News Roundup — Strategy Makes Biggest Bitcoin Buy Yet in 2026 as Preferred Share Demand Surges

Major news stories this week;

1. Strategy Makes Biggest Bitcoin Buy Yet in 2026 as Preferred Share Demand Surges
2. Australian Senate committee backs crypto platform licensing bill
3. Ghana greenlights 11 crypto companies for regulatory sandbox
4. Wells Fargo files trademark for WFUSD, hinting at potential bank stablecoin
5. Mastercard launches crypto partner program with a 'who's who' of industry

Story Summaries;

1. Strategy Makes Biggest Bitcoin Buy Yet in 2026 as Preferred Share Demand Surges Strategy reportedly deployed $1.57 billion into Bitcoin in its largest purchase so far this year. The timing alongside rising appetite for its preferred shares points to strong capital market support as the company deepens its corporate treasury exposure to digital assets.
2. Australian Senate committee backs crypto platform licensing bill An Australian Senate committee has signalled support for a proposal that would bring crypto exchanges and tokenisation businesses under the country’s existing financial services licensing framework. If progressed, the approach could raise compliance expectations while giving market participants clearer operating rules and a more familiar supervisory structure.
3. Ghana greenlights 11 crypto companies for regulatory sandbox Ghana’s SEC has selected 11 crypto firms to trial products within a regulatory sandbox designed to test real-world use cases under defined conditions. Participants may be able to move toward full authorisation within months, provided their offerings meet readiness, governance and compliance requirements.
4. Wells Fargo files trademark for WFUSD, hinting at potential bank stablecoin Wells Fargo has submitted a trademark application for “WFUSD,” fuelling speculation about a bank-issued digital token for payments or settlement. While the filing does not confirm a product launch, it adds to the momentum of major banks exploring token-based infrastructure and stablecoin-style instruments.
5. Mastercard launches crypto partner program with a 'who's who' of industry Mastercard has introduced a partner program bringing together more than 85 crypto-native firms, banks and payments players to collaborate on blockchain-based payment and settlement capabilities. The initiative underscores growing coordination between traditional networks and the digital asset sector as both sides work to scale compliant, real-world use cases.

And that’s all for last week’s news! Wishing you a great week ahead!