Crypto News

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy says the company plans roughly $220 billion in capital spending in 2026, while demand for AI infrastructure still exceeds available capacity. He says the investment could help AWS grow into a business with a $1 trillion annual run rate. In a discussion with a16z co-founder Ben Horowitz and Erik Torenberg, Jassy said falling AI inference costs could make the technology more accessible to businesses. He also described how AI is changing Amazon’s operations, enabling smaller teams to build products faster and prompting a rethink of Alexa. Jassy highlighted cybersecurity, human judgment and critical thinking as increasingly important in the AI era.

Hardware signer verification—not simply adding more devices—can help Bitcoin users check what a signing device actually does, according to an article about EntropyLab’s work on PSBT audits. Its planned audit feature would compare the PSBT sent to a hardware signer with the one returned, checking transaction details, signatures, sighash settings, metadata, change outputs and other fields. EntropyLab also checks supported ECDSA signatures for nonce reuse and can verify Jade anti-exfil records when the required data is available. The article stresses that a match with an independently calculated signature does not prove a signer is trustworthy, while a mismatch requires investigation rather than proving malice. Multisig remains useful for shared control, redundancy and geographic separation of keys; transaction and signature verification address a different threat: whether a signer behaves as expected. The approach has limits, including private-key requirements for some checks, support constraints and incomplete protection against hardware, firmware or supply-chain attacks.

The article reports continued growth across much of the eurozone, based on purchasing managers’ index (PMI) data, while France remains the main exception. The headline offers no specific PMI readings or further details, so the scale and sectoral sources of growth cannot be assessed. Traders may view the eurozone PMI as a broad signal of regional economic momentum, with France’s weaker performance highlighting uneven conditions. The PMI data may also inform expectations for the European Central Bank’s policy outlook.

Bitcoin is under pressure after falling from $84,800 to around $81,500, with traders watching the $80,000–$81,500 zone. The area combines a major Binance buy wall, the average cost basis of US spot Bitcoin ETFs and listed treasury firms, and the 50-day moving average. A daily close below it could expose BTC to a further pullback toward $77,000–$80,000; a move above $82,600–$83,400 would ease near-term pressure, while a break above $84,800 could trigger a short squeeze toward $94,000. US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $635 million in net outflows, their largest daily withdrawal since June, turning October flows negative. Rising oil prices and geopolitical tensions are adding to inflation concerns ahead of US inflation-expectations data and the Federal Reserve’s October 28 rate decision. A possible MSCI index exclusion of Strategy on November 11 is another risk to corporate Bitcoin buying. Despite a shift by some listed miners toward AI, the Bitcoin network’s hashrate has rebounded 11.7% from its August low, near its record high. Elsewhere, Asian equities staged sharp rebounds: Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Tech Index gained 2.05%, while China’s tech-heavy stocks helped drive a broad A-share rally. For crypto traders, weak ETF demand and macro uncertainty keep BTC vulnerable, but crowded short positions could fuel a rapid rebound if key resistance levels break.

Bitcoin ETF outflows and a delayed Ethereum testnet upgrade were among the main developments in a risk-averse crypto market. US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $635 million in net outflows on 22 October, led by BlackRock’s IBIT with $254 million. Bitcoin’s market dominance rose to 60%, while reports said a large holder moved more than $415 million in BTC to exchanges and other wallets, potentially preparing to sell. Separately, 40 newly created wallets withdrew 9,458 BTC from Wintermute since 1 October, indicating that some investors are also accumulating. The Ethereum Foundation postponed the Glamsterdam upgrade on the Hoodi testnet, originally scheduled for 27 October, to study possible interactions involving EIP-8037. No new date has been set. Grayscale published token-holder yield and adjusted earnings-yield rankings, placing HYPE, LIT and CAKE among the leading assets. Other notable news included Hong Kong’s securities regulator listing BTCC as a suspicious, unlicensed virtual-asset trading platform, and a report that a CME-backed industry group urged the CFTC to block Kalshi’s proposed perpetual oil futures. JPMorgan said agency-level crypto regulation partly offsets the setback to the Clarity Act, but political and legal uncertainty remains. Overall, Bitcoin ETF outflows and the upgrade delay add near-term caution, while wallet accumulation and regulatory developments offer mixed signals.

QCP Capital says rising credit stress in AI infrastructure is weighing on stocks and crypto markets. CoreWeave bond yields have climbed to 15%, raising concerns about financing costs and profitability across the fast-growing neocloud sector. Tesla’s lower capital spending expectations have added to doubts about returns on AI investment. Bitcoin is still moving largely in line with weaker equities, rather than showing independent price discovery. Investors are seeking safety in US Treasuries, pushing long-term yields lower. Markets see almost no chance of a US rate hike in October, while confidence in a December cut has weakened. Traders are watching technology earnings, the Fed’s December meeting, geopolitical developments and the US midterm elections on 3 November.

Robinhood Ventures has invested $10 million in Cognition, the San Francisco company behind AI coding agent Devin. The investment extends Robinhood’s exposure to AI software engineering after its earlier $75 million commitment to OpenAI, which develops the competing Codex tool. Cognition raised $2 billion in a Series E round in September at a $48 billion post-money valuation, up from $26 billion in May. Its revenue reportedly increased from about $492 million to nearly $900 million over the same period, supported by enterprise adoption. NVIDIA, Citi, GE Aerospace and Mercedes-Benz are among its clients. The Cognition investment gives Robinhood a stake in a fast-growing AI company, but Devin and Codex also compete for developers and enterprise spending.

Raffles Family Office (RFO), headquartered in Singapore and Hong Kong, is expanding wealth management services for wealthy clients holding stablecoins and other digital assets. Its Revo Digital Family Office platform launched in February 2026 and received Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission Type 4 and Type 9 licences, allowing it to manage digital-asset portfolios alongside conventional investments. RFO founder and CEO Chi-Man Kwan says the firm has received inquiries involving holdings of up to 10,000 BTC or $100 million in stablecoins. The move reflects demand from younger, self-made Asian entrepreneurs whose fortunes are increasingly tied to technology and crypto. RFO reported revenue growth of more than 50% in 2025, though this was mainly driven by private equity and broader investment capabilities.

An early Ethereum holder sold 3,000 ETH for about $7.23 million, according to on-chain analytics firm Lookonchain. The investor bought the tokens nine years ago for $18.83 each, turning an estimated $56,000 investment into roughly 128 times its original value. The sale adds to a series of moves by long-dormant Ethereum whales. Earlier this month, one holder deposited 6,369 ETH, then worth about $16 million, to Kraken; an Ethereum ICO participant also moved 13,330 ETH to Coinbase. In August, another ICO investor transferred 2,000 ETH to Coinbase after holding them for about 11 years. Ethereum had retreated from a recent high near $2,800 to about $2,300 during a broader market pullback, then recovered to around $2,400. The latest Ethereum whale sale is a notable profit-taking event, but the article does not establish that it reflects broader selling across the market.

Ethena’s synthetic dollar USDe has launched natively on X Layer, allowing users to hold and trade USDe within the network’s ecosystem. The deployment adds another stablecoin option for on-chain trading and liquidity, and may support future DeFi integrations and yield applications. OKX Wallet plans to add USDe staking and include USDe in its existing Looping Earn feature, enabling users to access related on-chain strategies with one click. No launch-related liquidity or adoption figures were provided.

Farside Investors’ data shows the Zcash investment product tracked under ticker ZCSH recorded $15.2 million in net inflows on October 21, its strongest positive session among the October dates shown. The product also attracted $1.6 million on October 20, bringing the two-day total to $16.8 million. Despite the rebound, Zcash flows remained negative over the displayed October 2–21 period, with net withdrawals totaling $70.5 million. The figures are Farside’s compiled estimates, not an issuer filing or an audited record of all ZEC purchases. Fund flows reflect demand through investment-product channels, but do not capture all Zcash market activity, network use, or trading in the product’s shares. The two positive sessions show a short-term improvement, not a confirmed reversal in October demand.

Norway’s financial industry association, Finans Norge, warned on 22 October about a gold investment scam in which fraudsters persuade victims to buy physical gold, promising to store it until prices rise. When the planned handover is cancelled, victims are told to leave the gold in a forest, park or other location, where an accomplice collects it. The first reported case surfaced in spring 2026, with recent incidents concentrated in Oslo, Bergen and other cities. Finans Norge has not provided case or loss totals for this specific scam. The scheme can bypass bank fraud controls because victims pay legitimate gold dealers directly and hand over the gold themselves. Fraudsters may first pitch cryptocurrency investments, then present gold as a safer alternative. The article also cites US data showing about 725 similar cases and losses of $311.8 million in 2025. The warning concerns physical gold fraud; it does not indicate a direct change in cryptocurrency market fundamentals.

Anthropic has partnered with European private-equity firm Hg to launch an AI consultancy for businesses across Europe, according to the Financial Times. The new company will help clients implement Anthropic’s Claude AI models in business settings. The partnership expands a relationship that began in 2024 and gives Anthropic another route to generate revenue from its AI technology beyond model licensing. The deal does not confirm an IPO or new funding plans. For crypto traders, it has no direct effect on digital-asset markets, though it may contribute to broader interest in AI-related companies and technology.

AI IPOs are slowing as high interest rates and weakness in AI operator stocks make public-market investors more cautious. Bloomberg Markets reports that several AI-related offerings have been cancelled, paused or delayed. Investors are also seeking clearer evidence that heavy data-centre spending can generate returns. OpenAI is reportedly seeking private funding at a valuation of $1.25 trillion to $1.4 trillion, while Anthropic is described as the only major US technology IPO still moving forward, with a potential valuation near $1.5 trillion. The delays point to a gap between continued demand for private AI funding and more selective conditions in public markets. For traders, the key signals to watch are IPO timing, company growth and revenue disclosures, interest rates, and sentiment toward AI stocks.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) has launched the HKEX Artificial Intelligence Index and the HKEX Semiconductor Index, expanding its range of proprietary indexes. The semiconductor index tracks the performance of the 30 largest semiconductor-related companies listed in Hong Kong. HKEX has also authorised Southern Fund to launch a mainland China ETF tracking the AI index. The new indexes give investors benchmarks for tracking the artificial intelligence and semiconductor sectors. The announcement has no direct cryptocurrency-market component.

The PHP project released critical fixes on October 21 for two vulnerabilities that could allow unauthenticated remote code execution. It urged users to update immediately. Patched versions are PHP 8.5.12, 8.4.27, 8.3.36 and 8.2.35. Web-facing installations are at risk, with Apache mod_php configurations singled out as particularly exposed. Crypto businesses should check whether their storefronts, hosting environments or connected services run affected PHP versions, and confirm the runtime itself is patched. The advisory does not report a breach of Bitcoin or BTCPay Server, nor does it identify stolen funds or a compromised crypto company. It highlights the need to secure the wider infrastructure supporting crypto payments, not just wallets and payment software.

Bitcoin has traded in a narrow range, with its price little changed over the past month and the five largest cryptocurrencies moving less than 2% in the past week. Analysts say the calm could precede a sharp move, although it is not necessarily a bullish signal: some see resilient investor demand, while others point to global risk-off sentiment and weak follow-through on buying. Bitcoin is in “wait and see mode” ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s rate decision on October 28. Other near-term catalysts include a $11.69 billion Bitcoin options expiry on October 30 and US midterm elections on November 3. One analyst said a steady Fed and continued ETF inflows could support an upward breakout; another rate hike could put Bitcoin’s $75,000–$77,000 support zone back in focus. Bitcoin briefly fell below $80,000 last week before attracting buyers. BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF recorded $665.2 million in inflows on Monday, but analysts said buying has not been consistent enough to sustain a rally. Despite muted trading in major coins, smaller tokens such as BAT have risen sharply over the past month. Traders are watching macroeconomic news, ETF flows and derivatives pricing for clues to the market’s next move.

US President Donald Trump said on 21 October that Google CEO Sundar Pichai rejected his request to rename the Atlantic, reportedly arguing that the ocean spans too many countries. Google has not confirmed Trump’s account or publicly commented. Trump said he would probably drop the idea, then suggested calling the Pacific the “American Ocean.” The Atlantic renaming idea follows Trump’s earlier proposals to rename the Pacific and his administration’s moves to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America and Lake Ontario as Lake America. Google Maps updated its US-facing names after official US government geographic records changed, while displaying different names to users in other countries. The episode has no direct connection to crypto markets.

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao said AI is unlikely to break Bitcoin’s cryptography, but leaked personal data is making phishing and social-engineering attacks more convincing. Chainalysis estimates AI-enabled scams were 4.5 times more profitable than traditional scams in 2025, while impersonation scams rose more than 1,400%. Total crypto scam revenue was estimated at $17 billion. Quantum computing remains a longer-term concern. The Quantum Alliance estimates that 6.4 million BTC are held in addresses with publicly visible keys. Bitcoin developers are discussing the draft BIP-360 proposal for quantum-resistant addresses, but no existing quantum computer can break Bitcoin’s signatures. BTC was trading at $81,817, down 0.8% over 24 hours, after buyers defended the $81,000 area twice. Large wallets have withdrawn 9,458 BTC, worth about $771.5 million, from Wintermute since October 1. Resistance sits at $82,100–$82,850, with $84,900 a key level for a stronger rebound. A daily close below $80,394 could expose support near $76,200. For Bitcoin’s near-term direction, the article points to macro factors: elevated oil prices linked to Iran tensions, expectations that the Federal Reserve will hold or raise rates, and the November 3 U.S. midterm elections. These factors may weigh on risk appetite even as BTC holds support.

Two critical PHP vulnerabilities, each rated 9.2 out of 10 on the CVSS scale, could enable unauthenticated remote code execution. The flaws may affect PHP versions dating back to PHP 5, putting websites using platforms such as WordPress, Joomla, Drupal and Magento at risk. Security teams have urged organizations to patch quickly or take vulnerable systems offline. The warning comes as AI agents make cyberattacks faster and cheaper to automate. Reuters recently reported that an attacker used AI agents to compromise more than 100 company websites, with researchers estimating a cost of about $5,000. Other reported campaigns have targeted South Korean banks and Ukrainian infrastructure. The article argues that cybersecurity must go beyond preventing access: attackers may also alter or disable local logs and monitoring tools. It highlights file-integrity monitoring and cryptographic records as ways to detect changes. Certihash’s Sentinel Node, for example, records file and network-state hashes on the BSV blockchain to provide timestamped evidence. The immediate priority for organizations is patching PHP vulnerabilities; the blockchain security approach is presented as an additional audit and verification layer, not a substitute for patching.

Japan’s October Flash PMI indicated that the economy continued to expand at a strong pace. Manufacturing output remained solid, while services activity accelerated as demand improved, bringing its growth rate close to the year-to-date average. The Japan Flash PMI also pointed to softer employment growth and falling business confidence, suggesting companies had become more cautious. The report highlighted rising cost pressures, although the provided article did not give specific figures. Overall, the survey signals resilient economic activity alongside concerns about costs and business sentiment.

Bitwise’s Q4 2026 staking report found that validators operating in Europe account for 72.8% of delegated SOL on the Solana network. North America holds 16.2%, Asia 10.6% and South America 0.4%. The figures describe validator locations, not the locations of token holders or the jurisdictions governing their assets. The report also found regional differences after Solana shortened its target slot time from 400 to 250 milliseconds. At 250 milliseconds, 95.8% of European votes arrived within one slot, compared with 92.8% in North America, 70.7% in Asia and 70.3% in South America. Bitwise said nearly all votes still arrived within two slots, while median network skip rates fell to 0.04% from 0.08% under the earlier setting. The concentration raises questions about Solana’s geographic resilience, particularly as developers consider a 200-millisecond target. However, validator location alone does not establish MiCA regulatory exposure, and the report did not provide an EU-only stake figure. For traders, the findings highlight an infrastructure and decentralization risk to monitor, rather than evidence of immediate network disruption.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said Kazakhstan could become a major AI computing hub serving Europe during his first visit to Astana on October 23, 2026. He cited the country’s energy supply, connectivity and growing computing capacity. Kazakhtelecom has deployed 400 Nvidia H200 and 480 B300 GPUs, and plans to acquire more than 1,000 additional GPUs next year. Separate plans include 1,000 Vera Rubin GPUs in the Ekibastuz region and a Data Center Valley project designed to start at 125 MW and potentially expand to 1 GW, with an estimated $10 billion in commercial investment. The US has approved Kazakhstan’s import of 45,000 Nvidia GB300 Blackwell Ultra GPUs. The country is seeking approval for about 65,000 more. Investors will be watching the additional export approval, the data centre’s construction milestones and whether further commercial partners join the project. The announcement concerns AI infrastructure and has no direct cryptocurrency-market catalyst.

Bitcoin whales continue to accumulate BTC despite recent price weakness. Since October 1, 40 newly created wallets have withdrawn 9,458 BTC, worth about $771.5 million, from Wintermute, according to on-chain data from Lookonchain. The activity follows earlier reports that large holders had resumed buying after months of selling. CryptoQuant said whale wallets held just over 3 million BTC, while another report this week estimated they bought nearly 89,000 BTC in a month. Bitcoin has struggled to sustain a rally. After failing to break above $87,000, BTC fell below $80,000, rebounded to $85,000, then dropped more than $3,000 over 36 hours amid worsening macro conditions. It is now below $82,000. Whale accumulation may signal confidence, but price action and broader market conditions remain important risks for traders.

Gate recorded $1.6 billion in 24-hour spot trading volume as of 20 October 2026, ranking second among centralised exchanges, according to DefiLlama. DefiLlama tracked about $7.49 billion in on-chain assets on Gate, or $6.19 billion excluding the platform’s native token, placing it sixth by that measure. Gate’s latest proof-of-reserves report, dated 18 October, showed $8.688 billion in reserves and an overall reserve ratio of 118.49%, covering 500 assets. The report also noted that GT had risen about 70% since August and remained elevated after a speech by Gate founder and CEO Dr Han. The figures highlight Gate’s spot trading activity, asset holdings and reported reserves. They are indicators of platform scale, but do not by themselves establish future trading demand or guarantee that market conditions will remain stable.

Bybit’s sixth USD1 Hold & Earn campaign will distribute a total of 27 million WLFI tokens to eligible users from 17 October to 15 November 2026 (UTC). Users must complete Level 1 identity verification and hold at least 1 USD1. Rewards are based on hourly balance snapshots and are credited daily; the advertised annualized yield is up to 10%. No staking or lock-up is required. The campaign may encourage users to hold USD1 and increase short-term interest in WLFI rewards.

USDD led stablecoin market cap growth from 12 to 19 October, adding $180.3 million, according to a weekly report by RWA Foundation and Token Terminal. That represented about 40% of the $449.1 million combined increase among the top 10 stablecoin issuers. Sky ranked second with an $86 million increase, while United Stables placed fifth with $22.8 million. The figures point to rapid expansion in USDD’s circulating market value, but do not by themselves establish the source of demand or its effect on broader crypto prices.

KuCoin plans to launch five new USDT-margined perpetual contracts on October 21 at 09:00 UTC: URNMUSDT, GSUSDT, MSTUUSDT, FWDIUSDT and USDEXUSDT. The contracts track the Sprott Uranium Miners ETF, Goldman Sachs, the leveraged T-Rex 2X Long MSTR Daily Target ETF, Forward Industries and StablecoinX. KuCoin advertises leverage of up to 20x, subject to regional availability, with trading available around the clock and funding settlements every eight hours. The stock-linked crypto derivatives provide price exposure, not ownership of the underlying shares or funds. MSTU is particularly complex because its reference ETF targets leveraged daily exposure to Strategy shares, adding another layer of risk. Actual account exposure depends on position size, margin and liquidation rules. Since these contracts can trade while the reference markets are closed, pricing during those periods is also a consideration. The announcement confirms the planned listings and specifications, but does not indicate order-book depth or liquidity.

Lawyer Lin Shang-lun says many Taiwanese legal professionals already use AI tools privately, but law firms often avoid discussing adoption publicly for fear clients may see it as unprofessional. He argues that leading international firms instead present enterprise-grade legal AI as a sign of capability, citing firms listed as customers of Harvey and Legora. Such systems are distinct from consumer AI tools: they require strong data protections, security controls and safeguards against using confidential information for model training. Lin hopes Taiwan will develop AI-native law firms that build AI into their operations, knowledge management and pricing. The article also notes that research institutions and civic groups in Taiwan have been more open about exploring and discussing AI adoption.