‍Citadel Securities Advocates for Stricter DeFi Tokenized Stock Regulation Market maker Citadel Securities has urged the SEC to implement stricter regulations on DeFi platforms trading tokenized stocks. The firm argues that DeFi developers and wallet providers should not receive broad exemptive relief and should adhere to existing securities laws, stating that trading the same security under two different regulatory regimes contradicts the Exchange Act. This stance has drawn criticism from the crypto community. Jake Chervinsky of the Blockchain Association questioned Citadel's motives, suggesting it opposes innovations that remove intermediaries. Uniswap founder Hayden Adams echoed this sentiment, noting the conflict between market makers and open-source, peer-to-peer technology. Traditional finance groups like SIFMA and the World Federation of Exchanges support regulatory parity, emphasizing the need for investor protections similar to those for conventional financial instruments, citing recent market volatility as a reminder of regulatory importance.
‍Vienna Crypto Murder Highlights Rise in "Wrench Attacks" Police in Ukraine have arrested two individuals in connection with the torture and murder of a 21-year-old student in Vienna. The victim's crypto wallet was reportedly drained following the brutal assault, which authorities believe began at a hotel. This incident is part of a worrying global trend of "wrench attacks," where criminals use physical coercion to steal digital assets. Jameson Lopp has documented nearly 70 such attacks this year, with over 30% occurring in Europe. Experts note that as digital security improves, criminals are increasingly resorting to physical targeting.
‍Bitfury Invests $50M in Decentralized AI Network Gonka Bitfury has increased its commitment to Gonka, a decentralized AI computing network, to a total of $50 million. This funding will accelerate the Gonka protocol’s growth and expand its global GPU network infrastructure. Gonka utilizes a Proof-of-Work model for real-world AI inference and training, offering a decentralized alternative to centralized cloud providers. Since its August 2025 launch, the network has shown significant potential.
‍Bitcoin Miner IREN Secures $3.6B for AI Expansion Amidst Market Speculation Bitcoin miner IREN has announced a $3.6 billion capital raise through share sales and convertible debt offerings. This funding is designated for expanding computing infrastructure to meet the growing demand for AI services. The move highlights a trend of crypto miners leveraging debt for AI infrastructure. Initially, IREN's stock dropped over 15% but later recovered, jumping 7.6%. The company plans a balance sheet restructuring, including repurchasing convertible notes and capped call transactions to mitigate dilution risks. Market sentiment was also influenced by Jim Cramer's advice to sell companies undertaking financing, though the "inverse Cramer" effect led to a stock rebound. This diversification strategy reflects a broader industry shift towards AI.
‍OpenAI Explores Space Industry Entry, Potentially Challenging SpaceX OpenAI is reportedly exploring a strategic move into the space industry, driven by founder Sam Altman's vision for space-based data centers to meet escalating AI and data processing demands. This initiative involves potential acquisition or partnership with a rocket company, signalling expansion beyond core AI. Such a move would position OpenAI to rival SpaceX in space infrastructure. Space-based data centers could offer reduced latency, enhanced security, and resilience, with profound implications for the cryptocurrency ecosystem and Web3, potentially supporting blockchain nodes and decentralized storage.
‍Unpatchable Chip Flaw Threatens Smartphone Crypto Wallets A critical, unpatchable vulnerability has been discovered in the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 smartphone chip, according to crypto wallet provider Ledger. The flaw, located in the chip's boot ROM, allows for device compromise via electromagnetic attacks, posing a significant risk to digital assets stored on affected phones. This vulnerability cannot be fixed with software updates, as it's embedded in the hardware itself. Ledger's research demonstrates a low but achievable success rate for attackers to gain full device control. This highlights the importance of hardware wallets for secure cryptocurrency storage.
‍SEC Halts Review of High-Leveraged Crypto ETF Applications The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has paused the review of several applications for high-leveraged crypto ETFs due to significant risk concerns. The regulator is focusing on funds offering more than 200% leveraged exposure, which can lead to compounded losses that outweigh the asset's performance. This cautious approach contrasts with the success of spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, which have attracted substantial assets. Issuers will need to address the SEC's concerns regarding amplified risks in their proposals.
‍Ethereum's Fusaka Upgrade is Live, Boosting L2 Throughput Up to 8x The Ethereum Fusaka upgrade has been activated, promising significant enhancements including supercharged data capacity, reduced transaction costs, and improved user experience. A core feature, PeerDAS, enables up to 8x data throughput for Layer 2s by fragmenting rollup data. This optimization leads to cheaper blob fees and more space for growth, all while maintaining decentralization. Market participants are anticipating a positive impact on Ether's (ETH) price, with analysts drawing parallels to previous upgrades that spurred significant price movements. Fusaka represents a pivotal moment for Ethereum, advancing its decentralized scaling capabilities and reinforcing its role in the Web3 landscape.
‍BlackRock CEO Fink: Bitcoin is an "Asset of Fear" BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has articulated a significant shift in his view on cryptocurrencies, moving from initial skepticism to spearheading the largest spot Bitcoin ETF. Fink characterized Bitcoin as an "asset of fear," noting its price sensitivity to global stability. This comes as BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) navigates market dynamics, despite experiencing net outflows in November 2025. The broader institutional embrace of digital assets continues, with multiple firms now offering spot Bitcoin ETFs.
‍Major Banks Pilot Stablecoins with Coinbase, Exploring Digital Assets Major U.S. financial institutions are reportedly engaged in pilot programs focused on stablecoins, crypto custody, and digital asset trading in partnership with Coinbase. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong highlighted the evolving financial landscape, stating that banks slow to adopt digital assets risk falling behind. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink acknowledged Bitcoin's "use case," with BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust surpassing $72 billion. Despite this collaboration, tensions exist, with banking groups like the BPI raising concerns about stablecoins potentially undermining the credit model and urging stronger regulation. Coinbase aims to become a "super app" rivaling traditional banks, while groups like the ICBA have opposed Coinbase's trust charter application due to perceived risks. These developments underscore a dynamic interplay of cooperation and competition shaping the future of finance.