As tensions escalate around the globe, Byte-Sized Insight explores how crypto behaves in crisis, from Bitcoin’s market resilience to blockchain’s role in preserving journalism and dispersing aid. As geopolitical tensions rise in the Middle East and global markets brace for volatility, Byte-Sized Insight’s latest episode explores how crypto reacts under pressure and whether it can provide more than just price movement. In the first half of the episode, host Savannah Fortis speaks with Cointelegraph’s Ray Salmond and Marcel Pechman, who offer expert commentary and break down how Bitcoin (BTC) has performed amid growing fears of US involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict. “There’s a lot of uncertainty… and we see this reflected in the price action of gold, silver, US Treasurys and Bitcoin,” Salmond explains. Read more
Moca Chain is a new EVM-compatible layer-1 network designed for decentralized, privacy-preserving identity verification. Blockchain development firm Moca Foundation announced the launch of Moca Chain, a new layer-1 blockchain focused on privacy-preserving identity and data authentication. Moca Chain is a layer-1 blockchain purpose-built for identity and user data management applications, Moca Foundation announced on Wednesday. The network aims to support the development of identity protocols that allow individuals, devices and artificial intelligence agents to control and verify their credentials without relying on centralized service providers. Read more
With a $151 million market cap, A7A5 has reportedly been involved in $9.3 billion of transactions with Grinex, the supposed successor to the sanctioned Garantex exchange. A7A5, a new Russian ruble-backed stablecoin, has reportedly emerged as a major transaction tool on Grinex, a crypto exchange widely seen as the successor to Russia’s sanctioned Garantex platform. Following the stablecoin’s launch in Kyrgyzstan in February, at least $9.3 billion worth of A7A5 (A7A5) has moved through Grinex, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. Although Grinex has repeatedly denied links to Garantex, the exchange was allegedly crediting balances by users of the sanctioned Garantex, which was hit with a $27 million USDT freeze by Tether in March. Read more