Can computers replace brokers? A crypto exchange wants the answer to be yes: Crypto exchange FTX has made an intriguing proposal to US regulators: Offering crypto derivatives trading directly to users, without the intermediation of traditional brokers. The proposal by CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is part of a bigger plan, which could see him tap into the mainstream finance industry after taking over the crypto futures market, he said, according to the Financial Times. The US-based firm wants to expand the do-it-yourself, 24/7 practices developed for digital assets, bypass traditional gatekeepers, and have computers make trades and margin calls without opening or closing times.

There is, of course, some potential resistance to the concept: FTX’s approach to mechanizing exchange activity could be a “double-edged sword” creating potential for “destabilizing” upwards or downwards market moves, a Houston University professor of finance. But it’s not a proposal without merit, nor is it one that should be ignored altogether, he said. “The request represents an innovative proposal that deserves careful consideration,”said Rostin Behnam, chair of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

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Amazon makes big stride in race towards internet from space: Project Kuiper — Amazon’s internet-from-space initiative — has booked 83 launches over the next five years to send its internet-beaming satellites into space, the company announced in a press release. Founder Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin, US-based United Launch Alliance, and European launch provider Arianespace are currently developing the rockets for the launches. The initiative will see Amazon build a network of 3,236 satellites in low Earth orbit to provide high-speed internet to anywhere in the world. The initiative bears a resemblance to SpaceX’s famous StarLink program, which has already launched limited service around the world, with some 2k satellites currently in orbit.