ChainGPT AI News

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov says BRICS’ doors remain open — and expansion could be on the agenda at the bloc’s 18th summit in New Delhi in 2026. Speaking at the Sherpas’ meeting in New Delhi, Ryabkov confirmed that BRICS is actively discussing enlargement and strengthening cooperation with partner countries. But he was clear there will be no artificial timeline: “We could not and will not set any artificial timeframes or deadlines for such decisions. Countries that want to join the association know this.” Key points - Expansion discussion: BRICS is “in a process of discussing ways of expanding and boosting the format of cooperation with partners,” Ryabkov said, with Sherpas laying groundwork ahead of the 2026 summit. - No set timetable: While expansion is being prepared, Moscow won’t impose a deadline for admitting new members. - Current makeup: BRICS today is an 11-member bloc with 13 additional countries listed as partner nations. - Interest level: Roughly 45 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS or participating in its decision-making. - Recent history: In 2024 BRICS extended invitations to six countries but only four accepted; Argentina declined outright and Saudi Arabia stepped back, citing the need to preserve ties with Western partners amid its Vision 2030 transformation. Why crypto readers should care An expanded BRICS could accelerate efforts to reduce reliance on Western financial systems, reshaping cross-border trade, payments and reserve strategies. That shift can open more room for alternative settlement rails — including national payment systems, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and cryptocurrency-based tools — to gain traction in member and partner states. Any coordinated move toward non-dollar trade settlement or closer financial cooperation among a larger BRICS could be a major macro tailwind for crypto infrastructure and stablecoin/CBDC experimentation — though outcomes and timelines remain uncertain. Bottom line BRICS expansion is being actively discussed and could feature at the 2026 New Delhi summit, but no firm timetable has been set. Crypto and finance markets will be watching closely for concrete moves toward new members or coordinated financial arrangements that could affect global payment flows and currency dynamics. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a token closely associated with the Trump family, surged more than 16% in a single day, according to CoinGecko. The platform shows WLFI up 16.3% over the past 24 hours and nearly 12% for the week — yet the broader picture remains mixed: the token is still down about 14% over 14 days and nearly 28% in the last month. What’s behind the pop? Traders are pointing to an exclusive, invite-only event at Mar-a-Lago — the Florida estate President Trump has owned since 1985 — scheduled for Feb. 18, 2026. Reports say roughly 400 attendees are expected, including high-profile finance and crypto figures such as Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, NYSE President Lynn Martin, Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman, and Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon. The guest list and the publicity around the gathering appear to have sparked renewed market interest in WLFI. The token’s rally comes amid controversy. WLFI is widely reported to be linked to the Trump family, although President Trump has denied direct involvement in its operations. Adding to the buzz, recent reports indicate a royal investor from the UAE acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial — a development that attracted significant attention and likely amplified speculative activity. Despite today’s gains, WLFI is still operating in a challenging macro crypto environment. Bitcoin (BTC) has been struggling to find sustained momentum, and many altcoins have followed its lead. That broader bearish pressure raises the risk that WLFI’s rally could be short-lived and subject to a correction in the days ahead. What to watch next: short-term strength may be driven by event-related hype and limited liquidity. Traders should monitor trading volume, order-book depth and on-chain flows for signs the move is being supported by genuine demand rather than a news-driven spike. As always in a volatile market and with assets tied to political and reputational issues, caution is warranted. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Berkshire Hathaway made a striking portfolio pivot in the fourth quarter, selling more than 75% of its Amazon (AMZN) stake and using part of the proceeds to build a meaningful position in The New York Times (NYT). A regulatory filing Tuesday shows Berkshire bought 5.1 million NYT shares in the three months through December — a holding valued at $351.7 million at year-end. The NYT purchase is notable on several levels. It marks a return to newspaper ownership for Warren Buffett five years after he exited the sector and warned of long-term declines for many publishers. The move appears to have fed investor optimism: NYT shares rose about 1.8% to $75.39 in early trading Wednesday and ticked up another roughly 1% by midday, while Amazon was up more than 2% at press time. Those trades were part of a broader reshuffle at Berkshire as Buffett prepared for retirement. The company continued trimming positions in Bank of America and Apple — reducing them to 7.1% and 1.5% stakes, respectively — after beginning cuts in 2024. At the same time, Berkshire boosted its holdings in oil major Chevron and insurer Chubb to 6.5% and 8.7%, respectively. Berkshire’s increased exposure to energy comes as oil names have rallied — Chevron (CVX) and ExxonMobil (XOM) have posted double-digit gains in the past month amid U.S. actions in Venezuela. The pattern — dialing back some big-cap tech and financial exposures while adding to media, energy and insurance — suggests a strategic rotation into cash-generating, defensive or cyclically advantaged businesses. Takeaway: Buffett’s latest trades underscore a shift in conviction from a pure tech-heavy stance toward select legacy media, energy and insurance bets, signaling confidence in the NYT’s business model and in an oil rebound. Moves like these can influence broader market sentiment and capital flows — a dynamic crypto traders and investors watch closely as institutional reallocations reshape risk-on and risk-off trends. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Crypto researcher Dom (@traderview2) says he’s uncovered what appears to be a persistent algorithmic seller of XRP on South Korea’s Upbit — a flow large enough to reshape how traders interpret XRP activity out of Korea. Using tick-level trade data, Dom analyzed roughly 82 million trades on Upbit’s XRP/KRW pair (and 444 million trades from Binance for comparison). He concludes a single, machine-driven selling pipeline has been running almost continuously for about 10 months, offloading an estimated 3.3 billion XRP (~$5 billion) into Upbit’s order book. What he found - Persistent one-way selling: Upbit’s XRP/KRW has been net negative every month for 10 months. Select monthly net sells Dom highlights: Apr -165M XRP, Jul -197M, Oct -382M, Jan -370M. Overall tally: ~3.3 billion XRP (~$5B). - Continuous, algorithmic fingerprints: roughly 57–61% of sell trades execute within 10 ms, many in round-number sizes (10, 50, 100, 500, 1000 XRP). Dom reports one automated process running 17 hours straight with only a 33-second pause. - Retail-style buying on the other side: buy orders often show tiny fractional sizes (for example 2.535, 3.679 XRP), consistent with KRW-denominated retail purchases (buying a fixed won amount). - Venue-specific behavior: Binance’s XRP/USDT showed materially less sell pressure over the same windows — Dom says 2–5x less — and the hourly flow correlation between the two venues is only about 0.37, suggesting Upbit’s selling is driven by local factors rather than simply mirroring global risk-on/risk-off moves. Price dynamics and the “reverse Kimchi” effect From April through September, Upbit’s XRP traded about 3–6% below Binance — a “reverse Kimchi discount” (the usual Korean premium flipped negative). Dom sees that as notable because it implies the seller accepted consistently worse execution than available elsewhere, which could suggest a mandate to obtain KRW, restricted routing to Upbit, or Korean holders realizing gains on-chain. Around Oct. 10 there was a structural shift: the Korean premium flipped from roughly -0.07% to +2.4% in a single day and trade volumes jumped fivefold to 832,000 trades. The automated selling did not slow — daily sell volume roughly doubled from -6.3M XRP/day to -11.2M/day after the flip. Behavioral feedback loop Dom buckets days by how XRP performed on Binance and finds Upbit flow skews heavily negative on down days, and especially on crash days, where sell intensity can be eight times heavier. He frames the dynamic as an amplifying feedback loop: a systematic seller continuously hits the market while Korean retail buys rips and accumulates on rallies, intensifying volatility when panic sells happen. Scale and unanswered questions The scale is striking: 3.3 billion XRP is about 5.4% of XRP’s circulating supply, executed through a single pair on a single exchange over 10 months. Dom stresses his findings come from trade-level forensic work — bot fingerprinting, iceberg detection, and wash-trade checks — but he stops short of naming who’s behind the selling. His open questions: who can sustain 300–400M XRP per month for a year, consistently accept ~6% worse fills than global markets, and specifically needs KRW or is effectively limited to using Upbit? Market context If Dom’s analysis holds, it reframes the Upbit XRP flow as a venue-specific execution phenomenon rather than merely reflecting global positioning. That has implications for how traders interpret price discovery and cross-market arbitrage around XRP. At press time, XRP traded at $1.45. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

A fresh round of market‑manipulation chatter is circling crypto X after a 13F filing showed Jane Street added 7,105,206 shares of BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF, IBIT, in Q4 2025 — bringing its reported position to 20,315,780 shares. That disclosure has reignited a persistent rumor that a large trading desk runs a daily “10 AM” sell program to push BTC prices lower and buy back at cheaper levels. What people are saying - BullTheory framed the 13F as an “accumulation” story, noting the Q4 buy was roughly $276 million and that Jane Street now holds about $790 million in IBIT. The thread tied the filing to the long‑running claim that the same desk executes a patterned sell‑off around 10 AM ET. - Milk Road amplified those “persistent whispers,” describing an alleged routine: heavy sell volume hits BTC and related ETF shares around US market open, triggering panic and liquidations of leveraged longs in thin liquidity, then the same firms allegedly re‑enter at lower prices. They say the pattern became visible in November 2025 and has persisted into early 2026 — but stress the theory is unverified. Why skeptics push back Market‑structure veterans and former traders argue the viral framing misreads what a 13F shows and how market makers operate: - The 13F screenshot circulating includes an “options” indicator marked “Y.” That detail is important because it commonly signals a delta‑hedged or derivative‑offset position, not a directional bet on the underlying ETF. - Louis LaValle (Frontier Investments) explained the increase could be operational: as a lead market maker and Authorized Participant for IBI/IBIT, Jane Street may hold ETF shares to hedge options it writes and to handle creation/redemption flows — especially during periods of high volatility. Those inventory moves are about risk management, not accumulation of a speculative long. - Former hedge fund manager Michael Green and other ex‑traders made the same point: reported stock positions are often offset by undisclosed options and futures, so a large ETF holding doesn’t mean the firm is “long Bitcoin” in the traditional sense. - More blunt commentary from former prop trader Ryan Scott and writer Nik Bhatia emphasized incentives: firms like Jane Street use ETF inventory to facilitate arbitrage, options coverage, and fast quantitative strategies, not to quietly manipulate prices for a directional bet. Where things stand The market‑maker explanation aligns better with how authorized participants and liquidity providers typically manage ETF exposure, while the “10 AM slam” narrative remains an unverified community theory amplified on social platforms. At press time, Bitcoin was trading around $68,107. Bottom line: the 13F shows a sizable IBIT position increase by Jane Street, but industry experts caution against reading that filing as proof of a coordinated daily sell program — the “Y” options flag and standard market‑maker hedging behavior offer an alternative, non‑directional explanation. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

XRP’s weekly price action is drawing renewed attention as the token grinds inside a historically sensitive corridor. Rather than signaling exhaustion, a well-known XRP commentator argues this consolidation could be the market laying the groundwork for a major structural pivot — potentially the “final base” before a multi-year advance. What the charts show - In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), market analyst @Austin_XRPL mapped XRP’s macro behavior and highlighted a consistent pattern: each major run-up was preceded by an extended consolidation phase during which price built acceptance before advancing. - Key historical bases he cites: - $0.15–$0.30: ~2 years of foundational support - $0.30–$0.50: ~2 years of accumulation - $0.50–$0.75: ~18 months of structured interaction - $0.75–$1.30: ~1 year of basing - $1.80–$3.40: >1 year of sustained trading (often seen as distribution) The missing piece: $1.30–$1.80 - Austin points to $1.30–$1.80 as the only major macro zone that never formed a proper base. Historically, price ran through this band quickly, leaving it “inefficient” — thin on liquidity and support. - Current weekly action shows XRP trading inside that corridor rather than rejecting it. Austin interprets this as structural repair or “gap-filling,” where price rotates through the range to build acceptance and durable support. Why it matters - If XRP completes a base in $1.30–$1.80, it would close the last structural gap on the macro chart and leave lower zones with established consolidation histories. That could mean lighter overhead supply and a cleaner path for a longer-term markup. - In this view, a breakout from this zone would reflect resolved market structure and disciplined accumulation, not just short-lived sentiment. Bottom line XRP’s present consolidation may be more than a pause — it could be the final stage of structural preparation. Market watchers will be watching weekly acceptance inside $1.30–$1.80 and any decisive move above the band as signals that the market has converted an inefficient corridor into a durable launch platform. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

California has set a hard deadline for crypto firms: comply or cut ties. The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) has confirmed that, beginning July 1, 2026, any person or firm engaging in covered digital-asset activity for California residents must either hold a Digital Financial Assets Law (DFAL) license, have a submitted application in process, or qualify for an exemption. Key dates and next steps - License applications open March 9, 2026, through the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS). - The DFPI has published an NMLS checklist and is urging firms to use it and to attend industry training scheduled for March 23. - Firms that miss the July 1 deadline without an active application or a valid exemption risk enforcement action. What DFAL does Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in October 2023, DFAL creates a statewide licensing and supervisory regime for a broad set of crypto-asset services — including extra rules for crypto kiosks. The framework has drawn direct comparisons to New York’s 2015 BitLicense, a regime that prompted major industry pushback and contributed to departures by platforms such as Kraken and Bitfinex. Why the stakes are high California houses roughly a quarter of U.S. blockchain firms, so its regulatory stance carries real weight. Joe Ciccolo, executive director of the California Blockchain Advocacy Coalition, told Decrypt that because “California is the fourth-largest economy in the world, its regulatory choices inevitably carry weight.” He suggested that firms seeking access to California residents might instead standardize compliance nationwide rather than navigate a patchwork of state rules. Ciccolo believes DFAL’s clearer, predictable rules could ultimately attract institutional capital and higher-quality operators, but he warned about a difficult transition: “Clear rules tend to attract serious operators and institutional capital,” he said, adding that “marginal or under-resourced players may choose to exit California rather than meet the new licensing standards.” Risks and trade-offs The DFPI has taken steps to limit disruption — notably by announcing the application opening date and publishing a detailed checklist — which Ciccolo says should reduce backlog risk for firms that file early and completely. Still, he cautioned that overly aggressive enforcement or rules that don’t align with how businesses operate could push activity offshore or into the shadows. “Striking the right balance between consumer protection and market viability will be key,” he said. Bottom line DFAL marks a major regulatory shift for the U.S. crypto industry. Firms that want to serve California residents should be preparing now to apply through the NMLS, attend the March training, and decide whether to pursue a license, claim an exemption, or exit the market before the July 1, 2026 enforcement deadline. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Nevada escalates fight over prediction markets, sues Kalshi Nevada’s gaming regulators have launched a new legal attack on federally regulated prediction markets, filing a civil enforcement action against KalshiEX LLC and accusing the exchange of offering unlicensed wagering to state residents. The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) filed its complaint in Carson City District Court, arguing Kalshi’s sports-linked “event contracts” are effectively gambling under Nevada law. The state is seeking declaratory relief and an injunction to stop Kalshi from operating in Nevada without approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission, saying the platform’s availability to Nevada residents violates multiple sections of the state gaming code. “The Board continues to vigorously fulfill its obligation to safeguard Nevada residents and gaming patrons,” NGCB Chairman Mike Dreitzer said. Kalshi quickly moved to shift the dispute to federal court and reiterated its long-standing defense: its event contracts are financial derivatives regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), not traditional bets. Kalshi operates as a CFTC-designated exchange and contends federal law preempts state gaming regulation. Nevada disagrees. Regulators say contracts tied to sports outcomes function like sportsbook wagers and therefore fall squarely within state oversight. The NGCB warns that allowing unlicensed operators to offer such products would undercut Nevada’s tightly controlled gaming framework. This suit follows a recent Nevada complaint against crypto exchange Coinbase over prediction markets the exchange launched in partnership with Kalshi. It also sits inside a broader national clash: states including Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio and Tennessee have issued cease-and-desist orders or filed suits against prediction markets, arguing these products amount to unlicensed gambling. The CFTC, for its part, has defended federal authority over event contracts; Kalshi has won temporary court relief in prior clashes, though those victories have been narrow and closely scrutinized. At stake is who regulates a rapidly growing corner of the market: federal derivatives overseers or state gaming boards. The court’s decision could reshape how Americans trade on elections, sports and economic indicators—either creating a single federal regime for prediction markets or leaving firms to navigate a patchwork of state gambling laws. For crypto platforms looking to add or expand prediction-style products, the outcome will be a critical precedent. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Thailand’s SEC has officially greenlit cryptocurrencies — including bitcoin — and carbon credits as eligible underlyings for regulated derivatives, opening the door for futures, options and other exchange-listed contracts tied to these assets. What changed - The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) expanded the country’s derivatives framework to recognize digital assets and carbon credits as valid underlying instruments for exchange-traded derivatives such as those on the Thailand Futures Exchange (TFEX). - The decision builds on an earlier regulatory move from Feb. 12 and follows Cabinet approval to align Thailand’s derivatives market with international standards while preserving supervision, risk controls and investor protections. Why it matters - The change enables regulated crypto-linked derivatives products — a step that could attract institutional and international traders seeking regulated exposure and liquidity. - It signals a strategic push to broaden product offerings, enhance risk management tools, and deepen Thailand’s capital markets by integrating traditional finance with blockchain-based assets. Regulatory next steps - The SEC will draft supporting rules, including updates to derivatives business licenses so licensed digital-asset operators can offer contracts that reference cryptocurrencies. - Exchanges and clearinghouses will review and adapt their frameworks to handle crypto-based products, while TFEX will finalise contract specifications to ensure practical use and robust risk oversight. Official view and market reaction - SEC Secretary-General Pornanong Budsaratragoon said the move is intended to spur market growth, diversify products, and expand investor opportunities while maintaining risk mitigation and supervision. - Industry observers expect the change to help bridge local markets with global digital-asset liquidity and to support future products such as crypto ETFs, which the regulator has previously indicated it plans to accommodate. What to watch - The exact contract specs TFEX designs, timelines for the new licensing and rule changes, and how exchanges and clearinghouses implement risk and custody safeguards. - Whether institutional participation increases and how product launches (including any ETF-like derivatives) perform in attracting cross-border liquidity. Bottom line: Thailand is taking concrete steps to make regulated crypto derivatives a part of its financial ecosystem, positioning the country to compete as a regional hub for digital finance while emphasizing investor protection and market stability. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Headline: Moonwell Loses $1.78M After AI-Generated Oracle Logic Misprices cbETH at ~$1 Moonwell, a decentralized lending protocol, lost roughly $1.78 million after a Chainlink-based price update—reportedly using AI-generated logic—mispriced Coinbase-wrapped ETH (cbETH) at about $1 instead of roughly $2,200. The error allowed bots and liquidators to borrow against massively underpriced collateral and drain affected lending pools within hours. What happened - A recent oracle update contained faulty calculation logic that introduced an incorrect scaling factor in the cbETH price feed. The mispricing was reported as roughly $1.12 versus the correct price near $2,200. - The bad math collapsed collateral requirements for the affected pools. Attackers rapidly borrowed assets against the undervalued cbETH before the error was detected and corrected, producing about $1.78M in bad debt. - Moonwell’s preliminary investigation attributes the flawed code to logic generated by the AI model Claude Opus 4.6, rather than to a malicious external data feed or traditional oracle manipulation. Why this matters Price oracles are a critical backbone of DeFi lending: they determine collateral values and liquidation thresholds. Historically, many major DeFi losses stem from oracle manipulation or pricing errors rather than flaws in on-chain protocol fundamentals. This incident stands out because the vulnerability appears to come from AI-assisted code generation introducing a numeric/scaling bug—an emerging and distinct risk vector. Broader implications - AI-assisted development can accelerate engineering workflows, but financial smart contracts demand absolute precision in unit handling, scaling, and edge-case validation. Small arithmetic mistakes can have outsized, systemic consequences in lending systems. - Auditing and security practices may need to evolve to account for AI-generated code: verifying not just code correctness but also provenance, numerical invariants and generation logic. - As Web3 teams increasingly rely on automated coding tools, auditors and security firms warn that existing frameworks aren’t yet fully adapted to validate AI-produced contract components. Bottom line Moonwell’s $1.78M loss is a reminder that automation and AI can introduce novel failure modes in DeFi. The incident underscores the need for stricter numerical checks, more rigorous auditing of generated code, and updated security practices that specifically address AI-assisted smart-contract development. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Headline: Latin America diverges on crypto: El Salvador launches $100M tokenized SME push, Brazil eyes sovereign BTC reserve, Argentina ditches wallet-payroll plan El Salvador El Salvador is moving to channel $100 million into local small and medium-sized enterprises using tokenized equity. The program is a strategic partnership between Corporación Infinito and Stakiny, which plans to tokenize private-company shares to connect domestic businesses with international capital markets. Stakiny, currently seeking approval from El Salvador’s National Commission on Digital Assets, will provide the blockchain backbone. The platform pairs traditional shareholder agreements with blockchain-recorded tokens to enable real-time cap-table management, dividend distributions, governance events and secondary trading. It runs on an EVM-compatible network and will be accessible through a biometric mobile wallet — a setup designed to make equity ownership tradable, transparent and more accessible to global investors. Brazil Meanwhile, Brazil’s legislators are debating a far-reaching Bitcoin proposal. Congressman Luiz Gastão introduced Bill 4,501/2024 to the Chamber of Deputies’ Economic Development Committee, proposing the creation of a Sovereign Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (RESBit). The draft law would allow the state to gradually acquire Bitcoin up to 5% of Brazil’s foreign-exchange reserves, with custody in cold wallets and joint management by the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance. Among the bill’s most notable measures: permitting Bitcoin to settle federal tax liabilities, removing certain transaction-documentation requirements for brokers and investors, and a proposed 100% income-tax exemption on revenues from Bitcoin and other digital assets. If advanced, the bill would mark a major step toward formalizing crypto on a state-level balance sheet. Argentina Argentina has taken a more cautious route. Lawmakers removed a provision from a labor-reform draft that would have allowed employers to pay wages by direct deposit into digital wallets. President Javier Milei’s party agreed to drop the clause to secure broader legislative support after pushback from traditional financial institutions, which lobbied senators against the measure. The episode highlights Argentina’s uneasy balance between growing adoption of digital-payment apps — such as Mercado Pago, Modo, Ualá and Lemon, which have gained users amid currency volatility and dollar shortages — and the entrenched banking sector. A central bank survey from several years ago showed about 47% of Argentines hold a bank account, underscoring persistent financial-inclusion gaps shaped by recurring inflation and past banking crises such as the 2001 “corralito.” What it means These three moves illustrate divergent policy experiments across Latin America: El Salvador aggressively embracing tokenization to mobilize private capital; Brazil considering formal state exposure to Bitcoin and broad tax relief for crypto activity; and Argentina scaling back a digital-payments payroll idea amid political and institutional resistance. Together they underscore the region’s evolving — and sometimes contradictory — approaches to crypto regulation, reserve-management strategies and financial inclusion. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Headline: Pump.fun revamps creator fees on Solana — launches “Cashback Coins” that send 100% of fees to traders Pump.fun, the Solana-based token launch platform, is overhauling how creator fees are distributed and introducing a new token type designed to reward traders instead of deployers. In an update on X, Pump.fun said “not every token deserves Creator Fees” as it rolled out “Cashback Coins.” The new option lets token creators choose at launch whether the token’s creator fees go to the deployer (Creator Fees) or are redirected entirely to traders (Trader Cashback). That decision is immutable once the token is live. How it works - At token creation, creators must select either Creator Fees or Trader Cashback. - If Trader Cashback is chosen, 100% of creator fees are routed to traders and holders rather than the deployer. - That choice is permanently locked after launch; it cannot be changed. - Community takeovers (CTOs) are not allowed on Cashback Coins — these tokens will continue to reward traders and holders rather than an original deployer. Creator Fee coins are similarly locked into their selected structure. Pump.fun’s CEO described the update as a move to “reward traders and REAL projects,” reflecting the platform’s intent to better align incentives within the memecoin and token-launch ecosystem. Historically, creator fees have been positioned as a way to fund development and community growth for teams and founders. Pump.fun noted many tokens gain traction without an active team or roadmap, and in those cases creator fees can end up rewarding deployers who don’t contribute long-term value. The Cashback Coins feature is available now in the Pump.fun mobile app and on the website during token creation. Traders who participate in Cashback Coins can claim their rewards through the app by going to their profile and accessing the rewards section. Why it matters This change hands more control to token creators and, indirectly, to market participants: creators pick a fee model at launch, and traders decide which tokens to support. The update fuels an ongoing debate in the memecoin space about fairness and incentive alignment — and signals Pump.fun’s bet that the market should decide whether deployers or traders deserve the rewards. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Enso goes live with Chainlink-powered cross-chain minting and execution Enso has launched live production deployments that let assets be minted on one chain and arrive on another already deployed into strategies — all powered by Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP). The integration enables issuers and asset-platforms to move capital across networks and execute predefined on-chain workflows atomically and pre-simulated, in a single transaction. What’s new - Enso’s CCIP Receiver (a destination-side smart contract) combines Chainlink’s secure cross-chain messaging with Enso’s deterministic execution engine. That pairing lets teams define outcome-driven flows — for example minting or distributing an asset on Chain A and programmatically routing it into yield, liquidity, or treasury strategies on Chain B — without building bespoke integrations for each network. - Stablecoins and yield-bearing assets bridged via CCIP can be automatically routed through swaps, deposits, zaps, and other protocol interactions, bundled and executed as one atomic operation. That removes manual post-bridge deployment, reduces execution risk, and lowers operational overhead. Launch partners and use cases The integration is live with launch partners including Reservoir, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), Maple, Avant, Liquity, and Dolomite. Practical examples include capital-efficient hub-and-spoke models: issuers such as USD1 (World Liberty Financial) and BOLD (Liquity) can mint on a primary chain and distribute or deploy across multiple ecosystems without pre-funding fragmented liquidity pools. Why it matters - Atomic, pre-simulated flows reduce failed or partial deployments and the need for manual reconciliation. - Issuers and strategy platforms gain cross-chain reach with less engineering effort, because Enso+CCIP handles messaging and deterministic execution. - The architecture supports broader capital distribution patterns, making multi-chain issuance and programmatic deployments more practical at scale. Disclosure: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Content supplied by a third party; neither crypto.news nor the article’s author endorses any product mentioned. Users should conduct their own research before acting. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/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

Shares of Riot Platforms jumped nearly 9% Wednesday after activist investor Starboard Value published a blunt letter pushing the bitcoin miner to accelerate a strategic pivot: turn more of its power-heavy mining sites into high-margin AI and high-performance computing (AI/HPC) hosting centers. Why Starboard thinks Riot can move fast - Riot controls about 1.7 gigawatts of fully available power — a scarce asset in today’s energy-constrained data-center market — and Starboard says that capacity makes Riot “well positioned to execute high-quality AI/HPC deals.” - The letter singles out Riot’s Texas sites in Corsicana and Rockdale as “premier” locations for data-center conversion and hosting major AI workloads. The financial upside Starboard lays out - If Riot monetizes its power in line with recent transactions in the AI hosting space, Starboard estimates the company “could generate more than $1.6 billion” in annual EBITDA. - The activist praised Riot’s existing AMD deal, forecast to bring in roughly $311 million over 10 years, as a constructive step toward that strategy. Context and shareholder pressure - Starboard was Riot’s fourth-largest shareholder at the end of last year and this is not new pressure: in December 2024 the firm asked Riot to convert some bitcoin-mining sites into HPC-capable data centers. - The group urged CEO Jason Les and Executive Chairman Benjamin Yi to act “with urgency” to position Riot as a long-term infrastructure provider for AI workloads. Where Riot stands today - With a market cap near $4.25 billion, Riot is the fifth-largest U.S. bitcoin miner. Its stock is up about 19% over the past year, but still roughly 80% below its 2021 bitcoin-era highs. - Starboard also noted that Riot has lagged peers such as IREN, Cipher Mining and Hut 8, which moved faster to embrace AI strategies. Why this matters for crypto and AI - Riot’s core business remains bitcoin mining, but leasing power and space to AI customers could diversify revenue as large, power-hungry models (like OpenAI’s GPT-4o and others) increase demand for specialized data-center capacity. - Access to large blocks of power is a competitive advantage in an environment where many operators are constrained by energy availability. What to watch next - Investors will be watching for any formal response from Riot’s management, new AI/HPC deals, or moves to reconfigure facilities at Corsicana and Rockdale that would signal a faster pivot into AI hosting. Read more AI-generated news on: 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 has closed a strategic funding round led by Consensys as it prepares to roll out MYX V2, the protocol’s ambitious update that reframes onchain derivatives infrastructure. Deal and strategic context - Consensys led the round and, together with Consensys Mesh and Systemic Ventures, has become MYX’s largest investor. The capital will support the launch of MYX’s Modular Derivative Settlement Engine and the platform’s move toward serving as core infrastructure for omnichain derivatives. What V2 changes - MYX V2 shifts the project from a vertically integrated dApp into a modular settlement layer that other products and platforms can plug into. This positions MYX as foundational infrastructure for derivatives across chains rather than just a single trading venue. Key technical integrations - Account abstraction via EIP-4337 and EIP-7702 is baked into the protocol to improve UX and transaction handling. - Chainlink’s permissionless oracle stack provides the pricing inputs that anchor MYX’s execution model. How trading works (and why it’s different) - Gasless, one-click trades with non-custodial control: users keep custody while enjoying a simplified UX. - Dynamic Margin system: supports up to 50x leverage without relying on deep order-book liquidity. - Oracle-anchored pricing: instead of depending on local order book depth, prices are anchored to oracles so large trades don’t incur slippage tied to transient liquidity. That approach is designed to reduce execution risk for professional traders and to make trade outcomes more predictable even in thin or volatile markets. Intended benefits - MYX says this architecture decouples execution quality from liquidity depth, removing the classic tradeoff between access and execution that perps traders face. According to the team, that enables: - Immediate access to newly listed or emerging assets without lengthy listing processes, - Lower effective trading costs than comparable spot markets, - Consistent execution during market stress, - Deterministic enforcement via economic models, robust margining, and conservative security assumptions rather than discretionary market-making. Bottom line - With strategic backing from Consensys and a modular, oracle-driven settlement engine, MYX V2 aims to become a reusable infrastructure layer for omnichain derivatives, promising smoother UX and more predictable execution for leveraged onchain trading. Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. Content is for educational purposes only. This content was provided by a third party; neither crypto.news nor the author endorses any product mentioned here. Users should conduct their own research before taking any action. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

Headline: Arizona moves to put XRP on state digital-asset reserve as price holds above $1.40 — market watches for breakout XRP has remained stubbornly above the $1.40 mark, showing resilience amid a cautious broader crypto market — and lawmakers in Arizona have given bulls a fresh talking point. A bill that would explicitly list XRP as an eligible asset for a state-run digital-assets reserve cleared a key Senate committee, adding symbolic credibility to the token’s institutional profile. What happened in Arizona - Arizona’s Digital Assets Strategic Reserve Fund bill (SB1649) passed the Senate Finance Committee on a 4–2 vote. The proposal would create a strategic reserve made up of digital currencies obtained via seizures or confiscations and place them under the custody of the state treasurer with defined oversight. - XRP is explicitly named alongside Bitcoin (BTC) as an eligible asset for the reserve. If the bill becomes law, Arizona would be among the first U.S. states to reference XRP in an official state financial framework. - Important caveat: the inclusion is largely symbolic. The state would not be using taxpayer money to buy XRP; the fund would repurpose assets already in government custody. Still, lawmakers’ naming of XRP reinforces its image as a settlement-oriented digital asset rather than just a speculative token. Market context and on-chain signals - Price action: XRP has been trading in a tight range for about a month and is finding support around $1.40–$1.44 — a zone traders are monitoring closely. - On-chain behavior: exchange outflows point to accumulation by larger holders, and smaller “whales” have also increased balances, suggesting that smart money is building positions. - Technical picture: short-term momentum oscillators indicate limited buying pressure at the moment, while longer-term smart-money metrics look constructive. That mix explains the current sideways action and the potential for a sharper move once volatility returns. Key levels and scenarios to watch - Support: $1.40–$1.44 is the immediate floor. A decisive break below roughly $1.42 could trigger a pullback toward about $1.12 in the short term. - Near-term resistance: $1.50 and $1.54. Holding support could set up attempts to test these levels. - Medium targets: $1.67, $1.91 and $2.13 — the latter range aligns with historical trading bands and observed accumulation zones. - Broader sentiment: a sustained move above $2.00 would strongly suggest renewed, wider bullish conviction. Bottom line Arizona’s SB1649 may not move markets by itself, but the state-level recognition of XRP adds a layer of legitimacy that matters for perception. Combined with ongoing accumulation by larger holders and solid technical support, XRP is positioned in a delicate but potentially constructive setup: short-term caution remains warranted, but the medium-term outlook leans toward upside if support holds and buying returns. Traders should keep an eye on the $1.40–$1.44 support zone and the resistance levels noted above. Read more AI-generated news on: 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