News and developments from the cryptocurrency industry.
Sygnum has launched a discretionary crypto asset management service targeting the $100 billion corporate treasury market. The bank is already managing $200 million under live mandates, aiming to bring traditional portfolio discipline to digital assets. The move reflects rising institutional demand for regulated, active oversight of crypto-heavy balance sheets.
A UK security committee chair has proposed a temporary ban on crypto political donations over foreign interference concerns. The plan would pause contributions until clearer regulatory guidance is issued. The move highlights growing scrutiny of digital assets in political fundraising.
Standard Chartered still expects the stablecoin market to reach $2 trillion by 2028, calling recent stagnation cyclical. However, it cut its forecast for stablecoin-driven T-bill demand to $800 billion–$1 trillion. The bank remains constructive on long-term crypto growth, even as it trims near-term Bitcoin price targets.
Citrini Research’s fictional 2028 memo imagines AI boosting profits and markets while hollowing out jobs and consumer demand. In that world, stablecoins and crypto rails become the preferred payment layer for AI agents. The scenario highlights both the promise of AI-driven growth and the risk of widening inequality and structural economic strain.
DWF says over 80% of 2025 token launches are trading below their listing price, with many falling 50–70% within months. At the same time, crypto IPO and M&A activity is surging, suggesting capital is rotating into regulated equity exposure. Investors appear to be favoring structure, transparency and enforceable rights over token speculation.
Bitdeer has sold all of its Bitcoin reserves, reducing corporate holdings to zero. The move comes alongside a $300 million convertible note raise and reflects mounting pressure on miners after the halving. As margins tighten, the industry is increasingly pivoting toward AI and data center revenue streams.
MARA has secured a 64% stake in French data center firm Exaion, deepening its move into AI and cloud services. The deal reflects a broader trend of Bitcoin miners diversifying as post-halving economics and rising difficulty pressure margins. AI infrastructure is emerging as a parallel revenue stream.
Uniswap’s founder is warning users after a victim lost a six-figure portfolio to a fake search ad posing as the protocol. Sponsored phishing links remain a major threat as crypto scam losses climb again. Users connecting wallets through search results face heightened risk.
Parsec is shutting down after its DeFi- and NFT-focused analytics model fell out of sync with today’s market. Slowing on-chain activity and a prolonged downturn have pressured smaller crypto startups. The move signals a broader consolidation phase as the industry recalibrates after years of volatility.
Kashkari says crypto hasn’t shown meaningful utility after a decade, while AI is already widely used. He also challenges stablecoin narratives, arguing they don’t offer clear advantages over existing payment apps and still face costly off-ramp friction in remittances.
US spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $105 million in outflows as trading volumes cooled. Q4 filings revealed both aggressive buying and sharp reductions in IBIT holdings, including a surprise $436 million purchase by a little-known Hong Kong entity. Institutional positioning appears to be rotating rather than exiting the market altogether.
Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund has exited its entire stake in ETHZilla, just months after backing the company’s Ether treasury strategy. The move highlights growing pressure on public firms built around ETH accumulation as volatility and debt exposure test the model’s resilience.
Nevada has sued Kalshi after a federal appeals court allowed state regulators to move forward over its sports contracts. Kalshi argues it is governed solely by the CFTC, not state gaming laws. The case could define how prediction markets are regulated across the US.
Pump.fun is shifting rewards from token deployers to traders through a new cashback model. The move follows falling revenues and criticism that few traders were profiting. The change reflects broader experimentation with incentive structures in a cooling memecoin market.
Arthur Hayes argues that Bitcoin’s divergence from tech stocks could signal a looming AI-driven credit crunch. He believes large-scale job losses may force central banks back into money printing, ultimately pushing Bitcoin to new highs.
Polygon temporarily surpassed Ethereum in daily fees, driven largely by booming activity on Polymarket. The milestone highlights how high-traffic applications can shift value capture toward Layer-2 networks. Sustained dominance, however, will depend on continued user demand beyond a single app.
Steak ‘n Shake says accepting Bitcoin has helped drive double-digit same-store sales growth and build a $15 million BTC reserve. However, its treasury holdings are currently sitting at an unrealized loss, underscoring the volatility that comes with integrating crypto into corporate finance.
A global survey shows stablecoins are increasingly used for salaries and everyday spending, especially in emerging markets. Lower fees and faster cross-border transfers are key drivers. With regulatory clarity improving, stablecoins are gaining ground as practical payment infrastructure rather than purely trading instruments.