Author: Tristan Lodenberg

Circle plans to prioritize long-term, resilient infrastructure in 2026 as more institutions evaluate how stablecoins can be integrated into payments, treasury, and financial operations. The company aims to move Arc, its institution-focused layer-1 blockchain, from testnet toward production readiness, positioning it as core infrastructure for large-scale stablecoin activity. Arc is designed to support regulated financial use cases, offering higher reliability, compliance features, and performance standards expected by banks, fintech firms, and global enterprises. Circle sees this foundation as essential for stablecoins to move beyond experimentation and into daily operational use. Circle chief product and technology officer Nikhil Chandhok said on X;…

Avalanche recorded a sharp rise in institutional activity during the fourth quarter of 2025, led by growth in tokenized real-world assets such as money market funds, loans and financial indices. The total value locked in tokenized assets on the Avalanche network increased by 68.6% over the quarter and nearly tenfold over the year, reaching more than $1.3 billion. A major catalyst was the launch of the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) in November, which brought roughly $500 million in assets onto the Avalanche blockchain. The fund significantly boosted onchain activity tied to tokenized cash and short-term yield products,…

US President Donald Trump is expected to nominate Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the Federal Reserve, according to reports ahead of a formal announcement scheduled for Friday. Warsh would replace current Fed Chair Jerome Powell, whose term concludes in May, marking a potential shift toward a more hawkish stance on inflation and monetary policy. Warsh, a former Federal Reserve governor who served from 2006 to 2011, has reportedly emerged as the clear frontrunner following meetings with the president this week. Market-based prediction platforms showed a sharp rise in the probability of Warsh’s nomination, while expectations for other candidates…

Bybit recorded a notable recovery in 2025, climbing to become the second-largest crypto exchange by trading volume despite suffering the largest hack in industry history earlier in the year. The exchange processed approximately $1.5 trillion in total trading volume during 2025, capturing 8.1% of the global crypto exchange market. The recovery followed a February 2025 security breach in which attackers exploited a vulnerability in Bybit’s cold wallet system, stealing about $1.5 billion worth of ether. The incident marked a major stress test for the platform’s operational resilience and user trust. Crisis Response Helped Stabilize User Confidence Following the breach, Bybit…

Solana (SOL) dropped more than 8% in the latest session, reflecting broader weakness across the crypto market as risk assets faced renewed selling pressure. The decline pushed SOL below several short-term support levels, shifting market structure firmly into bearish territory. On the daily chart, SOL lost the $120–$115 demand zone, an area that previously acted as a strong accumulation region. This breakdown confirms a continuation of lower highs and lower lows, signaling sustained downside momentum. Volume expanded during the sell-off, suggesting that sellers remain in control rather than a temporary liquidity sweep. Key Levels to Watch Next If bearish pressure…

Flying Tulip, a new decentralized finance platform led by crypto developer Andre Cronje, has raised an additional $75.5 million, maintaining a fully diluted token valuation of $1 billion. The latest funding includes $25.5 million from a private token round and $50 million raised through a curated public sale platform, bringing total institutional capital raised to $225.5 million. The private Series A token round drew participation from digital asset investment firms including Amber Group, Fasanara Digital and Paper Ventures. The pricing matched the project’s earlier seed round, which raised $200 million in September, signaling consistent investor confidence in the platform’s long-term…

Digital asset infrastructure firm Talos has secured an additional $45 million through an extension of its Series B funding round, lifting the company’s valuation to approximately $1.5 billion. The latest raise brings in new strategic investors, including Robinhood Markets, Sony Innovation Fund, IMC, QCP and Karatage, alongside continued support from existing institutional backers. The funding extension reflects growing interest from large financial and technology players seeking exposure to institutional-grade crypto infrastructure. Talos stated that the decision to expand the round was driven by demand from strategic partners looking to collaborate more closely with the platform. Expansion of Trading and Tokenization…

Bitcoin extended its sharp decline on Thursday, briefly falling to the $81,000 level before stabilizing slightly higher. The move capped a brutal 24-hour period in which the largest cryptocurrency by market value lost nearly $10,000, rattling traders and triggering widespread liquidations across the digital asset market. The sudden drop wiped out a significant amount of leveraged positioning. In just one hour, more than $777 million worth of long positions were forcibly closed, with total liquidations exceeding $1.7 billion over the past day. Such rapid liquidations often amplify downside volatility, accelerating price declines during periods of weak sentiment. Altcoins Slide as…

The UK House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee has launched a formal inquiry into proposed stablecoin regulations, as the Bank of England (BoE) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) move closer to finalizing rules for the sector. The inquiry seeks evidence from industry participants, experts, and the public on how stablecoins could reshape the UK’s financial system. Lawmakers will examine the potential effects of fiat-backed stablecoins on banking, payments, and financial stability, alongside opportunities created by their growing adoption. The committee aims to assess whether the regulatory approach outlined by the BoE and FCA is measured, proportionate, and fit…

Bitcoin dropped sharply to its lowest level in two months, sliding to around $83,000 after a sudden wave of selling swept through global markets. The move marked a nearly 6% daily decline, catching traders off guard as cryptocurrencies moved in tandem with stocks and precious metals. The sell-off followed an abrupt reversal in gold and silver, which had recently surged to record highs before experiencing a rapid retracement. Gold fell hundreds of dollars within minutes, creating a broader risk-off environment that spilled into digital assets. Liquidations and Technical Breakdown Add Pressure Bitcoin’s decline was intensified by heavy leveraged liquidations, with…