Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Joe Lubin, founder and CEO of Consensys and an Ethereum co‑founder, told Epicenter that traditional banks must adopt blockchain technology to remain competitive as decentralized finance (DeFi) reshapes financial services. Lubin highlighted several themes: banks are beginning to integrate blockchain for efficiency; stablecoins are a disruptive force prompting alarm in legacy banking; progressive decentralization is necessary for a meaningful paradigm shift; and protocols are replacing intermediaries so firms need not custody customer assets to provide services. He argued Ethereum’s early builders deliberately built resilience to withstand regulatory and technical pressure, and predicted a convergence of traditional finance (TradFi) and DeFi — eventually a unified “finance” running on decentralized rails. Lubin also warned of global economic instability and positioned DeFi, combined with AI, as the foundation for the next economic supercycle. For traders, the key takeaways are increased institutional adoption of blockchain, accelerating stablecoin usage, potential disintermediation of banks, and a longer-term bullish thesis for Ethereum infrastructure and DeFi primitives as capital and services migrate on‑chain.

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) has activated XLS-81, a Permissioned DEX amendment that lets regulated institutions trade on-chain inside credential-gated private domains on the XRPL mainnet. Built on recently activated Permissioned Domains (XLS-80) and tied to verifiable credentials (XLS-70), each domain runs an isolated DEX with its own order books and currency pairs; only authorized accounts can view and trade within that domain. The permissioned layer runs alongside the public XRPL DEX rather than replacing it, preserving open-market liquidity while enabling shared institutional pools, instant local payout, and protocol-level policy controls to meet compliance and sanctions requirements. For traders, XLS-81 could increase institutional flow and deepen on-chain liquidity for XRP-based markets without fragmenting capital across separate chains. The upgrade keeps XRPL’s low latency and on-chain transparency but restricts participation to credentialed entities, making it more attractive to banks, brokers and custodians seeking compliant on-chain FX and settlement. Primary SEO keywords: XRP Ledger, Permissioned DEX, institutional liquidity, compliance, XLS-81. Secondary keywords included naturally: XLS-70, XLS-80, credential-gated liquidity, on-chain FX, settlement network.

Spot gold climbed back above the $5,000 per ounce level, rising 2.53% on the day, according to market reports cited by PANews. The move reflects renewed demand for the safe-haven metal amid ongoing macroeconomic and market uncertainties. The article provided market information only and did not offer investment advice.

YZi Labs has sent a formal letter to 10X Capital Asset Management and related parties accusing them of failing to disclose beneficial ownership in CEA Industries Inc. (referred to as BNC in the filing) as required under U.S. securities laws. YZi Labs claims public records show 10X Capital has held more than 5% of BNC’s outstanding common stock since late 2025 but did not file a Schedule 13D to report formation of an ownership group. In addition, Hans Thomas — a founding partner of 10X Capital and a BNC director — allegedly failed to submit Form 3 to the SEC, breaching Section 16(a)’s initial reporting duties. YZi Labs notes it filed its own Schedule 13D on November 26, 2025 and has timely amended disclosures after share count changes due to buybacks and issuances. YZi Labs states it formed a shareholder group to preserve solicitation rights under Nevada law and stresses SEC disclosure rules are mandatory for anyone seeking a board seat. The firm calls on 10X Capital to immediately disclose its beneficial ownership under Section 13(d) and for Hans Thomas to file Form 3 without delay. The notice frames the dispute as a regulatory compliance issue rather than investment advice.

XDC Network has partnered with OrbitX Pay to enable merchants that accept Visa to process USD Coin (USDC) payments directly from USDC held on XDC. The integration lets users keep funds on-chain until the moment of payment, with transactions routed to payment networks to behave like standard card payments — reducing fiat conversions, off‑ramp delays and intermediary costs. XDC co-founder Ritesh Kakkaad and OrbitX CEO Ankitt Guar framed the move as a step toward everyday blockchain payments that keep users in control of assets while connecting to global payment rails. The announcement arrives as the total stablecoin market capitalization remains above $307 billion, supported by user trends: BVNK research shows 56% of stablecoin users plan to acquire more in the next 12 months, and many freelancers already receive a notable share of income in stablecoins. The integration aims to accelerate on‑chain spending adoption, but whether it achieves meaningful merchant and consumer uptake is uncertain.

Hecto Finance CEO Ultan Miller outlined plans at Consensus Hong Kong 2026 for a blockchain-based tokenized pre-IPO index — dubbed a basket of “Hectocorns” (private giants like SpaceX, OpenAI, ByteDance, xAI, Stripe, Tether, Anthropic) — that would issue on-chain tokens representing proportional exposure to the portfolio. Hecto plans to build on the Canton Network, emphasizing privacy, compliance and programmable settlement. The index would be rules-based and dynamic, with governance token holders voting on composition and liquidity events routed into buyback pools. Critics at the conference, notably Brickken co-founder Edwin Mata, warned tokenizing shares without issuer consent risks legal uncertainty, misrepresentation of shareholder rights, weak investor protections and reputational damage. Mata stressed tokenization is a technological overlay that does not change corporate-law ownership and cautioned that real liquidity requires compliant secondary markets and credible settlement infrastructure. The debate follows prior incidents such as Robinhood’s disputed equity-linked OpenAI and SpaceX tokens in 2025, which OpenAI publicly disavowed. Implications: tokenized private equity could broaden retail access to elite private firms and modernize settlement if issuer cooperation and regulation evolve. Absent clear legal frameworks and corporate buy-in, projects risk enforcement actions, limited secondary liquidity and investor losses. For traders, the story signals accelerating product innovation in real-world-asset tokenization but also heightened legal and regulatory risk: potential market-moving announcements or enforcement could trigger volatility in related tokens and platforms.

Hyperliquid, a decentralized exchange known for rapid growth in perpetual futures, has launched the Hyperliquid Policy Center, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit focused on DeFi regulation, perpetual futures and on-chain market infrastructure. Veteran crypto lawyer Jake Chervinsky will serve as founder and CEO and lead outreach to lawmakers and regulators. The Hyper Foundation committed 1,000,000 HYPE tokens (about $28–29 million) to seed the centre. Hyperliquid reported roughly $250 billion in perpetual futures volume and $6.6 billion spot volume in the past month (per DeFiLlama), underscoring its market footprint. The centre plans to brief Congress and federal agencies, publish technical research, advise on regulatory rulemaking, and push for rules tailored to decentralized protocols — with early priorities including a legal framework for perpetual contracts. The launch adds another advocacy group to Washington’s crowded crypto-policy landscape (alongside organizations such as the Blockchain Association, DeFi Education Fund and Solana Policy Institute). For traders, the move signals intensified lobbying for DeFi-specific rules that could influence on-chain derivatives requirements, compliance costs, and the regulatory clarity around perpetual futures markets — factors that may affect liquidity and risk premia for HYPE and other exchange-native tokens.

Bitcoin (BTC) fell below $67,000 to around $66,800–66,900 as a global sell-off during Asian and European sessions triggered automated stop-losses and intensified volatility. Price dropped roughly 3.2% on 24-hour volume up ~18% to about $42.7B. Technicals turned bearish: hourly and 4-hour MACD showed bearish crossovers and the RSI moved toward oversold. Order books revealed sell walls above $68,000 with clustered buy support near $65,200 (50-day MA) and $63,800. Derivatives activity signalled shifting positioning — open interest in futures was reported both up earlier (~$1.2B rise in one report) and down ~7% in another snapshot, while funding rates moved slightly negative and liquidations during the move totaled roughly $320M (majority long). On-chain flows showed elevated exchange inflows ahead of the drop and mixed whale behavior (some accumulation, some distribution). Market-cap and dominance fell and major altcoins tracked BTC lower (ETH down ~4.1–4.2%, SOL down ~5.7–6.8%). Network fundamentals remain healthy: hashrate near ATH, active addresses up month-on-month, and long-term holder metrics steady, suggesting a technical correction rather than systemic failure. Macro and regulatory headwinds (weaker equities, DXY strength, rate/inflation concerns, ECB guidance, SEC ETF delays) weighed on sentiment. Traders should monitor immediate support at $65,200 and $63,800, resistance near $68,200–$69,800, exchange flows, funding rates and futures open interest for short-term direction; longer-term on-chain accumulation and network health provide structural support.

A Schedule 13G filing shows Peter Thiel and Founders Fund have fully divested their previously disclosed 7.5% stake in ETHZilla (NASDAQ: ETHZ). The disclosure coincided with a near‑7% premarket drop in ETHZilla shares, leaving the stock roughly 97% below its August 2025 $107 peak. Thiel’s stake dated to ETHZilla’s 2025 rebrand and $565 million capital raise to pursue an aggressive corporate Ethereum (ETH) treasury strategy. Since then, ETHZilla partially liquidated holdings — selling roughly $40M in October 2025 and 24,291 ETH in December 2025 — and currently reports holding 69,802 ETH (~$139M), ranking it among the larger corporate ETH treasuries. Facing heavy leverage, market volatility and debt pressures, the company has pivoted away from aggressive ETH accumulation toward tokenizing real‑world assets (RWA). Recent steps include acquiring 95 manufactured/modular home loans (~$4.7M) to tokenize on an Ethereum Layer‑2 with a targeted ~10.36% yield, and buying two CFM56‑7B24 aircraft engines to tokenize via Liquidity.io under “ETHZilla Aerospace.” Management says future value will come from RWA revenue and cash flow while retaining a reduced but material ETH position. Founders Fund’s exit underscores rising institutional caution about high‑leverage ETH treasury models and may reduce confidence in similar corporate ETH strategies. For traders, the move signals potential continued volatility in ETHZilla stock and contributes modestly to institutional demand dynamics for ETH; market effects on Ether’s price are likely limited but negative in the short term if other institutions follow suit.

Wells Fargo strategists estimate roughly $150 billion in U.S. tax refunds will be distributed to households by late March, potentially restoring retail liquidity and driving a rotation into risk assets such as Bitcoin and high‑growth tech stocks. The projection uses IRS refund estimates, historical refund-to-investment behavior, and behavioral finance patterns that treat refunds as “found money.” Bitcoin is trading below $70,000 after a ~29% monthly pullback that coincided with roughly $105 billion leaving the U.S. financial system, leaving sentiment fragile. Analysts warn that even a small share of the $150 billion directed into crypto could produce outsized moves in BTC. Wells Fargo highlighted two dozen retail‑favored equities (including Robinhood and Boeing) that could also see refund-driven flows. Traders should watch IRS weekly refund totals, net inflows to exchanges and brokerages, search trends for buying crypto, and spikes in short‑dated out‑of‑the‑money call volume as early signals. Expected market effects include higher short‑term volatility, increased trading volumes, greater correlation between Bitcoin and speculative tech equities, and the risk of rapid corrections or speculative bubbles; disciplined risk management is recommended.

SEGG Media (Sports Entertainment Gaming Global Corporation) has named Daniel Bailey — CEO of Veloce Media Group and President Trump’s Bitcoin advisor — to its Board of Directors after acquiring a majority stake in Veloce. Bailey will support SEGG’s strategic oversight, commercial expansion and governance as the company grows its sports, gaming and digital media footprint in 2026. Veloce, under Bailey, built partnerships with McLaren, Visa, Microsoft, Hilton and LEGO and integrates esports, motorsport and digital content. The appointment follows Nakamoto Inc., led by Bailey, signing a definitive all-stock deal to acquire BTC Inc. and UTXO Management; the combined entity expects steady revenues to fund further Bitcoin purchases and asset-management deals. Primary keywords: Daniel Bailey, SEGG Media, Veloce acquisition, Bitcoin advisor, Nakamoto Inc., BTC purchases. Secondary/semantic keywords: board appointment, media M&A, sports media, esports, motorsport, digital content, asset management.

Nick Shalek, General Partner at Ribbit Capital, argues the future financial system will blend permissioned (consortium) and decentralized models rather than choosing one. He highlights tokenization as a way to make assets legible to machines, enabling more personalized and intelligent financial services. Shalek favors projects that bridge traditional finance and blockchain (he cites Tempo, Canton and the Kantor network) and says Canton’s model lets builders monetize without new tokens. Regulatory clarity is a linchpin for institutional adoption—Shalek says clearer rules will accelerate digital-asset uptake and notes firms like Goldman Sachs are already trading crypto products where allowed. He stresses privacy is essential for on-chain finance at scale and criticizes current crypto economics for favoring infrastructure providers over end users. Incumbent banks can still compete by adopting new tech and building user/service networks, though they face cultural drag. Shalek expects interoperability, real-time pricing and improved infrastructure will transform markets, and he sees institutional-grade reliability and governance as prerequisites for mission-critical use. He also comments on the evolving U.S. regulatory backdrop (including the SEC’s innovation exemption) and predicts the coexistence of digital assets with traditional financial rails.

Coin Center and other crypto advocates warned the Senate that revisions to the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act (BRCA) could blur the legal line between software development and money transmission, exposing non‑custodial developers and infrastructure providers to money‑transmitter liability. Senators Cynthia Lummis and Ron Wyden proposed updated language intended to clarify that developers who write code or run infrastructure but do not control user funds should not be treated as money transmitters. The debate intensified after high‑profile prosecutions—most notably the Tornado Cash developer and Samourai Wallet affiliates—resulted in convictions for operating an unlicensed money‑transmitting business, creating precedent that advocates say risks criminalizing tooling authors and open‑source contributors. Coin Center policy director Jason Somensatto likened blockchain developers to ISPs and cloud hosts, urging retention of safe‑harbor language to avoid chilling innovation and driving projects and talent offshore. The BRCA has not yet been marked up in the Senate Banking Committee; lawmakers must balance public‑safety and anti‑money‑laundering concerns with preserving legal certainty for onshore crypto development. For traders: potential outcomes include increased regulatory uncertainty that could weigh on U.S.‑listed crypto firms and onshore developer activity, a legal environment that may favor offshore platforms, and heightened compliance and operational risk for infrastructure projects that could affect market sentiment.

On Feb 18, on-chain derivatives protocol MYX closed a strategic funding round led by Consensys, with participation from Consensys Mesh and Systemic Ventures; Consensys is now MYX’s largest investor. The capital is earmarked to launch MYX V2 and deploy a Modular Derivative Settlement Engine that repositions MYX from a vertically integrated DApp into a modular settlement layer usable by other platforms. MYX V2 integrates account abstraction (EIP-4337 and EIP-7702) and Chainlink’s permissionless oracle stack to speed asset listings, improve capital efficiency and simplify trading flows. Key features touted include gasless one‑click trading, non‑custodial control, a Dynamic Margin system supporting up to 50x leverage without relying on order‑book depth, and oracle‑anchored pricing designed to eliminate slippage for large orders. The architecture decouples execution quality from local liquidity, targeting professional traders and on‑chain perpetuals use cases. Funding is explicitly intended to support MYX’s transition into core omnichain derivatives infrastructure ahead of the V2 launch. Traders should watch for improved capital efficiency, faster listings of long‑tail assets, and potential composability opportunities that could change how liquidity and settlements route across chains.

XRP Ledger (XRPL) has introduced a member-only decentralized exchange (DEX) tailored for regulated institutions. The new DEX targets custody providers, banks and licensed trading firms, offering permissioned access and compliance-friendly features while leveraging XRPL’s native settlement and tokenization capabilities. The announcement emphasizes regulatory alignment and institutional-grade controls rather than a public, permissionless market. For traders, the development signals increased focus on institutional on-ramps and tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) on XRPL, which could boost liquidity and trading volumes for XRPL-listed tokens over time. Key implications include potential growth in institutional order flow on XRPL, improved compliance frameworks for token listings, and a narrower initial user base limited to vetted members, meaning immediate public market impact may be gradual. Primary keywords: XRP Ledger, DEX, regulated institutions, institutional trading, tokenization. Secondary/semantic keywords used: XRPL, member-only exchange, custody providers, RWAs, compliance-friendly DEX.

Canary Capital and Grayscale have each launched spot SUI exchange-traded funds that let investors gain direct exposure to SUI prices and earn staking rewards. Canary’s product, Canary Stake SUI ETF (ticker: SUIS), is listed on Nasdaq and tracks the spot price of SUI while distributing net staking yields from SUI’s proof-of-stake mechanism. Grayscale converted its existing SUI trust into an ETF listed on NYSE Arca under ticker GSUI. The launches provide a regulated, brokerage-accessible route for investors to participate in SUI price movements and capture staking income without holding tokens directly. No additional financial details or fee structures were disclosed in the report. This development may broaden institutional and retail access to SUI and could increase on‑chain staking participation indirectly via custodial staking embedded in ETF structures.

Bitcoin (BTC) has traded in a tight range after dipping from last weekend’s peak above $70,000 to about $67,400, remaining far below its all-time high (~$126,300). Key institutional demand indicators are weakening: the Coinbase Premium Index has stayed negative (signaling weak U.S. demand), spot Bitcoin ETF outflows exceeded $8 billion since October, and futures open interest fell to roughly $44 billion from over $95 billion a year ago. Treasury buyers have slowed, with only a few firms (Strategy, American Bitcoin, Strive) still adding to reserves. Technicals show a bearish picture: a daily bearish pennant forming, the Supertrend turned red on Jan 19, and BTC trading below the 50- and 100-day EMAs. Near-term technical targets are the year-to-date low near $60,000 and, if that breaks, a potential move toward $50,000 as forecast by analysts at Standard Chartered. For traders: waning institutional flows, ETF redemptions and declining open interest increase downside risk; short-term bias is bearish-to-neutral until volume or on-chain demand recovers.

Ethereum (ETH) is compressing into a clearly defined bearish pennant after a prior downtrend, indicating a higher probability of downside continuation. Price has printed consecutive lower highs and lower lows before entering consolidation; support and resistance are converging with declining volatility and falling volume. Traders should watch for a bearish breakdown confirmed by rising sell-side volume — without volume expansion any breakout risks being false. If a valid breakdown occurs, the immediate downside target is the recent swing low at $1,740. Market structure remains bearish until ETH breaks and holds above the pennant’s upper boundary with confirming volume. Key actionable points for traders: monitor volume closely, treat rallies as corrective while lower-high structure persists, use a confirmed volume-backed breakout to enter short positions, and consider $1,740 as the first significant target and liquidity zone.

Pi Network’s core team reminded node operators of a February 15 deadline to run nodes on laptops/desktops (the protocol’s “fourth role”) ahead of planned protocol upgrades; the deadline has passed with no published participation numbers or extensions. Community criticism is rising over perceived lack of transparency, slow KYC/mainnet progress, and limited real‑world utility. Social posts blamed the team for PI’s recent crash to a new low at $0.1312. Despite that, PI staged a sharp recovery over the weekend, topping $0.20 before settling under $0.19 and finishing the week up roughly 40%. PiScan data shows daily unlocks falling to under ~6.2M PI from >7.5M last week, which could reduce short‑term selling pressure. Traders should watch node rollout updates, KYC/mainnet milestones and the token unlock schedule as catalysts for further volatility.

US durable goods orders fell 1.4% in December 2024, the largest monthly decline since April 2023, according to the Commerce Department. Transportation equipment led the drop with a 4.2% fall—driven mainly by weaker commercial aircraft demand—while motor vehicles and parts declined 0.7%. Excluding transportation, orders still fell 0.5%. Core capital goods (nondefense excluding aircraft) slipped 0.3%, indicating cooling business investment. The decline follows a revised 0.9% increase in November and turns the three-month moving average slightly negative. Manufacturing (about 11% of US GDP) has shown softening elsewhere: the ISM manufacturing PMI was 48.5 in December and regional Fed surveys signaled weakness. Markets reacted with lower Treasury yields, a softer dollar, and mixed equity responses—industrial stocks underperformed. Key drivers cited include higher borrowing costs from past Fed rate hikes, weaker global demand, inventory adjustments after the holiday season, and sector-specific issues such as aircraft production problems. Employment in manufacturing slowed (only 4,000 jobs added in December). Analysts say the data may influence Fed policy deliberations on timing for rate cuts but is unlikely on its own to trigger immediate moves. For traders, the report highlights increased downside risk to cyclical and industrial sectors, possible near-term easing in yields and the dollar, and the potential for policy-driven volatility depending on subsequent economic releases.

Rabobank analysis finds two converging forces supporting Euro stability: deeper EU economic integration and renewed Swedish discussions about joining the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Key integration steps—Banking Union completion, progress on the Capital Markets Union, and fiscal tools like NextGenerationEU and the European Stability Mechanism—are narrowing bond-yield spreads and promoting capital flow across the bloc. Rabobank highlights data trends showing rising intra-EU trade, inflation convergence (HICP), and gradual fiscal coordination as evidence of increased resilience. Sweden’s potential EMU membership is seen as a stabilizing political and economic endorsement: strong public finances and a high credit rating would reduce currency risk for exporters and deepen market access. The report frames these developments within the Euro’s post-1999 evolution—policy responses to past crises (ESM, ECB measures) have fortified institutions, and current moves are strategic enhancements rather than emergency fixes. For traders, the analysis implies lower sovereign-risk premiums, potential appreciation or reduced volatility for the Euro, and improved investor appetite for Eurozone assets if Sweden advances talks. Rabobank’s approach relies on verifiable charts (trade flows, bond spreads, HICP, debt metrics) and underscores that outcomes depend on political decisions and implementation of integration measures. This is not trading advice.

BlackRock and Coinbase disclosed the revenue-sharing and fee structure for a proposed staked Ethereum (staked-ETH) exchange-traded fund in an amended S-1 filing. The fund will pass 82% of gross ETH staking rewards to investors while BlackRock (sponsor) and Coinbase (operating partner/custodian) will retain 18% of rewards. Investors also face an annual sponsor fee of 0.12%–0.25% of assets under management. The trust plans to stake between 70% and 95% of its ETH holdings and keep the remainder liquid for redemptions; some staking operations may be outsourced by Coinbase. BlackRock and Coinbase seeded the fund with $100,000 (4,000 shares at $25). Using early-2026 network yield assumptions (~3% gross staking yield), the 18% reward split plus the sponsor fee imply materially lower net yields to investors that will vary with network conditions. The product aims to provide regulated, passive staking exposure for institutional and traditional investors without running validators, but it has reignited debate over fee levels and centralization risks as large custodians capture staking share. Traders should watch ETF approval progress, the fund’s effective net yield versus market staking rates, flows into the ETF (which could concentrate ETH staking power), and any secondary-market price reaction reflecting changes in demand for custodial staking exposure.

Societe Generale’s latest technical analysis warns that dollar (DXY) bears face a sustained challenge as the US Dollar Index holds key support levels into 2025. The bank highlights the 200-day moving average and multi-year trendlines as structural floors that repelled multiple breakdown attempts through 2024. Fundamental factors reinforcing the dollar include relatively stronger US GDP projections, cautious Fed policy, and persistent interest-rate differentials that continue to attract capital into dollar assets. Societe Generale cites institutional and central bank reserve accumulation, options market demand for dollar upside protection, and carry-trade flows funding dollar positions as evidence of underlying demand. Component performance in 2024 showed the euro (-3.2%), yen (-8.7%), pound (-1.8%), CAD (-2.4%), SEK (-4.1%), and CHF (-2.9%) against the dollar. The bank flags risk scenarios that could flip the view—sustained breaks below the 200-week moving average or multi-year trendline violations—but considers these unlikely in its base case. For traders, the report signals technical and fundamental headwinds for short-dollar strategies, elevated chances of short-covering rallies after failed breakdowns, and the need to monitor central bank flows, Fed policy surprises, and defined technical break levels.

WLD (WLD/USDT) closed the latest week near $0.39 after trading in a narrow $0.38–$0.41 range. The dominant trend across weekly and monthly timeframes remains bearish: price sits below the short-term EMA20 (~$0.41) and key resistances are at $0.423–$0.4234, $0.50 and $0.5773. Critical support lies at $0.369–$0.3986 (high-volume accumulation zone). Momentum readings are mixed — RSI ~42 and a modestly positive MACD histogram suggest short-term recovery potential, but weekly trend and moving averages stay bearish. Volume is around $66M–$86M, with accumulation near $0.38 that requires higher volume to confirm a reversal. WLD shows high correlation with Bitcoin (~0.85); Bitcoin strength (holding above roughly $67.5k–$68.9k) would support WLD upside, while a BTC breakdown would likely drag WLD lower. Trading plan for traders: remain cautious and light-sized. Bull case: a daily/weekly close above ~$0.423 (confirming volume) would validate long entries (scaled targets near $0.445–$0.523 and $0.656) with stop-loss under the high-volume support ($0.369–$0.3986). Bear case: a break and close below $0.369 (or the high-volume node) increases downside toward $0.28 and possibly $0.154–$0.1608; consider tighter stops and limited exposure (recommended risk per trade 1.5–3%). Watch multi-timeframe confluence, on-chain/volume confirmation and BTC action before committing.

Sai has launched Sai Perps, a perpetuals trading platform that combines centralized-exchange (CEX) speed and user experience with fully onchain settlement and self-custody. Key product features include a CEX-like interface, gasless trading (gas abstracted for users), onchain trade settlement for transparency and provable finality, and infrastructure focused on deep liquidity, risk-management systems and oracle design to improve execution and market integrity. Sai says supported collateral includes USDC and platform-listed assets (e.g., stNIBI) and plans capital-efficiency features such as yield-on-deposits (Sai Savings), cross-chain deposits, and smart accounts for gasless UX. To drive adoption, Sai is running a one-month trading competition “Let’s Go Saicho” (Feb 18–Mar 19, 2026) with a $25,000 prize pool split across two phases: a PnL competition (Feb 18–Mar 4 — $20,000, up to 50 winners) and a first-come, first-serve “Be Early” phase (Mar 5–Mar 19 — $5,000, 50 winners). The release frames Sai Perps as an onchain-perps alternative that targets both new and advanced traders by offering CEX-like UX, onchain transparency and planned expansion into stocks, commodities and FX markets. Contact: press@sai.fun. This is a sponsored press release and not investment advice.

A previously unknown Hong Kong-linked entity, Laurore Ltd., appeared in Q4 13F filings as a major new holder of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT). The filer reported 8,786,279 IBIT shares (about $337.3M, roughly 0.65% of shares outstanding), making it one of the largest new Q4 disclosures. Industry observers led by ProCap CIO Jeff Park flagged the filing as unusual: Laurore has no public footprint or website, lists a contact named Zhang Hui, and is a single-asset vehicle rather than a diversified manager. The “Ltd” offshore structure is consistent with Cayman/BVI wrappers commonly used to channel capital into US markets; some analysts suggest this could indicate Chinese capital seeking regulated Bitcoin exposure via US ETFs. Attempts to trace beneficial owners — including checks by Bloomberg Intelligence and others — found no definitive link, though one commentator noted a possible, unconfirmed overlap with Hao Advisors Management based on an address and signatory names. The disclosure underscores how 13F filings reveal position size but often obscure ultimate ownership. Traders should note: a large, opaque IBIT allocation surfaced in Q4; ownership intent is unclear (could be accumulation, tactical positioning, or temporary); and this may signal offshore demand for spot Bitcoin ETFs. Monitor subsequent 13F updates, IBIT ETF flows, and ETF-related on-chain activity for confirmation. Relevant keywords: IBIT, Bitcoin ETF, Laurore Ltd., Hong Kong, ETF flows.

AI pioneers at the London Blockchain Conference argue that accountability for AI decisions requires immutable logging and verifiable identity. Sebastian Thrun, Polina Vertex (Cambridge CCAF) and Scott Zoldi (FICO) said responsibility should rest with people and organisations, not the models themselves, and called for transparent records of training data, model development and testing. They recommended enterprise blockchains to journal data provenance and decision histories, making records tamper-proof and auditable. IPv6 and strong identity/PKI were cited as the necessary networking layer to provide end-to-end addresses and verifiable identities for agents, devices and nodes. Combining blockchain (transparency) with IPv6 (identity) would enable traceability of data inputs and model outputs, helping regulators, companies and users investigate faults and enforce accountability. The article frames enterprise blockchain plus IPv6 as the technical backbone needed to build trust in AI systems and to meet legal and audit requirements.

The European Central Bank (ECB) will begin selecting EU-licensed payment service providers (PSPs) in Q1 2026 to take part in a limited 12-month digital euro pilot slated for the second half of 2027. Announced by ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone, the pilot will include a small number of PSPs, merchants and Eurosystem staff and aims to test onboarding, settlement and liquidity management. Participating PSPs gain early operational experience, clearer visibility on infrastructure, compliance and staffing costs, and the opportunity to influence design. The ECB intends the digital euro to protect domestic payment schemes (for example Italy’s Bancomat and Spain’s Bizum) and keep banks central to payments, while capping merchant fees between international card networks and cheaper domestic schemes. The pilot follows the ECB’s October 2025 decision to move the project forward, with a possible broader launch by 2029 if legislation advances in 2026.

World Liberty Financial (WLFI) jumped ~22% in 24 hours after on‑chain trackers recorded 313.31 million WLFI withdrawn from Binance over an 11‑hour span. The token traded near $0.12 with market cap around $3.3 billion and 24‑hour volume above $224–$326 million across reports. Large exchange outflows are commonly interpreted as holders moving assets to private wallets for long‑term storage, reducing exchange liquidity and creating upward price pressure. Additional catalysts cited: heightened visibility from the invitation‑only World Liberty Forum at Mar‑a‑Lago — attended by high‑profile finance executives — and WLFI‑backed product announcements (a World Swap forex/remittance product and USD1 stablecoin circulation). Technicals: WLFI recently bounced from $0.10 support to roughly $0.116–$0.123 and faces immediate resistance at $0.1259–$0.14; upside targets noted at $0.166 and $0.1918. Momentum indicators in earlier coverage were mixed (RSI below 50, trading under the 20‑day moving average), suggesting the move may be driven primarily by spot demand or short covering rather than new leveraged buying. Key trading takeaways: reduced exchange supply and large withdrawals point to short‑term bullish pressure; watch for a daily close above $0.12–$0.1259 to confirm a short‑term structure shift, and monitor volume, futures open interest, and wallet flows around Mar‑a‑Lago event and product rollout for potential volatility amplifications.