Author: John Smith

Cantor and Securitize have formed a partnership to bring blockchain infrastructure directly into initial public offerings and follow-on stock sales, creating a pathway for companies to raise capital and issue securities onchain. Summary Cantor and Securitize will combine capital markets expertise with regulated infrastructure for blockchain-based public offerings. The partnership targets IPOs and follow-on offerings while keeping issuers within existing capital market frameworks. Securitize previously tokenized its own NYSE shares, providing an early model for issuer-sponsored digital securities. Under the agreement announced on July 15, Cantor will provide its equity capital markets and trading capabilities. Securitize will handle the infrastructure…

Veteran trader Peter Brandt has identified a possible bottoming structure on Bitcoin’s chart after the cryptocurrency rebounded from its late-June lows. Brandt stressed that traders still lack enough evidence to confirm the setup. Summary Peter Brandt sees a possible Bitcoin bottom pattern but stresses that confirmation remains far away. Bitcoin rebounded from below $58,000, but the recovery remains stalled around the $65,000 resistance zone. Recent ETF flows and macro relief support Bitcoin, while weak spot demand keeps analysts cautious. Bitcoin traded near $64,000 on July 16 after failing to hold above $65,000. It has recovered from below $58,000, but questions…

A California pair has been indicted on allegations of running a darknet drug operation that prosecutors say generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency proceeds from fentanyl and methamphetamine sales. Summary California prosecutors have charged two people with running a darknet drug operation that allegedly laundered crypto proceeds from fentanyl and methamphetamine sales. Authorities said the suspects shipped more than 500 drug parcels and operated an illegal ghost gun manufacturing setup. The case adds to a series of U.S. actions targeting cryptocurrency linked to drug trafficking and money laundering. According to a Wednesday statement from the U.S. Department of…

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust has secured a major regulatory win after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved a fourfold increase in the ETF’s options position limit from 250,000 to 1 million contracts. Summary SEC has approved raising IBIT options limits from 250,000 to 1 million contracts. NYSE Arca says the higher cap matches strong trading demand and improves liquidity. The approval comes after BlackRock reported 31% year-over-year revenue growth in Q2. According to a notice published by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, a rule change submitted by NYSE Arca has become effective immediately, allowing the exchange to raise…

Base creator Jesse Pollak has acknowledged that the network’s multi-year bet on onchain social products did not deliver the expected growth and has redirected Base toward trading, payments, and AI-powered financial infrastructure. Summary Jesse Pollak admitted Base’s onchain social strategy failed to drive expected crypto adoption. Base will prioritize trading, stablecoin payments, and AI agent infrastructure through 2026. JPMorgan warned growing USDC revenue sharing could pressure Coinbase and Circle profits. Base returns to infrastructure after social experiment falls short According to a post published by Jesse Pollak on Wednesday, the first quarter of 2026 became a turning point after Base…

Senate Democrats have intensified scrutiny of Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche during his confirmation hearing, accusing him of weakening crypto enforcement while President Donald Trump’s digital asset businesses have expanded. Summary Dick Durbin accused Todd Blanche of dismantling DOJ crypto enforcement to benefit Trump’s crypto businesses. Senate Democrats linked Blanche’s nomination to demands for stricter ethics rules in crypto legislation. Blanche defended the DOJ’s new approach while saying he would review the Binance pardon process if confirmed. According to proceedings from the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, Senator Dick Durbin used his opening remarks to argue that Blanche…

A new academic study has found that Polymarket’s five-minute Bitcoin prediction contracts have created incentives for sophisticated traders to manipulate spot prices and profit at the expense of ordinary participants. Summary Stanford researchers link Polymarket’s five-minute Bitcoin markets to settlement-price manipulation. The study estimates about $1.28 million shifted from retail traders to sophisticated participants. Researchers say longer settlement windows and improved pricing methods could reduce manipulation risk. According to researchers from Stanford University and Singapore Management University, the structure of Polymarket’s short-duration Bitcoin markets encourages traders to influence the cryptocurrency’s spot price shortly before contracts settle. Their paper concluded that…

Ostium has halted trading after an exploit tied to a compromised oracle signer key drained nearly $18 million USDC from its liquidity vault, according to blockchain security firm Blockaid. Summary Blockaid linked Ostium’s $18 million exploit to a compromised oracle signer key. The attacker drained up to 28% of the protocol’s $63 million liquidity vault. Ostium halted trading as investigators probe the oracle-based attack. Blockaid reported that the attacker gained control of an oracle signer private key, allowing them to bypass the protocol’s verification process and submit future-dated price reports that favored their trades. Using a registered PriceUpKeep forwarder, the…

SpaceX stock has steadied above its IPO price after Needham raised its price target to $250 despite growing warnings that an AI stock bubble could threaten financial markets. Summary Needham raised its SpaceX price target to $250 and maintained a buy rating despite growing AI bubble concerns. Bank of England Governor David Bailey warned an AI stock crash could spill into the economy and affect monetary policy. SpaceX stock is holding above $135 support, with technical indicators showing fading bearish momentum inside a descending channel. According to Needham, the investment bank lifted its target on SpaceX shares from $200 to…

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only. Institutional crypto OTC markets are evolving beyond block trades as firms demand liquidity, settlement, and cross-border infrastructure services. Summary Institutional crypto OTC desks are evolving beyond block trades into full-service execution and settlement infrastructure. Growing institutional demand is reshaping crypto OTC desks into providers of execution, settlement, and treasury infrastructure. Crypto OTC markets are expanding beyond large trades as institutions seek integrated execution and liquidity solutions. For most of its early history, the institutional crypto OTC market was defined…