often end up with fragmented balances spread across multiple isolated wallets, each tied to a specific tool or framework. At the same time, inconsistent and sometimes insecure key management practices—such as storing private keys in plaintext—have introduced significant risks.
The Open Wallet Standard
On 23 March 2026, MoonPay released the Open Wallet Standard (OWS), an open-source specification under an MIT license. Its goal is to provide a consistent, secure way for AI agents to manage funds and execute transactions across multiple blockchains—without ever exposing private keys to the agents themselves.
The standard builds on MoonPay’s earlier work with “MoonPay Agents”, a non-custodial infrastructure layer launched in early 2026. While developing that system, the company encountered the same fragmentation issues affecting the broader ecosystem and chose to generalise its solution for public use.
OWS is already available through common developer channels such as GitHub, npm, and PyPI, and has contributions from a wide range of organisations across the crypto and payments space.
How it works
The Open Wallet Standard is structured around four key design principles:
a. Built-in security
Private keys are encrypted using AES-256-GCM and only decrypted momentarily during transaction signing. They are stored in protected memory and erased immediately after use, ensuring that neither the AI agent nor its surrounding systems can access them directly.
b. Cross-chain compatibility
A single seed phrase can generate accounts across multiple blockchain ecosystems—including EVM networks, Solana, Bitcoin, and others—through a unified interface. This removes the need for separate wallets per chain.
c. Policy-based controls
Before any transaction is signed, it is evaluated against predefined rules. These policies can enforce spending limits, restrict contract interactions, or define time-based permissions, adding a governance layer directly at the wallet level.
d. Developer-friendly integration
The standard includes SDKs for Node.js and Python, along with command-line tools and compatibility with Model Context Protocol (MCP) systems. This allows integration with popular AI frameworks without requiring custom wallet implementations.
A notable architectural choice is that wallets are “local-first.” They reside on the user’s device rather than in the cloud, and the only external communication occurs when broadcasting signed transactions to a network.
Why it matters
MoonPay’s approach does not replace existing payment protocols; it complements them. By introducing a shared wallet layer, it enables different systems to interact with the same pool of funds in a consistent way—similar to how multiple apps can access a single bank account.
This could be a foundational step for AI-driven commerce. As agents increasingly act on behalf of users—paying for services, accessing data, or executing trades—they require reliable financial infrastructure. Until now, that layer has been fragmented and largely proprietary.
By open-sourcing a standardised solution, MoonPay is attempting to establish a common foundation for this emerging ecosystem. Whether it becomes widely adopted will depend on uptake by developers and platforms, but early support from major industry participants suggests a strong starting point.
Americans can now use crypto to make a down payment on a home.
On March 26, 2026, a new mortgage financing structure was announced in the United States that formally integrates cryptocurrency into the mainstream home‑buying process.
Background on key institutions
Fannie Mae is a U.S. government‑sponsored enterprise that plays a central role in the nation’s housing finance system. With over $4.3 trillion in assets (2025), it guarantees and securitizes a large share of conforming home loans in the U.S. secondary mortgage market.
Coinbase Global Inc. is one of the largest regulated cryptocurrency exchanges in the United States, serving millions of retail and institutional users.
Better Home & Finance Holding Co. is a mortgage lender originating loans that can be purchased or guaranteed by Fannie Mae.
What’s happening
For the first time, crypto assets — specifically Bitcoin and USDC (a U.S. dollar‑pegged stablecoin) — can be pledged to support the down payment on a Fannie Mae‑eligible mortgage without requiring the borrower to sell those assets for cash.
Under this structure:
Borrowers maintain ownership of their crypto holdings (e.g., Bitcoin or USDC).
Instead of converting crypto to cash to pay a down payment, homebuyers take a separate loan secured by those digital assets through a partner lender.
The traditional mortgage — potentially backed or purchased by Fannie Mae — remains in place, while the crypto‑backed loan funds the down payment.
This model is designed to avoid triggering capital gains taxes that normally occur when crypto is sold. It also lets buyers keep exposure to potential future price appreciation of their digital assets.
Why this matters
This development is notable because crypto has historically been peripheral to mainstream mortgage lending. Until now, most lenders required prospective borrowers to convert digital assets into cash — often well in advance of applying for a mortgage — before counting them as part of qualifying reserves.
The change builds on earlier regulatory shifts that encouraged recognition of crypto holdings in mortgage risk assessments. In 2025, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to consider cryptocurrency assets as part of applicants’ financial profiles without mandatory conversion to dollars, potentially broadening credit access.
Practical considerations and risks
The crypto‑backed loan for the down payment is separate from the mortgage itself and adds leverage to what is already a major financial commitment.
Because crypto prices can be volatile, this structure may carry additional risk: borrowers still owe the down‑payment loan regardless of price swings, even though the mortgage terms won’t adjust with crypto value.
Implementation and eligibility details — such as qualifying holdings and lender participation — will affect how broadly this product is adopted.
Context in the housing market
The move comes amid a backdrop of high home prices, tight inventory and rising borrowing costs in the U.S. housing market. It also reflects policy trends under the current administration aimed at increasing the integration of digital assets into traditional financial systems.
In summary, this marks a major milestone in the integration of cryptocurrency into conventional mortgage finance, potentially enabling crypto holders to tap their digital wealth for homeownership without immediate liquidation, while still exposing them to the broader risks inherent in both markets.
Tokenising bitcoin mining: Omnes and Apex bring institutional hashrate exposure on-chain
A Luxembourg-based fintech firm, Omnes, has partnered with Apex Group—a global financial services provider servicing over $3.5 trillion in assets and employing more than 13,000 professionals globally—to launch a tokenised structured product tied to Bitcoin mining.
The initiative centres on converting industrial-scale Bitcoin production into a blockchain-based financial instrument, reflecting a broader trend of bringing real-world assets (RWAs) on-chain.
Turning bitcoin mining into a financial product
At the core of the partnership is the Omnes Mining Note (OMN), an institutional-grade structured debt instrument backed by Bitcoin hashrate—the computational power used to validate transactions and generate new Bitcoin.
Rather than holding Bitcoin directly, investors gain economic exposure to newly issued Bitcoin, derived from mining output. This distinction matters: mining is the only mechanism that creates new Bitcoin supply, making it structurally different from strategies that rely on redistributing existing tokens.
The product is:
Issued in Luxembourg as a secured debt note
Backed by mining infrastructure via hashrate allocation
Targeted at professional non-U.S. investors
This approach effectively transforms a capital-intensive industrial activity into a passive financial exposure.
“Bitcoin mining is the only mechanism that creates new Bitcoin through protocol issuance. This is economically distinct from yield strategies that rely on redistributing existing Bitcoin. Through the Omnes Mining Note, we transform this operationally intensive production process into a structured financial instrument backed by industrial scale mining infrastructure” said Emmanuel Montero, Chief Executive Officer of Omnes.
Why tokenisation matters here
The OMN will be issued and managed on Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 network, with Apex providing tokenisation, administration, and transfer agency services through its Apex Digital 3.0 platform.
Tokenisation introduces several structural changes compared to traditional notes:
On-chain transferability: Investors can transfer the instrument between approved participants without relying on traditional intermediaries.
Potential collateral use: The asset may be used in permissioned lending markets without requiring liquidation.
Operational simplification: Investors avoid managing mining hardware, energy contracts, or regulatory complexity.
In practical terms, the structure blends traditional capital markets (secured notes) with blockchain infrastructure (tokenised ownership and settlement).
Product mechanics and structure
While full return mechanics have not been publicly detailed, available disclosures outline key parameters:
Exposure is measured via hashrate, not Bitcoin holdings
Each note can represent a defined share of mining power (e.g. petahash allocation) over a fixed term (reported as 36 months in secondary coverage)
Ownership records remain in traditional systems but are mirrored on-chain, enabling compliance and programmability
This hybrid model preserves regulatory structures while enabling blockchain-based efficiency.
Market context: rising demand for tokenised RWAs
The launch comes amid rapid growth in tokenised real-world assets. Public blockchain-based RWAs reached approximately $26 billion in value in March 2026 according to rwa.xyz, representing a ~66% increase year-to-date.
Within this context, the OMN introduces a new category of tokenised exposure:
Not equity (like listed mining companies)
Not spot Bitcoin (like ETFs)
But direct exposure to Bitcoin issuance economics via mining output
This positions the product at the intersection of:
Digital assets
Structured finance
Infrastructure-linked yield strategies
Strategic implications
For Omnes, the structure creates a scalable way to distribute mining exposure globally without requiring investors to engage in operations.
For Apex Group, the deal reinforces its push into tokenisation following investments in digital asset infrastructure and acquisitions such as Tokeny.
For the broader market, the initiative signals a shift: tokenisation is expanding beyond financial assets into industrial processes like energy and mining.
The Omnes–Apex partnership demonstrates how blockchain infrastructure is being used to repackage complex, real-world activities into investable digital instruments. By turning Bitcoin mining output into a tokenised structured note, the project highlights both the growing sophistication of RWAs and the continued convergence between traditional finance and on-chain systems.
BitGo enables AI agents to access institutional-grade crypto infrastructure
BitGo, a publicly listed digital asset infrastructure firm, has introduced a new tool designed to connect its crypto platform directly to AI agents, marking a step toward integrating financial infrastructure with AI-driven software development.
A major crypto custodian expands into AI-native tooling
Founded in 2013, BitGo is one of the largest digital asset infrastructure providers globally, securing over $100 billion in assets and processing roughly 20% of all Bitcoin transactions by value.
The company provides custody, wallets, staking, trading, and settlement services primarily for institutional clients, making it a core infrastructure provider in the crypto ecosystem.
In March 2026, BitGo announced the launch of its Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, a product aimed at embedding its services into AI-powered development environments.
What the MCP server does
The MCP server allows AI agents—such as coding assistants and developer copilots—to directly access BitGo’s technical resources using natural language.
Instead of manually navigating documentation, developers can query AI tools to:
explore wallet capabilities
understand transaction flows
retrieve staking and API documentation
configure features such as policies and webhooks
The system connects AI tools to BitGo’s Developer Portal, enabling real-time retrieval of relevant technical context inside coding environments.
It is built on the MCP, an open standard designed to allow AI systems to interface with external services and structured data.
Integration with developer and AI ecosystems
The MCP server is compatible with commonly used AI and development tools, including ChatGPT, Claude, Visual Studio Code, JetBrains IDEs, and Cursor.
This integration enables developers to interact with BitGo’s infrastructure directly within their existing workflows, rather than switching between platforms.
Strategic context: crypto infrastructure meets agentic AI
The launch reflects a broader shift toward agentic AI systems, where software agents can autonomously interact with tools, APIs, and services.
By exposing its infrastructure through MCP, BitGo is positioning its platform as machine-readable and directly usable by AI agents, rather than only by human developers.
According to CEO Mike Belshe, the objective is to transform BitGo into “agentic infrastructure”, suggesting a long-term strategy focused on AI-native financial services.
Potential benefits
Streamlined developer experience through AI-assisted access
Faster integration of crypto services into applications
Increased relevance in AI-native software ecosystems
BitGo’s MCP server highlights a growing convergence between digital asset infrastructure and AI agents. By enabling direct interaction between its platform and AI-driven tools, the company is positioning itself for a future where software agents play an active role in building and operating financial systems.
Australian pension giant explores crypto access for retirement savings
One of Australia’s largest pension funds is assessing whether to open the door to cryptocurrencies—an asset class long avoided by institutional retirement managers—marking a potential shift in how long-term savings are allocated.
A major pension fund tests crypto demand
Hostplus, an Australian “superannuation” (pension) fund managing more than A$150 billion (≈$105 billion) in assets, is evaluating plans to offer cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin to its members, according to a Bloomberg report.
The fund serves millions of members and ranks among the largest in Australia’s retirement system, which itself holds roughly A$4.5 trillion in total assets.
The proposal would allow exposure to digital assets through Choiceplus, a self-directed investment option where members manage part of their retirement portfolio independently. Currently, this segment accounts for only about 1% of the fund’s total assets, indicating that any crypto allocation would initially remain limited in scope.
A cautious and conditional rollout
The initiative remains at an early stage. According to Chief Investment Officer Sam Sicilia, several conditions must be met before launch, including:
Regulatory approval
Consumer protection safeguards
Product design and risk management
A potential rollout could occur as early as the next financial year, though timelines depend on approvals and internal readiness.
The fund has emphasized its long-term investment horizon, suggesting that short delays would not materially affect its strategy.
Industry context: a traditionally conservative sector
Australia’s pension sector has historically avoided cryptocurrencies, favoring lower-risk assets such as equities, bonds, and property due to fiduciary responsibilities and regulatory oversight.
To date, only limited exposure exists:
Some investors access crypto via self-managed super funds (SMSFs)
A small number of institutions, such as AMP, have experimented with Bitcoin futures exposure
Against this backdrop, Hostplus’ move is considered unusual within the industry.
What is driving the shift
The main catalyst appears to be member demand. Fund executives report increasing inquiries from investors seeking crypto exposure within their retirement accounts.
At the same time, the digital asset market has matured compared to a decade ago, when Hostplus first evaluated the space.
This reflects a broader trend:
Younger investors show higher interest in digital assets
Self-directed investment options are expanding within pension systems
Institutional attitudes toward crypto are gradually evolving
Potential implications for digital assets
While the proposed allocation would likely be small, the significance lies in institutional signaling rather than immediate capital flows.
Australia’s pension system is one of the largest globally, and continued growth could concentrate influence among a few major funds.
If a large fund like Hostplus proceeds:
It could encourage peer institutions to explore similar offerings
It may increase legitimacy of crypto as a retirement asset class
It could gradually expand institutional participation in digital assets
However, uncertainties remain, particularly around regulation and investor protection.
Hostplus’ exploration of crypto exposure represents a measured, demand-driven experiment rather than a wholesale shift in pension strategy.
The move highlights a tension shaping global finance: balancing innovation and investor demand with the risk constraints of long-term retirement savings.
WHAT WE ARE READING (OR WATCHING)
The Cryptography Frontier
TRM Labs Launches Co-Case Agent: An AI Assistant for Every Crypto Investigation
BlackRock sees AI driving crypto’s next bull phase as altcoin interest fades
AI agents enter banking roles at Bank of America
The Stablecoin Standard
Stablecoin issuers in Kenya face $3.85 million minimum capital under new draft rules
Bernstein Analysts See AI Agents as the Future of Stablecoins
Tether signs KPMG to execute audit of $184bn stablecoin giant
Governance Watch
The CLARITY Act's Biggest Obstacle Just Fell. Four Steps Still Remain.
Coinbase Rejects Updated Clarity Act Over Stablecoin Yield Rules
Cap on donations from overseas electors and ban on crypto donations to protect democracy
The Tokenized Economy
Invesco and Superstate Advance Institutional Tokenization Through USTB Partnership
NYSE Partners With Securitize to Develop 24/7 Tokenized Securities Platform
The Global Pulse
History Is Repeating Itself — And the West Isn’t Ready | Sir Niall Ferguson
Beyond the Chain
Ledger Appoints New Chief Financial Officer and Opens NYC Office to Scale U.S. Expansion
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Please do your own research or consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.
