Author: Tristan Lodenberg

UBS and five major Swiss banks have partnered to test a Swiss franc based crypto stablecoin through a new sandbox initiative scheduled for 2026. The project brings together PostFinance, Sygnum, Raiffeisen, Zürcher Kantonalbank, Banque Cantonale Vaudoise, and Swiss Stablecoin AG to explore blockchain-powered payment systems within Switzerland. Swiss Franc Stablecoin Sandbox to Test Digital Payment Use Cases The initiative will allow participating banks to test selected Swiss franc stablecoin use cases in what partners described as a secure digital live environment. The sandbox aims to build practical experience in handling digital payment methods and evaluating how blockchain-based financial tools function…

Coinbase is planning to expand its services in Australia to include derivatives, equities, and payments after receiving an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL). The move positions the exchange to compete with traditional financial institutions on stock trading, payments, and other financial products with the speed and execution typical of crypto markets. John O’Loghlen, Coinbase’s APAC regional managing director, said the license will allow the platform to initially offer crypto and equity perpetuals, with future plans for futures, options, and additional traditional products. Holding an AFSL subjects Coinbase to the same conduct, disclosure, governance, and consumer protection standards as conventional financial…

The on-chain value of stablecoins on the Ethereum network has reached an all-time high of $180 billion, according to blockchain analytics firm Token Terminal. This marks a 150% increase over the past three years, highlighting Ethereum’s continued dominance in the stablecoin ecosystem. Ethereum Leads Stablecoin Growth Ethereum currently holds around 60% of the total stablecoin supply, and projections suggest that the network could see up to $850 billion in new inflows by 2030 if current growth trends continue. Across all blockchain networks, roughly $1.7 trillion is expected to move on-chain over the next four years. Major financial institutions, including BlackRock,…

Morgan Stanley is preparing to launch the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust, the first spot bitcoin ETF issued by a top tier U.S. bank. The fund could start trading as early as Wednesday on NYSE Arca under the ticker MSBT, marking a milestone in institutional bitcoin adoption. Key Features of the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust The ETF will hold actual bitcoin, tracking the 4 PM NY Settlement Rate. Unlike leveraged or derivative-based funds, it will not actively trade to outperform bitcoin’s price movements. BNY and Coinbase Custody will handle bitcoin storage, providing secure, institutional-grade safekeeping. The fund is launching with about…

Anthropic has limited access to its new AI model, Claude Mythos Preview, after the system discovered thousands of critical vulnerabilities across operating systems, web browsers, and widely used software. The company warned that AI’s ability to identify and exploit software flaws could soon surpass all but the most skilled human hackers, raising concerns over malicious use. In 2025, AI powered cyberattacks surged 72% year-over-year, affecting 87% of global organizations, according to AllAboutAI. Anthropic emphasized the risk of these capabilities falling into the wrong hands and announced Project Glasswing, a defensive initiative involving over 40 partners, including Amazon Web Services, Apple,…

Short sellers across crypto and commodity markets suffered heavy losses after bitcoin surged past $72,700 following confirmation of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran. The rapid market reversal wiped out about $595 million in total leveraged positions across 118,489 traders within 24 hours. Short positions accounted for roughly $427 million of the liquidations, compared with $168 million in long positions, highlighting how heavily markets were positioned for continued downside before the announcement. The largest single liquidation recorded was an $11.79 million BTC-USDT short position on Binance. Bitcoin led losses with about $245 million in liquidations, followed by…

Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, founder of Binance, has released a memoir recounting the dramatic rise of the cryptocurrency exchange and the legal challenges that followed. The 364-page autobiography, titled Freedom of Money, offers a first-person narrative of Zhao’s life, career, and the events that shaped one of the most influential companies in the digital asset sector. The foreword was written by Yi He, Binance co-founder who has worked alongside Zhao since 2014. In the book, Zhao explains that much of his public story has been shaped by media coverage, legal filings, and commentary, and he aims to provide deeper context behind…

Iran’s Bitcoin hashrate has dropped significantly over the past quarter, falling about 77% as conflict involving the United States and Israel intensified. According to data from the Hashrate Index, the country lost roughly 7 exahashes per second quarter-over-quarter, leaving its total hashrate at around 2 EH/s. Ian Philpot, marketing director at Luxor Technology, said the decline showed a clear regional impact, though the disruption remained largely limited to Iran. Neighboring countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Oman showed no measurable decline in mining capacity. Iran is estimated to operate approximately 427,000 active Bitcoin mining rigs. Although tensions escalated…

The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has proposed new rules to regulate stablecoin issuers supervised by the agency under the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins, or GENIUS Act. In a statement released Tuesday, the FDIC said its board approved a proposal establishing standards covering reserves, redemption practices, capital requirements, risk management, and custody obligations for stablecoin issuers and insured depository institutions under its supervision. The FDIC currently insures deposits at more than 4,000 financial institutions and supervises over 2,700 banks and savings associations, positioning the agency to play a central role in maintaining financial stability as stablecoin…

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said some enforcement actions involving cryptocurrency firms failed to deliver clear benefits to investors and were based on misinterpretations of federal securities laws. In its enforcement results for 2025, the agency reported bringing 95 actions since fiscal year 2022 related to book-and-record violations, resulting in approximately $2.3 billion in penalties. The SEC stated that seven crypto firm registration-related cases and six cases tied to the “definition of a dealer” identified no direct investor harm and produced no measurable investor protection. The agency described this as a bias toward the volume of cases rather than…