Bank of Japan Expands Blockchain Settlement Sandbox and Says CBDC Efforts Are Ongoing
The Bank of Japan announced an expansion of its blockchain sandbox to experiment with settlement of central bank reserves using tokenized deposits, targeting interbank and securities use cases. Governor Kazuo Ueda said the pilot will test connections to existing systems and aim for instant, round‑the‑clock settlement that could cut gridlock risk. He also confirmed that the retail CBDC pilot remains active, though a digital yen has not been approved. Additionally, the BOJ highlighted participation in Project Agorá, an international effort to tokenise central bank money for cross‑border payments.
End of Bitcoin 'HODL': Public Miners Going All-In on AI, Signaling More BTC Selling
Public bitcoin miners are rapidly selling their BTC holdings to finance a strategic shift toward artificial‑intelligence infrastructure. Declining mining margins, higher energy costs, and Bitcoin’s price drop to around $66,000 have eroded the profitability of pure mining operations. Companies such...
Tom Lee's Bitmine Boosts Ether Holdings to 4.47 Million Tokens with $98 Million ETH Purchase
Tom Lee’s Bitmine Immersion Technologies announced a $98 million purchase that lifted its ether holdings to 4.474 million tokens, representing roughly 3.71 % of Ethereum’s total supply. The firm now has 3.04 million ETH staked, valued at about $6 billion, generating $172 million in annualized staking...
Turkey's Ruling Party Unveils 10% Crypto Income Tax Proposal
Turkey’s ruling AK Party has tabled a bill to formalize cryptocurrency taxation, introducing a 10% quarterly withholding tax on gains from regulated platforms and a 0.03% transaction levy on service providers. The president would retain authority to adjust the withholding...
Anthony Pompliano’s ProCap Financial Buys 450 Bitcoin, Steps up Share Buybacks
ProCap Financial, the first publicly‑traded agentic finance firm, bought 450 bitcoin at roughly $66,352 per coin, raising its total holdings to 5,457 BTC and making it the 19th largest public Bitcoin holder. The purchase lowered the firm’s average cost basis....
Bitcoin Losing Trillions in Value Hasn't Stopped Traditional Giants' Interest in Digital Assets Sector
At the iConnections conference in Miami, the sentiment among large allocators toward digital assets has shifted from skepticism to acceptance, with more than 75 crypto funds and roughly 750 manager‑allocator meetings mirroring pre‑crash activity. Nearly 25% of limited partners on...
SpaceX’s $780 Million Bitcoin Stack Now Down to About $545 Million Ahead of IPO Filing
SpaceX is preparing a confidential IPO filing that could value the company above $1.75 trillion and raise up to $50 billion. The filing will reveal a Bitcoin portfolio of 8,285 BTC held in Coinbase Prime, now worth roughly $545 million after a $235 million drop...
Ether, Solana, Xrp Surge up to 10% as Majors Recover Saturday's War-Driven Losses
Crypto markets rebounded sharply on Sunday after a weekend sell‑off triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. Bitcoin rose to $66,843, up 5.2% in 24 hours, while Solana surged 10.8% and Ether reclaimed $1,994, nearing the $2,000 mark. The...
Here's How Bitcoin's Price Rise Could Be Fueled by Job-Stealing AI Software
NYDIG research chief Greg Cipolaro argues that Bitcoin’s trajectory will be shaped more by AI’s macroeconomic impact than by its own technology. He highlights that AI‑driven automation could cut jobs, suppress consumer demand, and trigger central‑bank liquidity responses that may...
Bitcoin Is Stuck in a Rut but JPMorgan Says New Legislation Could Be the Ultimate Spark
Bitcoin remains range‑bound around $60,000 while crypto volumes thin, leaving the market searching for a catalyst. JPMorgan argues that the pending U.S. Clarity Act could deliver the regulatory certainty needed to revive institutional interest. The bill would split oversight between...
Iran Crisis Puts the Regime's $7.8 Billion Crypto Shadow Economy in Spotlight
Fresh U.S. and Israeli strikes have shone a spotlight on Iran’s parallel crypto economy, now estimated at $7.78 billion. Since legalising mining in 2019, Tehran subsidises electricity for licensed operators who sell Bitcoin to the central bank, using it to bypass...
Buyouts and Bitcoin: Inside the Messy Boardroom Fight at a Treasury Company that May Span to Others
Empery Digital, a publicly traded bitcoin treasury firm with 3,723 BTC worth about $235 million, is embroiled in a boardroom showdown with activist investor Tice P. Brown, who now holds roughly 10 % of the company and is demanding the resignation of co‑CEO Ryan Lane...
Bitcoin's Five-Month Slide: Why BTC Is Set for Worst Losing Streak Since 2018
Bitcoin is on track for its worst monthly losing streak since 2018, with February marking a fifth consecutive month of decline and a 16% drop to around $66,000. The cryptocurrency is down more than 25% year‑to‑date and its bitcoin‑to‑gold ratio...
Bitcoin Sets up Potential Short Squeeze as Funding Plunges to -6%
Bitcoin's perpetual funding rate plunged to -6%, the most negative level in three months, reflecting aggressive short positioning as the price briefly slipped to $63,000. Coin‑margined open interest climbed to 687,000 BTC, showing heightened participation despite the dip. Over $500 million...
Bitcoin Nears $63,000 as U.S. and Israel Launch Strikes on Iran
Bitcoin slipped below $64,000 on Saturday, trading near $63,000 after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran. The cryptocurrency dropped about 3% in a matter of hours, marking its lowest level since the early‑February crash. Because crypto markets...
Coinbase’s Head of Litigation Says States Are 'Gaslighting' On Prediction Markets
Coinbase’s VP of litigation, Ryan VanGrack, says state regulators are mischaracterizing federal law to block the firm’s new prediction‑market offerings launched with Kalshi. The company has filed lawsuits in Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan and Nevada after those states issued cease‑and‑desist letters...
Citi and Morgan Stanley Expand Bitcoin and Crypto Custody, Trading and Tokenization Efforts
Citigroup announced it will launch institutional‑grade Bitcoin custody later this year, integrating crypto into its existing custody, reporting and settlement infrastructure. The service will allow clients to manage Bitcoin alongside securities and cash through a single master account, with transaction...
Bitcoin's Rebound Cancelled as U.S. Stocks Fall, Gold Surges, Amid Mounting Macro Risks
Bitcoin slipped below $66,000 on Friday, erasing most of its mid‑week surge and falling 3% to around $65,600. The decline coincided with a broader risk‑off shift as U.S. equities dropped—Nasdaq down 0.8% and S&P 500 down 0.6%—while gold rose above $5,230...
Polymarket Bettors Appear to Have Insider-Traded on a Market Designed to Catch Insider Traders
A group of at least 12 wallets on Polymarket collectively pocketed more than $1 million by betting on Axiom being the target of ZachXBT’s insider‑trading investigation before the report was public. The largest holder, dubbed predictorxyz, bought 477,415 shares at an...
World Liberty Financial Ties Voting Power to Staking as USD1 Supply Tops $4.7 Billion
World Liberty Financial has submitted a governance proposal that obliges WLFI token holders to stake their tokens for at least 180 days before they can vote. The framework creates two tiered statuses—Node at 10 million WLFI and Super Node at 50 million WLFI—offering...
Bitcoin Miner MARA Jumps 17% After Striking a Deal with Starwood to Build AI Data Centers
Marathon Digital Holdings (MARA) announced a partnership with Starwood Capital to transform select U.S. bitcoin mining sites into AI‑focused data centers. The joint venture aims to deliver about 1 GW of compute capacity initially, with plans to exceed 2.5 GW over time,...
Crypto Social Isn’t Dead, It’s Just Changing Hands
In late January, Farcaster handed its protocol, client and Base launchpad to infrastructure provider Neynar, while Lens Protocol moved stewardship from Avara to Mask Network. The rapid leadership swaps reignited debate over whether crypto‑social is a dead experiment. Analysts argue...
What Early Bitcoin Architect Adam Back Thinks of This Cycle
Early Bitcoin pioneer Adam Back said volatility is normal given Bitcoin’s adoption cycle, even as regulatory clarity and institutional ETFs improve market access. He noted Bitcoin has fallen about 26% over the past year despite a more crypto‑friendly policy environment,...
Blockfills Co-Founder and CEO Nicholas Hammer Has Stepped Down
Blockfills co‑founder and CEO Nicholas Hammer stepped down, with Joseph Perry named interim chief executive. The crypto lender disclosed $75 million in losses and halted client deposits and withdrawals on Feb 11, 2026. The firm, which processed $60 billion in 2025 trading volume,...
Billionaire Alan Howard’s Crypto Incubator WebN Closes Down
WebN Group, the blockchain incubator backed by billionaire Alan Howard, is shutting down after seeding a portfolio that includes KAIO, Twinstake, TruFin and Geometry. The venture studio also received backing from Nomura’s Laser Digital and has moved several staff members...
Bitcoin Climbs Above $68,500, Circle Leads Crypto Stocks Higher, as Bounce Strengthens
Bitcoin surged past $68,500 on Wednesday, posting a 6% gain in 24 hours and wiping out the early‑week dip below $63,000. The rally lifted major altcoins, with Ethereum reclaiming the $2,000 level and several midsized tokens climbing over 10%. Derivative...
Bitcoin Treasury Firm GD Culture Set to Sell BTC Holdings to Fund Share Buybacks
GD Culture Group’s board approved the sale of a portion of its 7,500‑bitcoin reserve to finance a $100 million share‑repurchase program. The Bitcoin stash, now worth roughly $497 million, reflects a $344 million unrealized loss from its $841.5 million acquisition cost. Management retains discretion...
Coinbase Adds Stock, ETF Trading as It Expands Beyond Crypto
Coinbase announced that U.S. customers can now trade stocks and ETFs on its platform alongside crypto. The service operates 24/5, offers commission‑free trades, and allows fractional shares starting at $1 using USD or USDC. The rollout follows the company’s “everything...
Your AI Is Getting a Bank Account: MoonPay Just Gave Bots the Power to Spend Money
MoonPay introduced MoonPay Agents, a non‑custodial, permissionless financial layer that lets AI agents control funded crypto wallets. Users complete a one‑time KYC and link a payment method, after which the AI can autonomously trade, swap and move funds. The service...
Cipher Digital Rebrands as It Pivots From Bitcoin Mining to HPC, Shares Slide
Cipher Digital, formerly Cipher Mining, reported Q4 revenue of $60 million and an adjusted loss of $0.14 per share, both missing analyst forecasts of $84.4 million and a $0.06 loss. The company announced a strategic pivot from bitcoin mining to high‑performance computing...
Canton Advances Cross-Border Repo to Free up $300 Trillion Assets via Tokenization
A consortium of leading financial institutions executed the first cross‑border, intraday repurchase agreement using tokenized U.K. government bonds on the Canton Network. The trade featured the inaugural cross‑currency swap of tokenized gilts for tokenized deposits, with smart contracts encoding interest...
Over 400,000 BTC Bought Between $60k and $70k During Bitcoin’s Latest Downturn
Glassnode data shows more than 400,000 BTC were bought between $60,000 and $70,000 as Bitcoin’s price slumped 50% from its October all‑time high. The supply in the $60K‑$70K band rose 43% since the start of the year, reaching roughly 1.43 million...
The Ghost of the iPhone: Why Michael Saylor Thinks Bitcoin Is Mirroring Apple’s Legendary ‘Valley of Despair’
Michael Saylor likens Bitcoin’s 45% decline to Apple’s 2013 slump, arguing that deep corrections are typical for breakthrough tech investments. Bitcoin fell from $125,000 to about $63,000, echoing Apple’s valuation drop, while Saylor notes that regulated derivatives markets are tempering...
Step Finance Shuts Operations After $27 Million January Hack
DeFi portfolio tracker Step Finance announced it will cease operations immediately after a January hack that stole approximately 261,854 SOL, valued at $27 million. The breach caused the native STEP token to tumble nearly 96% and it fell an additional 36%...
ProShares' Stablecoin-Ready ETF Sees $17 Billion Debut, Sparking Speculation About Circle
ProShares launched the GENIUS‑compliant Money Market ETF (IQMM) with a record $17 billion in first‑day trading volume. Analysts initially linked the surge to Circle’s USDC reserves, but data show Circle’s BlackRock‑managed fund held steady around $64 billion. Morningstar identified an internal transfer...
SportFi’s Next Act: Onchain Markets Built Around Match-Day Results
SportFi is moving beyond fan‑token collectibles toward on‑chain markets that react to match‑day results. Chiliz’s roadmap proposes mint‑and‑burn mechanics that tie token supply directly to wins, losses, and other outcomes, turning tokens into programmable assets. This outcome‑linked model creates real‑time...
Mentioning 'Bitcoin' Or Crypto on AI Agent OpenClaw's Discord Will Get You Banned
OpenClaw, an open‑source AI agent framework that quickly gathered over 200,000 GitHub stars, imposed a blanket ban on any crypto mention in its Discord after a scammer‑driven fake token, $CLAWD, reached a $16 million market cap and triggered harassment of its...
Ethereum's Vitalik Buterin Proposes AI 'Stewards' To Help Reinvent DAO Governance
Ethereum co‑founder Vitalik Buterin unveiled a proposal to overhaul DAO governance by deploying personal AI agents that automatically cast votes on behalf of users. The design relies on zero‑knowledge proofs to keep voter identities hidden and on secure computation environments such...
Japan's SBI to Issue 10 Billion Yen Onchain Bond with XRP Rewards for Retail Investors
SBI Holdings is issuing a 10 billion‑yen on‑chain bond, the SBI START Bond, aimed at retail investors. The three‑year security offers a fixed interest rate of 1.85%‑2.45% paid semiannually and settles on the BOOSTRY blockchain. Eligible investors receive XRP rewards equivalent...
Iran’s Rial Collapse Mirrors Lebanon’s Crisis, Driving Citizens to Bitcoin
The Iranian rial has collapsed in 2026, spurring hyperinflation and prompting middle‑class savers to flee the banking system. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have attracted billions of dollars, echoing Lebanon’s 2019‑2021 crisis where crypto became a financial lifeline. On‑chain data shows...
Bitcoin Echoes 'Late 2022' Bear Market Bottom, K33 Says
Bitcoin has settled into a $65,000‑$70,000 range that K33 Research says mirrors the late‑2022 bear‑market bottom. Spot trading volume fell 59% week‑over‑week and perpetual futures open interest hit a four‑month low, indicating a quiet consolidation phase. U.S.-listed Bitcoin ETFs have...
Inside France’s Strict Rules for Selling Majority Stake of Its State Energy Cloud to U.S. Bitcoin Miner
MARA Holdings is buying a 64% stake in Exaion, EDF's high‑performance computing subsidiary, for $168 million. The French government approved the sale only after imposing conditions, notably a 10% stake for NJJ Capital to satisfy national‑interest concerns. EDF will retain a...
RWA Issuers Prioritize Capital Formation over Liquidity, According to Brickken Survey
A Brickken Q4 2025 survey shows most real‑world‑asset issuers use tokenization primarily to raise capital rather than to secure secondary‑market liquidity. 53.8% cite capital formation as the main driver, while only 15.4% prioritize liquidity, and 69.2% of respondents are already live...
Bitcoin Pops Then Drops as Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump Tariffs
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously struck down President Trump’s expansive tariff regime, a ruling that reverberated through financial markets. Bitcoin briefly surged 2% above $68,000 before retreating to the $67,000 range within minutes. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq posted a modest 0.6%...
Dual South Korean Listings Send Ethereum Layer-2 Token AZTEC Surging 82%
Ethereum layer‑2 token AZTEC surged roughly 82% to about $0.035 after South Korean exchanges Upbit and Bithumb added KRW trading pairs. The listings unlocked direct local‑currency buying for a highly active retail base, inflating demand in an otherwise thin market....
Bitcoin Difficulty Jumps 15% Largest Increase Since 2021, Despite Price Slump
Bitcoin mining difficulty jumped 15% to 144.4 trillion, the steepest rise since the 2021 China ban, as the network’s hashrate recovered to 1 zettahash per second. The rebound occurs despite Bitcoin’s price hovering around $67,000 and hashprice sinking to a multi‑year low...
American Crypto Holders Are Scared and Confused About This Year’s New IRS Tax Rules
A poll of 1,000 U.S. crypto investors shows more than half fear IRS penalties as the Treasury rolls out Form 1099‑DA, which forces exchanges to automatically report transaction proceeds. The new rule shifts tax compliance from self‑disclosure to broker‑driven reporting,...
From 2016 Hack to $150M Endowment: The DAO’s Second Act Focuses on Ethereum Security
A decade after the 2016 DAO hack, the DAO Security Fund will stake roughly 75,000 dormant ETH—now worth about $150 million—to generate yield for Ethereum security initiatives. The fund will keep claims open indefinitely for original token holders and shift from...
Milo Tops $100 Million in Crypto-Backed Mortgages, Closes Record $12 Million Deal
Milo, a U.S. crypto‑lending firm, has originated more than $100 million in crypto‑backed mortgages, highlighted by a record $12 million loan. The company operates in ten states and offers loans up to $25 million secured by Bitcoin or Ether, with interest starting at...
Bitcoin Holds Near $68,000 as Volatility Cools, WLFI Jumps Ahead of Mar-a-Lago Forum
Bitcoin hovered around $68,000 on Wednesday, trading within a $65,100‑$72,000 band since Feb 6 as volatility and funding rates cooled. Open interest held steady at $15.5 billion, while the options market showed a balanced call‑put split and eased skew. The Trump‑backed WLFI...
