Tag: British

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One in a Hundred – Trump puts his Head on a Coin

Minting a new U.S. coin

Donald Trump has become the first living U.S. president in almost a century to appear on American currency, after the U.S. Mint released a new $1 coin bearing his portrait.

The coin, launched on 2nd September 2026, commemorates America’s 250th anniversary and is intended to enter circulation as well as appeal to collectors.

False idols

Trump’s image appears on the front alongside the words “LIBERTY”, “IN GOD WE TRUST” and “1776 ~ 2026”. The reverse features the Presidential Seal, including the eagle, olive branch and arrows. Despite its golden appearance, the coin contains no actual gold.

The decision is controversial because American tradition has strongly discouraged depicting living people on the nation’s money.

The new Trump $1 coin

The only previous living president to appear on U.S. coinage was Calvin Coolidge, whose image featured on a commemorative half-dollar in 1926, marking the 150th anniversary of American independence.

Political self-promotion?

The Trump administration argues that legislation passed in 2020 provides the necessary authority for the special anniversary coin.

Critics, however, question whether this represents an inappropriate departure from established safeguards against political self-promotion.

With Trump’s face now literally in Americans’ pockets, the coin represents more than a collectors’ novelty. It is another striking example of how the boundaries between presidential power, personal branding and national symbolism are being tested.

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Microduck AI Arrives from Hugging Face

AI Microduck from Hugging Face

It may look like a cute toy duck, but Hugging Face’s new Microduck is a fascinating example of how interconnected the modern technology industry has become.

The 25cm-tall robot has been developed by Pollen Robotics, the French robotics company acquired by Hugging Face in 2025.

Beneath its quirky exterior is a Chinese-made Rockchip RK3566 processor based on ARM architecture, alongside cameras, LiDAR, motion sensors, microphones and wireless connectivity.

The software story is equally international. Microduck is designed around open-source technology, allowing developers to programme, train and teach it new behaviours using Hugging Face’s robotics ecosystem and reinforcement learning tools.

Global design

That makes Microduck more than an amusing little robot. It is a miniature demonstration of the global supply chain behind modern AI: French engineering, Chinese semiconductor manufacturing, British-designed ARM technology and internationally developed open-source software coming together in one product.

Priced at $399, Microduck is intended to make physical AI more accessible to developers, researchers and enthusiasts. Hugging Face says it received more than $2.6 million in orders during the first 24 hours.

The duck may be French-designed, Chinese-powered and ARM-based — but its ambition is truly global.

What will Nvidia think if they complete their reported potential acquisition of Hugging Face?

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British Fintech Revolut Surpasses $1 Billion in Profit – Eyes UK Banking Expansion

Revolut banking revolution

British fintech giant Revolut has achieved a major financial milestone, reporting £1.1 billion ($1.5 billion) in net profit for 2024, marking a 149% increase from the previous year.

The company’s revenue also saw significant growth, surging 72% to £3.1 billion, driven by a combination of subscription services, wealth management, and interest income.

One of the standout contributors to this success was Revolut’s wealth unit, which includes stock trading, boasting a 298% jump in revenue. The firm’s loan book also expanded 86% to £979 million, further strengthening its financial position.

This growth comes at a pivotal moment for Revolut, as it prepares to launch its UK bank later this year after securing a banking licence in 2024.

Once fully operational, the bank will enable Revolut to offer traditional financial services, including loans, overdrafts, and mortgages, enhancing its appeal as a primary banking option.

Revolut’s UK CEO has emphasised that securing full banking authorisation is a crucial step toward global expansion and an eventual IPO.

As the company continues to evolve, it faces stiff competition from established players such as Monzo and Starling, both of whom secured banking licences years earlier.

Revolut’s remarkable financial performance signals its ambitions to become a dominant force in banking – a fintech powerhouse redefining modern finance.

About Revolut

Revolut is a British fintech company that provides digital banking services, including currency exchange, stock trading, cryptocurrency transactions, and personal finance management.

The name ‘Revolut’ suggests a revolution in financial services, aiming to simplify and modernise banking through technology.

Founded in 2015 by Nikolay Storonsky and Vlad Yatsenko, Revolut started as a platform offering fee-free foreign exchange and has since expanded into a global financial super app.

It operates in multiple countries and serves millions of customers, offering both free and subscription-based banking services.