Crypto World Echo

Valkyrie amends Bitcoin Fund S-1 filing with enhanced custody and valuation rules

Valkyrie Investments refiled an amended Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday for its Valkyrie Bitcoin Fund, adding more precise rules around custody, valuation, seed investments, and risks as the cryptocurrency investment vehicle awaits regulatory approval to trade on Nasdaq. The new filing updates the index used to value the fund’s Bitcoin from Lukka Prime to the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate – New York Variant, which calculates the reference rate as of 4 PM Eastern

New BlackRock report exposes a historic shift in crypto that leaves only one blockchain controlling the settlement layer

Stablecoins used to be a crypto convenience, a way to park dollars between trades without touching fiat. However, the industry has matured enough that BlackRock now treats them as foundational rails for the market.In its 2026 Global Outlook, the BlackRock Investment Institute argued that stablecoins are widening beyond exchanges and becoming integrated into mainstream payment systems. It also said they could expand in cross-border transfers and day-to-day use in emerging markets.That framing mat

UK Sets out Regulation Framework for Crypto Firms

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority has outlined how crypto firms must apply for authorisation ahead of the new regulatory regime. The framework introduces a formal application window, transitional rules, and stricter marketing requirements. FCA Details Entry Process for New Crypto Regime The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published fresh guidance explaining how the […]

Colombian Tax Watchdog Strengthens VASP Reporting Requirements

DIAN, the National Directorate of Taxes and Customs, issued a new Resolution that strengthens the data reporting requirements for virtual assets service providers (VASPs), becoming informants starting in 2026. The move seeks to avoid tax evasion using crypto assets and seeks to streamline these processes. Colombia Strengthens Data Reporting Requirements For VASPs The National Directorate […]

Ethereum just solved a critical problem Bitcoin doesn’t want to fix on its own network – but why?

A few years ago, the easiest way to explain Bitcoin to a newcomer was to keep it simple, slow, and sturdy.Ten-minute blocks. Limited space. Everyone checks everything. Nobody gets special treatment.That design is a feature. It is what makes Bitcoin feel like bedrock.It is also why every bull market ends up replaying the same argument. Block space gets tight, fees jump, users complain, and builders promise solutions that live somewhere above the base layer.This week, Vitalik Buterin showed up wit

Tether Partners With UN Agency to Combat Illicit Crypto Flows in Africa

Tether has partnered with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to combat illicit cryptocurrency activity and strengthen Africa’s digital resilience. Africa’s Growing Vulnerability On Jan. 9, stablecoin giant Tether announced a strategic partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to combat illicit cryptocurrency activity and strengthen digital resilience across […]

BNY Launches On-Chain Tokenized Deposits, Bringing $57.8T Custody Giant Into 24/7 Crypto Settlement

Key Takeaways:BNY has activated tokenized bank deposits on-chain, marking a major step toward real-time, programmable institutional cash.Client balances are mirrored on a permissioned blockchain, enabling faster collateral, margin, and settlement workflows without breaking regulatory controls.Early adopters include Ripple Prime, Circle, Citadel Securities, ICE, and Galaxy, signaling deep institutional buy-in for on-chain cash infrastructure.BNY has officially moved bank money onto blockchain rai

WisdomTree scraps plan to launch XRP ETF in the US

<p>WisdomTree's withdrawal highlights the challenges and competitive pressures in the evolving US digital asset ETF market landscape.</p><p>The post <a href="https://cryptobriefing.com/wisdomtree-xrp-etf-withdrawal-filing/">WisdomTree scraps plan to launch XRP ETF in the US</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cryptobriefing.com">Crypto Briefing</a>.</p>

Stablecoin Volumes Hit Record $33 Trillion Amid Policy Tailwinds

Stablecoin transaction volumes jumped to a record $33 trillion in 2025, driven by favorable U.S. policy and growing institutional adoption. Data shows USDC leading transaction flows, while USDT continues to dominate market value. Record Activity for Stablecoins in Pro- Crypto U.S. Climate Stablecoin usage surged to new highs in 2025, with transaction volumes climbing 72% [&#8230;]

Are Meme Coins Losing Steam? Shiba Inu and Pepe Show Mixed Signals as Sentiment Shifts

Meme coins had a strong start to the year, but some traders question whether the momentum can persist. Shiba Inu has given back much of its early gains and is trading near earlier levels, while recent volatility highlights how quickly sentiment can shift in meme coin markets.Pepe has rallied, but on-chain signals suggest mixed whale behavior and elevated leverage, which can increase downside risk. Against that backdrop, some investors are exploring utility-focused projects such as Remittix (RTX)

Market Wrap: Prop’s Rule Changes Spark Debate; Can Kraken–Deutsche Börse Pact Boost Crypto?

Google allows ads for prediction marketsThe calendar has flipped to 2026 and markets havewasted no time in setting a new tone. Google will allow prediction market ads in the U.S.only for firms under federal oversight, drawing a clear line betweenCFTC-regulated event contracts and binary options, which will remain banned. Under the new rules, regulatory status becomes the keycondition for accessing Google’s advertising inventory. However, Google is notpositioning itself as a financial regulator.F

Event Contracts Gain Regulatory Clarity as CFTC Issues Bitnomial No-Action Relief

Clearer regulatory ground is emerging for event-based derivatives as U.S. regulators outline how certain contracts can operate within existing swap reporting and recordkeeping rules, giving exchanges and clearinghouses greater operational certainty. CFTC Clarifies Oversight for Event-Based Derivatives Event-based derivatives are receiving clearer regulatory treatment as oversight adapts to evolving instruments. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission [&#8230;]

Ripple and BNY Signal Shift as Institutional Cash Moves On-Chain

Tokenized bank deposits went live inside a regulated banking giant, marking a decisive step toward on-chain cash as Ripple and BNY moved institutional money onto blockchain rails for real-world use. Ripple Prime Joins BNY’s Live Tokenized Deposit Launch Ripple and BNY marked a milestone moment for institutional finance as tokenized deposits entered live use. BNY, [&#8230;]

South Korea Supreme Court Ruling Treats Exchange-Held Bitcoin as Seizable Property

South Korea’s top court has drawn a hard legal line on digital assets, ruling that bitcoin held on exchanges can be seized during criminal probes, cementing virtual assets as enforceable property under criminal procedure. Supreme Court Confirms Exchange-Held Bitcoin Can Be Seized A landmark judicial decision has addressed how digital assets interact with criminal procedure. [&#8230;]

Ripple Wins FCA Approval, Paving the Way for Massive UK Payments Expansion

Ripple secured key U.K. regulatory approvals, clearing the way to scale compliant digital asset payments, deepen its London footprint and position its payments platform at the center of the country’s rapidly evolving cross-border finance landscape. Ripple Wins FCA Green Light to Expand Digital Asset Payments in the UK A regulatory breakthrough highlights growing confidence in [&#8230;]

Meme Coin Launchpad Pump.fun Moves to Rebalance Creator and Trader Incentives

Solana-based meme coin launchpad Pump.fun is preparing changes to its creator-fee system after concluding that its current structure did not support the platform’s long-term market health. Pump.fun Rethinks Creator Fees as Trading Activity Takes Center Stage Essentially, Pump.fun is a token-launch platform on the Solana blockchain that allows users to create and trade meme coins [&#8230;]

Rain Raises $250M to Scale Its Payments Capabilities Globally

The Series C funding round, led by Iconiq, will allow the company to expand into key licensed markets, opening the doors for partners to launch compliant solutions in these jurisdictions. Rain also became a unicorn, with its valuation reaching $1.95 billion. Rain Raises $250 Million, Reaches Unicorn Status Rain, one of the largest stablecoin-linked card [&#8230;]

Bitcoin Whales Keep Buying as 100+ BTC Addresses Set New Record

Bitcoin MagazineBitcoin Whales Keep Buying as 100+ BTC Addresses Set New RecordThe number of Bitcoin addresses (bitcoin whales) holding at least 100 BTC has climbed to a new all-time high, according to on-chain data from Bitcoin Magazine Pro, pointing to continued accumulation among large holders despite some recent bitcoin price dips and broader crypto market volatility.The metric tracks the total number of unique Bitcoin addresses with balances of 100 BTC or more — a cohort commonly associated

Pardons for CZ and Silk Road, None for Sam Bankman-Fried as Trump Grades Crypto Offenders

Trump said he does not intend to pardon SamBankman-Fried, who is serving a 25-year sentence for fraud tied to the collapseof crypto exchange FTX. In an interview with the New York Times, the President linked that position to a broader refusal tointervene in a series of other high-profile cases, including those involvingSean “Diddy” Combs and Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.Trump’s comments land at a sensitive moment forBankman-Fried, who has tried to reshape his public image with a media tour t

This Bitfinex whale “buy signal” is everywhere, but the real Bitcoin data suggests a much messier six weeks

The first thing you learn when you spend too long around Bitcoin is that everyone has a chart that “always works”, and everyone has a scar from the last time it didn’t.This week’s chart is making the rounds again, it’s the one that tracks Bitfinex margin longs, and it’s flashing a familiar change in body language. After climbing to a fresh peak, the longs line is starting to tip over, the kind of subtle rollover that looks boring until you remember how much money sits behind it.The social versio