Author: John Smith

HTX denies UK sanctions allegations after the Foreign Office accused affiliate Huobi Global S.A. of funnelling $1.5 billion to Russia. Summary HTX says UK sanctions apply only to Huobi Global S.A. and do not affect its operating exchange. The Foreign Office accuses the affiliate of funnelling $1.5 billion to Russia through A7 and Garantex. Global Ledger separately traced more than $7.6 billion in Russia-linked flows through the exchange since 2021. HTX denies UK sanctions allegations after the Foreign Office accused affiliate Huobi Global S.A. of funnelling $1.5 billion to Russia. New data flags $7.6 billion in linked flows. The UK…

The CFTC has moved a proposed rule on prediction-markets event contracts into White House review as federal and state officials fight over who should police the fast-growing sector. Summary The CFTC’s proposed prediction-market rule is under White House review before it can be released for public comment. The rule could create the first comprehensive federal framework for event contracts and affect platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket. Trump backed CFTC control over prediction markets, while Illinois Governor JB Pritzker defended state action against insider trading. Bloomberg first reported that the proposal is now before the White House Office of Management…

HYPE ETFs have topped $100 million in cumulative net inflows within their first 10 trading sessions, giving Hyperliquid another institutional demand channel as interest in altcoin funds expands. Summary HYPE ETFs crossed $100 million in cumulative net inflows within their first 10 trading sessions. The inflows are led by 21Shares’ THYP and Bitwise’s BHYP, two U.S. spot products tied to Hyperliquid’s native HYPE token. HYPE has gained nearly 50% this month, while Lookonchain reported that a trader made a $2.51 million profit over 46 days. According to Farside Investors data, the funds added about $20 million in net inflows on…

Fold Holdings has started issuing its Fold Bitcoin Credit Card to selected waitlist members, adding a consumer credit product to its growing Bitcoin rewards and workplace payments business. Summary Fold has started issuing its Bitcoin Credit Card to select waitlist members, offering 1.5% back in Bitcoin and up to 4% through rewards and partner offers. The card runs on Visa and Stripe Issuing, with physical and virtual cards available through the Fold App for Apple Pay and Google Pay. The launch comes after Fold missed Q1 2026 earnings expectations and follows its Bitcoin bonus program for workplace compensation. According to…

FTSE Russell’s governance committee has approved a fast-entry overhaul that will allow mega IPOs to be added more quickly to its top benchmarks, according to Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas. Summary FTSE Russell governance committee backs fast-entry and minimum standard changes after market consultation IPOs whose investable market cap exceeds a Russell Top 500 threshold now qualify for immediate fast-entry assessment The move is designed to make flagship indices more responsive to large new listings and more reflective of the investable market Bloomberg ETF senior analyst Eric Balchunas said on X that the FTSE Russell Governance Committee has signed off…

The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 is 257 pages of statutory text divided into six titles, each tackling a different piece of U.S. digital asset regulation. Most coverage describes the bill in vague terms like “establishes clear rules for crypto.” The actual legislation is more specific and more consequential than that.  Summary The CLARITY Act would move qualifying crypto tokens from SEC oversight to CFTC regulation through a 20% blockchain control threshold for “mature” networks. A secondary market provision in the bill would classify exchange-traded crypto tokens as commodities instead of securities, extending the legal framework established in…

Most crypto tokens have “buyback” mechanisms that are either nominal, sporadic, or theoretical. HYPE has something genuinely different. Summary Hyperliquid’s Assistance Fund uses 97% of protocol trading fees to buy HYPE tokens directly from the open market through an automated on-chain system. The fund has spent more than $1.3 billion on HYPE buybacks, with the mechanism running at an annualized rate estimated near 7% of the token’s market cap. Analysts tracking HYPE’s tokenomics say the continuous buyback structure has created one of the most aggressive revenue-driven value accrual models in the crypto market. The Assistance Fund directs 97% of Hyperliquid’s…

The XRPL Foundation has introduced a draft proposal called “AMM Swappable Curves” to expand the XRP Ledger’s native automated market maker.  Summary XRPL Foundation introduced a draft AMM proposal adding StableSwap and concentrated liquidity to liquidity pools. The upgrade would let pool creators choose curve types without changing existing XLS-30 pools. Stablecoin, RWA and DeFi markets could gain better pricing if validators approve the amendment. The proposal was submitted by Denis Angell and Roman Thpt and remains listed as a draft amendment. The plan builds on XLS-30, the AMM system that went live on XRPL mainnet in March 2024. XLS-30…

Chainlink is drawing fresh market attention after Binance outflow data showed a sharp rise in large LINK withdrawals.  Summary LINK exchange outflows reached 2025 highs as investors moved tokens off Binance during May trading. Whale wallets holding 100,000 LINK hit a record, adding pressure to the accumulation debate now. LINK price remains below $9.87 midline, leaving $9.65 and $8.95 as key levels for traders. CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost said the top 10 LINK outflow transactions on Binance have climbed to their highest level of 2025. The analyst said the largest daily outflows averaged more than 3,600 LINK through May, with several…

BitGo and Silence Laboratories completed a post-quantum MPC transaction simulation for institutional digital asset custody.  Summary BitGo and Silence Labs tested post-quantum MPC signing inside an institutional custody workflow last Friday. The simulation used ML-DSA, a NIST-standard algorithm, to support quantum-safe institutional crypto transaction signing workflows. Wallet providers, blockchains, and custodians are preparing before quantum-capable attacks become a practical threat. The companies said the test used BitGo’s custody platform and Silence Laboratories’ post-quantum MPC protocol to show how quantum-safe signing can work inside existing wallet workflows. The transaction took place during a private industry event hosted by both firms. BitGo…