A new bill has been introduced in Texas aiming to address distortions in the market caused by federal subsidies, as reported by Newstopicnews. The bill, details of which are yet to be fully disclosed, presents a legislative attempt to bring balance to the market dynamics in the state, which have been skewed by the application of federal funding in certain sectors.

Meanwhile, in the technology and gadgets sector, as reported by The Economic Times, Noise Master Buds, priced at Rs.7,999, have been released with tuning by Bose Sound, featuring active noise cancellation. In Indonesia, the government is set to lift the ban on iPhone 16 sales following Apple’s pledge to invest $1 billion in the country. This investment includes the establishment of a new plant and training programs for locals, following months of negotiations. This deal is expected to enhance local manufacturing in Indonesia while providing Apple with a substantial consumer market.

In Southeast Asia, the Venture Capital (VC) fundraising has hit a four-year low in 2024, despite a late surge in final closes, according to Deal Street Asia. Persistent market headwinds, cautious limited partners, and extended fundraising cycles have continued to dampen the market. The uncertainty was further deepened by a recent investigation into allegations of financial irregularities at the Indonesian aquaculture startup, eFishery. Regional VC firms secured just nine final closes in the second half of 2024, raising a combined $915 million.

On a different note, the world of gaming and entertainment witnessed a significant event, with the successful execution of the Video Game Concert Volume II. However, the details of the event remain undisclosed due to the source’s content inaccessibility.

Lastly, in the field of financial technology, Mastercard has launched TRACE (Trace Financial Crime) in the Asia-Pacific region. This AI-powered network-level solution aims to detect and prevent money laundering, as reported by KLSE Screener. By analyzing payment data across multiple financial institutions, TRACE provides a comprehensive view of financial crime beyond individual banks’ silos. This development comes in light of the rise of real-time payments (RTPs) enabling near-instant transactions.