Reports say Swiss banking giant UBS is planning to let a small group of its private bank clients buy and sell major cryptocurrencies. The step would open access to Bitcoin and Ethereum for people who have worked with the bank for years, not for every customer.

Private Clients First

According to a Bloomberg report, the service would start in Switzerland and be offered only to select private banking clients, with any wider rollout dependent on rules and demand. The move is careful and measured. It is being tested with a narrow set of clients before any wider push is considered.

How It Would Work

Reports note that UBS has been talking with outside firms about providing the trading, custody and compliance pieces needed to make crypto trading run smoothly.

Partners would likely handle technical tasks while UBS keeps the client relationship front and center. Those talks have been going on for months, and no final deals are said to be done yet.

Why Now

Wealthy clients have been asking for ways to own digital assets safely. UBS has run pilots on tokenized funds and has worked on blockchain payments before.

The bank’s size and reputation mean it can offer a more cautious path into crypto than many smaller players. At the same time, changes in regulation and the broader market have made the plan more realistic than it might have seemed a few years ago.

Based on reports, the initial offering would focus on Bitcoin and Ethereum. More coins could be added later, but that would depend on which assets meet the bank’s risk and compliance checks.

UBS will reportedly decide what custody model to use and whether it needs third parties for trade execution. No launch date has been set.

A Broader Trend

Banks from different countries are slowly giving rich clients more ways to touch crypto, but each does it in its own style. Some offer ETFs and funds. Some go further and let clients trade coins directly.

UBS’s cautious design fits a pattern where big banks move slowly, testing the systems before widening access. A handful of recent moves by other institutions show the same pattern.

What Comes Next

Reports note that regulators and client interest will help decide how fast this goes. If rules in the US and other places stay friendly and clients respond, the offering could broaden beyond Switzerland.

If not, the bank could keep the plan tightly limited. For now, the idea remains a plan under discussion rather than a product on the market.

UBS’s steps reflect growing demand from wealthy investors for safer ways to hold crypto through trusted firms. The bank’s careful progress shows how traditional finance is testing the waters without rushing in.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Apple has accused the European Commission of using "political delay tactics" to postpone new app marketplace policies and create grounds for investigating and fining the iPhone maker, a preemptive response to reports that the commission plans to blame Apple for the announced closure of third-party app store Setapp. MacPaw, the developer behind Setapp, said it would shut down the marketplace next month because of "still-evolving and complex business terms that don't fit Setapp's current business model." The EC is preparing to say that Apple has not rolled out changes to address key issues concerning its business terms and their complexity, according to remarks seen by Bloomberg. Apple said it disputes this finding. The company said it submitted a formal compliance plan in October proposing to replace its $0.59 per-install fee structure with a 5% revenue share, but the commission has not responded. "The European Commission has refused to let us implement the very changes that they requested," Apple said. The company also claimed there is no demand in the EU for alternative app stores and disputed that Setapp is closing because of its actions.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The European Parliament is calling on the European Commission to reduce dependence on U.S. tech giants by prioritizing EU-based cloud, AI, and open-source infrastructure. The report frames "European Tech First," public procurement reform, and Public Money, Public Code as necessary self-defense against growing U.S. control over critical digital infrastructure. Heise reports: In terms of content, the report focuses on a strategic reorientation of public procurement and infrastructure. The compromise line adopted stipulates that member states can favor European tech providers in strategic sectors to systematically strengthen the technological capacity of the Community. The Greens even called for a stricter regulation here, where the use of products "Made in EU" should become the rule and exceptions would have to be explicitly justified. They also pushed for a definition for cloud infrastructure that provides for full EU jurisdiction without dependencies on third countries. With the decision, the MEPs want to lay the foundation for a European digital public infrastructure based on open standards and interoperability. The principle of Public Money, Public Code is anchored as a strategic foundation to reduce dependence on individual providers. Software specifically developed for administration with tax money should therefore be made available to everyone under free licenses. For financing, the Parliament relies on the expansion of public-private investments. A "European Sovereign Tech Fund" endowed with ten billion euros was discussed beforehand, for example, to specifically build strategic infrastructures that the market does not provide on its own. The shadow rapporteur for the Greens, Alexandra Geese, sees Europe ready to take control of its digital future with the vote. As long as European data is held by US providers subject to laws such as the Cloud Act, security in Europe is not guaranteed.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The Irish government announced that it wants to pass a law that would grant police more surveillance powers, such as using spyware to fight serious crime, while aiming to protect the privacy rights of its citizens.

Setapp Mobile will shut down in February, citing Apple’s complex EU terms as developers weigh new fees, link-out rules, and uncertain alternative stores.

The post One of the EU’s Largest Alternative App Stores Is Shutting Down appeared first on TechRepublic.

Setapp Mobile will shut down in February, citing Apple’s complex EU terms as developers weigh new fees, link-out rules, and uncertain alternative stores.

The post One of the EU’s Largest Alternative App Stores Is Shutting Down appeared first on TechRepublic.

This sweeping update introduces measures to identify and potentially exclude "high-risk" third countries and companies across 18 essential sectors.

The post EU’s New Cybersecurity Act Could Ban High-Risk Suppliers appeared first on TechRepublic.

This sweeping update introduces measures to identify and potentially exclude "high-risk" third countries and companies across 18 essential sectors.

The post EU’s New Cybersecurity Act Could Ban High-Risk Suppliers appeared first on TechRepublic.

Setapp Mobile, one of the first alternative app stores in the EU, is shutting down next month, citing Apple's ever-changing terms.

The new EU-funded GCVE project is breaking dependence on US databases to track software flaws. Discover how this decentralised system aims to ensure global cybersecurity.

An anonymous reader shares a report: Europe must invest in its own open source artificial intelligence labs and address soaring energy prices, or it will quickly find itself dependent on Chinese models, former Google chief executive and tech investor Eric Schmidt said. "In the US, the companies are largely moving to closed source, which means they'll be purchased and licensed and so forth. And it is also the case that China is largely open weight, open source in its approach," Schmidt said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday. "Unless Europe is willing to spend lots of money for European models, Europe will end up using the Chinese models. It's probably not a good outcome for Europe."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Crypto pundit Wimar has claimed that crypto exchanges are manipulating the Bitcoin price, causing it to crash from its 2026 high. This comes amid recent developments with the Trump tariffs, which have caused the flagship crypto to also decline. 

Crypto Pundit Accuses Crypto Exchanges Of Manipulating Bitcoin Price

In an X post, Wimar asserted that crypto exchanges are manipulating the Bitcoin price. He noted how BTC just dumped from $95,500 to $91,900 with no news. The pundit claimed it is the same script, over and over again, as the flagship crypto rose from $89,000 to $95,000 and has now fallen to $91,000, just as it did when it rose from $85,000 to $88,000 and then fell to $84,000. 

Wimar claimed that this is a liquidity hunt, alluding to the flows to prove that the Bitcoin price is manipulated. He noted that within minutes, Wintermute, Binance, Coinbase, and ETF-linked wallets were all active simultaneously. Large blocks were said to have moved from exchange to exchange, with huge market buys hitting thin books, and then, just as fast, these tokens were dumped.  

The crypto pundit also highlighted Arkham data, noting that the flows tell the real story. Wimar claimed that coins move into exchanges right after the pump, which he stated is not a coincidence. The pundit further remarked that these crypto exchanges wait for a setup where liquidity is low, leverage is high, and funding is stretched. 

Wimar asserted that these crypto exchanges run the same play every time, where they first pump the Bitcoin price fast on thin books to trigger FOMO and then liquidate shorts. Retail investors then see green candles and open long positions because the price action appears to be a breakout, but they fall into the trap, according to the pundit. 

Wimar stated that once enough people are stuck in leverage, the coins hit crypto exchanges and selling starts, leading to a Bitcoin price crash. The pundit accused these exchanges of dumping into the demand they just created, forcing fresh longs to get liquidated and farming both long and short traders with no news. 

BTC’s Current Price Action Isn’t Based On Headlines

Wimar doubled down on his accusation of crypto exchanges being responsible for the Bitcoin price crash, stating that BTC doesn’t move like this because of headlines. He claimed that it moves like because leverage piles up, and someone decides it is “payday.” As such, the pundit suggested that the Trump tariffs fears aren’t what is sparking this recent market crash.

Trump had announced fresh tariffs on France, the U.K., the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Finland, and Norway over the weekend. The Bitcoin price had remained unchanged following the announcement, but began to crash following reports that the European Union (EU) was considering retaliatory tariffs. 

At the time of writing, the Bitcoin price is trading at around $90,900, down over 2% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com

Reports say Moldova will roll out its first full crypto law by the end of 2026. The move aims to copy much of the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets rules. This is not a sudden idea. It comes as Moldova continues to line up its laws to match EU standards while it works on closer ties with the bloc.

Moldova Will Mirror EU Rules

According to the finance minister, the plan is to shape a law that looks a lot like MiCA, the EU rulebook for digital assets. That means platforms will need licenses, and services will face rules on how to protect users and stop dirty money.

People in Moldova will be allowed to hold and trade crypto, but using crypto to pay for everyday goods and services will be kept off the table.

What This Means For People And Firms

Reports note the legislation will clarify which firms can convert crypto to the local currency and which cannot. Local authorities say they want to reduce risk for ordinary savers while also giving firms a clear path to operate legally.

Banks and regulators will have a role in writing the details, which will include how exchanges report to tax and anti-money-laundering units.

A Slow Step Toward Openness

Some see this as a cautious opening. By legalizing ownership and trading under tight rules, Moldova hopes to attract clearer investment flows without making crypto a substitute for money.

Reports also mention stricter AML/KYC checks and transparency measures to prevent illicit flows. These parts of the plan are meant to reassure both local users and international partners.

The law is expected to be drafted with input from the finance ministry, the central bank, market regulators, and anti-money-laundering officials.

That mix of voices could slow the process, but it also makes it likelier that the rules will fit the country’s wider financial system. Drafting will be followed by debate and possible revisions before anything becomes final.

A Regional Signal

Based on reports, Moldova’s choice to follow EU templates sends a clear message to neighboring states: align with the EU’s standards and you get legal certainty.

For citizens who trade crypto today in informal ways, the change could mean safer options and official channels to move money. For companies, it means new compliance costs — but a path to operate openly.

Featured image from Reuters/Vladislav Bachev/File Photo, chart from TradingView

The European Commission "has opened a public call for evidence on European open digital ecosystems," writes Help Net Security, part of preparations for an upcoming Communication "that will examine the role of open source in EU's digital infrastructure." The consultation runs from January 6 to February 3, 2026. Submissions will be used to shape a Commission Communication addressed to the European Parliament, the Council, and other EU bodies, which is scheduled for publication in the first quarter of 2026... The call for evidence links Europe's reliance on digital technologies developed outside the EU to concerns over long term control of infrastructure and software supply chains... Open digital ecosystems are discussed in the context of technological sovereignty and the use of technologies that can be inspected, adapted, and shared. Long-time Slashdot reader Elektroschock describes it as the European Commission "stepping up its efforts behind open-source software" Building on President von der Leyen's political guidelines, the initiative will review the Commission's 2020-2023 open-source approach and set out concrete actions to strengthen Europe's open-source ecosystem across key areas such as cloud, AI, cybersecurity and industrial technologies. The strategy will be presented alongside the upcoming Cloud and AI Development Act, forming a broader policy package aimed at reducing strategic dependencies and boosting Europe's digital resilience. And "In just a few days, over 370 submissions have already been filed, indicating that the issue is touching a nerve across the EU," writes CyberNews.com: "Europe must regain control over its software supply chain to safeguard freedom, security, and innovation," suggests an individual from Slovakia. Similar perspectives appear to be widely shared among respondents... The document doesn't mention US tech giants specifically, but rather aims to support tech sovereignty and seek "digital solutions that are valid alternatives to proprietary ones...." "This is not a legislative initiative. The strategy will take the form of a Commission communication. The initiative will set out a general approach and will propose: actions relying on further commitments and an implementation process," the EC explains. Policymakers expect the strategy to help EU member states identify the necessary steps to support national open-source companies and communities.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

TikTok, and other major platforms popular with young people, are coming under increasing pressure to better identify and remove accounts.

The post TikTok to Roll Out Stronger Age Verification Across the EU appeared first on TechRepublic.

TikTok, and other major platforms popular with young people, are coming under increasing pressure to better identify and remove accounts.

The post TikTok to Roll Out Stronger Age Verification Across the EU appeared first on TechRepublic.

• Almost three million people signed a parliamentary petition opposing mandatory digital ID cards.
• Digital right-to-work checks will remain mandatory under the updated policy approach.
• The UK digital ID scheme, expected around 2029, will be offered as optional alongside electronic alternatives.

The UK government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has dropped plans to make a centralised digital ID mandatory for workers, stepping back from a proposal that would have changed how employees prove their right to work.

Under the original plan, workers would have been required to use a government-issued digital credential, rather than relying on traditional documents such as passports.

The reversal follows months of criticism from politicians and civil liberties campaigners, as well as a large-scale public response that questioned whether employment access should depend on one centralised system.

Critics warn of surveillance and data security risks

The mandatory digital ID proposal drew backlash from opponents across the political spectrum, including UK Member of Parliament Rupert Lowe and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

Civil liberties groups and campaigners also raised concerns about how a centralised identifier could be used over time.

Opponents warned it could lead to an “Orwellian nightmare” by giving the state a stronger ability to monitor citizens.

Another major fear was that centralising sensitive personal data could create a single “honeypot” vulnerable to hacking and misuse.

Critics also pointed to the risk of mission creep, where a scheme launched for employment checks could gradually expand into other areas, including housing, banking, and voting.

Petition pressure forces a policy climbdown

Public resistance to mandatory digital ID became visible through formal political channels.

Almost three million people signed a parliamentary petition opposing digital ID cards, making the issue difficult for ministers to ignore.

Lowe celebrated the policy shift in a video posted on X, saying he was off for “a very large drink to celebrate the demise of mandatory Digital ID”.

Farage also backed the rollback, calling it “a victory for individual liberty against a ghastly, authoritarian government”.

Digital right-to-work checks stay mandatory from government

Despite dropping plans for a mandatory digital ID credential, officials say digital right-to-work checks will remain mandatory.

That means the government is still committed to keeping employment verification in a digital process, even if it is no longer built around a single government ID system.

When the UK’s digital ID scheme launches around 2029, it is now expected to be optional rather than compulsory.

Instead of becoming the only approved route for proving work eligibility, it will be offered alongside alternative electronic documentation.

Digital euro, EU identity, and crypto privacy debates return

The UK’s partial rollback is also feeding into wider debates about digital control systems, including central bank digital currencies and the European Central Bank’s digital euro project.

In those discussions, civil society groups and some lawmakers have argued for strict privacy guarantees rather than systems that could allow broad traceability.

At the same time, the European Union is moving ahead with its own digital identity framework and digital euro work, while exploring privacy-preserving designs.

One approach includes using zero-knowledge proofs, allowing citizens to prove attributes such as age or residency without revealing their full personal information.

These designs connect to decentralised identity tools and privacy-preserving blockchain technologies, including zero-knowledge credential systems and privacy-enhancing smart contract structures.

The aim is to support compliance while minimising how much personal data is exposed or stored in one place.

Privacy-focused crypto tools have also remained in focus, including privacy coins such as Zcash (ZEC) and Monero (XMR), alongside decentralised identity protocols.

Interest in these tools has continued as regulators step up scrutiny of DeFi and explore identity checks for self-hosted wallets.

The US Treasury’s proposed DeFi ID framework, alongside renewed attention on privacy tokens, shows how policymakers are testing stronger Anti-Money Laundering and Know Your Customer controls on-chain, even as builders push alternative designs.

The post UK drops mandatory digital ID for workers after backlash and liberty concerns appeared first on CoinJournal.

Amsterdam-based Klearly also attracted investment from Italian Founders Fund, Global PayTech Ventures, Antler Elevate, and Shapers.

The post PayPal Doubles Down on European Fintech with $14M Investment in Klearly appeared first on TechRepublic.

Amsterdam-based Klearly also attracted investment from Italian Founders Fund, Global PayTech Ventures, Antler Elevate, and Shapers.

The post PayPal Doubles Down on European Fintech with $14M Investment in Klearly appeared first on TechRepublic.

The record-breaking deal has already received a green light from the US government.

The post EU Sets February Deadline for Verdict on Google’s $32B Wiz Acquisition appeared first on SecurityWeek.