Binance Pay expands to PayPay merchants, KDDI launches crypto wallet, and other industry updates

Binance Pay now supports crypto payments for tourists at PayPay merchants in Japan. KDDI and partners have launched a crypto wallet for au PAY, allowing users to acquire assets like JPYC with Ponta points. Additionally, six major Japanese firms are testing stablecoin-based trade settlements with support from the Financial Services Agency. Ripple has partnered with Brazil's central securities depository (CSD BR) to use the XRP Ledger for recording BTG Pactual fund shares. Cboe and S&P Dow Jones Indices have extended their collaboration on tokenized options for 25 years. Bitwise has listed the first U.S. NEAR spot ETF on NYSE Arca. Ethereum's next upgrade, Pectra, is scheduled for the Sepolia testnet on October 6. Arthur Hayes predicts ETH could reach $5,000 within a year, and ESMA has released its 2027 plan focusing on MiCA supervision and the MIDAS crypto monitoring tool.