Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) is rethinking a proposed uniform 15% ownership cap for major shareholders of cryptocurrency exchanges after public consultation and market review. FSC Chairman Lee Eok-won expressed concerns that a one-size-fits-all 15% limit could discourage investment and innovation, especially among smaller or late-entry exchanges that currently hold under 3% of trading volume combined. He recommended considering tiered ownership limits tied to an exchange’s market share and systemic importance rather than a flat cap. Separately, the FSC clarified stablecoin issuer rules: consortiums with a bank holding more than 50% plus one share would qualify as regulated stablecoin issuers subject to stricter oversight. The FSC is weighing stakeholder feedback and international models (Japan, US, EU, Singapore) to balance investor protection, competition and market development. Traders should monitor forthcoming regulatory guidance because differentiated ownership limits could affect exchange governance, M&A activity, capital inflows and competitive dynamics in South Korea’s crypto market. Key facts: proposed cap 15%; latecomer exchanges <3% market share; bank-led stablecoin consortium threshold = 50% + 1 share.

Crypto.com has launched OG, a standalone prediction‑markets app offering CFTC‑regulated, cash‑settled binary outcome contracts for US users. OG lets traders stake crypto via on‑chain wallets and supports fiat and crypto on‑ramps/off‑ramps. Built on technology from Crypto.com Derivatives North America (CDNA), a CFTC‑registered exchange and clearinghouse, OG emphasizes KYC, responsible onboarding and trading limits to meet US regulatory requirements. The move follows rapid growth in Crypto.com’s prediction‑market activity and aims to position OG against established rivals such as Polymarket and Kalshi. For traders, OG’s launch may boost event‑driven liquidity and short‑term trading opportunities in political, economic and sports outcomes; key items to monitor are initial liquidity, fee structure, CFTC compliance/clearance details and any token or incentive mechanics that could affect market depth and arbitrage. Primary keywords: Crypto.com, prediction markets, CFTC‑regulated contracts. Secondary keywords: binary outcome contracts, on‑chain settlement, KYC, fiat ramps, event trading.

Bitcoin fell below $74,000 (around $73,986 on Binance USDT) on March 15, 2025, marking a roughly 3.2% intraday drop with trading volume up about 18%. The move breached a near-term support near $74,000 and pushed price below the 50-day moving average (~$75,200). RSI eased to ~42 from overbought levels. Market cap declined by roughly $42 billion in 24 hours. Ethereum and other large-cap altcoins moved lower in correlation (ETH ~4.1% lower to ~$3,845), dragging total crypto market cap below $2.8 trillion. Options flow showed increased put buying around the $72,000 strikes; analysts flagged immediate resistance at $74,500, key support at $72,800 (near the 100-day MA) and major support at $70,000. Earlier reporting (March 20, 2025 snapshot) noted a deeper intraday pullback toward ~$78,000 in a separate episode, with on-chain signals showing negative exchange net flows, rising large-wallet transfers and a drop in the Fear & Greed Index — all consistent with profit-taking and rotation into cold storage. Institutional signals included ETF outflows, heavier put buying around lower strikes, a decline in futures open interest and normalized funding rates. Macro drivers — S&P 500 weakness, inflation and Fed uncertainty — and regulatory developments (ongoing SEC ETF reviews and EU MiCA implementation) weighed on sentiment. On-chain fundamentals (hash rate, transaction counts, active addresses) remained broadly resilient while network upgrades continued. For traders: watch volume and order flow in the $72.8K–$74.5K range, option skew and put-buying concentrations, on-chain exchange flows, and macro headlines. Short-term bias is cautious/bearish until $74.5K–$75.2K resistance and higher intraday levels are reclaimed; the move currently reads as a typical bull-market correction rather than a structural breakdown. Risk management — position sizing, stop losses, and volatility-aware allocations — is recommended given elevated realized/30-day volatility.

Igor Runets, founder and CEO of BitRiver — Russia’s largest industrial Bitcoin mining operator — was detained by Moscow investigators and charged with three counts of alleged tax evasion. A court placed him under house arrest while the case proceeds. BitRiver, founded in 2017 and known for large Siberian data centres using low electricity and cold climate to host thousands of mining rigs, has faced sustained pressure since US Treasury sanctions in April 2022. Subsequent developments include the 2023 exit of partner SBI, legal disputes with regional power provider Infrastructure of Siberia, and reports of cost-cutting, salary delays and operational scale-backs since late 2024. Separately, a bankruptcy petition filed by an En+ Group subsidiary seeks about $9.2 million, accusing BitRiver’s parent, Fox Group, of failing to deliver prepaid mining equipment. Bloomberg estimated Runets’ net worth at roughly $230 million in late 2024. The prosecution increases legal, regulatory and operational risks for Russia’s industrial mining sector, raising counterparty risk for firms with Russian exposure, and could affect Russian hash rate concentration if capacity relocates, shuts down or sees reduced investment. Traders should monitor potential disruptions to mining supply, sanction enforcement, and any market commentary that might affect BTC miner equities and short-term Bitcoin miner activity.

The UK House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee has launched a formal inquiry into the growth and proposed regulation of stablecoins, with written submissions due by 11 March 2026. The committee seeks evidence on global stablecoin market developments since 2014, comparisons with the US and EU, projected growth of sterling-denominated stablecoins, use cases, and current UK regulatory barriers. It will evaluate risks and opportunities for the UK economy and financial stability, and potential impacts on the Bank of England (BoE), Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This inquiry follows a sequence of regulatory moves: the FCA named locally issued stablecoins a 2026 priority and issued December 2025 consultations covering issuance, custody and a prudential regime. Proposed FCA measures include third-party custodians for reserves, segregation of reserve assets, a 5% on‑demand reserve minimum, a ban on paying interest to holders, direct redemption rights with one-business-day execution, and a permanent minimum capital requirement of £350,000. The BoE has separately signalled rules for “systemic stablecoins” — tokens widely used for UK payments — with final rules targeted in 2026 and proposals that could require at least 40% of reserves to be held at the BoE and consider issuer access to BoE accounts and liquidity backstops. Regulators warn that widespread stablecoin adoption could drain bank deposits and reduce bank-lending capacity. The FCA plans to open its regulatory sandbox to stablecoin experiments and to publish final rules this year, but primary legislation giving the FCA explicit digital-asset rulemaking powers remains in draft. The Lords’ inquiry could influence or revise the FCA/BoE approach, keeping the regulatory path for UK-issued sterling stablecoins uncertain despite official momentum. For traders, this means regulatory design and timing remain key drivers of market structure, custodial requirements, issuance viability and potential on‑ and off‑ramp liquidity for sterling stablecoins.

Binance will delist 21 spot trading pairs at 08:00 UTC on Feb 3 after periodic market-quality and compliance reviews. The removals span BTC, ETH, BNB and FDUSD/fiat-stablecoin quoted pairs — notable affected pairs include ARKM/FDUSD, ASTR/BTC, DYDX/BTC, IMX/BTC, LINK/BNB and NEAR/ETH. Binance cited low liquidity, declining volumes, market stability and regulatory considerations as drivers. All open orders for listed pairs will be cancelled at the cutoff; deposits and withdrawals remain available. Traders should cancel open orders and either close, convert or move positions (via other pairs, USDT/USDC markets, Spot Convert or withdrawals) before the deadline. The delisting mostly affects BTC pairs (9 pairs) and several stablecoin/fiat pairs (4 pairs). Short-term selling pressure or volatility is possible for affected tokens on the delisted pairs, but tokens remain tradable via other markets and long-term holdings are unaffected by pair-specific delists. The move reflects continued exchange optimization of listings and growing regulatory influence on pair availability. Key SEO keywords: Binance delisting, spot trading pairs, liquidity, regulatory compliance, ARKM/FDUSD.

WisdomTree has expanded its tokenized funds onto the Solana blockchain, allowing retail and institutional investors to mint, subscribe, trade and hold regulated tokenized money market, equity, fixed income, alternative and multi-asset funds natively on Solana. The rollout, delivered through WisdomTree Connect and WisdomTree Prime, is part of WisdomTree’s multi-chain on-chain finance strategy and adds native on-chain minting, subscription/redemption and position management without cross-chain transfers. A stablecoin conversion service supports USDC and PYUSD; Solana wallets can on-ramp USDC directly to reduce settlement time and reliance on traditional banking rails. WisdomTree cites Solana’s high throughput, low fees and transaction speed as key to meeting crypto-native demand while preserving predefined risk and compliance controls. The Solana Foundation noted real-world assets (RWAs) on Solana have surpassed $1 billion, underscoring the chain’s capacity for institutional-scale tokenization. Market commentary in the later article highlighted Solana’s 2025 focus on financial infrastructure and renewed institutional interest in SOL; at publication Solana traded near $125.76. Key SEO keywords: WisdomTree, Solana, tokenized funds, real-world assets, USDC, PYUSD, on-chain minting.

Mesh, a San Francisco–based crypto payments infrastructure firm founded in 2020, closed a $75 million Series C round led by Dragonfly Capital at a $1 billion post-money valuation, taking total funding above $200 million. Other participants included Paradigm, Moderne Ventures, SBI Investment, Coinbase Ventures and Liberty City Ventures. Part of the round was settled in stablecoins rather than traditional bank channels. Mesh connects exchanges, wallets and financial platforms to enable any-to-any payments — letting users pay with one digital asset while merchants settle in a chosen stablecoin or fiat — and recently entered India, citing large remittance flows. The company will use proceeds to expand geographically (Latin America, Asia, Europe and India) and accelerate product development focused on low fees and faster settlement. Dragonfly partner Rob Hadick highlighted Mesh’s interoperability “any-to-any” payment model as key to adoption. The raise underscores growing investor interest in stablecoin and payments infrastructure, coming as other players (eg, Stripe’s Tempo, Rain) also secure large funding. Relevant keywords: Mesh, Dragonfly, Series C, crypto payments, stablecoin, payments infrastructure, funding, unicorn.

Bitwise Asset Management has partnered with DeFi lending protocol Morpho to launch non‑custodial on‑chain yield vaults. The first vault targets roughly 6% APY by deploying capital into overcollateralized lending pools on Morpho while allowing users to retain full custody of assets and make anytime deposits and withdrawals. Bitwise will serve as curator, deploying multiple strategies across vaults; Jonathan Man, Bitwise portfolio manager and head of multi‑strategy solutions, will lead asset selection, strategy execution and risk management. Vault managers may charge performance or management fees. Bitwise describes the products as flexible, transparent “on‑chain investment funds” or “ETFs 2.0,” and projects that skilled curators and these vaults could attract substantial inflows — potentially billions by 2026 — and drive growth in assets under management. For traders: the initial ~6% APY provides an alternative yield source with reduced custody risk; professionally managed strategies may draw institutional flows that affect liquidity dynamics; and the vaults’ anytime liquidity makes them competitive with locked staking products. Keywords: Bitwise, Morpho, on‑chain vaults, non‑custodial, DeFi yield, 6% APY, overcollateralized lending pools, Jonathan Man, ETFs 2.0.

VanEck has launched the VanEck Avalanche ETF (ticker: VAVX) on Nasdaq, offering U.S. investors regulated, spot-based exposure to AVAX without self-custody. The ETF integrates staking rewards into its NAV, with an initial estimated net staking yield around 5.3%. VanEck may stake a portion of holdings through Coinbase Crypto Services, which charges a 4% service fee; staking exposes the fund to slashing and liquidity risks. VanEck waived sponsor/management fees on the first $500 million of assets until February 28, 2026; a 0.20% sponsor fee applies thereafter. The product is structured to make institutional access easier for RIAs, wealth managers and institutions and follows 2025 regulatory changes that eased approvals for altcoin spot ETFs. AVAX was trading near $11.70–$11.80 in late January 2026, with circulating supply above 431 million and market cap near $5 billion. The launch could encourage other AVAX spot-ETF conversions and filings (e.g., Grayscale, Bitwise). Key risks for traders include AVAX price volatility, staking risks (slashing, lockups, third-party service fees), and regulatory shifts that could affect fund operations or listing rules.

Entropy, a crypto custody and automation startup backed by Andreessen Horowitz and Coinbase Ventures, is winding down after four years. Founder and CEO Tux Pacific announced the closure following multiple product pivots—from MPC-based decentralized custody toward an AI-driven crypto automation platform—and two rounds of layoffs. The team failed to scale customers and revenue to venture-required levels and could not find a repeatable business model. Entropy will return roughly $25–$27 million to investors through formal refund procedures; user funds were not reported at risk. The shutdown reflects broader VC caution in crypto: deal activity has contracted and investors are prioritizing later-stage, revenue-generating firms. The founder indicated he may pursue work outside crypto, such as medical research. For traders, the story signals continued consolidation in crypto infrastructure and increased scrutiny on early-stage custody and automation projects, reinforcing that venture-backed infrastructure failures can reduce competitive pressure but are unlikely to move major market prices directly.

AFP Protección, one of Colombia’s largest private pension and severance fund managers (AUM ≈ COP 220 trillion / ~$55–60bn), will launch a Bitcoin (BTC)-linked investment fund available only to qualified clients after personalized suitability and risk assessments. The optional product lets eligible investors allocate a limited portion of their portfolios to Bitcoin for diversification while keeping bonds, equities and other traditional assets as pension cores. AFP Protección frames the fund as a long-term, risk-controlled diversification tool with formal exposure limits and consultation-based eligibility; it will not affect mandatory pension management. This follows a wider trend of regulated financial institutions offering controlled crypto exposure (similar to other firms adding bitcoin-linked products or indexes to insulated retirement vehicles). Key takeaways for traders: the move represents incremental institutional adoption of BTC in Latin America, may increase local institutional demand in the medium term, and signals continued acceptance of regulated, suitability-gated crypto products rather than retailized, broad-based allocation.

Binance has submitted an application for a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) licence in Greece and is working with the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC). The move comes as the EU’s MiCA transition period ends on June 30, 2025, with non-compliant crypto-asset service providers required to stop operations from July 1. Binance says it supports MiCA as a framework for clearer regulation and stronger consumer protection and is engaging closely with the HCMC during a fast-tracked review supported by major auditors. Greece has not yet issued any CASP MiCA licences; Germany and the Netherlands lead EU CASP approvals (43 and 22 respectively) and France has 11. Binance, founded in 2017 and the largest centralized exchange by daily volume, has faced repeated regulatory scrutiny in Europe and globally, including prior warnings and legal issues involving its former CEO. Traders should note that approval would grant Binance the ability to passport services across all 27 EU member states, strengthening its regulatory standing in Europe and potentially affecting liquidity, listing choices and market access for tokens traded on the platform if authorisation arrives before the deadline. Conversely, failure to gain authorisation before July 1 could force Binance to limit or halt EU operations, which may reduce liquidity and introduce short-term volatility for assets dependent on Binance listings.

GameStop transferred about $420 million (≈4,710 BTC at purchase) of Bitcoin into Coinbase Prime, according to on-chain trackers and analysts. The company acquired the holdings in May 2025 at an average price near $107,900 per BTC. With BTC trading substantially lower (around $89k–$91k), a full liquidation now would realize a sizeable paper loss. The move to a centralized institutional custodian—observed as staggered earlier tranches and larger transfers this month—prompted speculation that GameStop may be preparing to sell, hedge, rebalance, or pursue tax-loss harvesting; no official sale has been confirmed. For traders, the transfer matters because large corporate treasury flows into Coinbase often precede liquidity events that can increase short-term selling pressure, widen spreads, and elevate volatility on BTC order books. Recommended watch points: Coinbase order-book activity, on-chain outflows from Coinbase, and any GameStop disclosures or 8-K filings that signal execution. Primary keywords: GameStop, Bitcoin, Coinbase, treasury management, on-chain transfers. Secondary/semantic keywords: Coinbase Prime, liquidation, tax-loss harvesting, institutional custody, BTC liquidity.

Ukraine has ordered internet service providers to block Polymarket and nearly 200 gambling-related sites after the communications regulator and gambling authority classified the Web3 prediction market as an unlicensed gambling operator. Regulators cited the platform’s handling of event-based crypto bets — including sizable markets tied to the Russia–Ukraine war (local reports suggested about $270 million in related bets) — as a key concern. Ukrainian officials say current law does not recognise “prediction markets,” and without a pending virtual assets law such platforms are treated as illegal gambling. The government added polymarket.com to a public registry of blocked websites; other prediction platforms such as Kalshi and PredictIt remain in a legal grey zone and could face actions if complaints mount. Authorities are not pursuing users who access protocols via VPN or interact directly with smart contracts, but parliament is unlikely to broaden gambling definitions during wartime, leaving prediction markets effectively banned for the foreseeable future. For crypto traders: the move shrinks Polymarket’s Ukrainian user base, highlights rising regulatory risk for prediction markets and tokenized betting products, and increases legal uncertainty that may affect liquidity, user growth and product offerings across similar platforms.

Altcoin momentum has cooled as capital rotates back into Bitcoin. CoinMarketCap’s Altcoin Season Index sits around 29–30 (well below the 50 neutral level and historically signalling Bitcoin season), down significantly from a 78 peak in September 2025. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index also dropped to the mid-30s (“Fear”), indicating rising risk aversion and selective deleveraging concentrated in altcoins. On-chain signals and market internals point to consolidation rather than wholesale exits: Bitcoin accumulation by long-term holders and rising Bitcoin realized cap contrast with stagnant altcoin network valuations and falling altcoin trading volumes (roughly a 30–35% drop from January peaks). Sector performance is uneven — major Layer-1s (ETH, SOL, AVAX) and DeFi governance tokens show mixed or correlated weakness, while gaming/NFT tokens remain highly volatile and can produce isolated moves on project news. Technicals show Bitcoin dominance breaking resistance (~52%) and the altcoin market-cap ex-BTC trading below its 200-day moving average. Near term, traders should favour defensive positioning: reduce broad altcoin exposure, use BTC pairs or hedges, and watch key indicators (Altcoin Season Index, Bitcoin dominance, ETH/BTC ratio, total altcoin market-cap support near $850B, and liquidity flows) for signs of rotation back into altcoins. Long-term investors may view the pullback as an accumulation window for fundamentally strong projects, but broad-based altcoin rallies are unlikely until sentiment or Bitcoin’s trend improves.

Ledger, the French hardware crypto-wallet maker, is preparing a U.S. initial public offering targeting a valuation of about $4 billion and is exploring New York listing options, according to people familiar with the matter. The company has engaged advisors and is reported to be in talks with major banks, though final timing, exact valuation and underwriters remain unconfirmed. The move follows renewed investor interest in crypto infrastructure firms amid an improving U.S. listing environment and regulatory shifts, and could provide a benchmark valuation for hardware wallets and custody providers. For crypto traders, the IPO highlights rising appetite for crypto-related equities and may increase correlation between equity and crypto markets, raise volatility around listing events, and signal stronger institutional confidence in self-custody solutions. Primary SEO keywords: Ledger IPO, hardware wallet, U.S. listing, crypto infrastructure. (Main keyword: Ledger IPO — appears multiple times.)

Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic says Iran’s Central Bank (CBI) accumulated roughly $507 million in Tether (USDT) during 2025 to defend a collapsing rial and help settle international trade. Purchases concentrated during extreme currency volatility when the rial lost about half its value in eight months. The CBI reportedly used local exchange Nobitex to convert USDT into rials in operations resembling open-market intervention. After a June 2025 security incident at Nobitex — when about $37 million in USDT linked to CBI-related wallets was frozen by Tether — the bank shifted tactics, moving assets off TRON onto Ethereum and using cross‑chain bridges, DEXs and other exchanges to move and convert funds. Elliptic highlights that issuer-controlled stablecoins remain subject to freezes and blacklisting, reducing their equivalence to hard dollar reserves. Separately, Chainalysis reported Iran’s crypto ecosystem surged past $7.8 billion in 2025 as local users increasingly use bitcoin and other digital assets as inflation hedges amid protests and economic instability. Traders should note three practical takeaways: (1) state-driven USDT demand can boost local stablecoin liquidity and change regional flows; (2) issuer freezes or regulatory actions can abruptly remove liquidity from on-chain markets; (3) large state-led moves leave clear on-chain traces, which can influence exchange flows and market sentiment.

Nomura’s digital-asset arm Laser Digital has launched the Bitcoin Diversified Yield Fund (BDYF), an institutional, tokenized Cayman fund that combines long Bitcoin (BTC) exposure with diversified, market‑neutral yield strategies. The active fund targets non‑US professional and accredited investors and uses tokenization services provided exclusively by Kaio and custody by Komainu. BDYF pursues carry-like income through arbitrage, lending, options and DeFi‑derived yield techniques while deliberately avoiding directional leverage to limit volatility and correlation to broader crypto markets. The vehicle complements Laser Digital’s existing products and leverages Nomura’s institutional distribution. CEO Jez Mohideen says recent market volatility has increased demand for yield-driven, market‑neutral structures built on DeFi strategies. Minimum subscription and investor eligibility follow institutional standards. The fund is positioned to capture income opportunities for institutions seeking returns beyond simple long-Bitcoin exposure.

Delaware Life Insurance has launched a fixed index annuity (FIA) that offers policyholders upside tied to Bitcoin while preserving principal and providing guaranteed-income options. The FIA links returns to a BlackRock US Equity Bitcoin Balanced Risk 12% Index — which blends US equities and Bitcoin exposure via the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) — and targets a 12% volatility level with allocation mechanics that shift to cash to limit drawdowns. The product lets conservative retirement investors gain indirect Bitcoin exposure without holding wallets or private keys. Delaware Life emphasizes risk diversification across asset types rather than sole reliance on crypto and positions the annuity for retirement planning. For traders, the launch signals continued institutional integration of Bitcoin through regulated wrappers, potentially broadening access for risk-averse investors and increasing capital flows into BTC-linked financial products. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, fixed index annuity, BlackRock, IBIT, retirement. Secondary/semantic keywords: principal protection, volatility target, crypto-linked annuity, indexed crediting, regulated wrapper.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said discussions with the White House over the CLARITY Act remain constructive after Coinbase withdrew support for the bill on Jan. 14. Coinbase criticized the draft for provisions that could harm decentralized finance (DeFi), ban tokenized stock trading and prohibit sharing stablecoin yields with customers. Armstrong denied reports of a clash with the administration and said the White House asked Coinbase to try to reach an agreement with banks. The Senate Banking Committee delayed its planned markup to allow further negotiation; Armstrong expects a revised draft within weeks. Separately, Senator Elizabeth Warren urged the OCC to pause consideration of World Liberty Financial’s national trust bank charter application. Implications for traders: the pause and ongoing talks reduce the risk of an immediate regulatory shock but leave legal uncertainty around DeFi and stablecoin yield services. Traders should monitor draft changes, the Congressional timetable, and regulatory signals on stablecoins and tokenized assets, as revisions could materially affect liquidity, product offerings and pricing for related crypto tokens and platforms.

Bitcoin (BTC) is consolidating around $95.6–95.7K after testing the key $97K resistance, holding an overall uptrend but showing signs of short-term uncertainty. Price range and volume: current price ≈ $95,692; 24h range roughly $95,134–$97,193; 24h volume ≈ $23–24B. Short-term technicals are mildly bullish — RSI in the mid-60s, price above the 20-day EMA (~$92K), positive MACD histogram and rising on-balance volume — indicating buying pressure. However, Supertrend and some longer-term indicators flag resistance around $102–103K, suggesting a potential corrective risk. Key levels: immediate resistance at ~$97K (critical); upside targets on a confirmed breakout include $102–104K and a stretch target near $114K (~19% from current). Key supports sit at ~$95.5K, $92.9K and $91.5K (strong); a break below $91.5K could expose $80K (~16% downside). Market context: BTC dominance ~56–57% with limited altcoin strength; institutional/ETF inflows are cited as bullish catalysts while macro risks (rate hikes) remain headwinds. Trading takeaways for traders: monitor $97K for a high-probability breakout or rejection; prefer long entries on confirmed hold near $95K–$92.9K with stops below identified supports; consider short/scale-in on failed break above $97K or at resistance, and use multi-timeframe and volume confirmation to avoid fakeouts. Risk/reward from current levels modestly favors bulls but watch for low-volatility consolidation and potential momentum shifts.

India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) implemented stricter crypto AML/KYC rules effective 8 January, increasing onboarding friction and compliance requirements for exchanges and other crypto service providers. Key measures require mandatory live selfie (liveness) checks such as eye-blink or head-move verification, collection of IP addresses, device details, geolocation coordinates and timestamps, and verification of phone and email via OTP. Platforms must obtain government photo ID (passport, Aadhaar, voter ID, driver’s licence) and confirm bank-account ownership via a penny-drop (small test) transaction. Registered entities must store user data for at least five years and refresh KYC every six months for high‑risk clients and annually for others. The FIU explicitly flags privacy-enhancing tools (mixers, tumblers), privacy coins, ICOs/ITOs and anonymity-focused offerings as high risk and requires registered platforms to block related transactions and report suspicious activity. All crypto providers must register with the FIU, meet regular reporting obligations, and comply with transaction monitoring. These measures follow major exchange breaches in recent years and continue India’s cautious stance toward crypto — trading of virtual digital assets remains allowed on registered platforms but crypto is not legal tender. For traders: expect higher onboarding friction, increased compliance costs for exchanges, reduced on‑chain anonymity tools, potential liquidity shifts away from unregistered/OTC channels, and greater traceability of funds that may affect privacy-focused token flows.

Polymarket filed a federal lawsuit on Feb. 10 against Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell and state gaming regulators to block enforcement actions that would restrict its prediction markets. Citing a recent Massachusetts state-court move against rival Kalshi and other state enforcement threats, Polymarket says those actions create an immediate risk to its national operations, user base and business model. The company argues that event contracts and prediction markets fall under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) authority over derivatives and related products, so federal jurisdiction should preempt state gambling laws. The complaint references increased CFTC involvement and public signals from CFTC Chair Michael Selig. Recent related rulings include a Massachusetts order requiring Kalshi to block Massachusetts users from sports markets and a Nevada judge’s refusal to grant Coinbase similar protections, highlighting regulatory uncertainty. Polymarket, backed by institutional investors and valued at roughly $9 billion, says it is suing to protect users and national market development. The case will determine whether prediction markets are governed federally (supporting national access and liquidity for event-based derivatives) or can be restricted by state sports-betting rules (risking market fragmentation, reduced product availability and liquidity).

CoinShares’ research finds the near-term quantum-computing threat to Bitcoin is limited and concentrated. Analysts estimate roughly 1.6M BTC are in legacy Pay-to-Public-Key (P2PK) or otherwise exposed addresses, but only about 10,200 BTC (≈0.6% of that pool) sit in large, concentrated UTXOs that would be attractive, fast targets if a fault-tolerant quantum computer capable of running Shor’s algorithm emerged. Holdings vulnerable at scale are split across wallets holding 100–1,000 BTC (~7,000 BTC) and 1,000–10,000 BTC (~3,230 BTC), totaling about $719m at current prices. The remainder is dispersed across ~32,000 UTXOs averaging ~50 BTC each, making mass theft slow, noisy and operationally difficult. CoinShares stresses that breaking Bitcoin’s ECDSA signatures or shortening preimage security (via Shor’s and Grover’s algorithms) would require fault-tolerant quantum machines millions of qubits strong—orders of magnitude beyond today’s devices—likely placing meaningful risk at least a decade away. The report recommends measured mitigation: gradual adoption of post-quantum signatures, wallet upgrades and coordination on proposals (e.g., BIP-360) rather than emergency protocol changes. Industry attention is growing — exchanges and custodians are assessing exposure and forming review boards — but for traders the immediate market impact is small. Key takeaways for traders: monitor wallet migrations and institutional post-quantum preparedness, but treat quantum risk as a long-term structural issue rather than a near-term market catalyst.

Circle’s USDC Treasury minted 250 million USDC on March 21, 2025, confirmed by on-chain trackers. Each new USDC is backed 1:1 by U.S. dollar reserves (cash and short-duration U.S. Treasuries), so the mint corresponds to a $250 million deposit to Circle’s reserves. Large stablecoin mints are monitored as leading indicators of incoming capital — often routed to centralized exchanges, OTC desks, institutional trading desks, payment processors, or DeFi treasuries. Analysts at Kaiko and Glassnode describe rising stablecoin supply as “dry powder” that can be deployed into spot markets, derivatives, DeFi lending and yield strategies; an increase in USDC supply can also reduce borrowing costs on lending platforms like Aave and Compound. Compared with USDT, USDC remains preferred by many institutions for regulatory transparency and monthly attestations, and the mint occurs amid clearer stablecoin regulation in the EU (MiCA) and ongoing U.S. oversight. Traders should watch on-chain flow destinations: movement into exchange wallets may presage spot buying or leverage activity, while transfers into DeFi contracts suggest liquidity provisioning or yield strategies. Short-term impact is uncertain — price effects depend on routing — but the event expands available fiat-backed liquidity and is a potentially bullish signal for USDC use in markets and DeFi if deployed into spot or margin. This is informational and not trading advice.

BitMine Immersion Technologies increased its Ethereum (ETH) holdings — buying roughly 40.6–41.8k ETH in the latest disclosed week — bringing its total to about 4.326 million ETH (≈ $8.8bn at current prices). The firm has staked approximately 2.873–2.9 million ETH (around two‑thirds of holdings) to earn passive staking revenue (estimated 3–5% APR, annualized staking revenue previously estimated near $188m). Total reported assets (crypto, cash and equity) are near $10bn–$10.7bn. The ETH position currently carries very large unrealized losses (estimates range from about $6bn to $7.7bn), pressuring BitMine’s equity value: BMNR shares have fallen sharply (roughly 5% intraday in one report; about 31% over one month and ~60% over six months in another). Market commentary notes on‑chain Ethereum activity (daily transactions and active addresses) is at record levels despite price weakness. Short‑term ETH technicals cited include a price near $2,100–$2,300, an oversold RSI (~33), and a downtrend bias with defined supports and resistances. Other institutional players largely maintained positions while some (e.g., Quantum Solutions) sold small amounts (~600 ETH). Analysts view BitMine’s purchases as a long‑term institutional bet on ETH recovery and yield capture via staking, but the combination of heavy unrealized losses and bearish short‑term technicals increases near‑term risk to the company’s stock and market sentiment.

Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek confirmed the April purchase of the premium domain AI.com for $70 million, paid entirely in cryptocurrency and brokered privately — a publicly disclosed record domain sale. The company launched AI.com as a consumer-facing platform for creating autonomous personal AI agents able to run apps, send messages, manage workflows, build projects and trade stocks. The release was amplified with a 30‑second Super Bowl LX ad in February 2026; traffic briefly crashed after the commercial. Brokers corroborated the $70M price; Marszalek said a team had been building the product since the acquisition. The move signals Crypto.com’s strategic expansion from exchange services into mainstream AI products and highlights growing real‑world use of crypto for large transactions. For traders: the deal increases brand exposure for Crypto.com, may drive user growth across its ecosystem and underscores a product pivot that could shift revenue mix — watch CRO (Crypto.com’s native token) flows, marketing-driven user-onboarding metrics, and any token utility tied to AI.com subscriptions or services. Keywords: AI.com acquisition, domain sale record, Crypto.com, Super Bowl launch, crypto payments, consumer AI agents.

Block Inc. plans to cut up to 10% of its workforce (about 1,000 employees) following internal performance reviews, part of a multi-year restructuring to simplify the organisation, integrate teams and reallocate resources to higher-growth, higher-margin areas. Management is shifting focus toward Cash App, Square merchant services and Bitcoin-related initiatives while trimming lower-priority work. The company is also increasing automation and productivity tools, including an internal AI assistant called Goose, to drive efficiency and cost control. The move responds to slowing Square merchant growth, margin pressure in payments and intense competition in digital payments. Investors will watch Block’s upcoming quarterly results for signs of margin improvement, cost discipline and progress toward long-term gross-profit targets. Primary keywords: Block workforce cuts, Jack Dorsey, job cuts, Cash App, Square, Bitcoin initiatives, automation, cost controls.