Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

The Ethereum Foundation has launched a dedicated Post-Quantum (PQ) cryptography team with $2 million in funding, signaling that quantum computing is being treated as an imminent infrastructure risk for blockchain ecosystems. The opinion piece warns that “harvest-now, decrypt-later” attacks are the primary danger: wallets that expose public keys today could be drained instantly once quantum-capable machines can run Shor’s algorithm. Deloitte estimates roughly four million BTC (around 25% of usable supply) sit in addresses with exposed public keys, and migrating major blockchains to post-quantum cryptography could require extended protocol downtime — researchers suggest up to 75 days or longer under constrained operation. The article notes broader policy moves (EU PQC roadmap) and industry debate (Adam Back’s 20–40 year timeline), arguing the risk window is nearer. It highlights systemic consequences beyond crypto — disrupted ETFs, custody, payments, interbank settlements and digital signatures — and warns AI-driven automation could accelerate exploit discovery and attacks faster than governance can respond. The piece calls the market to price quantum risk, expect regulatory scrutiny and demand disclosures on cryptographic readiness, positioning quantum-resilience as an emerging investment and operational priority for institutions and traders.

Pump.fun’s team wallet sold 543.23 million PUMP (~$1.2M) after holding the tokens for seven months, realizing a paper loss of about $2.48M versus acquisition cost. Onchain Lens reported the wallet originally received 3.75 billion PUMP (~$25.39M) from the Token Custodian; after the sale it still holds ~3.2 billion PUMP (~$7.07M). The sale came amid a broader market correction: PUMP was rejected at $0.00238 and fell to $0.0021, trading well below its 2025 peak of $0.009. Exchange data (Coinalyze) shows recent sell pressure: 641.5M PUMP sell volume vs. 629M buy volume (negative buy-sell delta ~ -12M), and over the past 48 hours >8.6B PUMP in sell volume. Technical signals point to short-term weakness — PUMP fell below its EMA long, RSI dropped from 51 to 47 (below 50), and the market has printed lower highs. Key technical levels: support near $0.0017 (SAR) and resistance/reclaim level at $0.0022; reclaiming $0.0026 would be required to resume a clearer upside. For traders: continued team and broad sell-side activity raises the probability of further short-term downside; buyers would need to absorb significant supply to stabilize price and allow a recovery.

Public Masterpiece, a Cyprus‑based real‑world asset (RWA) tokenization firm, announced PMT Chain, a purpose‑built Layer‑1 blockchain for tokenization, certification and provenance of physical assets. Rebranded as Public Masterpiece Technology, the project says PMT Chain represents seven years of work (including five years of R&D) and targets museums, galleries, private collectors, global brands and broader RWA markets such as real estate. The chain claims native support for fiat‑backed stablecoins, on‑chain custody mechanisms, regulatory compliance modules and integrations with off‑chain systems for asset onboarding and governance. A UAE certification hub of evaluators, art experts and historians will provide on‑chain authentication to counter forgery and provenance manipulation. Public Masterpiece previously ran Layer‑2 operations on BNB Chain and reported its PMT token outperformed 86% of the top 100 crypto assets over the past year, rising roughly 75% and trading above its 200‑day moving average. The network is reportedly ready but no launch date has been set; the company says several unnamed governments are in talks about adopting PMT Chain. The announcement is a sponsored release and not investment advice.

NZD/USD has shown bullish momentum, consolidating above key supports and breaking above the 50-day moving average. Technical indicators (RSI ~58, bullish flag on 4H) point to upside potential toward the 0.6100 psychological level and possibly 0.6150 if broken. Immediate support sits at 0.6020 (200-day MA) and 0.5980. The main fundamental catalyst is the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s upcoming monetary policy announcement — markets expect the OCR to remain at 5.50%, but traders will focus on forward guidance, inflation projections and commentary on growth. NZ inflation recently eased to 4.2% y/y while unemployment held at 4.3%; dairy commodity strength offers additional support. USD softness amid shifting Fed expectations and softer US PMI data is also providing tailwinds for the Kiwi. Options markets show elevated implied volatility around the RBNZ decision and positioning data indicates a moderate net-long bias in NZD futures. Historical RBNZ decision days have produced average moves near 0.8%; outcomes depend heavily on the policy tone. Traders should prepare for short-term volatility: a hawkish tone could drive NZD/USD through 0.6100, while a dovish tilt could push it back toward 0.6020–0.5980. Risk management (stop-losses, position sizing) is advised.

Venture capital influence over token launches declined sharply in 2024–early 2025, prompting a shift toward community-driven and more equitable token distribution models. Data from The DeFi Edge shows ~85% of tokens launched in 2024 fell below issue price, and crypto VC funding has dropped to about 12% of 2022 levels. The article notes that concentrated VC allocations and quick insider selling previously created heavy initial sell pressure that hurt retail investors. Emerging alternatives—community launches, DAO funding, extended vesting schedules and gradual token releases—are reducing immediate dilution and improving price stability. Exchanges are tightening listing standards, increasingly scrutinizing tokenomics, distribution and vesting. Analysts see this as a structural market maturation where utility, user adoption and sustainable revenue replace VC endorsement as primary valuation drivers. Expected 2025 developments include increased regulatory scrutiny, growth of decentralized funding platforms, stronger transparency requirements, and wider adoption of community governance. For traders, the shift implies potentially lower short-term volatility at token generation events, fewer large insider dumps, and greater emphasis on fundamental due diligence when assessing new tokens.

Poland’s president Karol Nawrocki has vetoed Bill 2064 — the second rejection of a domestic MiCA implementation — leaving Polish crypto firms without a formal path to obtain MiCA licences at home ahead of the EU transition deadline on July 1, 2026. The Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) has not been designated as a MiCA supervisory authority, creating regulatory uncertainty. Industry leaders say firms are preparing contingency plans: Kanga Exchange co‑CEO Sławek Zawadzki confirmed companies are ready to re‑domicile or pursue other jurisdictions, while Zonda Crypto CEO Przemysław Kral said his exchange is registered in Estonia and will seek a foreign MiCA licence to passport services back to Poland. Observers warn this gap creates regulatory asymmetry that advantages foreign firms with MiCA approvals (for example, Coinbase secured a Luxembourg licence in 2025) and risks smaller Polish players’ market exit. Polish economist Krzysztof Piech is reportedly drafting a more industry‑friendly MiCA implementation bill. For traders: expect increased competition from non‑Polish MiCA‑licensed platforms, possible liquidity shifts to exchanges licensed abroad, and short‑term operational uncertainty for local venues as firms pursue passporting or relocation.

A Bitcoin address (starting bc1qq) long dormant since 2012 moved or acquired 7,068 BTC in mid-February 2026, roughly $470 million at current prices, according to Arkham Intelligence. Arkham classifies addresses created between 2009–2012 as "Satoshi-era" wallets—coins originally mined or acquired when BTC traded below $10. The move follows wider whale accumulation in early February: large addresses holding 1,000–100,000 BTC added over 70,000 BTC (~$4.6 billion) to their balances, with 66,940 BTC recorded on 6 February alone (Santiment). Other reactivations in early 2026 include a 909 BTC wallet moving funds after 13 years (20 Jan) and a 2.565 BTC transfer to Bitcoin’s genesis address on 8 Feb. Key trading implications: sizable movements from decade-old wallets can increase volatility and spur short-term selling or profit-taking, while concurrent whale accumulation suggests distribution and active portfolio rebalancing among large holders. Primary keywords: Satoshi-era wallet, 7,068 BTC, Arkham Intelligence, whale accumulation.

Kraken will fund and provision digital crypto accounts (so-called "Trump Accounts") for every child born in Wyoming beginning in 2026. The initiative accompanies the launch of Wyoming’s state-backed stablecoin, Frontier Stable Token (FRNT), which is fully backed by US dollars and short-term Treasury bills and is tradable on Kraken. FRNT is deployed on Solana with bridges to Ethereum, Polygon and Arbitrum via Stargate Finance; asset management is handled by Franklin Templeton. Wyoming officials — including Governor Mark Gordon and Senator Cynthia Lummis — say the program aims to promote early financial literacy, cost-efficient public payments, and long-term savings for future generations. Kraken is also expanding regulated services, including a Europe partnership with Deutsche Börse. The program could serve as a blueprint for other jurisdictions exploring public–private crypto savings and payments solutions. (Main keywords: Kraken, Wyoming, FRNT stablecoin, newborn crypto accounts, Solana)

UBS Global Wealth Management warns that the Swedish krona denominated stock rally has outpaced fundamentals and may face a significant correction in 2025. Q1 2025 data show Swedish equities up about 18% versus European peers, driven by a tech-led surge, stable inflation and strong 2024 GDP growth (2.3%). UBS flags three main risks: elevated price-to-earnings ratios (comparable to the 2021 peak), rising prices on declining trading volumes, and a ~12% krona appreciation versus the euro that impairs export competitiveness. Sector concentration in technology and record retail inflows amplify vulnerability. Comparative P/E ratios put Sweden at a premium versus Norway, Denmark and Finland. Possible scenarios include a gradual 10–15% correction or sharper declines if external shocks occur. Other institutions are split—Nordea remains optimistic while SEB echoes UBS caution. Key takeaways for traders: stretched valuations, currency-driven export risk, and potential increased volatility that may present shorting or hedging opportunities.

The XRP Ledger activated two protocol amendments that introduce a permissioned decentralized exchange (XLS-81) and programmable token escrow (XLS-85). XLS-81 (live Feb 18) creates three offer types — Open, Permissioned, and Hybrid — allowing credential-gated trading pools tied to permissioned domains. Credentials (XLS-70) and Permissioned Domains (XLS-80) enable counterparty vetting without exposing personal data; trades only match within the same domain. XLS-85 (live Feb 12) adds native token escrows with time-based releases, milestone triggers, and multi-party approvals. The changes are protocol-native (no smart contracts) and were tested on Devnet by XRPL Commons. Key uses: regulated institutions can trade on-chain with compliance controls; B2B invoice settlement, jurisdictional treasury pools, staged token launches, creator/collector gated sales, and private liquidity for gaming or guilds. Limitations: permissioned offers become invalid if credentials expire or domains change; domain operators hold significant control and risk; permissioned pools aren’t compatible with AMMs and hybrid offers can’t combine two different permissioned DEXes in one transaction. Escrows cost 0.2 XRP per asset locked and have no clawback during lock. Technical specs and Devnet tests are public. Primary keywords: XRPL, permissioned DEX, token escrow, credentials, permissioned domains. This upgrade may accelerate regulated on-chain trading and new institutional DeFi products while shifting some counterparty risk to domain operators.

Russian authorities in the Republic of Dagestan have opened a criminal investigation into a local man suspected of financing terrorism through means that may have involved cryptocurrency, TASS reports. Investigators in Makhachkala allege the suspect provided funds or material support that could aid extremist activity; specific actions and evidence have not been publicly disclosed. The suspect remains under investigation while law enforcement gathers further proof. The case arrives amid intensified global scrutiny of crypto’s role in illicit finance and moves by regulators — notably the EU — to tighten restrictions and ban certain crypto transactions involving Russian entities. For traders: the report underlines continuing regulatory pressure and enforcement risk around crypto flows linked to sanctioned or high-risk jurisdictions.

Solana (SOL) technicals show conflicting signals. An X (Twitter) analyst mapped a broadening “megaphone” pattern on the weekly SOL/USDT chart that projects a bullish path extending into 2027 and includes a target above $1,000 following a rebound from the lower trendline. The megaphone pattern highlights prior rallies to the upper boundary and repeated holds at the lower boundary. Conversely, a separate TradingView chart shared on X shows SOL completing a weekly close below a long-held range floor, confirming a breakdown from the prior sideways structure into a downtrend with lower highs and lower lows. That daily/weekly-close view notes price falling below short- and medium-term moving averages, sustained red candles into the weekly close, and the former range floor turning into overhead resistance. Traders are advised to watch for resistance retests and potential short-covering rallies, but the breakdown suggests sellers retain near-term control until structure is reclaimed. Primary keywords: Solana, SOL, weekly chart, megaphone pattern, breakdown. Secondary/semantic keywords: range support, resistance test, moving averages, TradingView, X (Twitter).

Infosys shares rose about 4.4% to Rs. 1,425.50 after the company announced a strategic partnership with US AI firm Anthropic. The alliance will integrate Anthropic’s Claude models (including Claude Code) into Infosys’ Topaz AI suite to develop enterprise AI solutions for regulated and complex industries. Initial rollout will focus on telecommunications via a dedicated Anthropic Center of Excellence for building and deploying industry-specific AI agents, then expand into financial services, manufacturing and software development. Infosys CEO Salil Parekh emphasized the deal as a strategic step to scale AI adoption and unlock enterprise value. The move comes amid recent tech-sector weakness driven by investor concerns about AI-related disruption to human-labor–dependent revenue models. Key keywords: Infosys, Anthropic, enterprise AI, Claude, Topaz, telecommunications, AI agents, Salil Parekh.

Gold prices in India fell for a second consecutive session on 17 February 2026, with 24K gold at ₹15,420/gram (down ₹224), 22K at ₹14,135/gram (down ₹205) and 18K at ₹11,565/gram (down ₹168). On a 10-gram basis, 24K gold has slipped roughly ₹2,050, and domestic 24K recorded a cumulative drop exceeding ₹28,400 per 100 grams over two sessions. International bullion dipped below $4,950/oz amid thin trading (Chinese Lunar New Year closures and US Presidents’ Day) while the US Dollar Index and US Treasury yields rose. Stronger dollar and higher yields reduced safe-haven appeal and increased the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding gold, prompting profit-taking after gold’s recent rally above $5,000/oz. Eased geopolitical tensions (reports of US–Iran progress and renewed Russia–Ukraine talks) and improved risk appetite also shifted flows toward equities. Domestic futures on MCX corrected sharply; silver fell about ₹35,000/kg over five days. Traders are watching the ₹150,000–₹155,000 per 10-gram band as key support for 24K gold. Near-term direction hinges on forthcoming US PCE inflation data and Fed minutes, which could affect rate expectations and bullion flows. Primary keywords: gold price India, dollar strength, US Treasury yields. Secondary/semantic keywords: bullion, MCX, profit booking, safe-haven demand, PCE data.

Bitcoin fell to about $68,000 (down ~1.25%) as a tech-led risk-off move weighed on markets and gold corrected ~2.4%. BTC’s correlation with the Nasdaq flipped from -0.68 to +0.72 since Feb. 3, signalling stronger linkage to tech stocks. Memecoins PEPE, DOGE and TRUMP led altcoin declines (roughly -3.5% to -4.5%), while AI token MORPHO (+23.5% weekly) and privacy coin ZEC (+19% weekly) outperformed. Derivatives show capital outflows: industry notional open interest fell 1.5% to $93B, and $229B of leveraged positions were liquidated in 24 hours, mostly long bets. Open interest in futures for DOGE, PEPE, LINK and AVAX dropped 3–5%; HYPE futures cooled to multi-week lows. Implied volatility for BTC and ETH pulled back from monthly highs, though put prices still exceed calls on Deribit, indicating lingering downside hedging. Bitcoin dominance has ranged 57.4%–60.1% since September. Key metrics point to reduced demand and profit-taking amid macro caution, with short-term downside pressure but potential longer-term support from macro factors and inflation-adjusted yields.

NEXO, the native token of crypto lending platform Nexo, rose to about $0.8871 after the company resumed fully compliant services in the United States. The token gained 5.7% in 24 hours and 9.4% over the past week as Nexo returned to the US market nine months after announcing its comeback. Nexo had left the US three years ago amid regulatory scrutiny of its lending products; it now re-entered through a partnership with regulated infrastructure provider Bakkt. The relaunch restores flexible and fixed-term yield programs, a spot exchange, crypto-backed credit lines, a loyalty rewards program, and fiat on/off-ramps for US users. Technical levels to watch: immediate support at $0.8655, first resistance at $0.9619, and higher targets at $1.02–$1.07; downside support sits near $0.7923. Short-term token performance will depend on US adoption, liquidity, and broader market sentiment.

Zashi, the mobile wallet originally built by Zcash’s core engineering team, has rebranded to Zodl after that team formally split from Electric Coin Company (ECC) and established the independent Zcash Open Development Lab (ZODL). The change is organizational: the app will auto-update in place, requiring no action from users (no fund moves or recovery phrase changes). Functionality, security and Zcash blockchain compatibility remain unchanged. The split followed governance and funding disputes between ECC leadership and Bootstrap, the nonprofit overseeing ECC, over proposals to shift Zashi toward a for‑profit structure and attract external capital; former ECC CEO Josh Swihart and several engineers departed in early January amid these disagreements. Bootstrap raised fiduciary concerns about a related-party privatization. At press time Zcash (ZEC) traded near $284. Key implications for traders: branding and ownership have shifted but product continuity is intact under ZODL, preserving privacy-focused roadmap priorities; governance and funding for consumer-facing Zcash products are now more explicitly separated from ECC; short-term market moves may be driven by sentiment around developer continuity and governance clarity rather than technical change. Primary keywords: Zcash, ZEC, Zashi, Zodl, wallet rebrand, ECC split.

Galaxy Research data and crypto commentator Edgy report that venture capital activity in crypto has sharply slowed since 2022. In Q2 2022, crypto VCs raised nearly $17 billion across 80+ new funds; since then new fund formation has hit a five-year low and quarterly fundraising dropped to just 12% of that Q2 2022 peak. Last quarter’s $8.5 billion in VC investment largely came from leftover capital raised in 2022 rather than new LP commitments. Cumulatively, capital deployed from 2023–2025 roughly equals the total capital raised in 2022. Edgy also notes that 85% of tokens issued in 2025 are trading at a loss, with many VC-backed projects merely breaking even or losing money. The piece argues that the era of fundraising, token issuance and retail sell-offs by insiders is waning; as VC influence recedes, projects with real users and revenue — and fairer token distribution — are likely to prevail. Key implications for traders: reduced fresh VC capital may lower speculative issuance and sell pressure; emphasis will shift toward on-chain metrics, revenues and sustainability.

Steak ‘n Shake began accepting Bitcoin on May 16, 2025 and channels all BTC payments into a corporate Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Management credits the program with driving same‑store sales growth of 11% quarter‑on‑quarter in Q2 2025 and 15% in Q3 2025, outperforming peers such as McDonald’s, Domino’s and Taco Bell. By late January the company reported the reserve’s notional value had risen by $10 million and disclosed an additional $5 million allocation, bringing public exposure to roughly $15 million. The chain uses the reserve for employee incentives and other corporate purposes; hourly staff at company locations will receive a BTC bonus of $0.21 per worked hour (two‑year vesting) implemented with Fold. Public filings and BitcoinTreasuries show the company holds about 161.6 BTC (≈ $10.96M at current prices), implying an average cost basis near $92,851/BTC and an unrealized loss of ~26% versus market prices. Steak ‘n Shake has not provided a detailed breakdown of revenue attributable to Bitcoin payments versus treasury accumulation. For traders: the story ties real‑world retail BTC adoption to corporate treasury accumulation, creates a visible institutional BTC holding that is currently underwater, and may influence flows if the company continues to buy, sell or disclose further changes to its position.

Tokenization of private deals is reshaping crypto presales in 2026 as platforms move from hype-driven launches toward structured, utility-focused offerings. Industry observers (including Michael Wrubel and Heavy Crypto) report retail investors prefer presales with clear use cases, transparent documentation, staged roadmaps and compliance-aware frameworks. IPO Genie ($IPO) is highlighted as a leading example: its token provides structured access to private venture exposure via an SPV framework and smart contracts, effectively packaging private deal participation. Capital in 2026 clusters around AI infrastructure, real-world assets (RWA), DeFi infrastructure, privacy tools and scalable layer solutions — presales tied to these sectors gain more attention. Analysts advise rigorous due diligence: verify contracts, tokenomics, vesting schedules and platform vetting; allocate only risk capital. For traders, the key takeaways are: monitor presales with real-world utility and structured allocation, watch projects enabling venture tokenization (like IPO Genie), and expect sector-focused capital flows to affect token demand. Presales remain high-risk but are increasingly viewed as instruments of private market access rather than purely speculative tokens.

Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel publicly endorsed euro-denominated stablecoins and a wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC), framing both as strategic tools to strengthen Europe’s payments competitiveness and monetary sovereignty as the EU implements Markets in Crypto‑Assets (MiCA). Nagel said a wholesale CBDC would enable programmable settlement between banks, while regulated euro stablecoins could lower cross‑border costs and support fintech integration. The move responds to concerns about US dollar‑pegged stablecoins dominating liquidity and causing "digital dollarization." Market context: USD stablecoins already exceed $310 billion, while euro liquidity is much smaller. S&P Global projects euro‑linked token markets could expand to roughly €570 billion by 2030 in a baseline case and up to €1.1 trillion in a strong‑adoption scenario. MiCA’s clearer rules may help scale euro stablecoins, but strict capital and compliance requirements could slow issuance. For traders: expect potential growth in demand and liquidity for euro‑pegged stablecoins, shifting flows toward euro rails, increased issuance of tokenized assets, and faster integration of DLT payment infrastructure. These changes could affect funding costs, stablecoin spreads, and on‑ramps/off‑ramps for euro liquidity; watch regulatory details, bank partnerships, and issuance caps that will influence how quickly euro liquidity can scale.

EUR/USD fell below the key 1.1850 level, trading near 1.1825 after the European Commission’s Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) for March 2025 unexpectedly dropped to 96.3 (consensus 98.1; February 97.8). The decline marks the third consecutive monthly fall in sentiment and was driven by weaker manufacturing (manufacturing component -8.5 from -6.2) and softer services confidence (9.1 from 10.3). Institutional trading volumes rose about 18% above the 30-day average as investors cut euro exposure. Technical indicators show RSI near 38 (approaching oversold) and broken support at 1.1850; key intraday levels to watch are support at 1.1800, 1.1775 (50‑day MA) and 1.1720, with resistance at 1.1850, 1.1880 and 1.1925 (100‑day MA). Fundamental drivers include ECB–Fed policy divergence (markets price ~50bp ECB easing vs ~75bp Fed easing in 2025), narrower current-account surplus, energy security risks, and pre-election political uncertainty. Major banks have trimmed EUR/USD forecasts (Deutsche Bank, Deutsche: 1.17–1.20 for Q2; Morgan Stanley, Citi, UBS also lowered targets). Options markets show elevated demand for euro puts into April, signaling bearish positioning. Near-term catalysts: Eurozone inflation (Apr 3), U.S. non‑farm payrolls (Apr 4) and ECB President Lagarde’s speech (Apr 5). For traders: the pair is under bearish pressure but technically oversold — short-term momentum favors further downside absent positive Eurozone surprises; confirmation of a break below 1.1775 would open paths toward 1.1650, while a recovery above 1.1880–1.1925 is needed to shift bias.

Wintermute, a leading crypto market maker, has launched an institutional over-the-counter (OTC) desk for tokenized gold, offering 24/7 algorithmic pricing and confidential, large-block execution for Pax Gold (PAXG) and Tether Gold (XAUT). The desk accepts settlement against major stablecoins (USDT, USDC), fiat and other crypto assets and uses Wintermute’s balance sheet and algo-pricing to reduce slippage and market impact versus public order books. Management cited rising institutional demand and macro volatility as drivers; CEO Evgeny Gaevoy projects tokenized gold could reach $15 billion by end-2026. Wintermute notes rapid recent growth in the sector — market cap rose from roughly $2.99bn to $5.4bn in one quarter and quarterly trading volumes reached about $126bn — and says the desk will appeal to hedge funds, family offices and corporate treasuries. Underlying tokens remain issued and custodied by Paxos and Tether with third-party audits; key risks include issuer/custodian counterparty exposure and evolving regulation. For traders, the new OTC service should improve execution and liquidity for large PAXG and XAUT trades, tighten pricing on big orders, and reduce execution risk — potentially accelerating institutional inflows into tokenized precious metals.

This practical guide gives seven concise strategies for new cryptocurrency investors focused on risk management, security and disciplined trading. Key tips: 1) Learn fundamentals — blockchain, decentralization and cryptographic security, with Bitcoin and Ethereum as starting points. 2) Diversify across large-caps, mid-cap altcoins and stablecoins to reduce single-asset risk; limit high-risk positions (suggested max 5–10% of portfolio). 3) Set clear investment goals covering risk tolerance, time horizon and financial objectives. 4) Use stop-loss tools (fixed, trailing, stop-limit) to automate downside protection — a 5–10% stop-loss range is recommended for many beginners. 5) Stay informed via reputable crypto news sites, market trackers and community channels; allocate ~30 minutes daily to research. 6) Avoid emotional decisions — use predefined plans, entry/exit rules and a 24-hour rule before major trades. 7) Secure assets with multi-factor authentication, hardware (cold) wallets, unique passwords and offline storage for recovery phrases. The article stresses that disciplined risk controls, ongoing education and robust security practices are essential to protect capital and improve long-term outcomes. Keywords: cryptocurrency basics, crypto diversification, stop-loss, cold wallet, trading discipline.

Charles Hoskinson has committed $200 million of personal capital to Midnight, a privacy-focused blockchain positioned as a Cardano partner chain that uses zero-knowledge proofs and related cryptography for selective disclosure. Hoskinson avoided venture-capital backing during early development to preserve independence and a user-first approach. Midnight supports privacy-preserving smart contracts, developer tooling, SDKs and interoperability bridges; funds will be used to hire cryptography talent, run security audits, accelerate development and build cross-chain infrastructure. A broad NIGHT token distribution (airdrop) spanned multiple chains to encourage cross-chain participation. The project aims to balance privacy with regulatory compliance rather than full anonymity and is pitched to enterprise and mainstream users — potentially attracting institutional demand for compliance-friendly privacy solutions. Reported partnerships and interest from large firms have been cited, and Midnight is planned to launch as a Cardano partner chain by late March 2026. Analysts caution about regulatory scrutiny and execution risk: success depends on technical delivery, security audits, adoption, and regulatory acceptance. For traders, the founder-led $200M signals strong technical conviction and long-term focus for the Cardano ecosystem, which may support positive sentiment for ADA over the medium term, while regulatory uncertainty and execution milestones create short-term volatility.

Matrixport’s Greed and Fear Index has dropped below zero on its 21-day average, reaching multi-year pessimistic levels that historically have appeared near price floors. The firm says this extreme fear suggests selling pressure may be nearing exhaustion and the market could be approaching an inflection point, though prices can still fall further before a recovery. Supporting data show significant outflows from Bitcoin investment products — roughly $380 million in the past week — with BlackRock’s IBIT losing 3,538 BTC and Fidelity over 2,000 BTC (~$143 million). Bitcoin traded around $68,000 at publication, down ~3% on the week, ~28% over 30 days and ~40% over six months (CoinGlass). Additional indicators highlight shrinking derivatives open interest since the October 2025 top (Binance -39%, Bybit -33%, BitMEX -24%), signaling reduced exposure and liquidation-driven volatility. Matrixport cautions traders to prepare for conditions that often precede rebounds but to remain cautious given ongoing uncertainty.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin publicly defended Ethereum’s permissionless, neutral design while distinguishing his personal views from protocol-level neutrality. Posting on X, Buterin argued that criticism of projects built on Ethereum—calling out what he termed “corposlop”—is free speech, not censorship, and that users and builders need not share his opinions to use the network. He compared Ethereum to Linux as a neutral base layer that can support competing visions, urged teams to state their principles, and encouraged building value-aligned ecosystems on top of the protocol rather than abandoning it. The comments fueled debate across crypto circles about founder influence, decentralization, commercialization, AI integration and privacy. Keywords: Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin, permissionless, decentralization, free speech.

TRM Labs finds Monero (XMR) maintained on‑chain activity above pre‑2022 levels through 2024–2025 despite widespread delistings by major exchanges (73 exchanges in 2025 including Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, OKX, Huobi and Bitstamp). XMR shows elevated transaction volumes and realized volatility—30‑day realized volatility roughly 2.5× that of BTC and ETH—indicating a committed privacy‑seeking user base rather than casual traders. TRM reports nearly 48% of new darknet markets launched in 2025 are XMR‑only, reflecting stronger demand for untraceable payments as Bitcoin and stablecoins face enhanced tracing and issuer controls. Ransomware actors increasingly request Monero and sometimes incentivize XMR payments, but most real‑world ransom payouts still settle in Bitcoin due to liquidity and easier conversion. At the network layer, TRM and academic collaborators detected non‑standard behavior in about 14–15% of Monero P2P peers—anomalies in relay behavior, message timing and infrastructure concentration—that could weaken network‑layer privacy assumptions even though Monero’s protocol cryptography remains intact. In response, Monero developers released the Fluorine Fermi update (v0.18.4.3) in October 2025 to improve peer selection and steer wallets away from suspicious “spy nodes.” Key takeaways for traders: delistings have not collapsed demand but have constrained liquidity, which supports higher volatility and thinner order books; privacy‑driven use (including darknet demand) underpins baseline activity but limits mainstream convertibility; network‑layer surveillance risks and software updates can affect user confidence and node‑level privacy expectations. Primary keywords: Monero, XMR, privacy coin, delisting, spy nodes, darknet markets, Fluorine Fermi, TRM Labs.

Global investors are reallocating capital into the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 as valuation gaps with US equities widen. The S&P 500 trades at a premium versus historical averages and US mega-cap concentration—driven by AI and tech earnings—has raised diversification concerns. UK indices offer lower price-to-earnings ratios, higher dividend yields, broader sector exposure (energy, financials, commodities) and meaningful multinational revenue streams, making them relatively defensive against inflation and global slowdown risks. The FTSE 250 adds exposure to domestically focused mid-caps that could benefit from stabilising UK inflation and improving consumer confidence. Currency stability in the pound and a gradual Bank of England policy path have reduced FX and rates uncertainty for overseas allocators. Market observers say continued valuation disparity and the desire to diversify away from concentrated US tech positions are likely to sustain inflows into FTSE 100 and FTSE 250, though capital flows remain sensitive to rapid market shifts.