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This past week we again saw some MIGHTY deals in the digital wealth sector, with every one over $200M USD, and so many in that category that we couldn't include others in the $100M-$200M USD range this week's Top 5 list. Shocking, isn't it?

Just when it looked like the summer doldrums were upon us, Square saved the day, announcing a blockbuster deal in the buy now, pay later space. It is yet another sign that fintech continues to disrupt traditional payments. In addition, international M&A is afoot while the IPO pipeline continues to grow.

Amazon, the fourth largest company in the world, is hiring a digital currency and blockchain expert. And why? Amazon is looking to accept Bitcoin payments most likely by the end of the year. Now this is HUGE news (unless you are short Bitcoin) and the ramifications are enormous.

Financial technology continues to attract legacy finance players. Fintech IPO roadshows have gone digital, while big banks are also riding the digital wave. The IMF wants to know if CBDCs are the solution for the unbanked population, and Elon Musk is back on the good side of bitcoin investors.

Blockchain is all the rage these days, as evidenced by corporate America’s desire to pile in. Serena Williams backs a startup that gives the renters of the world a fighting chance. The Amazon.com and Netflix of the online mortgage lending industry made its listing debut, while Serena Williams scored on behalf of a segment of the population that is underserved in financial services. Let’s dive in.

Bitcoin is becoming widely accepted for payment for everyday items. Remember back in the good old days (like, 3-4 years ago) when all you ever heard was Bitcoin is "cute" but it will never catch on as a means of payment. Uh, yeah. It sure didn't take long either.

What a difference a week can make! The SPAC deal pipeline continues to fill, while Wise tested the mettle of the LSE in a post-Brexit world and the Nasdaq provided a Shanghai surprise. One major Wall Street firm made a bullish call on a fintech consumer lending platform. Google is on the fintech prowl in Japan while the banks look on, plus traditional lenders are upping the ante to compete with their tech-savvy rivals.

As I reviewed our columns going back to the first of the year, it was abundantly evident that the deal sizes have ratcheted up as the year has progressed. I'll also admit, it felt weird to leave out deals in the $500M - $600M range. But those did not make the list, incredibly.

This week, 3 of the top 5 deals were international - out of South Korea, Holland and China; The Chinese deal received funding from a Canadian teacher's pension fund - we thought that was interesting and rather unusual; In America, the two firms who made our list this week were in auto finance and wealthtech - two strong areas of financing in our country.

Greetings from Digital Wealth News™! Friends, another week of big news on the digital wealth front with a look at how tokenization is revolutionizing traditional financial markets, more top VC deals coming from offshore and a deep dive into the current state of China's central bank. Read up!