Crypto

Kraken launches cryptocurrency payment card in UK and Europe with up to 2 percent cashback

Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has begun issuing debit cards for users in Britain and the European Economic Area. Users can spend cryptocurrencies and cash held in their Kraken accounts, with payments running on the Mastercard network and conversions available for more than 600 currencies at purchase. Kraken says it does not charge its own payment or ATM fees. Cashback of up to 2 percent depends on average balances and is paid weekly in bitcoin, euros or pounds.

Industry

U.S. researchers develop mini CPU that computes with solar power, raising prospects for battery-free semiconductors

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have developed a self-powered integrated circuit that harvests energy from ambient light, detects chemicals in liquid and performs computing without a battery. The chip vertically integrates a graphene sensor, semiconductor logic and a silicon solar cell in a three-layer structure using 2D materials such as MoS2 and WSe2. The team said tighter integration can cut area, interconnect length, power loss and signal delay, with potential use in hard-to-access IoT and edge devices.