Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Solana (SOL) has seen rising daily wallet creation in February even as the token trades near $84 after a multi-month decline that erased about 67% from its September 2025 peak. Santiment flagged the divergence between falling market sentiment and on-chain activity: new addresses are increasing and exchange outflows exceed inflows, suggesting holders are moving tokens off exchanges rather than selling. Key catalysts weighing on SOL price include a January security scare that prompted validators to upgrade to Agave/Jito v3.0.14 after vulnerabilities were disclosed, and a February network disruption that rerouted U.S. traffic through Europe and Asia. Reports indicated many validators remained on older client versions during the vulnerability disclosure, raising concerns about operational resilience and consensus risk. Technicals are mixed: the token lost support around $80 and analysts warned of downside targets near $74 or $50, while some traders note potential short-term resistance toward $114. Funding rates are deeply negative, indicating heavy short positioning that can precede short squeezes. Developer activity shows signs of life — e.g., Zora moved a new product from Base to Solana charging ~1 SOL per creation — pointing to continued builder interest despite reduced hype. For traders, the story is a layered risk/reward: ongoing user and developer activity provides a base for recovery, but operational and infrastructure vulnerabilities keep short-term downside and volatility elevated.

Blockchain analyst Wilberforce Theophilus argues that XRP, via Ripple’s On‑Demand Liquidity (ODL) and the XRP Ledger, can unlock trillions of dollars currently tied up in nostro/vostro pre‑funded accounts. He says ODL converts local fiat to XRP, moves value across borders, and reconverts to destination fiat — freeing capital for lending and investment while cutting settlement times from days to 3–5 seconds and lowering fees compared with legacy rails like SWIFT. The analyst dismisses concerns over XRP’s large supply, asserting that wider adoption will increase demand for XRP as a bridge asset. He points to existing institutional use of RippleNet and ODL for live cross‑border transactions and suggests that XRP’s speed, low cost, and scalability position it to integrate legacy banking with digital finance. Disclaimer: article is informational, not financial advice.

Google Trends searches for “Is Bitcoin dead?” have surged toward record highs as BTC faces a sharp correction, trading below $70,000 after a more than 24% drop over the past month from a late-January peak above $88,000. On-chain analytics (Solid Intel) and the Fear & Greed Index (as low as 14) signal extreme market panic—levels historically seen near cycle bottoms. Despite retail capitulation and liquidations in leveraged derivatives, on-chain data shows major investors accumulated over 30,000 BTC in the past week, while 24-hour transaction volume topped $40 billion. Firms such as VanEck note the pullback may have exhausted speculative sellers, and spot BTC ETF inflows have slowed but could resume if prices stabilise. Key takeaways for traders: heightened retail fear may presage a bottoming process, whales’ accumulation suggests continued institutional conviction, elevated volumes and consolidation often precede strong moves, and derivatives liquidations increase short-term volatility risk.

CryptoAppsy is a lightweight mobile app (iOS/Android) that aggregates real-time prices and market data for thousands of cryptocurrencies and newly listed tokens. The app refreshes prices every 5 seconds from global exchanges and highlights fresh listings with launch time, price, volume and chain details. Traders get multi-currency portfolio management that aggregates positions across fiat bases, advanced charting and historical data, and a personalized news feed filtered by portfolio holdings. Macro indicators (Fed dates, DXY, 10-year yield, unemployment) are displayed alongside market data, and smart push price alerts work in the background. The app also features an earnings/deals page, requires no signup, and reports high user ratings (App Store 5.0, Google Play 4.7). Together, these features position CryptoAppsy as a tool for spotting early token listings, capturing arbitrage and volatile moves, and maintaining situational awareness through curated news and macro signals. Disclaimer: this is informational only and not investment advice.

IoTeX confirmed a compromise of a token-safe private key tied to the project. On-chain investigators and the team estimate total losses of roughly $8.8 million, with stolen assets including USDC, USDT, IOTX, PAYG, WBTC and BUSD. Attackers swapped much of the haul into Ether and bridged at least 45 ETH to Bitcoin to obscure the trail. Analysts published attacker addresses (starting 0x6487B5... and Bitcoin addresses 1PN2BoH..., 135oSa2...) and flagged additional suspicious activity: a mint of about 111 million CIOTEX tokens from 0xA467a6c... and a separate drain of ~9.3 million CCS tokens (≈$4.5M) linked to 0xE6A1.... IoTeX says it is coordinating with major centralized exchanges and security partners to trace and freeze linked funds; co‑founder Raullen Chai reported exchanges are cooperating and expected the IoTeX chain and deposits to resume within 24–48 hours after freezing attacker addresses. Market reaction: IOTX price fell sharply — down over 15% in seven days and nearly 9% in 24 hours — while 24‑hour trading volume surged (~920% to $22M). The team is providing ongoing updates and attempting recovery. Traders should monitor on‑chain trace updates, exchange freeze actions, and liquidity changes; tighten risk management due to elevated volatility and potential further sell pressure.

Parsec, a decentralized finance (DeFi) analytics and on-chain data provider founded five years ago, has shut down operations. The closure follows a period of challenging market conditions for crypto data and analytics firms. Parsec offered on-chain analytics, tooling for trading desks and researchers, and aggregated blockchain data — services used by institutional and retail crypto participants. The firm’s closure highlights ongoing consolidation in the crypto analytics sector as firms face revenue pressure, tight budgets, and reduced institutional spending. No major hack or regulatory action prompted the shutdown; instead, Parsec cited unsustainable business economics and a difficult fundraising environment. Traders should note that the shutdown may reduce competition for on-chain analytics, potentially affecting data pricing and availability for professional trading desks. Short-term effects are likely limited to users who relied on Parsec’s specific feeds or tools; those users may need to migrate to alternatives (e.g., Nansen, Glassnode, Dune, Kaiko). In the longer term, consolidation could concentrate market share among remaining analytics providers, possibly increasing costs and creating single points of failure for data services used in algorithmic strategies. Key takeaways for traders: review dependencies on third-party data feeds, ensure redundancy for critical on-chain metrics, and expect gradual market adjustments rather than immediate price moves tied directly to this news.

U.S. Google searches for the phrase “bitcoin zero” surged to a record 100 on Google Trends in February 2026 as BTC fell toward $60,000 from its October peak. The spike coincided with a domestic drawdown of more than 50% and reflects elevated retail anxiety in the United States. By contrast, global searches for the same term peaked in August 2025 and have since declined to the mid-30s on the Trends scale, indicating that panic is more U.S.-centric. Analysts note methodological limits: Google Trends reports relative interest (0–100) rather than raw volumes, and today’s larger bitcoin user base means a 100 score reflects a spike against a higher baseline than in prior years. Similar U.S. search spikes in 2021 and 2022 aligned with local price lows, so the current surge could be contrarian fuel for traders, but it is not a reliable signal of an immediate trend reversal given the divergent global trend and broader macro drivers—U.S.-specific news such as tariff moves, tensions with Iran, and risk-off equity flows. Key takeaways for traders: elevated U.S. retail fear may create short-term buying opportunities, but watch global sentiment, on-chain flow and whale participation before assuming a sustainable bottom.

Xaman Wallet introduced a 0.8% trading fee to fund its software layer and infrastructure supporting XRP Ledger (XRPL) access. The fee sparked pushback from parts of the XRP community, but commentators clarified the distinction: XRPL protocol fees remain negligible (0.00001 XRP per transaction, ten drops) and unchanged. Xaman phased out its Pro subscription on January 30, 2026, shifting to usage-based charges—pay-as-you-use rather than a flat monthly rate. The fee covers costs such as full-history node hardware (≈17 TB NVMe as of 2026, growing ~12 GB/day), bandwidth, servers, and engineering. XRPL validators receive no block rewards; much user-facing infrastructure has been subsidized by XRPL Labs. Comparisons noted Xaman’s fee is comparable to established wallet services (e.g., MetaMask), and free alternatives to Xaman exist. The debate centers on the separation between protocol-level costs (almost zero) and service-layer business economics, with proponents arguing that sustainable revenue is necessary to maintain critical infrastructure through bear markets.

Jordi Visser, head of AI Macro Nexus Research at 22V and former CIO of Weiss Multi-Strategy Advisers, says AI and crypto will disrupt existing market structures over the next decade. He highlights rapid stablecoin adoption—claiming monthly stablecoin volume now exceeds Mastercard’s annual volume—and argues stablecoins are taking over transaction activity while Bitcoin is evolving as a savings vehicle in emerging markets. Visser notes a powerful correlation between Bitcoin and software ETFs, attributing recent market weakness to investor fear of AI-driven disruption in software and SaaS. He forecasts a deflationary shock reshaping money markets, rising profit margins amid stagnant job creation, and a migration of attention and capital away from SaaS and early-stage crypto (limited VC funding today). Visser expects NFTs and tokenization to gain real use cases, predicts increased entrepreneurial activity driven by AI, and advises that higher Bitcoin prices are likely the catalyst for renewed crypto capital inflows. He is skeptical that flows from gold and silver will rotate en masse into crypto, and recommends viewing Bitcoin as a scarce commodity rather than a software asset. Key takeaways for traders: monitor stablecoin volume and payment-rails disruption, watch software ETFs as a sentiment proxy for BTC, and treat current software-driven market panic as a potential buying opportunity if price action confirms a low.

XRP’s derivatives market showed renewed activity on Feb. 21, 2026, as open interest (OI) in futures rose 2.56% over 24 hours to about 1,660,000,000 XRP locked in unsettled contracts. The uptick in futures commitment coincided with a short-term price gain: XRP climbed roughly 2.45% in 24 hours to reclaim a weekly high near $1.45. The article notes that the increase in futures activity signals growing trader confidence amid broader market rebound hopes, but also highlights weak performance from existing XRP spot ETF-like funds, which reported no inflows or outflows in their last session — suggesting limited institutional participation. Overall, the data point to heightened retail and derivatives interest that could support a near-term price recovery, though institutional inertia and recent weeks of price correction leave the sustainability of any rally uncertain.

Ethereum cofounder Vitalik Buterin proposed using personal AI agents ("stewards") to automate and scale DAO governance. Each user would deploy a model trained on their values and past messages to vote on routine decisions, reducing delegation to whales and addressing low voter participation. The design emphasizes privacy and anti-coercion: agents run in secure environments such as multi-party computation (MPC) or trusted execution environments (TEEs) to process sensitive data off-chain, while zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) prove voter eligibility and preserve ballot secrecy. Prediction markets would be used to surface high-quality proposals and penalize spam; AI agents would flag only critical issues for human review. The proposal aims to handle thousands of proposals efficiently, protect voter anonymity, and improve proposal quality through incentives. Primary keywords: DAO governance, AI stewards, zero-knowledge proofs, MPC, prediction markets. Secondary/semantic keywords: voter privacy, delegation, whale watching, TEEs, governance automation.

The US Supreme Court ruled that most tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) are illegal, voiding levies likely tied to Sections 232 and 301. Estimates put potential tariff refunds from the US government between $40 billion and $170 billion. Crypto markets showed little immediate price reaction; total crypto market cap sits at about $2.33 trillion and 24h volume near $103.2 billion. Analysts at XWIN Research Japan and CryptoQuant attribute muted price action to liquidity dynamics: any crypto impact depends on legal follow-through, political implementation, and resulting cash flows. If refunds occur, liquidity could shift from the US Treasury to private firms, improving corporate cash flow and potentially raising risk appetite — but reduced government revenue might force additional bond issuance and pressure long-term yields. Historical episodes (notably October 2025 tariff announcements) produced sharp Bitcoin sell-offs tied to exchange inflows and liquidity stress, reinforcing that Bitcoin remains liquidity-sensitive. Traders are advised to monitor ETF flows, stablecoin and Bitcoin exchange inflows, and dollar liquidity to gauge market response.

VanEck analysis shows Bitcoin (BTC) holders in the 1–2 year cohort — who bought near an average price of $72,000 — were the largest sellers in late 2025 and early 2026 but have sharply reduced sales after recent drawdowns. BTC has consolidated above $65,000 for over a week following a 46% drop from $126,000 to $60,000 over three months. Realized losses have surpassed $22 billion, indicating significant capitulation. Miner revenue has fallen and the network hash rate declined about 14% over the past 90 days, a contraction that historically has sometimes preceded strong 90-day forward returns. Options positioning shows elevated put skew and flows biased toward downside hedging, signaling market caution despite improved prospects for regulatory clarity via the CLARITY Act. VanEck suggests slowing distribution could allow BTC to stabilize and potentially recover in Q2, but warns investors still face painful losses and that miner distress may persist.

XRP is trading near a critical yearly support level while the monthly Relative Strength Index (RSI) has fully reset, a combination highlighted by analyst STEPH IS CRYPTO. Yearly support often marks accumulation zones where long-term holders and institutions enter, helping to preserve the macro uptrend. A monthly RSI reset indicates the asset has cleared prior selling pressure and is no longer overextended, which can precede renewed momentum. For traders, this setup suggests a lower-risk buying opportunity if the support holds; confirmation signals to watch include bullish monthly and short-term candlestick patterns and breakouts above local resistance. Despite the technically constructive setup, XRP’s direction remains exposed to broader market sentiment, regulatory developments, and macro factors. The scenario is notable for potential medium- to long-term accumulation and could attract renewed retail and institutional interest if momentum returns.

K33 Research head Vetle Lunde says Bitcoin’s recent violent selloff and subsequent drop in trading activity resemble the late‑2022 bear-market bottom. Key derivatives, ETF flows and on‑chain signals show speculative excess has been flushed: spot volumes fell ~59% week‑over‑week, perpetual futures open interest hit a four‑month low, funding rates remain negative, and the Crypto Fear & Greed Index plunged to an all‑time low of 5. U.S.-listed Bitcoin ETFs have seen a peak‑to‑trough decline of 103,113 BTC in exposure since October, though over 90% of peak exposure remains in bitcoin terms after a ~50% retrace. K33’s regime model (derivatives, ETF flows, technicals, macro) suggests the market is approaching a cyclical trough. Lunde expects a prolonged consolidation range between $60,000 and $75,000 — an attractive accumulation zone for long‑term investors but likely patience‑testing. Onchain analyst James Check echoed that Bitcoin often moves in short, sharp repricing bursts after long sideways periods, warning against attempting perfect timing. For traders: expect muted returns and rangebound price action in the short to medium term, reduced liquidity and lower leverage; positioning for a multi‑month accumulation may offer opportunity ahead of future breakout phases.

This guide explains five common methods to buy Ethereum (ETH) and compares tradeoffs in fees, custody, verification, and price transparency. Methods covered: centralized exchanges (CEXs) like Binance, Coinbase and Kraken — custodial, high liquidity, typically require KYC and deposits; instant swap services — wallet‑to‑wallet conversions with single‑provider rates and minimal UX complexity; exchange aggregators (e.g., SwapSpace) — non‑custodial platforms that compare multiple liquidity providers and show rates, times and KYC requirements before execution; direct fiat on‑ramps — card, bank transfer or mobile payments that deliver ETH to a wallet but often carry higher fees; and decentralized exchanges (DEXs) — on‑chain, permissionless swaps (Uniswap or DEX aggregators) requiring a Web3 wallet and subject to gas fees. The article notes that no single method is universally best: choose based on priorities such as custody control, execution speed, pricing transparency or fiat convenience. For traders seeking rate visibility without opening exchange accounts, aggregators provide a comparison advantage. Keywords: buy ETH, Ethereum, CEX, DEX, exchange aggregator, fiat on‑ramp, instant swap. Disclaimer: informational only, not financial advice.

A critical security flaw in Anthropic’s Claude large language model code prompted investors to dump cybersecurity stocks, wiping about $15 billion from the sector’s market value. The vulnerability — disclosed in reports and subsequently patched — raised concerns over AI model provenance and the security of code-generation tools used by enterprises. Major cybersecurity firms experienced steep share-price declines as traders reassessed exposure to AI-driven risks and potential liability. Analysts said the sell-off reflected short-term risk aversion rather than a fundamental industry downturn, noting that expedited patches and vendor responses helped limit systemic damage. Key themes: AI model security, code-generation vulnerabilities, market re-pricing of cyber risk, and the need for tighter AI governance and incident response.

Institutional investors and market analysts argue that XRP could become the primary on‑chain bridge for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and regulated stablecoins, potentially surpassing Bitcoin in utility-driven market value. The debate intensified after a recent sharp yen move prompted the Federal Reserve trading desk to request indicative dollar/yen quotes, highlighting the need for faster, neutral settlement rails. Ripple executives, including President Monica Long, outlined a 2026 roadmap in which regulated banks move from testing to running production systems connected to on‑chain liquidity pools. Proponents call XRP the "Digital Oil" to Bitcoin’s "Digital Gold," saying XRP Ledger’s near‑instant swap capability could enable trillions in value transfers. Critics note the current market‑cap gap — Bitcoin in the trillions vs. XRP around $100 billion — and warn that institutional adoption, regulatory clarity, and connected liquidity pipes must materialize before any "flip". The article is an opinion piece and not investment advice.

Blockchain intelligence firm Arkham identifies Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin as one of the largest accessible individual ETH holders, with roughly 240,010 ETH (≈$467M). His disclosed holdings have declined from 662,810 ETH in 2015 (0.91% of supply) to about 0.20% of supply today, reflecting periodic sales and dilution. Known assets are highly concentrated in ETH (over 99%), with minor balances in tokens like WHITE, MOODENG, KNC and small historic TORN/SHIB movements. Recent on-chain activity recorded by Arkham includes a late‑January 2026 withdrawal of 16,384 ETH (≈$43M) reportedly to fund open‑source infrastructure, and approximately 2,961 ETH (≈$6.6M) sold via CoW Protocol in early February to reduce market impact. Other trackers previously flagged smaller transfers (2,972 ETH) over three days with no public comment. Arkham notes institutional and staking entities hold far larger ETH pools (e.g., the ETH2 beacon/deposit contract and exchange custody wallets); an inaccessible lost-key wallet holds ~250,000 ETH. Buterin’s USD net worth remains driven primarily by ETH price cycles rather than wallet moves. For traders: Vitalik’s wallet activity is a useful liquidity and sentiment signal but recent withdrawals/sells are not large enough to materially change overall supply — price swings in ETH remain the dominant risk and opportunity.

Licensed Web3 casinos are gaining traction across Latin America in 2026 as players seek transparent, fast crypto payouts and protection from volatile local currencies and banking restrictions. The article ranks the top five licensed platforms in LATAM based on payout speed, security audits, and game variety: Dexsport (leader in on-chain transparency and audited smart contracts), BetPanda (Bitcoin Lightning deposits and mobile focus), Vave (large Spanish-language markets and live dealers), Betplay (fast on-chain play and strong VIP program), and Jackbit (original high-volatility games popular in Brazil). Key advantages highlighted for LATAM traders include non-custodial wallet interactions (reducing counterparty risk), no-KYC options on many platforms (privacy), stablecoin support (USDT/USDC) to hedge local currency devaluation, and the ability to bypass bank blocks. Popular game types driving engagement are crash/instant-win titles, live dealer tables in Spanish/Portuguese, and high-volatility slots. Dexsport is emphasized for combining international licensing, CertiK/Pessimistic audits, provably fair mechanics, and generous bonuses paid in stablecoins. For traders, the shift to licensed Web3 casinos means faster, auditable payouts, reduced custodial risk, and alternatives to fiat gambling platforms — factors that may influence crypto liquidity use and short-term on-chain transaction volumes in the region.

SBI Holdings is launching a ¥10 billion (≈$64.5M) blockchain-based retail bond called SBI START Bonds. The three-year securities, issued on BOOSTRY’s “ibet for Fin” enterprise blockchain, offer an indicative annual interest rate of 1.85%–2.45%, paid semiannually, and settle on-chain. Eligible retail investors and companies that buy at least ¥100,000 and hold accounts on SBI VC Trade receive XRP token rewards — described as ¥200 in XRP per ¥100,000 invested — paid at issuance and on each interest payment date through 2029. Secondary trading is expected to start March 25 on the Osaka Digital Exchange START trading system. SBI has long partnered with Ripple, owns roughly 9% of Ripple Labs according to CEO Yoshitaka Kitao, and has previously distributed XRP to shareholders and pursued stablecoin initiatives including USDC and RLUSD in Japan. Key keywords: SBI on-chain bond, XRP rewards, BOOSTRY ibet for Fin, Osaka Digital Exchange, retail bond issuance.

US lawmakers, think tanks and legal experts criticized President Trump’s announcement of a new 10% global tariff, calling it effectively a tax on American families and businesses that could derail the economy. Senator Rand Paul and Representative Ro Khanna said the tariffs act as a tax increase and fund a “reckless trade war.” The move followed a Supreme Court decision limiting Trump’s authority under IEEPA; Trump responded by announcing the 10% global tariff to be imposed on top of existing Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs. Think-tank critic Scott Lincicome warned higher tariffs will likely persist, harming the economy and foreign relations. Pro-crypto attorney Adam Cochran noted legal limits on the statute cited, including application only to countries with trade deficits, a 150-day period and caps on rate. Markets showed muted crypto reaction: Bitcoin (BTC) rose about 3% after the announcement and the broader altcoin market (Total3) showed little movement. Traders should note the tariffs’ potential to increase costs for US businesses and consumers, raise inflationary pressure and influence risk-on assets; legal uncertainty and political response may prolong volatility.

As Germany enforces strict GlüStV rules — full KYC, €1,000 monthly deposit caps and centralized tracking — many privacy-focused players turn to anonymous Web3 crypto casinos licensed offshore. These platforms offer wallet-based sign-ups, provably fair mechanics, on-chain transparency and often no identity verification. The article highlights five operators accessible to German users in 2026: Dexsport (Anjouan license, audited, true no‑KYC, 10,000+ games), Betpanda (Bitcoin Lightning support, instant low‑fee payouts, complete no‑KYC), Jackbit (sports + casino, low‑KYC for typical play), Wild.io (gamified UX, VIP tiers, instant withdrawals, no‑KYC) and Telbet (Telegram integration, crypto-first, Curacao license). Practical tips for anonymous play include using a reliable VPN (e.g., Mullvad, ProtonVPN), non‑custodial wallets (MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Phantom), testing with small amounts, preferring audited smart contracts and privacy coins (XMR, ZEC, Lightning BTC). Legal and tax risks are noted: these offshore sites operate in a grey area for German users, prosecution is rare but winnings above €500 may create tax obligations. The piece stresses responsible gambling and that anonymity increases operational and regulatory risk for users.

President Donald Trump announced an immediate increase in a global tariff from 10% to 15%, following a Supreme Court 6-3 decision that struck down certain duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The White House said it will rely on Section 122 of the Trade Act to impose temporary import levies and signaled further tariff actions soon. Trump posted the change on Truth Social and affirmed that national security and trade-enforcement tariffs remain in full effect. The administration’s tariff program — excluding energy products and pharmaceuticals — continues to target imports such as steel, aluminum, automobiles and copper, with targeted measures aimed at goods from China, Canada and Mexico. Officials frame the policy as a way to protect U.S. manufacturing, reduce the trade deficit and raise federal revenue; investigations into alleged unfair practices by trading partners could prompt additional measures.

Microsoft appointed Asha Sharma as CEO of its gaming division on Feb 21, 2026, replacing Phil Spencer and Xbox President Sarah Bond. Sharma — formerly president of Microsoft’s CoreAI and an executive at Instacart and Meta — pledged not to “flood our ecosystem with soulless AI slop,” signalling a shift toward more deliberate, human-centred AI use in Xbox game development. Her memo set three commitments: avoid low-quality algorithmic content, build fewer but higher-quality games beloved by players, and prioritise Xbox platform development alongside cloud and PC initiatives. Microsoft has experimented with AI in games (AI companions, an AI-generated Quake II level) with mixed feedback; industry data (GDC 2025) shows 78% of developers use AI tools but only 12% let AI drive core creative decisions. Practical applications under Sharma may include AI-assisted development tools, designer-guided procedural generation, adaptive gameplay, accessibility improvements, and AI-supported testing — all requiring human oversight. The move ties Microsoft’s AI research (Azure AI, Microsoft Research, OpenAI partnerships) more directly to gaming while signalling an industry precedent: major platform holders may favour responsible AI integration to avoid generic, low-quality automated content. For traders, the appointment underscores Microsoft’s intent to monetise AI-enabled platform enhancements (Game Pass, cloud features) without undermining IP value through over-automation; expect incremental product and platform updates rather than risky, large-scale content automation. Keywords: Microsoft, Xbox, Asha Sharma, AI in gaming, AI slop, game development, Game Pass, Azure AI.

Memecoins have failed to attract sidelined liquidity during the recent risk-off period, with the memecoin market cap falling nearly $10 billion over the past 30 days as overall crypto markets shed about $330 billion. Traders who historically rotated capital into memecoins for high-beta recovery moves did not do so this time; liquidity instead exited crypto into alternative, safer assets. The DOGE/BTC ratio has declined roughly 30% since October and remains below 0.000002, indicating weaker speculative demand for DOGE versus BTC. CryptoRank data shows major memecoin launches tied to the Trump family—TRUMP and MELANIA—have cratered (down ~92% and ~99% from ATHs), with reports of insiders extracting over $600 million via fees and token sales. Retail holders face more than $4.3 billion in losses while $2.7 billion of insider tokens are locked until 2028, concentrating future liquidity. Overall, declining memecoin market cap, collapsing Trump-linked tokens, and reduced speculative flow point to weakening confidence in memecoins and a shift of sidelined capital out of crypto rather than rotating within it.

Iran’s rial has entered a severe collapse in 2026, driving middle-class savers to bypass banks and move large volumes into crypto, particularly bitcoin. The article compares Iran’s situation to Lebanon’s 2019 banking and currency collapse, noting similar dynamics: bank freezes, hyperinflation, blocked remittances and rapid loss of fiat savings. On-chain activity in Iran reached an estimated ~$8 billion in 2025 as citizens shift holdings to self-custody wallets and stablecoins for everyday use. Lessons from Lebanon include the rise of peer-to-peer markets (often on Telegram), increased non-custodial wallet adoption, reliance on remittances in crypto, and grassroots education on seed backups and avoiding custodial risk. Obstacles remain — intermittent internet and power outages, thin liquidity outside main cities, volatile crypto prices and regulatory uncertainty — but bitcoin and stablecoins are presented as practical hedges against currency collapse. For traders, the story signals growing retail demand and on-chain flows from a sanctioned economy, higher regional P2P volumes, and potential sustained demand for BTC and stablecoins as safe-haven and remittance tools.

SBI Holdings’ president Yoshitaka Kitao announced that SBI Ripple Asia has partnered with Asia Web3 Alliance Japan to provide technical support for startups deploying solutions on the XRP Ledger (XRPL). The collaboration will focus on system design, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance to help startups build secure, compliant payment and financial services using XRPL’s fast settlement, low fees, and transparency. The initiative aims to reduce adoption friction by equipping firms with institutional-grade guidance that meets Japanese regulatory standards. SBI’s decade-long advocacy for Ripple technology reinforces Japan’s position as a regional blockchain innovation hub. Though centered on Japan, the program could produce use cases with international reach, potentially improving cross-border transaction efficiency and liquidity management. The announcement highlights XRPL’s utility beyond speculation and underscores growing institutional efforts to integrate digital assets into regulated financial systems. (Main keyword: XRPL)

A live npm supply-chain attack, tracked as SANDWORM_MODE, is actively stealing developer and CI secrets from at least 19 malicious npm packages published under aliases official334 and javaorg. The worm immediately exfiltrates crypto assets — BIP39 mnemonics, Ethereum and Bitcoin private keys (WIF, xprv), Solana key arrays — plus npm and GitHub tokens to a Cloudflare Worker drain endpoint upon package import. A second-stage payload, unlocked after a 48-hour host/user-derived delay (but immediate in CI environments), scans password managers (Bitwarden, 1Password, LastPass CLIs), local SQLite stores, Apple Notes/macOS Messages, and full filesystem wallet files. The campaign also injects malicious GitHub workflows, poisons AI toolchains (impersonating Claude Code and targeting tools like Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code extensions), and harvests LLM API keys from providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Groq, Replicate, Cohere and others. Exfiltration uses cascading channels: HTTPS to a Cloudflare Worker, authenticated GitHub uploads (double-base64), and DNS tunneling; a domain-generation fallback exists. npm removed the packages and GitHub/Cloudflare took down infrastructure, but operators should treat any affected host as compromised: rotate npm/GitHub/CI secrets, audit .github/workflows for malicious pull_request_target usage, check git global templateDir, and inspect AI assistant configs for rogue mcpServer entries. The worm contains dormant polymorphic and destructive modules (shredding home files) that increase risk of future, more evasive variants.