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This week in crypto: Richard Heart detained, Ledger Atom, Starknet's post-quantum vote
Richard Heart's detention in Istanbul preceded a roughly $246 million drop in HEX's market cap, Ledger unveiled its $849 Atom wallet, and Starknet put a post-quantum layer-1 move to a vote, per Cointelegraph's weekly digest.
Standard Chartered Debuts Bitcoin Trading for UAE Wealth Clients
Standard Chartered announced bitcoin trading for affluent UAE clients on October 14, allowing direct purchases through bank accounts. The move positions the bank as the first international institution to offer the service in the country and extends its existing crypto operations in Luxembourg and Hong Kong.
Crypto roundup: Stablecoin accounting rules, FSB warnings, XRP Ledger patch
CoinTelegraph reports on a proposed US accounting change for stablecoins, an FSB letter warning G20 officials about stablecoin oversight gaps and AI risks, and XRP Ledger developers defending a September emergency patch that bypassed the usual vote.
Ledger tampering reports spread to Europe as AI exposes XRP overflow bug
Reports of Ledger hardware wallet tampering have spread to Europe, though Ledger has not confirmed the European case, and an AI-assisted review uncovered a dormant XRP minting flaw. The incidents highlight ongoing hardware and protocol risks in crypto.
Standard Chartered to Offer Digital Asset Custody in Singapore
Standard Chartered intends to launch digital asset custody services for institutional clients in Singapore. The expansion builds on existing operations in the UAE, Luxembourg and Hong Kong plus the 2025 establishment of a London crypto trading desk.
SEC Proposes Crypto Custody Rules for Advisers and Funds
The SEC advanced regulations permitting investment advisers and funds to custody crypto assets under defined conditions, establishing a regulatory path following the Clarity Act blockage last month.
This week in crypto: stablecoin payments partnership, BTC rebound, and Strategy buy
Citi and Coinbase launched a stablecoin integration that hides all crypto elements from business users. Bitcoin ETFs recorded modest inflows while Strategy added 1,665 BTC to reach record holdings.
APAC leads crypto adoption as Bitget revises breach to $388M
APAC nations hold nine of the top 20 spots in the 2026 crypto adoption ranking while Bitget revised its breach figure to about $387.5 million from an initial $351.6 million. Regional banks are also testing 24-hour settlement and blockchain bond issuance.
Goldman Sachs to Acquire NEOS Investments in $2.25B Deal
Goldman Sachs agreed to acquire NEOS Investments for up to $2.25 billion, adding three crypto-income ETFs that use derivatives rather than direct holdings. The deal expands Goldman's active ETF business to roughly $80 billion and is expected to close in Q1 2027 pending regulatory approval.
BitMEX to Shut Down in September
BitMEX will close its crypto derivatives exchange in September and has urged users to withdraw funds as soon as possible. The shutdown follows a strategic review and comes after years of regulatory penalties and legal actions against the company and its founders.
Robinhood Chain racks up $1B DEX volume in debut week
Robinhood Chain has posted more than $1 billion in first-week DEX volume while its TVL soared millions of percent on memecoin momentum; Circle obtained a national trust bank charter and crypto legislation inches forward with a possible Clarity Act draft next week.
Paradigm Closes $1.2 Billion Fund Aimed at Crypto, AI and Robotics Startups
Paradigm has closed a $1.2 billion fund targeting startups in crypto, AI, robotics and other emerging technologies while continuing to center digital assets. The vehicle reflects colliding frontiers in technology and arrives as crypto builders create tools that let AI agents transact with minimal oversight.
Coinbase Obtains UK Approval to Add Equities and Derivatives
Coinbase has secured UK authorization to offer equities and derivatives alongside crypto, enabling perpetual futures for institutional traders and equity trading for retail customers. The move advances the company's Everything Exchange strategy ahead of the UK's full crypto framework in 2027.
UK retail payments plan backs tokenization and digital money interoperability
Regulators in Britain have issued an updated national blueprint for retail payments that urges building infrastructure capable of handling tokenization along with seamless connections to emerging types of digital money. The move advances a diverse multi-money ecosystem and aligns with the FCA's new crypto licensing regime opening in September.
Robinhood Deploys AI-Native Ethereum Layer-2 Focused on Tokenized Stocks
Robinhood activated the mainnet of its AI-native Ethereum layer-2 network featuring tokenized stocks that function as DeFi collateral, while Venice AI closed a $65M round at a $1B valuation to become crypto's newest unicorn. HOOD shares rose more than 8% and Lighter's LIT token gained 15%.
OFAC sanctions 134 ISIS-K crypto wallets as Tether freezes funds
OFAC has sanctioned 134 crypto wallet addresses linked to ISIS-K, including 131 Tron addresses that received over $1.4 million in donations since 2023, prompting Tether to freeze associated funds. The move underscores the increasing reliance on blockchain analytics to enforce financial sanctions against terrorist financing networks.
Robinhood deploys public mainnet on Arbitrum and targets UK crypto trading
Robinhood activated its public mainnet on Arbitrum four months after testnet launch while disclosing plans for UK crypto trading and new DeFi tools. The developments follow a 10 percent workforce cut and a nearly 50 percent drop in crypto revenue.
Visa, Mastercard and Coinbase Launch Open USD Stablecoin
Visa, Mastercard, Coinbase and over 140 businesses launched Open Standard to issue Open USD, a US dollar-tied stablecoin expected later in 2026. The move follows the GENIUS Act signed into law on July 18, 2025, which created a new regulatory framework and aims to expand stablecoin use beyond crypto trading.
SEC Seeks Public Input on Updating Rules for Novel ETFs
The SEC has launched a 60-day comment period to rethink its rules for novel ETFs, including crypto-focused products, questioning whether providers investing in non-securities qualify as investment companies. The move could pave the way for a wider range of assets under an automated approval process that fueled growth from $4 trillion in 2019 to $12 trillion in 2025.
UK Regulator Issues Final Crypto Oversight Framework
The Financial Conduct Authority has released its final crypto rulebook, requiring trading platforms, custodians, stablecoin issuers, and staking providers to obtain authorization before an October 2027 launch. The completed framework applies standards comparable to traditional finance while simplifying some requirements after industry consultation.
EBA proposes up to 12.5% revenue fines for MiCA violations
The European Banking Authority published a consultation paper outlining fines of up to 12.5% of annual revenue for significant token issuers that violate MiCA rules. The framework arrives days before a July 1 licensing deadline that will force many crypto firms to halt EU operations or face exactly the penalties now detailed.
Kraken teams with Maple to bring warehouse financing onchain for institutional crypto loans
Kraken and Maple introduced an onchain warehouse financing facility that routes institutional crypto-backed loans through a bankruptcy-remote SPV with USDC senior debt from Maple. The partnership enables Kraken to scale lending activity without committing further capital from its balance sheet while tokenized credit surpasses $6.2 billion in value.
SBI Takes Full Ownership of Bitbank in $289 Million Transaction
SBI Holdings will gain full control of Bitbank through a $289 million transaction that creates Japan’s largest crypto exchange by assets under custody, targeting 1.1 trillion yen and 2.92 million accounts while expanding its stablecoin, tokenization and blockchain infrastructure.
ESMA Tells Unauthorized Crypto Providers to Leave EU Market
ESMA has ordered unlicensed crypto firms to stop serving EU clients and wind down operations before the MiCA authorization deadline of July 1, 2026. The move ends the transitional period for the EU's unified crypto rulebook and limits services to orderly client exits while maintaining AML obligations.
Ripple wins preliminary CASP approval in Luxembourg under MiCA
Ripple has secured preliminary CASP approval under MiCA from Luxembourg’s regulator, enabling regulated crypto services across the EEA once finalized. The move comes days before the July 1 deadline as crypto firms race for compliance and Europe tests the new framework.
Franklin Templeton Forms Franklin Crypto Division Following 250 Digital Acquisition
Franklin Templeton has closed its acquisition of 250 Digital and established the Franklin Crypto division targeting institutional investors with actively managed cryptocurrency strategies. The step aligns with the asset manager's tokenized holdings reportedly expanding from roughly $768 million to more than $2.5 billion over the past year while the wider onchain RWA sector more than doubled.
Bank of England Abandons Stablecoin Holding Limits, Imposes £40 Billion Issuance Cap
The Bank of England has dropped proposed caps on individual and corporate stablecoin holdings, replacing them with a temporary £40 billion issuance ceiling per systemic stablecoin. The policy adjustment, which also relaxes reserve backing rules to bolster issuer economics, follows industry and parliamentary objections ahead of full U.K. crypto regulations in 2027.
Greek Regulator Expected to Reject Binance MiCA License Application
Reuters reports that Greece’s HCMC is expected to reject Binance’s MiCA application before the June 30 deadline, forcing the exchange to cease EU operations. The decision would cut off the world’s largest crypto platform from EU residents and test the effectiveness of the bloc’s new harmonized licensing regime.
Coinbase Launches Tool for AI Agents to Trade Crypto
Coinbase launched Coinbase for Agents, allowing AI models to connect to user accounts for autonomous trading, payments via x402 protocol, and tasks like recurring buys without manual oversight. The move comes as crypto firms expand AI tools despite a June 10 study showing agent treasuries gained $30 million while token holders lost $191.7 million.
Coinbase Launches Pre-IPO Perpetual Futures on SpaceX
Coinbase launched pre-IPO markets with perpetual futures on SpaceX for non-US users allowing 24/7 trading settled in USDC that automatically transitions post-IPO. The move intensifies competition among crypto platforms to offer synthetic private market exposure as the tokenized RWA sector expands rapidly to $51 billion.
Bitcoin Drops to $65K, Triggers $1.8B Liquidations
Bitcoin fell 8% to a nine-week low of $65,360 triggering $1.83 billion in crypto liquidations with $774.2 million from BTC longs alone. Traders now eye $60,000 as the key support level while exchange supply hits a three-month high signaling added selling pressure.
CFTC Approves First Regulated Bitcoin Perps on Kalshi
The CFTC approved the first regulated bitcoin perpetual futures on Kalshi's exchange and issued a no-action letter to Coinbase the same day. The move sets a compliance framework for U.S. firms and advances policies to position America as the crypto capital.
CFTC Seeks to Vacate $5M Settlement With Gemini
The CFTC has asked a federal court to vacate its $5 million settlement with Gemini, saying the original complaint relied on a whistleblower known to lack credibility. The move ends ongoing obligations for the exchange and adds to abandoned crypto enforcement actions under the Trump administration.
UK Sanctions Huobi in First Banking-Style Crypto Crackdown
The UK sanctioned Huobi, a gold-backed stablecoin issuer and 16 other entities for supporting Russia's illicit financial networks, applying banking-style rules to crypto for the first time. The move requires UK firms to freeze assets and trace multi-hop blockchain transactions, with other regulators expected to study the precedent.
OFAC Sanctions Six Ethereum Addresses Tied to Sinaloa Cartel
OFAC sanctioned six Ethereum addresses linked to a Sinaloa Cartel money laundering network that converted drug proceeds into crypto as part of action against 11 individuals and two entities. The move raises compliance risks for crypto exchanges and virtual asset service providers by highlighting the cartel's use of blockchain technology.
Echo Protocol Hit by $76.7M Exploit via Admin Key Breach
An attacker minted about 1,000 unauthorized eBTC worth $76.7 million on Echo Protocol after compromising an admin private key on the Monad blockchain. The incident highlights ongoing DeFi security risks, with at least 12 protocols already exploited this month amid a broader 2026 surge in crypto hacks.
KDDI to Acquire 14.9% Stake in Coincheck for $65M
KDDI will acquire a 14.9% stake in Coincheck Group for $65 million in a deal expected to close in June. The business alliance signed alongside the investment focuses on revenue sharing, referrals and expanding crypto access across Japan.
Binance AI Blocks $10.5 Billion in Crypto Fraud
Binance said its AI systems prevented more than $10.5 billion in user losses from the start of 2025 through Q1 2026 while intercepting 22.9 million scam attempts in the first quarter alone. The figures underscore AI's dual role in scaling crypto fraud to $17 billion in 2025 while powering over half of the exchange's fraud controls.
Coinbase Reports $394M Q1 Loss as Revenue Falls 31%
Coinbase reports a $394 million Q1 net loss and 31% revenue drop to $1.4 billion, with transaction revenue down 40% and shares falling over 5%. The results follow a 14% workforce cut and underscore challenges in the crypto market despite operational bright spots.
BitMine May Slow ETH Buys After Amassing 4% Supply
BitMine Immersion Technologies may slow its Ethereum purchases after amassing more than 4% of the circulating supply and nearing its 5% target. Chairman Tom Lee cited other crypto opportunities and the firm’s diversified investments as reasons for a potential change in pace.
Payward Closes $550M Bitnomial Deal, Securing CFTC Derivatives Stack
Payward, the parent of Kraken, has acquired Bitnomial for up to $550 million in cash and stock. The deal provides a complete CFTC-regulated derivatives stack, enabling direct offering of regulated crypto products in the U.S. and following its earlier NinjaTrader purchase.
Tether Reports $1.04B Q1 Profit, Starts Audit
Tether announced $1.04 billion in Q1 2026 profit and a record $8.23 billion reserve buffer despite crypto volatility. The stablecoin giant also began its first full audit by KPMG amid U.S. expansion and scrutiny.
Meta Rolls Out Stablecoin Payouts for Creators
Meta starts offering stablecoin payouts in USDC to select creators in Colombia and the Philippines, supported by Stripe. It marks the company's return to crypto payments years after abandoning Diem.
Israel Approves Shekel-Pegged BILS Stablecoin
Israel’s Capital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority approves the BILS shekel-pegged stablecoin from Bits of Gold after a two-year Solana pilot. The move supports regulated crypto activities amid a strong shekel and booming global stablecoin market.
Tennessee Crypto Kiosk Ban Takes Effect July 1
Tennessee bans crypto ATMs and kiosks effective July 1 under a new law signed by Governor Bill Lee. The measure targets scams linked to the machines, which number over 570 in the state and have cost victims $389 million per FBI data.
Bitcoin hits $75,900, highest since Feb. 5 crash to $60K
Bitcoin reached $75,900 on April 14, 2026, its highest since the February 5 crash to $60,000, fueled by Middle East optimism lowering oil prices and boosting risk assets. Crypto stocks and miners rallied sharply, with analysts eyeing $76,000 resistance for a potential bullish breakout.
From the feed · 50
Polygon Labs expects its regulated payments business to turn profitable in 2027 after acquiring Coinme, which lets it handle conversions between crypto, stablecoins and traditional currencies itself. CEO Marc Boiron says the deal lets Polygon keep customer relationships and fees that previously went to payment intermediaries.
Deutsche Bank's crypto custody service is weeks from launch and will expand to Asia next year, Reuters reported Friday, citing the bank's corporate banking leadership. It will start with major cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin before adding stablecoin services, Bitcoin Magazine reports.
Russians have until July 1, 2027 to trade crypto directly with each other. After that date, deals must run through brokers or exchanges approved by the Bank of Russia, Decrypt reports.
Australia has introduced legislation that would require crypto platforms to report transactions involving Australian residents to tax authorities starting July 2027, Watcher Guru reports. The bill also covers international tax information sharing.
$948 million in crypto positions were liquidated across 177,440 traders in 24 hours, with longs making up 90.6%. Bitcoin fell below $80,000 after hotter CPI and PPI data revived bets on another Fed rate hike.
About $350 million in crypto long positions were liquidated in roughly 10 minutes early Thursday as Bitcoin fell below $81,000 and Ether below $2,400, Watcher Guru reported.
AI agents made more than 138 million crypto payments through Coinbase's x402 protocol on Base by Q3 2026, up from roughly 1,500 in mid-2025, according to a Chainalysis report. More than 87% were micro-transactions between a hundredth of a cent and 10 cents.
Payward is acquiring Lithuania-based Saldo Bank, the first digital asset company to buy an EU-licensed lender. The undisclosed deal is expected to close in 2027 and will let customers borrow and lend against crypto holdings without selling.
Wells Fargo's CEO reportedly said the bank is preparing for potential US crypto stablecoin opportunities.
Russia’s central bank now lists 10 authorized crypto exchange operators and six digital custodians. Sberbank joins the register ahead of its planned Dec. 1 launch for Bitcoin, Ether and Tether trading.
South Korea's FIU has approved blocks on 27 websites run by unregistered crypto exchanges, including KuCoin, MEXC, Phemex and Bitrue. The agency noted that existing users could face withdrawal complications and plans to offer guidance through DAXA.
Bitcoin briefly fell below $82,000 on Monday evening, and about $120 million in crypto long positions were liquidated within 15 minutes, according to Watcher Guru.
$2 trillion wealth transfer to younger investors is expected to drive crypto demand, Bitmine chairman Tom Lee said, as the ether treasury firm buys more toward a 5% supply target.
Blockchain analytics firms traced up to $93.2M stolen from wallets tied to Ledger devices sold by reseller CryptoBilis, and Tether froze $10M. Ledger says every confirmed case involves that Southeast Asian reseller but has not confirmed the total.
Ledger confirmed an unauthorized hardware implant in at least one device sold through Southeast Asian reseller CryptoBilis. The firm says confirmed cases are limited and its own systems remain unaffected.
French lawmakers approved a rule requiring crypto wallets above $112K to be declared, with fines up to 10,000 euros for non-compliance.
Ledger asked reseller CryptoBillis to pause all wallet sales while it investigates reports of drained accounts linked to suspected hardware implants that intercept screen data including seed phrases.
A French National Assembly committee adopted amendments taxing stablecoin swaps and crypto exits by wealthy holders, then rejected the 2027 budget's revenue section.
$1B of Iranian crypto is the target of a planned U.S. seizure this week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. The specific asset remains unclear.
Researchers estimate $72 million to $86 million in suspected crypto thefts tied to a Ledger reseller in Southeast Asia. The hardware wallet maker is now investigating the losses and warning users.
Up to $35 million and a lifetime crypto trading ban from Celsius founder Alex Mashinsky in a civil settlement with New York’s attorney general. Mashinsky is already serving a 12-year sentence for fraud.
Blockchain.com is seeking CFTC designation and registration to offer U.S. event contracts and cryptocurrency derivatives. The move would expand its platform into regulated prediction markets and crypto trading for American users.
$86M worth of crypto was reportedly drained from Ledger hardware wallets. The incident targets the firm's cold-storage devices, with no official confirmation yet on the attack vector.
US authorities reportedly plan to seize about $1 billion in cryptocurrency assets linked to Iran as part of broader sanctions enforcement. The move targets digital holdings to tighten economic restrictions without direct asset freezes.
France’s Finance Committee backed taxes on stablecoin swaps in the 2027 budget bill. It also targets unrealized crypto gains for households with more than 800,000 euros moving abroad.
UK sanctions three crypto exchanges and two payment services over alleged Russia links, with two handling transactions tied to the Kremlin-backed A7 network.
Bitcoin rebounded to $82,000 after Trump ruled out Iran strikes ahead of the midterms. Crypto security experts also dismissed bunker-mode concerns.
Greece is drafting a bill to tax crypto capital gains at 15%, exempting the first €500. The country currently has no crypto tax framework.
CFTC Chair said America is no longer sitting back while crypto moves overseas and other countries set the standard. "America leading the way.
$450,000,000 in crypto positions were liquidated in the past hour as Bitcoin fell below $81,000.
$185M was liquidated from crypto markets in the past hour as Bitcoin fell below $82,000 and Ether under $2,500.
Over 6 million bitcoin sit behind exposed public keys, per Glassnode co-founder's latest figures. Justin Drake is urging preparations for potential AI attacks on wallet cryptography.
A Maryland man was convicted of stealing $53 million from the Uranium Finance crypto exchange in two April 2021 hacks. The theft targeted the decentralized platform's liquidity pools.
Bitcoin slipped below $83,000 as Ethereum researcher Justin Drake's call for "bunker mode" preparations against AI wallet attacks drew mixed responses in crypto.
ESMA has given EU crypto firms three months to halt services involving non-MiCA-compliant stablecoins. Regulators now have that window to unwind existing exposures.
More than 60 countries will support USDC transfers from Samsung Wallet starting in October for eligible US Galaxy users, including sends to external crypto wallets and bank account withdrawals.
Ripple's $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road gives the crypto firm a foothold in financing leveraged bets on stocks such as Nvidia. The unit has long been a bank domain.
Greece is preparing draft legislation for a 10% capital gains tax on cryptocurrencies, its first digital asset taxation framework.
CFTC Chair Mike Selig said new crypto rulemaking will impose stricter oversight to prevent another FTX-style collapse. The regulator plans to apply the same standards used in traditional markets.
House Financial Services chairman French Hill said SEC and CFTC crypto rules fall short of clarity after the Clarity Act collapsed. Only permanent law change can secure U.S. leadership, he added.
Wells Fargo is reportedly in talks with Payward, Kraken's parent company, to supply liquidity for crypto trading as major banks expand their digital asset involvement.
CFTC says it will deliver clear crypto rules with or without legislation from Congress.
$550M in crypto liquidations followed Bitcoin's 2.3% drop below $84K in two hours, tied to suspicion over leveraged short positions on Hyperliquid.
$400 million in crypto longs liquidated in the past 20 minutes as ETH falls below $2,600.
🔴 $360 million in crypto longs liquidated in the past 10 minutes as Bitcoin fell below $84,000.
$12.5 billion in crypto card payments set a new record, fueled by rising stablecoin adoption.
FinCEN will scrap proposed rules targeting unhosted wallets and cryptocurrency mixing.
Rain is seeking a US trust bank charter, joining other crypto firms pursuing federal charters days after community banks sued the OCC to overturn the underlying rules.
CCI CEO Ji Hun Kim said the group remains confident in the OCC’s approval of charters for crypto companies despite the banks' lawsuit.