Elliptic: A Shadow Network of Crypto Exchanges Processed $10–11bn to Help Russia Evade Sanctions
Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic published findings alleging that a coordinated cluster of crypto exchanges processed roughly $10 billion to $11 billion in transactions that helped Russia bypass international sanctions. Elliptic’s central takeaway is that sanctions evasion can be engineered through everyday product features, not just through sophisticated laundering tactics. The report matters for traders, treasuries, […]
Fed Researchers Say Kalshi Prediction-market Data Offers Faster, More Accurate Signals for Rate Expectations
Federal Reserve researchers published a paper arguing that Kalshi’s prediction-market data can sharpen macro monitoring by delivering a faster, more information-dense view of expectations. The study’s headline result was that Kalshi’s forecasts showed about 50% lower week-ahead mean absolute error than consensus forecasts during major economic disruptions.
Hyperliquid Opens Washington Policy Center with $28–29M in HYPE to Reduce Regulatory Friction for DeFi
Hyperliquid launched the Hyperliquid Policy Center in Washington, D.C. backing the initiative with a reported $28–29 million donation in HYPE tokens and placing crypto lawyer Jake Chervinsky in the chief executive role. The launch is a strategic escalation that signals Hyperliquid wants a permanent, policy-facing operating arm in the U.S., not just reactive commentary.
Trump Says Crypto Market-structure Bill Could Pass Soon
President Donald Trump told reporters the crypto market-structure bill S.3755/H.R.3633 “could pass soon,” which a report framed as renewed momentum for a framework that would split SEC and CFTC oversight and introduce a 180-day provisional exchange registration window. For traders, custodians, and product teams, the practical significance is that the proposal targets a long-standing operational […]
Steak ‘n Shake Says Lightning Bitcoin Payments Lifted Same‑Store Sales Dramatically Over Nine Months
Steak ’n Shake says a sharp rebound in same-store sales followed its U.S. rollout of Bitcoin payments via the Lightning Network on May 16, 2025, and it is now positioning that integration as a catalyst for measurable gains across consecutive quarters. The company’s story is that a payments-layer change reduced processing costs while supporting a […]
Morgan Stanley Hires Blockchain Engineers to Build Tokenization Rails
Morgan Stanley’s current hiring push reads like a deliberate shift from “crypto adjacency” to building proprietary, bank-grade rails for DeFi and tokenization. The roles being advertised focus on senior blockchain architects and engineers, and the stated objective is to compress private-market settlement cycles from days to minutes while positioning the firm for a share of […]
Elon Musk Announces X Money External Beta for March–April 2026
Elon Musk said X Money is targeting a limited external beta in March or April 2026 after internal testing that began in May 2025. That schedule effectively turns the next release cycle into an execution sprint where product and compliance teams must align on what “limited” means in practice and which features can safely ship […]
Citadel Securities Backs Layerzero’s “Zero” Chain, Pitching A UX Shift for Institutional Settlement
LayerZero said that it has unveiled Zero, a new Layer-1 blockchain designed specifically for trading, clearing, and settlement. The company is pitching the network as a low-friction venue for institutional workflows, anchored by performance targets that include up to 2 million transactions per second and per-transaction costs approaching $0.000001.
Trend Research’s Exit from Ethereum Left an Estimated $750 Million Hole
Trend Research, an investment firm led by Jack Yi, has exited Ethereum entirely, reportedly locking in losses close to $750 million as the token’s broader downturn persisted. The firm moved 651,757 ETH, worth about $1.34 billion, to Binance at an average price of $2,055, leaving only 0.0344 ETH, roughly $72, according to on-chain tracking.
Bitwise: ‘Bitcoin Is Offensive, Gold Is Defensive’
Bitwise positioned Bitcoin as an “offensive” asset and gold as a “defensive” anchor, arguing that even a modest rotation out of gold could have an outsized impact on Bitcoin’s market value. The core claim is that a roughly 3%–4% shift from global gold holdings into Bitcoin would be large enough to meaningfully change Bitcoin’s price […]