From hacks and macro shocks to stablecoin regulation and market-structure upgrades, 2025 reshaped how crypto operates and what mainstream adoption really means. On Feb. 24, the crypto industry faced a renewed security reckoning after about $1.4 billion was stolen from Bybit, making it one of the largest exchange-related thefts on record. US authorities publicly attributed the attack to actors linked to North Korea and warned that the stolen assets would likely be laundered through a network of addresses and intermediaries. Read more
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino warned that an AI sector correction could spill over into crypto markets in 2026, with some analysts projecting BTC to drop to as low as $65,000. Concerns are mounting that global equity markets may be drifting into another bubble, fueled by relentless optimism about AI. If that bubble cracks in 2026, Bitcoin (BTC) and the broader crypto market could be among the first to feel the fallout. Key takeaways: AI bubble risks could hit crypto first, as overstretched, debt-funded equity markets unwind. Read more
From McDonald’s to municipal taxes, Lugano is proving that Bitcoin adoption is not about predicting the future; it is about building the infrastructure to handle it today. Adoption is voluntary. Merchants participate because Bitcoin Lightning fees are typically under 1%, compared with the roughly 3% average charged by credit card networks. Residents can pay municipal bills, including taxes, parking fines and tuition, in BTC or USDT using standard QR-code invoices. The city balances the ecosystem by using BTC for payments, USDT for stability and LVGA as a local loyalty token. Read more
The malicious Trust Wallet extension has also been exporting users’ personal information, pointing to potential insider activity, according to cybersecurity company SlowMist. Trust Wallet users lost about $7 million in a Christmas Day exploit that had been planned since early December. Trust Wallet’s browser extension version 2.68 was compromised by a security incident impacting desktop users, Trust Wallet said in a Thursday X post; it advised users to upgrade to version 2.89. Changpeng Zhao, co-founder of Binance, which owns the cryptocurrency wallet that claims to serve 220 million users, said in a Friday X post that the lost funds will be covered. Read more
Bitcoin simmered below resistance but teased a bullish breakout as the Asia trading session accompanied new all-time highs for gold and silver. Bitcoin (BTC) aimed for $90,000 on Boxing Day as precious metals set yet another all-time high. Key points: Bitcoin seeks a retest of $90,000 as TradFi markets return after the Christmas break. Read more
The failed vote highlights deeper tensions over token value capture, governance power and whether DAO structures can effectively manage protocol identity. Aave token holders voted against a controversial governance proposal seeking to place control of the protocol's brand assets under DAO ownership. On Friday, the snapshot poll closed with 55.29% voting “NAY” and 41.21% abstaining. Only 3.5% of voters supported the proposal. The proposal asked whether Aave (AAVE) token holders should regain control over Aave’s domains, social handles, naming rights and other intellectual property through an entity under a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). Supporters framed the move as a step toward decentralization and clarifying questions about brand stewardship. Read more
James Howells, who accidentally had his hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoin thrown away, offered his advice to industry newcomers, veterans and skeptics in 2026. Newcomers are diving into crypto without learning what it is, veterans are watching their profits soar without spurring adoption and skeptics are judging crypto with little information, says OG Bitcoiner James Howells. Howells is famous for fighting in court to recover a hard drive from a landfill that contained 8,000 Bitcoin (BTC) worth $700 million. While he didn’t succeed, he told Cointelegraph that he didn’t let the loss define him and shared his tips and 2026 resolutions for newcomers, veterans and skeptics. Finally, Howells noted that much of the recycled criticism comes from financial institutions and nation-states that are quietly building blockchain infrastructure for custody, trading, and settlement behind the scenes. Read more