New system could flag and freeze tainted Bitcoin and stablecoins before cash-out BASEL, SWITZERLAND – The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has unveiled a proposal to make cashing out illicit cryptocurrency significantly harder, suggesting a provenance-based compliance score for all crypto holdings before they are exchanged for fiat currency. Outlined in the BIS Bulletin released Wednesday, the system would assign an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) score to each crypto unit or wallet based on its transaction history and potential links to criminal activity. Off-ramps converting crypto to fiat would then use this score to determine whether to approve, deny, or flag…
Author: Blockto Team
Strong Support Zone Emerges as BONK Consolidates The BONK/USDT market has shown notable resilience after a sharp retracement from a major resistance level, with price action now stabilizing at a clearly defined support zone. This technical behavior suggests that market participants are closely defending these lower levels, potentially setting the stage for the next decisive move. Following its recent rally, BONK reached a resistance area around 0.00002800–0.00003000 USDT, where sellers stepped in to cap further gains. The rejection at this zone sparked a pullback, but instead of extending into deeper losses, the cryptocurrency found solid footing near the 0.00002380–0.00002420 USDT…
Former Justice Minister’s resignation tied to high-profile crypto corruption case PRAGUE – Czech authorities have arrested Tomas Jirikovsky, the founder of the notorious darknet marketplace Sheep Marketplace, in connection with a $45 million Bitcoin bribery scandal that led to the resignation of former Justice Minister Pavel Blazek earlier this year. Bitcoin donor attempts escape before police arrest Jirikovsky reportedly tried to escape police by climbing onto the roof of his home during the raid on Thursday night, Deník N reported Friday. His ex-wife confirmed the intervention, saying a neighbor alerted her to the rooftop drama. The police then apprehended Jirikovsky and took…
Retail Sales and Import Prices Beat Forecasts, Indicating Resilient Consumer Demand The latest U.S. economic data points to stronger-than-expected momentum, with Core Retail Sales and the Import Price Index both exceeding market forecasts. The figures suggest a more resilient consumer sector and rising import costs, potentially impacting future inflation trends. According to official data, U.S. Core Retail Sales for July 2025 rose 0.5% month-over-month, significantly higher than the market expectation of 0.3% and a sharp rebound from the previous month’s -0.2% decline. Core retail sales exclude volatile items such as automobiles, making them a key measure of underlying consumer spending…
Bitcoin mining companies are increasingly competing with artificial intelligence (AI) data centers for access to low-cost, sustainable energy — a trend that could reshape the mining industry and spark a new wave of institutional investment over the next decade. AI facilities, backed by deep capital reserves, are beginning to outbid mining firms for critical power infrastructure, according to a July 31 report from GoMining Institutional. As a result, more Bitcoin miners are being “priced out” or forced to scale back operations. Despite the challenge, Bitcoin miners retain a key advantage: operational flexibility. They can expand into off-grid locations with limited…
Circle (CRCL), the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, is preparing a secondary stock sale of 10 million Class A shares at a striking $130 per share, according to a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The move represents a valuation more than four times higher than its June IPO price of $31, underscoring strong investor demand and market confidence in the company’s growth trajectory. Structure of the Offering Of the 10 million shares being offered, Circle will sell 2 million shares directly, while existing shareholders will sell the remaining 8 million. At the offering price, the…
Bitcoin (BTC) and MicroStrategy (MSTR) have emerged as the clear leaders in risk-adjusted performance this year, delivering Sharpe ratios above 2.0 — more than double the levels of most large-cap technology stocks. This comes as market volatility for both assets drops to multi-year lows, signaling a shift in the risk-reward landscape for digital assets. Bitcoin’s Sharpe Ratio Surges Past Traditional Assets According to market performance data, Bitcoin currently holds a Sharpe ratio of 2.15, the highest among major global assets. This metric, which measures return relative to volatility, underscores Bitcoin’s exceptional performance even as implied volatility has fallen to just…
U.S. spot Ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have racked up over $3 billion in net inflows in just the first two weeks of August, putting them on track for their strongest month since launch — and possibly their best week ever. According to ETF data tracker SoSoValue, more than $2.9 billion has flowed into spot Ether ETFs this week alone. Daily inflows have averaged $700 million, with Monday setting a record at over $1 billion. ETH Price Surges to Yearly Peak The ETF buying spree coincides with a sharp rally in Ethereum’s price. On Thursday, ETH surged to a yearly high…
Late Buying Interest Signals Possible Whale Accumulation Amid Market Shakeout XRP dropped sharply by 7% in the last 24 hours, hitting $3.11 after a wave of $437 million in sell orders triggered widespread volatility across the cryptocurrency market. The sudden sell-off contributed to over $1 billion in liquidations across major digital assets, marking one of the largest intraday shakeouts in recent weeks. On the 4-hour chart, XRP fell from its $3.40 resistance zone into a green demand area near $3.05, where buying pressure emerged. This level, tested multiple times since early August, once again acted as a short-term support. Above,…
Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has introduced stricter custody standards for licensed virtual asset trading platforms (VATPs) in response to rising global crypto security risks. In a Friday statement, the SFC said licensed platforms must critically review their asset custody frameworks, citing recent overseas incidents that exposed vulnerabilities and led to substantial client losses. An SFC review earlier this year also identified weaknesses in some exchanges’ cybersecurity controls. The regulator issued a detailed circular outlining requirements that take immediate effect. These include: The SFC said these rules will form the core expectations for virtual asset custodians going forward,…
