• The Markup
  • Posts
  • Payments, Predictions, & Policy Shifts

Payments, Predictions, & Policy Shifts

LFG Ventures presents a weekly newsletter delivering private market (pre-IPO) insights and signals across tech and frontier industries.

Hey everyone,

We usually ship The Markup early Friday, but this week we were heads down finalizing our investment into Erebor (which we are very excited about). Thanks for your patience while we locked in this week.

In the news this week, here’s what’s moving across AI, crypto, and infrastructure: Trump releases a sweeping AI regulation plan, OpenAI begins testing in-app payments with Shopify, Polymarket prepares a U.S. comeback, Coinbase teams up with PNC to bring crypto closer to consumers, and Elon’s Boring Company lands in Nashville.

Let’s dive in.

📡 Radar

🏦 Coinbase and PNC Move Crypto Closer to Main Street

Coinbase and PNC are teaming up to explore crypto payments, custody, and product integration for everyday consumers. This is a big signal that traditional finance is warming up to digital assets again. Yahoo Finance

⚖️ Trump Rolls Out AI Regulation Plan

Trump unveiled a sweeping 28 page AI strategy this week aimed at cementing US leadership in artificial intelligence. The plan calls for deregulation, investment in domestic infrastructure, and exporting American AI abroad. Three executive orders accompany the strategy, including one to ban “woke AI” from federal contracts. Time

📊 Polymarket Plots U.S. Comeback

Prediction platform Polymarket is re-entering the U.S. by acquiring regulated firm QCX, setting the stage for real-money markets on everything from politics to AI. Rival Kalshi is already live in the U.S., but Polymarket’s on-chain model could give it a unique edge. Bloomberg

💸 ChatGPT Is Getting Payments

OpenAI is building a checkout system directly into ChatGPT that would let users complete purchases without leaving the app. The system is being tested with partners like Shopify, giving merchants a new channel for AI-native commerce. This could be the beginning of a powerful new interface for shopping, subscriptions, and digital services. Reuters

🚇 Elon’s Boring Company Heads to Nashville

The Boring Company is bringing its next tunnel project to Nashville, marking the firm’s first official move in Tennessee. As city populations swell and traffic worsens, Musk’s vision for high-speed underground transit is starting to resonate with more municipalities. If Nashville goes well, expect other cities to follow. We are working on getting access to Boring Company — hit us up if you are interested. Axios

💬 Prompt

Where should we begin?

Give me 3 obscure historical facts that sound fake but are 100% real. I want to win trivia night.

📣 Updates

📈 Anthropic is Gearing Up

Anthropic is reportedly gearing up for a funding round that will increase its valuation to over $150B. Happy that we made our Anthropic investment in May 2024 at a valuation of ~$18.4B. PYMNTS

🏁 Motorsports x Military

LFG portco darling Anduril has a new sponsorship lined up in preparation for a 250 mile street race on Naval Base Coronado in 2026. The event will mark the first ever NASCAR sanctioned race on active military ground, fitting for a defense tech company building next gen autonomy for the battlefield.

🚀 Bitcoin Time Machine

Someone asked the world’s top AI models when Bitcoin will hit $1 million. None of us have enough. Keep stacking BTC.

🧠 Wisdom

👁️‍🗨️ Perspective

Show up.

Have a great weekend!

© 2025 LFG Ventures. All rights reserved.

The content presented in The Markup is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer or solicitation by LFG Ventures to buy or sell any securities. Nothing in this publication should be interpreted as investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to provide brokerage services. Any offers or solicitations will be made only through official offering documents and subject to their specific terms, risks, and conditions.