China Construction Bank (CCB), one of China’s largest state-owned lenders, has frozen a customer’s account after a routine review flagged a payment with the note “Dogecoin,” a reference to the popular cryptocurrency. The transaction, reportedly a ¥250 ($35) transfer to the customer’s husband, triggered the bank’s compliance system, which flagged it as potentially linked to cryptocurrency activity. CCB required the customer to submit several months of her husband’s transaction records and a signed statement affirming he had not engaged in cryptocurrency trading, stating that transaction records alone were insufficient to lift the freeze. The bank cited regulatory compliance guidelines, reflecting China’s strict stance on cryptocurrency activity. While Chinese regulators have long warned financial institutions against providing services connected to digital assets, this incident highlights how even incidental mentions of cryptocurrency in transaction notes can trigger account restrictions. Analysts note that banks’ monitoring systems are increasingly sensitive to keywords associated with crypto, even if the underlying transfer involves only fiat currency. The bank has not issued a public statement beyond internal communications. China Tightens Crypto Ban Mainland China has reaffirmed its hard-line stance on cryptocurrencies, targeting stablecoins and speculative trading as systemic financial threats. Regulators emphasized that digital assets remain illegal in the country and intensified enforcement against informal crypto activity. At the same time, the government’s clampdown on traditional financial channels contrasts with an unexpected development. Bitcoin mining is quietly making a comeback in certain regions. Driven by low-cost electricity and available infrastructure, China now accounts for roughly 14% of the global Bitcoin hashrate, demonstrating a complex dynamic where underground mining thrives despite official prohibition. Hong Kong Emerges as a Regulated Crypto Hub In contrast to the mainland’s restrictive approach, Hong Kong is actively evolving its crypto ecosystem with a series of regulatory changes aimed at fostering responsible growth while ensuring transparency. Licensed digital asset firms such as HashKey Group are moving closer to public listings, reflecting increasing institutional interest in regulated crypto businesses. Hong Kong is also introducing new crypto reporting rules for 2025 that will require virtual asset service providers to disclose detailed user and cross‑border transaction data to domestic authorities, aligning the city with global standards on financial transparency and anti‑money‑laundering efforts. These developments fit within a broader regulatory push that includes stablecoin licensing regimes, enhanced custody standards for licensed exchanges, and initiatives to allow local crypto platforms to integrate with global order books—all part of Hong Kong’s strategy to distinguish itself as a regulated digital asset hub in Asia.

Tangem Wallet has added Yield Mode, an Aave-powered feature that lets users earn interest on stablecoins like USDT, USDC, and DAI without leaving the app or giving up access to their private keys. Aave's December 11 release confirmed the integration.  It uses audited smart contracts to add assets to Aave's deep liquidity pools, where they earn interest in real time through aTokens. This new feature makes it easier for ordinary people to use stablecoins that are sitting around, bridging the gap between hardware wallet security and decentralised finance accessibility. A Process for Activating Seamless Yield Users can easily enable Yield Mode by clicking a button in the app. This sends selected stablecoins to Aave pools without the need for external dApps, WalletConnect, or browser interactions, making it look like a mobile banking software. Aave's protocol handles more than $60 billion in net deposits and $30 billion in active loans.  The returns it offers vary, usually falling between the mid-single and low-double digits, depending on how supply and demand change in real time. Withdrawals are always fully liquid, with no lockups or delays. Tangem's monitoring systems are ready to do emergency pulls if any protocol weaknesses are found. Hardware Security at the Core Tangem's focus on giving users complete control is at the heart of this innovation. Private keys are stored only on the real hardware card, and no off-chain data is recorded to protect users' privacy further. Every time you add or remove something, the smart contract needs your explicit permission.  This limits its use to Aave interactions and prevents unauthorised access. This architecture makes DeFi easier to understand for people who aren't as experienced by removing technical barriers and making sure that money is always productive and easy to access for transfers, swaps, or redemptions. Growing to Include Neobank Features The deployment aligns with Tangem's aggressive plans to add further features, such as staking on major networks, multi-chain swaps, and a virtual payment solution, which will be available in mid-December. Tangem sees this as "only the first step, with more supported assets and networks planned" to provide a whole neobank-style experience as stablecoins become more common in consumer apps and payment systems.  Aave emphasised the connection as a way for customers to "earn yield on stablecoins without leaving the Tangem app or giving up control of their keys," underscoring how much they care about their customers. This new feature comes at a time when stablecoin payroll is improving, and crypto is becoming more stable under President Trump's pro-innovation framework. It gives users all around the world, from freelancers to businesses, safe, yield-bearing self-custody choices that are as efficient as traditional banking.

Gold and silver are not behaving like a short-lived “risk-off” spasm — they’re trading like a regime shift. By December 12, 2025, silver had pushed to fresh record territory (around $64.56/oz intraday) while gold held near a seven-week high, with both metals responding to a combustible mix of macro uncertainty, positioning pressure, and uneven liquidity conditions. Macro catalysts remain live. The Fed’s most recent messaging has kept rate expectations and the dollar in motion, and that matters because precious metals have been hypersensitive to shifts in real yields and funding conditions. Even when price action is “up,” the path has been jagged — the kind of tape that forces brokers to monitor credit, intraday margin, and execution quality continuously, not just at end-of-day. Takeaway: The operational challenge is ongoing. When gold and silver trade at record or near-record levels amid fragile liquidity, brokers aren’t managing a single “event” — they’re managing a market structure that can lurch from orderly to disorderly in minutes. The CME Outage Was a Stress Test: What Happens When Price Discovery Blinks Late November delivered a blunt reminder of how quickly “normal” market plumbing can fail. The CME outage that began late Thursday, November 27, and extended into Friday, November 28, disrupted futures trading for nearly 10 hours, after a data-centre cooling failure impaired the exchange’s ability to keep key systems running. Price discovery froze across major contracts — including precious metals — right as post-Thanksgiving liquidity was already thin. [caption id="attachment_70182" align="alignleft" width="300"] James Alexander, Group Chief Commercial Officer at 26 Degrees[/caption] That combination — disrupted futures connectivity plus holiday-thinned liquidity — is where brokers either prove their engineering or expose their concentration risk. James Alexander, Group Chief Commercial Officer at 26 Degrees, put it plainly: “The CME outage was a stark reminder that technology and liquidity risks are never far from the surface. With Futures connectivity disrupted, the liquidity impact quickly spilled over into spot Precious Metals which was already experiencing low levels of liquidity as a result of the US Thanksgiving holiday. Within an instant, liquidity in some of the most heavily traded OTC instruments globally, was at a premium. At 26 Degrees, we plan for exactly these kinds of disruptions. Diverse liquidity sources, advanced benchmarking and quote filtration and resilient pricing infrastructure, all supported by a broad panel of 6 Tier 1 PBs, allowed us to continue delivering the stability and reliability our clients depend on every day, even when markets become challenging." Takeaway: Outages don’t just halt trading — they distort benchmarks, widen spreads, and shift risk into broker infrastructure. The question clients ask afterward isn’t “what happened?”; it’s “did you keep me priced and executable when it did?” How Brokers Prepare: Redundant Liquidity and Margin Discipline When volatility rises and markets gap, margin is the lever that turns market stress into broker stress. Exchange-set performance bonds are only the starting point, and brokers often layer “house” margins on top as conditions deteriorate. CME’s own published margins for gold and silver underscore how central collateral discipline is to these contracts — and why sudden repricing can translate rapidly into margin calls, especially for leveraged traders caught short into a squeeze. [caption id="attachment_176679" align="alignleft" width="300"] Daniel Lawrance, CEO of Scope Prime[/caption] This is also where prime-of-prime preparedness starts to look less like a feature and more like a survival trait. Daniel Lawrance, CEO of Scope Prime, describes the logic of redundancy as a deliberate design choice: “We are in a fortunate position, and through careful planning and strong relationships, we maintain several prime brokerage relationships that provide us with access to markets and liquidity. This ensures that we have the capacity to maintain full coverage to our global client base, during times of market stress. Working with multiple prime brokers avoids concentration risk and the robust contingency planning that goes into how we work has clearly demonstrated the benefit in these types of events.” He adds: “We have global coverage across a network of Prime Brokers in different regions to ensure consistency in pricing over a 24-hour period. When selecting Prime Brokers, we carefully assess their systems, uptime performance, and the quality and filtration of their pricing. This gives us confidence in their benchmarking of gold in particular, as well as in the depth and stability of their liquidity.” Takeaway: The next phase of stress may come from the “real world” side of the curve: physical tightness narratives, delivery attention, and the risk of backwardation psychology. As Lawrance notes, “There are currently rumours of physical shortages, and when shortages appear, market participants typically move toward the spot market and are willing to pay a premium for immediate delivery of gold. This can push spot prices above futures prices, resulting in backwardation.” Prepared brokers will treat that not as social-media noise, but as a credit-and-liquidity scenario requiring tighter limits, faster intraday monitoring, and diversified execution routes. What Comes Next: Higher Margins, Thinner Liquidity, and a Defining Opportunity for Brokers Looking ahead, one pressure point is already clear: margin requirements on gold and silver futures are unlikely to ease and may rise further across global exchanges. Clearing houses respond mechanically to volatility, delivery risk, and concentrated positioning, and precious metals currently tick all three boxes. As silver and gold prices remain elevated and intraday ranges stay wide, exchanges are expected to keep adjusting initial and maintenance margins to protect the clearing system. For traders, this means higher capital demands; for brokers, it means tighter intraday risk monitoring, faster margin calls, and less tolerance for outsized or naked exposures. Liquidity conditions are also set to deteriorate further into the year-end. December is historically a period of reduced dealer balance sheets, thinner order books, and more fragile price formation, even in normal markets. In the current environment — with ongoing macro uncertainty around central bank policy, geopolitical risk, and persistent demand for physical metal — thin liquidity magnifies every move. Small flows can trigger outsized price reactions, increasing slippage risk and putting execution quality under the microscope. For brokers without diversified liquidity access and robust pricing controls, this is where operational stress can quickly turn into reputational damage. Yet for those who get it right, this environment represents a significant opportunity. Volatility in gold and silver is driving spectacular trading volumes, and clients gravitate toward brokers that demonstrate stability, transparency, and reliable execution when conditions are hardest. As Daniel Lawrance noted earlier, volatility is traditionally good for business — but only for firms that manage risk effectively. Brokers and prime-of-prime providers that combine strong capitalization, disciplined credit policies, redundant liquidity, and resilient infrastructure are not just surviving this phase; they are strengthening client relationships and winning market share. In a market defined by uncertainty, preparedness is no longer defensive — it is a growth strategy.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) has appointed Graeme Farrell as its next Group Chief Risk Officer, marking a significant leadership transition as the exchange operator reinforces its risk capabilities for the years ahead. Farrell will join the organisation on 12 January 2026 and will succeed Richard Wise, who is stepping down after five years to focus on family commitments. The appointment comes at a moment when global market operators face growing expectations around transparency, resilience, and data-driven oversight of market infrastructure. In his new role, Farrell will oversee HKEX’s broad portfolio of risk management functions, including Group Financial Risk Management, Group Quantitative Risk Management, Group Technology Risk Management and Group Enterprise Risk Management. These responsibilities will place him at the centre of HKEX’s ongoing efforts to strengthen operational frameworks, enhance market stability and support the exchange’s strategic expansion. He will report directly to HKEX CEO Bonnie Y Chan and join the Management Committee, reflecting the critical nature of the position within the organisation’s governance architecture. Chan expressed strong confidence in the appointment, stating: “I am delighted to welcome Graeme to the HKEX family. His deep global experience across a wide range of risk management disciplines will be immensely valuable as we further enhance our risk-related functions and continue to bolster the vibrancy and liquidity of our markets.” Her remarks highlight HKEX’s commitment to aligning leadership expertise with the increasingly complex dynamics shaping regional and international capital markets. How Farrell’s Global Background Aligns With HKEX’s Risk Priorities Farrell’s appointment aligns strategically with HKEX’s objective of strengthening risk governance while expanding its global relevance. With more than 25 years of experience across major financial centres including London, Hong Kong and New York, his background spans brokerage, asset management, and banking. Most recently, Farrell served as Group Chief Risk Officer at Interactive Brokers, where he led risk identification, assessment, monitoring, and reporting across the firm’s expanding international operations. His experience positions him well to support HKEX’s continued integration with global capital flows. Prior to Interactive Brokers, Farrell held the role of Head of Operational Risk & Resiliency at AQR Capital, giving him exposure to risk dynamics in quantitative asset management and institutional investment strategies. Earlier in his career, he held senior risk oversight roles at JPMorgan Chase, serving as Global Head of Operational Risk Management Framework. At Nomura, he was previously based in Hong Kong as Chief Operating Officer for Asia ex-Japan Equities Trading, gaining firsthand experience in regional regulatory expectations and market behaviours. HKEX CEO Bonnie Y Chan underscored the importance of risk leadership to the exchange’s mandate, saying: “As the Group seeks to build on its successes and capture more opportunities, we are mindful of our responsibility for acting in the interest of the investing public, maintaining stakeholder trust and supporting the integrity of the financial system. Graeme will be instrumental in driving our risk-aware culture and fostering its continued adoption at all levels, ensuring our ongoing resilience and integrity.” This perspective reflects a broader industry trend: exchanges are no longer merely trading venues, but systemically critical institutions where governance and risk supervision directly impact market stability. Takeaway: Farrell’s risk leadership experience across global markets positions HKEX to strengthen its governance framework, supporting resilience, transparency, and operational discipline as the exchange expands its international footprint. What This Transition Means For HKEX’s Governance And Future Direction Alongside welcoming Farrell, HKEX expressed appreciation for outgoing CRO Richard Wise, whose contribution included implementing several key market infrastructure enhancements. Chan noted that Wise “led the implementation of several market infrastructure enhancements that support the robustness of the Group’s risk framework — including the default fund recapitalisation across our three clearing houses.” Such upgrades reflect the increasing pressure on global exchange operators to maintain resilient clearing systems amid higher market volatility, cross-asset leverage, and geopolitical shifts. Farrell’s arrival may signal an accelerated focus on quantitative risk tools, operational resiliency, and technology-driven oversight — areas under heightened scrutiny globally, especially as exchanges integrate digital asset trading, new derivatives products, and more algorithmic market participation. His experience at Interactive Brokers and AQR suggests an orientation toward data-rich, model-driven frameworks that can enhance HKEX’s ability to anticipate and mitigate emerging risks across interconnected markets. With his relocation from London to Hong Kong, Farrell brings both international perspective and regional familiarity, strengthening HKEX’s position as a bridge between global investors and Asian capital markets. As HKEX prepares for further product innovation, cross-border initiatives and technology modernization, the alignment of risk leadership with strategic ambition will likely play a central role in sustaining liquidity, market confidence, and long-term competitiveness.    

Kalshi and Crypto.com have brought together Coinbase, Robinhood, Underdog and other major operators to launch the Coalition for Prediction Markets (CPM), a national alliance formed to secure transparent, federally supervised access to prediction markets. The coalition emerges at a moment when prediction markets are seeing unprecedented growth, with millions of Americans using them to understand political, economic and cultural outcomes in real time. The industry argues that this markets offer a clearer read on public expectations than traditional polling and are increasingly used by younger demographics and historically underrepresented groups. As trading volume surges, companies in the space warn that fragmented state interpretations — especially efforts to classify prediction markets as gambling—risk creating confusion and driving users toward unregulated alternatives. A Unified Industry Voice for Federal Oversight In outlining why the coalition was formed now, Matt David, Executive Board Member of the CPM and Crypto.com’s President of North America, said the U.S. remains the most critical environment for the industry: “The U.S. is the biggest frontier for prediction markets, and the momentum we're seeing makes a unified industry voice not just important, but necessary,” he said, describing prediction markets as “a new layer of civic infrastructure” that helps people and institutions make sense of rapidly changing events. He added that prediction markets “reward what people know, not who they know,” and said the coalition will push for responsible, transparent growth to ensure the benefits reach a broader public. Sara Slane, head of corporate development at Kalshi and an executive board member of the CPM, highlighted the industry’s longstanding engagement with federal regulators, noting that prediction markets must “operate with strong federal safeguards that prevent insider trading, protect consumers, and ensure these markets remain transparent and corruption-free.” The CPM’s early priorities include reinforcing the federal framework that already governs prediction markets, establishing nationwide standards for transparency and market integrity, and pushing back against state-level overreach across areas such as sports, elections and economic indicators. Major platforms have also emphasized the broader role prediction markets can play in opening access to financial tools. Faryar Shizad, Chief Policy Officer at Coinbase, said the company’s involvement aligns with its mission to “deliver financial freedom to the world,” adding that prediction markets “democratize fact-finding” and must remain accessible to the public. As the regulatory landscape continues to shift, the formation of the Coalition for Prediction Markets marks a coordinated effort by industry leaders to shape the future of a fast-growing informational and financial tool — one that seeks to balance innovation, federal oversight and consumer protection.

BTCUSD resumes sideways trading above 20-day SMA Eyes descending trendline breakout Momentum indicators hold a neutral-to-bearish bias Bitcoin is trading back above 92,500, extending its more-than-one-week rangebound action above the key 20-day simple moving average (SMA). The largest crypto asset is stabilizing after a volatile stretch following the Fed cut that briefly dragged prices below the 90,000 threshold. Traders now appear more focused on preserving the rangebound trend structure than chasing upside, with the price hovering just below the short-term descending trendline drawn from the October record peak. That said, a breakout above that line at 93,400, which also marks the ceiling of the nearly one-month range, could increase the likelihood of a rally toward the 50-day SMA near 97,500, followed by stronger resistance at 98,000 and 100,000. To the downside, support lies at the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement of the sharp pullback from October’s record peak to November’s monthly low at 91,364, followed by the 20-day SMA just below at 90,200 and the range floor at 87,000. The RSI on the daily chart is flatlining near the neutral 50 level, while the MACD remains in negative territory – although above its red signal line – suggesting downward pressure may be losing steam but is still intact. In short, Bitcoin clawed back toward a key level from post-Fed lows near 89,000, with the market stabilizing but clearly not yet out of the woods. For now, the key hurdle is a decisive breakout above the descending trendline looming just above the price action for signs of upside to emerge.

smartTrade Technologies has announced a major expansion of its multi-asset trading and payments business with the acquisition of kACE Financial, formerly known as Fenics. The deal, which includes pricing, analytics, and workflow solutions for FX and interest rate derivatives, strengthens smartTrade’s ambition to deliver a comprehensive, unified trading platform across global markets. Industry demand for integrated trading stacks continues to intensify, making this move particularly timely for financial institutions seeking to consolidate vendor relationships. The company highlighted that kACE’s expertise in Spot, Forwards, Swaps, NDFs, Options, Fixed Income, Rates, Cryptocurrencies, Money Markets, Precious Metals and structured products will significantly extend the breadth of the smartTrade ecosystem. By bringing these capabilities under one umbrella, smartTrade is positioning itself as a full-stack provider serving both electronic trading and payments workflows end-to-end. The acquisition represents a direct response to institutional clients seeking deeper automation, stronger risk controls, and more scalable trading technology. David Vincent, CEO and Co-Founder at smartTrade, framed the acquisition as a major step for the company and its global client base. “This is a transformational moment for our joint clients. kACE brings a world-class team and sophisticated FX derivatives technology that is highly complementary to our existing multi-asset trading and payments offering. By integrating kACE’s deep derivatives expertise and cutting-edge analytics, we can now deliver even greater value to clients through a truly end-to-end solution that offers a clear competitive advantage.” The emphasis on complementarity underscores smartTrade’s strategy of enhancing its technology stack rather than reinventing it. How the Combined Platform Strengthens Multi-Asset Capabilities The acquisition enhances smartTrade’s core value proposition by unifying its ultra-low-latency trading infrastructure with kACE’s derivatives analytics engine. This integration is expected to help institutions improve monetisation of trading flows, reduce operational and market risk, and streamline pricing-to-settlement workflows. With regulatory expectations rising across OTC and listed markets, the merging of analytics, pricing, and execution capabilities into a single architecture offers both compliance and efficiency benefits. Innovation will accelerate as the combined organisation prioritises a cloud-native model. smartTrade plans to embed kACE’s analytics and workflow tools into its SaaS delivery framework, enabling faster deployment cycles, advanced machine learning features, and deeper AI-driven insights. This shift mirrors broader trends across the trading technology sector, where institutions are migrating to cloud-based infrastructures to improve scalability and reduce total cost of ownership. The integration gives smartTrade a competitive edge in delivering real-time intelligence across asset classes. kACE leadership highlighted the market alignment driving the combination. Stephen Helm, Managing Director and Global Head of Sales at kACE, said: “Joining smartTrade marks an exciting new chapter for kACE. Together, we will deliver the unified solution that the market has been demanding — seamlessly integrating our sophisticated derivatives capabilities with smartTrade’s comprehensive multi-asset trading and payments technology. This acquisition allows us to accelerate innovation and transition our solutions to a modern SaaS offering, leveraging smartTrade’s global infrastructure and scale.” His remarks reinforce the growing market appetite for consolidation of analytics, connectivity, and execution layers. Takeaway: The acquisition positions smartTrade as a unified multi-asset platform leader by integrating kACE’s FX derivatives and analytics capabilities, enabling institutions to streamline workflows, expand product coverage, and accelerate cloud adoption. What the BGC Divestment Reveals About Market Dynamics The acquisition is also shaped by the divestment strategy of BGC Group, which confirmed it would sell kACE to smartTrade for up to $119 million, including an initial $80 million payment and up to $39 million in contingent consideration tied to performance through 2026. BGC Co-CEO Sean Windeatt described the sale as value-enhancing for shareholders while enabling kACE to scale more effectively under smartTrade’s technology-first operating model. “We are proud of the FX options pricing and analytics franchise the kACE team has developed within BGC,” he said. “This transaction delivers significant value for our shareholders and positions kACE to enter an exciting new chapter as part of smartTrade.” BGC’s decision reflects a broader industry trend: market infrastructure operators and brokers increasingly focus on their highest-margin, scalable technology platforms. While kACE was a strong franchise within BGC, integrating it with smartTrade’s multi-asset SaaS strategy unlocks growth opportunities that align more closely with the long-term evolution of derivatives technology. This aligns with BGC’s intent to double down on its Fenics-branded electronic offerings across multiple asset classes. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2025, subject to customary conditions. Gains associated with the sale will be included in BGC’s U.S. GAAP results but excluded from its Adjusted Earnings. For the wider market, the deal highlights accelerating consolidation across trading technology providers as institutions demand end-to-end workflow solutions rather than siloed analytics or execution systems. smartTrade’s move signals confidence that deep multi-asset functionality will define the next competitive frontier in trading platforms.  

IPO Genie Joins the Biggest Night in Combat Sports as the Official Dubai Event Partner for Misfits Boxing: The Fight Before Christmas 2025 Dubai is gearing up for a night that feels less like a boxing match and more like a cultural moment.  Misfits Boxing: The Fight Before Christmas lands in the city on December 20, 2025, bringing with it one of the most anticipated face-offs in crossover combat sports: Tate vs. Chase DeMoor. This is the matchup everyone has been dissecting for months. Tate brings the calm menace, the calculated stare, and a reputation for psychological warfare that turns every face-off into a highlight. DeMoor fires back with size, athleticism, and a competitive streak that’s carried him through every wild moment in Misfits history.  The two have been trading verbal jabs across social feeds, but their recent interactions in Dubai  -  where Tate warned DeMoor not to underestimate him  -  pushed anticipation into overdrive. Add the Dubai skyline, a December mega-card, and thousands of fans ready to witness chaos, and you’ve got the biggest Misfits night of the year. And this time, something new is powering the event. IPO Genie Enters the Ring as Official Dubai Partner The fight card isn’t the only thing making headlines. IPO Genie, a fast-rising name in the crypto presale space, has stepped in as the official Dubai event partner for Misfits Boxing. The collaboration fuses the energy of Misfits with IPO Genie’s push for clarity, transparency, and smarter access within the crypto world. To celebrate the partnership, IPO Genie is running a FREE global giveaway sending five fans to Dubai for a full VIP fight experience  -  flights, hotel, chauffeur, VIP seats, exclusive merch, and direct access to the live atmosphere that social feeds can never capture. The Giveaway That Blew Up the Misfits Community When the contest went live, Misfits fans immediately realised that this wasn’t some surface-level promo. It’s a fully-loaded VIP package, openly listed on the IPO Genie website with no hidden add-ons. What winners receive: Round-trip flights to Dubai Luxury 4–5 star hotel stay (3 nights) VIP chauffeur pickup from the airport Exclusive IPO Genie × Misfits merch pack VIP seats with a clear view of the Tate vs. DeMoor showdown It’s the type of package fans usually only see influencers post  -  and now it’s open to regular fight lovers around the world. How to Enter the IPO Genie × Misfits Dubai Giveaway Prerequisites: Must have bought the IPO Genie Presale - Buy $IPO here! Must be 18+ years old. Must hold a valid passport with 6 months validity. Must be available to travel to Dubai from Dec 19–22, 2025. Step 1  -  Complete the listed actions Fans follow the instructions on the giveaway page: Connect social accounts Follow IPO Genie channels Join the official Telegram These steps verify participation. Step 2  -  Add basic details Name, email, date of birth, phone number, and passport confirmation. Step 3  -  Finalize your entry Confirm your submission and you're officially in the draw. No paid tickets. No tricky fine print. Just clean, verifiable steps. What IPO Genie Actually Is  -  and Why It’s Showing Up in the Misfits Universe After the hype comes the part fans always ask about: “Okay, cool… but what is IPO Genie?” Here’s the clear version. IPO Genie is a crypto presale and private market access platform built to give everyday users a structured view into early-stage tokenised opportunities. The platform’s core engine uses AI scoring, data signals, and a transparent framework to help users navigate an industry where noise, unknown teams, and misinformation are common. Inside the ecosystem, users can explore: Structured presale access Tokenized private-market deals AI-driven scoring tools A map that filters hype from real signals Passive rewards through staking $IPO For those joining the $IPO token presale, holders get access to the ecosystem’s utility features, upcoming tools, and eligibility to partake in events and early access. Everything is openly explained on the official page  -  no guaranteed returns, no unrealistic claims, just structure and visibility. A Safer, Smarter Way to Explore the Early Crypto Stage The crypto world can be chaotic  -  unknown teams, hype cycles, unverified claims, rugpulls. IPO Genie’s messaging always circles back to responsible access. Here’s how the platform frames it: Show the structure, not promises Provide data, not emotion Highlight risks honestly Filter early deals with AI Give users visibility before they make decisions This is the trust layer fans look for, especially when a presale is trending. A Partnership Built for Attention  -  and Transparency The Misfits × IPO Genie crossover speaks directly to the modern audience: fans who love entertainment but demand clarity. The event brings the hype. The platform brings structure. The giveaway brings global participation. As Dubai prepares for the Tate vs. DeMoor main event, five fans will sit ringside because they entered a simple, free contest  -  and a major crypto presale decided that crossover boxing deserves a bigger stage. Sign up for the crypto presale, hit the Misfits boxing giveaway entry page, complete the steps, and you could be in Dubai when the arena lights drop for Tate vs. DeMoor.

Coinbase has selected Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) as the exclusive bridging infrastructure for its Coinbase Wrapped Assets, marking a major development in cross-chain functionality for institutional and retail users. The partnership will allow wrapped assets such as cbBTC, cbETH, cbDOGE, cbLTC, cbADA, and cbXRP—currently totaling around $7 billion in aggregate market cap—to expand across additional blockchain ecosystems. With interoperability now a central pillar of the onchain economy, Coinbase’s move underscores its strategy of aligning with established, security-focused infrastructure providers. Chainlink CCIP will serve as the only bridging mechanism for these wrapped assets, enabling secure cross-chain transfers and greater utility for users seeking liquidity and asset mobility across networks. Chainlink highlighted that CCIP is powered by the same decentralized oracle networks securing over 70% of global DeFi and supporting more than $27 trillion in transaction volume to date. The selection reinforces Chainlink’s reputation for reliability and security, which Coinbase cited as essential to the decision. “We chose Chainlink because they are an industry leader for cross-chain connectivity. Their infrastructure provides a reliable means to expand Coinbase Wrapped Asset offerings,” said Josh Leavitt, Senior Director of Product Management at Coinbase. Chainlink echoed the sentiment, with William Reilly, Head of Strategic Initiatives, stating: “CCIP was selected by Coinbase for their cross-chain needs due to CCIP's security and reliability. As the leading publicly-listed firm for digital assets, Coinbase takes security and reliability for their products seriously. I am excited about accelerating the growth of Coinbase's wrapped assets and look forward to helping bring global finance onchain.” Why CCIP’s Integration Matters for the Wrapped Asset Ecosystem The decision arrives as interoperability becomes increasingly important for liquidity providers, institutional participants, and builders seeking unified access across fragmented blockchain environments. Wrapped assets have gained traction as a mechanism for moving value across ecosystems, but depend heavily on trusted bridging infrastructure to mitigate risks. Coinbase’s endorsement of CCIP signals a preference for frameworks that emphasize decentralization, fail-safes, and robust security guarantees. Chainlink’s battle-tested oracle networks bring a level of resilience that has become a critical requirement for exchanges and financial platforms adopting cross-chain operations. The partnership comes on the heels of the recent launch of the Base–Solana bridge, also secured using Chainlink CCIP, illustrating how the protocol is cementing its role in connecting high-volume ecosystems. With Coinbase continuing to scale its onchain infrastructure roadmap, CCIP will provide the connective layer needed to extend wrapped assets across emerging networks with minimal friction. The expansion of Coinbase Wrapped Assets aligns with broader industry trends toward improving capital efficiency and reducing fragmentation in DeFi. Wrapped assets allow users to deploy collateral across multiple chains, participate in yield-generating opportunities, and access cross-chain liquidity pools. By committing to a single interoperability provider, Coinbase is ensuring consistency in the security model and minimizing integration complexity for builders aiming to support cbAssets across various protocols. Takeaway: Coinbase’s adoption of Chainlink CCIP as its exclusive bridge establishes a unified, security-first framework for expanding wrapped assets across blockchains, reinforcing CCIP’s position as the industry-standard interoperability protocol. How the Partnership Advances the Onchain Financial Infrastructure Agenda The collaboration between Coinbase and Chainlink highlights a shared vision for an interoperable, institutional-grade onchain financial system. With Coinbase increasingly positioning itself as a key infrastructure provider for the emerging decentralized economy, CCIP offers the programmable, secure, and scalable connectivity layer necessary for real-world financial primitives to function across distributed environments. This aligns with broader industry momentum to bring capital markets onchain while maintaining compliance and operational rigor. Chainlink’s stack—spanning data feeds, automation, proof-of-reserve, and now cross-chain messaging—has been widely adopted by financial institutions including Swift, Euroclear, UBS, ANZ, Fidelity International, and Mastercard. As Coinbase expands its wrapped asset program, it taps into the same standards and protections that have become the default choice for DeFi and enterprise blockchain pilots globally. The ability to issue and move tokenized assets across chains is central to the next phase of tokenization, settlement innovation, and institutional engagement. The announcement also reinforces Coinbase’s broader strategy of advocating for responsible crypto regulation and building trusted pathways for global users to engage with digital assets. By selecting a battle-tested and widely adopted interoperability protocol, the company reduces operational risks while opening the door to new liquidity venues and multi-chain applications. With wrapped assets poised for broader adoption across DeFi, gaming, payments, and cross-chain identity use cases, the Coinbase–Chainlink alignment strengthens both firms' roles in shaping the next iteration of the onchain economy. [Optional visual: graphic of cross-chain asset flows using CCIP architecture]  

TradeQuo is a multi-asset broker established in 2020, built around a no-markup pricing model, instant funding features, and a broad lineup of platforms. This review takes a closer, more practical look at how the company operates, what its structure implies for traders, and how the overall trading experience comes together in real use. Quick Summary TradeQuo is a multi-asset broker founded in 2020. It offers raw, no-markup pricing, fast execution, and a choice of MT4, MT5, TradingView and SuperCharts platforms. Traders can choose between several account types—including Standard, Raw, Zero and Limitless—depending on whether they prefer simple pricing or extremely high leverage. The broker provides more than 300 instruments across forex, commodities, indices, stocks, and crypto CFDs. Regulation is spread across entities in the UAE, Seychelles, South Africa and Dominica, so traders should verify which entity they are registered under. The environment is cost-efficient and flexible, but the leverage offering requires careful risk management. Overall, TradeQuo suits traders who want a modern, execution-focused setup with clear pricing and platform choice. 1. Broker Overview: Positioning & Market Approach When TradeQuo entered the trading landscape in 2020, it did so with an approach that felt a little different from many retail brokers. Rather than tacking on markup to spreads, the firm leaned into a no-markup pricing structure, essentially passing raw spreads straight through. Traders who keep a close eye on costs tend to appreciate this, as it strips away some of the hidden pricing that can complicate certain strategies. The minimum deposit of $1 is symbolic in one sense, but meaningful in another—it shows the broker clearly wants to remain accessible, whether someone is experimenting with their first live positions or simply testing the waters with a very small account. For more experienced traders, the minimum isn’t the draw; instead, it’s the blend of features the broker puts forward: Access to 300+ instruments across major markets Segregated client funds and negative balance protection Execution designed for low latency Instant deposits and withdrawals Support available around the clock All of this gives the impression of a broker trying to balance simplicity with capability—an environment where both new and experienced traders can operate without excess friction. 2. Regulation & Corporate Structure TradeQuo’s regulatory footprint spans several jurisdictions. This isn’t unusual for a global broker, though it does mean clients should pay attention to which entity their account falls under. The company holds the following registrations: UAE SCA – Licence No. 20200000320 Seychelles FSA – Licence No. SD140 South Africa FSCA – FSP Licence No. 54827 Commonwealth of Dominica – Licence No. 2023/C0010-0001 Each jurisdiction brings its own regulatory style and expectations. As with any multi-entity broker, traders should familiarise themselves with which rules apply to them personally, as this can affect leverage allowances, dispute channels and certain operational terms. 3. Market Coverage & Asset Availability TradeQuo offers a useful spread of assets—over 300, by its own classification. For most retail traders, this range is broad enough to support different trading approaches, whether they prefer to stay within a familiar market or shift between asset classes depending on volatility and opportunity. The available categories include: Forex pairs (majors, minors and exotics) Commodities and soft commodities Metals Energies Indices Stocks Crypto CFDs Account currencies can be set in USD, EUR, GBP, JPY or THB, which cuts down on conversion costs. While the broker doesn’t offer stock-pair or index-pair combinations, the overall lineup still fits the needs of most traders who want multi-market exposure. 4. Account Types & Strategic Positioning One area where TradeQuo puts considerable effort is its account variety. Each account type shifts the cost structure or leverage profile in a specific way, which effectively lets traders match their style to the environment rather than the other way around. 4.1 Standard Account This account is built around a spread-only model, without added commissions. It’s straightforward and works well for traders who prioritise simplicity—swing traders, lower-frequency intraday traders and anyone who prefers predictable transaction costs. 4.2 Raw Account The Raw account moves in the opposite direction, focusing on tight, liquidity-based spreads and a commission fee. This setup is more suitable for scalpers, intraday strategies and automated systems that rely on consistent spread behaviour. 4.3 Zero Account Zero-spread execution—available on selected instruments—makes this account appealing for traders who need very accurate entry and exit points. The commission compensates for the spread removal, which is generally fine for strategies designed around precision. 4.4 Limitless Account The Limitless account is exactly what it sounds like: extremely high leverage potential. This isn’t an account for novices; it's aimed at traders who fully understand margin, volatility and position risk. Used carefully, it can provide flexibility, but it undoubtedly comes with amplified responsibility. 4.5 Islamic & Demo Accounts TradeQuo also provides swap-free Islamic accounts to accommodate Sharia principles, as well as a demo account that replicates live trading conditions reasonably well for practice and testing. 5. Leverage, Costs & Execution Conditions Leverage levels at TradeQuo can be exceptionally high depending on the account. This is one area where traders must be intentional—large leverage can magnify opportunity, but also risk. The broker’s structure doesn’t hide this; instead, it gives traders the choice and leaves the risk management to them. The cost setup is refreshingly minimalistic: No deposit fees No withdrawal fees No extra trading fees beyond spread or commission No markup on spreads Execution is another area the broker emphasises. Low latency, direct pricing and near-instant funding actions create a reasonably agile environment—useful during volatile sessions where timing truly matters. 6. Platforms & Trading Technology Platform flexibility is increasingly important to traders, and TradeQuo supports a well-rounded set of interfaces. Between the MetaTrader platforms, TradingView and SuperCharts environment, traders can essentially shape their workspace to fit their habits. MetaTrader 4 – still popular for EA-driven trading MetaTrader 5 – broader markets, advanced tools, more order types TradingView – modern charting with social features SuperCharts – multi-window, flexible charting option MT4 and MT5 remain reliable pillars for those who use automated systems or need deep customisation. TradingView, on the other hand, tends to attract chart analysts who value its clean interface. SuperCharts adds another layer of choice for traders who prefer a more adaptable workspace. 7. Copy Trading Capabilities Copy trading is integrated directly into the TradeQuo ecosystem, making it easy for traders to subscribe to strategies and mirror trades automatically. The concept is straightforward: choose a strategy, decide how much capital should follow it and let the system handle execution. It’s often used for diversification or as a hands-off complement to manual trading. Automatic mirroring of trades Capital allocation controls Cross-device monitoring This feature is particularly useful for traders who want additional exposure but prefer not to actively manage every position. 8. Customer Support & Communication Framework Support at TradeQuo is available 24/7, and traders can reach the team through live chat and email. The broker also maintains a presence on major social platforms, which tends to help with accessibility and general communication—useful for announcements or educational pieces. 9. Operational Safeguards Two safeguards help anchor TradeQuo’s operational model: Negative balance protection to keep traders from falling below zero Segregated client funds to separate operational and client money Both measures are standard among brokers with a strong operational framework, and they provide an added level of reassurance—especially when high leverage is involved. 10. Public Perception, User Sentiment & Trader Feedback Since TradeQuo’s launch, trader discussions across forums, social media groups and community-driven spaces have developed a fairly consistent set of themes. One recurring comment is how easy it is to get started thanks to the $1 minimum deposit. This isn’t a deciding factor for seasoned traders, but beginners and low-capital traders seem to appreciate the flexibility. A few additional positives come up regularly: The appeal of raw, no-markup spreads Execution speed that suits intraday and automated strategies Immediate deposit and withdrawal handling On the other side, more experienced traders tend to discuss the leverage structure. High leverage can be powerful, but it can also be harsh if misused, and this comes up in commentary from those who have traded for a while. Others mention the importance of verifying the specific regulatory entity—something common with global brokers. Overall, the sentiment is that TradeQuo provides a cost-efficient, flexible environment, provided that traders manage risk responsibly and understand the leverage implications. 11. Overall Assessment Viewed as a whole, TradeQuo offers a straightforward yet versatile trading ecosystem. Its pricing structure, platform range and raw-spread execution position it well for active traders who want tight pricing and minimal interference. The availability of 300+ instruments supports a variety of strategies, and the account-type diversity means most traders can find a structure that suits them. The main considerations are leverage and regulatory alignment, both of which require traders to take a moment to review their choices before funding an account. Beyond that, the broker’s design caters to those who value speed, clear pricing and platform flexibility. Frequently Asked Questions Is TradeQuo a regulated broker? Yes. TradeQuo operates through several regulated entities, including licences in the UAE, Seychelles, South Africa and Dominica. Traders should confirm which entity their own account falls under, as each jurisdiction has different rules and protections. What platforms does TradeQuo support? The broker supports MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView, and  SuperCharts platform. This gives traders a wide choice depending on how they prefer to trade—manual, automated or chart-focused. Which account types are available? TradeQuo offers several options: Standard (spread-only), Raw (tight spreads plus commission), Zero (zero-spread on selected instruments), and Limitless (very high leverage). Islamic swap-free and demo accounts are also available. Does TradeQuo charge deposit or withdrawal fees? No. Deposits and withdrawals are processed without additional fees, and both actions are generally instant. Traders only pay spreads and/or commissions depending on their account type. How many instruments can I trade with TradeQuo? You can trade more than 300 instruments across forex, commodities, metals, energies, indices, stocks and crypto CFDs. While stock-pairs and index-pairs aren’t available, the overall selection suits most retail and professional strategies. Is TradeQuo suitable for beginners? Beginners may appreciate the $1 minimum deposit and the straightforward Standard account. However, because some accounts offer extremely high leverage, new traders should avoid those until they have a solid understanding of risk management. Does TradeQuo support automated trading? Yes. MT4 and MT5 both support Expert Advisors, and the broker also integrates copy trading. Traders can run automated systems, follow external strategies or mix automated and manual trading as they prefer. 12. Final Verdict TradeQuo combines cost efficiency, fast execution and strong platform diversity to create a competitive multi-asset trading experience. Whether traders prefer discretionary setups, automated strategies or copy-based approaches, the broker provides enough flexibility to accommodate different needs. For those who apply disciplined risk control and choose the appropriate account structure, TradeQuo can serve as a capable, modern trading partner in a wide range of market conditions.

BTCC, one of the cryptocurrency industry’s longest-running exchanges, announced the integration of its perpetual futures pairs into the TradingView platform—a move aimed at delivering professional trading capabilities to its more than 10 million global users. By enabling direct execution from TradingView’s charting interface, traders can now access over 400 perpetual futures pairs seamlessly through one of the most widely used market analysis platforms in the world. The partnership addresses rising demand for efficient workflows that merge analytics, execution, and strategy development. TradingView, which boasts more than 100 million users worldwide, is recognized as a premier charting and financial visualization platform, offering a broad suite of technical indicators, drawing tools, and real-time market data feeds. Integrating BTCC’s perpetual futures products onto this platform gives traders more flexibility to refine their strategies and respond to rapid market changes with fewer platform transitions. This move is especially valuable for derivatives traders who rely on precise, data-driven execution during volatile market conditions. BTCC framed the integration as an extension of its ongoing push toward professionalizing the user experience. “This integration combines TradingView’s analytical tools with BTCC’s range of perpetual futures pairs and deep liquidity,” said Marcus Chen, Product Manager at BTCC. “Our focus is on equipping traders with the resources they need to execute their strategies effectively, and this collaboration reinforces our commitment to professional-grade derivatives trading experiences.” Why TradingView Integration Aligns With BTCC’s Growth Momentum The launch comes shortly after BTCC reported $1.15 trillion in trading volume in Q3 2025, reflecting accelerating interest in its perpetual futures products and the exchange’s growing presence in global derivatives markets. With more than 400 perpetual futures pairs now accessible via TradingView, the exchange is positioning itself as a comprehensive venue for derivatives traders seeking liquidity depth and a diverse product catalogue. The integration also supports broader market trends toward unified trading environments, where analytics and execution occur within a single interface. TradingView’s popularity among retail and professional traders provides BTCC with a powerful distribution channel for reaching new users while improving retention among existing ones. The collaboration blends TradingView’s expansive feature set—including customizable charts, community scripts, and social trading capabilities—with BTCC’s high-performance perpetual futures engine. As competition intensifies among global cryptocurrency exchanges, partnerships with established tooling platforms have become essential to maintaining trader engagement and elevating user experience benchmarks. The exchange’s recent marketing momentum, including the appointment of NBA All-Star and 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. as global brand ambassador, further underscores BTCC’s efforts to build brand visibility and deepen user trust. By combining strong performance metrics with high-profile partnerships and platform enhancements, BTCC continues its trajectory as one of the most recognized, long-standing platforms in crypto derivatives trading. Takeaway: BTCC’s integration with TradingView strengthens its competitive position by unifying charting and execution for 400+ futures pairs—giving traders a faster, more advanced environment to analyze markets and deploy strategies. What This Integration Means for Traders and the Broader Crypto Derivatives Market For users, the addition of BTCC to TradingView streamlines the trading process significantly. Traders can connect their BTCC accounts through the Trading Panel and begin executing futures strategies directly from live charts. The onboarding experience is deliberately simple: log into TradingView, select BTCC from the broker list, and connect—after which all perpetual futures pairs become instantly tradable. This direct path reduces friction and minimizes the need to toggle between platforms during critical market moments. The integration also highlights the evolving role of charting platforms within the crypto ecosystem. No longer just visualization tools, platforms like TradingView increasingly function as execution hubs, making partnerships with exchanges a natural extension of the user journey. For perpetual futures trading—where timing, precision, and liquidity are essential—reducing latency between chart analysis and order execution can contribute to improved trading outcomes and reduced slippage. As BTCC continues refining its derivatives offering, the TradingView partnership sets the stage for further enhancements centered around user-centric trading design. With more traders demanding institutional-grade tools and multi-asset access, integrations like these will play a critical role in shaping the next generation of crypto trading platforms. BTCC’s commitment to reliability, performance, and global accessibility reinforces its role as one of the most enduring and adaptable exchanges in the digital asset landscape.    

Managing a DAO treasury is one of the most critical responsibilities for any decentralized autonomous organization. Every DAO relies on its treasury to thrive. It funds projects, incentivizes members, and sustains long-term growth. Yet, even experienced DAO teams often make avoidable mistakes that put the organization’s financial health at risk. Understanding these pitfalls can save your DAO from unnecessary losses and operational challenges. Key Takeaways • Strong governance is essential to prevent mismanagement of a DAO treasury. • Diversifying assets helps reduce exposure to market volatility. • Transparent reporting and clear documentation prevent confusion and disputes. • Prioritizing security protects funds from potential hacks and losses. • Careful budgeting and long-term planning ensure the DAO’s financial sustainability. Common Pitfalls That Can Undermine a DAO Treasury Knowing these pitfalls helps DAOs manage funds responsibly and plan effectively. Here are the six mistakes that can undermine a DAO treasury. 1. Lack of Clear Governance Structures A common mistake made in DAO treasury management is the absence of structured governance processes. The treasury should have established processes for how funds are allocated, approved, and managed. Without proper governance, decisions can become biased, and disputes among members can escalate. Establishing voting thresholds, approval hierarchies, and transparent protocols ensures that every transaction aligns with the DAO’s objectives and reduces the risk of financial mismanagement. 2. Poor Asset Diversification Many DAOs make the error of keeping the majority of their treasury in a single type of asset or token. This creates high exposure to market volatility, making the treasury vulnerable to value fluctuations. A well-managed DAO treasury spreads assets across multiple cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and possibly even conventional assets. Diversification not only mitigates risk but also allows the DAO to respond flexibly to changing market conditions. 3. Inadequate Security Measures Many DAOs fail to prioritize security until it’s already compromised. DAO treasuries are prime targets for hacks and phishing attacks. Failing to implement multi-signature wallets, hardware wallet storage, and regular security audits can result in catastrophic losses. Even small lapses in security can compromise large portions of the treasury. Prioritizing strong security protocols protects funds and reinforces trust among DAO members and stakeholders. 4. Insufficient Transparency and Documentation Poorly documented treasury processes for spending, allocation, and approval often lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. Every transaction should be recorded, categorized, and accessible to members. Clear and open communication forms the foundation of any DAO. Transparent reporting not only strengthens accountability but also demonstrates to investors and stakeholders proper treasury management. Regular audits and reviews further ensure that funds are managed responsibly and in line with the DAO treasury. 5. Overlooking Budget Planning and Forecasting DAO treasuries that operate reactively without proper budgeting face sustainability issues. Allocating funds without planning for future initiatives, ongoing operations, and emergency reserves can quickly deplete resources. Effective treasury management involves forecasting expenses, maintaining contingency funds, and regularly reviewing the treasury’s performance. This ensures the DAO can meet its commitments while staying financially healthy over time. 6. Neglecting Legal and Regulatory Considerations Even though DAOs operate in decentralized environments, ignoring legal frameworks can create serious challenges. Some jurisdictions may require specific reporting, compliance, or tax obligations. Failing to account for these can expose the DAO to fines, penalties, or restrictions that could impact treasury operations. Understanding the legal landscape and integrating compliance measures into treasury management safeguards the DAO from unintended legal risks. Conclusion Managing a DAO treasury demands discipline, transparency, and careful planning. Effective treasury management helps a DAO maintain strong financial health, sustain long-term growth, and make decisions that align with its overall vision. With a properly managed treasury, the organization can invest in new initiatives, support its members, and operate effectively in decentralized finance.  

What Story Is Netflix Bringing to the Big Screen? Netflix is turning one of crypto’s most familiar nightmares — the forgotten wallet password — into a comedy. The platform announced a new feature film titled One Attempt Remaining, led by Jennifer Garner, centered on a divorced couple who suddenly discover that the crypto they won on a cruise years earlier is now worth millions. The catch: neither of them remembers the password. The setup draws on real-world crypto mishaps that have become part of industry folklore. In the film’s storyline, the couple receives a notice from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and learns they have 48 hours to recover $35 million from their wallet before the claim expires. The blend of pressure, chaos and high-stakes treasure hunt appears designed for a fast-paced, character-driven narrative grounded in real crypto headaches. Investor Takeaway Crypto’s growing role in mainstream entertainment reflects how familiar digital assets have become. Wallet security — and the consequences of lost private keys — remains one of the sector’s most relatable and costly pitfalls. How Closely Does the Plot Reflect Real Crypto Cases? While One Attempt Remaining is framed as a comedy, the premise resembles several high-profile incidents that have circulated in crypto communities for more than a decade. One of the most referenced examples is the case of Stefan Thomas, the former Ripple CTO who lost access to an IronKey device holding 7,002 BTC. The hardware wallet allows only 10 password attempts before erasing itself. Thomas has publicly said he used eight of those attempts years ago and has not confirmed whether access was ever restored. At today’s prices, that stash would sit at well over half a billion dollars. Stories like Thomas’ helped cement the idea that crypto storage is both empowering and unforgiving: control over private keys eliminates intermediaries, but it also means lost credentials can become permanent. The upcoming Netflix film seems to draw inspiration from this blend of tension and absurdity — the sense that a life-changing fortune could hinge on one forgotten password entered in a hotel room or typed during a distracted moment. Why Is Crypto Showing Up More Often in Film and TV? Crypto and blockchain references have threaded their way into film and television for years, but they have rarely served as the main plot driver. Exceptions include the documentary Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King, which examined the collapse of QuadrigaCX, and the 2020 feature Money Plane, which involved an airborne casino holding cryptocurrency. Michael Lewis’ Going Infinite, the dramatization of Sam Bankman-Fried’s rise and fall, is also expected to bring crypto back to center stage. Hollywood has largely handled crypto as background scenery — an easy shorthand for risk, futurism or online intrigue. Netflix’s decision to build an entire film around lost private keys suggests the topic has reached a level of cultural familiarity that makes it ripe for mainstream storytelling, especially in comedy. Investor Takeaway Mainstream audiences are encountering crypto not through trading apps but through relatable stories: lost passwords, failed exchanges and everyday users caught in unusual situations. This broadens crypto’s cultural footprint beyond finance. Why the Lost-Wallet Trope Keeps Resurfacing Alongside the Stefan Thomas saga, another widely covered case involves James Howells, a Welsh IT worker who discarded a hard drive containing private keys for 8,000 BTC. The device ended up in a local landfill in 2013. Howells has spent years seeking approval to search the site, funding excavation proposals and legal challenges, but has been denied at each step. As of early 2025, his efforts have reached a practical dead end. These stories stick because they capture the double-edged nature of self-custody. Early adopters who stored Bitcoin on physical drives before modern wallet infrastructure existed now have fortunes locked behind forgotten passwords, lost storage devices or hardware limited by irreversible security features. Netflix’s plot turns this reality into a 48-hour race, blending romance, friction and panic — an approach likely designed to appeal to viewers who may not follow crypto but understand the dread of a misplaced password. What Comes Next for Crypto in Entertainment? With crypto scandals, security lapses and larger-than-life personalities regularly making headlines, the industry offers a wide range of stories fit for film. But One Attempt Remaining marks a shift away from crime dramas and exchange collapses toward something more accessible: everyday people stumbling into a high-value crypto mystery. No release date has been announced, and Netflix has not confirmed the full cast beyond Jennifer Garner. But the premise alone suggests that crypto — once treated as niche — is now familiar enough to anchor a mainstream comedy without heavy explanation.

When a Bitcoin ETF receives new inflows, the market often responds promptly and trading becomes more efficient. This happens because of ETF Liquidity, which determines how easily shares and the underlying assets can be bought or sold. Liquidity makes sure that large trades do not disrupt the market too much and helps investors enter or exit positions efficiently. So what exactly is ETF Liquidity and how does it influence the crypto market? Key takeaways • ETF Liquidity determines how easily ETF shares can be exchanged without significantly affecting market prices. • High ETF Liquidity helps narrow spreads on major crypto assets, while low ETF Liquidity can increase market volatility. • This Liquidity relies on authorized entities and market makers to function efficiently. • ETFs can bring new capital from retail and institutional investors which can improve liquidity, but they can also transmit volatility. • A clear understanding of ETF Liquidity helps traders determine position sizes, establish limits, and gain insight into the market. What is ETF Liquidity? ETF Liquidity can be defined simply as the measure of how easily ETF shares and their underlying assets can be bought or sold without significantly affecting prices. In crypto ETFs, liquidity depends on both the ETF shares trading on exchanges and the availability of the underlying tokens in spot markets. The creation and redemption process links the ETF to its underlying assets. When demand for the ETF rises, authorized participants buy tokens to supply new shares, and when demand falls, they sell tokens back into the market. This flow ensures ETF shares remain aligned with their net asset value. How then does ETF Liquidity affect the crypto market? How Does ETF Liquidity Affect the Crypto Market? When an ETF attracts large inflows, it interacts with the underlying tokens through the process of creating and redeeming shares. This means that buying or selling ETF shares translates into actual trades in spot markets which can influence prices and alter supply and demand immediately. Strong ETF Liquidity enables the market to process these flows efficiently. Prices remain relatively stable and traders can execute large orders without causing major disruptions. This improves market depth and provides a more predictable environment for investors. On the other hand, weak ETF liquidity can make markets more susceptible to price changes. Large inflows or outflows of ETF shares push authorized participants and market makers to trade aggressively in the underlying tokens, which can expand spreads, intensify volatility, and trigger rapid price fluctuations across exchanges. In other words, traders and investors need to monitor ETF activity closely. Rising ETF inflows often indicate stronger demand for the underlying tokens, while large redemptions or declines in ETF can lead to significant price fluctuations. Understanding these dynamics allows both new and experienced traders to anticipate market behavior and manage risk more effectively. ETF Liquidity therefore acts as a bridge between structured investment products and the crypto market. It determines how capital flows affect prices, spreads, and volatility, and this is how it influences the overall trading environment in the crypto ecosystem. How Traders Can Use ETF Liquidity 1. Identify market opportunities As a trader, you can use ETF flows to identify potential changes in the trading of underlying tokens. 2. Volume analysis  Analyzing ETF trading volumes with spot order books provides insight into changes in market activity. 3. Timing trades Strong ETF liquidity can allow larger trades with minimal impact, helping traders enter or exit positions efficiently. 4. Arbitrage potential Traders can take advantage of short-term arbitrage when ETF prices differ from the underlying tokens. 5. Portfolio allocation signals Traders can use ETF activity to decide when to adjust their positions based on the current market conditions . Conclusion ETF Liquidity links major investors with the underlying tokens, influencing price formation and risk flow across the market. It explains why ETF announcements can reduce volatility at times and cause sharp market declines at others. Recognizing these dynamics helps traders and investors make better-informed decisions in the crypto market.

What Does the Sei–Xiaomi Deal Cover? Sei Labs has struck a distribution agreement with Xiaomi to pre-install a crypto wallet and app suite on all Xiaomi smartphones sold outside mainland China and the United States. The new app, announced Thursday, will let users access the Sei ecosystem by signing in with their existing Google or Xiaomi IDs. It includes a multiparty computation wallet, a discovery hub for crypto apps and support for both peer-to-peer and merchant payments. The rollout will begin in Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa. Xiaomi does not currently offer a built-in crypto wallet on most of its devices, making the partnership one of the largest direct integrations between a blockchain project and a top-three global smartphone manufacturer. SEI, launched in 2023, is a layer-1 blockchain built for high-throughput, low-fee transactions — a design that lends itself to mobile activity. As part of the partnership, Sei Labs will fund a $5 million grant program for mobile developers building tools, apps or features aimed at consumer phones. The goal is to push more blockchain functions into everyday devices rather than relying on standalone apps or browser extensions. Investor Takeaway Direct wallet installations on mainstream smartphones expand the reachable user base far beyond typical crypto channels. Hardware distribution deals are becoming a critical route for ecosystem growth. When Will Stablecoin Payments Arrive on Xiaomi Devices? The companies plan to enable stablecoin payments across Xiaomi’s retail and online channels. The integration would let customers buy Xiaomi hardware — including phones and electric vehicles — using assets like USDC, which is supported on Sei. First launches are planned for Hong Kong and the EU by mid-2026, with further regions added after that. Xiaomi already operates extensive e-commerce channels in Europe and Asia, meaning stablecoin checkout could move from a niche feature to a mainstream payment option if adoption takes hold. Xiaomi continues to expand across consumer electronics, IoT hardware and vehicles, giving the payment initiative multiple touchpoints. Stablecoin checkout on a major global retailer would extend on-chain payments well beyond crypto-native circles. Is This Part of a Larger Push Toward Crypto-Enabled Smartphones? The Sei–Xiaomi partnership enters a landscape where several major tech companies are treating smartphones as a high-impact entry point for crypto. Solana Mobile began this push in 2022 with the Saga. The phone gained attention in late 2023 when a BONK airdrop tied to each unit briefly made the device worth more in tokens than its retail price. In August 2024, Solana shipped its second-generation Seeker handset to buyers in more than 50 countries after collecting over 150,000 preorders. The device includes a built-in wallet, a decentralized app store and updated key protection built into the hardware. On Dec. 3, Solana Mobile said it would release a token, SKR, tied to the Seeker phone and the broader mobile ecosystem in early 2026. The 10 billion-token plan allocates large amounts for airdrops, growth pools, liquidity programs and a community treasury, with the remainder going to Solana Mobile and Solana Labs. Samsung has also stepped deeper into crypto services. In October, Samsung and Coinbase opened a feature that lets roughly 75 million US Galaxy users purchase crypto inside Samsung Wallet, with plans for international expansion. Samsung had previously offered a hardware-protected key vault on selected Galaxy models but is now linking the feature to a direct purchase flow. Investor Takeaway The smartphone battleground is turning into a distribution race. Solana, Sei and Samsung each use different approaches, but the goal is the same: reduce the friction between mainstream users and on-chain activity. What Does This Mean for Sei and the Wider Mobile Market? For Sei Labs, the deal places its blockchain in front of tens of millions of non-crypto smartphone buyers each year. Xiaomi devices are among the most widely distributed globally, particularly across Europe, India, Southeast Asia and Africa — regions where mobile-first financial habits are common. The pre-installed wallet gives Sei a path that avoids app-store limits, onboarding drop-off and complicated setup steps. If users can access crypto tools with a single login tied to their device accounts, adoption patterns could look very different from traditional Web3 onboarding. For Xiaomi, the partnership gives its global device lineup a crypto-ready layer as competitors expand similar features. With Solana pursuing its own hardware route and Samsung building directly into its software stack, alliances between blockchain projects and hardware manufacturers are becoming more frequent. Whether these integrations change mobile behavior at scale will depend on stablecoin support, merchant acceptance and regional rules over payment tokens. But the trend is unmistakable: major phone makers and blockchain teams are racing to make on-chain tools part of everyday mobile use.

In just one day, Big Tech invested more than $50 billion in AI in India. This was a turning point for the country's tech goals. Microsoft promised $17.5 billion over four years to develop huge data centres, add AI to public services, and train millions of people for tech jobs.  Amazon responded with a $35 billion promise by 2030. This would add to its previous $40 billion regional spending by increasing AI tools, logistics networks, and export capabilities. Intel also announced it would start making computer chips in India to capitalise on the growing demand for PCs and AI. These investments show why India is so appealing: it has a billion internet users, no native AI giants, and world-class IT talent driving app development.  According to Stanford data, India is one of the four most active countries in the world for AI, with 24% of GitHub's contributions coming from India. The rise is due to vigorous rivalry for dominance in a field that combines huge scale with engineering talent, considerably surpassing other infrastructure companies. Strategic Bets Get High Marks from Analysts S. Krishnan, secretary of India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, underlined that application layers are more important than just computing power. "It requires companies to create application layers and a large pool of talent for deployment," Krishnan told CNBC, establishing India as an AI income generator. Tarun Pathak from Counterpoint Research praised Microsoft's edge: "This level of capital expenditure gives Microsoft a first-mover advantage in GPU-intensive data centres, making Azure the best platform for AI workloads in India and supporting the government's plan for AI public infrastructure." Deepika Giri from International Data Corporation talked about growth: "India is a key market and one of the fastest-growing areas in the Asia Pacific for AI spending." Pathak went on to say, "India has a huge number of digital users, a growing need for cloud and AI solutions, and a highly skilled IT ecosystem that can create and use AI on a large scale." These views make the investments seem like they are working together to help India go from being a services hub to an AI innovator. Long-Term Effects on the Economy These promises are for hyperscale facilities like Microsoft's Hyderabad complex, which will open in the middle of 2026. They build on Google's $15 billion push for data centres and Nvidia's $12 billion support for startups. Amazon aims to create 1 million jobs and $80 billion in seller exports by 2030, and Microsoft aims to raise the number of skilled Indians to 20 million. India is becoming a neutral engineering powerhouse amid US-China tensions. Analysts think that sovereign AI stacks will fill the gaps in computing power needed for training, creating jobs, boosting exports, and increasing GDP.  This capital rush not only fills in gaps in infrastructure, but it also boosts India's global AI status by combining a lot of talent with Big Tech's firepower for long-term domination. The promises mark the start of a new age in which India's developer army builds the world's AI apps and changes the way economies work.

This week, GameStop Corp.'s stock dropped more than 5% after the company said that the value of its Bitcoin assets fell by $9.2 million in the third quarter. The store holds about 4,710 BTC, which it bought for about $512 million between early May and mid-June. As of November 1, the portfolio was worth $519.4 million.  This is a drop from previous highs, as Bitcoin's price fell from more than $122,000 to roughly $110,000 in October, when a $19 billion liquidation cascade occurred on October 10. Company leaders have said they are willing to sell some of the BTC stockpile, which may lock in profits even though they have just lost money.  There were no transactions in the quarter, but the impairment made the market nervous. Shares fell 30% from their May highs around $35 and traded at $23.35 before earnings, underscoring the volatility of crypto exposure. This news shows that GameStop is aggressively moving towards digital assets as a way to make money, just like other companies like MicroStrategy. Earnings in Q3 Showed Strength Despite Sales DIP Revenue fell to $821 million, 4.5% below the $860 million it made the year before and 16.8% below the $987.3 million it was expected to make. But profitability improved significantly, with net income rising to $77.1 million from a deficit the year before and adjusted EPS rising to $0.24, which exceeded the $0.20 expectation. EBITDA jumped 675% to $64.4 million, operating margins went from -2.9% to positive 5%, and free cash flow margins went up to 13%. Collectables now make up about a third of revenue, which helps make up for drops in core video game gear and software during streaming problems. GameStop didn't provide investors any forward guidance or hold an analyst conference call, so they had to figure out what its transformation strategy meant. More Pressure on The Crypto Market Mount GameStop's problems are similar to those of companies that own Bitcoin. Japan's Metaplanet, the second-largest public BTC accumulator, went from making $600 million to losing $530 million by early December, but it did bounce back a little.  Analysts say the tension stems from corrections after "Uptober," when Bitcoin dropped 21% over 90 days to $90,000 lows. "The crypto winter has hurt other corporate Bitcoin treasuries," experts say, because high purchase costs are eating away at equity cushions beyond $100,000 limits.  A bearish mood remains strong before any "Santa Claus rally," and projections have been cut following liquidations. GameStop's market cap of $10.46 billion shows the business is strong, but Bitcoin's weight raises questions about how well it manages risk.  BTC sales could add liquidity for buybacks or pivots, but timing is crucial when conditions are volatile. This story shows the risks for stores that mix old-fashioned retail with risky crypto investments, like GameStop is trying to do by expanding beyond its physical shopfronts.

Blockstream has added Boltz to its mobile wallet, which enables trustless atomic exchanges across the Lightning Network and the Liquid sidechain. People can now pay Lightning invoices directly from their Liquid Bitcoin (LBTC) balances, without worrying about maintaining channels or providing incoming liquidity. This update makes Bitcoin's layered payment system easier for regular people to utilise. For security, the mechanism uses hash time-locked contracts (HTLCs) to ensure that swaps either complete or automatically return the funds to the sender's wallet. Blockstream says this is a big step forward for privacy and transaction speed in Bitcoin. It removes key impediments, such as liquidity silos, that have made it hard for retail customers and merchants to use Lightning. The wallet lets you use both Lightning's quick micropayments and Liquid's faster confirmations, making it easy to use. There is no third-party custody, so users retain their rights, which aligns with Bitcoin's ideals. Early feedback shows that cross-network procedures are easier to do. Boltz Makes Non-Custodial Work More Efficient Boltz is a non-custodial service that powers the swaps. It lets users exchange LBTC on demand for Lightning payments. Failed transactions roll back safely, reducing risk in unstable situations. Blockstream's announcement emphasises the importance of the feature for bringing together Bitcoin scaling layers. Analysts praise the design for making Bitcoin more useful for DeFi. It aims to address real-world situations where payments need to be cheap, reliable, and easy to make. Boltz is now a major participant in layer-2 liquidity solutions thanks to the merger. This change comes as Lightning's worldwide capacity exceeds 5,000 BTC, indicating growing demand for infrastructure. Blockstream's method offers a standard for swaps that don't require trust and can be controlled by users across ecosystems. The Future Roadmap Promises More Blockstream discussed a long list of updates that would follow the launch. Soon, on-chain swaps will let you shift money between the Bitcoin mainnet, Liquid, and Lightning without any problems, all from one app. This prevents tools from being broken apart, allowing all assets to be handled. Next comes hardware wallet integration, which lets devices like Blockstream Jade receive Lightning payments directly for cold storage security. These improvements combine functionality into a simple interface that security-conscious consumers will like. People in the industry perceive the roadmap as visionary amid arguments over scale. It might help Liquid Network beat competitors like Ark or Fedimint. Analysts say this model will lead to broader wallet standards, helping Bitcoin grow into an easy-to-use, efficient payment system. The Boltz collaboration accelerates Bitcoin's growth and makes complex features easier to use. As more people use them, these new technologies fill technological gaps and give individuals powerful, independent tools for managing their money every day.

State Street Investment Management and Galaxy Asset Management have joined forces with Ondo Finance to launch the State Street Galaxy Onchain Liquidity Sweep Fund, or SWEEP for short. This new tokenised private fund aims to provide institutional clients with on-chain liquidity 24/7, enabling them to easily convert funds into PayPal's PYUSD stablecoin for subscriptions and redemptions.  SWEEP is a bold combination of custodial services, asset management, and blockchain tokenisation, but only qualified buyers who meet tight eligibility and minimum investment conditions can use it. Ondo Finance is making a significant $200 million initial investment, which strengthens its position as a top real-world asset tokeniser. State Street Bank and Trust Company is responsible for the underlying treasury holdings and ensures strong regulatory oversight.  Galaxy provides the basic blockchain technology that enables the issuance and use of SWEEP tokens on public networks like Solana. Plans are to expand to Stellar and Ethereum in the future via Chainlink compatibility. The fund changes how institutions handle cash by giving them access to yield-bearing cash that was previously unavailable with existing systems.  It will launch in early 2026 and is aimed at DeFi users who need quick access to liquidity without the restrictions of traditional banks. This alliance leverages the strengths of each company: State Street's currency expertise, Galaxy Digital's capabilities, and Ondo's leadership in tokenisation. Leaders Point Out the Potential for Change Steve Kurz, Galaxy's worldwide head of asset management, welcomed the venture's impact. Kurz said, "SWEEP is a game-changing collaboration that will give digital investors an on-chain liquidity fund option, changing the way institutional DeFi investors keep cash and run their businesses." Ian De Bode, president of Ondo Finance, talked about the bigger picture. De Bode said, "Tokenisation is quickly becoming the link between traditional finance and the onchain economy, and SWEEP is a big step forward in that process." He said that seed money immediately boosts Ondo's OUSG fund, enabling 24/7 minting and redemptions to help TradFi grow in DeFi. Kim Hochfeld, who is in charge of cash and digital assets at State Street, agreed with this excitement. The effort pushes the limits of tokenisation by combining strict compliance with the speed and openness of blockchain for better efficiency. Increasing Market Momentum and Liquidity SWEEP helps Ondo's OUSG tokenised US Treasuries fund by spreading out its reserves and ensuring liquidity is always available. It puts these businesses at the head of the pack in the tokenised cash space, where institutions increasingly want smooth, steady flows of money. People who watch the market view this as a plan for custodians, tokenisers, and managers to work together. By using PYUSD, the fund avoids volatility and gains operational flexibility. This aligns with the growing interest in tokenised assets, which provide accredited investors with safe, high-yield on-chain cash equivalents. The development shows that Wall Street and blockchain are converging faster, potentially changing how liquidity flows around the world. As competitors watch closely, SWEEP could encourage more institutions to get involved in DeFi, prioritising both stability and innovation.

What Happened? Binance has rolled out the crypto industry’s first Indication of Interest (IOI) system — a feature designed to give institutional traders a discreet, low-friction way to negotiate large spot and loan transactions without broadcasting their intentions to the broader market. Launched through Binance OTC & Execution Services, the new IOI tool mirrors a process widely used across equities, FX, commodities, and fixed income, but until now absent from crypto markets. The IOI function allows qualified participants to privately signal buy, sell, borrow, or lend interest at preferred price points and term structures. These signals are non-binding, but they allow institutions to test liquidity and counterparties before committing capital — a crucial mechanism for markets where even moderate trade size can move prices. Investor Takeaway This is Binance importing a long-established TradFi workflow directly into crypto. IOIs give institutions tighter control over execution risk and better visibility into liquidity — especially important for mid-cap and less liquid tokens. Why Does This Matter in a Crypto Market Context? Crypto markets continue to mature, but one challenge persists: large trades often distort prices. Market depth varies widely across tokens, spreads can widen quickly, and public order book activity often telegraphs the intent of whales, trading desks, and market makers. Even request-for-quote (RFQ) structures can leak information, depending on counterparties involved. In traditional finance, IOIs serve as a buffer. They create a quiet negotiation lane where institutions can feel out interest before touching the market. Bringing that mechanism to crypto helps solve one of the industry’s more persistent friction points — how to move meaningful size without triggering slippage or tipping off competitors. Spot IOI gives traders a private window to explore block trade opportunities. Loan IOI extends the same philosophy into the lending side, connecting directly into Binance’s Fixed Rate Loan engine so institutions can propose borrowing or lending terms tailored to their capital needs. Both reduce unnecessary noise around order flow, something institutional desks have long pushed for. Investor Takeaway The IOI workflow is a clear signal of crypto’s institutionalization: better negotiation tools, less information leakage, and more control over execution timing and counterparties. How Does It Compare to Other Institutional Tools? No major exchange has previously offered an IOI framework. OTC desks often rely on informal broker networks or back-channel communication, but that approach lacks consistency, auditability, and platform-level integration. Binance’s solution formalizes the process, weaving it directly into its OTC and liquidity infrastructure. The exchange has also upgraded its execution stack over the past quarter, adding multi-venue quote aggregation to give traders tighter spreads and better price discovery. The new IOI feature sits naturally on top of those improvements, creating a workflow that supports large transactions from first inquiry to final execution. Catherine Chen, who leads Binance’s VIP & Institutional division, described the IOI system as a step toward matching the expectations of traditional desks: “Institutions want liquidity and efficiency — without information leakage. Our IOI feature is built to meet that standard and to give traders confidence when executing size.” What Comes Next? With institutional flows increasing, Binance is positioning IOIs as part of a broader strategy to build a more sophisticated execution environment. The exchange has expanded its OTC team, strengthened infrastructure around fixed-rate products, and worked to reduce latency across its quoting engines. As more institutional players enter crypto — from hedge funds and prop shops to asset managers — the need for secure, quiet negotiation channels only grows. The introduction of IOIs also hints at a future where crypto adopts the same trade lifecycle tools that institutions already use in traditional markets: block trading, dark liquidity discovery, and structured loan negotiation. If that reality takes shape, IOIs could become one of the foundational components of how institutions route large digital asset orders. For now, Binance has the first-mover advantage — and the market will watch closely to see if IOIs become a standard feature across the industry, or a competitive moat exclusive to the exchange that pioneered it.