Banking Reforms (India): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said a high-powered panel on “Banking for Viksit Bharat” will be announced soon, with discussions at the PSB Confluence feeding into the blueprint for a stronger, reform-ready banking sector. Agriculture Lending (Philippines): Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data shows bank financing for agriculture, fisheries and rural development hit P3.1 trillion in June—29% higher year-on-year—well above the statutory earmark requirement. Small Business Competition (Australia): The Australian Banking Association says banks are competing harder for SME customers, translating into more competitive pricing and broader support beyond lending, including payments and fraud protections. Infrastructure Finance (US): Bank of America launched an 18-month initiative to mobilize $250B for US infrastructure across digital, energy and core infrastructure categories. Crypto & Markets: Jane Street disclosed nearly $1B in Bitcoin ETF exposure (about 15,394 BTC equivalent), while central banks’ gold buying nears a Bretton Woods-era peak amid geopolitical uncertainty. Payments Tech (South Korea): Kbank’s Ripple pilot is confirmed, but claims about Jeonbuk Bank replacing SWIFT were not backed by public announcements. Cybercrime (India): India’s I4C Suspect Registry has flagged 30.48 lakh suspicious identifiers and identified 32.08 lakh mule accounts, as banks share data to stop fraud.