Author: Tristan Lodenberg

European Union policymakers are considering a proposal to shift supervision of major crypto asset service providers (CASPs) to the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) in Paris. The plan would move key oversight powers away from national regulators, marking a significant shift in how Europe manages its digital asset industry. France, Austria, and Italy have supported the proposal, arguing that centralized supervision would address differences in national approval processes and reduce regulatory shopping across member states. The issue is particularly important under the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA), which allows firms authorized in one country to operate across the…

CryptoQuant data shows that Bitcoin’s supply in profit and loss is approaching levels typical of a bear market. Currently, around 11.2 million BTC are in profit, while 8.2 million BTC are at a loss. The last bear market saw a low of 9 million BTC in profit and 10.6 million BTC at a loss, indicating that current metrics are nearing previous cycle lows. Analysts Debate Market Implications Andri Fauzan Adziima, research lead at Bitrue exchange, cautioned that these figures indicate increasing market stress rather than immediate undervaluation. He highlighted that true capitulation bottoms involve more extreme metrics, including net unrealized…

Korea Investment & Securities (KIS) is reportedly reviewing a potential investment in crypto exchange Coinone, according to local media reports. Sources familiar with the matter said KIS has begun engaging with regulators and policymakers as part of early discussions tied to a possible stake purchase. Coinone confirmed that no final agreement has been reached, indicating that negotiations remain at a preliminary stage. The reported talks reflect growing interest from major financial institutions seeking exposure to the digital asset market. Proposed Ownership Cap Could Drive Stake Sales The potential investment comes as South Korea considers introducing a 20% ownership cap for…

U.S added 178,000 jobs in March, significantly surpassing economist expectations of 60,000 new positions, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The strong rebound followed February’s loss of 133,000 jobs, which was revised lower from earlier estimates. The unemployment rate declined to 4.3%, improving slightly from 4.4% in February and beating market forecasts. The stronger-than-expected labor market performance signals continued economic momentum despite recent global uncertainties. Financial Markets React to Employment Data Following the release, Btc continued trading near the $67k level, showing limited immediate reaction to the employment figures. Meanwhile, U.S. stock index futures remained slightly…

Drift Protocol, a Solana based decentralized exchange, has initiated onchain communication with wallets tied to a major exploit estimated between $280 million and $286 million. The protocol confirmed that messages were sent from its Ethereum address to four wallets believed to hold stolen Ether, urging the attacker to establish contact through Blockscan chat. Onchain messaging has become a widely used tactic during exploit responses, allowing protocols to communicate anonymously with attackers. Similar outreach methods have been used in past incidents to negotiate potential fund recovery. Anonymous Sender Adds Pressure on Attacker Drift’s outreach followed separate messages sent by an unknown…

Bitcoin continued to trade near $67,000, remaining locked within a narrow range that has persisted since early February. The broader trend still reflects a macro downtrend that began in October, marked by repeated lower highs and lower lows. Market volatility has cooled, while futures activity remained subdued, partly due to thin trading volumes during an extended holiday period. U.S. equities traded mostly flat, reflecting reduced risk appetite across financial markets. Meanwhile, Brent crude oil remained near $107 per barrel, signaling continued uncertainty surrounding global tensions. Altcoins Outperform in Low-Liquidity Trading Despite Bitcoin’s limited movement, several altcoins recorded gains during lower…

Stablecoin transaction volumes reached $7.2 trillion in February, surpassing the $6.8 trillion processed by the US Automated Clearing House (ACH) network, marking a significant milestone for the asset class. Data from blockchain analytics platform Artemis shows this 30-day adjusted rolling volume excludes MEV activity and intra exchange transfers, highlighting the increasing use of stablecoins in global payments. Analyst Alex Obchakevich noted that stablecoins are emerging as “foundational infrastructure for global payments,” offering borderless, 24/7 transaction capabilities compared to traditional banking systems. The ACH network processes roughly 93% of US salary payments, underscoring the significance of stablecoins surpassing it in transaction…

Crypto hackers stole over $168.6 million from 34 decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols in the first quarter of 2026, according to data from DefiLlama. The largest incident was the $40 million private key compromise of Step Finance in January, followed by a $26.4 million smart contract exploit of Truebit on January 8. Another significant attack targeted stablecoin issuer Resolv Labs on March 21. Although these losses are substantial, they are markedly lower than the $1.58 billion stolen in Q1 2025, which included the $1.4 billion Bybit exploit. Experts caution that crypto hacks are not tied to specific calendar periods. Evolving Threats…

The Ethereum Foundation has staked an additional $46.64 million worth of ETH, raising its total staked holdings to approximately $96.59 million, according to monitoring data from Arkham. The latest move marks a notable shift in the organization’s treasury approach as it strengthens its participation in network staking. This additional staking activity suggests a growing focus on long-term asset management rather than short-term liquidity strategies. The increased staking total reflects the foundation’s continued engagement with Ethereum’s proof-of-stake system. Shift From Selling ETH to Generating Yield The decision to expand staking follows a broader change in strategy, as the Ethereum Foundation has…

President Donald Trump removed Attorney General Pam Bondi and appointed Todd Blanche as the interim Attorney General, placing the former deputy and Trump’s personal attorney in charge of the Department of Justice. Blanche previously represented Trump in his 2024 criminal case in New York and was named deputy attorney general after Trump retook office. Crypto Enforcement Memo and Controversy As deputy attorney general, Blanche dismantled the DOJ’s National Crypto Enforcement Team and issued a memo directing prosecutors not to pursue regulatory violation cases in the crypto sector. The memo influenced cases such as the Southern District of New York’s proceedings…