Cointelegraph.com
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Cointelegraph.com - 11:33 Jul 08, 2026
Toss has reportedly partnered with Optimism and Sunnyside Labs for a proof of concept on the feasibility of a Korean won-based stablecoin for payments. Viva Republica, the operator of South Korea-based mobile money transfer app Toss, reportedly signed a memorandum of understanding with blockchain company Optimism to test a Korean won-based stablecoin infrastructure for institutional payments. The companies, along with privacy solutions provider Sunnyside Labs, will conduct a three-month proof of concept (PoC) using Optimism's OP Stack and Sunnyside's Privacy Boost protocol to develop a Korean won-based stablecoin and assess whether these technologies can be applied to domestic blockchain-based payment infrastructure for financial institutions, reported Yonhap News on Wednesday. The PoC will explore whether financial institutions can control the settlement process, the feasibility of implementing know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) verification requirements and whether transactions can rem... -
Cointelegraph.com - 10:49 Jul 08, 2026
The EU securities regulator will assess custody providers’ key management, incident response and reliance on third-party technology providers. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), a key EU regulator supporting the implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, is launching a dedicated process for reviewing crypto custody providers. ESMA plans to conduct a common supervisory action (CSA) focused on the operational resilience of crypto-asset service providers (CASPs), with a specific emphasis on custody services, according to an official announcement on Wednesday. “The CSA will assess the maturity of CASPs’ digital operational resilience frameworks in relation to custody activities,” ESMA said, adding that the reviews will focus on areas including key and storage management, alongside other operational risks. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 10:37 Jul 08, 2026
Kalshi appealed to the Second Circuit after a New York federal judge denied its request to block state gambling officials from enforcing local laws against its sports event contracts. Kalshi is appealing a New York federal judge's rejection of its bid to block state gambling officials from enforcing local laws against the prediction market platform's sports-related event contracts. In a notice filed on Tuesday in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), Kalshi said it would take the case to the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The appeal followed a same-day opinion and order denying the platform operator's motion for a preliminary injunction against officials at the New York State Gaming Commission. The appeal escalates a growing legal fight over whether sports prediction markets are federally regulated derivatives or state-regulated gambling products. This question has already split courts across the United States. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 10:21 Jul 08, 2026
Berachain launched the first stage of its PoL Next upgrade, which will phase out the BGT token and shift the network's reward system to WBERA. Berachain is preparing a hard fork that will replace its dual-token incentive model with one centered on its main BERA token. Set for Wednesday at 4 pm UTC, the hard fork will end Bera Governance Token (BGT) emissions and shift the network's incentive system to Wrapped BERA (WBERA), the Berachain Foundation announced in a Tuesday X post. Following the upgrade, the network will distribute fixed amounts of WBERA instead of BGT as block rewards. The change replaces Berachain's previous dual-token model, which split the network's functions between the transferable BERA token and the non-transferable governance token BGT. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 08:46 Jul 08, 2026
Base is scheduled to activate its B20 token standard on Wednesday at 6 pm UTC, allowing developers to begin creating native tokens on the network. Coinbase-backed Ethereum layer-2 network Base is set to activate its B20 token standard on mainnet, introducing a native framework for stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) and other fungible tokens. According to Base documentation, B20 is scheduled to go live at 6 pm UTC on the mainnet, enabling developers to begin creating tokens under the new standard. The activation will enable developers to use Base's native token standard to create stablecoins, RWAs, tokenized equities and other fungible tokens without requiring them to build and audit custom ERC-20 contracts. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 06:33 Jul 08, 2026
So-called “chat control” rules could be revived in the EU, with lawmakers again set to vote on the legislation Thursday. EU lawmakers are set to vote again on controversial legislation dubbed “chat control” by its critics, which would allow tech firms to scan messages for child sexual abuse material. On Tuesday, the European Parliament voted through a rarely used urgent procedure that will bring lawmakers to a vote Thursday on whether to extend the legal framework, which expired in early April. “Today's vote violates our own rules of procedure, the European Parliament decided to use an urgent procedure for Chat Control 1.0,” Pirate Party MEP Markéta Gregorová said on Tuesday. “This means that on Thursday, we will once again vote on extending the derogation that allowed online platforms to scan our private communications.” Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 05:48 Jul 08, 2026
StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson argued that Bitcoin private keys get lost over time, meaning the amount of usable Bitcoin diminishes over time. Many disagree. The debate over whether Bitcoin's fixed supply cap should be lifted has resurfaced after StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson suggested Tuesday that it should replaced with a 4% annual issuance rate. In a post to X on Tuesday, Ben-Sasson said the current 21 million cap “doesn't make sense” because private keys are lost over time and “as time goes to infinity, all keys will be lost.” Crypto wallet hardware provider Ledger estimated in November that up to 4 million Bitcoin had been burned or permanently lost. Ben-Sasson said he still supports a hard upper bound on Bitcoin's supply, and that a 4% annual inflation rate roughly tracks the growth of the human population. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 05:30 Jul 08, 2026
Swyftx interim co-CEO Andrea Yuen says the company "won’t be a pure crypto spot exchange in future,” after it secured a license allowing it to offer payment services. Australian crypto exchange Swyftx says it will be seeking opportunities in the crypto payments space after securing a license from Australia’s market regulator. Swyftx said on Wednesday that it received its Australian Financial Services License (AFSL), joining the likes of Coinbase, BTC Markets and Crypto.com. The license allows it to offer derivative products, such as crypto options or futures, to retail customers, as well as non-cash payment facility authorization, setting up the fintech to offer payment services to business and retail clients. It does not hold an AFSL to offer spot crypto. “Swyftx won’t be a pure crypto spot exchange in future,” Swyftx interim co-CEO Andrea Yuen told Cointelegraph. “In particular, we see a lot of opportunity in the payments space following local changes to credit card surcharging.” Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 03:54 Jul 08, 2026
“The security risk is the part we take most seriously,” the team said, citing old code and AI exploit risks. Privacy-focused layer-1 blockchain Secret Network is proposing to move from its longtime home on Cosmos to Ethereum layer-2 Arbitrum, citing security risks from artificial intelligence, among other reasons. Secret Network has been running privacy-preserving smart contracts on Cosmos since 2020, as the ecosystem had strong momentum back then, but the “environment has changed,” the team said Tuesday. “The security risk is the part we take most seriously,” it said. “Old code is becoming dramatically easier to analyze … With AI, the cost of attacking stale code is falling across the board.” Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 03:25 Jul 08, 2026
The CFTC has launched a rare crypto-related enforcement action against a commodity pool operator that allegedly defrauded investors of more than $14 million. The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission has sued a North Carolina man, accusing him of operating a commodity pool featuring crypto that defrauded investors of more than $14 million. The CFTC’s lawsuit, filed in federal court on Tuesday, alleged that Trevor Vernon and his company, Argent Capital Management, operated a commodity pool featuring equity index futures, options on equity index futures and crypto. The agency alleged that from March 2022 to February 2026, Vernon solicited $14.8 million from at least 60 investors and falsely claimed he was a successful trader, even though his trading actually “resulted in consistent and catastrophic losses” for the pool’s investors. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 02:40 Jul 08, 2026
The cost of eliminating margin calls and forced liquidations is an interest rate as high as 14.2% and an obligation to pay on time, Strike CEO Jack Mallers said. Bitcoin financial services platform Strike has launched a “volatility-proof” Bitcoin-backed loan that eliminates margin calls and forced liquidations amid the depths of a bear market, but only for those who can pay on time and handle a 14% interest rate. In an announcement on Tuesday, Strike CEO Jack Mallers said the offering came in response to broad customer feedback on Strike’s first Bitcoin loan product, which launched in May 2025 and triggered many liquidations during a timeframe in which Bitcoin (BTC) dropped 54% from peak to trough. “No margin calls. No price liquidations. No matter how far bitcoin falls, your bitcoin doesn't move,” Strike CEO Jack Mallers said of the new Bitcoin loan product. The trade-off is an expensive interest rate, a shorter six-month loan term, and an obligation to pay on time to avoid liquidation, Mallers said. Read mo... -
Cointelegraph.com - 21:39 Jul 07, 2026
The financial regulator’s agenda included proposed rule changes related to crypto broker-dealers, digital assets on national securities exchanges and potential safe harbors. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced proposed rule changes that its chair said would “help clarify the regulatory framework for crypto assets and provide greater certainty to the market” as part of its annual agenda. In a Tuesday notice, SEC Chair Paul Atkins said that the agency’s 2026 agenda was intended to align with the Trump administration’s policy goals on crypto, which included clarification on tokenized securities and capital raising with digital assets. The agenda included three proposed rule changes addressing crypto broker-dealers, digital assets on alternative trading systems and national securities exchanges, and potential exemptions and safe harbors for digital assets. “The proposed rules may provide greater certainty to the market, facilitate capital formation, and accommodate innovation within the cryp... -
Cointelegraph.com - 21:14 Jul 07, 2026
ETH charts a path toward $2,000 as TradFi adoption, DAT buying and a long-awaited network upgrade boost investor interest. Key takeaways: Ether (ETH) price rallied 15% in five days, distancing itself from the $1,500 low hit on June 26. Part of the improvement in investor sentiment can be pinned to the final tests on Ethereum’s Glamsterdam upgrade, targeted for later in 2026. Moreover, BitMine Immersion Technologies' continued Ether accumulation helped strengthen the support level. Will $2,000 come next? Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 20:57 Jul 07, 2026
The asset manager is hiring a head of digital assets to lead its strategy for tokenization, stablecoins, blockchain infrastructure and client-facing products. Vanguard is hiring a head of digital assets to lead the asset manager's strategy on tokenization, stablecoins, blockchain infrastructure and client-facing digital asset products, signaling a broader push into the sector after years of resisting crypto investment offerings. According to the job description on Vanguard's website, the executive will be responsible for determining how Vanguard participates in digital assets, including evaluating client-facing products, tokenization, stablecoins, custody models, blockchain-based settlement and digital asset operating infrastructure. The role will also represent Vanguard in discussions with regulators, clients and industry groups. Hiring announcement for Vanguard head of digital assets. Source: Vanguardjobs.com Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 20:45 Jul 07, 2026
The proposed bonds to be backed by cryptocurrency still need approval from New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte and the state’s five-member executive council. The New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office announced that lawmakers would discuss issuing $100 million in bonds backed by Bitcoin (BTC) at a public hearing. In an update to the New Hampshire governor and executive council agenda, the state’s Business Finance Authority (BFA) has scheduled a meeting for Wednesday regarding the proposed issuance of $100 million in BTC-backed bonds. The BFA approved the bond in November 2025, saying that it planned to issue the vehicles upon approval from Governor Kelly Ayotte and the state’s five-member executive council. “This is an innovative way to bring more investment opportunities to our state and position us as a leader in digital finance without risking state funds or taxpayer dollars,” said Ayotte on the bonds, following the BFA approval. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 19:31 Jul 07, 2026
The crypto exchange's parent company says Mazars' withdrawal from its 2022 audit caused millions in damages and tied the dispute to Operation Chokepoint 2.0. Payward, the parent company of crypto exchange Kraken, has won a $22 million arbitration award against former auditor Mazars USA and asked the Delaware Court of Chancery to enter judgment on the award, according to a letter published Tuesday by co-CEO Arjun Sethi. Payward said Mazars withdrew from the exchange's nearly completed 2022 audit despite finding no fraud, raising no concerns about management's integrity and reporting no disagreements with the company. "An audit is not a favor. It is oxygen," Sethi wrote, arguing that independent audits are essential for obtaining banking services, licenses and other business relationships. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 18:05 Jul 07, 2026
Dune data shows Tether's USDT has become crypto’s dominant payments stablecoin while Circle's USDC powers DeFi, highlighting how blockchain choice shapes stablecoin use. The world’s biggest stablecoins are increasingly becoming chain-specific financial products, with Tether’s USDt (USDT) and Circle’s USDC (USDC) serving distinct roles across the crypto ecosystem rather than competing head-on. Dune’s Digital Asset Brief found that USDT overwhelmingly dominates onchain payments. During the first half of 2026, the biggest stablecoin settled about $95 billion in identified commerce payments, compared with $14 billion for second-biggest USDC. It also accounted for roughly 92% of the $48 billion in business-to-business payment volume. On Tron, USDT’s largest network, around 93% of the token’s supply is held in ordinary wallets rather than on exchanges, underscoring its role as a payment and remittance asset. USDC, meanwhile, has established itself as the dominant stablecoin in decentralized finance. USDC on Base pr... -
Cointelegraph.com - 16:43 Jul 07, 2026
Mercado Bitcoin will use the funding to expand tokenized finance across Latin America, adding to Tether's growing portfolio of infrastructure investments. Tether has invested $20 million in Brazilian crypto platform Mercado Bitcoin to support the company's expansion into tokenized assets, stablecoin payments, lending and other blockchain-based financial services across Latin America. Since its 2013 launch, Mercado Bitcoin has expanded beyond crypto trading into regulated financial services, including tokenized assets, credit, stablecoin payments and cross-border services. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 16:27 Jul 07, 2026
The Reform party leader and Brexit champion confirmed that he was the subject of probes by UK authorities following reports of what he called “gifts” from figures tied to cry pto ventures. Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK’s Reform party, announced that he would resign as a member of Parliament and stand in the by-election that could replace him. On Tuesday, Farage announced that he would resign as MP representing Clacton in response to what he called “foul means” by established politicians. The UK lawmaker’s resignation followed reports that he had personally received millions of dollars’ worth of donations and gifts from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne and George Cottrell, a convicted fraudster linked to a crypto casino. “Let me be absolutely clear: I have done nothing wrong,” said Farage in an X livestream. “I have not broken the law in any way at all. I have not misused public money.” Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 16:16 Jul 07, 2026
The funding round comes as institutional investors continue backing crypto market infrastructure despite slower venture investment across the digital asset sector. EDX Markets, a cryptocurrency exchange focused on institutional investors, has raised $76 million in a Series C funding round led by Japan’s SBI Holdings, marking one of the larger funding rounds this year for crypto market infrastructure as institutional adoption continues to expand. The company said Monday it will use the proceeds to expand its spot trading, clearing and settlement services, develop new products and grow internationally. EDX operates a US-focused institutional spot exchange and a Singapore-based perpetual futures venue for eligible non-US institutional clients. The latest round builds on previous backing from traditional financial companies, including Citadel Securities, Fidelity Digital Assets, Virtu Financial and Charles Schwab, highlighting continued investor appetite for institutional crypto infrastructure despite a slower ve...
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