Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

MetaMask’s mobile wallet (v7.56+) has integrated Hyperliquid’s on‑chain perpetuals engine, letting users use any EVM token (ETH, USDT, BNB, ERC‑20s, etc.) as margin. The wallet auto‑converts the chosen token to USDC in the background, removing manual bridging or transfers and reducing friction and connectivity risk. Traders can open long or short positions on 150+ assets — including cryptocurrencies, synthetic U.S. stocks, commodities and FX — with up to 40x leverage. Hyperliquid provides a deep, fast on‑chain order book and audited protocol infrastructure while MetaMask supplies distribution to a large mobile EVM user base. MetaMask frames the move as part of its evolution from a DApp connector toward a full trading platform (after swaps and Earn), which may boost on‑chain perpetual volumes and user adoption for Hyperliquid. The wallet keeps funds non‑custodial; fees, funding rates and Hyperliquid’s audit details are available in‑app and via Hyperliquid docs. MetaMask warns users about the high risk of leveraged derivatives, including rapid liquidation and potential losses beyond initial margin. Short term, expect increased on‑chain perp activity and lower access friction for mobile traders; longer term, the integration highlights growing competition between decentralized perpetual protocols and centralized exchanges for margin flow.

21Shares has launched the Strategy Yield ETP (ticker: STRC NA) on Euronext Amsterdam to give European institutional and retail investors regulated exposure to MicroStrategy’s Variable Rate Series A perpetual preferred shares, which are collateralised by the company’s Bitcoin treasury. MicroStrategy holds about 717,722 BTC (roughly $47bn). The ETP provides dividend‑like payouts tied to the preferred shares’ floating coupon, quoted at an annualised rate of about 11.25%, allowing investors to gain structured, high‑yield exposure to MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin‑backed cash flows without buying the equity directly. 21Shares says STRC is its first equity‑linked product, marking an expansion beyond its crypto‑only ETP lineup; the firm manages roughly $5.3bn across 60 ETPs on 13 exchanges. The listing follows 21Shares’ recent U.S. spot ETF activity (21Shares Spot SUI ETF, TSUI) and fits into the firm’s strategy to broaden regulated digital‑asset access for European investors. Primary keywords: 21Shares, STRC ETP, Bitcoin‑backed yield, MicroStrategy, Euronext. Secondary/semantic keywords: BTC treasury, preferred stock, dividend yield, equity‑linked ETP, regulated access.

ETHZilla announced a corporate rebrand to Forum Markets and will begin trading under Nasdaq ticker FRMM on March 2. The company is abandoning its prior strategy of positioning its shares as a public proxy for Ethereum and is reducing direct crypto holdings in favor of building regulated, revenue-generating tokenized real-world asset (RWA) products. Management framed the pivot as linking traditional capital markets with blockchain infrastructure and institutional-grade on‑chain products backed by real assets. The firm previously held one of the largest corporate ETH treasuries (tens of thousands of ETH) but has reduced those holdings amid a steep share-price collapse from a $107 peak in August 2025 to roughly $3.90, investor exits (including Founders Fund), and asset sales. As part of the new focus, Forum Markets has purchased two commercial jet engines leased to a major U.S. carrier and launched a token, Eurus Aero Token I, tied to those assets. Shares jumped on the rebrand news, but remain well below prior highs. For traders: the move signals a structural strategy shift away from pure crypto‑treasury exposure toward tokenized RWAs and aviation leasing revenue, reducing the company’s direct price sensitivity to ETH but increasing exposure to regulatory, tokenization adoption and real‑asset performance risks. Key keywords: ETHZilla, Forum Markets, FRMM, Ethereum treasury, tokenized real‑world assets, Eurus Aero Token.

David Schwartz, chief technology officer at Ripple and a lead engineer of the XRP Ledger (XRPL), reiterated that the XRPL was intentionally built to be decentralized and operationally independent — including from Ripple the company. Schwartz said design choices and consensus mechanics prevent any single entity, even Ripple, from unilaterally controlling the ledger. He emphasized that while Ripple contributes to development and runs nodes, the ledger’s governance and validator set are distributed across a broader community, reinforcing censorship resistance and robustness. The remarks come amid ongoing regulatory scrutiny and frequent market attention on Ripple’s influence over XRP. For traders, Schwartz’s comments underscore that XRPL fundamentals favor decentralization and that operational control is not concentrated in Ripple’s hands, a point that could shape perceptions of network risk and regulatory narratives around XRP.

Bitcoin (BTC) rallied about 4.5–5% intraday, trading near $67,000 at the U.S. market open as traders pushed price back toward the 200‑week exponential moving average (EMA) around $68,330. The move came despite fresh U.S. tariff headlines, underlining the market’s reduced sensitivity to some macro news. Analysts flagged the coming weekly close above the 200‑week EMA as a key confirmation for sustained bullish momentum: Rekt Capital emphasized the importance of a weekly close above this long‑term trend line, while Castillo Trading named a potential upside retest near $74,492 (noted around the 2025 yearly low) if weekly structure holds. Separately, Michaël van de Poppe pointed to a possible bullish RSI divergence between Bitcoin and gold (XAU), suggesting an early rotation of capital from gold into BTC if the signal confirms. Traders should watch the 200‑week EMA level, the weekly close, and the RSI relationship with gold when sizing positions and managing risk. This summary is informational and not trading advice.

China’s National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center published a report alleging the United States uses technological and legal advantages to systematically seize global cryptocurrency assets. The report claims the US controls key blockchain analysis technologies and on-chain tracing firms, pushes stablecoin rules that force reserves into US Treasuries, and employs extraterritorial enforcement (long-arm jurisdiction) to conduct cross-border law enforcement and asset forfeiture. It cites an incomplete tally attributing over $30 billion in crypto confiscations from 2022–2025: about $15 billion in a single case involving former Chinese national Chen Zhi; $4.35 billion recovered/fined from Binance and CEO Changpeng Zhao via combined civil and criminal procedures; and actions against Garantex for sanctions evasion. The report warns the US is integrating Bitcoin and other crypto assets into national strategic reserve tools. The release frames these measures as a systematic “asset harvest” enabled by US technical supremacy and regulatory reach. Key names: Chen Zhi, Binance, Zhao Changpeng (CZ), Garantex. Primary keywords: US crypto seizure, blockchain tracing, stablecoin regulation, asset forfeiture, cross-border enforcement. This summary aims to inform traders about potential macro-level regulatory pressure and precedent-setting enforcement that could affect liquidity, exchange risk, and geopolitical exposure in crypto markets.

Jane Street, a top U.S. quantitative trading firm, faces multi-jurisdictional allegations of market manipulation. A 2026 lawsuit by Terraform Labs’ bankruptcy estate alleges Jane Street used inside information from a former Terraform intern to preemptively withdraw funds from Curve3pool minutes before Terraform removed $150m UST in May 2022—actions the suit says helped trigger Terra/LUNA’s $40bn collapse. Separately, India’s SEBI found Jane Street manipulated the Bank Nifty index across 18 derivatives expiry days (Jan 2023–Mar 2025) via coordinated morning buy-ups and afternoon sell-offs, earning estimated illicit gains of ₹4.843 billion (~$580m); regulators banned the firm from Indian markets and froze >$560m in custody. The firm is also implicated in a recurring pattern dubbed the “10am dump”: sharp BTC sell pressure around 10:00 ET coinciding with NYSE open that liquidated leveraged longs and pressured spot and ETF prices. Jane Street is one of four authorized participants for BlackRock’s IBIT, and filings show large IBIT and MSTR positions. After the Terraform lawsuit became public, the 10am sell pattern reportedly disappeared and Bitcoin rallied >3% to break $68,000, with significant ETF inflows and short squeezes. Jane Street denies the claims as baseless. Traders should note potential regulatory risk for APs, structural vulnerabilities introduced by spot BTC ETFs, and the possibility that disruption to algorithmic selling could remove a key downward pressure on crypto markets.

Bitcoin staged a rapid rebound after a sharp sell-off, but market confidence remains uncertain. Key derivatives metrics show a substantial drop in open interest (OI), indicating large-scale liquidation of leveraged positions and a market reset. Binance’s Fund Flow Ratio sits near 0.012, signaling muted spot selling and limited new inflows. Analysts — including CryptoQuant’s PelinayPA — say the recovery largely reflects derivatives position resets rather than fresh spot-market demand. Without clear signs of sustained exchange outflows, rising spot accumulation, and balanced leverage, the move is classified as a relief rally rather than a confirmed trend reversal. Traders should monitor open interest, funding rates, Binance fund flows, and short-covering dynamics, since small upward moves could trigger short squeezes and rapid rallies, while absence of sustained spot buying leaves downside risk intact.

Online posts tying a recent ~10% Bitcoin rally to legal action involving Jane Street reignited scrutiny of how spot Bitcoin ETFs operate. Analysts say focus on one firm misses wider market mechanics: authorized participants (APs) — institutional market makers that create and redeem ETF shares — can hedge using derivatives and use regulatory exemptions that decouple ETF share creation from immediate spot buys. That “grey window” and widespread use of futures hedging (often in contango) can mute short-term link between ETF inflows and spot buying, shifting price discovery toward futures markets. Experts stressed these practices are legal and common across APs but can amplify volatility when hedges are adjusted, potentially producing sharp moves that retail traders perceive as sudden. The story highlights tensions between ETF liquidity provision, derivatives hedging, and spot market support as institutional flows grow.

Whales have been quietly accumulating Cardano (ADA) over the past six months, with wallets holding 100k–100M ADA adding roughly 819.4 million ADA (about 1.6% of supply), according to Santiment. ADA’s price action shows an 8.66% rally in the ADA/BTC ratio from a Q4 low and the altcoin has been trading above a $0.20 quarterly floor. Technical structure is mixed: while ADA closed Q1 down ~60%—one of the poorest showings among top-cap coins—short liquidity has been rising, creating key leverage zones. One short squeeze occurred in January near the $0.40 level but the price quickly fell back. Currently ADA’s 12H chart approaches a short leverage zone near $0.27; a successful squeeze could push ADA above $0.30 resistance, while failure might indicate whales are selling into rallies and trapping shorts, producing a volatility loop. For traders: monitor whale accumulation on-chain, short interest and leverage bands (notably $0.27–$0.30 and the $0.40 area), and volume on breakouts to distinguish a genuine trend reversal from manipulation.

Solana (SOL) has stabilized after recent selling pressure, rebounding from support around $75–$76 and reclaiming the $80 area. U.S. spot Solana ETFs registered roughly $3.78 million net inflows on February 24, part of cumulative Solana-linked ETF inflows exceeding $900 million. Derivatives metrics improved: open interest rose, longs outnumbered shorts, and short liquidations during the rebound reduced near-term selling pressure. Technically, SOL sits above key short-term moving averages and the 50% Fibonacci retracement of its recent drop, with RSI moving above neutral. Immediate resistance is concentrated between $85–$88; a confirmed close above that range could open a move toward $90–$94. Support is near $79–$80, with downside risks back to $77–$74 if that level fails. Ongoing ecosystem concerns — including a past platform shutdown, a major hack, falling active addresses and TVL — continue to weigh on sentiment. The near-term outlook depends on whether continued institutional ETF flows and improving technicals can offset weak on-chain activity. Primary keywords: Solana, SOL price, Solana ETF, ETF inflows, crypto derivatives. Secondary/semantic keywords: resistance levels, support, RSI, open interest, on-chain activity.

Matt Western, chair of the UK’s Joint Committee on National Security Strategy, has called for a temporary moratorium on cryptocurrency donations to political parties, citing risks of foreign interference ahead of the next general election (due by Aug. 15, 2029). In a letter to Secretary of State Steve Reed, Western recommended adding a temporary ban to the Representation of the People Bill until the Electoral Commission issues statutory guidance. He also urged that parties accept crypto only via services registered with the Financial Conduct Authority, ban donations involving mixers or unknown sources, and require converting crypto to fiat within 48 hours. Western previously supported a full ban in January but the bill introduced on Feb. 12 did not include one. He proposed longer-term measures including a national enforcement lead for political finance, source-of-wealth checks, higher penalties for breaches, and stronger powers for the Electoral Commission. Reform UK was the first party to accept crypto donations in May 2024. Primary keywords: crypto donations, political donations, foreign interference, Electoral Commission, Representation of the People Bill. Secondary/semantic keywords: FCA-registered services, mixers, convert to fiat, national enforcement, donor checks.

Cambrian Network’s Q1 2026 Agentic Finance (AgentFi) report maps rapid growth in AI-native finance where autonomous AI agents manage on-chain capital. Key infrastructure milestones: x402 payments processed over 15 million transactions in 30 days and cumulative volume >$50M; ERC-8004 identity standard launched (25k+ agent registrations); Agentic Wallets and Coinbase/Bankr integrations expanding execution layers. Leading retail-facing products include trading and portfolio optimization agents (e.g., Bankr, Giza, AIWayfinder, Velvet_Capital), yield agents (e.g., ARMA, Kamino, SaildotMoney), prediction/market agents, and analytics agents (e.g., Messari Copilot, DeepFortyTwo). Trends: OpenClaw-style agents proliferating, Base chain hosting 80+ projects for agent infrastructure, institutional interest rising (Grayscale, Robinhood, Visa experiments), and x402 expanding to BSC and Polygon. Regulatory clarity and growing stablecoin supply (stablecoins ≈ $310B) are cited as catalysts for machine-to-machine settlement and broader adoption. For traders: increased on-chain agent activity implies higher automated flow, greater liquidity routing and fee dynamics, faster execution from agent-driven strategies, and potential volatility linked to autonomous rebalancing and concentrated agent behavior. Key statistics to watch: x402 transaction counts and volumes, ERC-8004 registrations, on-chain deposits for Bankr/Giza, and stablecoin supply growth.

Bitcoin rallied toward $70,000 this week, prompting debate over whether a durable bottom has formed. Options-market positioning moved into a negative gamma regime, increasing the risk of rapid, amplified moves in either direction. On-chain metrics offer mixed signals: Glassnode’s GEX heat map shows little resistance above current levels, while CryptoQuant reports the first net increase in spot demand since November—suggesting renewed buying interest but not yet sustained momentum. Short-term holders have continued selling at a loss since late January, signaling capitulation among weaker hands. Technical indicators such as RSI rebounded from oversold levels but have historically supported only short-lived bounces. Institutional demand remains muted — Bitcoin ETFs experienced outflows and SEC filings show large funds reduced exposures in Q4. Traders should note elevated volatility risk from options dynamics, fragile spot demand recovery, continued selling by short-term holders, and lack of strong institutional inflows. Key keywords: Bitcoin, BTC price, spot demand, negative gamma, options, RSI, institutional flows.

Meta, Coinbase and Kraken are accelerating efforts to create crypto "superapps" that combine payments, wallets and trading features to capture users across web2 and web3. Meta is expanding Novi/Wallets and integrating payments and crypto-native tools into its social platforms. Coinbase continues to broaden offerings beyond exchange trading—adding payments, custody, and merchant tools to embed crypto into everyday commerce. Kraken is enhancing its trading and payments stack, targeting institutional and retail adoption with integrated wallets and point-of-sale solutions. Key drivers include growing merchant acceptance, demand for seamless on/off ramps, regulatory scrutiny, and competition for user attention. Each firm leverages existing user bases: Meta’s social network reach, Coinbase’s exchange liquidity and regulatory positioning, and Kraken’s trading products. The race pressures incumbents and challengers to deliver unified UX, low-fee rails, strong custody, and compliance. For traders, the consolidation of payments and trading into superapps could raise on-chain volume and exchange flow, narrow spreads, and increase volatility during major product launches or regulatory announcements. Watch for partnership deals, wallet activations, listings, custody approvals, and payment integrations—these catalysts can move related tokens and equities. Primary keywords: crypto superapp, payments, wallets, trading. Secondary/semantic keywords: on/off ramp, custody, merchant adoption, regulatory compliance.

Anthropic and OpenAI have revised public safety language as investment and competition in AI surge. Anthropic removed a prior pledge from its Responsible Scaling Policy that it would halt training without guaranteed safeguards; Chief Science Officer Jared Kaplan said unilateral pauses would not help if competitors continue advancing. Anthropic now emphasizes transparency—publishing frontier safety roadmaps and regular risk reports—and says it will delay development if it identifies a significant catastrophic risk. OpenAI similarly removed the word “safely” from a prior mission statement in its 2024 IRS filing, shifting phrasing to ensuring AGI benefits all humanity. Experts quoted (RAND’s Edward Geist; Future of Life’s Hamza Chaudhry) interpret the language shifts as signaling to investors, policymakers, and competitors that firms will prioritize commercial progress over unconditional pauses. The moves come amid massive funding rounds (Anthropic reportedly raised $30 billion; OpenAI courting up to $100 billion) and lucrative government contracts, while Anthropic faces a dispute with the U.S. Defense Department over restricted Pentagon access to Claude. Traders should note the industry pivot from public safety commitments toward transparency metrics and commercial acceleration as firms vie for capital and contracts.

Hut 8 reported a $248 million net loss for fiscal 2025, a sharp reversal from a $331.4 million net profit in 2024. The swing was driven mainly by roughly $220 million in unrealized digital asset write-downs that erased prior unrealized gains, while core operations showed revenue growth. Full-year revenue rose to $235.1 million from $162.4 million year‑over‑year; hashpower (mining) revenue was about $202.3 million, power and hosting $23.2 million, and digital infrastructure $9.6 million. Q4 revenue was $88.5 million but the quarter recorded about $401.9 million in unrealized digital asset losses, producing a Q4 net loss near $302 million. Adjusted EBITDA for the year was a negative $135.4 million. Hut 8 holds roughly $1.4 billion in combined cash and Bitcoin reserves (via its American Bitcoin subsidiary) and maintains a $400 million revolving credit facility. Strategically, the company is accelerating a pivot toward AI compute and energy infrastructure: it signed a 15‑year AI compute lease (company-stated pipeline ~8,500 MW) with partner Fluidstack/Google-backed projects, and sold a 310 MW natural gas portfolio to reallocate capital. For traders: the headline net loss is largely accounting-driven (unrealized digital asset write-downs) rather than an operational revenue collapse; mining revenue increased year-over-year but adjusted EBITDA is negative. The strategic shift toward AI and energy changes Hut 8’s asset mix and future revenue drivers, raising both diversification upside and execution risk. Monitor Hut 8’s bitcoin holdings, BTC spot and futures liquidity, hashprice trends, and announcements on AI contracts or asset sales for short-term volatility and longer-term directional signals.

Lighter announced the first live test of its LLP (loss-limiting protection) strategy during a large ARC perpetual futures long liquidation. One trader opened an outsized ARC long with ~50 million USDC notional against ~600 counterparties and market makers. As ARC’s price fell, the position was initially partially liquidated on the order book (~2 million USDC) and then auto-deleveraged (ADL) into the LLP pool and healthy short counterparties. The large long ultimately lost about 8.2 million USDC, while the LLP fund was capped at 75,000 USDC, limiting LP exposure. Shorts profited from the move. Lighter framed the event as a successful real-world validation of LLP strategies to protect liquidity providers during concentrated liquidations. This is market-relevant for traders managing counterparty and liquidation risk in perpetual futures trading.

Bitcoin Depot, North America’s largest Bitcoin ATM operator, has begun requiring government ID for every transaction at its U.S. kiosks starting February 2026. The move expands earlier measures that applied only to new users and aims to curb rising crypto ATM fraud, including scams where victims are coerced into depositing cash that cannot be reversed. The policy follows a $1.9 million settlement with Maine compensating victims scammed at Bitcoin Depot ATMs between 2022–2025; eligible claimants must file by April 1, 2026, with refunds expected in May 2026. FBI data cited in the coverage show Americans lost $333.5 million to Bitcoin ATM scams in 2025, up 33% from 2024, while Coin ATM Radar reports more than 31,000 U.S. crypto kiosks—about 16 new installs per day—heightening scam exposure. The reports also note enforcement actions and probes of other operators (Athena Bitcoin, CoinFlip, Rockitcoin, Byte Federal) and high-value individual losses, signalling increasing regulatory and consumer-protection pressure on ATM operators. For traders: BTC remains near the mid-$60k range; the policy could reduce anonymous retail onramps, lower short-term retail-driven volatility, and prompt similar ID and transaction-limit measures across operators — watch for short-term churn in BTC price around newsflow and potential regulatory spillovers.

Open interest in Dogecoin (DOGE) and XRP futures has declined to levels last seen in 2024, according to Coinglass data. Dogecoin’s total open interest stands at 10.63 billion DOGE, valued at about $992.7 million — the first time DOGE futures have fallen below $1 billion in USD terms since October 2024. Exchange breakdown: Binance holds ~2.09 billion DOGE (~$195M, 19.6%), Gate leads in USD terms (~$229M, 23.1%), OKX ~$99.7M, Bybit ~$86.5M. Total DOGE open interest fell 3.11% in 24 hours; Gate and BingX saw larger daily drops (−13.83% and −24.75%). XRP open interest is 1.65 billion XRP, valued at ~$2.27 billion, returning to late-November-2024 exposure. CME leads with 378.89M XRP (~$519.1M), Binance 339.57M XRP (~$465.2M, 20.5%), Bybit ~$225.8M, Gate ~$200.7M. XRP open interest was down 0.61% in 24 hours; Gate and BingX experienced sharp declines (−17.24% and −31.19%). Drivers cited include weaker capital inflows into crypto and ongoing outflows leading to position deleveraging. The declines suggest reduced futures leverage and investor positioning for both tokens, with short-term volatility risk and lower derivatives liquidity. Key SEO keywords: Dogecoin open interest, XRP open interest, DOGE futures, XRP futures, derivatives, Coinglass.

VIRTUAL surged 12.53% in 24 hours as volume rose 32.64% to $77.25M, pushing price toward $0.666. Market cap stayed near $437M. Buyers repeatedly defended a $0.50–$0.55 demand zone, forming higher lows from $0.5033. The token trades inside a broader descending structure of lower highs since late 2025, with the $0.70 area now the immediate structural resistance; reclaiming it would shift short-term structure bullish toward $0.9045, while rejection would keep price compressed between $0.55–$0.70. On-chain flows show persistent exchange outflows of about $190.31K, indicating holders are moving tokens off exchanges and limiting immediate sell-side supply. Derivatives metrics show Open Interest up 20.61% to $69.45M, signaling rising leveraged exposure that can amplify moves. Technical indicators: Parabolic SAR flipped bullish near $0.5497; Stochastic RSI around 71–69, approaching overbought but not extreme. Key takeaways for traders: $0.70 is the pivot — a decisive close above it could trigger a short squeeze and continuation toward $0.9045, while failure risks a range-bound pullback. Monitor exchange netflows (supply tightness) and rising Open Interest for leverage-driven volatility and liquidation risk.

Ripple said it is deploying billions of dollars to expand its global payments infrastructure and drive wider adoption of its technology for cross‑border finance. CEO Brad Garlinghouse described the company as “incredibly excited” about near‑term growth opportunities, citing investments in liquidity, partnerships with banks and payment providers, and product development (including payments rails and On‑Demand Liquidity). Ripple’s strategy emphasizes scaling real‑world use cases for XRP and its enterprise software to reduce friction and costs in international transfers. The company highlighted growing commercial traction, regulatory progress in key jurisdictions, and continued capital deployment to support market expansion. No specific timelines or exact allocation breakdowns were disclosed. The announcement aims to accelerate customer onboarding, deepen banking relationships and increase usage of Ripple’s settlement tools, potentially affecting demand for XRP and liquidity needs in the short to medium term.

Senior Trump advisers have reportedly discussed a scenario in which Israel would strike Iran first, prompting an Iranian retaliatory attack that could then justify subsequent U.S. military intervention. According to Politico sources, some U.S. officials believe an initial unilateral Israeli strike followed by Iranian retaliation would make it politically easier to gain public support in the United States for direct U.S. action. Polls show many Americans—especially Republicans—favor regime change in Iran but are reluctant to accept U.S. casualties, so framing and sequencing of strikes matter politically. Insiders noted that while some officials privately prefer Israel to act first to shape public opinion, the most likely outcome remains coordinated U.S.-Israeli operations. The discussion reflects strategic thinking about public perception, timing, and the political feasibility of escalation with Iran.

t54 Labs, a San Francisco startup founded in January 2025, closed a $5 million seed round led by Anagram, PL Capital and Franklin Templeton, with participation from Ripple, Virtuals Ventures, Blockchain Coinvestors, ABCDE and others. The company provides trust infrastructure for autonomous AI agents that can initiate payments and trades — offering “Know Your Agent” identity, real-time risk controls, credit lines and integrated settlement tools. t54 uses blockchains as a programmable, auditable settlement and accountability layer and has launched on XRP Ledger, Solana and Base. It is developing an open-source trust layer for the x402 payments protocol incubated by Coinbase and has integrated with Evernorth, a Ripple-backed digital asset treasury firm. Key keywords: t54 Labs, seed funding, Ripple, Franklin Templeton, AI agent trust, XRP Ledger, Solana, Base, x402.

Japan’s equity benchmarks rose on Feb. 26: the Nikkei 225 surpassed 59,000 points for the first time, while the Tokyo Stock Price Index (TOPIX) climbed to a new all-time high. South Korea’s KOSPI opened higher the same day, up 27.64 points (0.45%) at 6,111.5. The moves reflect continued strength in regional equity markets. No individual stocks or sectors were highlighted in the report. The note is provided as market information and does not constitute investment advice.

Tether’s USDT market capitalization dropped by more than $3 billion in a short period, prompting concern among crypto traders about stablecoin stability and potential market volatility. The decline reduced USDT’s circulating supply and briefly altered stablecoin market shares. Market participants flagged heightened redemption activity and possible rebalancing into other stablecoins or fiat. While Tether affirmed ongoing operations, the outflow raised questions about liquidity and the broader crypto market’s reliance on USDT for trading and settlement. Traders should monitor USDT supply metrics, on-chain flows, exchange reserves, and alternative stablecoin dynamics, as large withdrawals can increase short-term volatility and affect funding rates, margin requirements, and liquidity across pairs.

Kalshi, a CFTC-regulated prediction market, suspended a US politician for five years and fined him $2,000 after he placed and publicly posted a bet on his own California gubernatorial campaign, a violation of Kalshi’s insider trading rules. The platform identified the individual as likely Kyle Langford, who reportedly later shifted to a congressional run. Separately, Kalshi penalized a YouTube editor for roughly $4,000 in trades tied to YouTube stream markets; the account received a two-year suspension and about $20,000 in fines after surveillance flagged near-perfect returns and investigators linked the account to material non-public information — widely reported to be Artem Kaptur, associated with MrBeast. Kalshi said it has investigated about 200 cases, frozen several accounts, and has more than a dozen active investigations. The firm recently enhanced surveillance by forming an audit committee and partnering with Solidus Labs. The CFTC has also formed a prediction markets advisory and CFTC Chair Mike Selig warned that attempts at manipulation, fraud, or insider trading will be prosecuted. This increased enforcement follows broader regulatory scrutiny of prediction markets after high-profile incidents, including a Polymarket user reportedly profiting on a political event. Key facts: five-year ban and $2,000 fine for a politician; two-year ban and ~$20,000 fine for a YouTube editor; ~200 cases investigated by Kalshi; new surveillance partnership with Solidus Labs; active CFTC involvement and public enforcement warnings.

Coins.ph, a BSP‑licensed crypto exchange in the Philippines, launched “Coins College Bitcoin Builder,” a four‑year education and savings program targeting college and vocational students aged 18+. The program promotes a buy‑and‑hold BTC strategy, positioning Bitcoin as a “digital gold” and a superior store of value versus peso savings. Participants receive a Builder Wallet with trading disabled for the four‑year term; BTC deposits earn matching BTC rewards up to ₱100 per year for four years (cap ₱100/year). Students can withdraw deposits anytime but forfeit accrued rewards and exit the program. Enrollment requires proof of enrollment in a CHED‑recognized university or TESDA‑accredited vocational school; the onboarding flow includes reserving a spot and depositing an initial ₱100 in BTC. Coins.ph frames the initiative as financial discipline training for the next generation and highlights its BSP licence as providing regulatory security. The program complements prior Coins.ph outreach and education drives in 2025. Primary keywords: Coins.ph, Bitcoin program, Bitcoin builder, BTC buy and hold, crypto education.

The crypto market staged a broad rebound as traders repositioned ahead of U.S. initial jobless claims data, pushing total market capitalization back toward $2.3 trillion. Bitcoin reclaimed the $65,000 level and remains rangebound between roughly $65K–$70K, while Ethereum held near $1,900. Short-liquidations in leveraged markets amplified the upside, and several large-cap and smaller-cap altcoins posted double-digit gains. Analysts cite signs of bearish exhaustion after prior selling and improved risk appetite tied to expectations that weaker labor data would increase the likelihood of Federal Reserve rate cuts — a macro driver that often supports risk assets. Key levels to watch: market cap ~$2.30T as a confirmation of broader bullish momentum and Bitcoin resistance in the $67K–$70K zone; failure to hold support could revive downside risk. Primary keywords: crypto market, Bitcoin, Ethereum, U.S. jobs data, short squeezes. Secondary/semantic keywords: market capitalization, Fed rate cuts, leveraged liquidations, altcoin rebounds, consolidation range.