Coinbase Commerce is rolling out a Payments Protocol that aims to enable USDC transactions on Shopify. The protocol introduces two main concepts: "Escrow" and "Operator." In this setup, funds from customers are first collected in an Escrow account before being sent to the merchant. The Operator, which can be a smart contract, manages the transfer of funds, ensuring they go either to the merchant or back to the payer if necessary. This flexibility allows payment processors like Visa and Mastercard to create their own Operators using smart contracts, giving them the ability to enforce their existing rules in a new environment. On a different note, Robinhood has secured a brokerage license in the European Union from the Central Bank of Lithuania. This development suggests that the company plans to expand its services into Europe, potentially increasing its customer base significantly. The license could pave the way for Robinhood to offer its trading platform and services across EU member states, marking a notable step in its international growth strategy.