💷 Coinbase Brings the Pound Onchain. Western Union Misses but Bets Big. The M&A Era Is Getting Ruthless.

Coinbase just listed the first FCA-registered pound-backed stablecoin and launched crypto lending in the UK — all before regulators even finish writing the rules. Western Union badly missed Q1 earnings but dropped a stablecoin roadmap that could actually matter. And the CB Insights Q1 report shows fintech dealmaking at a multi-year low — but the deals that ARE happening are massive. We break down what all three mean for your portfolio heading into the most volatile fintech earnings week of 2026.