Author: John Smith

Mark Cuban says he has sold roughly 80% of his Bitcoin holdings after losing confidence in its hedge narrative. Summary Mark Cuban told Front Office Sports he sold most of his Bitcoin after gold surged to $5,000 during the US-Iran conflict while Bitcoin fell. Cuban called Bitcoin “not the hedge I expected” and said it “has lost the plot,” while maintaining he still holds Ethereum for its utility. Bitcoin defenders note the asset has risen more than 16% since the first signs of the US-Iran conflict, countering Cuban’s narrative on the timeframe. Billionaire Mark Cuban told Front Office Sports he…

Kraken has launched AVAX staking for eligible users globally, offering up to 10% APY on bonded positions. Summary Kraken launched AVAX staking on May 21 with three options: Bonded Staking up to 10% APY, plus Auto Earn and Flexible Staking each at up to 3.5% APY. The 10% bonded rate is promotional and will drop to 7% APY after the introductory period, with all rewards automatically restaked to compound returns. Kraken manages all validator operations and infrastructure; the service is available in the US, UK, EU, Canada and Australia at launch. Kraken announced AVAX staking on May 21 with three…

MoonPay is launching MoonPay Trade, a new institutional platform that promises banks and fintechs unified access to tokenized assets, DeFi protocols and stablecoin liquidity across more than 200 blockchains. Summary MoonPay Trade targets banks, fintechs and enterprises with one interface for tokenized assets and DeFi The platform will serve as the execution layer for MoonPay Institutional It supports tokenized fund subscriptions, collateral transfers and on-chain lending via Aave, Morpho and Maple According to CoinDesk, MoonPay introduced on May 21 MoonPay Trade as a dedicated trading and execution stack for its institutional clients. The platform is aimed at banks, fintech companies and…

Nasdaq-listed Solmate Infrastructure, a Solana-focused treasury and infrastructure company, has raised about $11.4 million via a registered direct offering of Class B common stock. Summary Solmate is issuing 2,298,000 Class B shares at $4.97 each The registered direct offering is expected to raise roughly $11.4 million The deal is slated to close around May 27, 2026, subject to closing conditions According to Businesswire, Solmate Infrastructure is issuing a total of 2,298,000 shares of Class B common stock in a registered direct offering priced at $4.97 per share. The company expects to raise approximately $11.4 million in gross proceeds before fees and…

Asset tokenization platform Securitize is moving ahead with a SPAC merger on Nasdaq, aiming to accelerate its expansion beyond stablecoins into a broader universe of tokenized securities. Summary Securitize plans to go public via a merger with Nasdaq-listed SPAC Cantor Equity Partners II (CEPT) CEO Carlos Domingo says the company is already profitable in asset tokenization The firm wants to use its public listing to issue and trade more tokenized assets beyond stablecoins Securitize’s efforts to “tokenize the world” just took an added-value turn, with the company doubling down on efforts to assemble on-chain securities infrastructure operational at scale. The…

Zcash has emerged as the market’s primary breakout performer, logging a 15% single-day advance to trade at $660.21. Summary Zcash price surged 15% to $660 after the SEC officially closed its multi-year probe into the Zcash Foundation without penalties or enforcement action. Institutional accumulation accelerated as Multicoin Capital disclosed a long-term ZEC position, while Cypherpunk Technologies expanded holdings to 314,185 ZEC. ZEC confirmed a bullish flag breakout on rising volume, with CoinGlass data showing a 38% jump in open interest and over $14.2 million in short liquidations. Investor sentiment has rapidly pivoted from cautious accumulation to aggressive risk-on expansion, fueled…

Boerse Stuttgart Group’s Seturion has added Societe Generale, SG-FORGE and flatexDEGIRO to expand blockchain-based securities settlement across Europe. Summary Boerse Stuttgart’s Seturion added SocGen, SG-FORGE and flatexDEGIRO for blockchain-based securities settlement across Europe. SG-FORGE will provide EURCV and USDCV stablecoins for settlement under the new Seturion partnership. Related reports show European banks are racing to build MiCA-ready stablecoin and tokenization rails. The May 21 announcement said Seturion will provide settlement for tokenized securities transactions between the partners. The platform is part of Boerse Stuttgart Group and is designed as an open settlement network for banks, brokers and trading venues. Seturion…

IG plans to expand crypto trading across Europe through Bitpanda, as the London-listed trading group grows its digital asset offering beyond the U.K. Summary IG plans to expand crypto trading across Europe using Bitpanda’s liquidity, trading connectivity, and market data. IG reported £331.2 million in Q1 2026 revenue, with spot crypto contributing £2.4 million. Bitpanda holds MiCA licenses in Germany and Malta, supporting crypto services across the EU. IG’s European division will use Bitpanda’s infrastructure to offer digital asset access to investors in Europe, CoinDesk reported, citing an emailed statement. The setup will include liquidity, trading connectivity, and market data…

The U.S. Treasury has sanctioned two networks linked to the Sinaloa Cartel over allegations that they used cryptocurrency transactions to move fentanyl trafficking proceeds. Summary U.S. Treasury sanctioned two networks accused of helping the Sinaloa Cartel move fentanyl trafficking proceeds through cryptocurrency. Six Ethereum wallet addresses were added to the sanctions list, including one USDT-linked address that became active again in April after more than a year. Authorities in Brazil and the U.S. have continued targeting crypto-linked money laundering operations tied to organized crime groups across Latin America. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the sanctions announced Wednesday…

Missouri has sued GPD Holdings LLC, the company behind CoinFlip, alleging the crypto ATM operator enabled scam transactions and used poorly disclosed fees. Summary Missouri sued CoinFlip, alleging crypto ATMs enabled scams against seniors and veterans. State seeks Missouri ban, restitution, and civil penalties of up to $1.826 million. Bitcoin Depot’s bankruptcy shows crypto ATM operators face mounting legal and regulatory pressure. Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed the case against GPD Holdings LLC, doing business as CoinFlip, on May 21. Her office said the company allegedly “knowingly facilitating fraudulent transactions and profiting from them” through cryptocurrency kiosks across the…