Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Animoca Brands has been granted a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) licence by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to operate virtual-asset broker‑dealer, management and investment services in and from Dubai (excluding the Dubai International Financial Centre). The licence, which follows an in‑principle clearance in October 2025 and completes VARA’s two‑stage approval process, covers services to global institutional and qualified investors. Animoca opened a Dubai office in 2025 to expand regional partnerships and Web3 investments and manages a portfolio of more than 600 companies and digital assets across projects including Moca Network and Open Campus. The approval lets Animoca offer institutional crypto brokerage, digital-asset management and investment services onshore in Dubai, strengthening the company’s regulatory footing in the Middle East. For traders, the licence signals deeper institutional adoption and clearer regulatory pathways in Dubai, which may increase onshore flows and liquidity for tokens tied to Animoca’s ecosystem and partners. Primary keywords: Animoca Brands, VARA, VASP licence, Dubai crypto, institutional crypto services.

Apollo Global Management (managing roughly $940B AUM) agreed to a multi‑year strategic partnership with the Morpho Association that gives Apollo the option to acquire up to 90 million MORPHO tokens—about 9% of supply—over 48 months. Purchases may occur via open‑market buys, OTC trades or negotiated arrangements and are subject to ownership caps and transfer/trading restrictions designed to limit sudden supply shocks. If fully executed, the stake would be worth roughly $107M–$115M at mid‑February prices. The deal follows recent institutional integrations that strengthened Morpho’s lending stack (including Bitwise USDC yield vaults and a Flare integration for XRP‑linked lending). Morpho is among the larger DeFi lending platforms with ~ $5.8B TVL and plans continued product development (Morpho Vaults improvements and Morpho V2 with fixed‑rate/fixed‑term loans) and broader institutional onboarding via partners such as Coinbase, Bitget, Société Générale Forge, Gemini and Crypto.com. The announcement produced a near‑term price rally (MORPHO rose ~18% over the weekend), though the token remains down over the last year. For traders, Apollo’s potential multi‑year accumulation creates meaningful buy pressure and an institutional governance actor within Morpho’s ecosystem; built‑in caps and transfer restrictions aim to reduce volatility, but the move also signals growing institutional confidence in DeFi credit markets, which could support MORPHO price discovery over the medium term.

Morgan Stanley will enable direct spot trading of Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) for E*TRADE retail clients in the first half of 2026. The service will be delivered via a partnership with digital-asset infrastructure provider Zerohash, integrating custody, execution and settlement within regulated brokerage accounts and allowing clients to trade crypto inside existing E*TRADE accounts rather than only via ETFs. Financial advisors will be able to include crypto in portfolios, improving access for retail investors. Morgan Stanley’s broader 2026 digital-asset roadmap includes filing spot-trust registration statements with the SEC for a Bitcoin Trust and a Solana Trust, exploring tokenization use cases for private markets to speed settlement and enhance liquidity, and launching a proprietary digital wallet planned for H2 2026. The combined strategy—spot trading access, custody through Zerohash, wallet development and tokenization trials—signals deeper institutional integration of digital assets and could increase spot-market participation and liquidity for BTC, ETH and SOL.

Venture investor Nic Carter warned that large institutional Bitcoin holders could push to replace volunteer Bitcoin developers if a credible quantum-computing threat to current cryptography emerges. Carter said firms with sizable BTC exposure — such as asset managers like BlackRock — may demand faster, centralized fixes and could install new development teams if they judge the community is moving too slowly. The core technical concern is that future powerful quantum computers might break current transaction-signing schemes, though precise timelines remain uncertain. Experts differ: Adam Back and Blockstream researchers argue migration to quantum-resistant cryptography is feasible with advance planning, while others warn staged upgrades carry coordination risks and potential disruption. Commentators link recent Bitcoin volatility and a 30-day pullback to rising narratives about tech risk, which could increase pressure from fiduciaries to act. The story highlights a broader governance tension: as institutional BTC holdings grow, tolerance for unresolved structural risk falls, potentially shifting upgrade authority toward fiduciary managers and raising custody and protocol-migration considerations for traders and market participants.

Abu Dhabi digital bank Zand has entered a strategic partnership with Ripple to advance stablecoin and tokenization initiatives in the UAE and wider Middle East. The collaboration focuses on Zand’s UAE dirham stablecoin (AEDZ) and Ripple’s US-dollar stablecoin (RLUSD). Key actions include supporting RLUSD within Zand’s regulated custody services, exploring direct liquidity solutions and on‑ramps between AEDZ and RLUSD, and investigating issuance of AEDZ on the XRP Ledger to leverage its compliance and risk controls. The deal builds on prior payments cooperation between the firms and aims to improve cross‑stablecoin liquidity, faster settlement rails and regulated custody offerings in the region. No issuance timeline or regulatory approvals were disclosed. Primary keywords: AEDZ, RLUSD, XRP Ledger, Ripple, Zand, stablecoin. Secondary keywords: programmable money, tokenization, cross‑border payments, ADQ, digital bank, custody, settlement rails.

Coinbase reported a $667 million GAAP net loss for Q4 2025, driven largely by a $718 million unrealized markdown on its crypto investment portfolio and a $395 million loss on strategic investments including a reduced stake in Circle/USDC. Revenue fell 21.6% year‑over‑year to $1.78 billion, with transaction revenue down 36% to $983 million; adjusted EPS of $0.66 missed analyst expectations. Despite the GAAP loss, operational metrics were robust: total trading volume rose 156% to $5.2 trillion, crypto market share doubled to 6.4%, Coinbase One subscribers neared 1 million, and 12 products generated over $100 million in annualized revenue. The company finished the year with $11.3 billion in cash and equivalents. Management highlighted unrealized nature of the markdowns and reiterated diversification into derivatives, equities and prediction markets (an “Everything Exchange”), citing wins such as S&P 500 inclusion, EU MiCA approval and the Deribit acquisition. Guidance softened for Q1 (subscription revenue cut and weaker transaction revenue through Feb. 10), and competitive pressure was noted versus decentralized derivatives platforms processing large volumes. For traders: the mix of large unrealized portfolio write‑downs, missed revenue/earnings expectations and strong underlying volume/product growth is likely to keep COIN volatile and could drive correlated moves in broader crypto risk assets in the near term.

Brazil has reintroduced Bill 4501/2024 to create a Strategic Sovereign Bitcoin Reserve (RESBit) that would allow the government to acquire up to 1,000,000 BTC over a multi‑year program. The proposal, led by Federal Deputy Luiz Gastão with support from Congressman Eros Biondini, assigns management to the Central Bank and Ministry of Finance and would phase purchases in line with fiscal rules and committee approvals. Earlier versions capped Bitcoin purchases at up to 5% of foreign reserves; the current draft expands the program’s scope and includes provisions to protect self‑custody, limit disclosure without a court order, prohibit sale of court‑seized BTC, permit tax payments in BTC, and support domestic mining and blockchain adoption. The bill also contemplates using Bitcoin as collateral for Drex, Brazil’s central bank digital currency, and requires the tax authority to prepare systems within 12 months of enactment. If passed, Brazil could become one of the largest potential state holders of BTC, a development likely to attract global market attention and influence BTC liquidity and price dynamics. Key SEO keywords: Brazil Bitcoin reserve, RESBit, BTC, Drex, Central Bank, national reserves.

White House crypto policy adviser Patrick Witt said yields on stablecoins offered by crypto platforms do not pose an existential threat to U.S. banks and can be complementary to traditional banking services. Witt argued banks have regulatory pathways and tools (including OCC digital asset charters) to offer similar products, and many are already moving into digital-asset services. He suggested stablecoin yields could help banks attract customers and create new products rather than simply displace them. The comments come amid negotiations over the CLARITY market-structure bill, which would clarify SEC and CFTC jurisdiction and crypto-asset classifications; stablecoin yield rules remain a key sticking point delaying passage. Treasury official Scott Bessent warned that crypto legislation could be delayed or overturned if congressional power shifts, and observers said the legislative window may narrow ahead of the 2026 midterms. Witt expressed optimism that consensus on stablecoin issues is achievable and called concerns about stablecoin yields overblown. Key topics: stablecoin yields, banks, CLARITY bill, SEC, CFTC, OCC, crypto regulation.

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has established an Innovation Advisory Committee made up of 35 leaders from crypto firms, trading platforms and traditional finance to advise on rulemaking, market structure, surveillance and enforcement for digital asset markets. Notable members include executives from Coinbase, Ripple, Uniswap, Solana Labs, Chainlink, Kraken, Robinhood and representatives from Nasdaq, CME Group, ICE and DTCC. The committee will review infrastructure, custody, settlement, market integrity, prediction markets and event contracts and aims to improve regulatory clarity and cross‑agency coordination. For traders, the panel could accelerate guidance on custody, derivatives and listing practices, reduce regulatory uncertainty, influence liquidity and compliance costs, and prompt short‑term volatility while supporting more robust long‑term market structure. Keywords: CFTC, crypto regulation, Coinbase, Ripple, market structure.

Protect Progress, a crypto-aligned PAC tied to the Fairshake network, will spend $1.5 million in the March 3 Democratic primary to oppose Texas Rep. Al Green after he voted against two key House crypto bills: the GENIUS Act (stablecoin rules) and the CLARITY Act (digital-asset market structure). The PAC says Green’s votes conflict with Texas’s growing crypto community and frames the spending as backing pro-innovation candidates; advocacy group Stand With Crypto similarly ranks Green “strongly against crypto,” while his challenger Christian Menefee is rated “strongly supports crypto” and has promoted practical blockchain uses such as on-chain property records to combat deed fraud. The move underscores continued heavy digital-asset political spending — Fairshake spent roughly $130 million in 2024 — and highlights how independent expenditures (ads, outreach) can shape primaries without coordinating with campaigns. For traders, the race matters because it could alter Texas political support for crypto-friendly legislation and local industry activity in a major crypto hub, potentially affecting regulatory sentiment and sector risk premium.

Mutuum Finance (MUTM), an early-stage DeFi protocol in presale, has attracted significant retail interest and fundraising momentum. Initial reporting noted MUTM rose from a $0.01 presale price to $0.04 in Phase 7 (a 300% increase). A later update adds granular tokenomics and traction metrics: total supply capped at 4 billion MUTM, 45.5% allocated to presale, over 850 million tokens sold to 19,000+ holders, and more than $20.5 million raised. Phase 8 price advances to $0.045; post-launch market price is estimated near $0.06. The project highlights growth drivers that form the core bullish case: a buyback-and-distribute fee mechanism that routes protocol revenue to repurchase MUTM and reward mtToken stakers, multi-chain expansion plans, audited contracts and a live testnet, mtTokens as yield-bearing receipts (examples cited: ~12% APY on USDT pools, ~11% APY on ETH pools), and an overcollateralized stablecoin. Analysts and project materials present scenario models projecting intermediate targets (e.g., $0.80) and a long-term bullish target of $4 by end-2026, driven by fee growth, token scarcity and exchange listings. The coverage is a sponsored press release and promotional in tone, includes investor incentives (giveaways, buyer rewards, bug bounty) and a standard due-diligence disclaimer. For traders: the headline takeaway is a high-risk, high-reward presale narrative—strong early demand and tokenomics claims could lift MUTM price on listing and during phases, but projections are speculative and contingent on execution, listings and real fee generation.

ETHZilla, the former 180 Life Sciences turned crypto-treasury firm, has begun tokenizing real-world assets (RWA) with the launch of Eurus Aero Token I. The token is offered at $100 each (minimum 10 tokens) and is backed by two commercial jet engines ETHZilla purchased in January for $12.2 million. The engines are leased to a major U.S. airline and generate immediate lease cash flows; ETHZilla targets an ~11% return across the lease term that runs through 2028. Public filings show the company previously sold part of its ETH holdings to help fund the purchase; earlier disclosures listed roughly 102,246 ETH acquired at an average of ~$3,948, though current estimates of holdings vary (~69,800–93,000 ETH). ETHZilla plans further tokenization of asset classes such as home and auto loans and intends to bring these cash-flowing assets on-chain to create steady returns for investors. The move reflects a strategic pivot from a pure crypto-treasury model toward building operating businesses that convert tangible, income-generating assets into on-chain investment products, aligning with broader market interest in tokenized RWAs.

Coinbase has launched Agentic Wallets on its Base Layer‑2 network, enabling autonomous AI agents to hold funds, make payments, swap tokens, earn yield and transact onchain within programmable guardrails. The wallets run gasless on Base and use Coinbase’s x402 payments protocol (claimed >50 million transactions) to enable machine‑to‑machine, pay‑per‑use API payments and agent‑to‑agent microtransactions. Private keys remain in Coinbase’s secure enclaves; developer tooling (npx awal) can deploy a wallet in minutes. Built‑in guardrails include session caps, per‑transaction ceilings and KYT screening to block high‑risk activity. Coinbase positions the product as infrastructure for agentic commerce and automated DeFi behaviours. The company noted the launch alongside developer‑focused initiatives; its stock briefly dipped ~6% the same day (not directly attributed to the product). For traders: Agentic Wallets could raise onchain stablecoin payment demand and Base transaction volumes over the medium term, tighten AI‑crypto integration, and enable new onchain revenue flows — though short‑term market impact is likely limited until developer adoption, trust frameworks and regulation mature.

The Federal Reserve staff published a working paper recommending that crypto assets be treated as a separate asset class for initial margin requirements in uncleared derivatives markets, including OTC trades. Authors Anna Amirdjanova, David Lynch and Anni Zheng find that existing frameworks such as the ISDA Standard Initial Margin Model (SIMM) do not adequately capture crypto’s higher volatility and unique behaviour. The paper proposes separate risk weights for volatile “floating” cryptocurrencies (e.g., BTC, ETH, BNB, ADA, DOGE, XRP) and for pegged stablecoins, and suggests calibrating these weights with a benchmark index equally weighted between six floating tokens and six stablecoins. The recommendation implies higher initial margins will likely be required to mitigate elevated volatility and counterparty risk. The report signals growing regulatory attention and technical preparation by U.S. authorities to fold crypto into established derivatives risk-management rules; it follows other Fed actions to clarify banks’ crypto activities and consider limited arrangements for crypto firms. For traders: expect potential increases in margin requirements for crypto derivatives, heavier capital costs for leveraged positions, and possible reductions in liquidity for certain tokens as firms adjust exposures.

Cango announced $75.5 million in new equity financing as it shifts operations from bitcoin mining toward distributed AI workloads and high-performance computing (HPC). The deal has two parts: a completed $10.5M Class B tranche in which Enduring Wealth Capital bought 7 million Class B shares at $1.50 each (20 votes per share), boosting its voting power to about 49.7% while keeping economic ownership below 5%; and a pending $65M Class A tranche for roughly 49 million shares at $1.32 each to be purchased by entities tied to chairman Xin Jin and director Chang‑Wei Chiu, subject to NYSE approval and customary closing conditions. If completed, Chiu would hold roughly 12% of outstanding shares (~6.7% voting power) and Jin about 4.7% (~2.6% voting power). The financing follows Cango’s Feb. 9 sale of 4,451 BTC for approximately $305M, used to partially repay a bitcoin‑backed loan and reduce leverage. Management said it will repurpose grid‑connected mining infrastructure into AI and HPC compute capacity. Shares fell after the announcement amid broader weakness in mining equities and BTC volatility. Key trading takeaways: greater insider/related‑party equity and concentrated Class B voting control, asset sales to de‑lever, and a strategic pivot from pure bitcoin mining to AI/HPC — all factors traders should weigh when sizing positions or assessing thematic exposure to bitcoin mining versus AI infrastructure.

Chicago-based institutional trading firm BlockFills has paused all client deposits and withdrawals after a steep market sell-off that drove Bitcoin down roughly 25% from October highs. The firm — which handled about $61.1 billion in trades in 2025 for more than 2,000 institutional clients — says the halt is temporary and intended to protect clients and rebuild platform liquidity. Trading (opening and closing spot and derivatives positions) remains available on the platform, but funds cannot be moved on or off. The pause has raised concerns because of past industry collapses (Celsius, Voyager, FTX) and recent temporary withdrawal restrictions at major platforms during stress events. Analysts are divided: some, like Michaël van de Poppe, view BTC as potentially oversold and target a rebound toward $100,000 if support holds; others warn the halt concentrates counterparty and withdrawal risk among large institutional users and could increase short-term selling pressure or a risk premium for large OTC/liquidity trades. Key trader actions: monitor official BlockFills updates for clarity on the liquidity shortfall, watch on-chain flows, funding rates, and derivatives open interest for signs of contagion or shifts in leverage, and be cautious executing large OTC or highly leveraged positions while withdrawal restrictions remain. Primary keywords: BlockFills, withdrawals pause, Bitcoin crash, institutional liquidity, trading risk.

Binance completed a 30-day program to convert its $1 billion Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU) from stablecoins into Bitcoin, finishing with a final tranche of 4,545 BTC purchased between Feb 2 and Feb 12 and bringing the SAFU balance to 15,000 BTC (≈$1.02B at ~ $67k/BTC). The reallocation reverses Binance’s April 2024 decision to hold SAFU in USDC and aligns with the exchange’s view of Bitcoin as a “premier long‑term reserve asset.” Binance said it will top up or rebalance SAFU if the reserve’s value falls below $800 million. On‑chain trackers (Lookonchain) recorded the buys and Binance publicly posted the SAFU wallet address. Market context at reporting: BTC traded near $67,300 with modest daily gains but multi‑week losses, and industry observers said Binance’s purchases provided direct liquidity support to the spot market while underscoring the exchange’s dominant spot and futures volumes. Key facts for traders: SAFU now holds 15,000 BTC; final tranche was 4,545 BTC (~$304.5M); conversion executed within the 30‑day window announced Jan 30, 2026. Primary keywords: Binance, SAFU, Bitcoin, BTC, reserve conversion.

Danske Bank, Denmark’s largest bank, has added exchange-traded products (ETPs) tracking Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) to its trading platform, giving retail and institutional clients regulated, exchange-listed exposure without direct custody. The bank frames crypto as “opportunistic investments” and explicitly warns of high risk and potential large losses; it does not provide advisory services on crypto. The move responds to rising client demand and clearer regulation and reduces operational friction by offering custody through regulated ETP providers and familiar brokerage interfaces. Separately, Danske has recently joined a European bank consortium to develop a euro-pegged stablecoin via a new company, Qivalis, targeting commercial release in H2 2026. At publication, BTC traded near $66,700 and had fallen over 8% in seven days. For traders: the listing improves access to BTC and ETH through regulated on‑ramps (potentially boosting inflows), lowers barriers for ordinary investors, and may increase institutional participation — but the bank’s risk warning and lack of advisory services suggest investor caution. Primary keywords: Danske Bank, Bitcoin ETP, Ethereum ETP, BTC, ETH. Secondary keywords: trading platform, regulated ETPs, crypto exposure, institutional inflows.

Binance confirmed that its Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU) completed the final tranche purchase of 4,545 BTC, finishing a planned BTC conversion worth roughly $1 billion within the pledged 30‑day window. The move brings SAFU’s total BTC holdings to 15,000 BTC (about $1.005 billion) and fully allocates SAFU as a long‑term Bitcoin reserve. The conversion was executed via on‑chain transactions previously tracked and announced; Binance states the purchases followed the scheduled plan and offers the update as market information, not investment advice. For traders: the conversion increases Binance’s direct on‑chain BTC reserves and could modestly reduce exchange‑available liquidity if coins move to cold storage, which can create short‑term supply pressure. Monitor on‑chain flows and any further Binance communications for possible short‑term volatility around large transfers, but the company frames this as a risk‑management step rather than a response to an immediate solvency issue.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has fallen off Bloomberg’s list of the world’s 500 richest after his net worth slid to roughly $7.5 billion from about $17.7 billion in July. The decline reflects a broader crypto downturn: Bitcoin (BTC) is down roughly 50% from its October peak, and Coinbase shares — where Armstrong holds about a 14% stake — have dropped about 60% since mid‑July, with further daily declines as trading volumes and institutional demand weaken. Analysts have cut revenue forecasts and price targets (JPMorgan trimmed its Coinbase target by 27%), and Coinbase expects lower transaction revenue (analysts forecast ~33.5% annual fall for Q4 2025). Other crypto-linked fortunes also plunged, including the Winklevoss twins, Michael Novogratz and Michael Saylor, underscoring how direct corporate and personal exposure to crypto amplifies wealth volatility. For traders, the news signals reduced exchange liquidity and earnings pressure for crypto equities, heightened market volatility for BTC, and potential shifts in exchange strategies to sustain volumes. Armstrong frames the downturn as an opportunity for product innovation and reiterates long-term bullish views for Bitcoin; nevertheless, near-term risks to market engagement and liquidity remain significant.

BitMine Immersion Technologies, led by Tom Lee, boosted its on-chain Ethereum staking in a rapid buy-and-stake move. The company staked an additional 140,400 ETH (about $282M) within hours, bringing total staked ETH to roughly 2.97 million ETH (≈$6.01B) and representing about 68.7% of its 4.33 million ETH treasury. Overall holdings are ~4.33M ETH (~3.58% of circulating supply). Earlier reporting noted a 171,264 ETH stake raising a previously reported staked total near 1.94M ETH; the newer report updates the position to the larger 2.97M ETH figure and expands financial detail. BitMine projects staking revenue: current estimates around $202M per year, with potential to exceed $374M once its Made in America Validator Network is fully deployed. The firm’s broader crypto treasury is roughly $10B, including 193 BTC, a $200M equity stake in Beast Industries, and about $595M in cash. BitMine continues weekly ETH purchases under a strategy dubbed “the alchemy of 5%,” targeting control of 5% of Ethereum’s supply. The company shifted from Bitcoin mining to an ETH-focused treasury after Tom Lee took leadership and is now among the largest institutional ETH holders. Despite significant unrealized losses from 2025 highs (reported near $7.5B), BitMine is expanding validator operations and staking allocations, reinforcing long-term exposure to ETH and increasing on-chain staking activity.

Robinhood reported Q4 net revenue of about $1.28B, missing Street estimates (~$1.32–$1.35B) and prompting a roughly 7–8% drop in after‑hours trading. Crypto trading revenue plunged 38% year‑on‑year to ~$221M, cutting crypto’s share of total revenue toward ~10%. Nominal crypto trading volume across Robinhood and Bitstamp rose modestly quarter‑on‑quarter to a record $82.4B, but growth lagged stocks and options. Options revenue (~$314M) also missed estimates despite record options volumes; management highlighted strong retail options flow and growth in prediction‑market and event contract activity, with non‑stock trading revenue (including prediction markets and futures) hitting a record $147M — the first time it exceeded stock trading revenue. Robinhood reiterated 2025 guidance for roughly $4.5B in net revenue and $1.9B in net income. Analysts say the revenue miss is painful for a richly valued stock, though some (e.g., Autonomous Research) keep Buy ratings citing diversification and a robust options franchise. Market context: Bitcoin around $66.7k, Ethereum near $1.98k and Solana showing elevated volatility, signaling tighter liquidity and risk‑off sentiment across high‑beta crypto assets. Key takeaways for traders: weaker crypto revenue may pressure HOOD and reflect muted retail crypto activity; record options and prediction‑market growth diversify revenue but may not offset near‑term crypto weakness. Primary keywords: Robinhood, crypto revenue, Q4 earnings, options, prediction markets.

Ledger has integrated OKX DEX into Ledger Wallet, enabling users to execute on‑chain multichain swaps directly from their hardware wallets while keeping private keys offline. OKX DEX is a decentralized multichain aggregator and bridge that sources liquidity from 400+ venues across 25+ blockchains, including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Polygon and BNB Chain. Trades are quoted with aggregated best rates and must be confirmed on the user’s Ledger device, preserving hardware‑enforced self‑custody. The rollout is phased and requires no firmware update; supported L1/L2 networks are available at launch, though cross‑chain bridging and cross‑seed swaps are not yet enabled. The integration follows Ledger’s broader DeFi push — recent partnerships and products include Kiln for self‑custody stablecoin yields (advertised APYs ~5%–9.9% via protocols such as Aave and Compound) and a bitcoin yield product with Lombard and Figment — and aims to reduce DeFi friction by removing manual bridging and platform hopping while offering competitive aggregated pricing. For traders, the move could raise on‑chain liquidity—especially on BNB Chain—and make execution from hardware wallets simpler; it may modestly affect demand and futures activity for tokens on supported chains. This is informational and not investment advice.

Cango sold 4,451 BTC (~$305M), settled in USDT, and used proceeds to partially repay a Bitcoin‑collateralized loan as it reallocates capital toward a strategic pivot into distributed AI compute. The company, which shifted from automotive services to mining in 2024, held roughly 7,528 BTC at end‑2025 and earlier sold 550.03 BTC in January. Cango said it will continue Bitcoin mining while selectively selling portions of newly mined BTC to fund growth. It plans to offer distributed AI compute across 40 grid-connected sites in North America, the Middle East, South America and East Africa — initially targeting SMEs and later building a software orchestration platform. Jack Jin (ex‑Zoom) was appointed CTO to lead the AI initiative. Cango is among the largest public BTC miners by installed hashrate and joins peers (eg, Bitfarms) shifting toward GPU/AI services. For traders: the immediate liquidity event increases BTC supply on the open market (4,451 BTC sold); proceeds reduce collateralized debt and lower liquidation risk; management signals continued tactical sales of newly mined BTC to fund the AI buildout. Monitor miner outflows, balance‑sheet moves, and announced AI deployments for further selling cadence and sentiment impact. Primary keywords: Cango, Bitcoin, BTC, mining, AI compute, BTC sale.

Sam Bankman‑Fried (SBF), founder and former CEO of FTX, has filed a motion in federal court seeking a new trial after his 2023 conviction on counts related to fraud and misuse of customer funds. The latest filing argues procedural errors and newly available witness testimony could undermine aspects of the prosecution’s case. The motion is separate from his formal appeal and requests review by a different judge, alleging bias by the trial judge. SBF was convicted on seven counts and sentenced to 25 years in prison; he continues to assert his innocence. The case’s continuation keeps legal uncertainty around FTX leadership active, sustaining regulatory scrutiny of centralized exchanges. Traders should note this prolonged legal drama can affect sector sentiment and contribute to volatility in tokens and market behaviour tied to exchange trust and regulatory outcomes. Key terms: Sam Bankman‑Fried, FTX, retrial, federal court, crypto regulation.

Jump Trading will take minority equity stakes in prediction-market platforms Kalshi and Polymarket in exchange for providing liquidity, Bloomberg reports. Under the Kalshi agreement Jump will receive a fixed stake; its Polymarket stake will grow based on the trading capacity it supplies to U.S. operations. Both platforms are multibillion-dollar businesses that rely on market makers to fund the counterparty side of customer trades and earn from bid-offer spreads. Jump has allocated roughly 20 staff to build technology and operations for CFTC-regulated event contract trading as it expands beyond traditional assets into prediction markets. The deals function like venture-style market-making partnerships: Jump supplies capital, trading infrastructure and acts as a counterparty, which should increase liquidity and depth on both platforms while aligning incentives between a major institutional market maker and the exchanges. For traders, improved liquidity may narrow spreads and reduce execution slippage on Kalshi and Polymarket contracts; tie-ups with an established market maker could also increase institutional order flow and market stability. This information is market commentary and not investment advice.

CoinShares reported a sharp slowdown in crypto fund outflows last week: total digital asset fund outflows narrowed to $187 million from $1.695 billion the prior week. Bitcoin investment products recorded $264.4 million in net outflows for a third consecutive week, though at a much slower pace, as BTC rebounded from a roughly 16‑month low near $62,822 to about $70,500. By contrast, altcoin funds reversed three weeks of outflows and posted net inflows led by XRP ($63.1M), Solana ($8.2M) and Ethereum ($5.3M). Total assets under management across crypto funds fell to $129.8 billion — the lowest since March 2025 — while ETP trading volumes hit a record $63.1 billion for the week. Analysts are divided: CoinShares suggests decelerating outflows may signal an inflection but not a confirmed turnaround; 10x Research flags structural weakness across many altcoins and remains bearish on altcoin strength; Bloomberg Intelligence reiterates deeper bear-case risk; long-term bulls still maintain aggressive targets. Market indicators cited include eased whale selling, an oversold RSI (~16) during the sell-off, and thinner liquidity driven by derivatives. For traders: the mixed signals—slowing BTC outflows and renewed altcoin demand—could indicate a short-term floor or buying opportunity, but low AUM, structural weaknesses in altcoins and cautious research counsel prudence before assuming a durable bullish reversal.

HBAR (HBAR/USDT) is trading near $0.09 and sits at a critical daily/3-day support around $0.0914. Technical indicators show a short-term bearish bias: price is below the EMA20 (~$0.10), Supertrend remains bearish (~$0.12), and momentum oscillators are neutral-to-bearish (RSI ~42–45). Analysts identified 15 key support and resistance levels across 1D/3D/1W timeframes. Primary support: $0.0914 (an order block tested five times with high-volume buy footprints). Secondary supports: $0.0377 (1W swing low, Fib 0.618) and $0.0197 (final defense near $0.02). Near-term resistances: $0.0978 (EMA20) and $0.1036 (Supertrend/pivot); major resistance at $0.1504 (1W supply, Fib 0.382). Two scenario trading plan: if $0.0914 holds, short-term longs target $0.0978–$0.1036 with an extension to $0.1504 (example R/R 1:4); if $0.0914 breaks, downside toward $0.0377 is likely. Risk management guidance includes tight stops (~$0.089), small position sizes (around 1% risk), trailing stops, and waiting for multi-timeframe and volume confirmation on breakouts. Analysts also note liquidity-hunt risk and order-block positioning of large holders; Bitcoin direction may influence HBAR but is described as only weakly positively correlated in the newer analysis. This technical outlook is informational and not investment advice.

France’s financial regulator, the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), has issued a final warning that the MiCA transitional window ends on 1 July 2026. Crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) operating in France must obtain MiCA authorisation or cease offering services in France after that date. The AMF reports roughly 90 digital-asset firms active in France remain unlicensed; about 30% have applied for authorisation, 40% say they will not seek licences, and roughly 30% have not responded to outreach. MiCA allows an 18-month transitional operation period that started when the regime came fully into force on 30 December 2024 — the deadline for applications or exit is 30 June / 1 July 2026. Firms that fail to apply in time or fail authorisation must stop EU operations; ESMA has warned national regulators to prepare for orderly wind-downs to avoid market disorder. The AMF emphasises common application errors and notes ESMA expects review timelines up to four months — traders and firms should submit complete applications early to avoid delays. Two compliance routes exist: direct CASP authorisation from the AMF or notification under MiCA Article 60 for eligible financial entities. Non-compliant operators risk fines, public blacklisting and blocked website access; the AMF publishes a whitelist of authorised providers. For traders, key risks are service interruptions, sudden liquidity shifts and market fragmentation if exchanges or wallets suspend operations in France. Conversely, MiCA authorisation should increase regulatory clarity and could improve long-term market confidence for compliant providers.