Marqeta’s second-quarter earnings call on Tuesday, Aug. 4, highlighted embedded finance, multinational issuing, stablecoins, and commercial payments as primary strategic growth initiatives. The company also saw a 90% increase in deal size, reflecting its enterprise push, while overall growth is expected to moderate in the coming period. Source: pymnts.com

The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges involved in a financing scheme for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This action underscores the increasing use of cryptocurrencies in geopolitical conflicts and highlights the need for stronger global regulatory frameworks. Source: Crypto Briefing

This week's curated architecture and design competitions include four calls for submissions. They seek videos reflecting on different ways of relating to places, outstanding contributions to architectural education, innovation in climate adaptation, and more. The competitions are featured by Bustler, a platform known for highlighting new opportunities in architecture and design. Source: Archinect

Astronomers may finally have a clue about the mysterious “little red dots” that populated the early universe. By studying a spiral galaxy nicknamed the “Saguaro,” researchers found a compact, bright red center that closely resembles these distant objects. This discovery could reveal what happens to those enigmatic red dots. Source: Science Daily

A news report highlights how soaring beef prices are affecting American shoppers, using the example of Aaron Kaufman, who recently moved from Brooklyn to Manhattan. To manage his higher rent, he now spends more on groceries instead of buying ground beef as before. This piece relies solely on the provided source excerpt. Source: Biztoc.com

Global manufacturing is under pressure as demand falls and costs rise, threatening deindustrialization and economic instability. The situation in July comes as the Iran war continues into its fifth month, according to a report from Crypto Briefing. Source: Crypto Briefing

The U.S. dollar declined by 0.08% following a dovish U.S. CPI report, which reduced expectations for a Federal Reserve rate hike. The currency was also pressured by a drop in the 10-year Treasury note yield, impacting interest rate differentials. Source: Biztoc.com

This week's curated architecture and design competitions include four calls for submissions. They seek videos reflecting on different ways of relating to places, outstanding contributions to architectural education, innovation in climate adaptation, and more. The competitions are featured by Bustler, a platform known for highlighting new opportunities in architecture and design. Source: Archinect