The latest in digital assets, markets and regulation.
Tx launches USTX, a dollar stablecoin for its RWA platform, minted via USDC but backed by independent reserves managed by Brale. The company structures rewards to comply with the GENIUS Act's ban on yield for holding stablecoins.
Drift Protocol exploiters moved $61M in ETH to Tornado Cash after two months of silence, obscuring fund trails. They still hold $194M in Ether. The hack, attributed to North Korean group UNC6862, caused $295M in losses.
FINMA approved Switzerland's first retail-accessible Bitcoin ETF, citing growing investor interest. The regulator warned of high volatility risks but cleared key hurdles for direct BTC exposure. No launch date or specific issuer was identified in the announcement.
Animoca Brands chairman Yat Siu warns that AI crypto trading agents create dependency risks, as platform suspensions can erase years of personalized strategy data. He advocates for data portability and specialized agents to mitigate confusion and security vulnerabilities.
SEC and Japan's FSA met in Tokyo on Oct. 19, 2026, to discuss cross-border regulatory cooperation. Led by Commissioner Uyeda and Vice Minister Miyoshi, the dialogue focused on private markets, asset management, and investor protection amidst changing capital environments.
Sam Callahan argues Bitcoin thrives without rate cuts, citing a 20% drop in USD purchasing power over five years. He attributes this to financial repression and core PCE averages of 3.7%, positioning Bitcoin as a hedge against structural currency debasement rather than a liquidity-dependent asset.
Nine blue-chip firms, including Verizon and Broadcom, objected to listing on OKXICE, affecting 14% of planned tokens. Nasdaq also opted out, citing lack of best-price guarantees. Issuer consent now challenges tokenized stock growth beyond regulatory hurdles.
Kazakhstan's AIFC court banned six crypto platforms, including Coinbase and Huobi, from unlicensed operations. The injunction extends to Google and Apple app stores, enforcing geographic restrictions. LBank was exempted after blocking Kazakh access, reflecting successful voluntary compliance.
Mt. Gox extends its creditor repayment deadline to October 2027, the sixth delay since 2023. Trustee Nobuaki Kobayashi cites incomplete creditor procedures as the primary reason. Approximately 34,400 BTC remain in Mt. Gox wallets, keeping market attention on potential future sell-offs.
XRP exchange inflows hit a seven-month high of 6.05 billion tokens in 30 days, while whale outfalls dropped 98.6% from their February peak. CryptoQuant data reveals this divergence as XRP corrected to $1.30 after reaching $1.70.
Bitget plans to acquire Thailand’s GMO-Z.com Cryptonomics via BTGT Management to launch its platform locally. The move follows a $388 million hack, with completion targeted for Oct. 31 pending regulatory approval.
BlackRock filed for its third Bitcoin ETF, the iShares Bitcoin Managed Protection ETF, which uses options to limit downside risk while capping gains. The proposal highlights BlackRock's expansion into structured crypto products, though it continues to avoid launching spot ETFs for altcoins like Solana or XRP.