Escalating military actions risk destabilizing the region, potentially leading to broader geopolitical tensions and economic repercussions.

The post Trump confirms launch of operation against Iran appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Heightened geopolitical tensions can lead to significant volatility in cryptocurrency markets, impacting investor confidence and market stability.

The post Bitcoin tumbles after Israel launches strike on Iran, triggering $100M in longs liquidated in 15 minutes appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Trump orders federal agencies to halt Anthropic use, citing dispute over AI terms and military applications.

The post Trump orders federal agencies to halt Anthropic use amid dispute over military AI terms appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

SpaceX's potential IPO could reshape global market dynamics, positioning it among the top public companies and fueling ambitious space projects.

The post SpaceX targets March confidential IPO filing at potential $1.75 trillion valuation appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Paramount Skydance to acquire Warner Bros Discovery in $110B deal as PSKY jumps 20% and Netflix rises 13%.

The post Paramount to acquire Warner Bros in $110B deal after Netflix steps aside appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

DCTRL Vancouver: Iconic Bitcoin Hackerspace Closes Downtown Location After 12 Years Due to Zoning Changes

DCTRL, a Bitcoin hub and hacker space out of Vancouver, the fair-weather Canadian city, has announced the sunset of its downtown basement location, iconic among early adopters for its tinkerer mindset and hardware hacker culture. The community will be migrating to a new location in the coming weeks, and updates to the vision of the hub. The Vancouver Bitcoin community is renowned for having set up the first Bitcoin ATM in History, with DCTRL specifically having hosted a variety of renowned characters that, over the years, gave this industry much of its cultural and innovative flair. 

Visited by some of the most influential people in the Bitcoin and broader Crypto industry in its 12 year run, DCTRL is far from done being a hub of the Canadian Bitcoin and Crypto scene. Preparing to move due to a change in zoning laws, plans to relaunch in a new location are in the works, as active members consolidate the historical moments, relationships, and lessons learnt during perhaps the longest-running Bitcoin hackspace experiment in the young industry’s history.

It all started at Waves cafe on Howe Street, in Vancouver. The Bitcoiniacs, a group of four OGs that operated a Bitcoin brokerage at the time — still active to this day — decided it was time to get the robots involved. So they rigged up an ATM to sell bitcoin to the public, rallied the local Vancouver tech, finance, and burgeoning crypto scene, and hosted a historical launch party. 

“The first Bitcoin ATM in the world was a massive event,” said Freddie Heartline, a Bitcoin enthusiast and co-founding member of the DCTRL hacker space. In an exclusive interview with Bitcoin Magazine, Heartline went on to recall the event, saying, “Oh man, the vibes were incredible. It literally felt like a really good rave. But it was smarter. Way smarter. That’s how it all came about, actually.” referring to the founding of DCTRL.  

The timing for the Bitcoin ATM event was perfect; it was October 2013, and Bitcoin had just gone from a few dollars to almost 150, consolidated for a few weeks around 100, and was getting ready to take a shot at 1,000 a coin. The energy across the Bitcoin community as electric, this was the end of the longest bear market in Bitcoin history, in a way this rise in price was proof that Bitcoin was here to stay.

The launch of the first Bitcoin ATM, as a result, made national and international news. The idea of a Bitcoin ATM being operational was considered a historical milestone in the adoption of Bitcoin as money. 

Tens of thousands of Canadian dollars worth of bitcoin were sold that day and over the coming weeks, likely creating a few millionaires over the years, spawning copycat ATM projects and even a handful of Bitcoin ATM manufacturing companies to boot. It also inspired the creation of the DCTRL hacker space, called “Decentral Vancouver” at the time. 

Cameron Gray, another Bitcoin enthusiast who was volunteering with the Bitcoiniacs event and a friend of Heartline, was the one who had the idea. “Cam was absolutely an essential part of founding Decentral.” Heartline recalled “He literally turned to me one day – as he was operating the bitcoin ATM at Waves – after I complained about the lighting at the coffee shop – and said ‘we should open a space.’ And that was it.”

Soon, they had secured a basement location in downtown Vancouver, grimy, humid, but cozy. Over the years, this spot became a hub for Bitcoin engineers, founders, crypto enthusiasts, and eventually legends. The decor got better, the leaks patched, and the walls decorated with Bitcoin art. The empty spaces filled up with hardware of all kinds, modified to operate or somehow interact with the orange coin. 

Heartline and Gray were starting a lifestyle project of sorts, and while Bitcoin may have been doing well at over $1,000, it would soon correct back to $300, another bear market, which had important consequences for the industry. During that time, the bills for DCTRL’s rent had to be paid somehow, and so Heartline moved in. Not into the basement, but onto the rooftop. In order to keep the lights on during that bear market, he literally set up a tent. Not a bad setup either if you have a look.

DCTRL started hosting meetups, the Vancouver Startup Weekend community got wind of it, and a gentleman known as Gregg Peacock began to visit the hub. Soon enough, the Startup Weekend events were taking place at DCTRL as well, pulling in the local tech startup scene. Before long, even Vitalik Buterin, founder of Ethereum and former writer for Bitcoin Magazine, showed up. 

Peacock had another important contribution to DCTRL; he made a donation that created a symbol for the local community. He donated $500 to the space with one condition: “It has to be used for something creative …” Heartline recalled, “so I found a Pepsi machine on Craigslist. Peacock even helped us move the thing in a pickup. Him, me, Cam, and Mike Olthoff moved that fucking insanely heavy and awkward thing down the stairs – lol almost killing Cam.” The Pepsi machine would soon get backwards engineered, hacked, and rebranded to the Bepsi, for obvious Bitcoin reasons.

In the above video, you can see Peacock making an on-chain transaction to the pop machine, milliseconds later dropping a soda for him on Q. The satisfying sound of Bitcoin being used as money for the small pleasures of life became a staple of DCTRL. A digital version of the Bepsi was eventually made, which fans from all over the world used to make donations. Many iterations of the underlying software took place over time, rig-wired into the Cold War era pop machine with a Raspberry Pi and some hacker ingenuity. A decade later, even the Mayor of Vancouver Ken Sim, dropped by to pay homage to this staple of Vancouver hacker culture, this time buying a soda from Bepsi with a lightning payment. 

Today, the Bepsi supports practically every Bitcoin protocol, a testing ground for the cutting edge of Bitcoin technology, including protocols like Taproot Assets, Spark, and Arcade OS. “We even issued our own Bepsi token. One Bepsi equals one soda from the Bepsi machine… it’s like a stable coin… pegged to the price of the pop can.” said Heartline. The Bepsi, which in a way was inspired by the Bitcoin ATM, also inspired copycats, such as the 21up vending machine hosted in a nearby Blockchain lab known as MintGreen. To this day, funds collected by the Bepsi machine have gone to support the operation of the hacker space and cover costs, serving as a cornerstone of the community. Control over the Bepsi’s underlying wallets and tech stack in a way setting rank among the most active members and hosts. 

Visited by Legends

Throughout the years, big names within the industry visited or engaged with DCTRL in one way or another. Vitalik Buterin personally visited the space and hung out there in the very early days of Ethereum, as demonstrated by this photograph hung on their wall, featuring Gray, Heartline, Vitalik, and another active member referred to as Kyle. 

The founders of CaVirtex, the first Canadian Bitcoin exchange, were also photographed there. This brand is little known now as they were bought out by Kraken years later, but they had a deep influence on the Canadian Bitcoin scene, selling the coin to Canadians since before the first bull run, which peaked at $30 per coin. Without this exchange, many of the big Canadian Bitcoiners may not have gotten in. 

Virtually, Bitcoin celebrities also attended DCTRL events throughout the years, answering questions from the local crowd, such as Roger Ver, before the fork wars, Andreas Antonopoulos, and Willy Woo. Erik Vorhees, who came to fame in Bitcoin for creating the first major instant swap, crypto-to-crypto exchange called ShapeShift, is seen in this video doing a fireside chat at DCTRL during a local meetup. 

Even one famous scammer attended the hub, a man who was a regular in the Canadian Bitcoin scene in the 2014 era, and who to this day remains one of the unsolved mysteries of crypto-related crime, Gerald Cotten of QuadrigaCX. Cotten, whom I personally met multiple times in Toronto at the time, was a charming and smooth-talking entrepreneur in the scene at the time, before his turbulent professional history was revealed and the exchange went down in bankruptcy, leaving millions of dollars of user funds unpaid. Cotten allegedly died suddenly and mysteriously in India just before the exchange went bankrupt, taking the crypto keys with him, but many who were personally affected by this centralized exchange collapse are skeptical of that story. 

Further evidence of DCTRL as a microcosm of the industry as a whole was seen years later during the fork wars, as Gray, the other primary co-founder of the hub, took the ‘big block’ side of the debate, resulting in intense debates and ultimately a falling out with the local community and broader Bitcoin scene. Gray, nevertheless, is highly respected and appreciated by the active members of DCTRL for his contributions to the DCTRL social scene, which would inevitably suffer from the same forks and tensions that the Bitcoin protocol went through at the time. 

During those difficult times, DCTRL served as a forum and debate space for these topics, even hosting Peter Rizun of the alternative implementation Bitcoin Unlimited — a big blocker — who debated Taylor, seen on the right in the photo below. 

Overall, DCTRL enjoyed more than 12 years of continuous operation, boasts hundreds of events hosted, over 1500 registered community members, and 69 recorded talks published on YouTube, which touched many elements of the Bitcoin and crypto industry. Throughout this whole time, the hub was operated entirely by volunteers and sustained through public donations and, of course, the Bepsi. 

As the location of DCTRL gets rezoned by the city government, and a new building will be going up in its place, the active members and hosts of DCTRL, have begun organizing a transition to a new location, alongside an update to the brand.

According to DJ, one of the active members who prefers to stay pseudonymous, the hub has had record attendance in recent months. And while the location will change, its future is brighter than ever. Those who would like to be a part of the future of DCTRL can learn more at www.DCTRL.wtf. 

This post DCTRL Vancouver: Iconic Bitcoin Hackerspace Closes Downtown Location After 12 Years Due to Zoning Changes first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Juan Galt.

Bitcoin Magazine

Senate Democrats Press DOJ, Treasury to Probe Binance Over Trump Ties, Iran Sanctions Allegations

Eleven Democrats on the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee are pressing the Trump administration to investigate Binance over allegations that the exchange facilitated illicit finance activity tied to Iran and may be violating its 2023 federal settlement.

In a letter sent Friday to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the senators urged the Justice Department and Treasury to conduct a “prompt, comprehensive review” of Binance’s sanctions compliance controls. 

The lawmakers cited recent media reports alleging that billions of dollars in digital assets flowed through the platform to Iranian entities, including groups linked to terrorism.

The letter was led by Sen. Mark Warner and signed by Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren along with Sens. Chris Van Hollen, Jack Reed, Catherine Cortez Masto, Tina Smith, Raphael Warnock, Andy Kim, Ruben Gallego, Lisa Blunt Rochester and Angela Alsobrooks.

According to the senators, Binance compliance personnel uncovered evidence last year that roughly $1.7 billion in digital assets had been routed through the exchange to Iranian entities, including the Iran-backed Houthis and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 

In one instance, a Binance vendor allegedly moved $1.2 billion in funds connected to Iran-linked actors. The letter also claims that Iranian users accessed more than 1,500 Binance accounts and that the platform may have been used in efforts by Russian actors to evade sanctions.

The lawmakers raised concerns that employees who identified the transactions were dismissed and that Binance has become less responsive to law enforcement requests. They argued that such actions would conflict with the company’s obligations under its 2023 plea agreement and related settlements.

In 2023, Binance pleaded guilty to federal charges including violations of U.S. sanctions laws and anti-money laundering failures. The company agreed to pay more than $4 billion in penalties and committed to sweeping reforms under U.S. supervision, including enhanced know-your-customer procedures and sanctions screening. 

The senators contend that the latest reports call into question whether those reforms have been implemented and maintained. In its settlement with the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, Binance committed to implement controls capable of identifying and blocking prohibited transactions. 

Allowing $1.7 billion in digital assets to move to sanctioned Iranian entities, they wrote, would be inconsistent with that commitment.

Binance and President Donald Trump

The letter also touched on Binance’s recent business relationships involving President Donald Trump and his family’s crypto ventures. Lawmakers pointed to the exchange’s promotion of USD1, a stablecoin issued by World Liberty Financial, a Trump family-backed project.

According to the letter, Binance offered interest incentives for users holding USD1, assisted with technology related to the token and accepted a $2 billion investment tied to it.

The senators further referenced Trump’s pardon last fall of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who had pleaded guilty to failing to implement an effective anti-money laundering program and served a four-month prison sentence. 

The lawmakers argued that these connections heighten the need for what they described as a “thorough, impartial” probe.

Binance’s dubious ties with Russia

Beyond Iran-related concerns, the letter cites Binance’s recent launch of crypto-linked payment cards in parts of the former Soviet Union. The senators warned that similar products have been used to bypass restrictions on the Russian financial system. 

They also noted the exchange’s partnership with Kyrgyzstan to launch a stablecoin and digital currency initiative, raising questions about exposure to sanctions evasion risks.

“These allegations raise grave concerns that poor illicit finance controls at Binance remain a significant threat to national security,” the senators wrote. They warned that weak safeguards at the world’s largest digital asset exchange could allow terrorist groups or sanctions evaders to access the global financial system.

A Binance spokesperson disputed the allegations, stating that the company detected and reported suspicious activity and that claims it retaliated against compliance staff are false. 

The company has said it remains committed to meeting its regulatory obligations under the 2023 agreements.

The senators requested a response from Bondi and Bessent by March 13.

This post Senate Democrats Press DOJ, Treasury to Probe Binance Over Trump Ties, Iran Sanctions Allegations first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Sora Ventures-Backed Bitplanet Reaches 300 Bitcoin, Ranks Among Asia’s Top 20 Corporate Holders

Bitplanet Inc. has accumulated 300 BTC through a structured purchase program, positioning the South Korea-listed company among the top 20 corporate Bitcoin holders in Asia.

The company, backed by Sora Ventures, began building its BTC treasury in the fourth quarter of 2025. Its most recent purchases were carried out in phases between Feb. 23 and Feb. 26 via Upbit, one of South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. 

The BTC will be held with a professional custody provider, the company told Bitcoin Magazine.

Chief Executive Paul Lee said Bitplanet is focused on more than balance sheet exposure. “We are not simply accumulating Bitcoin,” Lee said in a statement. He added that the company plans to explore operational strategies that could contribute to revenue generation and cash flow over time, linking BTC treasury management with artificial intelligence computing initiatives.

Bitplanet said it views Asia as a key driver of the next phase of digital asset treasury adoption and aims to position itself as a transparent, institutional-grade corporate holder of Bitcoin. 

The company said it may expand its holdings further, subject to market conditions, regulatory developments, and financing availability.

Corporate bitcoin strain

The firm counts several digital asset treasury investors among its backers, including Simon Gerovich of Metaplanet, as well as AsiaStrategy, UTXO Management, KCGI, Kingsway Capital, and ParaFi Capital.

Metaplanet did post a net loss of 95 billion yen ($619 million) for fiscal 2025, driven by a 102.2 billion yen ($665.8 million) valuation decline on its bitcoin holdings. 

The disclosure marks the latest example of a corporate bitcoin buyer facing pressure as the cryptocurrency’s price slid from record highs in October.

The company closed the year with 35,102 BTC, valued at approximately $2.4 billion, making Metaplanet the fourth-largest public corporate BTC holder globally, behind Strategy.

Since it began accumulating BTC 21 months ago, Metaplanet has spent nearly $3.8 billion, averaging $107,000 per coin, according to data from two weeks ago.

Last quarter, when Sora Ventures unveiled its plans at Taipei Blockchain Week, the firm said it plans to purchase $1 billion in BTC within six months, backed by a $200 million initial commitment from regional partners. 

Today, Bitcoin (BTC) is trading near $65,000, drifting lower from mid‑week highs near $70,000 amid persistent selling pressure across crypto markets.

This post Sora Ventures-Backed Bitplanet Reaches 300 Bitcoin, Ranks Among Asia’s Top 20 Corporate Holders first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

U.S. Government Seizes Over $580 Million in Crypto Linked to Southeast Asian Scams

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro said federal authorities have frozen and seized more than $580 million in cryptocurrency tied to Southeast Asian scam networks, marking a major escalation in the government’s campaign against cross-border crypto fraud.

The funds were restrained through the Justice Department’s Scam Center Strike Force, a task force formed in November to target cryptocurrency investment and confidence schemes linked to Chinese transnational criminal organizations. 

Officials said the groups use social media platforms and text messaging to target U.S. victims and siphon billions of dollars each year. Recent estimates place annual losses to Americans near $10 billion.

“In only three months, we have made significant progress, freezing, seizing, and forfeiting cryptocurrency worth more than $578 million from these criminals,” Pirro said in a statement. She said her office will seek forfeiture through the courts and aims to return funds to victims.

Authorities describe the schemes as “pig butchering” operations, in which fraudsters build relationships with victims before steering them into fraudulent crypto investments. Victims are persuaded to purchase legitimate digital assets and then transfer them to counterfeit trading platforms controlled by the scam networks.

The operations often run out of secured compounds in parts of Southeast Asia, including Burma, Cambodia, and Laos. U.S. officials said some workers inside the compounds are trafficking victims who are forced to carry out scams under threat of violence. In certain areas, revenue generated from scam activity accounts for a large share of local economic output.

The Strike Force is focused on identifying senior figures within the criminal networks, including organizers and money launderers who move proceeds through blockchain transactions and shell accounts. Investigators are tracing funds across exchanges and wallets to disrupt cash-out points and freeze assets before they are dispersed.

The initiative brings together the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and several Justice Department divisions, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation unit. U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Rhode Island and the Western District of Washington are also participating.

The Justice Department said the Strike Force will continue targeting infrastructure, financial channels, and leadership structures tied to the fraud networks.

Crypto crime hit $154 Billion last year

Data from Chainalysis shows illicit crypto addresses received at least $154 billion in 2025, a 162% year-over-year increase, with sanctioned entities driving much of the surge. Nation-states including Russia, Iran, and North Korea played an outsized role, leveraging blockchain infrastructure for sanctions evasion, money laundering, and large-scale thefts.

Stablecoins accounted for 84% of illicit transaction volume, the report said. 

The report also highlights the expansion of Chinese money laundering networks offering “laundering-as-a-service” and other full-stack illicit infrastructure. Although illicit activity still represents less than 1% of total crypto volume, the scale and geopolitical dimension of the activity pose rising risks for regulators, law enforcement, and national security.

This post U.S. Government Seizes Over $580 Million in Crypto Linked to Southeast Asian Scams first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

MARA Holdings (MARA) Stock Jumps After $1.71B Loss as Firm Pivots to AI Data Centers

Shares of MARA Holdings climbed 13% in premarket trading Friday, even after the Bitcoin miner reported a $1.71 billion net loss for the fourth quarter, as investors focused on the company’s shift toward artificial intelligence and high-performance computing.

The company posted a net loss of $1.71 billion for Q4 2025, compared with net income of $528.3 million during the same period a year earlier. Revenue for the quarter fell 6% to $202.3 million, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as lower Bitcoin prices offset gains from higher network hash rate.

The largest driver of the quarterly loss was a $1.5 billion negative revaluation of digital assets following a decline in the price of Bitcoin. Under fair-value accounting rules, companies must adjust the carrying value of their digital asset holdings each quarter to reflect market prices, creating swings in reported earnings.

For the full year 2025, MARA reported a net loss of $1.31 billion, compared with net income of $541 million in 2024. Annual revenue rose to $907.1 million from $656.4 million the prior year, reflecting expanded operations and increased Bitcoin production earlier in the cycle.

During the fourth quarter, MARA mined 2,011 BTC, down 6% from the third quarter and below the 2,492 BTC mined in the year-ago period. Total production for 2025 reached 8,799 BTC, compared with 9,430 BTC in 2024.

As of Dec. 31, the company held 53,822 BTC, including 15,315 BTC pledged as collateral. Based on a quarterly price of $87,498 per coin, the value of its Bitcoin reserves stood near $4.7 billion at quarter’s end.

 Over the past six months, MARA shares have fallen roughly 45%, reflecting pressure across the mining sector tied to Bitcoin price volatility and post-halving economics.

MARA is moving to AI 

Alongside its earnings report, MARA outlined a strategic pivot aimed at transforming the firm from a pure-play Bitcoin miner into an energy and digital infrastructure company. 

The company announced a joint venture with Starwood Digital Ventures to develop AI-focused and high-performance computing data centers at select sites with access to low-cost power and grid capacity.

The first phase of the initiative targets more than one gigawatt of IT infrastructure, with potential expansion to 2.5 gigawatts.

Projects will be structured on a site-by-site basis, with MARA retaining stakes of up to 50% while continuing Bitcoin mining operations where economics support it.

Earlier this month, MARA acquired a 64% stake in Exaion, a firm that provides AI and high-performance computing solutions for corporate and government clients, signaling its intent to diversify beyond mining.

The strategy mirrors a broader industry shift as miners seek ways to make money due to tighter margins and fluctuating Bitcoin prices. Over the last couple of months, major Bitcoin mining firms like Cipher and Bitfarms have been aggressively repurposing their energy-heavy infrastructure into AI and high-performance computing data centers to diversify revenue as traditional mining margins shrink.

This post MARA Holdings (MARA) Stock Jumps After $1.71B Loss as Firm Pivots to AI Data Centers first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

A security flaw in a proposed XRP Ledger (XRPL) upgrade could have enabled unauthorized transactions, but researchers flagged the issue before it could reach the blockchain’s main network.

The XRPL Foundation said Feb. 26 that the vulnerability was found in the proposed “Batch” amendment, a feature intended to let users bundle multiple actions into a single atomic transaction.

Security researcher Pranamya Keshkamat and Cantina AI’s autonomous static-analysis tool, Apex, reported the issue Feb. 19, according to the foundation.

If the amendment had been activated with the bug in place, an attacker could have executed inner transactions as if they were authorized by another account, without access to that user’s private keys.

That could have enabled unauthorized fund transfers and changes to ledger settings under a victim’s account, even though the victim did not sign the transaction.

The disclosure comes as XRPL has been positioning itself for use cases such as tokenization and other compliance-sensitive activities, where perceived security and reliability are central to institutional adoption.

Understanding XRPL's critical Batch amendment security flaw

The proposed Batch amendment changed how authorization would work on the XRP Ledger by allowing multiple “inner” transactions to be bundled into a single “outer” Batch transaction, so that all steps either succeed or fail together.

That atomic structure can reduce execution risk for developers running multi-step operations. It also creates a new authorization boundary.

In the Batch design, inner transactions are intentionally unsigned. Instead, authority is delegated to a list of batch signers attached to the outer transaction, making the signer-validation code a critical control point.

If those checks fail, the ledger can treat unauthorized actions as valid.

The disclosure said the bug stemmed from a loop error in the function that validates batch signers.

When the code encountered a signer whose account did not yet exist on the ledger and whose signing key matched that same account, a normal state for a newly created account, it returned success immediately and stopped checking the rest of the signer list.

That condition was more dangerous in a batching system than it sounds. A batch can include steps that create accounts inside the same atomic sequence, meaning whether an account exists at validation time becomes part of the authorization boundary.

The report said an attacker could have inserted a valid signer entry for a not-yet-created account they controlled, triggered the premature-success condition, and bypassed validation of a forged signer entry claiming to authorize a victim account.

If Batch had activated before the flaw was caught, the consequences could have been serious.

The Foundation said an attacker could have executed inner Payment transactions that drained victim accounts down to the reserve. The same bug could also have enabled unauthorized account-level operations, including AccountSet, TrustSet, and potentially AccountDelete.

That would have amounted to a “spend without keys” scenario, the kind of security failure that can cause reputational damage even if losses are limited and addressed quickly.

Related Reading

Ripple unveils institutional-focused roadmap for XRPL with native lending protocol and ZKP features

The ZKP integration will enable proving KYC compliance without revealing personal details, allowing auditors to verify activity while protecting counterparty transaction data.

Sep 22, 2025 · Gino Matos

The flaw could have shattered XRPL's security veneer

The flaw could have damaged XRPL’s security narrative at a sensitive time for the network, which is aggressively expanding into real-world asset (RWA) tokenization and institutional DeFi.

Data from DeFiLlama shows that XRPL has around $50 million in total DeFi values locked on the platform, with nearly $2 billion in RWA assets.

In crypto markets, authorization failures often shape perception long after the underlying technical issue is resolved.

For a ledger positioning itself as infrastructure for regulated finance, such an incident would have carried broader implications.

This is especially true considering XRPL recently introduced a new set of institution-focused features, including Permissioned Domains and DEXs.

These features are designed to create gated trading venues where only approved participants can place and take orders. The model is aimed at institutions that want blockchain-based settlement without open access to all counterparties.

Thus, the security issue would have undermined that message. A network cannot easily be market-controlled or compliance-focused in on-chain environments, while a proposed transaction upgrade carries the risk of unauthorized actions involving arbitrary accounts.

Related Reading

XRP holds 63% of this T-bill token supply but barely any of the trading, and that’s a problem

Supply can sit on one chain while trading and collateral gravity lives on another, and TBILL makes that split obvious.

Feb 16, 2026 · Gino Matos

How XRPL averted the security incident

XRPL’s response moved through governance and software channels quickly.

The unique Node List (UNL) of trusted validators was contacted and advised to vote “No” on the Batch amendment.

On Feb. 23, XRPL published rippled 3.1.1, an emergency release that marks both Batch and fixBatchInnerSigs as unsupported. That prevented the amendments from receiving validator votes or being activated on the network.

The release was designed as immediate containment, not a full repair. The disclosure explicitly stated that the 3.1.1 release does not include the underlying logic fix.

XRPL also scheduled a devnet reset for March 3, 2026, to coincide with the 3.1.1 change. That reset applies to Devnet only, not mainnet, but it shows the extent to which the network’s operators moved to keep the problem from affecting active amendment paths.

A corrected replacement, BatchV1_1, has already been implemented and is under review, with no release date set.

According to the disclosure, the full fix removes the early exit, adds extra authorization guards, and narrows the scope of the signing check.

The report also laid out a broader security roadmap, including more standardized AI-assisted audits, expanded static-analysis checks for dangerous loop exits, and a review of similar patterns elsewhere in the codebase.

Related Reading

Sidechains pay, XRPL won’t — the real tug-of-war over staking and XRP’s future

XRP users seek yields in sidechains as staking considerations spark discussions on altering XRPL’s incentive-free system.

Nov 19, 2025 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

The next test is shipping the replacement safely

For XRPL, February’s outcome will count as a governance success. The bug was found before activation. Validators coordinated. An emergency release blocked the amendment path. No funds were lost.

But the story does not end there.

BatchV1_1 will now be judged on two levels. The first is technical, whether it delivers the developer benefits of atomic transaction bundling without reopening authorization risk.

The second is procedural, whether XRPL’s governance and engineering systems can keep pace with an expanding feature set aimed at institutional adoption.

That is the real backdrop to this near-miss. XRPL is trying to grow into a broader financial platform, one that can host gated trading venues, permissioned environments, and more sophisticated transaction logic, while also attracting builders with ecosystem capital and product breadth.

The more ambitious that roadmap becomes, the more important boring things like signer validation and loop behavior become.

Related Reading

Understanding XRP network health in 2026 without the counting noise

Build a watchlist that flags participation shifts and separates exchange spikes from true payment usage.

Feb 18, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

In this case, the brakes worked. The next challenge is to prove the system can accelerate again without losing that margin of safety.

The post XRP Ledger nearly shipped a feature that could drain accounts without owners signing appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Japan's SBI Holdings will issue a ¥10 billion retail bond on March 24, but the story is the XRP perk dangled in front of buyers, conditional on opening an account at SBI VC Trade and completing receipt procedures by noon on May 11.

Pricing drops on March 10, subscription runs from March 11-23, and secondary trading launches on March 25 on Osaka Digital Exchange's START platform.

The bond itself is a conventional three-year instrument. XRP is a marketing lever designed to funnel retail investors to a crypto exchange while bootstrapping liquidity for a fledgling security token venue.

This isn't crypto adoption. It's TradFi copying loyalty marketing, using a digital asset like credit card points within a regulated wrapper.

A bond with strings attached

SBI START Bonds require a ¥10,000 minimum investment, low enough to attract retail buyers who'd balk at six-figure thresholds.

Yet, the XRP reward kicks in only at ¥100,000 and above, equivalent to roughly ¥200 worth of XRP per ¥100,000 invested during the offering period. That's a 0.2% one-time rebate, converted using SBI VC Trade's price at 6:59 a.m. on May 13 and delivered by May 15.

The bond runs for three years, maturing on March 23, 2029, with an indicative coupon range of 1.85 to 2.45% per year, finalized on March 10. Ownership gets recorded on BOOSTRY's ibet for Fin platform rather than Japan's traditional custody infrastructure.

Investors still receive scheduled interest payments and principal at maturity, which is standard bond mechanics. Still, SBI layers the XRP benefit on top as a separate promotional item, explicitly warning not to conflate it with interest or a coupon.

After issuance, the bond trades on START, ODX's proprietary trading system for security tokens, open to individual investors.

SBI positions this issuance as START's inaugural digital bond, making the XRP incentive serve double duty: customer acquisition for SBI VC Trade and attention-generation for a venue that needs volume.

Two interpretations

The bull case treats this as regulated finance, normalizing crypto as a rewards rail.

XRP becomes a compliant onboarding funnel, with investors who want the perk required to complete KYC, open an exchange account, and complete the receipt steps.

The bond serves as a built-in A/B test: does a small crypto rebate increase retail uptake compared with plain-vanilla yen products?

Related Reading

Understanding XRP network health in 2026 without the counting noise

Build a watchlist that flags participation shifts and separates exchange spikes from true payment usage.

Feb 18, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

If successful, it seeds liquidity for START and proves that its tokenized securities distribution can leverage digital-asset incentives without regulatory friction.

The skeptic case sees XRP as a marketing coupon, not a payment infrastructure.

The benefit sits outside the bond's cash flows, structurally separate from interest, and SBI itself cautions against reading XRP as “yield.”

Even at full subscription, the issuance-period perk costs single-digit millions of yen, pocket change for a major financial group buying exchange signups.

The real question isn't “crypto adoption” but repeatability: does SBI run season two, and does START volume budge after March 25?

Cheap customer acquisition

At full subscription with all buyers eligible for XRP, SBI distributes roughly ¥20 million worth of tokens, about $129,000 or 0.2% of the total issue.

The firm buys those users for a few thousand yen each in XRP terms, which is cheap relative to traditional financial-services marketing spend.

Annualized, a one-time 0.2% rebate adds roughly 0.07% per year to headline returns over three years. SBI has scheduled additional benefits around March 24, 2027, March 24, 2028, and the final interest date, March 23, 2029.

However, content and quantity remain undecided. Until announced, those future perks exist only as placeholders.

Japan's macro backdrop provides the bond market with structural tailwinds.

The Bank of Japan's policy rate stands at 0.75%, the highest in decades, with officials openly discussing further hikes. The three-year Japanese government bond yields around 1.39% in late February 2026.

SBI's indicative price range of 1.85 to 2.45% reflects a risk premium that makes retail yields competitive again after years of near-zero rates.

Related Reading

Odds Bank of Japan raises rates hits 80% with Bitcoin on the sideline – one hidden signal decides everything

If guidance hints at faster tightening, the carry trade can snap back violently and crypto often becomes the liquidity source.

Feb 11, 2026 · Gino Matos

Digital issuance, analog incentives

BOOSTRY's platform replaces Japan's traditional bond-custody plumbing with blockchain-based record-keeping, but XRP doesn't settle the bonds itself.

Ownership, interest, and principal flow through standard yen rails. The crypto asset operates as a bolt-on rewards layer.

By decoupling XRP from settlement, SBI avoids regulatory ambiguity around whether the bond constitutes a crypto-denominated instrument.

START's role as the designated secondary venue ties the issuance to ODX's broader bet on security-token infrastructure. The platform launched as a proprietary trading system for tokenized securities, targeting individual investors.

SBI's issuance tests whether retail demand exists not just for the product but for the venue itself. If trading volume flatlines after March 25, the bond succeeds as a funding instrument but fails as a liquidity catalyst.

Conditionality and scale

The XRP perk's gated structure creates friction by design. Domestic residents only. Payment confirmed during the offering period.

SBI VC Trade account opened and receipt procedures completed by noon, May 11. Miss any step, and the benefit evaporates. SBI wants qualified users who'll stick around, not speculators chasing a one-time rebate.

Future benefits remain undefined, introducing uncertainty. SBI flags 2027, 2028, and 2029 dates but offers no details on amount, asset type, or eligibility. Investors buying for the total return can't model those perks with precision.

The checkable outcomes

The final coupon announcement on March 10 will reveal whether SBI prices at the low end, high end, or somewhere between.

Allocation results show demand intensity: does the book fill quickly despite the ¥10,000 minimum? Do investors cluster at ¥100,000 to capture the XRP perk?

SBI VC Trade account openings between now and the May 11 deadline quantify the customer-acquisition funnel. If SBI reports material signup volume tied to the bond campaign, the XRP strategy has been validated.

START trading volume after March 25 determines whether the bond seeds secondary liquidity or trades thinly. ODX positioned this as the platform's first digital bond; turnover data will show whether retail investors treat START as a real venue.

Repeat issuance signals institutional commitment. Does SBI plan to run a second XRP-rewards bond later this year, or will the firm quietly shelve the format?

A follow-on issue with tweaked terms would confirm this as a distribution strategy rather than a launch stunt.

Distribution vs. innovation

The broader question isn't whether XRP “goes mainstream.” It's whether TradFi issuers adopt crypto-asset incentives as a permanent distribution tool.

SBI's bond tests a hypothesis: digital-asset rewards can drive retail engagement with tokenized securities at a cost lower than traditional marketing spend, while simultaneously funneling users into exchange ecosystems that monetize through trading fees.

If the hypothesis holds, expect more bonds with ETH perks, stablecoin rebates, or other digital-asset hooks. If it fails, tokenized issuance reverts to institutional buyers and wholesale markets where rewards matter less than yield and credit quality.

The endgame isn't decentralization or disintermediation. It's incumbents using crypto primitives to solve legacy distribution problems, such as customer acquisition, venue liquidity, and product differentiation within regulated frameworks.

SBI's ¥10 billion bond doesn't replace the financial system. It shows how the system absorbs new tools when the economics make sense.

The winners: issuers who crack low-cost retail onboarding, exchanges that capture the account flow, and venues that convert issuance attention into sustained volume.

The outcome depends on execution. Whether SBI can convert bond buyers into active exchange users, and whether START can hold their attention after the launch window closes.

The post SBI Holdings is dangling XRP to sell a plain three year bond, but the numbers show how small appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Google Cloud, MoneyGram, Vodafone's Pairpoint, and eToro will run launch-phase nodes on Midnight, a zero-knowledge privacy network targeting a mainnet launch at the end of March 2026.

The pitch isn't anonymity, but selective disclosure. It's the ability to prove compliance or settlement eligibility without broadcasting raw customer data onto a public ledger.

Midnight describes these operators as “federated,” meaning a limited, named set running the protocol under explicit coordination rules to prioritize uptime and operational stability during the Kūkolu launch phase.

This phase will be followed by an eventual transition to broader community-driven decentralization, flagged as the Foundation's intent but not yet scheduled.

This isn't privacy coins. It's a zero-knowledge tool that lets firms share verifiable proofs, such as KYC status, eligibility constraints, and settlement completion, while keeping sensitive customer and business data out of public view.

Privacy with guardrails

Midnight's core claim is that institutions need privacy primitives that don't trip regulatory wires.

The network uses zero-knowledge proofs to enable selective disclosure: a bank proves it ran AML checks without revealing transaction details, and a broker proves customer accreditation without revealing the customer's identity.

Disclosure must be explicitly stated in applications, such as “privacy-by-default, disclosure-by-choice” in the network's framing, making it legible to compliance teams rather than a regulatory red flag.

The federated operator model reflects a deliberate trade-off between centralization.

Launch stability matters more than ideological purity when regulated firms test production workloads, so Midnight starts with a curated set of node operators who commit to participating and adhering to coordination rules.

The Foundation says it intends to transition away from this federated structure toward full decentralization later, but no timeline or criteria have been published.

The real-world implication: Midnight prioritizes operational reliability over censorship resistance at genesis, betting that enterprise-grade infrastructure today builds credibility for broader validator participation tomorrow.

Blue-chip infrastructure players

Google Cloud brings cloud infrastructure and references its Confidential Computing capabilities alongside Mandiant monitoring.

Blockdaemon, which Midnight notes secures over $110 billion in digital assets, joins as a validator services provider. AlphaTON and Shielded Technologies round out the infrastructure side.

The regulated business operators add distribution credibility.

MoneyGram operates in more than 200 countries and territories, giving the network a payments-infrastructure footprint. Pairpoint, the Vodafone and Sumitomo venture, ties in telecom and IoT angles. eToro, with over 35 million users, represents a brokerage and retail trading infrastructure.

MoneyGram, Pairpoint, and eToro represent three of ten launch nodes, suggesting Midnight plans to name additional operators before the end of the March deadline.

The Foundation hasn't published a full roster yet, leaving the final composition partially undefined.

The privacy gap gets quantified

Midnight cites research from Aleo's 2025 Privacy Gap Report, which claims $1.22 trillion in institutional stablecoin transaction volume, with only 0.0013% settling on privacy-enabled rails.

The framing positions privacy not as a niche crypto-native feature but as an institutional bottleneck: massive on-chain flows moving on transparent infrastructure because compliant privacy tooling doesn't exist yet.

The timing forces an operator-first strategy. With a mainnet deadline at the end of March, Midnight needed a credible node set locked in early enough to test coordination, uptime, and operational playbooks before genesis.

Recruiting household names, such as cloud providers, payment processors, and telcos, signals enterprise-grade seriousness and creates a trust anchor for early applications.

Broader privacy demand shows up in mainstream surveys. Midnight references Pew Research, which found 81% of respondents were concerned about how companies use their data, with 62% saying it's impossible to go through daily life without corporations collecting information.

Enterprise primitive vs. federated theater

The bull case treats selective disclosure as a missing primitive for on-chain finance.

Blue-chip operators signal infrastructure and regulatory credibility at launch. Privacy-with-proofs solves real compliance friction: prove you ran checks, prove counterparty eligibility, prove settlement constraints, all without exposing customer records or proprietary business data to public chains.

If successful, Midnight becomes the compliance layer for tokenized securities, payment rails, and identity verification that need verifiable privacy.

The skeptic case sees federated launch as trust assumptions dressed up as pragmatism. A curated operator set running under coordination rules isn't censorship-resistant decentralization, but a permissioned network with a roadmap promise.

Big names don't guarantee usage. The real test is whether production applications ship and whether the Foundation publishes credible criteria and timelines for opening validation beyond the initial set.

Operators as distribution infrastructure

Node operators don't just validate transactions, they function as distribution and trust infrastructure.
Google Cloud signals developer tooling and enterprise cloud integration. MoneyGram and Pairpoint represent payments and IoT data flows. eToro represents retail trading on-ramps.

If these operators translate into production integrations, such as KYC-compliant DeFi, privacy-preserving settlement rails, and tokenized securities with selective disclosure, the network justifies its roster of operators.

The privacy-rails gap Midnight cites offers a scale anchor. If privacy-enabled settlement grows from 0.0013% of stablecoin volume to even 0.1%, that's $1.25 billion per month shifting to selective-disclosure infrastructure. At 1%, it's $12.5 billion per month.

Aleo's own framing suggests $1 billion to $2.5 billion per month as a plausible near-term shift if compliance tooling matures.

Decentralization timeline and application delivery

The federated model creates immediate assumptions about trust.

Midnight controls the operator set, participation rules, and coordination mechanisms at launch. The Foundation's stated intent to transition toward decentralization matters only if backed by published criteria, timelines, and validator onboarding pathways.

Application delivery determines whether the infrastructure matters. Midnight has signaled new reporting metrics and telemetry around network activity, but production dApps and integrations remain unannounced.

If mainnet launches at the end of March without live applications, and selective disclosure is used for real compliance workflows, the operator roster validates nothing except marketing.

The measurable outcomes

Remaining operator announcements before the end-of-March deadline will reveal whether Midnight hits the reported ten-node target and whether additional operators bring new sectors or geographies.

Published decentralization criteria and timelines determine whether federated launch is a pragmatic choice or a permanent state.

If Midnight releases validator onboarding requirements, governance transition plans, and measurable milestones for community participation, the skeptic's case weakens.

Genesis applications and integrations around mainnet readiness show whether operators convert into usage. Metrics to watch are production dApps, privacy-preserving settlement rails, or tokenized securities using selective disclosure.

Operator logos without applications mean infrastructure without demand.

Network telemetry and activity reporting, which Midnight says it's designing, will quantify transaction volume, proof generation, and validator performance.

Compliance layer or controlled launch theater

The broader question isn't whether privacy tooling matters, but whether Midnight's federated-then-decentralized model produces a credible compliance primitive or stalls as a permissioned network with household-name validators.

If the hypothesis holds, selective disclosure becomes the default for regulated on-chain activity.

Institutions prove compliance without exposing customer data, settlement rails preserve privacy without compromising auditability, and tokenized securities protect investor information while meeting disclosure requirements.

If it fails, privacy infrastructure fragments across competing networks, federated launch becomes permanent centralization, and big-name operators exit when applications don't materialize.

The outcome depends on whether Midnight ships decentralization milestones and whether developers build applications that need privacy with proofs, not just privacy.

The end-of-March mainnet deadline starts the clock. Everything after that, like decentralization progress, application delivery, and validator expansion, determines whether Midnight's blue-chip roster built a compliance layer or just ran an expensive testnet with good PR.

The post Google Cloud and MoneyGram just signed on to run launch Midnight nodes for new privacy network banks want appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin drops 3% as PPI beats forecasts, and a tiny detail could skew the next macro trade

Bitcoin traded lower after January producer inflation came in above consensus. That sets up a longer stretch in which rate expectations may steer crypto pricing ahead of the next producer price index (PPI) print on March 18.

January PPI inflation was 2.9% year over year, above the 2.6% consensus estimate. Core PPI (excluding food and energy) at 3.6% year over year versus 3.0% consensus.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the PPI for final demand rose 0.5% month over month on a seasonally adjusted basis and 2.9% year over year on an unadjusted basis.

According to the BLS release, the upside in January was concentrated in services, while goods and energy moved lower. Final demand services increased 0.8% on the month, and within services, trade-service margins rose 2.5% (trade indexes measure margins received by wholesalers and retailers).

Final demand goods fell 0.3%. Energy prices dropped 2.7%, including a 5.5% decline in gasoline.

Related Reading

Shock surge in inflation destroys hopes for early rate cuts as Bitcoin price sinks

PPI feeds into PCE, and with shutdown era revisions looming, markets may stay volatile until that February print lands.

Jan 31, 2026 · Gino Matos

PPI surprise follows a cooler CPI print

The producer-side surprise landed after consumer inflation had cooled earlier in the month. The BLS said January CPI rose 2.4% year over year, down from 2.7% in December, while core CPI (all items less food and energy) rose 2.5% year over year.

The combination leaves markets parsing whether January’s producer-side heat, concentrated in services and margins, can persist without showing up in consumer prices over coming prints. CryptoSlate previously covered the CPI-side move in January CPI details and Bitcoin reaction.

Related Reading

Bitcoin spikes 6% on softer US inflation but government data has holes that haven't been fixed

Bitcoin watches 3.52% 2-year yield as $307B stablecoin cash waits and the next CPI date decides risk.

Feb 13, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

Crypto markets have tended to react to shifts in U.S. rate expectations because those shifts can change discount rates and broad liquidity conditions. Traders often apply that framework when inflation surprises run hot or cold.

That macro transmission is not spelled out in government releases, yet the timing mattered for price action in the hours around the data, where BTC fell from $68,289 to $66,255.

That move amounts to a drop of about 3% across roughly 36 hours. In parallel, CryptoSlate has noted how positioning can amplify macro moves, including in coverage of liquidations and ETF flows.

Rates, yields, and inflation expectations in focus

For policy context, the Federal Reserve’s current implementation directive is to maintain the federal funds rate target range at 3.50%–3.75%, effective Jan. 29.

The effective federal funds rate printed at 3.64% on Feb. 23, according to FRED’s DFF series. That kept realized overnight funding near the middle of the target range.

A separate expectations anchor from FRED put the 10-year breakeven inflation rate at 2.34% on Feb. 6. The series is tracked in FRED’s 10-year breakeven inflation data, which traders often use to contextualize long-run inflation pricing even when short-run prints fluctuate.

Other macro benchmarks can shape cross-asset sensitivity around inflation data. These include the 10-year Treasury yield in FRED’s DGS10 series and the Fed’s nominal broad dollar index.

Calendar delay raises the stakes for March 18

One technical wrinkle is that the next producer inflation catalyst will arrive later than usual. The BLS said the February 2026 PPI news release is rescheduled for March 18, 2026, citing shutdown-related transmission delays.

The agency’s calendar reflects that date on its PPI release schedule. That delay extends the window in which markets may trade the interaction between already-published CPI cooling and the new PPI services strength, with fewer near-term producer-price checkpoints to resolve the debate.

How “core PPI” is defined will matter in those discussions. The BLS reported that final demand less foods, energy, and trade services rose 3.4% year over year, a measure that strips out trade-service margins that were a key driver of January’s monthly gain.

Media shorthand often cites a different “core” measure, excluding just food and energy, which is at 3.6% year over year. Traders who treat those as interchangeable risk misreading what portion of January’s strength came from margins versus broader pricing pressure.

In the coming two to eight weeks:

1. One baseline setup is that the Fed stays on hold while the market pushes expected cuts further out rather than pulling them forward. In that framing, bitcoin’s sensitivity to macro data can remain elevated into March 18.
2. A second path is a more hawkish repricing if investors interpret the services and margin spike as persistent. That approach would keep attention on short-dated rates and on whether long-run inflation pricing, anchored around 2.34% in the Feb. 6 breakeven reading, remains contained.
3. A third path is a dovish re-lean if upcoming data outside this pack shift attention toward softer growth while CPI continues to cool. That would allow the market to discount the PPI services burst as sector-specific rather than broad.

For now, the calendar itself is part of the trade. With February PPI delayed until March 18, bitcoin and other risk assets are left to reconcile a January inflation mix where consumer prices cooled to 2.4% year over year even as producer prices advanced 0.5% on the month, powered by services and trade margins.

The post Bitcoin drops 3% as inflation hots up again, and a quiet services spike just changed the rate cut story appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin has rebounded from an early-February slide that briefly pushed it to $60,000 and produced its most oversold signal on record, easing some of the pressure that has weighed on crypto markets.

According to CryptoSlate's data, the flagship digital asset has steadied in recent days and briefly approached the $70,000 mark before settling around $67,300 as of press time

This price action helped improve the broader market sentiment because it coincided with a three-day stretch of net inflows into US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), their strongest run this month.

At the same time, the market is showing signs of improved spot demand for the first time since late November.

As a result, there has been renewed market speculation that BTC could recover to $90,000 in March, though derivatives positioning suggests traders still see that outcome as a long shot.

Related Reading

Notice Bitcoin selling off at market open? Jane Street is taking the blame, but the data points elsewhere

Outflows, thin liquidity, and unstable options positioning can mimic “coordination” even when it’s just market plumbing at work.

Feb 26, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

Options are pricing recovery, but not conviction

Bitcoin’s options market suggests traders are still paying up for protection, even as chatter builds around a quick rebound.

On Deribit, the March 27 $90,000 call recently traded around $522, which translates to less than a 6% implied probability of Bitcoin reaching that level by late March under standard Black-Scholes modeling.

Meanwhile, the March 27 $50,000 put was near $1,380, implying roughly a 20% chance of a deeper drop.

CME Group data points to the same caution. On Feb. 5, 25-delta implied volatility rose to 75% for calls and 95% for puts, both the highest since 2022, while the 25-delta risk reversal slid to minus 19.34, its lowest level since 2022.

That mix is typical of a market still buying downside insurance and not one convinced the selloff is over.

At the same time, derivatives positioning shows why the recovery narrative has not vanished.

CME said open interest tied to March expirations skewed bullish, with about $660 million in call open interest versus $240 million in put open interest, a 3-to-1 ratio.

Derive, a crypto options platform, echoed that read in a Feb. 27 email statement to CryptoSlate.

The firm said Bitcoin volatility has eased back into the 50% range, a level more consistent with consolidation than panic, while 25-delta skew improved from about minus 15% to around minus 7%, suggesting traders have become less defensive.

Across the March 27 expiry, the market shows call accumulation at $80,000 and $90,000 alongside meaningful put interest at $60,000 and $55,000, signaling investors want upside exposure without dropping hedges.

In conclusion, the firm stated:

“The data points toward a market attempting to form a base. Volatility compression, improving sentiment metrics and increasingly structured positioning suggest traders are transitioning away from defensive panic toward conditional optimism, preparing for upside participation while remaining protected against another leg lower.”

Related Reading

Bitcoin was oversold more than ever before it jumped – could bears soon get wrecked through liquidations?

Bitcoin encounters historic oversold conditions amid ETF outflows and dwindling market liquidity.

Feb 25, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

ETF flows still hold the key to any fast move

If Bitcoin is to move beyond a slow recovery, the exchange-traded fund market remains the clearest source of additional demand. That is also where the rebound case faces its biggest test.

Data from SoSoValue show US spot Bitcoin ETFs have recorded $2.6 billion in net outflows since the start of 2026.

That marks a sharp shift from the same period a year earlier and suggests one of Bitcoin’s most visible institutional demand channels has been subtracting from momentum rather than adding to it.

The issue for bullish investors is not a single weak week. It is the risk that a sustained stretch of negative flows can limit rallies, weaken momentum, and leave spot buyers to absorb selling pressure without help from one of the market’s largest sources of demand.

However, there are early signs that demand may be returning.

SoSoValue data show that spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted more than $1 billion in net inflows over the last three trading sessions this week, even as BTC continues to trade in a tight range.

That represents a notable improvement after a prolonged period of outflows.

Still, three days of inflows do not establish a durable trend, especially if Bitcoin is to make a credible push toward $90,000 in March.

For that to happen, the ETF market would likely need several more strong sessions in close succession, enough to absorb overhead supply and help create the kind of feedback loop that draws in additional spot demand.

Related Reading

Bitcoin ETFs go to zero sooner than you'd think if outflows don't slow down as $8.5B leaves since October

While Bitcoin ETFs have seen $53 billion in cumulative inflows since launch, the current rate of outflows is mildly alarming. So let's look at how bad it really is.

Feb 19, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

Even if flows improve, $90,000 is not a clean-air target.

Glassnode previously noted that Bitcoin remains in what it called a defensive phase, with selling pressure still being absorbed in a $60,000 to $72,000 demand corridor.

The firm also pointed to large supply clusters overhead, at $82,000 to $97,000 and again at $100,000 to $117,000. Those levels reflect where many holders are sitting on unrealized losses and may be more willing to sell into relief rallies.

In that context, $90,000 is not just a psychological marker. It sits inside a heavier supply band that the market would need to work through.

Moreover, Glassnode’s realized price, a widely watched proxy for the market’s aggregate cost basis, was $54,614.94 as of Feb. 26.

That does not imply Bitcoin must return to that level. However, it shows the distance between current prices and a deeper valuation reference, which tends to draw attention during periods of stress.

In the near term, recent efforts to retake $70,000 have met visible profit-taking.

Glassnode said smoothed net realized profit and loss rose above $5 million an hour on Feb. 25 as Bitcoin climbed to a peak near $69,400 before stalling.

The firm said profit-taking continued to absorb momentum around the $70,000 level, reinforcing the picture of a market recovering in a thin-liquidity environment where even modest bursts of selling can interrupt advances.

March is packed with catalysts, not certainty

The March calendar also argues against treating $90,000 as a straightforward call.

This is because Bitcoin will face a series of macroeconomic tests that could shape demand for risk assets.

For context, the US jobs report for February is due March 6. The February consumer price index data is scheduled for release on March 11. The Federal Reserve meets March 17-18. The January Personal Income and Outlays report, which includes the PCE inflation gauge, is due March 25.

Those events matter because Bitcoin remains sensitive to interest-rate expectations, inflation data, and broader liquidity conditions.

Reuters reported this week that the Fed is expected to keep its benchmark rate in a 3.50% to 3.75% range at its March meeting, as recent shifts in market expectations reduced confidence in early rate cuts.

That backdrop is not necessarily negative for Bitcoin. But it also does not provide the kind of clear easing signal that would make a rapid climb to $90,000 look likely.

Taken together, those conditions help explain the market’s cautious optimism.

However, there is a credible path to higher prices in March. Softer inflation data, a less restrictive tone from the Fed, several sessions of strong ETF inflows, and further short covering in derivatives could push Bitcoin sharply higher.

The March options positioning shows traders see that scenario. However, the continued demand for downside protection shows they are not fully convinced.

The post Bitcoin sees $1B ETF inflows after brutal outflow streak, setting up the clearest path to $90,000 appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The cryptocurrency market is currently witnessing a significant shift in momentum. After a period of heightened volatility, the Bitcoin price has retreated to the $65,000 level, marking a crucial cooling-off period for the world's largest digital asset. This move comes as traders digest recent macro data and institutional shifts, leading to what analysts describe as a "textbook consolidation."

Is the Bitcoin Price Still Bullish?

Yes, the broader structure remains intact, but the short-term outlook has shifted to neutral-bearish. While the drop to $65,000 has sparked concern among retail investors, technical indicators suggest this is a necessary "healthy correction" to shake out over-leveraged positions before any potential move toward previous highs.

Bitcoin Price Today: Understanding the $65K Support

The recent price action on the BTC-USD chart indicates that the $65,000 region is acting as a primary psychological and technical floor.

Why did Bitcoin drop?

Several factors have contributed to this retracement:

• Institutional Profit Taking: After a strong start to 2026, many institutional desks are locking in gains.
• Macro Uncertainty: New tariff announcements and shifts in Federal Reserve expectations have pushed investors toward defensive assets like gold.
• Whale Activity: On-chain data from platforms like Glassnode shows an increase in exchange inflows from large-scale holders, signaling a temporary distribution phase.

Bitcoin Price Analysis: Consolidation or Breakdown?

Analyzing the recent 4-hour and daily charts reveals a clear descending channel pattern. Bitcoin recently peaked near $70,000 before easing back to its current range.

Key Technical Indicators:

• RSI (Relative Strength Index): The RSI is currently hovering around 45, indicating that Bitcoin is neither oversold nor overbought. This "middle-ground" supports the narrative of a sideways consolidation.
• Support and Resistance:
  • Immediate Support: $65,000 (Psychological)
  • Strategic Support: $62,000 (100-week Moving Average)
  • Near-term Resistance: $68,500 (20-day EMA)
• Volume: Trading volume has stabilized, which is typical during a consolidation phase. A sudden spike in volume at these levels would be required to confirm a breakout in either direction.

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Where is BTC Price Heading?

Predicting the next move for Bitcoin requires looking at both liquidity and sentiment. Currently, the Fear & Greed Index is in "Extreme Fear" territory. Paradoxically, for contrarian traders, this often signals a potential bottoming process.

Scenario A: The Bullish Rebound

If Bitcoin can maintain its footing above $64,200 and break the $68,000 resistance, the next targets are $71,500 and eventually the $75,000 psychological barrier. This would likely be driven by renewed spot ETF inflows.

Scenario B: The Bearish Extension

A decisive daily close below $62,000 would be concerning. Such a move could trigger a "liquidity cascade," potentially pushing prices toward the $58,000 support zone, which served as a major floor in late 2024.

The current state of the cryptocurrency market is showing signs of a slow but steady transition. According to the latest data from the CMC Altcoin Season Index, the market is currently sitting at a score of 35/100. While this still technically places the market in "Bitcoin Season," the index has been trending upward from a monthly low of 26.

Investors are closely watching the Altcoin Market Cap (AMC), which has seen significant fluctuations over the last 90 days. As Bitcoin dominance begins to face pressure from breakout performers in the top 100, the "Who, What, and Why" of this shifting landscape becomes critical for strategic positioning.

Are We in an Altcoin Season?

No, we are not in a full-blown Altcoin Season yet. A score of 75 or higher is generally required to declare an official Altcoin Season. However, the current score of 35 represents a notable recovery from last week's 31 and last month's 26.

This suggests that while $Bitcoin remains the primary driver of market sentiment, specific altcoins are beginning to decouple and provide massive idiosyncratic returns.

Decoding the Altcoin Season Index Data

The "Altcoin Season Index" is a metric used to determine whether Bitcoin or Altcoins are outperforming over a specific period (usually 90 days).

Historical Context and Yearly Ranges

• Current Index: 35/100
• Yearly High: 78 (Achieved on Sep 20, 2025)
• Yearly Low: 12 (Achieved on Apr 26, 2025)
• Short-term Trend: The index has moved from 33 (yesterday) to 35 today, indicating a minor but positive momentum shift toward altcoins.

The Altcoin Market Cap chart shows a sharp decline from peaks near 1.3T down toward the 1.0T level in early February, followed by a recent stabilization and slight uptick.

Top 100 Altcoin Performance

When looking at the top 100 coins by performance over the last 90 days, one asset stands out with astronomical gains, while others show more modest, defensive growth.

The extreme performance of PIPPIN (+825.17%) highlights a market that is hungry for high-alpha meme or niche tokens, even while the broader "Altcoin Season" remains elusive. Interestingly, we also see stability-focused or "wrapped" assets like PAXG (+22.70%) and XAUT (+22.66%) in the top performers, suggesting a split market where some investors are hedging with gold-backed tokens while others chase high-risk growth.

A Cautious Path Forward

The data from CoinMarketCap paints a picture of a market in a "wait and see" phase. While the Altcoin Season Index at 35 is far from the yearly high of 78, the recovery from the April lows of 12 is significant. Traders should remain focused on individual "outliers" like PIPPIN while monitoring the index for a break above the 50-point midline.

The bridge between decentralized finance and everyday commerce just became a lot sturdier. Consensys, the developer behind the world’s leading self-custodial wallet, has officially announced the general availability of the MetaMask Card across the United States. Developed in partnership with Mastercard and Monavate, this launch marks a significant shift in how digital assets are used, moving them from speculative holdings to liquid daily currency.

Bridging the Gap: Crypto Meets Mainstream Retail

The MetaMask Card is now available in 49 US states, including New York, which has historically been a challenging regulatory environment for crypto firms. By leveraging Mastercard’s global network, users can now spend their crypto balances at over 150 million merchant locations worldwide.

The integration is designed to be seamless; users can add their virtual card to Apple Pay or Google Pay instantly upon approval, allowing for immediate real-world utility without the need for traditional banking intermediaries.

How the MetaMask Card Redefines Self-Custody

Unlike traditional crypto debit cards that require users to "pre-load" funds onto a centralized exchange—effectively giving up control of their assets—the MetaMask Card is fully self-custodial.

"Users retain control of their digital assets in their MetaMask wallet until the moment they pay," stated a spokesperson for Consensys.

This means your funds remain on-chain and under your private keys until the transaction is authorized at the point of sale. At that exact moment, the system converts the necessary amount of crypto into fiat currency to settle the payment.

Tiers and Rewards: Going "Metal"

The rollout introduces two distinct tiers for US users:

• Virtual Tier (Free): A digital-only card with 1% cashback on purchases.
• Metal Tier ($199/year): A premium 16-gram stainless steel physical card offering 3% cashback (on the first $10,000 spent annually), no foreign transaction fees, and higher ATM withdrawal limits.

All rewards are paid out in mUSD, a new Ethereum-based stablecoin issued via the Stripe-owned Bridge platform. This ensures that even the rewards remain within the Web3 ecosystem.

Supported Networks and Assets

To keep transaction costs low, the card primarily utilizes the Linea network, an Ethereum Layer 2 (L2). Currently, US users can spend assets including:

• Stablecoins: USDC, USDT, and mUSD.
• Yield-bearing tokens: aUSDC (via Aave), allowing users to earn interest on their balance until the second they spend it.

The Impact on Crypto Adoption

This partnership is more than just a new product; it is a validation of self-custody by a global financial giant like Mastercard. By removing the "friction" of off-ramping to a bank account, MetaMask is positioning itself as a direct competitor to traditional checking accounts. According to Mastercard’s official newsroom, the goal is to empower people to spend their digital balances as securely and easily as traditional cash.

Today, February 27, 2026, the global community celebrates Pokémon Day, marking the monumental 30th anniversary of the franchise's debut in Japan back in 1996. While the day is usually packed with video game announcements and "Pokémon Presents" livestreams, 2026 has transformed into a massive catalyst for the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) market.

From high-stakes auctions of vintage grails to new blockchain-backed ways to own physical assets, the "Gotta Catch 'Em All" spirit is driving record-breaking interest in collectible cards. Whether you are a nostalgic millennial or a modern investor, understanding today's market movements is crucial for navigating the anniversary hype.

What's Happening on Pokémon Day?

• Anniversary Milestone: It is the official 30th birthday of Pokémon.
• Special Releases: The Pokémon Day 2026 Collection featuring a stamped Pikachu promo card is hitting shelves.
• Market Surge: High-profile auctions on platforms like eBay and Collector Crypt are seeing unprecedented volume.
• New Tech: Real World Asset (RWA) tokenization is allowing fans to buy and trade physical cards instantly on-chain.

Why is Pokémon Day So Important for Card Collectors?

Pokémon Day isn't just a date on the calendar; it is the annual "Pulse Check" for the franchise's economic health. This year, the stakes are higher due to the 30-year milestone. Historically, cards released or promoted during this window—especially those with a "Pokémon Day" stamp—become immediate targets for long-term appreciation.

The "Pikachu effect" is in full swing today. As The Pokémon Company unveils new expansions like Paldean Wonders and teases future sets, collectors often rotate capital from older sets into these new "anniversary-stamped" products. This creates a volatile but high-opportunity environment for those looking to buy Pokémon cards before prices stabilize.

How to Buy Pokémon Cards in 2026: The New Meta

The days of only buying cards at local hobby shops or fighting scalpers at big-box retailers are evolving. While traditional methods still exist, 2026 has seen the rise of tokenized physical cards.

1. Traditional Retail & Promo Drops

For fans who want the physical box in hand immediately, the Pokémon Day 2026 Collection is the primary target. It includes:

• A foil Pikachu promo card with a 30th-anniversary stamp.
• A commemorative metallic coin.
• Three booster packs from recent sets like Mega Evolution - Ascended Heroes.

2. Digital Gacha and RWA Platforms

One of the most innovative ways to participate in Pokémon Day today is through Collector Crypt. This platform uses the Solana blockchain to tokenize professionally graded cards (PSA, BGS, CGC) into pNFTs.

By using the Collector Crypt Gacha, you can purchase randomized digital "packs" that contain real, physical cards stored in secure vaults.

• Instant Liquidity: You can trade your card NFT instantly without waiting for shipping.
• Redemption: If you want the physical card, you simply "burn" the NFT, and the vaulted card is shipped to your door.
• Verified Assets: Every card in the pool is pre-graded and authenticated, removing the risk of fakes often found on unverified marketplaces.

Market Trends: What Are People Buying?

According to data from major secondary markets, the 30th anniversary has focused interest on three specific areas:

The integration of crypto and collectibles has also influenced the Bitcoin price and broader market sentiment, as "digital gold" enthusiasts increasingly diversify into "physical cardboard gold." Many collectors now use profits from the best crypto exchanges to fund their high-end Pokémon purchases.

Expert Tips for Pokémon Day 2026

If you are planning to enter the market today, keep these strategies in mind:

• Watch the Livestream: The Pokémon Presents at 2:00 PM UTC often contains clues about which Pokémon will be featured in the next big TCG sets.
• Check the Stamps: Cards with the "2026" or "30th Anniversary" logo generally command a premium over standard versions of the same art.
• Secure Your Assets: If you are buying high-value cards, ensure you have a plan for storage. For digital versions, a hardware wallet is essential to protect your pNFTs.

"Pokémon has evolved from a schoolyard hobby into a legitimate asset class. The 30th anniversary is the proof of concept that this franchise isn't going anywhere." — Market Analyst, eBay Collectibles.

Conclusion: Is Today the Right Time to Buy?

With the 30th anniversary in full swing, emotions and FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) are at an all-time high. While prices for specific "chase cards" may spike today, the long-term value of anniversary-stamped merchandise historically holds strong.

Whether you're looking for the thrill of a Gacha pull or searching for a vintage Charizard to anchor your portfolio, Pokémon Day 2026 is a historic moment for the hobby.

Following a period of intense market volatility that saw the global crypto market cap fluctuate, Cardano ($ADA) has emerged as one of the top performers among large-cap altcoins today. The price of ADA climbed from a daily low of roughly $0.27 to its current position near **$0.29**, representing an 8% gain. This move comes amid a broader recovery in the crypto sector, fueled by Bitcoin reclaiming key levels above $67,500.

Cardano Price Analysis: Testing the $0.29 Zone

As of February 26, 2026, Cardano is trading at approximately $0.293. The recent price jump has been supported by a notable increase in trading volume, suggesting that the move is not just a speculative spike but is backed by active participation. On-chain data indicates that "sharks" and "whales"—wallets holding between 100,000 and 100 million ADA—have been quietly accumulating throughout the recent drawdown, adding over 819 million ADA to their holdings.

Cardano Price Prediction: Breakout or Fakeout?

The most significant milestone for ADA in the immediate term is the $0.30 resistance level. This price point serves as both a technical and psychological barrier.

The Bullish Case: Targeting $0.32 and $0.35

If $Cardano can secure a daily close above $0.30 with sustained volume, it would signal a breakout from the current bearish structure. Traders are eyeing the following targets:

• $0.32: The first minor resistance and a previous consolidation zone.
• $0.35: A major supply wall that aligns with the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA). A break above this could confirm a mid-term trend reversal.

The Bearish Case: Resistance and Rejection

Conversely, $0.30 has historically acted as a stiff ceiling. If the current rally lacks the momentum to pierce this level, we could witness a "fakeout." In this scenario, ADA might see a rejection, leading to a retracement toward:

• $0.28: Immediate support where the price recently consolidated.
• $0.26: A critical support floor that has defended against further declines over the past month.

Technical Indicators and Ecosystem Catalysts

Technical indicators provide a mixed but leaning-bullish outlook. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has finally moved above the 50-midline, suggesting that buying pressure is neutralizing the previous bearish momentum. Additionally, the MACD is showing a bullish crossover on the daily timeframe.

Fundamental catalysts are also at play. The Cardano ecosystem is preparing for the launch of the Midnight privacy sidechain in March 2026 and the highly anticipated USDCx integration. Furthermore, the implementation of the Ouroboros Leios upgrade remains a key long-term driver for network throughput.

Cardano Future: A Critical Inflection Point

Cardano is currently at a crossroads. While the 8% jump has provided much-needed relief for holders, the battle for $0.30 will determine the asset's direction for the remainder of Q1. Investors should watch for a confirmed breakout above $0.30 to validate further gains, while remaining cautious of a potential rejection that could retest the $0.26 support.

President Trump gave government agencies six months to phase out Anthropic's products after a clash over military safeguards.

Publicly traded banking giant Barclays is considering making a push into crypto payments and deposits, according to a report from Bloomberg.

The AI’s Substack lands amid growing questions about identity, sentience, and how models are retired.

Bitcoin fell Friday after briefly topping $69K this week, while stocks like CoreWeave and BitMine tumbled amid broader market losses.

Magic Eden is pulling support for Ethereum-compatible and Bitcoin-based assets, marking an end to its multi-chain approach to user adoption.

Bollinger Bands suggest that buying Bitcoin before $54,420 carries high risk, while this price point may present an opportunity last seen in 2022.

Shiba Inu exchanges seeing substantial growth in market activity, with half a trillion tokens flowing in.

Market ready to step forward, mostly followed by price resets across multiple moving averages.

Crypto news digest: 212% increase was seen in XRP volume; BTC ETFs have recovered from the low capital; DOGE price jumps 8%.

The Solana network represents a pinnacle of decentralization that remains misunderstood by critics, according to Yakovenko..

TLDR

• Nebius Group (NBIS) plummeted 13.1% Friday, hitting an intraday low of $88.40 and settling at $91.19
• Fourth-quarter earnings showed a loss of $0.69 per share versus the anticipated -$0.42; sales reached $227.7M against a $246M projection
• Capital spending for the quarter totaled approximately $2.06B, sparking investor worries about liquidity
• Sector-wide weakness intensified as CoreWeave’s (CRWV) lackluster results triggered a broader neocloud retreat
• Wall Street analysts continue favoring the stock with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and $143.22 mean target

Nebius Group (NBIS) experienced significant turbulence Friday, surrendering 13.1% to finish at $91.19 after touching $88.40 earlier in the trading session. The previous session had seen shares close at $104.88.

Nebius Group N.V., NBIS

Volume metrics painted a picture of heightened investor activity. Approximately 22.8 million shares traded hands — representing a 68% surge compared to the typical daily volume of 13.6 million.

The sharp decline followed NBIS’s February 12th fourth-quarter earnings release that fell short of analyst projections across key metrics.

The neocloud provider reported a per-share loss of $0.69, substantially wider than the Street’s forecast of a $0.42 deficit — representing a $0.27 shortfall. Top-line performance also underwhelmed, with revenue reaching $227.7 million versus the $246 million consensus.

While the earnings disappointment initially triggered selling, the investment spending figures ultimately amplified concerns.

The company disclosed capital expenditures totaling roughly $2.06 billion during Q4. Management’s outlook for sustained multi-billion dollar annual investments has prompted investor scrutiny regarding financing strategies and short-term liquidity management.

Sector Pressure From CoreWeave

The NBIS decline wasn’t an isolated incident. Competing neocloud provider CoreWeave (NASDAQ: CRWV) plunged up to 21.9% the same session following its own earnings disappointment.

Both enterprises compete in an identical market segment — acquiring GPU infrastructure and leasing AI computing resources to hyperscalers and emerging artificial intelligence companies. Market sentiment tends to correlate between these players.

This dynamic has emerged as a recurring theme. These equities attract intense scrutiny, remain opaque to mainstream investors, and demonstrate acute sensitivity to adverse developments within the AI infrastructure ecosystem.

NBIS exhibits a beta coefficient of 3.90, underscoring its pronounced volatility relative to broader market movements.

Analyst Views Still Mostly Positive

Notwithstanding Friday’s retreat, Street sentiment remains constructive. Among 11 analysts tracking the name, two rate it Strong Buy, seven assign Buy ratings, one maintains Hold, and one recommends Sell.

The consensus price objective stands at $143.22 — substantially above Friday’s closing level. Morgan Stanley launched coverage in January with an Equal Weight stance and $126 target. Freedom Capital elevated its recommendation to Strong Buy this month.

Skepticism exists in certain quarters. Both Wall Street Zen and Weiss Ratings have recently downgraded shares to Sell.

CICC Research initiated coverage last November with an Outperform recommendation and $143 price objective.

Technical indicators show the 50-day moving average at $95.00, while the 200-day moving average rests at $95.95. The company’s market capitalization approximates $22.96 billion.

Street forecasts project 2026 revenue at $3.35 billion, implying year-over-year expansion of 531%.

Strategic cloud collaborations with Meta and Microsoft underpin analyst confidence in the long-term revenue trajectory.

For the ongoing fiscal period, consensus estimates anticipate a $1.10 per-share loss.

Institutional ownership accounts for 21.90% of outstanding shares, with multiple funds gradually increasing their allocations in recent reporting periods.

The post Nebius (NBIS) Plunges 13% After Earnings Miss and Massive Capex Spend appeared first on Blockonomi.

Quick Summary

• ARK Invest acquired approximately $19.4M in CoreWeave stock following a 19% decline after the company’s Q4 earnings report
• The fund’s most significant transaction was a $23.2M acquisition of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions shares
• Teradyne holdings were reduced by $12.9M, extending ARK’s pattern of trimming this position
• ARK decreased its Rocket Lab stake despite the company exceeding earnings forecasts, with shares declining roughly 5%
• Additional moves included divesting Roku holdings and establishing a position in Generate Biomedicines

On Friday, February 27, Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest executed multiple strategic portfolio adjustments. The trading activity encompassed fresh investments and position reductions spanning technology, defense, and biotechnology sectors.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions emerged as the day’s most substantial acquisition. ARK accumulated 252,169 shares valued at $23.2 million. The company specializes in unmanned aerial systems and autonomous defense technologies, aligning with ARK’s investment thesis centered on robotics and automation.

The second-largest acquisition involved CoreWeave, a provider of AI-focused cloud infrastructure. ARK secured 198,980 shares totaling approximately $19.4 million, distributed between its ARKK and ARKW exchange-traded funds.

CoreWeave, Inc. Class A Common Stock, CRWV

ARK’s CoreWeave purchase occurred during a session where the stock declined 19%. The downturn followed fourth-quarter earnings that demonstrated robust revenue growth but revealed expanding losses and capital expenditures that exceeded market expectations.

By purchasing shares during the selloff, ARK appears to interpret the market reaction as temporary volatility rather than fundamental business deterioration. CoreWeave operates in the AI computing infrastructure space, which has experienced substantial demand expansion.

CoreWeave maintains a Moderate Buy rating among Wall Street analysts. With eleven Buy ratings and eight Hold ratings, the consensus price target of $114.18 suggests potential upside of approximately 43.5% from current trading levels.

ARK Scales Back Teradyne and Rocket Lab Holdings

Regarding portfolio reductions, ARK divested 38,773 Teradyne shares valued at $12.9 million across several ETFs. Teradyne manufactures semiconductor testing systems and industrial automation equipment. This transaction continues ARK’s recent pattern of decreasing its Teradyne exposure.

ARK also liquidated 46,921 shares of Rocket Lab valued at approximately $3.4 million. The space technology company had recently announced quarterly performance that surpassed both earnings and revenue projections, yet shares declined roughly 5% on Friday.

Rocket Lab disclosed robust launch operations and an expanding order backlog. Nevertheless, the inaugural launch of its larger Neutron rocket was delayed until late 2026, potentially contributing to investor disappointment.

Additional Portfolio Adjustments in Biotech and Technology

ARK disposed of 46,389 shares of Roku valued at $4.3 million from its ARKK fund. The rationale for this divestment was not publicly disclosed.

Within the biotechnology sector, ARK acquired 459,525 shares of Generate Biomedicines valued at $7.4 million via its ARKG fund. Simultaneously, the fund sold 39,423 shares of Ionis Pharmaceuticals for $3.2 million.

ARK liquidated 10,590 Deere & Co shares for $6.6 million and reduced its Guardant Health position by 27,334 shares valued at $2.7 million.

Minor transactions included a reduction of 205,211 PagerDuty shares for $1.5 million and an acquisition of 14,097 Brera Holdings shares valued at approximately $15,600.

The CoreWeave and Kratos acquisitions represented ARK’s two most significant individual transactions on February 27, with combined value exceeding $42 million.

The post ARK Invest’s Latest Moves: CoreWeave and Kratos Purchases Highlight February 27 Trading appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• Mark Karpelès, who previously led Mt. Gox, has floated a Bitcoin hard fork idea aimed at retrieving approximately 80,000 BTC taken during a 2011 security breach, currently valued above $5.2 billion.
• His plan would enable these funds to transfer without accessing the lost private key, through implementing a specialized consensus mechanism for one specific wallet.
• The draft was posted to GitHub as an exploratory discussion rather than an official Bitcoin Improvement Proposal.
• Detractors believe this creates a risky precedent that could undermine Bitcoin’s foundational immutability principle.
• These stolen coins exist separately from the approximately 200,000 BTC currently undergoing distribution to Mt. Gox claimants, with that process scheduled through October 2026.

Mark Karpelès, who formerly ran the defunct Mt. Gox Bitcoin exchange, has unveiled a draft plan advocating for a Bitcoin hard fork. His objective centers on retrieving approximately 79,956 BTC taken during a security breach over 15 years ago.

These digital assets remain locked in one specific wallet, representing more than $5.2 billion based on current market valuations. The funds have remained untouched since their theft in June 2011.

Bitcoin’s existing protocol requires the original private key to authorize any transaction. That critical key was never retrieved.

Karpelès uploaded his proposal to GitHub last Friday. His suggestion involves creating a novel consensus mechanism enabling fund movement to a designated recovery wallet without needing the missing key.

This rule would exclusively target that particular wallet address. Network-wide adoption would trigger activation at a predetermined future block height.

Karpelès showed transparency regarding the proposal’s nature. “I want to be upfront: this is a hard fork,” he stated.

He positioned this submission as a solution to an ongoing impasse. Nobuaki Kobayashi, serving as the Mt. Gox trustee, has refused to pursue blockchain-based recovery without guaranteed community support for such a protocol modification.

Why Critics Are Pushing Back

The suggestion has triggered substantial opposition, primarily focused on Bitcoin’s unchangeable nature. Bitcoin operates on the principle that confirmed transactions cannot be reversed or altered.

Numerous community members contend that modifying ownership protocols for a single address, regardless of theft circumstances, establishes dangerous precedent. Bitcointalk forum participants cautioned this might encourage comparable requests following future security incidents.

The proposal recognizes this concern directly. It notes: “If it can be done once, the argument goes, it can be done again.”

Governance concerns also emerge. Bitcoin lacks established procedures for determining which past thefts warrant protocol rule modifications.

Successful hard fork implementation requires widespread approval from miners, node operators, and trading platforms. Throughout Bitcoin‘s history, achieving consensus on divisive modifications has proven exceptionally challenging.

How This Fits Into Broader Mt. Gox Repayments

The 80,000 BTC held in the compromised wallet exist independently from funds presently distributed to creditors. Current repayments originate from a distinct reserve of roughly 200,000 BTC retrieved following the platform’s 2014 shutdown.

Creditor distributions commenced during mid-2024, with the completion deadline now pushed to October 2026. The stolen coins remain completely beyond trustee jurisdiction.

Mt. Gox declared bankruptcy in Tokyo on February 28, 2014, following the loss of approximately 750,000 customer bitcoins. During its operational prime, the platform processed 70% of worldwide Bitcoin transactions.

Certain creditors have expressed approval for this initiative. One individual identifying as a creditor mentioned receiving roughly 15% of their Bitcoin through bankruptcy proceedings and would endorse a legal mandate to recover the remaining stolen assets.

The proposal currently exists as a preliminary discussion draft without official endorsement or implementation schedule.

The post Former Mt. Gox CEO Seeks Bitcoin Hard Fork to Reclaim $5.2B in Stolen Cryptocurrency appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Highlights

• Morgan Stanley has submitted an application to the OCC for a national trust bank charter designed for cryptocurrency custody services
• The proposed entity, dubbed “Morgan Stanley Digital Trust,” would facilitate digital asset custody, trading activities, swaps, staking services, and transfers
• Citigroup is preparing to roll out institutional bitcoin custody services within the current year, embedding them into existing traditional asset management frameworks
• Citi’s vision includes unified account management where clients handle bitcoin together with securities and cash, featuring cross-margining functionality
• Major financial institutions are building out crypto capabilities in response to rising institutional client interest in digital asset services

Morgan Stanley has submitted a request for a de novo national trust bank charter through the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The submission, which arrived on February 18, bears the designation “Morgan Stanley Digital Trust, National Association.”

This charter would grant Morgan Stanley authorization to provide digital asset custody services for its client base. The planned subsidiary intends to facilitate buying, selling, swapping, transferring, and staking of cryptocurrencies.

A national trust bank charter empowers financial institutions to conduct fiduciary operations including asset protection and custody services. This represents Morgan Stanley’s inaugural trust charter designed exclusively for cryptocurrency operations.

Morgan Stanley has demonstrated aggressive expansion into digital assets recently. The firm brought aboard equity markets veteran Amy Oldenburg in January to spearhead its cryptocurrency division and submitted applications for spot Bitcoin and Solana ETFs, subsequently filing for a staked Ether ETF as well.

The financial institution, which manages approximately $8 trillion in client assets, is simultaneously deploying spot cryptocurrency trading capabilities through its E*TRADE platform. The bank is also considering lending products and yield-generating opportunities connected to digital currencies.

Current job postings reveal Morgan Stanley is recruiting for positions such as digital assets strategy director and digital assets product lead. The institution is additionally investigating wallet technology implementation throughout its wealth management platform.

Citi Plans Institutional Bitcoin Custody

Citigroup has revealed intentions to introduce institutional bitcoin custody services before year-end. Nisha Surendran, who oversees Citi’s digital asset custody development, shared these details during Thursday’s World Strategy Forum.

Surendran characterized the objective as rendering “bitcoin bankable.” Citi aims to incorporate bitcoin into identical custody, reporting, and taxation systems currently deployed for conventional assets such as stocks and bonds.

Clients would gain the ability to initiate transactions through SWIFT messaging, APIs, or graphical user interfaces. Citi would manage all clearing and settlement procedures behind the scenes.

The financial institution additionally intends to enable clients to maintain bitcoin positions alongside U.S. Treasuries, international bonds, and tokenized money market funds within a unified custody account. This framework would permit cross-margining between cryptocurrency holdings and traditional asset classes.

Citi conducted research among its institutional client base and discovered they prefer not to handle wallets and private keys directly. Instead, they seek bitcoin access through established banking infrastructure.

The Broader Push by Major Banks

Citi maintains connections to over 220 payment and settlement networks worldwide. The bank has introduced Citi Token Services for cash management, a continuously operating blockchain-based network utilized for internal global fund transfers.

JPMorgan has pursued a comparable strategy through its JPM Coin offering. The New York Stock Exchange similarly unveiled intentions for a round-the-clock blockchain-powered trading platform for tokenized equities and ETFs launching later in 2025.

The OCC granted conditional approval to five cryptocurrency-focused national trust bank applications in December, encompassing Ripple, BitGo, Fidelity Digital Assets, and Paxos. Stablecoin infrastructure provider Bridge, acquired by Stripe, along with Crypto.com have subsequently obtained conditional approvals.

Payoneer similarly submitted a national trust bank charter application this month, potentially positioning it to issue stablecoins and deliver cryptocurrency services.

The post Wall Street Giants Morgan Stanley and Citigroup Push Deep Into Cryptocurrency Services appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• Blackstone plans to debut a publicly accessible investment vehicle dedicated to acquiring AI-focused data center infrastructure with multi-billion dollar ambitions
• Initial capital raising efforts target sovereign wealth funds and major institutional investment partners
• Both Blackstone and Brookfield submitted competing proposals valued at minimum €8 billion to acquire Volkswagen’s heavy-duty engine division, Everllence SE
• A collaborative funding arrangement between Blackstone Life Sciences and Johnson & Johnson will support development of bleximenib, an experimental AML treatment
• RBC Capital launched research coverage on February 23 with Outperform designation and $179 share price objective

The private equity heavyweight is preparing to introduce a fresh publicly traded acquisition platform dedicated exclusively to AI data center assets. The initiative aims to democratize access to AI infrastructure investments — a sector where Blackstone seeks commanding market position.

Blackstone Inc., BX

The initial phase focuses on securing commitments from sovereign wealth entities and major institutional capital providers. Following this foundation, the firm intends to attract investment capital measuring in the tens of billions from a wider investor universe.

The strategy demonstrates significant ambition. However, skepticism exists regarding market timing.

Certain market participants have questioned whether massive AI training complexes constructed in remote locations might face obsolescence risks as technological capabilities advance. Blackstone appears prepared to address these reservations directly.

This initiative represents a component of the firm’s larger objective to expand beyond its established pension fund and endowment client relationships. Individual investors now represent an increasingly important strategic focus.

Volkswagen Unit Bid

Regarding transaction activity, Blackstone and Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM) have each presented acquisition proposals exceeding €8 billion ($9.4 billion) to secure controlling ownership in Volkswagen’s Everllence SE division.

Everllence specializes in manufacturing marine propulsion systems and industrial power generation turbines. Volkswagen has pursued divestiture of this operation as component of broader corporate restructuring and margin enhancement initiatives.

Additional competing bidders include Advent International, Bain Capital, EQT AB, and CVC Capital Partners — all successfully advancing to subsequent bidding stages.

Transaction completion remains uncertain. Bloomberg sources indicated negotiations continue without final determination.

Biotech and Analyst Coverage

On February 23, Blackstone Life Sciences revealed a collaborative financing agreement with Johnson & Johnson supporting clinical progression of bleximenib, an experimental oral medication designed to treat acute myeloid leukemia.

AML represents the most prevalent acute leukemia diagnosis among adult patients and demonstrates the poorest survival outcomes across all leukemia classifications. Company leadership characterized this condition as presenting exceptional therapeutic challenges.

This marks the inaugural co-funding partnership between BXLS and Johnson & Johnson, representing a significant milestone for Blackstone’s healthcare investment division.

Simultaneously, RBC Capital established research coverage of Blackstone with an Outperform recommendation and $179 price objective.

RBC communicated to investors that Blackstone maintains a “first-mover advantage” as the pioneering alternatives manager to establish a dedicated private wealth distribution team. The investment bank positions the firm as a long-term beneficiary of expanding retail investor participation and stabilizing commercial real estate conditions.

Blackstone conducts operations through four primary business segments: Real Estate, Private Equity, Credit and Insurance, and Hedge Fund Solutions.

BX stock declined 3.88% on February 27, coinciding with public disclosure of the AI data center platform and Volkswagen competitive bid developments.

The post Blackstone (BX) Executes Triple Play: Data Centers, Automotive Assets, and Cancer Research appeared first on Blockonomi.

Bitcoin’s price moves took another turn for the worse in the past few hours after Israel attacked Iran, and then US President Trump confirmed his country was also involved.

Numerous altcoins have bled out heavily, while Binance Coin has taken advantage and surpassed XRP in terms of market cap.

BTC Dumps Again

It was already a highly volatile trading week for the primary cryptocurrency as the bears seemed to be in full control by Tuesday. At the time, they pushed the asset south to a multi-week low of $62,500. However, bitcoin rebounded almost immediately and skyrocketed by several grand to $70,000 on Wednesday.

Many analysts speculated whether this was a typical dead-cat bounce, which turned out to be the case. At first, BTC slipped to around $68,000, where it spent most of Thursday and Friday. However, the situation worsened once again on Saturday morning when Israel launched a “preemptive” attack against Iran and issued a state of emergency.

In minutes, BTC plunged to under $62,800 before it recovered some ground to $63,400 as of press time. US President Donald Trump confirmed that the US was also involved in the attacks, and more volatility is expected later today as the situation unravels.

As of now, bitcoin’s market cap has slid to $1.275 trillion on CG, while its dominance over the alts is below 56%.

Alts Bleed

The graph below will show the painful reality in the altcoin space, in which almost all assets are deep in the red. ETH has plunged by $200 in the past few days to $1,850. XRP was surpassed by BNB after a 9% drop, while SOL has slumped by double digits to under $80.

ADA, HYPE, BCH, DOGE, CC, LINK, and XLM have plummeted hard as well. Declines of up to 20% are evident from KCS, PIPPIN, and STABLE, while stablecoins linked to gold are in the green.

The total crypto market cap has erased over $100 billion in the past day or so and is deep below $2.3 trillion on CG.

The post Altcoins Bleed Out After Trump Confirms Attacks Against Iran, BTC Down to $63K: Weekend Watch appeared first on CryptoPotato.

The enhanced price volatility this week continues, as bitcoin has started to lose value rapidly once again, dropping to a multi-day low of well under $63,600.

The latest leg down was likely prompted by the quickly escalating global tension, especially between the two old enemies – Iran and Israel.

The breaking story started to develop less than half an hour ago on Saturday morning when multiple news outlets reported that Israel had launched an “preemptive attack” against Iran. The former’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, announced a state of emergency within the country because they expect retaliation from Iran by drones and other strikes.

The US President, Donald Trump, officially announced that they have started “major combat operations” in the country.

pic.twitter.com/BZuJDudLej

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 28, 2026

Similar instances in the past have impacted bitcoin’s price, and this time is no different. Given the fact that the cryptocurrency space is the only financial market open during the weekend, the effects were immediate.

In the span of just minutes, bitcoin went from $66,000 to $63,600 before recovering some ground to $64,000. However, the asset is down by over four grand since yesterday when it was rejected at $68,000.

Before that, it peaked at $70,000 on Wednesday after it bounced from a multi-week low of $62,500 marked a day earlier. The altcoins have experienced similar volatility, with many dropping by 2% or more in the past hour alone.

Consequently, the liquidations are on the rise again, hitting $450 million on a 24-hour scale. $185 million from the total came in just the last hour.

The post BREAKING: Bitcoin’s Price Plunges Below $64K as the US, Israel Attack Iran appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Jack Dorsey announced that Block is reducing its workforce by nearly half, cutting more than 4,000 employees and bringing total headcount from over 10,000 to just under 6,000.

In a note shared publicly on X, Dorsey described the move as “one of the hardest decisions in the history” of the company and said all employees would be notified the same day whether they are being asked to leave, entering consultation, or staying.

Massive Layoffs at Block

He stated that affected employees will receive 20 weeks of salary plus one additional week per year of tenure, equity vested through the end of May, six months of health care coverage, their corporate devices, and $5,000 to support their transition.

Employees outside the United States will receive similar support. Details may vary according to local requirements. Dorsey said the decision was not driven by financial distress, while adding that the company’s business remains strong. Instead, he added,

“But something has changed. We’re already seeing that the intelligence tools we’re creating and using, paired with smaller and flatter teams, are enabling a new way of working which fundamentally changes what it means to build and run a company. and that’s accelerating rapidly.”

Dorsey said he considered gradually reducing staff over months or years, but chose to act immediately. He said that repeated rounds of layoffs would harm morale, focus, and trust among customers and shareholders. He acknowledged that some decisions may prove wrong and that flexibility has been built in to account for that while continuing to serve customers.

Dorsey Admits Over-Hiring

The layoff announcement drew mixed reactions across social media. Some users described the severance terms as generous, while others focused on concerns about artificial intelligence replacing human roles. One user, Will Slaughter, tweeted that the cuts were less about AI and more about management decisions, while taking a jibe at Block, which had more than tripled its headcount from 3,900 in December 2019 to 12,500 by December 2022.

He described the reduction as unwinding an “insane COVID overhiring binge” and attributed it to managerial incompetence rather than technological change. In response, Dorsey admitted to over-hiring during the pandemic.

Other users criticized the optics of citing AI in a layoff note written in lowercase. Some expressed concern that job cuts linked to AI could become a broader trend as the company’s stock price rose by 24% in post-market hours.

The post Jack Dorsey Slashes Block Workforce by 4,000 in Sweeping AI-Driven Overhaul appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Bitcoin perpetual funding rates on major exchanges have flipped negative, signaling that short sellers now dominate the derivatives market and are paying to keep their positions open.

While negative funding typically reflects bearish sentiment, one analyst is interpreting the current extreme as a potential setup for a short squeeze, arguing that excessive short positioning often precedes sharp upside reversals rather than continued downside.

Funding Flips Negative as Shorts Crowd the Market

In a February 27 market update, analyst Amr Taha noted that funding rates across major derivatives venues simultaneously moved into negative territory, with Binance at -0.005%, OKX at -0.007%, and Bybit at -0.011%.

Funding rates are periodic payments between long and short traders in perpetual futures, and when they turn negative, it means short sellers are paying longs, reflecting dominant bearish positioning.

Taha also pointed to data from the BTC liquidation heat map showing dense clusters of leveraged positions above the current price, many originating around the $92,000 level. According to the analyst, if Bitcoin pushes higher, those short positions could be forced to close, accelerating upside volatility.

“If macroeconomic conditions improve, the probability of a renewed price pump in the short to medium term increases,” Taha wrote.

They added that historically, heavy short exposure combined with negative funding has often foreshadowed sharp reversals, though the metric alone does not predict direction.

Meanwhile, retail activity is also ticking up. Nino, a CryptoQuant contributor, indicated that trading frequency among smaller investors has spiked relative to its one-year average, a sign that individual participants are re-entering the market after weeks of caution.

“The current spike underscores a growing sense of anticipation for the next major market expansion,” explained the analyst.

Whale Flows and Market Structure

In a separate post, Taha tracked roughly 1,700 BTC in positive net inflows from so-called “Octopus” wallets, representing medium-term holders, into Binance. A larger 5,000 BTC inflow from the same cohort on February 2 preceded a drop from above $77,500.

This time, the movement, while positive, is significantly less aggressive, suggesting it may not carry the same bearish force.

“Of course, market reaction also depends on liquidity conditions and broader positioning,” Taha stated. “But strictly from the chart data — the intensity is lower.”

Bitcoin briefly tested $70,000 on February 26 but failed to hold that threshold, settling into a range between $66,600 and $68,600 over the past 24 hours per CoinGecko data, with observers at Glassnode saying that despite the relative stabilization, the BTC market is yet to recover.

At the time of writing, the flagship cryptocurrency was trading almost 200 bucks below the $68,000 level, down slightly by 0.4% in the last 24 hours and seeing no change over seven days. However, on a 30-day basis, the asset is nearly 24% lower, and it is also about 46% below its October 2025 all-time high.

The post Analyst: Deeply Negative Funding Rates Hint at BTC Bounce appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Reid Hoffman, the prominent venture capitalist and co-founder of the world’s leading professional networking service, LinkedIn, is heavily invested in Ethereum, according to Arkham Intelligence.

Data cited by the firm shows Hoffman holds $6.1 million worth of ETH in a publicly known address. He also owns a CryptoPunk NFT, which was purchased for 150 ETH late last year.

Investment in Xapo

Hoffman has been a long-time supporter of crypto. He even led Greylock’s 2014 Series A investment in Xapo, a firm that built a Bitcoin wallet platform. He had then commented,

“Bitcoin has the potential to be a massively disruptive technology. It is the leading digital currency and it’s growing fast. As an investor and technologist, I am interested in bitcoin on three levels: As an asset, (i.e. a digital alternative to gold); as a currency (to create a new transactional layer on the internet); and as a platform (to build alternative kinds of financial applications).”

Nearly a decade later, in August 2023, Hoffman announced he would not act as a general partner in Greylock’s upcoming funds and instead opted to remain involved as a venture partner.

Meanwhile, his former PayPal colleague Elon Musk is backing Bitcoin, as Tesla, Inc. and SpaceX hold a combined $1.3 billion in Bitcoin on their balance sheets.

Short-Lived Gains

Earlier this week, Bitcoin and Ethereum each attracted gains after positive sentiment generated by a major US political speech by Donald Trump. But on Friday, both assets were slightly lower in early trading as broader technology stocks retreated.

Additionally, broader institutional activity shows large stakeholders dynamically adjusting positions: analytics data indicate that SpaceX moved over 1,000 BTC (approximately $94.5 million in value at that time) to Coinbase Prime in late 2025 amid speculation about the company’s future public offering.

On the Ethereum side, significant planned divestments by Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin have drawn attention in recent weeks for the magnitude of tokens moved, even though the market remained largely unfazed by these sales.

The post The $6.1M Wallet: Inside LinkedIn Founder Reid Hoffman’s Ethereum Holdings appeared first on CryptoPotato.