China state TV bashes Trump’s crypto policies in 30-minute special. New Telegram dark markets tie with Huione’s infrastructure. Asia Express. CCTV, Chinas state broadcasting mouthpiece, aired a half-hour special on cryptocurrencies and how the US is attempting to solidify dollar dominance with stablecoins. The July 27 broadcast framed the new US stablecoin legislation GENIUS Act, as a geopolitical turning point. CCTV pinpointed that the new rules explicitly ban a Federal Reserveissued central bank digital currency (CBCD) while allowing stablecoins to export US debt in digital form. The broadcaster said stablecoins backed by US Treasury bonds represent the third phase of dollar hegemony after Bretton Woods gold and Middle Eastern oil. In this model, crypto users across the globe become indirect holders of US government debt, while stablecoin issuers emerge as the next generation of bond superbuyers. The program warned that this digital infrastructure could displace weaker currencies. Read more
The proposal aims to make Ethereum faster and quantum-resistant, while also reducing the layer-1 blockchain's technical complexity. Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake has proposed “Lean Ethereum,” a plan to make the layer-1 smart contract network quantum-secure, while also simplifying Ethereum’s tech stack, which includes the consensus layer, data layer and execution layer. The researcher proposed zero-knowledge powered virtual machines, a way of verifying data onchain without revealing the content of that data, to quantum-proof the execution layer and strengthen security. Drake called for data availability sampling as a way of reducing the storage requirements for the Ethereum blockchain, while preserving block integrity. Read more
The crypto exchange missed revenue estimates for Q2 2025, with transaction volumes falling sharply. Still, steady growth in stablecoin-related income offered some relief. Shares of Coinbase Global (COIN) plunged in after-hours trading Thursday after the crypto exchange missed Wall Street estimates on both earnings and revenue, despite hitting several key business milestones during the quarter. Coinbase reported $1.5 billion in second-quarter revenue, falling short of analysts’ expectations of $1.56 billion to $1.59 billion. While net income came in at $1.4 billion, adjusted net income, excluding investment gains, was just $33 million. Non-GAAP earnings were particularly weak, with profit at only $0.12 per share, well below the $1.49 per share analysts had projected. A sharp drop in transaction revenue, driven by falling spot crypto trading volumes, weighed heavily on results. Read more