Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) recounts his life and career on the All In Podcast, tracing his journey from an immigrant childhood and burger-joint jobs to studying computer science and building high-frequency trading systems, then pivoting into crypto. CZ describes first encountering Bitcoin in 2013, selling his Shanghai apartment to go “all-in” on crypto despite bear markets, and later founding Binance — emphasizing resilience, adaptability and principle-based leadership. He reflects on personal definitions of success (health, family, time autonomy, values, contribution), the role of luck and persistence, and practical growth advice: incremental daily improvements over decades. The interview also covers CZ’s early tech career (Tokyo, Bloomberg), experiences with mergers and startups, and encounters with legal and political pressures around Binance and US authorities. Key SEO keywords: CZ, Binance, Bitcoin, crypto exchange, crypto market, Binance founder. Relevance to traders: insights into Binance’s founder mindset, long-term conviction in Bitcoin, and lessons on risk, resilience and regulatory friction that can affect exchange operations and market liquidity.

Uniswap secured a U.S. federal court victory on Feb. 11, 2026, after entities linked to Bancor (Bprotocol Foundation and LocalCoin Ltd.) sued over alleged infringement of a 2017 patent covering the constant-product automated market maker (CPAMM) formula (x*y=k). Plaintiffs alleged Uniswap used the patented AMM method since 2018 and sought damages; Uniswap defended that its code is open-source and that the patent attempted to claim basic mathematical principles. Industry groups including the DeFi Education Fund and the Solana Institute backed Uniswap. The court found the infringement claims insufficient given the open nature and widespread adoption of the model. No appeal has been announced. Traders should note this ruling reduces legal risk for major AMM protocols, defends open-source DeFi primitives, and lowers the chance of patent-driven licensing costs or feature rollbacks across DEXs.

DOGEBALL is running a Stage 1 presale for DOGECHAIN’s native token, positioning itself as a gaming-focused Ethereum Layer-2 with sub-2-second transactions and near-zero gas fees. The project markets an already playable cross‑platform game with a $1 million prize pool and a $500k leaderboard reward. Stage 1 price is $0.0003 per token and the project publicly states an exchange listing price of $0.015 — a programmed 50x (5,000%) uplift on listing. A limited-time Valentine’s bonus code (DB75) offers 75% extra tokens until Feb 14, 2026. The marketing materials cite partnerships or talks with gaming firms (Falcon Interactive and potential Activision engagement), a reported live testnet and an integrated block explorer, plus a Coinsult security score claimed at 100%. Both articles are paid/advertorial pieces and include standard disclaimers that content is not investment advice. Traders should note the presale framing (large advertised ROI, bonus incentives, staged pricing) and the promotional nature of partnership claims when assessing risk and token distribution/vesting details before trading or participating.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has lost more than $10 billion since July as the crypto market reversed sharply from October highs, pushing his net worth down to roughly $7.4–7.5 billion and removing him from the world’s top 500 richest. About 90% of Armstrong’s wealth is tied to his roughly 14% stake in Coinbase, whose shares have fallen over 50% since Bitcoin’s October peak (with around 27% of the decline occurring in 2026). The broader crypto market shed roughly 40% of value since October, erasing about $2 trillion and cutting hundreds of billions from crypto billionaires’ fortunes—major losses cited include Binance’s CZ, the Winklevoss twins, Michael Saylor and Michael Novogratz. Newer analyst updates intensify downside pressure on Coinbase. JPMorgan lowered its COIN price target from $399 to $290 and forecasts weaker Q4 EBITDA and declining stablecoin (USDC) revenues, citing softer crypto prices, reduced trading volumes and slower USDC growth. Barclays similarly sees weaker retail trading and blockchain revenues. For traders, key takeaways are concentrated equity exposure in exchange stocks, reduced yield drivers from stablecoins, and likely continued correlation between COIN, BTC and sentiment-driven volumes. These factors point to elevated volatility and heightened trading risk in the near term; expect COIN to remain sensitive to Bitcoin moves and market sentiment while stablecoin revenue headwinds could weigh on exchange fundamentals.

Ledger has integrated OKX DEX into Ledger Wallet, enabling users to execute on‑chain multichain swaps directly from their hardware wallets while keeping private keys offline. OKX DEX is a decentralized multichain aggregator and bridge that sources liquidity from 400+ venues across 25+ blockchains, including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Polygon and BNB Chain. Trades are quoted with aggregated best rates and must be confirmed on the user’s Ledger device, preserving hardware‑enforced self‑custody. The rollout is phased and requires no firmware update; supported L1/L2 networks are available at launch, though cross‑chain bridging and cross‑seed swaps are not yet enabled. The integration follows Ledger’s broader DeFi push — recent partnerships and products include Kiln for self‑custody stablecoin yields (advertised APYs ~5%–9.9% via protocols such as Aave and Compound) and a bitcoin yield product with Lombard and Figment — and aims to reduce DeFi friction by removing manual bridging and platform hopping while offering competitive aggregated pricing. For traders, the move could raise on‑chain liquidity—especially on BNB Chain—and make execution from hardware wallets simpler; it may modestly affect demand and futures activity for tokens on supported chains. This is informational and not investment advice.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a third consecutive day of net inflows on Feb. 10, attracting $166.56 million in new capital as every fund in the cohort posted inflows. Data compiled by pseudonymous analyst Trader T shows ARK Invest’s ARKB led with $68.53M, Fidelity’s FBTC added $56.92M, and BlackRock’s IBIT contributed $26.53M; smaller issuers (Valkyrie BRRR, WisdomTree BTCW and Grayscale’s mini BTC) added a combined $14.58M. This follows earlier reports of consecutive inflows on Feb. 9 and continues a short streak that suggests a transition from launch-phase volatility toward steadier, demand-driven flows. Analysts attribute sustained ETF inflows to arbitrage opportunities against futures (contango), increased access for advised money via financial advisors, and competitive fee structures. Each net inflow generally requires ETF custodians to acquire equivalent spot BTC, creating consistent institutional buy-side pressure that can reduce exchange supply and support price. Traders should note the concentration of flows among leading issuers (especially ARKB, FBTC, IBIT), the broadening participation across funds, and the short-term nature of the streak — useful as a sentiment and potential near-term buying-pressure signal but not definitive proof of a lasting trend. Continued inflows could alter spot and derivatives liquidity dynamics and increase structural support for BTC price.

Ripple is expanding its product suite with staking and enhanced compliance tools as institutional interest in cryptocurrencies grows. The company announced new staking capabilities for XRP and integrations that streamline transaction monitoring and regulatory reporting for enterprise clients. Ripple’s upgrades aim to make XRP custody and yield generation more attractive to institutional investors while addressing compliance concerns that have hindered broader adoption. The move accompanies broader momentum in institutional crypto adoption, including rising demand for regulated custody, yield products, and clearer compliance frameworks. Market observers note that these features could increase institutional inflows into XRP and related on‑chain services by lowering operational and regulatory barriers. Key takeaways: Ripple introduces XRP staking, improves compliance and monitoring integrations, targets institutional custody and yield demand, and positions XRP for greater institutional adoption.

New research signals an "AI burnout paradox": early, enthusiastic adopters of workplace AI are reporting increased hours and stress rather than relief. An eight-month UC Berkeley observational study of a 200-person tech firm, summarized in Harvard Business Review, found employees expanded their to‑do lists as AI raised perceived capacity, causing work to bleed into breaks and evenings. Supporting evidence includes an NBER study showing only ~3% average time savings across thousands of workplaces and a developer trial where experienced coders took 19% longer on tasks while feeling 20% faster. Researchers identify rising organizational expectations and pressure to demonstrate AI ROI as key drivers. Cognitive explanations reference Parkinson’s Law—perceived capacity expands work—and historical parallels (email, smartphones) illustrate recurring adoption pitfalls. Recommended mitigation: explicit capacity boundaries, outcome-based evaluation, mandatory disconnection policies, regular workflow audits and managerial focus on quality over speed. For traders, this research highlights potential corporate productivity illusions and management risk around AI rollouts, with implications for enterprise software vendors, AI services spending and workforce-driven productivity metrics.

South Korea’s major crypto exchange Bithumb disclosed a catastrophic internal control failure after a single assistant manager processed a 60 trillion won (~$46 billion) payment without verification. The incident was revealed during a National Assembly hearing in December 2024, where Rep. Min Byoung-dug and Bithumb CEO Lee Jae-won testified that the mistaken Bitcoin disbursements exploited gaps in internal procedures. Two prior smaller mistaken payments were reported and recovered, suggesting systemic governance weaknesses rather than isolated errors. The case highlights lapses in multi-signature authorization, segregation of duties, reconciliation between blockchain records and internal accounts, and audit oversight. It raises regulatory concerns under South Korea’s Virtual Asset User Protection Act (2023), prompting likely increases in audits, stricter custody standards, and calls for multi-layer verification and institutional-grade custody. For traders, the episode may pressure market confidence in centralized exchanges, trigger volatility in KRW-paired markets, and accelerate demand for decentralized or custodial alternatives.

Binance will list AZTEC/USDT pre‑market perpetual futures on February 11 at 04:30 UTC, offering up to 5x leverage. Pre‑market perpetuals trade before the underlying spot asset is listed, enabling early price discovery but typically carrying higher volatility and gradually developing liquidity. Binance frames the 5x cap as a conservative risk measure compared with its higher‑leverage products (up to 125x on some contracts) and says it will apply position limits, tiered liquidation, insurance fund protection and enhanced monitoring during the initial listing period. AZTEC is a privacy‑focused project using zero‑knowledge proofs on EVM‑compatible networks; recent upgrades improved efficiency but privacy tokens face heightened regulatory scrutiny. Traders should expect amplified short‑term volatility, phased liquidity growth, and possible correlated moves across other privacy coins. Recommended trader actions: review AZTEC fundamentals, size positions conservatively (5x implies ~20% initial margin), use stop‑loss/take‑profit orders, consider testnet practice, and monitor funding rates and Binance parameter adjustments. This listing reinforces Binance’s continued expansion of derivatives products and may spur increased attention to privacy tokens while signalling cautious leverage and risk management amid evolving regulatory oversight.

The tokenized commodities market has surged to over $6.1 billion, up 53% in under six weeks, driven predominantly by gold-backed tokens. Tether Gold (XAUt) and Paxos PAX Gold (PAXG) together account for more than 95% of the sector’s market cap—XAUt rose 51.6% in the past month to about $3.6 billion, while PAXG increased 33.2% to roughly $2.3 billion. Since Jan. 1 the tokenized commodities market added roughly $2 billion, expanding 360% year-on-year and outpacing tokenized stocks ($538M) and tokenized funds growth. Tether further expanded its gold strategy by buying a $150M stake in Gold.com and plans to integrate XAUt into the platform and explore purchases of physical gold with USDT. The rally in tokenized gold parallels an 80%+ rise in spot gold over the past year (peaking near $5,600) and comes amid recent volatility in crypto—Bitcoin fell from an October high of about $126,080 to near $60,000 before rebounding to ~$69,050. Key implications: increased institutional and retail demand for tokenized real-world assets, growing dominance of gold in RWA tokenization, and potential linkage between traditional safe-haven flows and on-chain gold products. Primary keywords: tokenized commodities, tokenized gold, XAUt, PAXG, Tether.

ARK Invest, led by Cathie Wood, argues that artificial intelligence will trigger a multi-year capital expenditure (CapEx) boom as hyperscalers and corporations invest heavily in AI infrastructure. In a Feb 2026 report, ARK highlights three accelerating trends: the release of more powerful AI models (eg. GPT-5.3), legacy automakers’ EV-related write-downs totaling about $59 billion, and the convergence of AI, robotics and biotech (notably OpenAI and Ginkgo’s autonomous lab). The firm says recent large CapEx announcements from Google and Amazon are ahead of consensus and could seed productivity gains across industries. Goldman Sachs raised its 2026 AI CapEx forecast to $527 billion; ARK notes a roughly $300 billion drop in U.S. software market value as AI erodes traditional software moats. ARK frames current spending as a “down payment” on long-term returns but warns of execution and revenue-visibility risks. Key takeaways for traders: accelerating hyperscaler CapEx may boost demand for cloud, semiconductor and AI-service providers; software incumbents face margin pressure as AI-native tools reduce barriers; biotech and robotics firms tied to AI automation could become strategic beneficiaries. Monitor hyperscaler spending updates, semiconductor supply signals, large-cap software earnings and EV restructure headlines for short-term volatility and sector rotation opportunities.

XRP has seen sustained selling since August 2025, with on-chain metrics indicating capitulation as holders realize major losses. Glassnode data shows the Spent Output Profit Ratio (SOPR) fell from 1.16 (25 July 2025) to 0.96, mirroring patterns from Sept 2021–May 2022 when SOPR <1 preceded prolonged consolidation. From mid-July to late October XRP fell ~27% (from $3.50 to $2.40). Long-term holders who accumulated before Nov 2024 increased spending 580% — from $38M/day to $260M/day — signaling distribution into weakness rather than profit-taking during rallies. By mid-November only 58.5% of supply was in profit, the lowest since Nov 2024, and repeated retests of the $2 zone resulted in weekly realized losses of $500M–$1.2B. At the time of reporting XRP traded near $1.40, below aggregate holder cost basis, prompting panic selling. Analysts view the move as capitulation rather than structural failure, citing stronger fundamentals and improved regulatory clarity compared with 2022. Key implications for traders: heightened downside risk around the $2 support zone, elevated on-chain selling pressure, and potential for an extended consolidation phase if capitulation completes.

Stripe has launched an x402 payments preview that lets AI agents make automated USDC payments on Coinbase’s Base (an Ethereum L2) to pay for APIs, data and compute. Announced by product lead Jeff Weinstein, the system issues a unique wallet address per Stripe Payment Intent; when an AI agent sends USDC on Base the payment settles in seconds and is reflected in the merchant’s Stripe balance. Stripe says its existing tax, refund and compliance tooling will handle reporting and merchant accounting. x402 revives the HTTP 402 “Payment Required” concept by embedding payment metadata so client wallets can sign on‑chain payments and resend requests with receipts — enabling per-request, per-second or per-use micropayments without cards or human billing cycles. Stripe published open-source developer tooling (a CLI called “purl” and Python/Node.js samples) for early testing and is rolling the preview out to a limited set of developers. Initial support focuses on USDC on Base because of low fees and fast settlement; Stripe plans to add more chains, protocols, stablecoins and payment methods over time. For traders, the rollout signals growing on‑chain utility for USD‑pegged stablecoins, potential increase in Base network transaction volume, and deeper integration of crypto into mainstream payment rails as AI-driven micropayments scale — potentially raising demand for USDC and on‑chain activity tied to agent economies.

Robinhood has launched a public testnet for Robinhood Chain, an Ethereum Layer-2 built on Offchain Labs’ Arbitrum (Nitro) stack. The testnet supplies endpoints, documentation, testnet-only assets and compatibility with Ethereum tooling and the Robinhood Wallet to let developers and partners test dApps and smart contracts. Robinhood positions the chain to support tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) — notably tokenized equities, ETFs and private assets — with the aim of enabling 24/7 trading and self-custody when mainnet launches. Infrastructure and integrations from Alchemy, Allium, Chainlink, LayerZero and TRM are already in progress ahead of mainnet plans. Robinhood said the testnet phase will measure developer adoption, transaction volume, active addresses and smart-contract deployments before any mainnet date is set. Offchain Labs and Robinhood frame the move as a step toward broader tokenization and permissionless financial services. For traders: the launch signals increased infrastructure competition among L2s (Arbitrum-based, Optimism, zkSync, Base), potential liquidity migration if Robinhood attracts users and tokenized equities listings, and a window to watch developer activity and integrations that could affect onchain volume and fee dynamics.

SOIL Farm is building an institutional lending stack on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) using proposed amendments XLS-65 and XLS-66. The protocol combines Single Asset Vaults and a permissioned-domain model to aggregate institutional capital into RLUSD, enable on-ledger loan creation, automated interest accrual, real-time loan health monitoring, and instant settlement — while preserving KYC/AML through gated vaults. SOIL plans to deploy aggregated RLUSD into money market funds and private credit strategies targeting roughly 8% APR in real yield (not token emissions). The pending XLS-66 mainnet activation is central: validators adopting it would enable on-chain credit, RWA liquidity, and native yield opportunities for RLUSD and XRP holders. SOIL positions itself as a hybrid solution for family offices and fund managers seeking regulated, efficient institutional credit on XRPL and says a demo is forthcoming.

U.S. lawmakers grilled executives from a major cryptocurrency exchange about allegations that the firm holds up to $40 billion in unbacked or ’ghost’ Bitcoin. Congressional investigators pressed the exchange on custody practices, proof-of-reserves, audit transparency and whether customer assets are fully segregated. The hearing focused on potential risks to market stability, consumer protection and the broader crypto ecosystem if large quantities of Bitcoin reported by the exchange cannot be verified on-chain. Key topics included the exchange’s reserve verification methods, third-party audits, compliance with regulatory frameworks, and contingency plans for asset shortfalls. Lawmakers signaled interest in tighter oversight and clearer disclosure requirements for centralized platforms. Traders should watch for volatility around the exchange’s native token, Bitcoin liquidity on spot and derivatives markets, and any regulatory developments or enforcement actions that may follow the hearing.

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) set the USD/CNY daily reference rate at 6.9438, a 20‑pip appreciation from the prior 6.9458 fixing. The move is a deliberate, modest adjustment within China’s managed‑floating framework that blends the previous close with a currency basket. The earlier report noted a 0.1% strengthening to 6.9458 following supportive fundamentals (wider trade surplus, large FX reserves) and higher CNH volumes; the later update refines the level to 6.9438 and highlights increased derivative positioning. Market reaction was contained: onshore CNY remained inside the ±2% trading band and offshore CNH traded in expected ranges while yuan options and forwards showed increased activity. Analysts view the change as policy calibration aimed at exchange‑rate stability, influenced by trade balances, cross‑border flows, Fed policy expectations and China’s ongoing financial opening. For traders — especially those managing crypto portfolios with CNY/CNH exposure or arbitrage between onshore/offshore rails — key takeaways are: PBOC remains an active manager of yuan valuation; near‑term volatility is likely to stay muted by the trading band; and rising derivatives flows could create short‑term tactical opportunities (options/forwards) around small, policy‑guided adjustments. Watch PBOC guidance, U.S. Fed moves, China‑US yield differentials and cross‑border liquidity for triggers that could widen yuan moves and spill into crypto markets via funding/cross‑currency channels. Primary keywords: PBOC reference rate, USD/CNY, Chinese yuan. Secondary keywords: CNH volumes, trade surplus, foreign reserves, exchange rate regime, derivatives activity.

Galaxy Digital transferred 245 BTC (≈$16.9M) to Binance from a wallet that has moved about 1,680 BTC (≈$150M) to exchanges over the past seven months, on-chain tracker The Data Nerd reports. Large deposits to centralized exchanges like Binance are often interpreted as preparatory steps for selling because exchanges provide immediate liquidity, but they can also fund OTC trades, margin/collateral needs, or routine treasury rebalancing. Key facts: latest deposit 245 BTC (~$16.9M); seven-month cumulative deposits 1,680 BTC (~$150M); destination: Binance (high liquidity). Market impact depends on whether the deposit hits Binance’s public order book or is used off-exchange. Given Bitcoin’s multi-billion-dollar daily volume, the direct price effect is likely limited, but the move may influence sentiment and trigger short-term volatility. Traders should monitor subsequent on-chain activity (exchange outflows vs. on-book listings), Binance order-book depth for BTC, ETF flows and macro liquidity signals to judge whether this indicates systematic profit-taking or routine asset management.

The Canadian dollar surged about 0.8% to a two‑week high versus the US dollar (CAD/USD ~0.7450) as markets positioned ahead of the US Non‑Farm Payrolls (NFP) report. Drivers included rising crude oil prices, hints of policy shifts from the Bank of Canada, technical breakout above the 50‑day moving average, increased trading volumes (~15% above 30‑day average) and options activity showing demand for CAD calls. Economists’ consensus for US December employment: +180,000 jobs, unemployment 3.8%, average hourly earnings +0.3%. Implied volatility and risk reversals rose ahead of the release. Key technical levels: support ~0.7400, resistance ~0.7480. Market reactions included mixed equities, moderate bond yield moves and continued commodity strength. Traders and institutions adjusted FX positioning and hedges ahead of anticipated post‑NFP volatility. The move underscores CAD sensitivity to commodity prices, interest‑rate differentials and US employment data — factors likely to drive near‑term FX volatility and hedging flows.

Spot gold surged to $5,050/oz amid pronounced US dollar weakness after recent FOMC minutes and Fed commentary signalled a more patient, data-dependent approach to future rate moves. The dollar index (DXY) fell for a third day, reducing real US Treasury yields and lowering the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion. Analysts say the Fed-driven currency move is the primary catalyst, allowing gold to climb even as equities show a positive risk tone. Market attention now focuses on the upcoming US Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) report: a strong NFP print could revive USD strength and pressure gold, a moderate print would likely sustain current trends, while a weak print could accelerate USD weakness and push gold higher. Key technical levels: immediate resistance near $5,050, upside targets around $5,200–$5,250, and support at $4,950–$4,980. Traders should watch headline jobs, average hourly earnings, the DXY, real yields and CME FedWatch probabilities for rate moves. This dynamic highlights gold’s sensitivity to currency moves and real interest rates and implies heightened short-term volatility around US labor data.

Solana reported 38 million on-chain transactions involving autonomous AI agents, a milestone highlighted on the network’s official X account. The activity underscores growing AI-driven utility on Solana and coincides with strong on-chain fundamentals: weekly spot DEX volume hit a 13-week high of $36 billion per SolanaFloor data. Market attention over a “no more memecoins” comment sparked debate—Binance founder CZ defended memecoins while critics noted centralized exchanges profit from listings. Meanwhile memecoins are under pressure: the memecoin market cap fell about 35% this month and some Solana meme tokens like Official Trump (TRUMP) dropped roughly 40%. The article argues investors are favoring real network activity and AI projects over speculative memecoin bets, suggesting Solana may lead the next wave of blockchain adoption driven by AI utility.

Bitcoin is failing to reclaim key resistance as market demand weakens and new investor inflows have turned negative, according to CryptoQuant. Cumulative 30-day flows sit near −$2.6 billion, indicating sustained outflows rather than the accumulation typical of bull-market corrections. On-chain metrics show marginal buyers stepping back; liquidity is contracting and price moves are driven by internal rotation among existing holders rather than fresh capital. Technically, BTC has broken below short- and medium-term moving averages with a deteriorating weekly structure since the $120K–$125K rejection, forming lower highs and greater downside volatility. Elevated sell-side volume suggests distribution and forced liquidations. Critical support zones to watch are $65K–$70K and the longer-term trend line in the high-$50K area; a decisive break below $62K–$65K risks deeper retracement. For traders, the lack of inflows reduces the probability of a sustainable trend reversal: expect corrective rebounds and higher volatility until consistent new demand returns.

WTI crude oil futures remain supported above $64.00 per barrel despite a larger-than-expected U.S. inventory build of about 4.8 million barrels, roughly 2% above the five-year seasonal average, according to the EIA. Traders are weighing this bearish supply signal against persistent geopolitical risk in key producing regions (notably tensions around the Strait of Hormuz) and OPEC+ production policy, which together are maintaining a risk premium that cushions prices. Technical levels to watch: $64.00 as near-term support, $62.50 next support on a break, and resistance around $66–$67. Market positioning shows reduced but still substantial net-long speculative exposure; the futures curve displays a shallow contango consistent with inventory accumulation but not extreme oversupply. Near-term outlook: range-bound trading unless a decisive shift occurs via continued large builds, easing geopolitical tensions, OPEC+ policy changes, or a sharp demand signal from economic data. Key actionable points for traders: monitor weekly EIA inventories, OPEC+ communications, geopolitical headlines affecting Middle East shipping, U.S. production data, and refinery throughput as catalysts for a breakout.

Tether has completed a strategic investment in LayerZero Labs to support development of efficient, secure cross-chain infrastructure. The amount was not disclosed. LayerZero’s interoperability protocol, integrated via Everdawn Labs, is used to mint an omnichain USDT variant called “USDT0” using the Omnichain Fungible Token (OFT) standard, preserving 1:1 backing with USDT. Since its launch in early 2025, USDT0 has facilitated over $70 billion in cross-chain value transfers. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said LayerZero’s technology enables instant transfers across ledgers and transmission layers and called it foundational for future finance. Tether also highlighted potential use cases in the AI space, suggesting LayerZero’s protocol could let AI agents autonomously operate wallets and transact at scale with stablecoins and digital assets. This strategic investment signals Tether’s push to accelerate cross-chain liquidity and infrastructure supporting broader USDT adoption.

OpenAI has deployed a customized version of ChatGPT on the U.S. Department of Defense’s GenAI.mil platform for unclassified use. The system will run inside an authorized government cloud and, according to OpenAI, includes safeguards to keep data separate from OpenAI’s public models. The move expands the military’s access to commercial generative AI alongside other models already available to the Pentagon, such as Google’s Gemini and xAI’s Grok. OpenAI stated the deployment aims to give defenders access to advanced tools with proper safeguards to deter threats and protect people. Critics, including J.B. Branch of Public Citizen, cautioned that human error and user overreliance remain significant risks; they warned that treating AI systems as secure vaults or relying on them in high‑impact contexts could expose sensitive information. The announcement comes as the Pentagon accelerates adoption of commercial AI across military networks and signals continued competition among AI providers to win enterprise and government contracts.

Grayscale’s research finds Bitcoin (BTC) has recently behaved more like high‑valuation tech and software stocks than a traditional safe‑haven such as gold. Over the past 12 months BTC’s short‑term price moves closely tracked growth‑oriented software equities; when AI‑related concerns and sector rotation hit overvalued tech names, Bitcoin fell as investors exited risk‑on assets. Grayscale notes a sharp pullback from October highs (BTC peaked above $126,000 then fell to about $60,000 on Feb. 5) and highlights that while precious metals rallied, Bitcoin did not mirror those gains. The report stresses Bitcoin retains long‑term store‑of‑value traits (capped supply, decentralization) but, with only ~17 years of market history, it currently trades as a risk asset tied to growth‑tech sentiment. Key takeaways for traders: expect continued short‑term correlation between BTC and growth/tech sentiment; monitor tech sector signals, AI news and risk‑on flows for BTC direction; the digital‑gold thesis may reassert over time as adoption and macro recognition increase. (No investment advice.)

Ripple and UAE-based Zand Bank have launched a stablecoin liquidity bridge connecting Ripple’s dollar-backed RLUSD and Zand’s UAE dirham-backed AEDZ on the XRP Ledger (XRPL). Zand Bank will offer regulated custody for RLUSD and is onboarding AEDZ to XRPL, enabling direct swaps between RLUSD and AEDZ without multi-step conversions. The partnership expands on a prior payments deal between the two firms and aims to bolster on-chain tokenization, liquidity and institutional access in the UAE digital economy. Key implications include improved FX-style stablecoin liquidity on XRPL, regulated custody that may attract institutional participants, and broader stablecoin interoperability in the Middle East.

Altcoins are struggling to mount a meaningful rebound while Bitcoin remains below $70,000, keeping market momentum weak. The article reviews technical levels for Ethereum (ETH), XRP and Solana (SOL). Key technical points: ETH needs a daily close above the $2,100–$2,300 pivot zone to revive bullish participation; XRP must sustain a move above $1.50 to avoid further drift toward $1.10 or lower; SOL is testing major support at $76–$82, with a break increasing the likelihood of a retest of the $50 psychological level. Overall sentiment is cautious after sizable outflows in risk assets, leaving the crypto market searching for consolidation and a credible bounce. Primary keywords: altcoins, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, Bitcoin, technical levels, support and resistance.