
Boardrooms used to treat crypto as something radioactive and remote. Today, the conversation is shifting to settlement speed, cost, and compliance. As cross-border payment volumes soar and regulation matures, stablecoins and tokenised cash are quietly being tested as the new pipes of global trade, not the latest speculative bet anymore.

12.8mn Brits plan to buy smart tech on Black Friday. EE research shows one in three consumers struggle to keep devices connected, as the UK’s appetite for wireless gadgets grows faster than their ability to sync them.

Hyland expands its Content Innovation Cloud with new AI capabilities. The company’s latest updates enhance automation, integration, and content intelligence across platforms, aiming to accelerate enterprise digital transformation and operational efficiency.

Data security tops tech priorities for 47% of organisations. Softcat’s latest Business Tech Report reveals a strong focus on cybersecurity, AI adoption, and sustainable IT as businesses prepare for 2026’s digital challenges.

Google unveils tool to boost energy efficiency in manufacturing. The Energy Assessment tool helps manufacturing managers identify opportunities for energy savings and emission reductions, addressing challenges such as consultancy costs, capital acquisition, and lack of expertise.

Upgrading connected tech could add nine days of productivity. A BT Business report suggests better connectivity could offset the average sick leave lost per UK worker and ease workplace stress by 2030, as companies invest in AI and cloud-enabled tools to improve efficiency, retention, and wellbeing.

Lloyds Banking Group has agreed to acquire London fintech Curve for a reported £120 million. The move marks the bank’s latest step in expanding its digital payments and wallet capabilities, aiming to integrate Curve’s card-consolidation technology into its mobile platform by mid-2026, subject to regulatory approval.

UK insurers paid out at least £197 million in cyber claims last year. Cyber insurance payouts by UK insurers tripled in 2024, according to the Association of British Insurers, as attacks on companies became more frequent and costly.

A new report finds growing strain on database administrators. SolarWinds’ latest State of the DBA Report reveals one in three DBAs are eyeing career moves as workloads and misalignment with executives intensify.

Just one in three UK tech scale-ups have AI board expertise. New research from Think & Grow reveals UK technology scale-ups risk falling behind larger listed peers, with just 32% boasting artificial intelligence expertise on their boards compared with 40% of FTSE 350 tech companies.