The new product is expected to launch in the first half of 2026 and will let clients borrow fiat against Bitcoin held in multisignature wallets. Sygnum Bank has partnered with Bitcoin-backed lending platform Debifi to launch a multisignature lending product that allows borrowers to retain shared control of their collateral. According to the Swiss digital asset bank’s announcement on Friday, the product introduces a Bitcoin-native multisign lending model that allows clients to retain control of their collateral through distributed key management, ensuring that assets cannot be rehypothecated. Sygnum clients can take out fiat loans backed by Bitcoin in a setup that requires three of five key holders to authorize any transaction, allowing borrowers to track and verify their collateral directly onchain. Read more
Early BTC whales shift to ETFs, giving up keys for TradFi perks, as BlackRock conversions rise and onchain self-custody breaks a 15-year uptrend. Bitcoin’s (BTC) long-time whales, once the fiercest champions of self-custody, may be losing some of their grip on the market as more migrate toward the comforts of traditional finance. Earlier this week, a BlackRock executive revealed that several of Bitcoin’s earliest holders are quietly swapping portions of their spot positions for exchange-traded funds (ETFs), gaining access to broader wealth management tools in the process. While ETFs and spot Bitcoin have traditionally served different audiences, onchain data suggests the rise of spot ETFs may be coming at the expense of self-custody. According to analyst Willy Woo, the amount of self-custodied Bitcoin recently broke a 15-year uptrend, just as ETF adoption accelerated. In this week’s Crypto Biz, we look at Bitcoin whales’ turn toward TradFi, Ripple’s latest public market play, Galaxy Digital’s standout Q3 earn...
Early BTC whales shift to ETFs, giving up keys for TradFi perks, as BlackRock conversions rise and onchain self-custody breaks a 15-year uptrend. Bitcoin’s (BTC) long-time whales, once the fiercest champions of self-custody, may be losing some of their grip on the market as more migrate toward the comforts of traditional finance. Earlier this week, a BlackRock executive revealed that several of Bitcoin’s earliest holders are quietly swapping portions of their spot positions for exchange-traded funds (ETFs), gaining access to broader wealth management tools in the process. While ETFs and spot Bitcoin have traditionally served different audiences, onchain data suggests the rise of spot ETFs may be coming at the expense of self-custody. According to analyst Willy Woo, the amount of self-custodied Bitcoin recently broke a 15-year uptrend, just as ETF adoption accelerated. In this week’s Crypto Biz, we look at Bitcoin whales’ turn toward TradFi, Ripple’s latest public market play, Galaxy Digital’s standout Q3 earn...
In an interview with Cointelegraph, Galaxy Digital’s head of research explains why Bitcoin is at a pivotal moment, and what could define its next downturn. Bitcoin’s bull market is holding strong, but a slip under $100,000 could spell trouble, Galaxy Digital’s head of research Alex Thorn told Cointelegraph. “I think the bull market is structurally intact, but it’s at risk,” Thorn said, noting that the market is at a “pivot point” where sentiment could shift quickly. “If you were to lose 100K now, I think it would create a lot of anxiety that could put that structural bull market in jeopardy.” Despite the massive Oct. 10 liquidation, he insists that the pullback was not driven by Bitcoin’s fundamentals. “Nothing about Bitcoin’s drop… has been fundamental about Bitcoin,” he said. “It’s really trading like a macro asset.” Read more
In an interview with Cointelegraph, Galaxy Digital’s head of research explains why Bitcoin is at a pivotal moment, and what could define its next downturn. Bitcoin’s bull market is holding strong, but a slip under $100,000 could spell trouble, Galaxy Digital’s head of research Alex Thorn told Cointelegraph. “I think the bull market is structurally intact, but it’s at risk,” Thorn said, noting that the market is at a “pivot point” where sentiment could shift quickly. “If you were to lose 100K now, I think it would create a lot of anxiety that could put that structural bull market in jeopardy.” Despite the massive Oct. 10 liquidation, he insists that the pullback was not driven by Bitcoin’s fundamentals. “Nothing about Bitcoin’s drop… has been fundamental about Bitcoin,” he said. “It’s really trading like a macro asset.” Read more
Bitcoin may still be on track to $200,000 before the end of the year despite the recent market crash, but a lack of ETF buying continues to limit upside potential. Cryptocurrency valuations staged a modest recovery this week as investor appetite for digital assets returned after the recent market crash. In a silver lining to the correction, the $19 billion liquidation event may be seen as a buying opportunity by investors, a dynamic that could fuel Bitcoin’s (BTC) rise above $200,000 before the end of the year, according to Standard Chartered’s global head of digital assets research, Geoff Kendrick. However, a lack of inflows from the US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) continues to limit Bitcoin’s upside momentum. Read more
Bitcoin may still be on track to $200,000 before the end of the year despite the recent market crash, but a lack of ETF buying continues to limit upside potential. Cryptocurrency valuations staged a modest recovery this week as investor appetite for digital assets returned after the recent market crash. In a silver lining to the correction, the $19 billion liquidation event may be seen as a buying opportunity by investors, a dynamic that could fuel Bitcoin’s (BTC) rise above $200,000 before the end of the year, according to Standard Chartered’s global head of digital assets research, Geoff Kendrick. However, a lack of inflows from the US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) continues to limit Bitcoin’s upside momentum. Read more
Bitcoin flipped volatile as CPI data came in lower than expected, but failed to follow stocks as they hit fresh all-time highs on Fed rate-cut optimism. Key points: Bitcoin price action whipsaws around a cooler-than-expected CPI print. Optimism on risk assets increases, with the Federal Reserve seen continuing interest-rate cuts through 2026. Read more
This could make Bitcoin and Ether more attractive to institutional investors seeking to maximize the utility of their assets. Investment banking giant JPMorgan Chase is reportedly planning to let clients use Bitcoin and Ether as collateral for loans, signaling Wall Street’s continued move toward embracing digital assets. The initiative would allow JPMorgan’s global clients to borrow against their Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) holdings, according to a Bloomberg report published Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The offering would store clients’ Bitcoin and Ether holdings through a third-party custodian, according to people who spoke to the news outlet. Read more
Corporate Bitcoin reserves now rival ETFs, and Botanix Labs founder Willem Schroé wants to turn those dormant holdings into active, yield-generating assets. Publicly listed companies are increasingly rebranding as Bitcoin (BTC) treasuries, with holdings now nearing 1.05 million BTC. Private companies have also piled in by adding another 279,185 BTC across at least 68 companies, bringing the total to 1.33 million, or about 6.3% of Bitcoin’s supply. The question now is whether these reserves will sit idle or be put to work. Willem Schroé, founder and CEO of Bitcoin yield network Botanix Labs, believes many won’t. Read more
Whales still move prices, but ETF flows, exchange liquidity, and macro shifts now decide Bitcoin’s daily color. Since 2024, spot ETF inflows and outflows have been the strongest driver of Bitcoin’s green and red days. With exchange balances near multi-year lows, any sizable order travels farther through the book. Large holders often split trades or use OTC desks, muting visible “wallet-moved” shocks. Read more