All crypto stories, newest first.
Malta's financial regulator is exploring whether parts of decentralized finance (DeFi) should fall under the EU's MiCA regulations. The MFSA is seeking feedback on how to assess decentralization, treating it as a spectrum rather than a binary concept.
Kraken now lets users trade directly on Solana's decentralized exchanges (DEXs) from its main app. This move gives access to thousands of tokens and could expand to other blockchain networks soon.
Ireland has identified crypto-asset misuse as a top threat in its new National Risk Assessment. A 30-point action plan aims to tighten checks on crypto funds to combat financial crime.
Grayscale has applied traditional finance valuation methods to the DeFi token AAVE, estimating its value at $175. This move signals growing institutional interest in revenue-generating DeFi protocols.
The G7 has expanded its warning about North Korean crypto theft to include broader cybercrime. Researchers have linked DPRK-affiliated actors to billions in stolen digital assets, highlighting the growing threat.
Alexander Mashinsky, the founder of failed crypto lender Celsius, had earlier been imprisoned for fraud and is now formally banned from CFTC registration.
As the MiCA grace period closes, only a fraction of registered firms hold full licenses, setting up the prospect of a wave of consolidation.
Hsiao-Wei Wang, co-executive director and board member of the Ethereum Foundation, has resigned. This follows other recent high-profile departures, including former co-executive director Tomasz Stańczak and several Protocol cluster leads, raising questions about the organization's future direction.
1. OVERNIGHT MOVES
Most major cryptocurrencies fell between 1% and 3% following the Federal Reserve's decision, with bitcoin dropping to $64,150, reflecting broader market sensitivity to monetary policy shifts.
Outgoing CME chief Terry Duffy says perpetual futures are actually swaps under Dodd-Frank, and that the exchange will file suit Thursday.
CME Group has filed a lawsuit against the CFTC, arguing that the regulator is incorrectly classifying crypto perpetual futures as swaps. This legal battle could reshape how cryptocurrency derivatives are regulated in the U.S.
Algorand has announced a roadmap to achieve quantum resistance by 2028, a critical step to protect against future quantum computing threats. This involves updating both user wallets and the core protocol infrastructure, a process that could take years.
Alchemy's AgentCard service now lets AI agents powered by models like OpenAI or Anthropic make payments through the Visa network. This integration with Visa Intelligent Commerce could make AI-driven commerce more seamless for businesses and consumers.
Long-term holders now control a record 79% of Bitcoin's circulating supply, suggesting the bear market may be nearing exhaustion. Analysts at K33 point to historically low spending of old coins as a sign of persistent accumulation despite ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty.
Zama, Morpho, and Steakhouse have launched the first confidential DeFi yield vault on Ethereum, allowing firms to earn yield without exposing their balances. This innovation enhances privacy for institutional and high-net-worth investors in the DeFi space.
While legacy banks keep corporate money idled in slow regional accounts, a new protocol allows software systems to settle multi-currency trade instantly. This could unlock trillions in global trade efficiency.
Oman has introduced a mandatory state-backed Bitcoin mining pool for all licensed miners, part of a $700 million-plus push into industrial-scale mining. This move aims to tighten regulatory oversight and solidify the country's position in the Bitcoin mining industry.
Moody's is embedding credit scores directly into blockchain-based securities on Solana, a move aimed at boosting institutional adoption of tokenized assets.
MicroStrategy's stock ($MSTR) is currently trading at $91.79 on $STRC, down sharply from its recent highs. Just a month ago, the instrument was raising record amounts of capital and absorbing billions in demand, but it now finds itself in what many would call the 'valley of despair.' The post notes that this isn't what the instrument was designed for.