Although monetary losses declined, users still lost tens of millions of dollars to common cybersecurity exploits like address poisoning scams.
Crypto security experts recommend that high-risk and visible holders split up their funds, maintain a low profile, and come up with a game plan.
The plan to address a multimillion-dollar exploit continued with "phase two progress" on EVM after it scrapped a plan to roll back the blockchain.
Bitwise's year-end barrage of ETF paperwork should have been a perfect spark for “alt season.” On Dec. 30, the issuer filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to launch 11 single-token “strategy” ETFs tied to Aave, Uniswap, Zcash, NEAR, Starknet, Sui, Bittensor, Tron, and other protocols. Each fund would allocate about 60% of its […]
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Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, has captured market attention after executing a high-conviction rotation out of Ethereum and into a select group of decentralized finance tokens. On-chain data, later reinforced by his public remarks, shows a deliberate concentration of capital into specific DeFi protocols he believes are positioned to outperform as liquidity conditions evolve. Ethereum Was Sold, Not Abandoned Blockchain data shows that over a two-week period, Hayes reduced his Ethereum exposure by selling a total of 1,871 ETH, valued at roughly $5.53 million at the time of execution. This was not an isolated transaction, as the ETH sales were followed closely by a series of DeFi purchases, indicating that Ethereum was used as a funding source rather than an asset he was exiting on conviction grounds. Related Reading: Can Dogecoin Price Reach $1 In 2026? Analysts Reveal What To Expect This pattern aligns with Hayes’ broader view of Ethereum’s role in the market. ETH increasingly serves as foundational infrastructure and productive collateral, while much of the incremental return potential has migrated to protocols that sit closer to yield generation and cash-flow activity. Hayes had already signaled this thinking earlier, having trimmed ETH exposure in August, making the recent sales part of a continuing reallocation rather than a sudden reversal. Hayes later reinforced the rationale publicly, stating that his portfolio was rotating out of ETH and into “high-quality DeFi names,” based on the expectation that these assets could outperform in an environment of improving fiat liquidity. The speed and coordination of the trades suggest a clear macro-driven move rather than tactical speculation. The Thesis Behind Pendle, Lido DAO, Ethena, And Ether.fi Purchases Following the ETH sales, Hayes redeployed capital across four DeFi protocols, each targeting a different segment of the Ethereum financial stack. Initial purchases included 961,113 PENDLE worth about $1.75 million, reflecting exposure to yield tokenization and on-chain fixed-income markets. He also acquired 2.3 million LDO valued at roughly $1.29 million, positioning into liquid staking infrastructure that continues to play a central role in Ethereum’s staking economy. Related Reading: What Happens If The Bitcoin Price Closes 2025 In The Red? Analyst Answers Additional allocations went to Ethena and Ether.fi, with Hayes buying 6.05 million ENA for approximately $1.24 million and 491,401 ETHFI worth about $343,000. Minutes later, on-chain trackers reported follow-up purchases, showing Hayes doubling down on two positions. He added an additional 4.86 million ENA valued near $986,000 and 697,851 ETHFI worth roughly $485,000, pushing total DeFi deployment well beyond the original allocation. The structure of these buys matters. Pendle targets yield markets, Lido anchors staking liquidity, Ethena focuses on synthetic dollar mechanics, and Ether.fi captures emerging restaking yield. Together, they form a solid exposure to yield, capital efficiency, and infrastructure-level adoption rather than narrative-driven trades. Hayes’ actions underscore a consistent message: Ethereum remains the base layer, but he sees the strongest risk-adjusted opportunities in the DeFi protocols that actively convert ETH into productive, revenue-linked assets. Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com
Fed officials were focused less on rate moves and more on whether the financial system has enough cash to avoid sudden disruptions.
2026 is shaping up to be a huge year for games, with major sequels, long-awaited releases, and big new projects already lined up.
More than 200 new DATs are estimated to have launched in 2025, pushing the value of crypto held by companies beyond $100 billion.
Bitcoin cash-and-carry trades faded toward the end of the year, leading funds to shift to Bitcoin options for yield. Is the strategy putting a cap on BTC price?
Outages with Cloudflare and Amazon Web Services caused brief massive outages in 2025, affecting several cryptocurrency platforms.
Turkmenistan, a small country with about 7.6 million people and very limited control over the internet, has officially legalized cryptocurrency mining and exchanges since January 2026. The decision is aimed at attracting fresh investment and reducing dependence on gas exports, while keeping tight rules on who can operate and how crypto can be used. Turkmenistan …
Bitcoin’s short-term price action is still without bullish momentum, and according to macroeconomist Henrik Zeberg, the longer-term outlook may be deteriorating as well. Henrik Zeberg shared a strongly bearish assessment of the market’s current structure in a post on the social media platform X with the conclusion that Bitcoin is no longer behaving like an asset in a healthy expansion phase. Instead, he described Bitcoin as approaching an important peak, warning that the current structure carries an elevated risk of a sharp downside move once that peak is in place. Bitcoin’s Expanding Diagonal Points To Price Top Zeberg’s Bitcoin outlook is based on the expanding diagonal structure on Bitcoin’s monthly candlestick timeframe chart. This long-term pattern, which has been playing out since Bitcoin’s creation, shows increasing volatility, with the Bitcoin price making higher highs and lower lows with a widening range. Related Reading: People Are Not Ready For Bitcoin; Analyst Reveals What’s Coming Next According to the chart he shared, Bitcoin appears to be completing the final stages of this structure, and this is expected to be characterized by exhaustion. Zeberg labels the current zone as a topping area, where upside progress becomes increasingly unstable even if the price continues to increase. Interestingly, the chart projected a final surge as a blow-off top that could carry Bitcoin to the mid-$150,000 range. However, in this framework, that final push is not a sign of strength but a hallmark of late-cycle overconfidence. Expanding diagonals tend to resolve violently once the structure breaks, and Zeberg views the current setup as looking like where optimism peaked just before a reversal. From Euphoria To A Deep Crash Scenario Zeberg’s most controversial claims are in his projected downside targets. According to him, once the final euphoric rally plays out and Bitcoin reaches above $150,000, it could enter into a collapse on a scale that most Bitcoin investors currently consider unthinkable. Related Reading: Analyst Predicts When The Bitcoin Supercycle Will Actually Begin He compared the setup to the dot-com era, when the Nasdaq fell by more than 80%, and noted that Bitcoin has historically amplified both upside and downside moves. Based on that logic, he predicted a scenario where a broader AI and crypto bubble unwinds, leading to a Bitcoin price crash of about 97% or 98% from the eventual peak. This translates into a technical minimum target between $3,000 and $4,000, with the possibility of even deeper declines. Although the final rally may be dramatic, holding through the subsequent crash could be devastating for unprepared investors. Zeberg also highlighted momentum indicators that he believes support the bearish outlook. Bitcoin is showing what he describes as massive bearish divergence on the monthly timeframe. This is a situation where price continues to grind higher but momentum indicators such as the RSI fail to confirm those highs. Another indicator is the monthly MACD, which is also approaching, or already printing, a bearish crossover on the long-term chart. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
At the start of 2025, crypto's biggest names issued bold forecasts: Bitcoin to $200,000, Ethereum to $7,000, a US strategic reserve, and stablecoins going mainstream. Twelve months later, the scoreboard reveals a pattern. The price targets mostly crashed and burned, while the structural calls on regulation, ETFs, and payments infrastructure quietly came true. Here's who […]
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Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency, ended its Q4 2025 with a nearly 28% drop, but the bigger story goes beyond price. For the first time in 14 years, Bitcoin failed to follow its famous four-year cycle, surprising traders and long-term holders alike. As 2026 begins, whale accumulation, tight price action, and changing market forces are …
Turkmenistan's crypto regulation may boost innovation and economic growth but limits everyday crypto use, impacting broader digital adoption.
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Bitcoin entered a "new era" as the 2025 yearly candle closed red, said analysis, with BTC price volatility signals firing into the new year.
Crypto thefts topped $2.2 billion in 2025, on par with last year’s total, as attackers exploited a range of blockchain vulnerabilities.
South Korea’s top money-laundering watchdog has slapped crypto exchange Korbit with a fine worth about ₩2.73 billion, or roughly $1.90 million, after finding widespread lapses in its compliance controls. Related Reading: Crypto Headed For A $10 Trillion Future? Hoskinson Says RWA Is The Key According to regulator statements and multiple news reports, the move follows an on-site inspection that uncovered thousands of rule breaches and several risky transfers abroad. Regulatory Findings And Scope Of The Inspection The Financial Intelligence Unit said inspectors found nearly 22,000 breaches related to AML and KYC rules. The FIU said the inspection, carried out from October 16 to 29, 2024, exposed serious gaps in how Korbit verified customer identities and handled transactions. Reports have disclosed that the exchange allowed some customers to trade before full verification was completed and accepted unclear or incomplete identity documents in many cases. The regulator also flagged 19 overseas transfers involving three unregistered foreign virtual asset service providers, a practice that is restricted under Korean law. The FIU highlighted the failure to carry out required risk checks for certain services, including some nonfungible token activities. In total, 655 cases were cited where mandatory risk assessments were not completed, according to the findings. Corporate responsibility measures were taken as well: the CEO received a formal caution and the compliance officer was reprimanded. An institutional warning was issued alongside the monetary penalty. Transaction Failures And Enforcement Details The inspection report described multiple instances where trading or withdrawals proceeded despite incomplete KYC steps. Such lapses raise the chance that illicit funds could move through the platform without timely detection. The FIU’s action is part of a broader push by South Korean authorities to tighten oversight of exchanges and bring them into closer alignment with international anti-money-laundering standards. Market sources indicate Korbit has been in discussions with Mirae Asset Group about a potential deal, with the exchange’s valuation reported at around ₩140 billion — roughly $97–$98 million. That interest comes even as regulators step up scrutiny, showing that traditional finance remains curious about crypto assets despite compliance headaches. Related Reading: Crypto ETFs Defy The Pullback With $32 Billion In Fresh Investor Cash What The Penalty Means For The Industry Other exchanges have also faced tougher checks in recent years as authorities press platforms to shore up controls. The Korbit case is likely to prompt more internal reviews across the sector and could speed up changes in procedures, staffing and technology meant to prevent repeat failures. Some measures will be public, while others may be handled behind closed doors. Korbit declined to comment directly to some outlets, while the FIU confirmed the sanction on December 31, 2025. The exchange will now need to demonstrate fixes or face possible further action. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
After a volatile 2025, investors are rethinking crypto cycles. Here are three investment themes that will shape the market’s next phase in 2026.
The class-action suit, filed against Cuban and others in August 2022 shortly after Voyager filed for bankruptcy, alleged “false representations and other deceptive conduct.“
B HODL's increased Bitcoin holdings highlight a strategic commitment to leveraging cryptocurrency for long-term financial growth and network utility.
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On the last trading days of the year, the kind of chart that almost nobody outside finance ever looks at started yelling again. Banks piled into the Fed’s Standing Repo Facility, borrowing a record $74.6 billion on Dec. 31 for 2025. Overnight funding rates popped, the benchmark SOFR briefly hit 3.77%, the general collateral repo […]
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Iran has reportedly announced plans to sell advanced weapons systems using cryptocurrency, executing its international trade amid heavy economic pressure. The announcements come as Iran struggles with high inflation and a sharply weakening national currency, following years of sanctions and restricted access to global banking. By turning to crypto for high-value transactions, Iranian officials seem …
The Trust Wallet update includes a feature to help victims of the $7 million Christmas hack submit reimbursement claims for lost funds.
A major institutional player in global finance has made its position on XRP clear, placing the cryptocurrency at the center of its digital asset strategy. Franklin Templeton, an asset management firm handling over $1.6 trillion worth of assets, used a recent post on the social media platform X to explain why it is going deep into XRP as an asset, while also drawing attention to its Spot exchange-traded product, XRPZ. This interesting comment is part of a growing institutional confidence in XRP and the XRP Ledger. Franklin Templeton’s Strategic Entry With A Spot XRP ETF Franklin Templeton’s arrival in the XRP ETF space is one of the most significant endorsements of the token from a legacy financial institution. The firm launched the Franklin XRP Trust, trading under ticker XRPZ on the NYSE Arca in late November, offering investors regulated exposure to the digital asset without the operational complexity of holding the token directly. Related Reading: Can Dogecoin Price Reach $1 In 2026? Analysts Reveal What To Expect The fund is structured as a grantor trust that holds XRP and calculates its net asset value daily based on established reference rates, with custody provided by Coinbase Custody Trust Company and administration by BNY Mellon. Recent comments from leading voices at the fund manager reveal that the decision to launch a Spot XRP ETF is due to their strong belief in XRP and the XRP Ledger. Roger Bayston, Head of Digital Assets at Franklin Templeton, highlighted the XRP Ledger’s designed capability for real-time, low-cost settlement and efficient cross-border payments. Furthermore, he noted that the altcoin’s market capitalization and role in global value transfer make it an important component worth regulated exposure for investors with a broad portfolio. The firm’s broader digital asset suite already includes Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, and XRP was the latest to join this year. Franklin Templeton traces its roots back to 1947 and has built a reputation of trillions in equity, fixed income, and multi-asset investments in markets all around the world. Its move into crypto ETFs, now encompassing Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP exposure, is part of many established asset managers now actively engaging in the crypto industry. Performance And Market Reception Of XRPZ Since Launch Several issuers received clearance for Spot XRP ETFs in 2025, making it possible for institutions and everyday investors to gain exposure to the cryptocurrencies through regulated means. Since their debut in November, the Spot ETFs, including XRPZ, have attracted meaningful capital flows. Related Reading: What Happens If The Bitcoin Price Closes 2025 In The Red? Analyst Answers Collectively, these products have drawn more than $1.16 billion in net inflows, maintaining consecutive days of inflows that stand in contrast to recent days of outflows in Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs. Franklin Templeton’s XRPZ itself has grown its holdings past 100 million XRP, with a cumulative inflow of about $242 million at the time of writing. Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com
After major technical gains in 2025, Buterin says the network must double down on usability and decentralization to meet its original goals.
Bullish forecasts for ETF-led demand growth clash with warnings that many products may struggle to attract lasting assets.
2025 delivered at least four distinct “crypto is dead” episodes: a January AI-induced flash crash, the October tariff liquidation that erased $19 billion in leveraged positions, months of altcoin carnage, and a fourth quarter slump that wiped out the year's price gains. Mainstream outlets dusted off “crypto winter” language each time. Bitcoin logged more obituaries […]
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Bitmine's increased Ethereum staking could significantly impact the crypto market, enhancing network security and influencing staking dynamics.
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Dogecoin’s pullback is starting to look like a setup, not a breakdown, at least according to crypto analyst Cantonese Cat (@cantonmeow), who says the meme coin is behaving the way AMD did before its turn higher last year. Can Dogecoin Replicate The AMD Rally? In a X post on Dec. 31, the analyst argued that slipping prices on weakening volume and growing public reluctance to be bullish is exactly what improves the trade’s risk/reward. “I said that about AMD last year. I’m saying that about DOGE right now,” Cantonese Cat wrote. “The lower price goes down on low volume. The more worried influencers are to publicly be bullish on it. The less people care about this. The better risk-reward ratio there is.” The Dec. 31 chart is built around Fibonacci retracement levels mapped from DOGE’s prior move, with key bands marked at roughly $0.373 (0.886), $0.297 (0.786), $0.202 (0.618), $0.154 (0.5), $0.118 (0.382), $0.084 (0.236) and a lower reference near $0.049 (0). In that view, DOGE is shown sliding into the 0.382 region (around $0.118), a level many technicians watch as a make-or-break area for whether a pullback remains corrective or risks turning into a deeper unwind. Related Reading: Dogecoin Near $0.11–$0.12 Offers ‘Incredible Risk/Reward,’ Says Analyst Below price, Cantonese Cat’s volume bars are annotated with downward arrows, reinforcing the point made in the accompanying commentary: as DOGE moved lower, participation appeared to fade. For the analyst, that combination: declining price paired with softer volume and a more reluctant public tape fits a pattern where marginal sellers can exhaust without attracting aggressive new supply. Long-Term Dogecoin Price Targets Cantonese Cat’s earlier Dec. 20 post sets the broader roadmap, describing the preceding stretch as a prolonged downcycle and positioning the current phase as a corrective structure rather than a fresh trend. “We’ve already had a 13 month bear market for DOGE, with my working hypothesis of this being likely a wave 2 correction prior to wave 3 explosion,” the analyst wrote. “The entire reason why this may play out is that it doesn’t feel likely right now, and you want me to stop posting.” Related Reading: Dogecoin Chart Mirrors Silver’s Breakout, Analyst Flags $9+ Scenario That Dec. 20 chart also projects upside targets using Fibonacci extensions, with levels plotted well above the prior range. The marked extension ladder includes roughly $0.90 (1.272), $1.25 (1.414), and $1.99 (1.618), with more aggressive levels further out near $4.78 (2.0) and $8.91 (2.272). The thesis is not that those levels are imminent, but that the convexity of a potential “wave 3” is what makes the current pullback, if it holds the corrective framing, attractive from a risk/reward standpoint. Notably, the AMD comparison is not the only cross-market framing Cantonese Cat has used recently. The analyst has also drawn parallels between Dogecoin and silver, according to our recent coverage, extending the same core idea across different assets: periods that feel uninteresting or unpopular can be precisely when the setup becomes more asymmetric. At press time, DOGE traded at $0.12. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com