Author: Tristan Lodenberg

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission has formally withdrawn a proposal introduced during the Biden administration that aimed to prohibit sports, political and other event-based prediction markets. The move signals a regulatory shift for platforms that allow trading on real-world outcomes, which have grown rapidly in popularity across the United States. CFTC Signals New Direction on Event Contracts CFTC Chair Mike Selig confirmed that the agency has pulled back a 2024 notice of proposed rulemaking that classified event contracts tied to sports, elections and conflicts as contrary to the public interest. He criticized the proposal as an example of merit-based…

Ethereum’s layer-2 ecosystem is reassessing its purpose after Vitalik Buterin publicly questioned whether rollups should still be viewed primarily as Ethereum’s main scaling solution. His comments have triggered detailed responses from leading L2 teams, revealing broad agreement on the need for specialization but differing views on how central scaling remains to their mission. Shift From “Ethereum but Cheaper” Buterin argued that the original L2 vision no longer fully applies, pointing to ongoing reliance on multisignature bridges and incomplete security inheritance from Ethereum. At the same time, Ethereum’s base layer is increasing capacity through gas-limit adjustments and longer-term plans such as…

Aave Labs is retiring its Avara brand, which previously housed initiatives like the Family crypto wallet and the social media platform Lens, to concentrate on decentralized finance. CEO Stani Kulechov stated that the umbrella brand is no longer needed as Aave doubles down on its core mission of bringing DeFi products to a broader audience. The Family wallet, an iOS-based app designed for general crypto management, will also be phased out. Kulechov noted that onboarding millions of users requires targeted experiences—such as savings and lending—rather than generic wallets. Accounts associated with Family will remain part of Aave’s core infrastructure but…

Crypto.com has launched OG, a standalone prediction market platform, following significant growth in its US-based prediction market operations. Previously integrated into Crypto.com’s main app, OG is operated by Crypto.com Derivatives North America (CDNA), a CFTC-registered exchange and clearinghouse. The platform is currently available exclusively in the United States and aims to compete with major players such as Polymarket and Kalshi. Explosive Growth Drives Dedicated Platform Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek noted that weekly activity in the company’s prediction market segment grew 40 times over six months, prompting the creation of a dedicated platform. Nick Lundgren, Crypto.com’s chief legal officer and CEO…

Tether has reportedly reduced its previously discussed plan to raise up to $20 billion in new funding, following investor skepticism around the proposal. Advisors to the company have suggested cutting the potential raise to as little as $5 billion, signaling a more cautious approach to external capital. The company’s chief executive clarified that the earlier $15–$20 billion figure represented a maximum threshold rather than a fixed target, emphasizing that Tether is not under pressure to raise funds if conditions are unfavorable. $500 Billion Valuation Remains Intact Despite scaling back funding ambitions, Tether continues to stand by a $500 billion valuation.…

A crypto engineer has introduced a novel platform, rentahuman.ai, which allows AI agents to hire humans for physical-world tasks. The website, created by Alex, an engineer at Uma Protocol and Across Protocol, lets users set an hourly rate to complete activities ranging from running errands and attending business meetings to taking photos, signing documents, and making purchases. The platform currently lists a variety of individuals, including public figures such as a CEO and an OnlyFans model. According to Alex, nearly 26,000 accounts have registered, though this figure may include duplicates or impersonations, which the team is actively reviewing. AI-Driven Website…

Stablecoin dusting activity on Ethereum has sharply increased following the Fusaka network upgrade, according to new analysis from Coin Metrics. The study found that small-value stablecoin transfers, often below $1, now make up a significant portion of Ethereum’s daily activity, reflecting both network growth and the rise of dusting attacks. Fusaka Upgrade Drives Increased Activity The Fusaka upgrade, implemented in December 2025, reduced transaction costs and improved onchain data handling, making it easier to post information from layer-2 networks back to Ethereum. As a result, Ethereum now averages over 2 million daily transactions, with daily active addresses reaching 1.4 million,…

Bitcoin fell below $73,000 this week, marking fresh yearly lows as volatility increased across global markets. The decline comes amid signs of mounting economic strain in the United States, where high government debt levels and elevated borrowing costs continue to tighten financial conditions. Market data suggests that the next meaningful accumulation phase for Bitcoin may be closely tied to shifts in credit market stress rather than immediate price movements. Credit Spreads Remain Tight Despite Rising Risk One key indicator drawing attention is the ICE BofA US Corporate Option-Adjusted Spread, which measures the additional yield investors demand for holding corporate bonds…

Assets under management for spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds have slipped below the $100 billion mark following $272 million in net outflows. This is the first time ETF assets have fallen under this level since April 2025, highlighting growing pressure across digital asset markets. Spot Bitcoin ETF AUM previously peaked near $168 billion in October before reversing amid rising volatility. Year-to-date outflows have now reached nearly $1.3 billion, reflecting cautious investor sentiment as Bitcoin prices remain under pressure. Market Volatility Weighs on Bitcoin Funds The decline coincided with a broader crypto market sell-off, with Bitcoin dropping below $74,000. Over the past…

Harmonic, a mathematics-focused artificial intelligence startup co-founded by Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev, has awarded a research sponsorship to Neel Somani, the former founder and chief executive of blockchain research firm Eclipse. The announcement was made publicly on Tuesday, naming Somani as the first recipient of Harmonic’s Rising Mathematician Research Sponsorship. Harmonic described the sponsorship as support for Somani’s work at the intersection of mathematics and artificial intelligence. The company recently stated plans to allocate up to $1 million toward similar sponsorships for students and researchers, positioning the initiative as an effort to fund advanced mathematical research outside traditional academic structures.…