Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Defunct peer-to-peer marketplace Paxful agreed to a $4 million civil penalty to settle U.S. enforcement actions alleging long-running failures in anti-money-laundering (AML) controls and violations of the Travel Act. Prosecutors said Paxful marketed weak or unenforced KYC/AML practices, maintained inadequate transaction monitoring and suspicious-activity reporting, and allowed criminal actors to convert illicit proceeds on the platform over multiple years. A previously noted criminal penalty of $112.5 million was reduced to $4 million due to Paxful’s inability to pay. Paxful has ceased operations; the settlement does not create a private right of action for victims. The case underscores heightened U.S. enforcement risk for peer-to-peer crypto exchanges and custodial services lacking robust compliance, and may accelerate regulatory scrutiny across the crypto sector—important for traders monitoring compliance-driven market shifts and platform counterparty risk.

Binance has completed integration of Ripple USD (RLUSD) on the XRP Ledger and opened user deposits; withdrawals remain disabled until sufficient on‑chain liquidity is confirmed. The listing follows RLUSD’s Ethereum launch two weeks earlier and increases the stablecoin’s accessibility across Ripple’s ecosystem and centralized exchanges. RLUSD, launched 17 December 2024, now holds roughly $1.5 billion market capitalization and has seen trading volume jump ~135% after recent exchange listings. Ripple plans further expansion via Wormhole to Ethereum Layer‑2 chains (Base, Optimism, Unichain, Ink). Institutional and regional adoption have supported growth — including custody/trading support from AMINA Bank (Switzerland) in July 2025 and partnerships with African payment firms (Chipper Cash, Yellow Card, VALR) in September 2025. Market watchers expect the XRP Ledger listing to boost on‑chain activity and cross‑chain flows; some traders cite recent XRP price weakness (about 70% off peak) as a buying opportunity. Key SEO keywords: RLUSD, Ripple, XRP Ledger, Binance listing, stablecoin market cap, Wormhole bridge.

Solana (SOL) saw 1.077 million SOL withdrawn from exchanges within 72 hours, a move typically interpreted as investors shifting to long-term holding. The withdrawals coincided with a short-term price dip: SOL fell below $100 and was trading near $85 at the time of reporting. Despite the pullbacks, Standard Chartered maintains a bullish long-term forecast, projecting Solana could reach $2,000 by 2030, citing Solana’s scalability, low fees and growing developer ecosystem. Traders should note that large exchange outflows often signal confidence and can precede rebounds when market conditions improve, but the recent price decline highlights ongoing volatility in altcoins and broader crypto markets.

Bitcoin fell below $67,000, trading around $66,900–66,996 on spot markets after a multi-session decline. The drop (about 4% from the prior session) broke recent short-term support and came with a 35–37% rise in trading volume, a fall in RSI to the low 40s, and a bearish MACD crossover. Derivatives flows showed increased put-option demand and higher futures open interest/hedging activity, signaling heightened short-term volatility. Key technical levels: immediate support near $65,500 and $63,200; resistance at roughly $68,400–69,800 and the 50-day moving average near $68,500. Macro drivers included a firmer US dollar and Fed guidance, while equities slipped modestly. On-chain fundamentals remain intact — steady transaction throughput, high mining difficulty and hash rate, and slightly lower exchange reserves pointing to some accumulation. Major altcoins underperformed during the move (ETH, SOL, ADA down mid-single digits). Traders should monitor derivatives positioning, funding rates, exchange inflows/outflows and the $65.5k/$63.2k support bands for short-term risk management; the short-term outlook is cautious with hedging visible, while long-term fundamentals and institutional interest remain supportive. (Main keyword: Bitcoin; secondary keywords: BTC price, trading volume, put options, support and resistance.)

Bitcoin pulled back from the $68,000 level, ending a brief altcoin respite and reintroducing heightened near-term uncertainty across crypto markets. Long-term volatility metrics show Bitcoin’s 12-month volatility near historic lows (comparable to post-2016 election levels), a condition that historically preceded strong buy signals at major market troughs (2018, 2020, 2022). However, analysts warn that as Bitcoin matures, classical indicators may be less reliable and recoveries could take longer. Analyst Michael Poppe flagged subtle bullish divergences across several altcoins, citing OP (OP Coin) as an example of early momentum returning to the sector, though confirmation is pending. Traders are watching upcoming U.S. inflation data and scheduled comments from Donald Trump for potential catalysts. The article advises caution: volatility indicators may point to buying opportunities but do not guarantee rapid reversals, and macro events could drive further swings.

VanEck’s digital assets research, led by Matthew Sigel and reported by Pete Rizzo, reveals that at least 13 national governments are actively mining Bitcoin. The disclosure marks a strategic shift from passive holding and regulation to direct participation in Bitcoin block production. Confirmed examples include El Salvador and Bhutan, while likely candidates cited by analysts include Oman, the UAE and Paraguay — countries with low-cost or stranded energy (geothermal, hydro, flared gas) and crypto-friendly policies. State mining delivers several strategic benefits: treasury diversification without open-market purchases, energy monetization of surplus or stranded power, and technological sovereignty to develop domestic expertise and regulation. Risks include high capital costs for ASICs and data centres, technical and security challenges, price volatility exposure for public treasuries, and political or reputational pushback. Analysts note this could shift hash rate distribution toward state actors, with mixed implications for decentralization — potential censorship risk versus greater hash rate stability from long-term state operators. For traders, government mining is a structural development that may increase Bitcoin’s geopolitical sensitivity while also lending institutional legitimacy. Key SEO keywords: Bitcoin, government mining, VanEck, sovereign miners, energy monetization. (Word count: 164)

A Galaxy-linked wallet transferred 200,000 Solana (SOL) — roughly $16 million — to Binance, OKX and Bybit, flipping daily spot netflows positive by about $1.95 million, according to CoinGlass. The inflow arrives as SOL trades inside a well-defined descending channel, recently losing $89.75 and hovering near key support between $78.07 and $89.75 (current price ~ $80.09). Daily RSI (~26.9) signals oversold conditions, while 90-day Spot Taker CVD shows buyer aggression despite lower highs, suggesting buyers are absorbing supply but larger passive sellers may still cap rallies. Leverage profiles show concentrated short liquidation risk in the low–mid $80s and significant liquidity below $78, compressing volatility. Traders face two primary scenarios: buyers aggressively absorb exchange supply and trigger a short squeeze toward $89–$119, or sellers distribute from exchanges and force a clean break under $78, accelerating losses. Short-term outlook: heightened volatility and a probable decisive move as liquidity clusters are targeted. Key trading levels: support $78.07, immediate resistance $89.75, next resistance $119.41, structural supply near $147.28. Primary data sources: CoinGlass, CryptoQuant, TradingView.

A rapid $90 billion crypto selloff pushed market sentiment into “Extreme Fear”: Bitcoin briefly fell below $66,000, Ethereum neared $1,900 and many altcoins dropped 4%–7%. In response, some investors are shifting capital from passive holdings to structured staking models that generate yield during downturns. SolStaking — promoted as a compliance-forward platform — combines automated on-chain staking and cloud-mining contracts with off-chain real-world assets (AI data centers, sovereign/investment-grade bonds, gold, industrial metals, logistics, agriculture, clean energy) to deliver ongoing revenue streams. The platform highlights a U.S.-registered entity, asset segregation, periodic PwC audits, Lloyd’s custody insurance and enterprise-grade security. SolStaking supports deposits in BTC, ETH, SOL, USDT and other assets with daily-settled contracts designed for different horizons. The article frames structured staking as a capital-efficiency strategy for bear markets, arguing it helps preserve yield and reduce reliance on price recovery. Disclosure: content is sponsored and not investment advice; users should conduct their own research.

Israeli authorities arrested and charged an IDF reservist and a civilian for allegedly using classified military information to place prediction‑market bets on Polymarket tied to a planned Israeli attack on Iran in June 2025. Prosecutors say the reservist accessed secret operational details during service and passed them to the civilian, who placed multiple wagers that generated tens of thousands in stakes and an alleged profit of roughly $150,000. Arrests were carried out in a joint operation involving Shin Bet, the Defense Ministry’s security investigations unit Arazim, and Israel Police. Charges include national security offenses, bribery and obstruction of justice; many defendant details remain classified and prosecutors say neither is a senior official. Defense counsel has called the indictment improper and described alleged investigative misconduct. Polymarket has not issued a public response; the platform has previously acknowledged insider trading occurs and argued prediction markets can improve forecasting. The case renews scrutiny of insider trading and regulatory gaps in decentralized prediction markets and may spur increased enforcement or legislative action. For crypto traders: expect heightened regulatory attention on prediction‑market platforms, potential compliance and KYC tightening, and short‑term market sensitivity around platforms offering event‑based markets.

World Liberty Financial (WLFI) announced World Swap, a forex and remittance platform built around its USD1 dollar-pegged stablecoin. Revealed at Consensus Web3 in Hong Kong, World Swap aims to connect users directly to debit cards and bank accounts and use blockchain settlement rails to cut fees versus traditional FX and remittance providers. WLFI claims conventional transfers cost 2–10% and positions World Swap as a lower-cost alternative by removing intermediaries and automating settlement via USD1. The announcement followed WLFI’s recent launch of World Liberty Markets, a lending product that reported roughly $320M in lending activity and $200M in borrowing. WLFI’s token rose about 7–7.5% on the news. The company says it will disclose detailed launch mechanics — including supported pairs, fees, liquidity incentives, custody and bank integrations — at a late‑May event (reported to be at Mar‑a‑Lago). Observers note risks: USD1 adoption and on‑chain liquidity are crucial, low‑latency execution and regulatory compliance must meet FX standards, and the project may attract increased media and regulatory scrutiny because of reported ties to the Trump family. Traders should watch the end‑of‑month release for settlement rails, liquidity provisions, fee structure and custody/compliance details that will determine short‑term price moves in WLFI and the longer‑term utility of USD1 for cross‑border flows.

CryptoQuant and Binance data show Bitcoin’s seven-day net taker flow has flipped from heavy net selling to modest net buying, suggesting early stabilization after a month of aggressive sell-pressure. Binance’s cumulative 7-day taker flow recovered from about -$4.9B of net selling in early February to roughly +$0.32B, and the taker sentiment ratio moved from around -3% into positive territory. The shift is visible across major exchanges, with Binance showing a stronger net-buying signal than peers. BTC price has stabilized roughly 20% above recent 15‑month lows near $59,000 but remains below key resistance around $69,000. Exchange-level indicators still show divergence: the Coinbase Premium Index remains largely negative, implying weaker U.S. spot demand versus Asia. Market sentiment, however, is deeply bearish — the Crypto Fear & Greed Index plunged to 5/100 (extreme fear), one of its lowest readings on record. Traders should note the mixed signals: taker flow improvement hints at reduced selling pressure and potential short-term support, while extreme fear readings and premium spreads warn of fragile sentiment and downside risk if buying momentum fades.

Trove Markets, a decentralized exchange project, refunded select crypto influencers with more than $700,000 in stablecoins after its native token $TROVE collapsed following an initial coin offering (ICO). The project had raised $11.5 million in the presale and was originally marketed to launch on Hyperliquid before switching to Solana. Around the token generation event a third-party liquidity provider sold roughly $20 million in HYPE, and when $TROVE launched it fell about 99%, wiping out presale investor capital. Blockchain analytics firm Bubblemaps traced on-chain transfers within 24 hours of the crash: roughly $100,000 in USDC and $350,000 in USDT moved from wallets linked to the Trove deployer to newly funded wallets, plus additional transfers exceeding $250,000 to wallets tied to other influencers. Bubblemaps also linked the payments to a leaked Telegram chat where Trove’s founder discussed compensating a key opinion leader who demanded a refund. Key details for traders: the incident involves an ICO failure, rapid token devaluation (~99% drop), large offloads from a liquidity provider (~$20M HYPE), and targeted stablecoin reimbursements to influencers totaling >$700K. Primary keywords: Trove Markets, ICO crash, stablecoin refunds, $TROVE, Solana. Secondary/semantic keywords: presale investors, liquidity provider sell-off, USDC, USDT, influencer payouts. Traders should watch for fallout in token listings, potential wash trading or market-manipulation probes, and reputational contagion to similar Solana-based launches.

The U.S. National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) published a proposed rule to implement the GENIUS Act, establishing a licensing framework for payment stablecoin issuers (PPSIs) that are subsidiaries of federally insured credit unions. The proposal, posted in the Federal Register on Feb. 11, opens applications, requires issuance via separate credit-union subsidiaries, and bars federally insured credit unions from investing in or lending to unlicensed stablecoin issuers. NCUA sets a 120-day decision target for completed applications (with automatic approval if missed) and a 60-day public comment window through April 13, 2026, aiming to meet the GENIUS Act implementation deadline of July 18, 2026. Technical standards covering reserves, capital, liquidity, illicit-finance controls and IT risk will follow in a separate proposal. NCUA published clarifying materials on its Financial Technology and Digital Assets pages. For traders: the move could expand institutional stablecoin supply by enabling more than 4,000 credit unions to seek PPSI licenses, potentially increasing on-ramps between traditional finance and crypto. Key trader watchpoints are the subsidiary requirement and license conditions (which affect reserve quality and counterparty risk), the 120-day approval window, and the upcoming technical standards — all of which may influence liquidity, stablecoin-backed trading and derivatives margins.

This roundup reviews the most used cryptocurrency exchanges by Indian traders, focusing on ease of use, compliance, product range and liquidity. Key platforms listed are Delta Exchange (derivatives-focused, FIU registration, demo accounts, small lot sizes; 100+ coins; reported $4B daily volume in 2025), CoinDCX (500+ coins, spot, margin, futures, options, API, FIU-compliant), CoinSwitch (400+ coins, derivatives settled in USDT/INR, CoinSwitch PRO, SIPs and educational tools), Binance (600+ coins, spot, margin, P2P, derivatives settled in USDT/USDC, FIU-IND registration in 2024), WazirX (300+ coins, recovering from a 2024 security breach, beta futures rollout), ZebPay (300+ coins, spot and perpetuals, INR on/off ramps, Bitcoin SIPs) and Mudrex (650+ coins, curated Coin Sets, futures with up to 100x leverage). The article emphasises that traders prioritise trust, compliance, custody practices, INR deposit/withdrawal support, liquidity and product access (spot, derivatives, APIs, demo accounts). Practical features that shape preferences include simple UI, demo accounts, algo/API support, structured products and diversified coin sets. The piece concludes that selecting a trustworthy exchange matters more over time than chasing specific features and reminds readers this is educational content, not investment advice.

Global oil markets in early 2025 are caught between rising US commercial crude inventories and significant geopolitical and operational supply risks that maintain price volatility. US EIA data showed notable weekly builds (e.g., +4.2 million barrels in late February 2025) driven by near-record US production (~13.3 mb/d) and seasonal refinery maintenance. However, ING’s commodity team, led by Warren Patterson, warns that supply fragility — from Middle East tensions, OPEC+ output discipline, instability in Libya and Nigeria, South American underinvestment, and Red Sea shipping risks — offsets bearish inventory signals. Market structure supports this view: Brent prompt spreads remain in backwardation, options skew and physical differentials signal fear of short-term tightness, and tanker freight rates and geopolitical indices are being watched as risk indicators. With strategic reserve releases largely concluded, any disruption would have an outsized effect. For traders, the key takeaway is that visible US stock builds no longer guarantee price weakness; instead, market pricing favors optionality and risk premia, keeping crude prices sensitive to supply interruptions and supporting short-term volatility and a potential floor under prices.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) rose ~4% and traded around $0.0000061 as markets positioned for the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) release on Friday the 13th. Economists expect a 2.5% inflation print; a reading at or below this could sustain risk-on momentum across altcoins. SHIB’s recent gain is described as a technical rebound from an accumulation band between $0.0000055 and $0.000006 after a low-volume breakdown from $0.0000068, implying holders haven’t capitulated. On-chain data highlights uncollected liquidity around $0.0000065, making that level the primary target for breakout trades. Immediate upside resistances include $0.0000068 and $0.000009, while downside support sits near $0.0000059 if CPI surprises higher. Traders should watch CPI-driven volatility, SHIB’s correlation with Ethereum volatility, liquidity pools at $0.0000065, and volume confirmation for breakout or rejection signals.

Crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) reached $184 billion in assets under management (AUM) by end-2025, driven primarily by the launch and rapid uptake of U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs. The U.S. accounts for roughly $145 billion (≈80%) of global crypto ETP AUM. ETFs dominate the market (84.6% of structured-product assets); most products are delta-one (94.1%) and passively managed (96.1%). Bitcoin-based ETPs hold $144 billion (78.2% of total), ether products $26.5 billion, while Solana- and XRP-linked products manage $3.8 billion and $3.0 billion respectively. Multi-crypto ETPs remain small by AUM ($2.16 billion, 0.62%) but are the second-most active category by pending filings. Over 125 digital-asset ETP filings were pending at end-2025, led by bitcoin, then XRP and Solana. Advisor platform access is expanding but not yet universal; major firms are only beginning broader client distribution. Given projected global ETF growth toward ~$30 trillion by 2030, modest institutional allocations could materially expand crypto ETPs over time. Key takeaways for traders: heavy market concentration in BTC and ETH, fast institutional distribution adoption via ETFs, growing product pipeline (including multi-asset baskets) that could diversify flows and liquidity profiles.

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson announced two major developments at Consensus Hong Kong 2026: integration of the cross-chain protocol LayerZero (ZRO) into Cardano, and the privacy-focused partner chain Midnight (NIGHT) launching on mainnet in the final week of March. LayerZero’s institutional-grade infrastructure and recent backing from Citadel Securities are expected to improve Cardano’s interoperability and support high-performance financial applications, including a planned USDCx launch on Cardano with wallet and exchange support. Midnight will offer privacy-by-default with selective disclosure for approved parties; Hoskinson demonstrated functionality with a “Midnight City Simulation” and named early corporate collaborators including Google and Telegram. Market reaction has been positive: ADA rose about 4–5% intraday (from ~$0.252 to >$0.265) with RSI moving into the mid-60s and MACD positive, while NIGHT jumped roughly 6–7% (from ~$0.048 to >$0.051) with improved momentum indicators. Historical context: Cardano saw TVL growth from ~$150M to >$400M in 2023–24 and a peak above $700M in late 2024–early 2025 before slowing in mid–late 2025. The new roadmap emphasizes privacy, stablecoins, and institutional-ready infrastructure aimed at expanding DeFi and RWA activity. Traders should note short-term bullish price response, potential inflows from improved interoperability and USDCx support, and that sustaining long-term on-chain growth will depend on actual adoption of Midnight, LayerZero integrations, and institutional activity.

Strategy Inc. plans to expand issuance of its perpetual preferred shares (ticker STRC) to raise capital for continued Bitcoin purchases. STRC trades near a $100 par value and carries a reset monthly dividend that annualizes to about 11.25% per company listings. CEO Phong Le told Bloomberg the company will rely more on preferred capital rather than common equity to fund future Bitcoin buys. Executive chair Michael Saylor reaffirmed that Strategy will continue buying and holding Bitcoin each quarter and will not sell existing holdings even if prices fall. Strategy’s disclosed Bitcoin reserve numbers remain large — in the hundreds of thousands of coins — shifting the company’s balance sheet closer to a crypto fund profile. The preferred-stock approach is pitched to income-seeking investors as lower-volatility exposure compared with common shares, but critics warn the move shifts downside and reset-risk to preferred holders and complicates valuation, leverage and reserve management. Key takeaways for traders: potential steady demand pressure from corporate buys; preferred issuance could raise capital without diluting common equity; and preferred holders assume dividend-reset and company-balance-sheet risks.

Scotiabank’s FX research team identifies a developing bullish trend in EUR/USD with the 1.20 psychological barrier as the next major target. Using a multi-timeframe technical framework—combining moving averages, MACD, volume profile, institutional flow data and market-structure analysis—the bank notes the pair has broken above the 200-day moving average and formed higher highs and higher lows. Key technical levels: resistance at 1.1950 and 1.2000, support at 1.1850 and 1.1780 (200-day MA confluence). Volume and institutional buying support the breakout thesis. Fundamentals cited include a relatively hawkish ECB versus a moderating US economy, narrowing rate-differential expectations, improved Eurozone GDP revisions, energy cost stabilization, and a persistent current-account surplus. Scotiabank warns of risks: sudden central bank policy shifts, geopolitical shocks, liquidity thinness and option-driven volatility around the 1.20 pivot. Traders are advised to watch price action, volume, institutional flows and use disciplined sizing and stops. This analysis provides actionable levels and a structured framework for institutions and active traders positioning for a potential sustained euro appreciation against the dollar.

Standard Chartered’s digital-asset research team warns of near-term downside for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) amid weakening investor risk appetite and ETF outflows, but retains constructive end-2026 targets. The bank’s head of digital assets, Geoff Kendrick, lowered short-term projections: BTC may fall to about $50,000 and ETH to roughly $1,400. ETF AUM has declined materially from peak levels — Bitcoin ETF assets fell from around $165 billion to about $96 billion (roughly a 41% drop) and Ethereum ETF AUM from $23 billion to $13 billion (about 43% decline) — signalling institutional selling and larger unrealised losses that could prompt further withdrawals. Mixed US macro data (delayed CPI and recent jobs prints) and an anticipated Fed pause on rate changes until a leadership move add further near-term headwinds and may keep crypto inflows muted. Despite the downgrade, Standard Chartered keeps a bullish longer-term stance, reiterating year-end-2026 recovery targets of BTC $100,000 and ETH $4,000 and noting that broader institutional adoption and ETF structures should limit downside versus past cycles. For traders: expect potential tactical selling or reduced exposure on moves toward the $50K/$1,400 levels; consider accumulation only if aligned with the bank’s long-term view. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, Ethereum, ETF outflows, investor risk appetite, CPI.

The Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5) issued advisories saying over-the-counter (OTC) crypto trading desks and crypto payment processors are increasingly used to obfuscate and move illicit funds. J5 — representing tax authorities from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the U.S. and the U.K. — estimates OTC desks have average daily turnover of about $1.44 billion versus $74.5 million on exchanges. It reported nearly $236 billion in suspicious activity tied to these platforms has been reported to the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and noted a more than 1,000% rise in suspicious activity reports for crypto payment processors between 2020 and 2024 (processor-related SARs total about $5 billion). J5 warned many OTC desks are not labelled in commercial blockchain-analysis tools and may not be filing suspicious activity reports, creating an anonymity and off-ramp risk for tax evaders and money launderers. The advisory cited examples of luxury merchants accepting crypto payments and recent enforcement actions (e.g., Paxful, BitPay settlement) and highlighted regulatory moves such as Hong Kong’s incoming AML rules for OTC desks. Industry voices at major exchanges say robust KYC/AML, blockchain analytics, and cooperation with authorities can mitigate risks. Primary keywords: crypto OTC desks, money laundering, tax evasion, suspicious activity reports, payment processors.

Hedera (HBAR) and Ondo (ONDO), two real-world asset (RWA) tokens, outperformed Bitcoin amid a broader market pullback. HBAR rose 7.05% to $0.0943 over 24 hours, supported by a 43.15% jump in volume to $137.66 million. Technically, HBAR cleared its 7- and 30-day moving averages; its MACD histogram turned positive. Key levels: pivot at $0.0945, swing target $0.0963, and downside support (50% Fibonacci) at $0.0918. ONDO climbed 5.76% after a month-long 37% decline, with volume up 27% to $62.8 million. Analysts say sustainable volume above ~$60 million is needed to confirm the rebound. Critical support for ONDO sits at $0.24, with lower support near $0.22 if that breaks. The piece highlights how sector rotation and data-driven timing can concentrate market attention on outperforming assets, and notes Outset PR’s data-led approach to aligning narratives with momentum. Outlook: short-term constructive setups for HBAR and ONDO contingent on the support levels and sustained volume; traders should monitor relative strength, volume confirmation, and pivot/support breaks for trade management.

Bitcoin developers have proposed BIP-360 (Pay-to-Merkle-Root) to reduce the long-term quantum-computing risk to Bitcoin by changing how Taproot "key-path" outputs are constructed. BIP-360 removes the internal public key from standard Taproot outputs and commits only to a 32-byte Merkle root (P2MR), keeping outputs hash-only until spent. Hash-based commitments are considered more resistant to quantum attacks (Shor’s algorithm) than current ECDSA/Taproot public-key exposures. The draft would require a soft fork and reuse existing opcodes to maintain compatibility with Taproot/Tapscript wallets while preserving script-path smart-contract flexibility. Developers emphasize this is a proactive, conservative step—not an immediate emergency—aimed at long-term protocol hardening and institutional confidence. The article also mentions broader context: ongoing developer discussions, parallels with prior Bitcoin upgrades (and Lightning adoption), and speculative commentary that stronger mathematical security could support Bitcoin’s "digital gold" thesis and spur demand for Layer-2 systems (example: Bitcoin Hyper, HYPER token) that offer faster, cheaper transactions. Primary keywords: BIP-360, Bitcoin, quantum computing. Secondary/semantic keywords included: Taproot, P2MR, Merkle root, soft fork, Tapscript, ECDSA, quantum resistance, Layer-2, Bitcoin Hyper. The main keyword "BIP-360" appears in the title and multiple times in the summary to improve search relevance. Short sentences and paragraphs are used to aid readability.

Bank of America (BofA) economists say market speculation that the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve could reach a coordinated agreement has limited clarity and is likely already priced in. BofA notes that any such "coordination" would primarily concern Fed balance-sheet runoff (quantitative tightening) and U.S. Treasury issuance. The bank judges that unless an agreement contains provisions materially different from current market discussions—such as direct changes to monetary policy (considered highly unlikely by BofA) or Treasury limits on long-term debt issuance (considered possible)—it will not trigger meaningful price moves. Traders should watch announcements on Fed balance-sheet plans and Treasury issuance guidance for anything outside prevailing expectations, as those would have the greatest market impact.

The U.S. Department of Justice dropped a criminal case tied to a Trump-linked investment vehicle that alleged fraudulent use of Tron-related funds, prompting sharp questioning of SEC Chair Gary Gensler on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers pressed Gensler about the SEC’s enforcement priorities, potential political interference, and coordination with other agencies after prosecutors declined to pursue the case. The exchange highlighted persistent scrutiny of crypto regulation, particularly involving Tron-linked entities and high-profile political connections. Traders should note heightened regulatory uncertainty and renewed congressional interest in crypto oversight; the episode may affect market sentiment for Tron-related assets and regulatory-sensitive tokens.

A leaked Kremlin memo reported by Bloomberg indicates Russia is considering reversing its post-2022 ’de-dollarization’ strategy by rejoining the US dollar-based settlement system as part of a broader economic pitch to a potential Trump administration. The proposal ties renewed dollar settlement and expanded US–Russia economic cooperation — spanning fossil fuels, natural gas, offshore oil, critical minerals (lithium, copper, nickel, platinum), long-term aviation contracts, joint energy and nuclear projects (including AI applications) — to progress on a Ukraine peace agreement. The memo envisions US firms returning to the Russian market and recouping prior losses. Western officials remain skeptical, noting no evidence the plan has been formally presented to the US and questioning whether Moscow would risk harming Sino-Russian ties, given China’s role in Russia’s trade and non-dollar settlement options. Markets could see effects on energy price volatility and global currency dynamics: a Russian pivot back to the dollar would strengthen dollar dominance and challenge RMB internationalization. Key actors: Kremlin, Russian government, Donald Trump (potential US administration), Vladimir Putin; source: Bloomberg/Walter Bloomberg. Primary keywords: Russia dollar settlement, de-dollarization, US–Russia economic cooperation, Ukraine peace, energy markets.

US stocks opened higher, led by a broad-based buying that lifted the S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite and Dow Jones Industrial Average at the bell. Drivers included moderating inflation readings, resilient employment and manufacturing data, positive corporate earnings and expectations the Federal Reserve will remain patient on further rate hikes. European and Asian market strength contributed to the upbeat tone. Market internals showed above-average opening volume, favorable ETF inflows and advancing stocks outnumbering decliners—signals traders watch for follow-through. Analysts cautioned the sustainability of the rally depends on confirmation from intraday volume, breadth and sector rotation (technology/semiconductors showing strength while energy lagged in earlier reports). For crypto traders, the equity-led risk-on move can lift crypto risk appetite intraday; key items to monitor are equity ETF flows, sector leadership, macro economic releases and whether volume/breadth confirm the move. Main keyword: US stocks; secondary keywords: S&P 500, Nasdaq, market open, inflation, ETF flows.

Lending protocols have become the most-targeted sector in DeFi, recording 67 exploits over the past year and accounting for the largest share of incidents among 267 reported DeFi attacks. These protocols hold roughly $53 billion in reported TVL, making them attractive targets because they custody stablecoins and valuable collateral (ETH, BTC) and operate permissionlessly via smart contracts. Flash loans, oracle and price-manipulation attacks, liquidation triggers and new-token minting for interest have been key exploit vectors. Sentora data shows smart contract bugs were the chief cause of losses in the 12 months ending January 2026: 48 incidents tied to smart-contract issues resulted in about $526 million lost. Price-manipulation incidents numbered 13, causing roughly $65 million in damage. Audited protocols still suffered, losing $515 million, while unaudited contracts accounted for $77 million across 24 incidents; out-of-scope exploits totaled $193 million. The article notes examples such as Moonwell, which was exploited via oracle/pricing vulnerabilities. Secondary attack vectors include compromised private keys/multisigs and malicious cloned DEXs that trap user funds. For traders: the prevalence of protocol-level smart-contract risk and oracle/price manipulation increases systemic risk for lending markets, raises liquidation and collateral volatility risks, and underscores the need to monitor protocol audits, oracle configurations, and concentrate risk exposure management.