The Bank of Italy modeled the extreme scenario of Ether going to zero to show how market risk in Ethereum’s native token could turn into infrastructure and financial stability risks. The Bank of Italy modeled what would happen to Ethereum’s security and settlement capacity if the price of Ether fell to zero, treating the network as critical financial infrastructure rather than just a speculative crypto asset. In a new research paper titled “What if Ether Goes to Zero? How Market Risk Becomes Infrastructure Risk in Crypto,” Bank of Italy economist Claudia Biancotti examined how an extreme price shock in Ether (ETH) could affect Ethereum‑based financial services that rely on the network for transaction processing and settlement. Biancotti focused on the link between validators’ economic incentives and the stability of the underlying blockchain used by stablecoins and other tokenized assets. Read more
Standard Chartered is reportedly developing a crypto prime brokerage platform as traditional banks expand digital asset services. Standard Chartered may develop a crypto prime brokerage platform, a potential expansion of the bank’s digital asset ambitions as traditional financial institutions deepen their involvement in the sector. The British multinational bank is in early-stage discussions to establish a crypto trading and prime brokerage platform under its venture capital arm, SC Ventures, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing unidentified sources. A timeline for a launch has not been finalized. Standard Chartered has yet to confirm the plans. In July 2025, Standard Chartered launched trading services enabling institutions and corporations to trade the leading cryptocurrencies. Read more