ChainGPT AI News

BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes warns that bitcoin’s recent rout is flashing an ominous macro signal — and that an even bigger Fed intervention could ultimately send BTC to new record highs. In a new essay titled “This Is Fine,” Hayes points to bitcoin’s 52% slide from an October peak of roughly $126,000 to around $66,501.80 as a “global fiat liquidity fire alarm.” While the Nasdaq has held relatively steady, bitcoin’s deeper drop, he argues, shows markets are already pricing in a severe credit event that equities have not yet acknowledged. Hayes lays out a stark scenario driven by artificial intelligence: if AI displaces just 20% of America’s roughly 72.1 million knowledge workers, the result could be approximately $557 billion in consumer credit and mortgage defaults — about half the shock of the 2008 financial crisis. That scale of consumer distress, he says, would hit regional banks hard and force the Federal Reserve into “the biggest money printing in history.” “Bitcoin is the most responsive freely traded asset to the fiat credit supply,” Hayes writes. He sees the recent divergence between bitcoin and tech stocks as an early warning that significant credit destruction is imminent. He also flags the relative strength of gold versus bitcoin as another warning sign: “a surging gold versus a slumping Bitcoin clearly tells us that a deflationary risk-off credit event within Pax Americana is brewing.” Hayes’ playbook is straightforward: first, credit-sensitive assets like bitcoin will price in the damage; then, panic-driven policymakers will flood markets with liquidity. He colorfully predicts central bankers will “press that Brrrr button” harder than they have before, and that expectation of sustained money printing will propel bitcoin “off its lows” and eventually to fresh all-time highs. That upside, however, comes with pain along the way. Hayes cautions BTC could drop further — potentially below $60,000 — if political dysfunction delays Fed action. His advice to crypto investors is conservative: remain liquid, avoid leverage, and wait for the Fed’s “all-clear” before aggressively re-entering risky assets. Bottom line: Hayes frames bitcoin today as a market thermometer for fiat liquidity risk — a leading indicator that could plunge further in a real-world banking shock, but that also stands to rally dramatically once large-scale Fed intervention restores market liquidity. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Apex Group to pilot Trump‑affiliated WLFI stablecoin as payment rail for tokenized funds Apex Group, the global financial services provider that administers more than $3.5 trillion in assets, will pilot a stablecoin issued by WLFI, the crypto company affiliated with U.S. President Donald Trump, to settle transactions in its tokenized fund ecosystem, the firms announced Wednesday at the World Liberty Forum at Mar‑a‑Lago. The partnership will test WLFI’s USD1 stablecoin as a payment rail for subscriptions, redemptions and distributions across Apex’s growing suite of tokenized funds. Apex said the pilot aims to speed up settlement and cut operational overhead for institutional clients — including hedge funds, pension funds, banks and family offices — by leveraging blockchain rails instead of traditional payment systems. “Clients increasingly want blockchain‑based solutions that deliver tangible benefits and cost savings,” Apex CEO Peter Hughes said in the companies’ announcement. Why it matters Tokenizing funds—issuing fund shares or other securities on blockchain rails—can streamline reporting, reduce intermediaries and widen access to investors. Apex has been expanding its on‑chain capabilities: in May it acquired Tokeny, a Luxembourg firm that builds infrastructure for issuing and managing real‑world assets (RWAs) on‑chain, and bought London’s Globacap, an investing platform with a U.S. broker‑dealer registration. Those moves strengthen Apex’s ability to tokenize regulated securities, especially as interest in blockchain‑based RWAs grows among asset managers. At the forum, World Liberty co‑founder and CEO Zach Witkoff framed USD1 as “infrastructure for a future financial services ecosystem,” underscoring WLFI’s role in the pitch. Next steps and distribution plans Beyond the pilot, Apex said it will explore listing WLFI tokenized assets — such as real estate and infrastructure offerings — on the London Stock Exchange Group’s Digital Market Infrastructure platform, subject to regulatory approval. WLFI also plans to launch a mobile app that links traditional bank accounts with digital asset wallets to give users access to tokenized holdings. The announcement positions a legacy fund administrator at the center of a high‑profile effort to bridge traditional fund operations and crypto rails. Regulatory reviews and operational testing will determine whether stablecoin payment rails can deliver the faster, lower‑cost settlement Apex and WLFI promise. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Saham Riot Platforms melonjak hampir 9% pada hari Rabu setelah investor aktivis Starboard Value menerbitkan surat yang blak-blakan mendorong penambang bitcoin untuk mempercepat pergeseran strategis: mengubah lebih banyak lokasi penambangan yang membutuhkan daya besar menjadi pusat hosting AI dan komputasi berkinerja tinggi (AI/HPC) yang memiliki margin tinggi. Mengapa Starboard berpikir Riot dapat bergerak cepat - Riot mengendalikan sekitar 1.7 gigawatt daya yang sepenuhnya tersedia — aset yang langka di pasar pusat data yang terbatasi energi saat ini — dan Starboard mengatakan bahwa kapasitas itu membuat Riot “ditempatkan dengan baik untuk mengeksekusi kesepakatan AI/HPC berkualitas tinggi.” - Surat tersebut menyoroti lokasi Texas Riot di Corsicana dan Rockdale sebagai lokasi “unggulan” untuk konversi pusat data dan hosting beban kerja AI utama. Potensi finansial yang diuraikan Starboard - Jika Riot memonetisasi dayanya sejalan dengan transaksi terbaru di ruang hosting AI, Starboard memperkirakan perusahaan “dapat menghasilkan lebih dari $1.6 miliar” dalam EBITDA tahunan. - Aktivis tersebut memuji kesepakatan AMD yang ada dengan Riot, yang diperkirakan akan menghasilkan sekitar $311 juta selama 10 tahun, sebagai langkah konstruktif menuju strategi tersebut. Konteks dan tekanan pemegang saham - Starboard adalah pemegang saham terbesar keempat Riot pada akhir tahun lalu dan ini bukan tekanan baru: pada bulan Desember 2024, firma tersebut meminta Riot untuk mengubah beberapa lokasi penambangan bitcoin menjadi pusat data yang mampu HPC. - Grup tersebut mendesak CEO Jason Les dan Ketua Eksekutif Benjamin Yi untuk bertindak “dengan urgensi” untuk memposisikan Riot sebagai penyedia infrastruktur jangka panjang untuk beban kerja AI. Di mana Riot berdiri hari ini - Dengan kapitalisasi pasar mendekati $4.25 miliar, Riot adalah penambang bitcoin terbesar kelima di AS. Sahamnya naik sekitar 19% selama setahun terakhir, tetapi masih sekitar 80% di bawah puncak era bitcoin 2021. - Starboard juga mencatat bahwa Riot telah tertinggal dari rekan-rekannya seperti IREN, Cipher Mining, dan Hut 8, yang bergerak lebih cepat untuk mengadopsi strategi AI. Mengapa ini penting untuk crypto dan AI - Bisnis inti Riot tetap pada penambangan bitcoin, tetapi menyewakan daya dan ruang kepada pelanggan AI dapat mendiversifikasi pendapatan seiring dengan meningkatnya permintaan untuk kapasitas pusat data khusus dari model-model besar yang membutuhkan daya (seperti GPT-4o OpenAI dan lainnya). - Akses ke blok daya besar adalah keuntungan kompetitif dalam lingkungan di mana banyak operator dibatasi oleh ketersediaan energi. Apa yang perlu diperhatikan selanjutnya - Investor akan memperhatikan setiap respons formal dari manajemen Riot, kesepakatan AI/HPC baru, atau langkah-langkah untuk mengonfigurasi ulang fasilitas di Corsicana dan Rockdale yang akan menandakan pergeseran yang lebih cepat ke hosting AI. Baca lebih lanjut berita yang dihasilkan AI di: undefined/news

Altcoin spot markets are under sustained pressure, with cumulative net selling across non-Bitcoin and non-Ethereum tokens reaching a five-year extreme, CryptoQuant data shows. Key points - Cumulative buy-sell difference for altcoins: -$209 billion. - Net selling streak: 13 consecutive months on centralized exchanges. - Last roughly balanced month: January 2025. - Bitcoin is trading well below its October 2025 all-time high; altcoins have seen deeper structural outflows. - Institutional accumulation in altcoins remains limited; retail participation appears subdued. What the data shows CryptoQuant’s analysis finds that since January 2025—the last month when buy and sell pressure among altcoins were roughly even—altcoins have recorded about $209 billion in net spot sell pressure. That 13-month run of net selling marks one of the most persistent distribution phases seen in recent market cycles and represents the largest cumulative outflow in five years. Why it matters A cumulative negative $209 billion reading signals that supply has consistently outpaced demand in altcoin spot markets. That imbalance has been sharper than in Bitcoin, which, although off its October 2025 peak, has not faced the same level of structural selling. Observers point to waning retail participation and an earlier rotation of capital into major cryptocurrencies as key contributors. Institutional buying of altcoins remains limited, according to the data. What comes next CryptoQuant and market analysts caution that large negative cumulative flow figures are not a sure signal of a market bottom. Extended net selling can continue until liquidity conditions improve or fresh capital re-enters the market. Historical precedents suggest durable reversals typically require sustained net buying to replace the directional selling pressure. Bottom line Altcoin spot markets remain pressured and have yet to show convincing signs of demand recovery. Traders and investors should watch for sustained inflows or renewed institutional interest as potential indicators that the sell cycle may be reversing. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

MYX telah menutup putaran pendanaan strategis yang dipimpin oleh Consensys saat mempersiapkan peluncuran MYX V2, pembaruan ambisius protokol yang mereformasi infrastruktur derivatif onchain. Konteks kesepakatan dan strategis - Consensys memimpin putaran tersebut dan, bersama dengan Consensys Mesh dan Systemic Ventures, telah menjadi investor terbesar MYX. Modal ini akan mendukung peluncuran Mesin Penyelesaian Derivatif Modular MYX dan langkah platform menuju berfungsi sebagai infrastruktur inti untuk derivatif omnichain. Perubahan V2 - MYX V2 menggeser proyek dari dApp yang terintegrasi secara vertikal menjadi lapisan penyelesaian modular yang dapat dihubungkan oleh produk dan platform lain. Ini memposisikan MYX sebagai infrastruktur dasar untuk derivatif di seluruh rantai daripada hanya sebagai tempat perdagangan tunggal. Integrasi teknis kunci - Abstraksi akun melalui EIP-4337 dan EIP-7702 sudah terintegrasi ke dalam protokol untuk meningkatkan UX dan penanganan transaksi. - Tumpukan oracle tanpa izin Chainlink menyediakan input harga yang mengikat model eksekusi MYX. Cara perdagangan berfungsi (dan mengapa berbeda) - Perdagangan tanpa gas, satu klik dengan kontrol non-kustodial: pengguna menjaga kepemilikan sambil menikmati UX yang disederhanakan. - Sistem Margin Dinamis: mendukung hingga 50x leverage tanpa bergantung pada likuiditas buku pesanan yang dalam. - Penetapan harga yang terikat pada oracle: alih-alih bergantung pada kedalaman buku pesanan lokal, harga terikat pada oracle sehingga perdagangan besar tidak mengalami slippage yang terkait dengan likuiditas sementara. Pendekatan ini dirancang untuk mengurangi risiko eksekusi bagi trader profesional dan membuat hasil perdagangan lebih dapat diprediksi bahkan di pasar yang tipis atau volatil. Manfaat yang dimaksudkan - MYX mengatakan arsitektur ini memisahkan kualitas eksekusi dari kedalaman likuiditas, menghapus tradeoff klasik antara akses dan eksekusi yang dihadapi trader perps. Menurut tim, itu memungkinkan: - Akses segera ke aset yang baru terdaftar atau muncul tanpa proses pendaftaran yang panjang, - Biaya perdagangan efektif yang lebih rendah dibanding pasar spot yang sebanding, - Eksekusi yang konsisten selama stres pasar, - Penegakan deterministik melalui model ekonomi, margin yang kuat, dan asumsi keamanan yang konservatif daripada pembuatan pasar diskresioner. Garis bawah - Dengan dukungan strategis dari Consensys dan mesin penyelesaian modular yang didorong oleh oracle, MYX V2 bertujuan untuk menjadi lapisan infrastruktur yang dapat digunakan kembali untuk derivatif omnichain, menjanjikan UX yang lebih halus dan eksekusi yang lebih dapat diprediksi untuk perdagangan onchain yang terlever. Pengungkapan: Artikel ini tidak mewakili nasihat investasi. Konten ini hanya untuk tujuan pendidikan. Konten ini disediakan oleh pihak ketiga; baik crypto.news maupun penulis tidak mendukung produk apa pun yang disebutkan di sini. Pengguna harus melakukan penelitian mereka sendiri sebelum mengambil tindakan. Baca lebih banyak berita yang dihasilkan AI di: undefined/news

Judul: Arizona bergerak untuk menempatkan XRP di cadangan aset digital negara bagian saat harga bertahan di atas $1,40 — pasar memperhatikan breakout XRP telah tetap keras kepala di atas angka $1,40, menunjukkan ketahanan di tengah pasar kripto yang lebih berhati-hati — dan para pembuat undang-undang di Arizona telah memberikan titik pembicaraan baru bagi para bull. Sebuah undang-undang yang secara eksplisit akan mencantumkan XRP sebagai aset yang memenuhi syarat untuk cadangan aset digital yang dikelola negara telah melewati komite Senat kunci, menambahkan kredibilitas simbolis pada profil institusional token tersebut. Apa yang terjadi di Arizona - RUU Cadangan Aset Digital Strategis Arizona (SB1649) telah disetujui oleh Komite Keuangan Senat dengan suara 4–2. Usulan ini akan menciptakan cadangan strategis yang terdiri dari mata uang digital yang diperoleh melalui penyitaan atau confiscation dan menempatkannya di bawah pengawasan bendahara negara dengan pengawasan yang jelas. - XRP secara eksplisit disebutkan bersama Bitcoin (BTC) sebagai aset yang memenuhi syarat untuk cadangan tersebut. Jika undang-undang ini menjadi hukum, Arizona akan menjadi salah satu negara bagian AS pertama yang merujuk XRP dalam kerangka keuangan resmi negara. - Catatan penting: inklusi ini sebagian besar bersifat simbolis. Negara tidak akan menggunakan uang pajak untuk membeli XRP; dana tersebut akan menggunakan aset yang sudah ada dalam pengawasan pemerintah. Meskipun begitu, penamaan XRP oleh para pembuat undang-undang memperkuat citranya sebagai aset digital yang berorientasi pada penyelesaian daripada sekadar token spekulatif. Konteks pasar dan sinyal on-chain - Aksi harga: XRP telah diperdagangkan dalam kisaran ketat selama sekitar sebulan dan menemukan dukungan di sekitar $1,40–$1,44 — zona yang dipantau dengan cermat oleh para trader. - Perilaku on-chain: aliran keluar dari bursa menunjukkan akumulasi oleh pemegang yang lebih besar, dan “whale” yang lebih kecil juga telah meningkatkan saldo, menunjukkan bahwa uang pintar sedang membangun posisi. - Gambaran teknis: osilator momentum jangka pendek menunjukkan tekanan beli yang terbatas saat ini, sementara metrik uang pintar jangka panjang terlihat konstruktif. Campuran ini menjelaskan aksi samping saat ini dan potensi untuk pergerakan yang lebih tajam setelah volatilitas kembali. Level kunci dan skenario yang perlu diperhatikan - Dukungan: $1,40–$1,44 adalah lantai segera. Penembusan yang tegas di bawah sekitar $1,42 bisa memicu penarikan kembali menuju sekitar $1,12 dalam jangka pendek. - Perlawanan jangka dekat: $1,50 dan $1,54. Mempertahankan dukungan bisa mengatur upaya untuk menguji level-level ini. - Target menengah: $1,67, $1,91, dan $2,13 — kisaran terakhir sejalan dengan band perdagangan historis dan zona akumulasi yang diamati. - Sentimen yang lebih luas: pergerakan yang berkelanjutan di atas $2,00 akan sangat menunjukkan keyakinan bullish yang baru dan lebih luas. Kesimpulan SB1649 Arizona mungkin tidak menggerakkan pasar dengan sendirinya, tetapi pengakuan tingkat negara atas XRP menambah lapisan legitimasi yang penting untuk persepsi. Digabungkan dengan akumulasi yang terus berlangsung oleh pemegang yang lebih besar dan dukungan teknis yang solid, XRP berada dalam pengaturan yang halus tetapi berpotensi konstruktif: kehati-hatian jangka pendek tetap diperlukan, tetapi prospek jangka menengah condong ke atas jika dukungan bertahan dan pembelian kembali. Para trader harus memperhatikan zona dukungan $1,40–$1,44 dan level perlawanan yang disebutkan di atas. Baca lebih lanjut berita yang dihasilkan AI di: undefined/news

Hyperliquid plants a policy flag in Washington with $29M token endowment Hyperliquid (HYPE), the blockchain-native exchange that processed over $250 billion in perpetual futures trading last month, has launched a Washington, D.C. policy and research arm aimed at steering how U.S. lawmakers regulate decentralized finance (DeFi). The new nonprofit, the Hyperliquid Policy Center, will focus on regulatory frameworks for decentralized exchanges, perpetual futures and blockchain-based market infrastructure, the company said in a Wednesday press release. Jake Chervinsky — a high-profile crypto lawyer and former policy lead at the Blockchain Association — will serve as founder and CEO. Why it matters The move comes as Congress and federal agencies grapple with how to oversee crypto trading platforms and derivatives. Perpetual futures — leveraged contracts without an expiration date that are widely traded on offshore platforms — occupy a legal gray area in the U.S., and lawmakers are actively negotiating legislation that could shape the future of DeFi. Hyperliquid’s platform lets traders execute perpetual futures directly on blockchain rails without a central intermediary; trades settle onchain rather than through traditional brokers or clearinghouses. The exchange has rapidly scaled into one of the largest crypto derivatives venues: DefiLlama data shows it handled more than $250 billion in perpetual volume and $6.6 billion in spot volume over the past month. “Financial markets are migrating onto public blockchains because they offer efficiency, transparency and resilience that legacy systems cannot match,” Chervinsky said in the announcement. “Now the United States must choose: We can either adopt new rules that allow this innovation to flourish here at home, or we can wait and watch as other nations seize the opportunity.” Funding and positioning The Hyper Foundation — which supports the Hyperliquid ecosystem — is contributing 1 million HYPE tokens (roughly $29 million at current values) to fund the Policy Center’s launch. That commitment is smaller than what was put toward the Ripple-backed National Cryptocurrency Association at its launch last year, but it outstrips recent public spending by some other Washington crypto groups: the Digital Chamber spent about $5.6 million in 2024 and the Blockchain Association about $8.3 million, according to public filings. The Hyperliquid Policy Center joins a crowded field of crypto-policy organizations in D.C., including the DeFi Education Fund, Solana Policy Institute, Digital Chamber, Blockchain Association and Crypto Council for Innovation. The new group says it will brief lawmakers, publish technical research and advocate for rules designed specifically for decentralized systems. Bottom line With significant onchain trading volume and a multimillion-dollar token-backed endowment, Hyperliquid’s policy arm is an explicit bet that shaping U.S. DeFi rules from inside the capital will help keep crypto market innovation domestic rather than ceded to other jurisdictions. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Stablecoin saat ini mengalirkan triliunan dolar setiap tahun—tetapi sebagian besar nilai itu tidak pernah menyentuh perdagangan sehari-hari. Kemitraan baru antara Jaringan XDC dan OrbitX Pay bertujuan untuk mengubah itu dengan memungkinkan pengguna membelanjakan USD Coin (USDC) yang disimpan di XDC secara langsung di pedagang yang menerima Visa. Cara kerjanya: pengguna menyimpan USDC mereka di rantai hingga saat pembelian. OrbitX Pay mengarahkan pembayaran melalui jalur Visa sehingga pedagang melihat transaksi kartu standar, sementara saldo crypto pembayar didebit di rantai. Tujuannya adalah untuk menghilangkan konversi fiat yang lambat dan mahal serta jalur keluar pihak ketiga yang biasanya menambah gesekan, biaya, dan penundaan penyelesaian. “Ini adalah bagian dari perubahan untuk penggunaan sehari-hari,” kata salah satu pendiri Jaringan XDC Ritesh Kakkaad. CEO OrbitX Ankitt Guar menambahkan, “Dengan menjaga pengguna tetap mengendalikan aset mereka sambil terhubung ke jaringan pembayaran global, kami bertujuan untuk mengurangi gesekan antara nilai di rantai dan pengeluaran dunia nyata.” Ekonomi di balik langkah ini menjanjikan. Kapitalisasi pasar stablecoin berada di atas $307 miliar dan telah menunjukkan pertumbuhan yang stabil selama setahun terakhir, menurut DeFiLlama—likuiditas dan familiaritas pengguna yang cenderung mempercepat adopsi pembayaran. Sentimen pengguna juga terlihat positif: laporan BVNK menemukan 56% pengguna stablecoin berencana untuk memperoleh lebih banyak selama 12 bulan ke depan, dan lebih dari setengahnya meningkatkan kepemilikan mereka dalam setahun terakhir. Di antara freelancer dan penjual yang menerima pembayaran stablecoin, sekitar 35% dari pendapatan mereka berasal dari aset ini rata-rata (BVNK). Apakah integrasi jembatan Visa seperti ini akan mencapai adopsi konsumen yang berarti tetap tidak pasti. Tetapi dengan memungkinkan pengeluaran langsung dari saldo di rantai, kemitraan XDC–OrbitX adalah contoh jelas dari evolusi stablecoin dari instrumen spekulatif menjadi jalur pembayaran praktis. Penafian: Konten AMBCrypto bersifat informasional dan bukan nasihat investasi. Perdagangan cryptocurrency, membeli, atau menjual memiliki risiko tinggi; lakukan penelitian Anda sendiri. Sumber: DeFiLlama; BVNK. © 2026 AMBCrypto Baca lebih banyak berita yang dihasilkan AI di: undefined/news

Likuiditas semakin ketat di seluruh pasar — dan crypto merasakan dampaknya. Apa yang terjadi - Stablecoin: Kapitalisasi pasar stablecoin telah turun hampir $10 miliar sejak siklus 2026 dimulai, tanda jelas bahwa para investor semakin berhati-hati. - Ethereum: ETH — rantai yang paling likuid dan rumah bagi lebih dari 50% pasokan stablecoin — masih turun sekitar 6% tahun ini, menyoroti penarikan yang lebih luas dalam likuiditas crypto. - DeFi: Total nilai yang terkunci (TVL) telah jatuh sekitar $20 miliar, kembali ke level sebelum pemilihan, menurut DeFiLlama — bukti bahwa modal meninggalkan DeFi dan tidak mengalir seperti sebelumnya. Mengapa Fed penting sekarang Latar belakang likuiditas yang rapuh ini membuat suntikan likuiditas Federal Reserve sebesar $16 miliar baru-baru ini minggu ini menjadi sangat berdampak. Langkah ini datang setelah pembacaan CPI AS yang lebih dingin, dan uang segar tersebut cukup untuk memicu aktivitas berisiko di seluruh pasar. Komentator crypto menceritakan kisah serupa: dengan likuiditas yang telah menarik kembali dengan tajam, bahkan aliran masuk yang moderat dapat memiliki efek yang besar. Makro vs. aset aman: BTC, Emas dan rasio Melihat dari jauh, aset aman tradisional Emas (XAU) telah meningkat sekitar 14% tahun ini. Bitcoin tertinggal: BTC terkoreksi sekitar 22% selama periode yang sama, memperlebar kekuatan relatif Emas. Divergensi itu telah mendorong rasio BTC/Emas ke ekstrem — data TradingView menunjukkan RSI BTC/Emas bulanan pada level terendah dalam 11 tahun, dan rasio tersebut telah mencetak tujuh lilin merah bulanan berturut-turut untuk pertama kalinya. Apa yang dikatakan analis Pengamat pasar menyebut ini sebagai kesempatan langka untuk Bitcoin, berargumen bahwa waktu suntikan likuiditas Fed bisa memberikan keuntungan bagi para bullish yang diperlukan untuk memicu reli di aset berisiko. Lingkungan likuiditas rendah di crypto berarti bahkan aliran masuk modal kecil pun bisa menjadi berarti. Namun, sebagian besar analis menekankan bahwa fundamental harus membaik sebelum pemulihan harga yang berkelanjutan terjadi. Kesimpulan Pasar crypto beroperasi dengan likuiditas yang lebih tipis dan sensitivitas yang meningkat terhadap pergerakan makro. Suntikan $16 miliar Fed dan rasio BTC/Emas yang sangat lemah telah menciptakan kondisi yang dianggap beberapa orang sebagai oportunistik — tetapi dengan aliran modal yang teredam dan fundamental masih dalam fokus, volatilitas dan risiko tetap tinggi. Sumber dan catatan Data yang dirujuk dari DeFiLlama dan TradingView; analisis dan komentar diterbitkan oleh AMBCrypto. Konten ini hanya bersifat informasional dan bukan nasihat investasi — perdagangan cryptocurrency memiliki risiko tinggi; lakukan riset sendiri sebelum membuat keputusan. © 2026 AMBCrypto. Baca lebih banyak berita yang dihasilkan AI di: undefined/news

Wall Street is quietly positioning for what could be crypto’s next breakout category: prediction markets. After stablecoins crossed into the mainstream with TradFi backing last year, asset managers and trading houses are now lining up for a potential surge in event-contract trading — even as regulatory questions hang in the air. What happened - Digital asset manager Bitwise has filed for a prediction-market-backed ETF under the brand “PredictionShares,” Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart flagged on X. The filing targets event contracts tied to election outcomes in 2026 and 2028 — covering House and Senate races as well as presidential contests. - Bitwise’s move echoed its own outlook that Polymarket could reach record open interest ahead of the 2026 midterms. “With U.S. midterms approaching and politics coming back into the frame, the platform will be firing on all cylinders in 2026,” the firm said in its 2026 projection. - The filing follows an earlier push from Roundhill Investments — the first mover in the prediction-market ETF race — and Seyffart expects more issuers to follow. “This is not the first filing of this kind, and I think it’s extremely unlikely that these will be the last. The financialization and ETF-ization of everything continues.” - Other firms have shown interest: GraniteShares has eyed political prediction products, and major trading shops such as Susquehanna (SIG) are positioning for growth in the space. Why it matters Prediction markets (event contracts) let users trade derivatives on future outcomes. Supporters argue these markets produce stronger, market-based probability signals than traditional polls because participants have capital at risk — a feature that can be valuable for hedging and risk management. That practical angle helps explain why institutional players are exploring ETFs tied to the sector. Regulatory tug-of-war The regulatory picture remains unsettled. Many in crypto and trading circles are rallying behind Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chair Mike Selig, urging federal oversight and arguing states risk regulatory overreach. Opponents — including numerous state regulators — view prediction markets as akin to gambling or sports betting and push for strict oversight or prohibition. Whether the CFTC will assert exclusive jurisdiction is still an open question. Market momentum The category has already seen strong growth since the 2024 U.S. elections. In January 2026, prediction-market volume hit a new monthly record of $12.4 billion, topping $10 billion for the first time, according to on-chain analytics from Dune. Bottom line With product filings from Bitwise and Roundhill, interest from GraniteShares and trading firms, and rising volumes, prediction markets are moving from niche crypto experiment to something that mainstream finance could package and sell — if regulators allow it. Expect more filings and product announcements as the 2026 midterms approach. Disclaimer: AMBCrypto's content is informational and not investment advice. Trading, buying, or selling cryptocurrencies carries high risk; readers should do their own research before making decisions. © 2026 AMBCrypto Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

BlackRock is moving fast to make Ethereum staking a mainstream investable product — and that shift could be a catalyst for a major market move. What BlackRock is proposing - In a fresh SEC filing for the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust, BlackRock laid out the fees and staking plan for the ETF. - A 0.25% annual sponsor fee will apply, but for year one the fee is cut to 0.12% on the first $2.5 billion to attract early capital. - Separately, BlackRock will take 18% of the staking rewards earned on staked ETH. That fee is taken from rewards (not assets under management), and additional service-provider costs mean investors face a layered fee structure — so headline numbers won’t equal actual net yields. How the fund will manage liquidity and yield - The ETF plans to stake between 70% and 90% of its ETH holdings to generate rewards that boost NAV over time. - The remaining 10%–30% will stay unstaked to handle redemptions and expenses — important because unstaking ETH can take days or even weeks. Keeping a liquidity buffer is meant to reduce stress during heavy outflows. Context and precedent - An analyst summed it up: “If approved, this bridges traditional capital with native crypto yield mechanics inside a compliant wrapper.” - BlackRock isn’t the first mover: Grayscale set the precedent on October 6, 2025, when its Ethereum Staking ETF became the first U.S. issuer to distribute staking rewards to shareholders in cash. In January 2026 that fund paid roughly $0.083 per share, totaling more than $9 million. Market impact and risks - Institutional flows into Ethereum ETFs have accelerated — ETFs are pulling in roughly $50 million a day recently, led by BlackRock’s ETHA and Grayscale’s products. - At press time ETH traded near $2,018.32, up about 2.29% in 24 hours. But beneath steady inflows, the market remains fragile: roughly $3 billion of short positions and rising open interest mean a leveraged cohort of traders is primed to amplify moves. - Consequences: - A rapid price uptick could trigger short squeezes and push ETH toward $3,000. - Conversely, tighter liquidity or overwhelmed buyers could lead to abrupt sell-offs. - Bottom line: demand from real buyers will need to outpace selling pressure for a sustained breakout. For now, Ethereum looks like a coiled spring — a big move seems likely, but the direction will depend on liquidity and buyer conviction. Disclaimer This article is informational only and not investment advice. Cryptocurrency trading carries high risk; do your own research before making decisions. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

MicroStrategy’s stock has a clear battleground for 2026: options traders see roughly $100 as support and $130–$150 as a heavy resistance zone — a range that will likely decide whether the company’s big Bitcoin bet pays off or turns into a deeper headache. What happened - MicroStrategy (MSTR) added 2,486 BTC this week, bringing its corporate stash to 717,131 BTC, worth more than $54.5 billion at current prices. That latest tranche cost about $168.4 million, bought at an average of $67,710 per coin. The company now holds roughly 3.4% of the total supply of Bitcoin. - The purchase prompted an eyebrow-raising reaction from long-time BTC critic Peter Schiff, who tweeted, “Congratulations, you finally averaged your price down.” Schiff continued to warn that “averaging down” — buying more as prices fall — can compound losses if Bitcoin keeps sliding. Market picture - MicroStrategy shares were trading around $128.67 at press time, down nearly 4% in the short term and roughly 20% over the past month. Bitcoin itself was trading near $67,661, off about 26% over the last 30 days. - Open interest — a measure of outstanding derivative positions — fell alongside Bitcoin’s price. That tandem decline is a classic deleveraging signal: highly leveraged, short-term speculators are exiting or being forced out, cooling speculative heat and allowing longer-term holders to accumulate. Options reveal the fight zone - Options flow in MSTR points to $100 as a meaningful support level where buying interest could emerge, while heavy option strikes and selling pressure between $130–$150 create a choke point that’s proving hard to breach. A handful of high-risk bets at $200 and $300 show some traders still bank on a large BTC-driven rally. - Practically, MSTR trading between $110 and $140 signals uncertainty. A convincing move above $150 could trigger fast upside momentum; a slide toward $100 is likely to draw dip-buyers seeking exposure at lower prices. Why this matters - MicroStrategy’s strategy — treating Bitcoin as a core treasury asset and buying on dips — places the company squarely between conviction and vulnerability. If Bitcoin recovers, the plan looks prescient. If Bitcoin continues to decline, the company’s balance sheet and investor returns face material downside. - The contrast with peers is striking: Japan’s Metaplanet reported a Q4 2025 net loss of $619 million, highlighting how vulnerable corporates can be to large crypto drawdowns. For both firms, resilience will be judged by how well they absorb 20–30% price swings rather than short-term profit figures. Bottom line MicroStrategy keeps doubling down on Bitcoin, and market structure — from open interest to options strikes — has sketched a clear battle map for 2026: $100 support versus $130–$150 resistance. Whether Saylor’s bold accumulation strategy succeeds will largely hinge on Bitcoin’s next directional move and the company’s ability to weather further volatility. Disclaimer: This summary is informational and not investment advice. Crypto trading is high-risk; do your own research before making decisions. © 2026 AMBCrypto Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Headline: UAE sovereign funds double down on BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF as overall institutional allocations fall At a time when Bitcoin has slid sharply from recent highs, filings show some Abu Dhabi investors are using the dip to add to their positions — even as many institutions trim exposure to BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF (IBIT). What the filings show - According to quarterly 13F filings with the U.S. SEC, two Abu Dhabi-based entities held more than $1 billion combined in IBIT at the end of 2025. Mubadala Investment Company reported owning 12,702,323 shares (worth roughly $630 million), up 46% from 8.7 million shares in Q3. Al Warda Investments held 8,218,712 shares (about $408 million). - Despite that accumulation, aggregate institutional behavior was more muted: overall institutional ownership of IBIT fell by just 0.41% quarter-on-quarter, but institutional long positions decreased by around 10% and the average portfolio allocation to IBIT plunged 28%. Fintel data shows a net reduction of 41.36 million institutional shares between Q3 and Q4. Context and interpretation - The divergence highlights two concurrent trends: selective buying by sovereign wealth and state-linked investors, and broad rebalancing and profit-taking by other institutions after Bitcoin’s earlier run-up. Bitwise senior investment strategist Juan Leon noted, “Mubadala sovereign wealth fund doubled down on BTC during the Q4 drawdown.” Bitcoin historian Peter Rizzo summed up the broader pattern: “nations are buying the dip.” - Bitcoin’s price fell roughly 30% over the same period, from about $126,000 to $87,000 — a pullback that likely prompted many managers to reduce ETF weightings to rebalance risk and lock in gains. Limitations of the data - 13F filings only disclose reported long equity holdings for U.S.-reporting investment managers above certain thresholds, so they don’t capture the full range of institutional strategies. Short positions and derivatives exposure — for example through CME futures or other platforms — are largely outside the 13F scope and can tell a different story about net risk stance. Broader market picture - The drawdown has also hit ETF assets under management: BlackRock’s IBIT AUM fell from a record $95 billion to about $57 billion, while total U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF AUM dropped from $162 billion to $100 billion, according to The Block. Takeaway - The filings reveal a split market: state-linked buyers in the UAE appear confident enough to increase their IBIT stakes during the pullback, even as many institutional players modestly reduce exposure — likely driven by rebalancing, profit-taking, and risk management. Disclaimer: This content is informational and not investment advice. Cryptocurrency trading carries high risk; do your own research. © 2026 AMBCrypto Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Headline: Offshore vehicles may be letting Chinese money into U.S. spot-Bitcoin ETFs — even as institutions pare back exposure Chinese investors could be finding backdoors into the world’s largest crypto market, according to recent U.S. regulator filings and market analysis — a development that comes as institutional Bitcoin allocations are shrinking sharply. What the filings show A fresh 13F filing — the quarterly disclosure required by the SEC from institutional investment managers — revealed new entrants to BlackRock’s IBIT spot-Bitcoin ETF. One name stood out: Laurore Ltd., listed as controlling roughly $436 million worth of Bitcoin. The entity leaves little public trail, prompting questions about who is actually behind the stake. Bitwise advisor Jeff Park flagged the connection to Chinese capital, pointing to the filer name “Zhang Hui,” which he described as a common Chinese name that can obscure identity. Park also characterized Laurore as a classic offshore wrapper (likely Cayman or BVI), a structure often used to give investors access to U.S. markets while avoiding direct domestic exposure. “This could be an early sign of institutional Chinese capital entering Bitcoin,” Park said, noting the name Laurore likely alludes to the French “l’aurore,” or “the dawn.” How big is this in context? U.S. institutional interest in spot Bitcoin surged after the approval of U.S. spot-Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024. Institutional spot holdings now total a reported 682,830 BTC, valued at about $54.49 billion. By comparison, Hong Kong’s own spot-Bitcoin ETFs lag far behind: SoSoValue reports total NAV across Hong Kong spot ETFs of 3,870 BTC (about $264.9 million), split among ChinaAMC, Bosera HashKey and Harvest in that order. If Park’s read is correct, Laurore’s $436 million IBIT position dwarfs Hong Kong’s ETF market: the HK ETFs combined equal roughly 61% of Laurore’s stake, but represent less than 0.5% of the broader $54.49 billion held in U.S. institutional spot ETFs. Bigger picture: institutions are pulling back Despite past inflows, U.S. institutional assets under management in spot Bitcoin have plunged from $163.27 billion at the October 2025 peak to about $54.49 billion today — a 66.6% collapse. Bitcoin’s market price itself has fallen 45.79% from its all-time high, meaning institutional AUM has contracted an extra ~20.8% beyond the price move. That gap suggests institutions are liquidating positions faster than market declines alone would explain. Market dynamics and risk outlook The sentiment picture remains bearish. Short- and long-term holders, especially large whales, have been net sellers. Recent AMBCrypto analysis finds whales dominate spot trading volumes and a whale-to-exchange ratio that signals continued liquidation pressure. Until that selling abates and sentiment normalizes across market participants, Bitcoin faces the risk of further sizeable drawdowns that could weigh on its recovery path. Takeaway Recent filings hint that offshore structures may be enabling Chinese capital to access U.S. spot-Bitcoin exposure, even as institutional participation overall has contracted sharply. The net result: pockets of new demand may exist alongside broad, risk-avoidant selling — a dynamic that could keep volatility high. Disclaimer: This article is informational and not investment advice. Trading or investing in cryptocurrencies carries significant risk; readers should do their own research before making decisions. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Jito (JTO) melambung sekitar 11% dalam 24 jam terakhir setelah proyek mengungkapkan rencana untuk membangun lapisan pasar baru di Solana, memicu minat investor yang diperbarui dan pergeseran yang signifikan dalam aktivitas on-chain. Mengapa langkah ini penting - Katalis: Pengumuman untuk memperluas ke lapisan pasar Solana adalah penggerak fundamental utama di balik reli ini, dengan pasar tampaknya memperhitungkan potensi manfaat jaringan dan produk. - Penumpukan paus: Tinjauan aliran pesanan AMBCrypto — didukung oleh pelacak on-chain — menunjukkan peningkatan akumulasi dari pemegang besar dalam kisaran perdagangan saat ini. Posisi awal oleh pemain besar dapat mempercepat momentum jika pembelian berlanjut. - Tindak lanjut ritel: Kekuatan yang terlihat dan pesanan besar sering kali menarik partisipasi ritel, yang dapat memperbesar ayunan harga dan volatilitas keseluruhan. (Sumber: CryptoQuant / AMBCrypto) Gambar teknis - Breakout: Aksi harga berhasil menembus resistensi kunci di $0.311, mengonfirmasi kelanjutan struktur bullish yang dipulihkan setelah JTO memantul dari garis tren menurun pada 6 Februari. Pasar tampaknya telah bergerak dari kompresi menjadi ekspansi. (Sumber: TradingView) - Sinyal overbought: Meskipun terjadi breakout, stochastic RSI dan RSI token baru-baru ini mencatat kondisi overbought dan mulai retrace, menunjukkan kemungkinan koreksi singkat sebelum bias bullish jangka panjang dilanjutkan. Target dan risiko likuiditas - Kluster likuiditas $304K berada dekat $0.50, menandai target upside yang jelas jika momentum saat ini dan akumulasi paus tetap ada. Kluster likuiditas sering bertindak sebagai magnet di pasar yang sedang tren, jadi volume yang berkelanjutan dan dukungan dari pemegang besar yang terus berlanjut dapat membuat JTO menuju zona itu. (Sumber: Coinglass) - Tanda hati-hati: Peta Gelembung Volume Spot CryptoQuant menandai overheating saat trader agresif masuk posisi, pola yang sering mendahului penarikan singkat atau konsolidasi bahkan dalam pergerakan bullish lainnya. Singkatnya, momentum kuat tetapi risiko volatilitas meningkat. Kesimpulan Lonjakan 11% Jito didorong oleh campuran berita fundamental (perluasan lapisan pasar Solana), pembelian paus yang terkonsentrasi, breakout teknis di atas $0.311, dan partisipasi perdagangan spot yang lebih tinggi. Apakah reli ini akan berlanjut menuju kluster likuiditas $0.50 akan bergantung pada volume yang berlanjut dan akumulasi lebih lanjut oleh pemegang besar — kegagalan untuk mempertahankan kondisi tersebut dapat mengakibatkan konsolidasi jangka pendek. Penafian: Konten AMBCrypto bersifat informasional dan bukan nasihat investasi. Perdagangan cryptocurrency memiliki risiko tinggi; pembaca harus melakukan riset sendiri sebelum membuat keputusan. © 2026 AMBCrypto Baca lebih banyak berita yang dihasilkan AI di: undefined/news

Kraken doubles down on expansion, acquires token management platform Magna as IPO looms Kraken’s acquisition streak continues. Payward, Kraken’s parent company, announced Wednesday that it has bought Magna, a token management platform used by crypto projects to handle token vesting, claims and distributions. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Magna serves more than 160 clients and — according to the press release — reported a peak total value locked (TVL) of $60 billion in 2025. Going forward, the platform will operate as a standalone product while its tools are folded into Kraken’s institutional-facing suite. The purchase is the latest move in Kraken’s broader strategy to become more than just an exchange as it prepares for an expected public listing. Over the past year the company has snapped up a string of businesses, including U.S. futures platform NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion, derivatives venue Small Exchange for $100 million, proprietary trading firm Breakout, and tokenized stock specialist Backed Finance, the issuer behind xStocks. Kraken also bolstered its balance sheet in November with an $800 million raise that included participation from Citadel Securities, valuing the company at roughly $20 billion. The Magna buy adds token lifecycle and distribution capabilities to Kraken’s institutional offerings — a move that could deepen relationships with projects and enterprise clients ahead of an IPO push. Terms were not disclosed and Magna will continue to operate independently under Kraken’s umbrella while its functionality is integrated into the exchange’s product lineup. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, has launched EVMbench — a new testing framework that gauges whether artificial intelligence can understand and help secure smart contracts running on Ethereum and other EVM-compatible chains. Smart contracts are immutable programs that power decentralized exchanges, lending platforms and much of DeFi. Because deployed contracts can’t be easily changed, bugs and vulnerabilities can put real money at risk. With billions — OpenAI notes “$100B+” — of open-source crypto assets at stake, the need for robust security tools is urgent. EVMbench, developed with crypto investment firm Paradigm, evaluates AI systems using real-world vulnerabilities drawn from past audits and security competitions. It measures three core capabilities: - Detecting security bugs in smart contract code, - Exploiting those bugs in a controlled environment to demonstrate impact, and - Patching or fixing the vulnerable code without breaking intended functionality. OpenAI frames EVMbench as an attempt to create a clear, economically meaningful standard for assessing AI in blockchain security. As AI agents grow better at reading, writing and executing code, the company says it’s critical to both measure their capabilities and encourage defensive use — i.e., using AI to audit and harden contracts before attackers can exploit them. For DeFi builders, auditors and security teams, EVMbench could serve as a benchmark for how reliable AI-assisted tooling is at spotting and fixing the kinds of flaws that have previously led to costly exploits. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

The president of Germany’s central bank is pushing Europe to double down on digital money — calling euro-pegged stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) strategic tools to protect the bloc’s payments independence and reduce reliance on the US dollar. In a speech at the American Chamber of Commerce’s New Year’s Reception in Frankfurt, Bundesbank chief Joachim Nagel argued that recent geoeconomic fragmentation has dented growth and competitiveness across the EU. Europe, he said, must take “decisive” steps to restore economic momentum by strengthening the euro’s international role and building payment systems that run on European infrastructure. Nagel reiterated the Eurosystem’s work on the digital euro, calling it “the first pan‑European retail digital payment solution, based solely on European infrastructures.” He framed the retail CBDC as a cornerstone of a sovereign, Europe-based payment stack that could serve consumers and businesses across the bloc. At the same time, Nagel voiced support for euro‑denominated stablecoins as a way to reduce costs and speed up cross‑border payments. In remarks last week to the Euro50 Group, he highlighted stablecoins’ potential for programmable transactions and more efficient cross‑border settlement — benefits that could help firms and individuals move money cheaper and faster. But Nagel also warned of risks. He flagged a potential threat if foreign‑currency stablecoins — particularly USD‑pegged tokens — become widely used in the euro area. That dynamic, he said, could amount to a form of “dollarization,” undermining the effectiveness of domestic monetary policy and weakening European sovereignty. The warning comes in the context of rapid growth in the stablecoin market and active U.S. policy moves. Nagel pointed to the GENIUS Act — signed into law last July — as part of a U.S. push to create clear legal frameworks for stablecoin issuers. The market has expanded sharply: global stablecoin market cap rose from about $205 billion at the start of the year to north of $300 billion by late 2025, with USD‑pegged tokens dominating and euro‑pegged tokens accounting for under 1% of the market. While Nagel judged the risk of wholesale replacement of the euro as small today, he said authorities should harness new technologies to reduce that likelihood. He advocated for a wholesale CBDC — a central bank digital money targeted at institutional actors — to enable programmable transactions in central bank money for financial markets. Complementary support for DLT‑based instruments not tied to central bank money, such as tokenized deposits and euro stablecoins, would also be useful. “These measures will allow us to utilise cutting‑edge digital technologies to maintain our monetary policy effectiveness in an uncertain geopolitical future. Additionally, they will increase our sovereignty,” Nagel concluded. Takeaway for crypto markets: Europe’s central bankers appear ready to shape a digital payments ecosystem that mixes a retail digital euro, institutional (wholesale) CBDC capabilities, and regulated euro‑pegged stablecoins — aiming to compete with a U.S.‑heavy stablecoin landscape while safeguarding monetary control and sovereignty. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

A revised version of the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act is resurfacing in Washington, and it could redraw how U.S. law treats software creators and infrastructure operators in crypto. According to Coin Center, the updated bill — now carrying language put forward by Senators Cynthia Lummis and Ron Wyden — seeks to make a simple but consequential point: people who write code or run infrastructure but do not control other people’s crypto funds should not be classified as money transmitters. The change builds on an earlier House measure authored by Representative Tom Emmer and is intended to draw a clearer legal line between building tools and moving money. Supporters say that clarity is urgently needed. Without it, routine acts of coding or maintaining services could be construed as operating a bank, chilling innovation and pushing developers offshore. Coin Center and other advocates frame the issue as one of regulatory certainty: clear rules would let teams decide whether to stay and invest in the U.S., rather than relocate to friendlier jurisdictions. The push for reform has been amplified by several high-profile prosecutions. The developer linked to Tornado Cash faces money-transmission charges and is awaiting sentencing, while two men tied to Samourai Wallet — Keonne Rodriguez and Will Lonergan Hill — have already been convicted and given multi-year terms. Those cases have put tools and their creators squarely in the crosshairs of criminal enforcement, and they’re cited frequently in the debate over how broadly to define liability. Not everyone is comfortable with the proposed protections. Opponents warn that broad safe harbors could create loopholes that let bad actors escape accountability. That tension has split lawmakers, policy groups, and tech teams in Washington, and legal experts are similarly divided: some favor narrow, tightly scoped safe harbors; others want stronger guardrails that still allow prosecutors to pursue criminal misuse. Jason Somensatto, policy chief at Coin Center, has urged lawmakers not to dilute the bill. In a letter to the Senate Banking Committee he argued that software authors deserve the same basic protections as other internet builders — hosting firms, browser teams, and email providers — who aren’t jailed when their products are misused by third parties. As of now, the Senate Banking Committee has not marked up the bill. Lawmakers will have to balance competing priorities: protecting public safety and preventing crime, while avoiding regulatory uncertainty that could stifle the next wave of crypto infrastructure. The committee’s choice matters beyond policy papers — it will shape where developers choose to work and how future crypto tools are built. For an industry still grappling with regulatory risk, this bill may be an early test of whether the U.S. will remain a competitive home for foundational crypto development. (Reporting based on Coin Center’s Feb. 17, 2026 update. Featured image from Unsplash; chart from TradingView.) Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

India just rewrote a big chunk of the global trade map — and the move has implications for everything from textiles to cross-border payment rails and crypto markets. Two landmark deals, two weeks apart - Jan. 27, 2026: After nearly 20 years of negotiation, India and the EU finalized a comprehensive free trade agreement. The pact cuts tariffs on more than 96.6% of EU goods entering India, extends to services and investment across all 27 EU member states, and is expected to save exporters on both sides up to €4 billion a year in duties. Key Indian export sectors such as gems, jewellery and textiles — which have been squeezed by earlier US tariffs — stand to gain materially. - Feb. 3, 2026: India and the United States announced a bilateral trade deal. According to an announcement by former President Trump on Truth Social following a call with Prime Minister Modi, the US will charge a reduced “reciprocal tariff,” lowering it to 18% (Trump wrote it was cut “from 25% to 18%”; some reports had earlier cited other figures). The deal was declared effective immediately. Where this leaves India in trade and geopolitics - A turning point: Together the two pacts deepen India’s global trade ties and mark a major push for diversification that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pursued since at least 2022. India has now signed its ninth and tenth free trade agreements since 2014, joining previous deals with the UK, Oman and New Zealand. - Broad benefits but sharp domestic debate: Modi framed the EU pact as an opening for farmers and small business: “This historic agreement will make it easier for our farmers and small businesses to reach the European markets. It represents 25% of the global GDP and one-third of global trade.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called it “the mother of all deals,” creating “a free trade zone of two billion people.” - Critics point to asymmetry: Detractors argue the US deal heavily favors American exporters. Reports say India agreed to reduce its tariffs and non-tariff barriers to US imports to zero and to purchase more than $500 billion of US energy, technology and agricultural products — a clause that has provoked domestic concern over market access for large American agribusinesses. The BRICS balancing act - India’s new deals complicate its BRICS role. Intra-BRICS merchandise exports surged from $84.2 billion in 2003 to $1.17 trillion in 2024 — growing at an annual average of 13.3%, more than double the 5.7% global trade growth over the same period. Still, the bloc accounts for about 5% of world trade and lacks a comprehensive multi-country trade agreement. - As India takes the BRICS presidency in 2026, New Delhi must juggle practical cooperation among BRICS members while expanding ties with Western partners. The EU and US pacts make that balancing act both harder and more consequential. Why crypto and payments-watchers should pay attention - Cross-border trade expansion increases demand for faster, cheaper settlement rails. The India–EU and India–US pacts will drive more trade volume and FX flows, raising the commercial case for tokenized trade finance, stablecoins, and blockchain-based settlement systems that cut costs and speed up reconciliation. - Competing payment systems and de-dollarization pressures remain relevant. BRICS members have been exploring alternatives to dollar-centric clearing and have launched regional payment initiatives; as India deepens ties with the West while leading BRICS, the market for interoperable, multi-rail payment solutions — both fiat-based and crypto-linked — could grow. - Policy spotlight: India’s regulatory stance on crypto has been cautious and evolving. Bigger trade flows and geopolitical realignments may accelerate policymaking around cross-border crypto use, stablecoins, and tokenized assets for trade purposes. Bottom line The EU and US trade deals mark a watershed for India’s economic diplomacy — opening markets, sparking domestic debate over asymmetry and market access, and reshaping New Delhi’s role inside BRICS. For crypto and payments markets, the knock-on effects are clear: increased trade volume and geopolitical shifts will raise demand for modern, efficient cross-border settlement solutions, putting blockchain-based tools and alternative payment rails squarely in the spotlight. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news