The launch of Global Money Platform marks Mastercard’s first major integration with BVNK since its August acquisition, with Nuvei and Marqeta among the first companies to adopt the platform. Mastercard is expanding its role in stablecoin payments with a new platform that lets businesses integrate digital currencies into traditional banking and card services, a move that could make it easier for companies to offer stablecoin payments without building their own infrastructure. The service, dubbed Global Money Platform, is Mastercard’s first major integration with BVNK since it acquired the stablecoin infrastructure company in August, the payments giant announced Thursday. According to Mastercard, businesses can use the platform to hold and convert fiat currencies and stablecoins, offer stab…
BTC buyers attempted to defend $80,000 support after September US producer inflation overshot expectations by 100 basis points for the largest monthly gain since March 2022 Bitcoin (BTC) dipped below $80,000 on Thursday as US Producer Price Index (PPI) data significantly beat expectations. Key points: Data from TradingView showed BTC/USD slipping to its lowest levels since Sept. 18, declining as much as 1.8% on the day, before rebounding to around $81,000.
Russia plans to ban direct P2P crypto trades from July 1, 2027, while separate rules already prohibit transfers from digital accounts to self-custody wallets. Russia will ban direct peer-to-peer (P2P) cryptocurrency transactions between individuals starting next year, requiring individuals to use authorized intermediaries for such trades. The restriction will end individuals’ ability to exchange crypto assets directly without intermediaries, the Bank of Russia, the country’s central bank, explained in guidance updated Monday. The regulator confirmed that such transactions will remain permitted only until July 1, 2027. The regulator also clarified that individuals are not allowed to transfer crypto assets from their digital accounts to their own non-custodial, or self-custodial, wallets.
The Nasdaq-listed treasury company holds about $237 million in TRX tokens and plans to raise additional capital to fund its purchases, alongside its daily accumulation. Nasdaq-listed Tron (TRON) has filed for a new at-the-market (ATM) share offering allowing it to sell up to $200 million of common stock that will fund an even-larger Tron (TRX) treasury. The deal allows Tron to periodically sell shares of its common stock at $0.0001 par value through Clear Street, which acts as an agent and retains a commission of up to 3% of gross proceeds, according to a Wednesday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The company’s existing TRX accumulation program, announced in February, called for the purchase of approximately $50,000 worth of TRX per day for 360 consecutive days. Tr…
The SEC and the CFTC have issued a raft of pro-crypto rules recently. But will the rules hold up in court, and can they be easily rolled back by the “anti-crypto army”? In the wake of the failed CLARITY cloture vote in the Senate, the SEC and CFTC immediately moved to issue their own rules for crypto markets. Two days after the vote, the SEC unveiled a five-year exemption that permits the issuing and trading of stock tokens. OXK has since teamed up with ICE to launch trading in 63 NYSE-listed stocks and Securitize launched 12 Securitize Stocks, including Apple, Nvidia and Microsoft. The SEC has also issued guidance clarifying that a crypto token doesn’t become a security just because a project is buying back its own tokens, and stated that liquid staking tokens are not securities. It ha…
The HEX token’s price declined by 30% following local media reports of the Istanbul arrest of founder Richard Schueler, nearly two years after Interpol issued a “Red Notice.” The Hex (HEX) token fell nearly 30% in the past 24 hours after local media reports of founder Richard Schueler, also known as Richard Heart, being detained by authorities in Istanbul. The HEX token declined to $0.0006 as of 11:28 am UTC on Thursday, erasing about $160 million from its market capitalization, from more than $500 million on Wednesday to $340 million by press time, according to CoinMarketCap. It previously topped $0.44 in September 2021. On Wednesday, news outlet Ihlas Haber Ajansı (IHA) reported that Schueler and his wife were detained in Istanbul by Turkish authorities. Police reportedly seized multiple…
Ledger’s new Atom combines crypto wallet security with everyday apps and is expected to ship in summer 2027 as the company investigates tampered wallets sold in Asia. Ledger unveiled a new device on Thursday with stronger protections against tampering, days after confirming that wallets sold through a reseller in Asia contained malicious implants. The French hardware wallet maker introduced Atom, an $849 device that combines a crypto wallet with everyday apps through a smartphone-like design. Atom separates Android apps from sensitive wallet operations and includes protections Ledger says would block the implants used in the recent Asia incident. It’s also advertised to detect tampering even when switched off. The company expects to begin shipping the device in summer 2027, according to an…
Witt’s departure leaves a leadership gap at the White House Crypto Council and marks the fourth high-profile exit from the advisory group. Patrick Witt, the executive director of the White House’s Crypto Council, is leaving his current role for a new opportunity in the private sector. “Serving in this administration has been the privilege of a lifetime,” wrote Witt in a Thursday X post, adding that he looks forward to continuing to support US technological advancements “in the private sector.” Witt served as the White House’s leading advisor on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, would have created the first comprehensive US regulatory framework for the crypto market. The US Senate failed to pass a cloture motion on the legislation in September and further progress this session is unlik…
Starknet is asking STRK holders whether to explore becoming an independent layer-1 blockchain to reduce its dependence on Ethereum’s quantum-security upgrade timeline. Ethereum layer-2 network Starknet has opened a non-binding vote asking STRK holders whether it should explore becoming an independent, post-quantum layer-1 blockchain. On Thursday, Starknet opened a seven-day poll, which offers three options: support further research, oppose it, or remain neutral pending more information. Voting closes on Oct. 22, with results published afterwards. A “Yes” vote would signal support for further research, not authorize a transition. Further proposals and governance votes would be required, and no timetable for becoming an L1 has been announced.
Compromised suppliers, developer tools and infrastructure components outside security audits drove about 77% of the quarter’s total losses, according to Hacken. Cryptocurrency hacks soared to $1.18 billion across 107 recorded incidents in the third quarter of 2026, according to security company Hacken. Hacken’s Q3 report attributed 77% (about $906 million) to compromised suppliers or developer tools, publicly disclosed fixes that had not been deployed, or other components outside security reviews. The four largest incidents included the $387 million Bitget hack, the $320 million Liquid Network exploit, the $120 million Tectonic exploit, and the Coldcard firmware vulnerability, associated with an estimated $115 million in losses.
Bitcoin price action continued to see contagion from a Korean tech sell-off after the KOSPI Index fell 7.5% on Thursday. Bitcoin (BTC) fell to its lowest levels in over three weeks on Thursday as crypto tracked fresh losses on South Korean stock markets. Key points: Data from TradingView showed BTC/USD hitting $80,154 on Bitstamp, a level last seen on Sept. 20.
Thailand’s new Bitcoin and Ether ETF rules take effect Friday, but CoinShares expects modest initial inflows as existing investment options compete for demand. Thailand’s first crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) may get off to a slow start despite Bangkok’s efforts to expand access to regulated digital asset investments. “I would expect modest inflows initially, with tens of millions of US dollars across the first products a more realistic starting expectation than billions,” James Butterfill, head of research at digital asset investment firm CoinShares, told Cointelegraph. The country opens a new route for crypto exposure on Friday as its rules for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) ETFs to list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand take effect.
Babylon’s proposal to bring native Bitcoin collateral to Aave V4 has entered a new governance stage, but further votes and security reviews remain before launch. Bitcoin-focused developer Babylon Labs has submitted a proposal to let users borrow stablecoins on Aave against native Bitcoin (BTC). Under the hood, users would lock their BTC in vaults on the Bitcoin network and borrow against it on Aave. A non-transferable token on Ethereum would represent the collateral, while the BTC itself would remain on its native blockchain without being bridged or wrapped. The Wednesday proposal follows an initial submission on May 25 and a preliminary community vote that passed on June 10, according to Babylon Labs.
Bitcoin ETFs have recorded $151 million in net outflows since Monday, after investors withdrew $681 million the previous week. US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) returned to net outflows for the week on Wednesday as BTC fell below $82,000. Bitcoin ETFs recorded about $262 million in outflows on Wednesday, reversing $176 million in inflows the day before, according to SoSoValue data. The latest withdrawals brought this week’s net outflows to $151 million through Wednesday. The funds logged $681 million in net outflows last week. Weekly flows in US spot Bitcoin ETFs. Source: SoSoValue
South Korea is proposing tougher cybersecurity assessments after a review identified security deficiencies at 130 financial firms. South Korea is planning tighter cybersecurity requirements for financial institutions after an investigation into earlier security incidents involving 16 companies, including crypto exchanges. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) said it would pursue improved threat monitoring, more frequent security assessments and stronger accountability for executives after an industry-wide review found cybersecurity deficiencies at 130 of 555 financial companies. The FSC said about 100,000 pieces of customer information had been exposed across the affected firms, including names, contact details and identification numbers.
The consultation follows Parliament’s passage of digital asset legislation in April, with Australia’s securities regulator now proposing capital, custody and trading standards for crypto platforms. Update (Oct. 15 at 5:35 am UTC): This article has been updated to include a comment from Thomsons partner Liam Hennessy. Australia’s securities regulator opened consultation Thursday on proposed capital, custody and trading requirements for crypto platforms, as it prepares to implement legislation passed in April that expands oversight of the industry. The proposals include three alternative capital models, restrictions on platforms trading for their own account and quarterly reporting of wallets holding customer assets. ASIC also proposes allowing offshore custody while seeking feedback on saf…
TeraWulf, Core Scientific, Cipher Mining and IREN each lost more than 12% as hotter inflation hit AI infrastructure companies. US stocks suffered their sharpest selloff since July on Wednesday as hotter-than-expected inflation data weighed on technology and AI infrastructure companies, with Bitcoin miners among those hit. The S&P 500 fell 1.1%, its biggest one-day decline since July 29; the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.9%, its biggest one-day drop since July 23, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.1% over the day. Leading decliners among major tech companies included data center operator CoreWeave, which fell 16%, AI infrastructure provider Nebius, which fell 11%, and Oracle, which fell 9%.
VanEck initially filed an S-1 registration statement for the exchange-traded fund in October last year. Asset manager VanEck said it no longer plans to proceed with its proposed Lido staked Ether exchange-traded fund, shelving the product designed to give investors exposure to the liquid staking token. In an SEC filing on Wednesday, VanEck Digital Assets said it “does not intend to proceed with the planned distribution” of the trust’s shares. It did not explain what prompted the decision or whether VanEck would pursue a replacement product. VanEck initially filed the fund’s S-1 registration statement on Oct. 16, 2025. The proposed fund would have held Lido staked Ether (stETH) and would expect to accrue certain staking rewards through ownership of stETH.
The deal gives Polygon access to 37 money transmitter licenses and 11 state exemptions. Polygon Labs has completed its acquisition of Coinme, giving its stablecoin payments platform a regulated way to convert dollars into digital assets and back across 48 US states. Polygon said Wednesday its US payments business now has coverage with 37 money transmitter licenses and 11 exemptions. It is also registered with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN) as a money services business. The acquisition follows agreements announced in January to buy Coinme and wallet infrastructure provider Sequence for more than $250 million combined, while consolidating some roles at Polygon Labs. At the time, Polygon CEO Marc Boiron said it needed the team to transition into a “leading payments-focused…
Illinois officials already agreed to delay implementation of a 0.2% tax on crypto assets, but industry-aligned organizations are pushing for summary judgment on the merits. The Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI) and Blockchain Association (BA) said they would join the Digital Chamber and others to push for a court to address the merits of a lawsuit over Illinois’s digital-asset tax, set to take effect in 2027. In a Tuesday filing in the Circuit Court of Sangamon County, the crypto advocacy organizations asked the court to approve an expedited schedule for summary judgment “to reach a decision on the tax’s lawfulness as quickly as possible.” The filing cited the CCI’s and BA’s lawsuit against Illinois state officials, as well as one filed separately by the Digital Chamber and Illinois Blo…
