The stories attracting the most readers across The Token Press.
Iran’s currency collapse and banking stress have triggered protests in Tehran, highlighting the real-world impact of monetary instability. Crypto industry leaders argue Bitcoin can help individuals protect savings when trust in fiat systems erodes, though regulatory barriers in Iran continue to limit access.
The SEC says tokenized stocks must follow existing US securities rules, with custody handled by regulated broker-dealers rather than self-custody. The guidance signals that blockchain-based equities will be integrated into traditional market safeguards, not treated as a separate asset class.
HashKey has opened subscriptions for a $215 million IPO that would value the company at up to $2.5 billion. The exchange has become Hong Kong’s dominant crypto trading platform, reporting rapid growth across spot trading, asset management, and blockchain infrastructure. Its listing comes amid a strong rebound in Hong Kong’s IPO market in 2025.
The AFP said a data scientist decoded a recovery phrase for an A$9 million crypto wallet. The assets were restrained pending court decisions.
Australia’s government plans to grant AUSTRAC new powers to restrict or ban crypto ATMs amid concerns about financial crime. While Minister Tony Burke stressed that a full ban isn’t planned, the move highlights the country’s cautious stance toward crypto infrastructure — even as adoption surges and providers push for fair regulation.
BitMine has increased its Ether holdings by $417 million, accumulating more than 3 million ETH — around 2.5% of the total supply — amid the recent 20% price drop. Institutional accumulation continues to signal strong long-term confidence in Ethereum’s trajectory despite short-term market turbulence.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov says French authorities pressured him to censor Moldovan election channels in 2024, a request he refused. He accused European governments of undermining democracy with censorship and vowed never to compromise Telegram’s encryption, even if it means exiting jurisdictions.
Bitfinex-backed blockchain Stable has secured support from PayPal Ventures to integrate the PYUSD stablecoin onto its network. The move could expand PYUSD’s adoption in emerging markets while boosting Stable’s role as a settlement-focused blockchain “designed for USDT.”
The EU’s MiCA regulation promised a single, unified crypto market, but diverging national approaches to enforcement are creating fears of regulatory arbitrage. While large players may benefit, smaller firms face intense compliance burdens, raising questions about whether Europe can apply the rules consistently.
Kraken has partnered with Trust Wallet to expand access to Backed’s tokenized equities, xStocks, across multiple blockchains. While the exchange claims a potential reach of 200 million users, regulatory restrictions mean availability will be limited in key markets such as the U.S., U.K., and Canada.
Metaverse-related NFT sales rose 27% in August, suggesting a possible revival of interest in virtual worlds. Platforms like Sandbox, Mocaverse, Otherside and Decentraland are focusing on infrastructure and creator tools, while new entrants such as Infinite Reality and Trump’s DTTM Operations continue to push forward with metaverse projects.
RWA tokens jumped 11% this week as total tokenized asset value surpassed $29 billion, nearly doubling since January. With Ethereum leading the space and BlackRock exploring tokenized ETFs, institutional adoption of real-world assets is accelerating rapidly.
Backpack EU, which acquired the former FTX EU earlier this year, has launched a regulated perpetual futures platform in Europe after settling with Cyprus’ financial regulator and securing a MiFID II license. The firm, led by Solana developer Armani Ferrante, refunded former FTX EU customers before relaunching operations under CySEC oversight. With approvals in Europe, Dubai, and Japan, Backpack is pushing to expand as a global player in regulated crypto trading.
Fomo generated $1.76 million in daily Solana revenue, beating Pump.fun’s $1.1 million, but remained well behind over the past 30 days.
Midas has raised $50 million to build a liquidity layer for tokenized assets, focusing on faster and more reliable redemptions. The move highlights growing investor interest in solving liquidity challenges within the expanding real-world asset sector.
Most finance leaders now see digital assets as essential, not optional. Stablecoins and custody solutions are leading adoption, while firms focus on building the right infrastructure to support long-term use.
Kevin Warsh is expected to be nominated as the next Fed chair, replacing Jerome Powell. Markets are already pricing in a more hawkish policy shift, while Warsh’s past remarks on Bitcoin stand out for framing crypto as a potential check on fiscal excess.
Matcha Meta users were urged to revoke approvals after a SwapNet contract exploit drained up to $16.8 million on Base, with security firms tracing the attack to a smart-contract flaw that allowed approved funds to be transferred, highlighting ongoing DeFi risks that are increasingly being exposed with the help of AI tools.