Crypto

The "strawmap" outlines seven forks through the end of the decade, including post-quantum cryptography, shielded transfers, and a 480x reduction in transaction finality time.

Telegram’s crypto wallet introduces self-custodial vaults, letting users earn yields on Bitcoin, Ether and USDt directly inside the messaging app. Telegram’s built-in crypto wallet has introduced a feature that allows users to earn returns on major cryptocurrencies inside the messaging app. The update introduces vaults in TON Wallet, a self-custodial wallet integrated within Wallet in Telegram, enabling users to hold, send and earn on Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Tether’s USDt (USDT) without leaving the chat interface, according to a Thursday announcement shared with Cointelegraph. “At Wallet in Telegram, our mission is to transform digital assets from complex concepts into practical tools for everyday life,” said Andrew Rogozov, CEO of The Open Platform and Wallet in Telegram. Read more

It was a green day for stablecoin enthusiasts and crypto majors, and positive earnings from NVDA after hours signal the rally may have legs.

Lawmakers pass HB 1042 allowing public funds to access bitcoin and ETFs, while banning crypto ATMs amid rising fraud concerns.

The bitcoin mining company now holds over 6,000 BTC, with roughly one-third acquired through mining and two-thirds through open-market purchases and strategic transactions.

The roadmap targets faster finality, native privacy, quantum-resistant cryptography, and gigagas throughput across planned upgrades.

Animoca's Yat Siu: 2026 Is the 'Year of Utility' for Web3 The post Animoca’s Yat Siu Says AI Agents Will Make 2026 the ‘Year of Utility’ appeared first on Cryptonews.

Escalating US-Iran tensions are boosting safe-haven demand, with gold attracting investors while equities and Bitcoin face pressure. Rising tensions in the Middle East are pushing investors toward safe-haven assets, with gold demand climbing as investors flee equities and crypto markets. On Wednesday, reports revealed that Iran has sharply increased crude oil exports, with shipments from Kharg Island reaching 20.1 million barrels between Feb. 15 and Friday, about three times January’s level, as a preemptive supply release and a hedge against possible disruption if tensions with the United States escalate. At the same time, increasingly hawkish US rhetoric regarding Iran’s nuclear program has raised expectations of confrontation, according to Bitunix analysts. “In the event of a direct US–Iran military conflict, gold could rise by roughly 15% within two weeks on safe-haven demand, targeting a range of $5,500-$5,800 per ounce,” the analysts wrote in a note shared with Cointelegraph. Read more

Circle's fourth quarter earnings tell a story the company would prefer investors understand through the lens of growth: USDC circulation climbed 72% year-over-year to $75.3 billion, reserve income surged 69%, and adjusted EBITDA quintupled. However, the income statement reveals a different architecture in which the issuer generates yield and immediately bargains most of it away […] The post Circle’s $461M payout shows who captures USDC yield — and it’s not Circle appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Vitalik Buterin has exceeded his previously stated plan to sell 16,384 ETH, with total disposals now reaching 18,684 ETH.

[PRESS RELEASE – Malta, EU, February 26th, 2026] Gate, a world-leading player in crypto space, announced that Gate Technology Ltd, its Malta-based entity, has officially obtained a Payment Institution license under the EU’s Second Payment Services Directive (PSD2) from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). This milestone places Gate among one of the crypto-native companies […]

The return of spot Bitcoin ETF inflows may fuel a BTC price recovery, as signs of a potential rebound to $75,000-$80,000 emerge. Bitcoin (BTC) tapped $70,000 during Wednesday’s New York session as bulls targeted sell liquidity. Key takeaways: BTC price support must hold above a key trendline at $68,000 for the rebound to continue. Read more

Indiana’s HB 1042 cleared both chambers and heads to Governor Mike Braun, limiting crypto-specific taxes and opening the door to crypto options for retirement accounts. Indiana lawmakers sent a bill to Governor Mike Braun that would expand legal protections for cryptocurrency users and require certain state retirement and savings plans to offer a self-directed brokerage option with at least one crypto investment choice. House Bill 1042 (HB1042) for the “regulation and investment of cryptocurrency” cleared the legislature on Wednesday, with 59 lawmakers voting in favor and 33 against, according to data from Legiscan. The bill seeks to protect Bitcoin (BTC) and cryptocurrency investor rights, ban discriminatory crypto taxes and open the door for digital asset holdings in state retirement plans. Read more

Bitcoin demand has rebounded for the first time since November as ETF inflows hit $506M and Coinbase premium flips positive.

After weeks of subdued activity, US spot ETH ETFs also witnessed a surge in inflows.

Institutional interest in Strategy’s (formerly MicroStrategy) preferred securities is building at a time when the company’s common stock, MSTR, remains one of the market’s most-watched bearish trades tied to Bitcoin. The clearest signal came this week, when Prevalon Energy and Anchorage Digital said at Strategy World 2026 that they had each allocated part of their […] The post MSTR short squeeze chances shift as traders bet $5B against MSTR while Strategy returns 11% yield appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The license allows Gate to execute payment transactions in the EU, including direct debits and credit transfers under PSD2 rules. Crypto exchange Gate has secured a Payment Institution license in Malta, a license under the European Union’s PSD2 framework, giving the crypto exchange a regulated foothold to offer payment services across the bloc alongside its existing crypto permissions. The company said Thursday that its Malta-based entity, Gate Technology, received the license from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). Gate said the approval supports its strategy of linking traditional payment infrastructure with Web3 services in Europe. The authorization adds payment capabilities to Gate’s existing EU crypto permissions. On Oct. 1, 2025, Gate announced that it had obtained a license under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, allowing it to provide exchange and custody services across member states. Read more

Jimmy Wales Calls Bitcoin a Bubble — Polymarket Disagrees The post Wikipedia vs. On-Chain: Why Jimmy Wales’ Bitcoin Bubble Call Clashes With Polymarket Data appeared first on Cryptonews.

Fresh inflows lift US Bitcoin ETFs toward a potential first weekly gain after five consecutive weeks of outflows totaling $3.8 billion. US spot Bitcoin funds extended their rebound Wednesday as BTC reclaimed $68,000, pulling in $506.5 million in inflows, the largest daily total since Feb. 2. Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are nearing a potential first week of inflows after five weeks of net outflows totaling $3.8 billion, with weekly inflows now at $560.4 million, according to SoSoValue data. The gains mark two consecutive days of inflows, hinting at a possible upside following a massive February sell-off that wiped out $20 billion in net assets. Read more

The OCC’s proposal to implement the GENIUS Act would bar yield on payment stablecoins and introduce a rebuttable presumption against common issuer-affiliate reward structures. The US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has dropped a 376‑page proposal to implement the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act that looks to settle the ongoing stablecoin yield fight. The proposal is open to public comment for 60 days from Wednesday’s publication date, and sets out detailed rules for permitted payment stablecoin issuers under the OCC’s jurisdiction. Supervised entities would be barred from paying any form of interest or yield, whether in cash, tokens or other consideration, “solely in connection with the holding, use, or retention” of a payment stablecoin, consistent with section 4(a)(11) of the GENIUS Act.  Read more