Author: John Smith

Texas has moved closer to holding Bitcoin directly after naming a new advisory committee to guide the state’s Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Summary Texas has named a five-member advisory committee to guide the management, custody, and valuation of its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The state is seeking a qualified crypto custodian as it prepares to move from IBIT-based exposure to directly held Bitcoin. The reserve currently holds about $10 million in Bitcoin exposure through BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust. The Texas Comptroller’s office said Thursday that Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock will serve on the five-member Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Advisory Committee, which will…

The U.S. Treasury has said it has seized nearly $1 billion in cryptocurrency linked to Iran as Washington expands its financial campaign against Tehran. Summary The U.S. Treasury says seizures of Iran-linked cryptocurrency are nearing $1 billion as Washington targets Tehran’s financial networks. Tether froze $344 million in USDT across two Tron wallets linked to Iran’s IRGC after OFAC sanctions and U.S. law enforcement action. Iran’s reported use of crypto for weapons sales and proposed Bitcoin tolls in the Strait of Hormuz has raised new sanctions and compliance risks. The U.S. Treasury has said it has seized nearly $1 billion…

U.S. treasuries climbed while the dollar bond index dropped to an intraday low of 98.8, signaling a notable swing in risk sentiment across global markets. Summary Gate data shows U.S. Treasury bond prices rising as the DXY falls intraday The dollar index touched 98.8, slipping below the 100 base level for the benchmark Moves come as markets reassess Fed policy, inflation path and demand for safe assets According to Gate market data, U.S. Treasury bonds “continue to rise” while the U.S. dollar index, DXY, “has fallen to an intraday low,” currently quoted at 98.8 against a base value of 100.…

Bitcoin has clawed back losses to trade near $74,000 after President Donald Trump abruptly announced an end to the U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, easing weeks of geopolitical pressure on crypto and oil markets. Summary Bitcoin rebounds to roughly $74,000 after Trump ends Hormuz blockade Traders unwind “war premium” as focus shifts back to macro and ETF flows BTC volatility stays elevated after weeks of headline driven price swings In a Truth Social post, US President announced the end of the Hormuz naval blockade, spurring a reaction from crypto and stock markets around the world. Bitcoin (BTC)…

Morgan Stanley has disclosed holdings in two XRP-focused exchange-traded funds, becoming one of the latest major financial institutions to report exposure to investment products tied to Ripple’s cryptocurrency. Summary Morgan Stanley disclosed holdings in the Volatility Shares XRP ETF and Grayscale XRP ETF, adding XRP exposure through regulated investment products. The filing comes as Morgan Stanley expands its crypto offerings, including a proposed spot Solana ETF that would hold and stake SOL under the ticker MSOL. XRP investment products attracted $85.8 million in inflows over the past three weeks, while XRP ETFs recorded $1.77 million in net inflows on Thursday.…

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only. Trump’s crypto support boosts interest in Bitcoin and cloud mining platforms like SHRMiner among retail investors. Summary Donald Trump’s recent pro-crypto remarks have increased optimism around a potentially friendlier U.S. regulatory environment for digital assets. Platforms such as SHRMiner are gaining attention by offering cloud mining access that removes the need for expensive hardware or technical mining expertise. SHRMiner provides multiple cloud mining contract options designed for users seeking either short-term flexibility or longer-term crypto mining reward exposure. In…

Base Azul is live on mainnet. The upgrade gives Coinbase’s Ethereum layer 2 a new proof system and Base-native clients. Summary Base Azul brings TEE and ZK proofs to reduce withdrawal finality to one day potentially. Node operators must move to base-reth-node and base-consensus after older clients lose Azul support now. Base reports 5,000 TPS bursts and 99% fewer empty blocks after client stack changes recently. Base announced that Azul is live on mainnet after months of testing. It is the network’s first independent upgrade since Base started moving toward its own stack. Base documents list the mainnet activation for…

Jeffrey Sprecher, chief executive officer of Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), has said the company wants equal regulatory treatment as it evaluates opportunities in the fast-growing market for onchain perpetual futures. Summary ICE CEO Jeffrey Sprecher said regulators should clarify whether traditional exchanges can offer onchain perpetual futures under the same rules applied to existing platforms. CE has held multiple discussions with Hyperliquid as the exchange operator explores opportunities in blockchain-based derivatives markets. Growing interest in 24-hour trading of oil and other assets has pushed regulators to consider how perpetual futures should be supervised, according to Sprecher. Speaking at a Bernstein conference…

Fidelity Digital Assets says Bitcoin and gold are showing signs of a shift away from dollar-based systems. Summary Fidelity says Bitcoin toll claims and gold demand show pressure on dollar-based settlement systems globally. Iran’s insurance proposal adds uncertainty as state-linked media publicly denies active crypto toll collection claims. USDT freezes recently pushed Bitcoin settlement debate higher, while Fidelity says BTC outperformance has lagged. The firm made the statement in its “Six Key Trends Shaping Digital Assets in 2026” report. Fidelity said there is “growing evidence” that countries are testing payment systems outside U.S. control. The firm pointed to gold demand…

UniCredit director Elena Carletti has warned Europe may struggle to contain a crypto bank crisis under MiCA rules. Summary UniCredit’s Elena Carletti warned Europe lacks tools to backstop crypto-linked deposits the way US regulators did after SVB. MiCA pushes stablecoin issuers closer to banks but EU deposit insurance is capped at €100,000. Carletti cited Circle’s $3.3 billion stuck at SVB in 2023 as the model risk Europe has not solved. UniCredit deputy vice chair Elena Carletti has warned that Europe may struggle to contain a crypto-linked banking shock under MiCA. The Italian bank executive said EU tools are weaker than…