Crypto Dispensers Eyes $100 Million Sale Amid Software Expansion Crypto Dispensers, a key player in cash-to-crypto services, is exploring a potential sale valued at approximately $100 million. This strategic review follows the company's pivot from hardware Bitcoin ATMs to a software-based model, enabling in-store cash deposits at retail registers through partnerships with major financial institutions. The platform now supports various funding methods, including cash, cards, and bank transfers, with plans for further U.S. retail network expansion and international reach in Latin America. A mobile app is also in development. Founder and CEO Firas Isa stated, "Software showed us the scale... This review is about understanding the next stage of growth." The company emphasizes that the review is ongoing and completion is not assured.
Pension Funds Explore Bitcoin as a Strategic Store of Value Pension funds are increasingly assessing Bitcoin's potential as a store of value (SoV), recognizing its digital scarcity (21 million coins), durability, portability, and liquidity. This contrasts with gold and fiat currencies. Challenges for funds include price volatility, regulatory uncertainty, and cybersecurity. However, rising inflation and geopolitical tensions are prompting exploration of alternative assets. AMP Super, for instance, has allocated to Bitcoin futures as a hedge against currency depreciation. While Bitcoin is seen as a supplement to traditional assets, its role in institutional portfolios is growing. The broader potential of blockchain technology and tokenization is also being considered.
Solana's Institutional Surge: Driving On-Chain Liquidity and DeFi Evolution During TOKEN2049, Auros and the Solana Foundation convened over 500 participants to discuss Solana's growth. The event highlighted the increasing professionalization of on-chain liquidity and institutional engagement. Solana's infrastructure offers high speed and deep liquidity, with advanced AMMs achieving low spreads and efficient routing engines managing significant DEX activity. This robust performance, evidenced by millions of daily active addresses and billions in weekly DEX turnover, signifies embedded liquidity. Market makers are now actively shaping market conditions. Institutional engagement has shifted from passive exposure to active construction and native deployment on Solana, with products like Franklin Templeton's BENJI and Grayscale's Solana Trust emerging. DeFi is evolving into a design frontier, with institutions becoming on-chain strategists. Solana's narrative is defined by resilience and disciplined execution quality. Auros and the Solana Foundation aim to deepen liquidity and refine on-chain market design as institutional involvement intensifies, setting new benchmarks for Web3 innovation.
Solana's Evolution: Professionalized Liquidity and Institutional Growth Solana is rapidly advancing, marked by a convergence of code, capital, and enhanced infrastructure. The network demonstrates exceptional performance with sub-second block times and extremely low DEX trading fees, attracting significant on-chain activity. This professionalization of on-chain liquidity, supported by protocol upgrades, fosters a resilient ecosystem. Institutional engagement has moved beyond passive investment to active strategic development, with products like Franklin Templeton's BENJI and Grayscale's Solana Trust emerging. This signals DeFi's evolution into a design frontier, integrating institutional capital with blockchain infrastructure. Solana's resilience and institutional adoption position it as a key player in the future of finance.
Bybit Launches XAUt Gold-Backed Token Event with 100K USDT Prize Pool Bybit is launching the "XAUt Token Splash" trading competition, featuring a 100,000 USDT prize pool, to boost the utility of XAUt, a token pegged to physical gold. The exchange will also integrate XAUt into its Alpha Farm product, allowing users to stake the token without external wallets and gas fees. This move highlights the growing investor demand for stable digital assets and offers a hedge against cryptocurrency volatility.
Pivotal Trend Service Launches PMN on Republic, First Japan-Originated Bitcoin Mining STO in US Pivotal Trend Service Co., Ltd. (PTS) has launched its digital asset, PMN (Pivotal Mining Note), on Republic. This marks the first Japan-originated Security Token Offering (STO) compliantly offered in the United States and the inaugural STO post-Republic's acquisition of INX. PMN aims to democratize access to institutional-grade Bitcoin mining. The product is backed by real-world, managed Bitcoin mining operations, offering verifiable BTC output over a 36-month term. Early pre-sales exceeded USD 2 million from global institutional investors. PTS CEO Doer Qu stated, "PMN represents more than a product launch β€” it demonstrates what a new generation of regulated, cross-border digital assets can achieve." PMN offers structured exposure to BTC production via contracted hashrate for long-term Bitcoin accumulation.
aPriori Faces Airdrop Controversy Over Alleged Sybil Farming Web3 startup aPriori is facing scrutiny after a single entity reportedly claimed 60% of its APR tokens across numerous interconnected wallets, sparking accusations of Sybil farming. Blockchain analytics platform Bubblemaps identified the suspicious distribution pattern. In response to backlash, aPriori has adjusted its airdrop parameters, shifting focus to "social contribution" and increasing the initial unlock to 15%. The community remains divided, with some suspecting manipulation and others attributing the issue to professional airdrop farmers. The Monad mainnet launch is set for November 24.
‍Indonesian Hacker Arrested in $398K Markets.com Crypto Theft Indonesian authorities have arrested HS, a local cybercriminal accused of orchestrating a $398,000 cryptocurrency theft from Markets.com. The suspect exploited backend validation weaknesses to fraudulently generate USDT balances. This incident highlights vulnerabilities in trading platforms and raises questions about the sufficiency of traditional KYC protocols. HS allegedly used scraped Indonesian ID information to create fake accounts and bypass verification. Authorities seized assets including a cold wallet containing 266,801 USDT. HS faces up to 15 years in prison. Experts note the use of leaked data and AI for fake identities, emphasizing the need for enhanced security beyond basic KYC, including continuous monitoring and cross-platform collaboration.
‍Sorare Cuts 35% of Staff, Co-Founder Steps Down Web3 fantasy sports platform Sorare is reducing its workforce by 35% and co-founder Adrien Montfort is stepping down from his CTO role. CEO Nicolas Julia stated the move aims to accelerate profitability and streamline decision-making. These changes follow Sorare's migration to the Solana blockchain, which is expected to generate up to $10 million in revenue. The company seeks to improve financial sustainability in the competitive blockchain gaming sector.
‍Bitcoin Miners Pivot to AI and HPC Amidst Market Downturn Publicly traded Bitcoin miners are experiencing a significant stock decline following Bitcoin's pullback from recent highs. This volatility is driving a strategic shift towards Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC) for diversified revenue streams. Companies are repurposing energy-intensive data centers for AI/HPC workloads, with significant deals announced by Bitfarms, Core Scientific, CleanSpark, and IREN. This pivot aims to leverage existing infrastructure for more stable, higher-margin business models beyond traditional crypto mining.