Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Bitcoin experienced a sharp sell-off in early February as short-term investors and miners simultaneously sold into price declines — BTC dipped toward $60,000. Miner Position Index and STH SOPR signaled forced miner sales and loss-taking by new holders (Miner Position Index reached 2.95; STH SOPR ~0.977). Larger investors and long-term holders absorbed most of the supply: wallets holding 100–1,000 BTC accounted for 77% of inflows, and long-term holders increased holdings by about $5.68 billion, helping stabilize prices near $69,000. Despite reduced selling pressure (Miner Position Index falling to -1.31), miner revenues and hash-price remain below annual averages, leaving miners vulnerable to volatility and low income. Short-term investors still have a break-even around $91,855, so further loss-driven selling could resume if BTC stays under that level. Net effect: coordinated accumulation by whales and long-term holders calmed a dual-sided sell wave, lowering immediate bearish risk but leaving structural miner and short-term holder vulnerabilities. Keywords: Bitcoin, BTC price, miners, whales, long-term holders, STH SOPR, Miner Position Index.

South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) held a pivotal review of preliminary approvals for over‑the‑counter security token offering (STO) exchanges, a decision that will shape the country’s tokenized securities market. Two consortium applicants—KDX (led by Korea Exchange and Koscom) and NXT (led by Nextrade and Musicow)—were selected for final review. Lucentblock, a seven‑year sandbox participant that pioneered real‑estate fractionalization and tokenized secondary trading, faces exclusion because the FSC prioritized consortium applications over single startups. Lucentblock’s technology includes blockchain property registries, smart‑contract dividend distribution and fractional trading platforms. The FSC’s outcome signals whether South Korea will favor established financial infrastructure or preserve space for agile blockchain innovators. International context: Singapore, Japan and the EU have already set competing STO or tokenization frameworks, putting pressure on Seoul to balance innovation with investor protection. Market implications include faster settlement, 24/7 trading and fractional ownership potential across asset classes (notably commercial real estate). For traders, the decision increases regulatory clarity for institutional players and could accelerate pilots from major banks and securities firms—but excluding sandbox veterans like Lucentblock could dampen startup-driven innovation. This is not investment advice.

The White House convened leaders from major crypto firms, traditional banks, and US policymakers for a series of discussions on crypto market structure. Attendees included top executives from several crypto platforms, representatives from major banks, and senior regulators and lawmakers. Focus areas were market integrity, transparency, custody, liquidity, and regulatory clarity—especially regarding stablecoins, custody practices, and centralized exchange oversight. The administration signalled an intent to coordinate federal policy and industry best practices to reduce systemic risk and protect retail investors, while exploring ways to integrate crypto markets with the broader financial system. No immediate regulatory actions were announced, but the meetings aim to inform potential guidance or coordinated rulemaking. Traders should watch for follow-up guidance on stablecoin rules, custody standards, and exchange oversight that could affect on-chain liquidity, exchange listings, and counterparty risk.

Upbit will temporarily suspend deposits and withdrawals for the Inicia (INIT) token starting at 13:00 UTC on February 16 to support a planned network upgrade. Spot trading of INIT on Upbit will remain available during the maintenance window. No end time was specified; the exchange said it will publish a follow-up notice once services resume. The suspension is a routine, safety-first measure to take a precise snapshot of user balances, update wallet software, and prevent transaction errors during the upgrade. Upbit emphasized that this is not a security incident and users’ INIT holdings remain secure. Traders are advised to complete pending deposits or withdrawals before the 13:00 UTC cutoff; transactions not confirmed by the deadline may be delayed or require manual review. The announcement reflects standard exchange protocol and South Korea’s strict regulatory environment for licensed crypto platforms.

USD/CAD fell to about 1.3548 (near 1.3550) after a crude oil rally strengthened the Canadian dollar ahead of the US Non‑Farm Payrolls (NFP) release. WTI rose 2.1% to $84.72, extending a weekly gain of 4.3%, supported by Middle East tensions, OPEC+ production cuts of 2.2 million bpd, a 2.3 million‑barrel draw in US inventories and stronger Chinese manufacturing. Canada exports ~3.8 million barrels daily; higher oil typically boosts GDP and the loonie. Technicals: immediate resistance at the 50‑day MA (1.3580) and recent swing high (1.3620); support at 1.3520 (February low) and 200‑day MA (1.3470). The pair has a ~‑0.78 correlation with WTI over 30 sessions and has fallen ~1.8% for March so far. Markets await the March 2025 NFP (consensus ~210,000 jobs, unemployment 3.8%; avg. hourly earnings +0.3% m/m) — a stronger print could support the USD and delay Fed cuts, while weaker data would favor the loonie. Historical NFP days see average USD/CAD moves of ~0.8%. Interest‑rate divergence remains relevant: BoC paused with overnight rate at 4.25%, Fed funds at 4.50–4.75% with futures pricing ~68% chance of a June 2025 cut. Traders should expect elevated volatility at the NFP release and watch 1.3520/1.3580 for near‑term direction as oil dynamics, employment data and central‑bank signals interact.

EUR/USD is trading in a tight range around the 1.1900 psychological level as markets await the US Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) report. Traders are avoiding large directional positions ahead of the data, which historically triggers significant volatility in the forex market. Key NFP components monitored by traders include headline job creation, the unemployment rate, and average hourly earnings (wage growth). A stronger-than-expected NFP (job additions above consensus and rising wages) would likely strengthen the US dollar and push EUR/USD lower, potentially breaking support near 1.1850 toward 1.1800. A weaker-than-expected report would likely weaken the dollar, lifting EUR/USD and targeting resistance around 1.1950–1.1980. Technical focus remains on 1.1900 as a confluent support/resistance zone. Analysts warn intraday swings can exceed 100 pips on a notable surprise, with the most intense volatility concentrated in the first 30–60 minutes post-release but with potential to set the medium-term trend depending on implications for Federal Reserve policy. Traders should monitor job additions, unemployment rate, and wage growth, and prepare for rapid repricing and elevated volatility around the NFP release.

South Korea Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) Governor Lee Chan-jin publicly criticized five-minute balance synchronization intervals used by some virtual asset exchanges after a recent Bitcoin distribution error at Bithumb exposed reconciliation risks. Lee called for exchanges to adopt true real-time ledger systems, arguing that five-minute batch updates create a reconciliation window susceptible to errors and manipulation. The FSS links current shortcomings to the industry’s reliance on self-regulation and says technical infrastructure standards will be a focus in the second phase of virtual asset legislation. Implementing real-time sync presents technical challenges—exchange internal ledgers must match on-chain holdings despite blockchain confirmation delays—but several exchanges and technology providers already use continuous audit and stream-processing approaches. Regulators plan a phased rollout: framework/specs (2025), pilots at major exchanges (2026), and full compliance (2027) — though final timing will depend on rulemaking by the Financial Services Commission. The development aligns South Korea with international moves (Japan, Singapore, EU) toward real-time monitoring to reduce operational risk and increase market integrity. Key keywords: real-time synchronization, exchange balance sync, Bithumb error, FSS, South Korea regulation.

Grayscale research head Zach Pandl says Bitcoin is undergoing a role shift — its correlation with gold has dropped while its 30‑day rolling correlation with software tech ETF (IGV) reached 0.73. The report argues Bitcoin currently behaves more like a high‑risk growth asset than a safe haven, a trend amplified by institutional inflows through spot ETFs that tie BTC to traditional markets. When macro risk rises, institutions tend to sell volatile assets like Bitcoin rather than treat them as refuge. Analysts note AI‑driven disruption to software firms can spill over to BTC because the market increasingly views Bitcoin as part of the digital‑economy growth cohort. Grayscale still remains constructive long term, framing the current phase as a maturation period: Bitcoin’s 17‑year history contrasts with gold’s millennia, so transient high correlation with tech and volatility are part of its evolution. Key figures and data: Zach Pandl (Grayscale), 30‑day BTC–IGV correlation = 0.73, Bitcoin age = ~17 years. Traders should note higher beta behavior, ETF‑driven flows, and sensitivity to tech/AI news when positioning for short‑term risk, while Grayscale expects BTC to trend toward a long‑term store‑of‑value role as digitization continues.

Stripe has rolled out a preview of a new payments feature designed for machine and AI agents, enabling programmatic payments using USDC and integrating the X.402 standard. The announcement was shared by Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire on X. The feature targets automated workflows where software agents (including AI services) can initiate and receive payments on behalf of users or systems, leveraging USDC’s stablecoin rails. Integration of the X.402 standard suggests Stripe is adopting a protocol aimed at standardized machine-to-machine payment flows. No launch date, pricing details or full technical documentation were provided in the announcement. This move signals deeper collaboration between payment infrastructure providers and the stablecoin ecosystem, and may accelerate adoption of on-chain stablecoin payments in commercial and AI-driven applications.

Bitcoin dropped below the psychological $69,000 level and was trading around $68,968 on Binance USDT, prompting increased trading activity during Asian hours. Analysts noted heightened volume, mixed exchange flows, recent mining difficulty adjustments, and shifting derivatives open interest and funding rates. Technicals show short-term RSI leaning toward oversold while longer-term charts remain neutral; immediate support sits near $68,000 with resistance around $70,500. Network fundamentals remain strong — hash rate near all-time highs, steady transaction and Lightning Network growth — suggesting the move is largely a short-term price adjustment within historical volatility norms (current average daily move ~±3.5%). Drivers cited include broader market volatility, regulatory announcements, and macro data (inflation/interest-rate expectations). Institutional holdings appear stable and custody activity showed no mass withdrawals. Traders should watch liquidity clusters, order-book depth, funding rates and derivatives open interest for short-term trade signals, while longer-term investors may view this as consolidation amid robust on-chain fundamentals.

China’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) are published by the National Bureau of Statistics around the 9th–10th of each month at 09:30 Beijing Time (01:30 GMT). These monthly inflation gauges—CPI measuring retail prices and PPI measuring factory-gate prices—are closely watched by forex traders because PPI often precedes CPI and signals industrial demand. Strong Chinese PPI/CPI prints typically point to higher demand for Australian commodity exports (iron ore, coal, LNG), supporting AUD via improved trade receipts and reduced expectations of PBOC easing. Conversely, weak prints can weigh on AUD. Market reactions are strongest when releases surprise consensus forecasts. Traders should cross-check CPI/PPI with other Chinese indicators (PMI, trade balance, retail sales) and weigh them against US Fed policy: a hawkish Fed can offset positive China-driven AUD moves. Historical episodes—such as a late-2023 PPI surprise that preceded a ~1.2% AUD/USD rally—illustrate the pair’s sensitivity. For 2025 strategy, use the official release schedule to time risk management, compare actuals vs. consensus, and integrate macro context (PBOC, RBA, Fed) to gauge whether China data will produce short-term volatility or shift longer-term AUD trend.

Doppler Finance launched a tokenized treasury yield product that enables XRP and RLUSD holders to earn U.S. Treasury yield without exiting their positions. The platform mints a tokenized yield-bearing instrument by depositing assets into a yield strategy that allocates into U.S. Treasuries, then issues claim tokens to users. The offering targets XRP and RLUSD users, providing an on‑chain way to capture fiat-equivalent treasury returns within the Ripple ecosystem. Key points: Doppler Finance integrates tokenized U.S. Treasury exposure; product supports XRP and RLUSD balances; users receive transferable claim tokens representing accrued treasury yield; the mechanism aims to bridge traditional treasury yields and crypto liquidity. The move may attract yield-seeking traders and liquidity providers looking for lower-risk, dollar-denominated returns while retaining crypto exposure. Primary keywords: Doppler Finance, XRP yield, RLUSD, tokenized treasury. Secondary/semantic keywords used: U.S. Treasuries, tokenized yield, on-chain yield, Ripple ecosystem, yield-bearing token.

WTI crude oil plunged below $64 per barrel (settling near $63.50) on March 13, 2025, after heavy selling pressured prices through key supports. The decline marked a roughly 15% fall from 2025 highs above $72 and represented one of the largest single-day drops this quarter. Drivers included a larger-than-expected U.S. crude inventory build of 4.8 million barrels, a stronger U.S. dollar after Fed commentary, and downgrades to global demand outlooks from the IEA and OPEC. Despite escalating Middle East tensions, markets priced in limited immediate supply disruption — spare OPEC+ capacity and elevated strategic reserves reduced the traditional geopolitical risk premium. Technical indicators showed the RSI in oversold territory, suggesting potential short-term bounces, but fundamentals (weaker demand growth and energy transition pressures) remain dominant. Brent and Oman benchmarks also fell, with Brent holding a ~$3.50 spread above WTI. Short-term impacts: pressure on U.S. shale margins, likely cuts to E&P capex and drilling activity, and relief for fuel‑dependent sectors (airlines, transport). Medium-to-long term outlook hinges on OPEC+ decisions, China/Europe demand recovery, and any escalation threatening chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz. Key stats: WTI ~ $63.52 (-4.3%), Brent ~ $67.15 (-3.5%), U.S. inventory build +4.8M barrels. Main keyword: WTI crude. Secondary keywords: oil prices, Middle East tensions, U.S. crude inventories, OPEC+, demand outlook.

LayerZero Labs CEO Bryan Pellegrino says blockchain scalability is primarily constrained by the storage layer and by inefficiencies from every node replicating computation. LayerZero built a storage layer reportedly capable of 3,000,000 updates per second and is developing a new blockchain, Zero, plus Zero OS to reduce computation replication via proof-based validation and log-based databases. Pellegrino argues moving from Merkle Patricia Tries to log-based databases yields large performance gains (he cites a 100x improvement) and notes Aptos can reach ~1,000,000 TPS on a single node. He warns recent industry shifts toward centralized, institution-focused chains are troubling and stresses the need for decentralized, permissionless systems that can support 24/7 global markets. LayerZero is positioned as immutable and dominant (claimed 82–85% market share) and emphasizes real-world system integrations — including work tied to partners such as PYUSD — as drivers of adoption. Key figures: Bryan Pellegrino (LayerZero CEO). Key metrics: 3,000,000 storage updates/sec, ~1,000,000 TPS single-node Aptos, claimed 82–85% LayerZero market share. Primary themes: storage-layer bottlenecks, node computation inefficiency, log-based verifiable databases, proof validation to cut replication costs, decentralization vs centralization, Zero blockchain and Zero OS rollout. Primary keywords: LayerZero, blockchain scalability, storage layer, node computation, Zero OS, Zero blockchain.

On-chain metrics indicate Ethereum may be entering a market bottom. Blockchain analytics show the Ethereum MVRV‑Z score at -0.42, a level historically associated with capitulation and undervaluation (past lows: -0.76 in Dec 2018; deep negatives in 2022). Analysts including Alphractal and trader Michaël van de Poppe interpret the reading as a potential accumulation zone rather than a guaranteed trough. Complementary on-chain indicators cited are exchange netflow, entity‑adjusted dormancy and network profit/loss (NPL). Implications: ETH acting as a bellwether could restore confidence across altcoins if sustained recovery follows, aided by network upgrades and Layer‑2 scaling progress. Risks remain—macro headwinds, regulatory uncertainty and the MVRV‑Z not yet at historic extremes—so strategies suggested include dollar‑cost averaging and watching for confirming signals (MVRV‑Z reversal toward zero, falling exchange inflows, break of technical resistance). This probabilistic signal favors cautious accumulation for traders who match exposure to risk tolerance and time horizon.

MUFG’s currency analysis finds Thailand’s recent political stability is a key driver of Thai baht (THB) resilience versus regional peers. Improved predictability after elections and government formation has reduced risk premia, boosted investor confidence, and made monetary and fiscal measures more effective. MUFG highlights three transmission channels: increased foreign direct investment (FDI) into manufacturing and tech, tourism recovery supplying foreign exchange, and stronger export competitiveness due to reduced currency volatility. Recent quarter moves cited: THB/USD +2.3%, THB/EUR +1.8%, THB/JPY +3.1%, THB/CNY +0.9%. Additional supportive fundamentals include a current account surplus and roughly $220 billion in FX reserves, lower external debt, 15% lower volatility than the regional average, and 22% YoY inflows into Thai bonds. MUFG warns future risks — local elections, constitutional reforms or trade shifts — could alter dynamics, but institutional continuity and fiscal discipline make THB comparatively stable. For traders, the report implies lower hedging needs and a more predictable environment for FX, equity and fixed-income positions tied to Thailand.

Bitcoin’s dominance has declined from about 65.2% in July 2025 to roughly 59.3% (a ~9% drop) amid broader market weakness. TradingView data shows altcoin market cap excluding BTC (TOTAL2) fell from ~$1.15T to ~$946B (‑17.7%), while Bitcoin’s market cap dropped ~35% from $2.13T to $1.38T — an underperformance versus altcoins. Technical analysis from CryptoInsightUK points to compressed Bollinger Bands on the Bitcoin dominance ratio (weekly), indicating low volatility and a possible imminent breakout. Historically, a downward move in BTC dominance has coincided with altcoin rallies; the analyst cites late 2024 when BTC dominance fell ~11% and XRP surged about 490% to $2.90. If dominance continues to fall, capital rotation into altcoins could benefit XRP given its liquidity and past responsiveness. No confirmed breakout has occurred; traders are advised to await market-structure and volatility confirmation before taking positions. (Keywords: Bitcoin dominance, XRP, altcoins, market cap, Bollinger Bands)

Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty described recent White House discussions on stablecoin policy as “productive,” signaling progress toward bipartisan agreement on how to regulate revenue from stablecoin reserves. Closed-door meetings brought together banking and crypto industry representatives to focus on interest and other income generated by reserve assets (for example, U.S. Treasury yields held to back tokens such as USDC and USDT). Key policy questions under consideration include revenue distribution, regulatory jurisdiction (banking vs. securities law or a bespoke framework), reserve transparency and consumer protections like 1:1 redeemability. With more than $150 billion in stablecoins outstanding and competing regulatory frameworks emerging globally, Alderoty said the window to pass comprehensive crypto market-structure legislation is open. Experts view a consensus on technical issues — especially reserve income — as a pragmatic pathway to federal law that would clarify asset classification, platform rules and oversight for large issuers. Traders should watch for legislative momentum and executive-branch alignment, which could reduce legal uncertainty for payment stablecoins, encourage institutional flows, and affect liquidity and peg stability for major stablecoins.

Bitcoin Cash (BCH) has traded inside a long-term range (~$272–$640) for about 20 months. Weekly technicals remain constructive: accumulation (A/D) has trended higher since 2024 and weekly RSI sits near neutral (≈47). The $456 mid-range support has been wick-tested several times but not closed below on weekly charts, keeping the bullish case intact. Short-term liquidity and liquidation heatmaps point to magnetic supply around $550–$610, with local supply building at $540–$550. Analysts suggest a likely scenario where BCH is pushed up into the $550–$560 area (possible short squeeze) to collect liquidity before reversing toward the $440–$460 mid-range — a potential low-risk, high-reward buying zone. That bearish reversal would be invalidated if BCH closes above ~$580. Note: on-chain metrics show rising transactions and whale activity, indicating healthy liquidity movement. Traders should watch $540–$580 overhead resistance and $440–$460 support for trade setups.

On‑chain data shows realized losses are outweighing profits as Bitcoin trades below $70,000, signaling persistent bearish pressure. Darkfost’s analysis reports a realized profit‑to‑loss ratio near 0.25 (about $4 in losses for every $1 of profit), with the seven‑day average approaching levels typical of bear markets. Exchange and treasury selling — including large holders who bought near recent highs — has contributed to distribution volume and increased trading activity during the recent selloff. Price action broke intermediate support and slipped below short‑ and medium‑term moving averages; the $60,000–$65,000 range is identified as the next critical demand zone. While realized profits have recently started to slightly exceed losses after weeks of deficits, analysts view stabilization as tentative: a sustained recovery likely requires the purge of weaker hands and rebuilding of unrealized gains. Key points for traders: elevated realized losses indicate continued downside risk, watch volume for distribution vs. accumulation, monitor the $60k–$65k support band, and note moving averages remain bearish.

Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest has increased its bullish positions in crypto-related stocks amid a broader rally in digital-asset shares. Ark added to holdings in firms tied to bitcoin and blockchain exposure, reflecting confidence in the sector’s near-term momentum. The moves follow rising cryptocurrency prices and renewed institutional interest, prompting increased allocations across Ark’s actively managed ETFs. Key themes include higher weightings in companies with crypto revenue or bitcoin exposure, repositioning toward growth and innovation equities, and a focus on long-term adoption trends. Traders should note potential volatility from ETF flows, correlations between crypto prices and listed crypto-adjacent stocks, and the likelihood of amplified price moves in both directions as Ark’s trades influence market liquidity.

Coinbase announced the inclusion of GWEI on its public listing roadmap, marking a notable shift toward supporting utility and infrastructure-linked crypto assets. GWEI represents the denomination used to pay Ethereum gas (1 ETH = 1,000,000,000 gwei); the token referenced by Coinbase would be a tradable representation of that unit. Coinbase’s roadmap placement signals potential future trading products that let users hedge or speculate on Ethereum network congestion and transaction costs. The move follows Ethereum’s post-merge upgrades focused on gas efficiency and aligns with growing market demand for instruments tied to blockchain usage metrics. Coinbase stresses roadmap listings require further technical, compliance and legal review before live trading. For traders, a GWEI listing could create a new asset class correlated to network demand and gas price volatility, attract liquidity and spark volatility across venues when announced. Potential impacts include tools for hedging gas fees for developers and dApps, expanded product suites for exchanges, and competitive pressure on peers to list similar infrastructure tokens. Coinbase’s decision also reflects regulatory considerations: tokens with clear utility (representing consumable network resources) may face different scrutiny than securities. Market participants should monitor official Coinbase communications for due diligence outcomes and listing confirmations before adjusting positions.

Banking industry representatives proposed a near-total ban on interest and other compensation for payment stablecoins during a White House meeting, arguing yield-bearing stablecoins pose systemic risk, consumer-protection gaps and regulatory arbitrage. The proposal, documented in a White House paper shared by Decrypt, seeks to prohibit monetary and non-monetary rewards for holding, using or owning payment stablecoins, allowing only “extremely limited” exceptions. This stance is stricter than recent congressional market-structure drafts that permitted limited yields under conditions. Discussions were described as productive but unresolved; future deliberations will move to the Senate Banking Committee and industry self-regulatory bodies. Key concerns cited: potential shadow-banking effects, bank‑run–style withdrawal risks, lack of FDIC-style protections for yields, and market-manipulation risks. Technical and enforcement questions remain — notably how to define “payment stablecoin” and “non-monetary compensation,” and how cross-border operations would be handled. If adopted, the ban could reduce DeFi yield strategies (lending, liquidity provision, treasury management), raise compliance costs, spur migration of activity offshore, and fragment global stablecoin markets. Traders should watch Senate hearings, legislative drafts, and self-regulatory responses: a strict ban would likely compress demand for yield-bearing stablecoins and related DeFi tokens, while a compromise could preserve some protocol revenue models. This regulatory shift is significant for market structure and liquidity in crypto markets.

MoonPay’s fiat-infrastructure unit Iron has partnered with payroll and HR platform Deel to enable direct stablecoin payroll payouts to employees and contractors at roughly 40,000 businesses across the UK and EU, with plans to expand to the US. Deel — which added crypto payroll options in 2021 and processed billions in global payroll — will use Iron’s rails to send USD-pegged stablecoins (initially USDC and other supported assets) straight to recipients’ wallets, simplifying crypto salary distribution and on-ramping. The service aims to speed up cross-border payroll and lower costs compared with existing rails; it follows growing payments-industry momentum for stablecoin payouts (eg. Visa pilot with stablecoin withdrawal via Visa Direct). For traders, the move increases real-world utility and on‑chain volume for stablecoins (notably USDC), expands corporate demand for crypto payroll rails, and adds another institutional on-ramp that could modestly raise transaction flow into stablecoin markets.

Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK Invest, has joined the advisory board of LayerZero, an omnichain interoperability protocol that enables seamless messaging and value transfer across multiple blockchains. Announced March 21, 2025, Wood’s advisory role follows a prior strategic investment in LayerZero from Tether (USDT issuer), reinforcing institutional confidence in the protocol. LayerZero uses ultra-light nodes, oracles, relayers and endpoint contracts to let dApps operate natively across chains without wrapped assets or centralized bridges. Major projects such as Stargate Finance and SushiSwap already use LayerZero, which has supported billions in cross-chain volume. Market analysts say Wood’s participation signals growing institutional interest in cross-chain infrastructure and may attract capital, developer activity, and greater integration for stablecoins like USDT. Risks remain: cross-chain security and competition from rivals (e.g., Chainlink CCIP, Wormhole) persist. For traders, the news increases bullish sentiment toward interoperability-focused protocols and tokens tied to LayerZero integrations, but security and execution remain key variables.

Researchers say Bitcoin currently has a multi-year window to prepare for quantum computing attacks because building quantum machines capable of breaking Bitcoin’s cryptography will require substantial effort. They emphasise the immediate risk is limited — more likely attacks will target weaker systems or exploit poor key management — and that harvesting encrypted data now to decrypt later is a practical concern. However, several cryptography experts and some crypto community figures caution that the threat is uncertain and that migrating Bitcoin to post-quantum signatures is technically and politically difficult. Key points: Bitcoin relies on ECDSA and SHA-256 (ECDSA signatures are vulnerable to powerful quantum attacks); older address formats are the weakest link while SegWit and newer formats offer some long-range protection; a full protocol upgrade across a decentralized network could take many months to years and might be hard to pass; timelines for viable quantum hardware vary (estimates range from 5–15+ years to more aggressive hazard probabilities within a decade). Traders should monitor developer consensus, concrete upgrade proposals for post-quantum cryptography, and on-chain usage of legacy addresses. Any credible evidence that upgrades will stall or be delayed increases downside risk for BTC, whereas clear, fast upgrade plans would reduce quantum-related risk premia. SEO keywords: Bitcoin, quantum computing, post-quantum cryptography, ECDSA, SegWit.

Discord says its planned “teen-by-default” age-assurance rollout — expected in March — will only require explicit age checks for users accessing 18+ servers/channels or changing certain safety settings. The company claims most adults will be classified by internal age-prediction models using account signals, so they won’t need to upload IDs or perform facial scans. When manual verification is needed, Discord says facial age estimation runs on-device and identity documents are used only to confirm age and then deleted; the company receives only age data, not linked IDs. Discord’s Global Head of Product Policy, Savannah Badalich, framed the change as a proactive safety measure rather than a response to specific laws. Privacy advocates, including Suzanne Bernstein of EPIC, warned users must trust Discord’s data-handling claims and expressed broader concerns about user control over personal data. The announcement followed online backlash and surges in searches for alternatives. Context: age verification on social platforms is increasing globally, with comparisons to efforts by OpenAI and regulatory moves in countries such as Australia.

Market sell‑off continues across crypto: Vitalik Buterin questioned the standalone value of Layer‑2s, prompting ENS Labs to cancel its Namechain L2 and rebuild on Ethereum mainnet — a sign projects are prioritising clear value propositions over stacking infra. Bitcoin faces severe pressure: MicroStrategy posted a $12.6bn Q4’25 loss, mining difficulty fell 11.6% (the largest drop since China’s 2021 ban) and hashrate declined ~20% as miners paused operations and US storms forced outages. On‑chain estimates put the average cost to mine 1 BTC near $87,000, underscoring upside risk for unprofitable miners if prices stay low. Meanwhile, Tether (USDT issuer) reported Q4’25 growth: +35 million users and a $12.4bn market‑cap increase, plus $23bn in gold reserves and acquisition of gold.com shares — highlighting a flight to tangible reserves amid volatility. Key takeaways for traders: reassess exposure to L2‑native projects without clear utility; monitor miner capitulation and difficulty/hashrate metrics as potential short‑term price catalysts; Tether’s reserve moves and user growth may support stablecoin liquidity and market functioning during stress. Primary keywords: crypto sell‑off, Layer‑2, Bitcoin mining, Tether, USDT. Secondary keywords: ENS Labs, mining difficulty, hashrate, MicroStrategy, gold reserves.

NZD/USD trades tightly around the critical 0.6050 level ahead of the US Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) release at 8:30 AM EST. Traders are reducing exposure, compressing volatility ahead of the report. Technically, 0.6050 is a confluence zone — the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement from the 2024 high to Jan 2025 low — with the 50-day SMA near 0.6070. Support sits at the 0.6000 psychological level and the January low at 0.5935; upside breakout requires clearing 0.6100 toward 0.6180. NFP consensus centers near +180,000 jobs (range 140K–220K); wage growth (Avg. Hourly Earnings ~0.3%), unemployment (3.7%), and participation (62.5%) are key internals. A stronger-than-expected print would likely strengthen the USD and push NZD/USD below 0.6000; a weak report could spur a rally above 0.6100. RBNZ maintains OCR at 5.50% with cuts likely late 2025, while Fed rate-cut odds (market-implied) price a ~65% chance of a first cut by June 2025 — highly sensitive to NFP. Historical NFP days show NZD/USD average moves near 87 pips versus 45 pips on regular days; initial spikes often reverse. CFTC positioning shows leveraged funds net short NZD futures, increasing the potential for sharp short-covering rallies on weak US data. Traders should expect elevated post-NFP volatility and manage risk accordingly.