OceanPal Strives to Empower Large-Scale User-Controlled AI Through Blockchain-Based Infrastructure
- OceanPal completes $120M PIPE to launch SovereignAI, a blockchain-native AI subsidiary collaborating with NEAR Foundation. - SovereignAI aims to commercialize NEAR Protocol by accumulating 10% of its tokens and building NVIDIA-powered AI infrastructure. - Crypto-native investors and industry leaders back the initiative, emphasizing NEAR's potential for privacy-first AI infrastructure. - OceanPal maintains shipping operations while diversifying into AI sovereignty, leveraging NEAR's chain abstraction for
OceanPal Inc. (NASDAQ: OP), an international shipping firm, has finalized a $120 million private investment in public equity (PIPE) to establish SovereignAI Services LLC—a fully owned subsidiary dedicated to developing blockchain-based AI infrastructure in partnership with the NEAR Foundation. This funding, announced in a press statement
SovereignAI's main mission is to bring to market the
The NEAR Protocol’s emphasis on agentic AI and chain abstraction meets the rising institutional need for privacy-centric, regulation-friendly solutions in industries such as finance, healthcare, and media. Sal Ternullo, who was recently named Co-CEO of OceanPal, stated that NEAR presents "the most significant asymmetric potential among established digital asset projects," with the intention of making SovereignAI a top public investment platform for NEAR tokens and its ecosystem, according to a
The deal drew interest from crypto-focused investors like Kraken, Proximity, Fabric Ventures, and G20 Group, as well as strategic advisors including Clear Street LLC and Cohen & Company Capital Markets. The advisory board for SovereignAI, led by NEAR Foundation CEO Illia Polosukhin, features industry leaders such as Lukasz Kaiser from OpenAI and Jackie Kennedy from Quicknode, highlighting the initiative’s commitment to advancing AI and blockchain, as referenced in the Morningstar release.
David Schwed, OceanPal’s COO, expressed the company’s goal to "create the infrastructure that enables large-scale, user-controlled, privacy-focused AI." He pointed out that NEAR’s framework delivers "the trust, security, and economic incentives needed to achieve genuine AI sovereignty," a vision shared with the NEAR Foundation, as reported by The Block.
Although
SovereignAI’s approach goes beyond simply holding tokens, utilizing returns from its assets to finance infrastructure initiatives. This strategy, together with NEAR’s AI-oriented technology stack, is designed to support autonomous agent commerce—where AI agents act as independent economic participants capable of conducting transactions and managing assets, as mentioned in the Morningstar release.
This development mirrors a wider trend of institutional interest in automation and scalable AI infrastructure, with ongoing support from both traditional financial institutions and crypto-native investors. As OceanPal undertakes this transformation, its dual commitment to shipping and AI sovereignty places it at the crossroads of two rapidly evolving industries.
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
You may also like
BNB News Update: x402b Connects Decentralized Transactions with Corporate Compliance, Reaches $810 Million Market Value
- x402b protocol, an upgraded web3 payment standard by Pieverse, surged to $810M market cap in 24 hours on BNB Chain. - Protocol introduces gasless EIP-3009 transactions and auditable receipts via BNB Greenfield, addressing enterprise adoption barriers. - BNB Chain's DAAs reached 2.4M in Sept 2025, outpacing Ethereum's 3M, while Pieverse processes 500K+ weekly transactions. - UK FCA's 45% crypto AML approval and iDenfy's compliance tools reinforce regulatory readiness for protocols like x402b. - Pieverse p

Solana News Update: The Inaugural TAO Staked ETP Connects Conventional Finance with AI-Powered Blockchain Advancements
- Safello and Deutsche Digital Assets launch STAO, the first Bittensor (TAO) Staked ETP on SIX Swiss Exchange, offering regulated AI blockchain exposure with staking rewards. - The ETP combines cold-storage TAO token backing, automatic staking yield reinvestment, and a 1.49% max fee, simplifying access to decentralized AI infrastructure. - Bittensor's 70% staked TAO tokens enhance network security, while global crypto ETP growth (e.g., Hong Kong SOL ETF, Bitwise BSOL) signals institutional adoption trends.

ASIC Achieves Strong Profit Growth Despite Challenges in the E&S Market
- Ategrity (ASIC) reported 30% YOY premium growth in Q3 2025, driven by 70% higher submissions and a 78% surge in adjusted net income to $22.8M. - The insurer expanded its distribution network by 25% and launched digital brokerage and real estate-focused products to boost operational efficiency. - Despite gains, ASIC faces E&S market challenges including property pricing pressures, shrinking "nano accounts," and conservative loss reserve strategies. - CEO Cohen emphasized rate hikes in small-to-medium prop

CVS Sheds Low-Performing Assets, Raises Profit Outlook
- CVS Health's Q3 2025 earnings ($1.60/share) and $102.9B revenue exceeded forecasts by $0.24/share and $4.07B, prompting third consecutive guidance hikes to $6.55-$6.65 adjusted EPS. - Aetna's improved medical benefit ratio (92.8% vs 95.2%) and Rite Aid pharmacy integration drove 11.7% segment growth, while Oak Street Health's $5.7B impairment led to 16 clinic closures by 2026. - Despite goodwill charges, $7.2B year-to-date operating cash flow reinforced resilience, with shares up 30% since CEO Joyner's 2
