When Samsung’s “The Frame” TV first dropped, it pioneered the concept of the “art TV,” making it a smart lifestyle option for anyone who doesn’t want a TV to dominate their decor when not in use. Over the years, Samsung has evolved the concept to include a QLED screen, AI processor technology, and thinner displays that make the “it’s not a TV, it’s art” illusion even more convincing. And right now is a great time to buy one: The 55-inch model from 2025 is marked down by $400, to $697.99—a 36% discount and the lowest price we’ve seen on this model.

Unlike a traditional TV, The Frame is designed to blend in. When you’re not watching TV, it switches into Art Mode, showcasing artwork or your own photos on a matte, anti-glare screen that looks surprisingly close to a real canvas. It also includes Samsung’s Slim Fit wall mount, so it sits nearly flush against the wall like framed artwork, rather than sticking out like a standard TV.  

The 2025 model features Samsung’s NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor and comes with new Vision AI features for improved picture optimization and better content recommendations. It isn’t Samsung’s flagship Mini-LED model, but it has fantastic QLED picture quality, with a brighter panel than previous models and strong HDR performance. It’s also a reliable choice for gamers, supporting 4K gaming at up to 144Hz with VRR.

Keep in mind that the set doesn’t come with the customizable bezels that create the framed look (they’re sold separately), and you’ll need a paid Samsung Art Store subscription to unlock the full artwork library. As with every The Frame TV, part of what you’re paying for is the design. While this normally comes at a steep premium, the $400 discount makes it easier to recommend. (That said, if your main priority is the best possible picture quality for the money, you may want to opt for something in Samsung’s Neo QLED lineup.)

Cryptocurrency ATMs are fast disappearing from the American landscape as kiosk operators in two US states face bans and restrictions as new laws go into effect.

Crypto ATM laws passed by Tennessee and Georgia went into effect on Wednesday, imposing a complete ban in the former and requiring transaction limits and reporting in the latter. The measures by the two states followed bans in Indiana, which went into effect in March, and Minnesota, set to enforce an ATM ban on Aug. 1.

The Tennessee law, signed by Governor Bill Lee in April, bans the use and installation of cryptocurrency ATMs and kiosks, while the Georgia law requires that ATM operators cap money sent for new and existing users, issue warnings to customers and in some cases refund those who may have been the victim of fraud.

There were 185 crypto ATMs and kiosks operating in Tennessee before the statewide ban took effect on July 1. Source: CoinATMRadar

Many US state governments and municipalities have individually begun cracking down on crypto ATM operators in response to incidents of residents, particularly senior citizens, being conned into sending funds to scammers. Delaware and New Jersey lawmakers have proposed similar measures completely banning the machines.

Related: Massachusetts city to weigh crypto ATM ban, citing financial risks

The restrictions may have already contributed to at least one ATM operator going under. In May, Bitcoin Depot filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company had disclosed just days before that it had “substantial doubts” about its future amid a challenging regulatory environment and lawsuits.

“Bitcoin Depot’s bankruptcy is likely a preview of what the broader crypto ATM industry will face in the US over the next several years,” Roshan Dharia, CEO of Echo Base and a restructuring adviser, told Cointelegraph following the Chapter 11 filing. “The traditional model depended on high transaction spreads and limited regulatory scrutiny to offset unusually high compliance, cash logistics, fraud remediation, and retail revenue sharing costs. That equation is breaking down as states increasingly impose consumer protection standards that compress fees, expand operator liability for scam related activity, and raise expectations around transaction monitoring and reimbursement.”

Canada weighs countrywide ATM ban

Although not in effect yet, federal policymakers in Canada proposed a total ban on crypto ATMs across the country. The proposed policy, which would still allow Canadians to buy digital assets from brick-and-mortar money services businesses, was in response to what officials called the ATMs being the “primary method for scammers to defraud victims and for criminals to place their cash proceeds of crime.”

Magazine: Bitcoin slides to $58K, XRP hits $1 but onchain data promising: Market Moves

The European Union has completed its MiCA transition, leaving Tether’s $186 billion USDT without a compliant route onto regulated crypto exchanges across the bloc from July 1, 2026.

According to the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, the transition period has now ended, requiring regulated crypto platforms to support only compliant stablecoins.

As a result, MiCA-licensed exchanges including Coinbase, Kraken, and Crypto.com have removed USDT trading for European users, ending the stablecoin’s presence on regulated order books despite its position as the world’s largest stablecoin by market capitalization.

Tether rejected MiCA authorization over reserve requirements

Rather than applying for authorization as an electronic money token (EMT), Tether decided not to pursue MiCA approval. CEO Paolo Ardoino previously argued that the regulation’s reserve rules create systemic risk because issuers must keep at least 60% of reserves in European bank deposits.

Tether’s reserve strategy instead relies heavily on U.S. Treasury securities and other globally diversified assets, making the MiCA framework incompatible with its existing model.

The company’s withdrawal from the European market had been unfolding well before the final deadline. Tether discontinued its euro-pegged EURT stablecoin in 2024, while exchange support for USDT gradually disappeared over the following months.

Coinbase Europe delisted the token in December 2024, Crypto.com followed in January 2025, Binance restricted European USDT trading pairs in March 2025, and Kraken first moved users to a sell-only model before later ending support entirely.

Data on MiCA adoption also illustrates how selective the licensing process has been. Before the July 1 deadline, only 244 MiCA licenses had been issued across the European Union, while several crypto companies opted to expand operations from jurisdictions such as Dubai instead of seeking authorization under the bloc’s new framework.

USDC strengthens its position while Tether keeps European partnerships

As Tether stepped away from the licensing process, Circle took the opposite approach by securing an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license in France. The authorization can be passported across all 27 European Union member states, allowing both USDC and EURC to operate under MiCA. Their compliant status has made them the primary dollar- and euro-backed stablecoins available on licensed European trading platforms.

The transition has also forced liquidity providers to adjust. According to the report, market makers that previously quoted USDT pairs have begun rebuilding liquidity around USDC because regulated exchanges can no longer offer USDT trading within the European Union.

Even so, Tether has not completely exited the region’s digital asset ecosystem. Companies including StablR and Oobit have launched MiCA-compliant stablecoins, EURR and USDR, using Tether’s Hadron tokenization platform, allowing the company to maintain technology partnerships without issuing a MiCA-approved stablecoin itself.

Elsewhere in Europe, 37 banks including BNP Paribas and ING are developing a common euro stablecoin known as Qivalis, according to the report. The project seeks to provide a regulated euro-denominated alternative as financial institutions increase their participation in the digital asset market.

Recent exchange data also points to changing user behavior beyond Europe. As previously reported by crypto.news, Bybit and OKX disclosed higher user Bitcoin holdings in their latest Proof of Reserves reports, while USDT balances declined on both platforms, suggesting some users are holding less stablecoin liquidity.

In a separate crypto.news report, India’s USDT premium climbed above 8.5% after enforcement action against crypto remittance firms disrupted domestic supplies of the stablecoin, highlighting how regional regulations continue to reshape USDT markets in different ways.

Mac users can now call on Google’s agentic AI, Gemini Spark, to automate tasks on their desktop and bridge the gap between Google Workspace and their local apps and files. But you should still be cautious when granting Gemini access to your data and workflows, as AI agents can introduce security risks.

Google first announced Spark at I/O 2026 back in May, promising a rollout to the Gemini macOS app at some point this summer. That time has come—the AI agent is now available in beta for Google AI Ultra subscribers on macOS in the U.S. Google has said users will also be able to run Gemini Spark tasks on desktop remotely from their phones, though that functionality is not live yet.

Gemini Spark can automate workflows on macOS

Spark turns Gemini into a personal AI agent that can complete multi-step tasks based on your requirements, even if your device is turned off. When given access to desktop files and apps, it can, for example, sort downloaded PDFs into specific folders or create a budget in Sheets using invoices saved to your computer and update that worksheet on a regular schedule.

Google is also launching integrations with Tasks and Keep as well as apps like Canva, Dropbox, Instacart, OpenTable, and Zillow Rentals, so Gemini Spark could theoretically translate notes into action items, share files, submit your weekly grocery order, or make a dinner reservation. These will be available on web and mobile first, with a rollout planned for macOS “in the coming weeks.”

Agentic AI comes with risks

Google has emphasized that Gemini Spark works on your commands: It only has access to the files and apps you permit it to use, and it won’t spend money or take other high-stakes actions without your consent. However, handing control over to AI isn’t without risk, and you should proceed with caution when allowing Spark (or any other AI agent) to read your files and act on your behalf. At the very least, an AI agent could share sensitive information or send a message you wish it hadn’t.

One known security risk is a prompt injection attack, in which hackers trick AI into following their malicious instructions instead of your legitimate ones. When agentic AI acts autonomously without user approval, there’s no safeguard against data being shared, malware being downloaded, or a fraudulent purchase being made. If you’re going to let Gemini Spark or another AI agent take action on your behalf, you should limit what it can access, require manual review for certain tasks, and enable multi-factor authentication on connected accounts to minimize the risk from threat actors.

Goldman Sachs’ private credit fund has reported that investors sought to repurchase 3.24 per cent of its outstanding shares in the second quarter, bucking the recent trend of elevated redemption requests across the private credit sector.

In a shareholder letter, Goldman Sachs Private Credit Corp said investors requested to withdraw 3.24 per cent of shares outstanding, below the fund’s five per cent quarterly repurchase cap. The requests will be fulfilled in full, the bank said.

The update comes as alternative asset managers including Ares, Apollo and Morgan Stanley have all faced withdrawal requests from their private credit funds ranging from 12 to 17 per cent, with elevated redemptions extending into the second quarter.

The redemptions driven by concerns over lending standards in private credit and growing fears that artificial intelligence could undermine the software sector, an area to which the asset class has significant exposure.

As a result, Goldman’s business development company (BDC) has diverged from the broader industry trend, alongside Oaktree Capital Management’s Strategic Credit Fund, which recorded redemption requests equivalent to 4.5 per cent of assets in the second quarter.

“We view this as a meaningful expression of shareholder confidence — particularly during a period when the broader non-traded BDC industry is experiencing meaningful repurchase pressure — which is deeply appreciated and not taken for granted and gives us the stability and flexibility to invest with discipline and patience,” Goldman Sachs said in its second quarter shareholder letter.

Goldman Sachs also reported that its BDC received $275m (£207m) in gross inflows during the quarter, equivalent to roughly three per cent of net asset value. The fund generated $1.3bn of total gross subscriptions in the first half of 2026.

Read more: Semi-liquid structures: the double-edged sword