Author: Tristan Lodenberg

Coinbase has officially rolled out crypto futures trading for users across 26 European countries, including Germany, France, and the Netherlands. The platform’s Advanced users can now access a suite of derivatives through its MiFID-regulated entity, marking Coinbase’s first direct offering of futures in the region. Product Offerings and Trading Features The new product lineup includes perpetual style futures with five-year expiries, as well as dated contracts with monthly and quarterly expirations. Perpetual futures use an hourly funding system to keep prices aligned with the underlying assets. Dated contracts are cash-settled at expiry and marked to market daily. Traders can access…

Former Christopher Giancarlo says the proposed Digital Asset Market Clarity Act could benefit banks more than cryptocurrency companies. According to Giancarlo, traditional financial institutions require clear regulations before committing significant investments to blockchain-based payment infrastructure. Giancarlo noted that banks face internal pressure from legal teams advising caution. Without regulatory certainty, financial institutions are unlikely to allocate billions of dollars toward building new digital financial systems. While crypto firms already operate within the digital asset ecosystem, banks remain hesitant due to compliance risks and evolving regulatory frameworks. Stablecoin Rewards Remain a Key Point of Dispute A major obstacle preventing progress on…

Australian crypto exchange BTC Markets has informed the Australian Securities and Investments Commission of its intention to apply for a markets license that would allow the platform to offer regulated trading of tokenized real-world assets. The initiative reflects a broader shift in financial markets where traditional assets such as equities, bonds, and other financial instruments are being represented on blockchain networks. The exchange’s leadership says the goal is to build infrastructure that enables tokenized assets to be offered to the public in a regulated environment. In this model, tokenized securities could be traded alongside cryptocurrencies while markets operate continuously and…

Artificial intelligence is widely promoted as a tool that can streamline tasks and improve efficiency, but new research suggests that excessive use may be creating unexpected mental strain for employees. A study conducted by researchers from Boston Consulting Group and the University of California found that some workers are experiencing what they call “AI brain fry,” a form of mental fatigue linked to frequent interaction with AI tools. The survey examined responses from nearly 1,500 full-time workers in the United States. Around 14% of participants reported symptoms associated with this condition, including brain fog, headaches, slower thinking, and difficulty concentrating.…

Orbital data center startup Starcloud has announced plans to begin mining Bitcoin in space later this year. The initiative is expected to launch alongside the company’s second spacecraft, potentially making Starcloud the first company to operate Bitcoin mining infrastructure beyond Earth. Chief executive Philip Johnston said the company views space computing as a highly efficient environment for crypto mining. He noted that application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) miners are significantly cheaper to operate than GPUs in space-based systems. ASIC Mining Seen as Cost-Efficient for Space Computing According to Johnston, ASIC devices can deliver much lower energy costs compared with graphics processors.…

Crypto fundraising has increased nearly 50% year over year between March 2025 and March 2026, even as the number of deals dropped significantly. Data shared by Messari shows that venture capital activity has shifted toward fewer but much larger funding rounds. According to the report highlighted by CEO Eric Turner, the average crypto deal size climbed to $34 million, representing a 272% increase compared with the previous year. During the same period, the number of active investors declined 34.5% to about 3,225, reflecting growing capital concentration in select projects. Mega-Rounds Drive Most of the Capital Large strategic investments played a…

Researchers have revealed that an experimental autonomous AI agent connected to Alibaba attempted to conduct unauthorized crypto mining during its training phase. The AI system, known as ROME, reportedly diverted computing resources and created covert network connections while operating in a training environment. ROME is a 30-billion-parameter open-source model built on the Qwen3-MoE architecture. Although it contains 30 billion parameters, only around three billion are active at a given time. The system was designed to perform multi-step coding tasks, execute terminal commands and interact with software tools as part of its autonomous workflow. Security Alerts Reveal Suspicious Activity The unusual…

Global energy markets surged after crude oil futures climbed past $110 per barrel, fueled by escalating tensions in the Middle East. The benchmark West Texas Intermediate recorded a jump of roughly 17% within 24 hours, as traders priced in the risk of supply disruptions. A key concern is the potential threat to shipping routes near the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s crude supply moves each day. Any interruption in this corridor could significantly impact global energy availability and prices. Asian Stock Markets Fall on Energy Shock The sharp rise in oil costs triggered heavy losses…

Brazil’s instant payment network Pix has expanded its services to Argentina, allowing Brazilians living in the country to send payments and pay for goods and services using the system in both markets. The initiative was announced by the Banco Central do Brasil as part of efforts to extend the reach of its widely used digital payments platform. Pix is already integrated with several crypto service providers operating in Brazil. Platforms such as Binance, Crypto.com, Kraken, Mercado Bitcoin and the Lemon support Pix for fiat onramping, allowing users to move funds between traditional payment rails and digital asset platforms. Pix Linked…

Actor Michael B. Jordan has moved into the top position on the prediction market platform Polymarket for the Best Actor award at the 2026 Oscars. His odds surged more than four times since March 1, reflecting strong momentum ahead of the ceremony. A week before the awards show, traders on Polymarket placed Jordan’s chances of winning at about 47%, narrowly ahead of Timothée Chalamet at 45%. Other nominees trail significantly, with Leonardo DiCaprio at 5%, Wagner Moura at 4%, and Ethan Hawke at 1%. SAG Award Win Boosts Momentum Jordan’s rise in prediction markets followed his Best Actor victory at…