Cryptopolitan

Goldman Sachs shares fell 40 points in US Friday pre-market trading after its top legal officer said she would step down following public scrutiny over her ties to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Kathy Ruemmler, the bank’s general counsel, confirmed she will leave the Wall Street firm on June 30. Her decision follows the release of Justice Department documents revealing her communications with Epstein.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. closed at $944 on Thursday, but is now down 4.24% at the time of this publication. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also dropped 669.42 points, or 1.34%, to 49,451.98. Stock market index S&P 500 fell 1.57% to 6,832.76, while the Nasdaq Composite slid 2.03% to 22,597.15.

Goldman Sachs counsel to step down after Epstein files reveal ties 

Late Thursday, Ruemmler told the Financial Times that the attention on her had become untenable. “I made the determination that the media attention on me, relating to my prior work as a defence attorney, was becoming a distraction,” she said.

She also told Axios it was her “responsibility…to put Goldman Sachs’ interests first,” and informed Chief Executive David Solomon of her plans to quit. Solomon accepted the resignation and praised Ruemmler as “one of the most accomplished professionals in her field.”

“Throughout her tenure, Kathy has been an extraordinary general counsel, and we are grateful for her contributions and sound advice on a wide range of consequential legal matters for the firm,” Solomon said in a statement.

Earlier this business week, the Justice Department released more documents from its Epstein investigation. The documents showed Ruemmler was in contact with the sex offender before she joined Goldman Sachs.

In one of the emails covered by FT, Ruemmler asked Epstein if he was going to trade “one of his Russians” for her to get a job at Citadel. In another email chain, she forwarded messages to Epstein about an affair she had with one of his close associates.

The records also showed Epstein provided her with luxury gifts, including a Hermès handbag, Apple devices, spa treatments, haircuts, and plane tickets. “Am totally tricked out by Uncle Jeffrey today! Jeffrey boots, handbag, and watch!” she wrote in a January 2019 email.

Ruemmler insists she regrets knowing Epstein and was unaware of his criminal conduct. “I made decisions based on the information that was available to me. I have an enormous amount of sympathy and heartache for anyone who he hurt,” the outgoing bank lawyer told reporters.

Ruemmler served as White House Counsel under former President Barack Obama before joining Goldman Sachs. She later became one of the bank’s most senior executives and sat on internal committees on reputational risk and conduct.

Goldman Sachs in frenzy after Ruemmler’s ‘forced’ resignation

According to several current and former executives within the American bank, there is frustration towards how CEO Solomon has handled the news about Ruemmler. Some board members who are reportedly against Solomon’s support for Ruemmler said he could harm Goldman’s reputation.

“It’s a distraction, and it’s embarrassing,” said one person close to a board member before her resignation. “It’s not the board’s job to hire and fire people. That is the CEO’s role.”

Five former partners said they were surprised Solomon chose to publicly stand by Ruemmler, and expected the firm to distance itself more clearly from the controversy. Before her ties to Epstein became public, Ruemmler was internally liked for being disciplined, competent, and discreet. 

The bank did not announce an immediate successor and has not revealed any interim leadership plans for its legal division.

Last week, at another law firm affected by the Epstein ordeal, Brad Karp stepped down as chair of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison after his ties to the sex trafficker appeared in the latest document release. Karp said the disclosures had placed all the focus on him, and “that is not in the best interests of the firm.”

In a 2015 email, Karp thanked Epstein for inviting him to “an evening I’ll never forget.” A 2016 email showed Karp asking for his assistance in securing a job for his son on the set of a Woody Allen film.

Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.

Huione Guarantee, one of the leading decentralized marketplaces suspected of laundering stolen stablecoins, is shedding more of its Telegram handles. Now, the group is moving away from its public gambling chat. 

Huione Guarantee divested several of its Telegram handles after years of scrutiny from crypto investigators and authorities. The former marketplace was one of the key hubs for laundering stablecoins. 

As Cryptopolitan reported recently, Huione Pay froze withdrawals at the end of 2025, causing chaos for related shop holders. The HWZF payment tool is also discontinued. 

Recent research by the SlowMist team shows Huione Guarantee is still divesting Telegram assets. The group went through a series of rebrandings in an attempt to redeploy some of its services. The Haowang Guarantee remained the new hub for escrow payments for the Huione Group. 

After Huione Group distanced itself from the Guarantee business, it sold off Telegram usernames. Now, the Huione Group is divesting some of its other public channels. 

Huione auctions off multiple channels

One of the last remaining public groups of Huione Group, @feibo, announced an auction for a series of channels. Participants must deposit 10,000 USDT, refundable after the end of the auction. 

The sale also aims to prevent spam by holding off spoof bids and reserving the right not to return the deposit. 

The last public channel of Huione Guarantee is selling some of its last Telegram handles at an auction. | Source: Telegram

The most expensive group, with over 131K USDT in bids, is for gambling service ads. Other groups are just starting out or await to be repurposed. 

USDT laundering risk is getting reorganized

After the takedown of the main activities of Huione Group, the threat of USDT laundering did not subside. Similar scams continue to operate, but spread to alternative P2P markets. 

Liquidity is moving to new clusters, challenging researchers to locate addresses. Small shops and escrow services are one of the least traceable ways to transfer USDT. Even Tether itself and its financial crime unit have difficulties in tracing all transactions and wallets. 

After a crackdown from authorities, Huione Pay activity slowed to zero, as traders and USDT launderers moved to alternative payment services. | Source: Dune Analytics

The activity of Huione Pay peaked in the summer of 2025, later stopping withdrawals and winding down following the crackdown from authorities. Huione Pay was one of the main tools for Telegram-based and online gambling, as well as USDT laundering. 

After the shutdown of Huione Pay, up to 30 alternative entities emerged on Telegram, according to researchers from Eliptic. 

Briefly, Tudou Guarantee was the selected marketplace for similar activities, but it also followed Huione in winding down its operations. Huione Guarantee also held a 30% stake in Tudou Guarantee, becoming the single biggest shareholder.

Currently, smaller dark markets are competing for a share of payments and potentially, laundering.

USDT marketplaces, using the TRON version of the stablecoin, have now been marked as a risk factor and are more closely watched for potential stablecoin laundering.

Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free.

Cryptocurrency payments linked to suspected human trafficking operations jumped by a dramatic 85 % in 2025, according to a new analysis of blockchain data released.

Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis reported that flows of cryptocurrency to services believed to be tied to human trafficking reached hundreds of millions of dollars last year — a substantial increase from 2024.

Investigators tracked these transactions across a range of criminal services, including international escort networks, labor placement channels linked to scam operations, and vendors of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Chainalysis’s crypto crime report sparks tension in the industry 

Following Chainalysis’s findings, individuals have raised safety and risk concerns, sparking tension in the crypto industry. Tom McLouth, an intelligence analyst at Chainalysis, issued a statement arguing that the findings mark a significant pivot for the industry. 

To break down his point for better understanding, McLouth stressed that, “I haven’t seen anyone discuss human trafficking comprehensively within today’s crypto world and how it’s being used,” he said, further noting that, “I believe one reason for this is that it’s a sensitive topic. People generally avoid discussing CSAM and large-scale exploitation at family dinners.” 

Notably, these discoveries emerged at a time when relevant authorities have intensified investigations into the use of cryptocurrencies for illegal activity. 

The reports about the increased number of transactions connected to suspected human trafficking operations come after the Justice Department revealed Jeffrey Epstein’s early investments in cryptocurrency and his relationship to prominent influencers in the crypto industry. Epstein was an American financier, child sex offender, and sex trafficker.

Moreover, sources pointed out that an earlier reported Bitcoin ransom demand in the kidnapping case of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Savannah Guthrie, an American broadcast journalist and attorney. This case has received widespread media attention.

In response to this news, McLouth pointed out that attributing large-scale illicit cryptocurrency movements to individual actors remains a major challenge for law enforcement, unlike high-profile name cases.

“We can’t point to one particular person committing a specific crime,” he explained. “Jeffrey Epstein, as we see in the news, is a name that people recognize. But when it comes to an entire system or industry, we can’t do that.” 

Criminal-related cryptocurrency transactions cases surge in the crypto industry 

Concerning the surge in cryptocurrency transactions in suspected human trafficking operations, some reports highlighted that these transactions have hit a new all-time high of $260 million. However, a reliable source noted that this figure is pending verification.

Afterwards, the source alleged that they are utilizing blockchain analytics to trace incoming transaction activity related to human trafficking or CSAM operations.

They also mentioned that they will not disclose the exact figures since they know their estimates are already on the low side and want to prevent an undercount from being widely circulated.

In addition to this argument, they further asserted that this justification accounted for the broad range of several hundred million to demonstrate the extent of the issue.

On the other hand, the 2026 Crypto Crime Report also breaks down transaction trends by category. For example, Chainalysis noted that blockchain analysis indicates a 48.8% connection rate between cryptocurrency transfers and international escort networks on Telegram. 

The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them.

Whale accumulation and growing retail demand are accelerating momentum around Mutuum Finance (MUTM), a new crypto that has now surpassed $20.5 million raised in its presale. This highlights increasing confidence in the DeFi newcomer, positioning it as the next crypto to explode. While Solana (SOL) works toward technical recovery, investor attention appears firmly locked on MUTM.

Solana Price Analysis

Solana (SOL) is approaching a descending bullish trend line. Traditionally, every time this level is touched, a price reversal is seen. Solana relies heavily on the price momentum of Bitcoin, which has recently also seen a sharp fall. SOL’s recovery may take time to materialize as BTC also stalls, which has seen investors seek faster-growing tokens. One new crypto appealing to both whale and retail buyers is Mutuum Finance (MUTM).

MUTM Presale Momentum

Mutuum Finance is in phase 7 of presale. So far, the presale has managed to onboard 19,000 investors and has reached a funding height of around $20.5 million. Price per MUTM during this phase is $0.04, which means an investment of $1,000 grabs 25,000 MUTM. However, upcoming phases are set to feature higher prices. For instance, the token will sell for $0.045 in phase 8 and progressively cost more until launch at $0.06. 

This means $1,000 will buy 22,000 MUTM in phase 8 and a little over 16,000 MUTM at the market debut price. The same applies to gains: an investor who buys MUTM early stands to gain the biggest profits as the crypto grows. Total token supply is limited to 4 billion MUTM, of which 45.5%, i.e., 1.82 billion MUTM, will go towards presale investors. This creates a scarcity from the word go, a mechanism that has triggered strong FOMO in the project. 

Dual Model of Lending

A unique offering from Mutuum Finance is its dual-model decentralized lending system:

Assets can be deposited in Peer-to-Contract (P2C) lending pools, such as ETH or USDT, generating mtTokens (mtETH or mtUSDT) and earn interest, for example, 7-12% APY. Similarly, borrowers can get loans by providing overcollateralized cryptocurrency e.g. 150%, with variable rates. For instance, an investor seeking a $10,000 ETH loan could deposit $15,000 USDT as collateral.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) lending, on the other hand, is for speculative or niche coins like Dogecoin. Here, borrowers and investors agree on customized conditions like interest rates, time period, etc. A lender might lend $10,000 in ETH at 16% interest for 21 days to a borrower who provides $20,000 DOGE as collateral (200% overcollateralization).

Early Participation Incentives

Mutuum Finance offers reward programs to encourage early-stage adoption. A daily leaderboard offers the top presale buyer $500 worth of MUTM tokens. There is also the $100,000 giveaway, in which ten winners will win $10,000 worth of MUTM tokens each. This will encourage community participation and the adoption of MUTM in the long term. 

While Solana is preparing to experience a technical recovery, substantial whale and retail demand are already leading to explosive growth in Mutuum Finance. With its token price of just $0.04 per token, investors can benefit from prelaunch gains and long-term potential, making it the next crypto to explode. The presale is the final opportunity to get the token at a discount before a sharp rise in price. Join now, while phase 7 is still ongoing. 

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://mutuum.com/ 

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance 

Chinese car manufacturer FAW Group has launched a semi-solid battery with an extended range for electric vehicles. The new battery cell has an energy density of over 500 Wh/kg and a total battery capacity of up to 142kWh, which will reportedly power EVs to cover up to 620 miles (1,000km), a significant improvement over the current 400-mile range.

FAW Group is up against major global players from China, including BYD and CATL, that currently control the global EV market.

According to Carbon Credits data, Chinese companies collectively control 69% of the global EV battery Market. CATL commands about 38% of the global market, with over 355.2 GWh of batteries installed, with a major grip of the local Chinese market.

BYD, on the other hand, has spread its wings overseas, selling more than 130,000 vehicles outside China. FAW Group, with the new battery chemistry, seeks to challenge BYD and CATL, with the backing of Volkswagen Group for the global EV market.

Chinese carmaker FAW rolls out its semi-solid state battery for EVs

FAW Group announced on February 10 that it had successfully incorporated what it claims is the “industry’s first” lithium-rich manganese semi-solid-state EV battery into an electric vehicle. The battery was developed by FAW’s battery unit, China Automotive New Energy Battery Technology Co Ltd., in collaboration with a team of scholars led by Academician Chen Jun at Nankai University. 

The battery cell reportedly performs better than industry-standard lithium-ion batteries. The company says the battery cell will improve charging speeds and energy efficiency. Solid-state battery cells are often regarded as the next evolution of EV battery technology. The batteries have the potential to deliver twice the energy density of traditional liquid lithium-ion batteries.

The news comes after SAIC Motors announced that it had also pioneered the “world’s first mass-produced semi-solid state” electric vehicle battery. The company officially launched the electric MG$ Anxin Edition Hatchback with the battery at a motor show in August last year. The battery reportedly has a range of 530km and supports 2C charging.

In mid-January, Dongfeng Motors, another Chinese car manufacturer, announced it had begun testing a solid-state battery-powered prototype under extreme cold conditions. The automaker also claims its battery cell innovation can unlock more than 1,000 km (620 miles) of CLTC driving range.

FAW’s battery is also using a manganese solution. Still, many Chinese brands are experimenting with NCM and NCA battery types that also have the potential to offer higher energy density, but use more Nickel.

US and European manufacturers heighten efforts to develop high-density batteries

Western car manufacturers have also joined the bandwagon and have been making significant strides in developing improved batteries.

In the U.S., specialized American tech companies have partnered with car manufacturers to launch solid-state batteries this year. Factorial Energy partnered with Stellantis (the parent company of Jeep and Dodge) and Mercedes to accelerate innovation in solid-state battery development.

QuantumScape, another U.S. player, is also working on developing a production facility in February designed to produce solid-state cells for Volkswagen Group.

European companies are also in the race to develop their own solid-state batteries. Blue Solutions, a French battery manufacturing company, has produced solid-state batteries for buses for years and has announced it will begin focusing on passenger vehicles this year. 

Japanese multinational Panasonic Holdings Corporation announced it intends to develop a new high-capacity battery over the next two years. The company aims to accelerate innovation to eliminate anodes in batteries, boosting energy density and increasing battery capacity by 25%. The new battery will significantly increase the range of the Tesla Model Y vehicles.

The news comes as global EV registrations declined in January amid policy changes in the U.S. and China. China has introduced a purchase tax and lower EV subsidies, while the U.S. has embarked on U.S. regulatory shifts in the sector. EV registrations dropped by 3%, settling at 1.2 million units for both EVs and hybrid vehicles.

Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free.

Russian regulators intend to reconsider their currently conservative stance on fiat-pegged stablecoins and actually study the possibility of minting one this year.

The statement, made by a top central bank executive, comes amid increasing pressure on a ruble-backed stablecoin issued in Kyrgyzstan and actively used by Russian entities to circumvent sanctions.

Bank of Russia to make up its mind about stablecoins in 2026

The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) plans to conduct a study in the coming months to evaluate the feasibility of creating a Russian stablecoin.

The announcement came from the monetary authority’s First Deputy Chairman, Vladimir Chistyukhin. Speaking at a conference organized by Russia’s largest private bank, Alfa-Bank, he admitted the regulator has until now objected to the idea.

However, referring to the experience of other nations in that area, he revealed Moscow may soon change its mind. In comments made during the Alfa Talk event under the slogan “Digital Financial Assets: New Market Architecture” and quoted by TASS, he stated:

“We plan to conduct a study this year to reassess the situation. Indeed, our traditional position is that this is not allowed but taking into account the practices of a number of foreign countries, we will reassess the risks and prospects here and will also submit this for public discussion.”

The news follows a major shift in the Bank of Russia’s attitude towards digital currencies in general. Russia’s main financial regulator used to be vehemently opposed to allowing their free circulation in the country’s economy, pushing for a digital ruble instead.

However, in 2025, which proved a pivotal year in that regard, the CBR first introduced an experimental regime for crypto transactions and then permitted investments in crypto derivatives last spring. Then, towards the end of December, it released a whole new concept for comprehensive crypto regulation.

The policy paper envisages recognizing decentralized cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin as well as stablecoins as “monetary assets,” alongside expanding Russians’ access to them.

Although the Russian ruble is likely to remain the only legal tender, new crypto-related services will certainly appear on the market, given the planned licensing of platforms such as digital asset exchanges.

Moscow moves amid Western pressure on allies and A7A5

Russia’s stablecoin study will begin after Western powers started tightening the noose on crypto assets and organizations helping it to bypass their restrictions on Russian financial flows.

The upcoming 20th package of sanctions proposed by the EU pays particular attention to curbing Russian crypto transactions and targets third countries facilitating them for Moscow.

For example, the European Union is preparing to hit two Kyrgyz banks suspected of processing crypto-related transactions for Russian actors, as reported by Cryptopolitan.

The Central Asian nation is home to the issuer of the ruble-pegged stablecoin A7A5. The crypto, created by the Russian company A7, is issued by the Kyrgyz-registered Old Vector.

It’s believed to have processed transactions worth over $100 billion within the first year since its launch in early 2025, and according to DeFiLlama, its capitalization exceeds $500 million, making it the largest non-dollar stablecoin on the market.

Despite the lack of stablecoin regulations, in September, the financial authorities in Moscow classified it as a digital financial asset (DFA), which allows Russian firms to use it for international settlements. Platforms related to the A7A5 have been sanctioned already by the EU, the U.S. and the U.K.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Finance revealed on Thursday that Russian crypto turnover is reaching 50 billion rubles daily (nearly $650 million).

Crypto usage has been growing among ordinary Russians, too, as traditional financial channels have become more inaccessible due to sanctions and some fiat restrictions imposed by their own government due to the war in Ukraine.

Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free.

A crypto trader pocketed more than $2.12 million in profit after betting against favorites FC Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg on February 12, according to Polymarket data.

As spotted by market tracker Lookonchain on Thursday, PuzzleTricker committed $3.23 million in USDC to back Barcelona’s defeat. When Atlético Madrid took the win by a 4-0 scoreline, the position paid out more than $5.35 million, a 65% return on his outlay.

A week before kickoff, Polymarket traders had assigned Barcelona a 65% probability of winning the first leg. However, PuzzleTricker believed Atletico would win the first tie, buying a total of 53,781.626 shares, predicting a Barca loss and taking home a net profit of $2,125,839.54.

Crypto bettor makes big bucks on football stakes  

According to PuzzleTricker’s trading history on Polymarket, the trader has made 5 profitable football positions in the last two weeks. The account correctly backed Liverpool FC to win on February 11, generating a profit of $278,279.40 on a $353,041.70 stake.

The trader also took a position on Ipswich Town to win on February 7, which produced a $107,444 profit on a $106,788 commitment. Another position featured Dutch football club AZ Alkmaar, where PuzzleTrader placed a $17,575.21 stake and realized a 96% profit totaling $16,906 on January 31. 

The account’s all-time profit-and-loss chart shows cumulative gains of $1,934,732, with the Atletico-sponsored win on Thursday at the top of the earnings list.

US sports leagues eye prediction market partnerships

US sports organization Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday that the league may consider working with companies such as Polymarket and Kalshi.

Speaking during a meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, Manfred told team owners that partnerships with prediction market platforms could help safeguard the league’s “integrity.”

“We thought it was important for the owners to be updated on why prediction markets are different from sports betting, which is why we might want to consider being in business with prediction markets to get the kind of protections we need,” Manfred denoted.

In October, the NHL signed agreements with Polymarket and Kalshi, becoming the first major US sports league to formalize such a deal. A month later, TKO Group Holdings, parent company of the UFC, announced a partnership with Polymarket. The US Major League Soccer followed with its own agreement last month, Cryptopolitan reported.

The NBA has not signed a formal deal with prediction platforms, but Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo disclosed earlier in February that he holds an ownership stake in Kalshi.

During All-Star Weekend, Kalshi founders Tarek Mansour and Luana Lopes Lara, alongside Polymarket founder Shayne Coplan, are scheduled to speak at the league’s technology summit. 

Meanwhile, a California resident named Alexander Yoon filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York claiming Polymarket misled him about the legality of its services in his state. Yoon opened an account in December, believing that Polymarket was lawfully offering online sports betting markets in California, based on its advertising.

The plaintiff says he has stopped using the platform but fears he “may be tricked by Polymarket in the future into engaging in unlawful gambling in California if Polymarket continues to claim that its practices are legal.”

The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them.

Indiana Senate lawmakers are pushing House Bill 1042, which will allow specific public pension funds to invest in crypto options, including ETFs. However, the bill’s author, Rep. Kyle Pierce, R-Anderson, explained that participants in eligible pension plans do not have the option to decide how their investments are managed.

Meanwhile, Tom Perkins, the investments counsel and director of investment stewardship, emphasized that it has taken extensive collaborative work with the House to reach the bill’s current form. Rep. Pierce further explained that only those with defined contribution plans would be able to take advantage of the changes. 

Other key provisions of HB1042 would also block local governments, except the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions, from restricting crypto transactions for legal services, taking custody of digital wallets using specific technology, or banning the operations of a digital mining business.

State agencies will not be able to stop digital mining companies, including data centers, from operating in industrial-zoned areas or prevent individual “Hoosiers” from mining crypto in their homes.

Rep. Pierce says the bill needs more work over this year

Rep. Kyle Pierce notes that bill HB1042 needs more work this year. He further points out a few issues to address, emphasizing that the product is not doing well so far.

The Committee discussed at length another amendment that would remove some provisions, but Sen. Scott Baldwin, R-Noblesville, decided not to call it.

“We’re never in the business of putting anybody out of business. That’s not our goal here, in the state of Indiana.”

–Sen. Scott Baldwin, Chair Tax and Fiscal Policy, Insurance and Financial Institutions

Meanwhile, Rep. Pierce emphasizes that the proposed amendments to HB1042 will offer individual choice rather than the plans in which the state handles investment decisions.

However, Sen. Baldwin stressed that Indiana lawmakers would continue their discussions and, if necessary, make further amendments on second reading. The panel passed HB1042 (as updated February 11, 2026) in a 6-2 vote, along party lines. The bill is expected to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Bill excludes investment in stablecoin funds

While the bill will allow state pension funds to invest in crypto-related ETFs, it excludes funds mainly tied to stablecoins. Indiana lawmakers emphasize that this filter was added to ensure retirement exposure remains linked to market-traded crypto assets rather than dollar-backed tokens.

Meanwhile, supporters say ETF-based access gives regulated exposure while avoiding the operational risks of directly holding tokens. 

According to the committee filing and legislative update, House Bill 1042 now heads to the full Senate for voting. Public employee plans like Hoosier START will be required to offer self-directed brokerage accounts if the bill becomes law, starting July 1, 2026. Workers can choose to invest part of their retirement savings in approved crypto products through these brokerage accounts. 

It is also important to note that the state will not directly buy crypto. Instead, workers can decide their level of crypto exposure based on their investment goals and risk tolerance. Indiana’s Public Retirement System currently oversees over $55 billion in managed public pension funds.

On a national scope, Indiana is not the only U.S. state exploring crypto options for public retirement plans or funds. Other states, like Texas, Oklahoma, New Hampshire, and North Carolina, have either already introduced or are advancing similar proposals. Some of these plans will allow limited exposure to crypto for public funds, while others will focus on providing retirement account holders with more crypto investment choices.

In North Carolina, the North Carolina Retirement Systems started investing pension funds in crypto in late 2025, after the state’s legislative leaders pushed through a bill enabling such market wagers. The legislative leaders pushed the law through despite objections from state employees whose salaries fund the plan.

Several months later, the state has seen over 50% of its crypto investments wiped out, resulting in losses of more than $33 million since last September. 

Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free.

Michael Burry is betting against Palantir again, and he wrote more than 10,000 words explaining why. He published the essay on Substack on Thursday.

In November, Michael disclosed put options against Palantir and Nvidia. That means he makes money if those stocks fall. He believes Palantir is overpriced right now.

Michael did not start with numbers. He started with Alex Karp.

Alex is the chief executive of Palantir. In The Philosopher in the Valley, written by Michael Steinberger, Alex is quoted saying, “You think it is helpful having a fluorescent green praying mantis coming into their offices telling them about German philosophy? Do you think that’s helpful? I can tell you it’s not helpful.”

Peter said, “My riff on Alex is that he’s working out some psychological issues where he has to do things in this really, really hard way versus the straightforward, easy way.”

Michael wrote that his criticism is not personal. He made it clear that:- “I have spent some time with Peter. I like him a lot. He’s a great guy. I have not met Alex, but the book made me appreciate him.”

Burry digs out Palantir’s history of losses and heavy spending to make his case

Before going public in late 2020, Palantir had a strong reputation in Washington and Silicon Valley. It worked with government agencies and powerful partners.

At the same time, it was losing serious money. When Palantir filed its S-1 in the summer of 2020, the numbers became public. As of June 30, 2020, Palantir had lost $3.96 billion in total. In 2018 and 2019 combined, it lost $1.2 billion.

Funding rounds were large. The biggest was Series K in 2019. It raised $899 million at $11.38 per share. Between financings, the company used revolving lines of credit to support cash flow.

In August 2020, just before the direct listing, the board awarded Alex $1.1 billion in stock options. Michael wrote, “If you have not realized it by now, the company really knows how to throw money around.”

Burry challenges the AI platform and the $300 billion valuation

Palantir was founded in 2003 by Peter Thiel and other Silicon Valley entrepreneurs with a mission to build software that helps governments, militaries, and corporations process large data sets.

In 2023, Palantir launched its Artificial Intelligence Platform, a system that allegedly connects large language models from OpenAI and Anthropic to customer data.

Since then, revenue growth has been steady for Palantir. Last year, the Thiel-backed company reported $4.5 billion in annual sales. That was up 56% from the year before. The stock surged about 450% over the past two years.

The company now has a market value near $300 billion. Wall Street analysts rate it overweight on average, based on MarketWatch data. When Michael revealed his short position last year, Alex responded publicly. He called betting against AI companies “making all the money” “super-weird” and “batshit crazy.”

Michael disagrees with the optimism. He argues that Palantir relies on third-party language models that are “systematically unreliable.” He cited a Stanford University paper that described reasoning failures in large language models.

He wrote that this matters for “legal reasoning, scientific reasoning, medical decision support, military targeting, and other truly mission critical tasks requiring 100 per cent precision and confidence grounded in real data.”

Burry points to uneven growth and predicts a lower valuation

Michael also wrote that many chief executives feel pressure to show they are using AI. That pressure drives demand for Palantir software today.

He warned that over time, AI tools could make data integration cheap enough for companies to handle on their own. He named Salesforce and Microsoft as well-funded competitors. He wrote, “They may pounce before or after savvy customers realise Emperor Palantir has no clothes.”

Michael examined regional growth numbers. U.S. commercial revenue rose 137% last year. International commercial revenue increased only 2%. He argued this suggests the business depends on engineers and close relationships on the ground. He said that looks more like consulting than pure SaaS.

Michael ended with a direct forecast. He wrote that the recent winning streak will not endure. He predicted the company will prove to be worth less than $100 billion. For now, the market prices Palantir far above that level. Michael is positioned for the opposite outcome.

Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free.

As the steam goes out of Ripple’s XRP and its $10 ambition looks less and less achievable, investors are turning to more promising opportunities. A new crypto, priced at $0.04, Mutuum Finance (MUTM), takes the spotlight. The new crypto offers a low-cost entry point with significant upside, which has seen many investors call it the best cheap cryptocurrency to buy.

XRP’s short-term risk increases if Bitcoin makes a sharp turn

Further, XRP may fall further if Bitcoin also starts falling, with a dip to $1.30 or as low as $0.87 looking possible. XRP has seen some resistance at $1.53 as broader market trends influence its price. While these fluctuations are affecting XRP, one new crypto project is emerging as a strong buy for investors.

Mutuum Finance (MUTM), the $2 Price Prediction

As investors turn attention to the DeFi sector, Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is quickly taking the spotlight. As part of its presale phase 7, the price per token of MUTM is $0.04 and is expected to go as high as $2 when exchange listings occur. This is according to analysts’ projections based on its high level of demand during its presale and testnet phase and the variety of passive income opportunities users of the platform stand to gain upon mainnet debut. With strong community support, this new crypto is already being highlighted as the best cheap cryptocurrency to buy by early adopters.

Consider an actual scenario where you plan on investing $1,000 in the cryptocurrency at the current value. With the projection of going up to $2, your investment will become $50,000, a 4,900% gain. So far, the presale has amassed over 19,000 participants and an investment of over $20 million as investors look to get in early. Investors looking for a new crypto with strong potential view this as one of the best cheap cryptocurrencies to buy.

Mutuum’s Multi-Chain Expansion

The efforts of Mutuum Finance are targeted at branching out its lending protocol into various chains. This is in a bid to serve a larger market and grow liquidity. Through multichain deployment, users will be able to leverage more cost-friendly chains and thus boost the protocol’s use in lending and borrowing. More platform usage boosts the token’s utility, demand, and, as a result, its price. 

Suppose, for instance, an investor has bought $2,500 worth of MUTM today. As the platform gains adoption in its initial chain, Ethereum, the price of MUTM could reach $0.40, turning the investment into $25,000. As the protocol expands to other chains, the resulting demand could lift the price to hit $0.80. This growth flips the initial $2,500 buy into $50,000. As more and more users are brought into Mutuum via the multichain strategy, so does its price grow. 

V1 Protocol Debut 

Mutuum Finance V1 Protocol is now live on the Sepolia testnet. It enables users to test essential aspects of the protocol in a contained environment, an important step that allows developers to fine-tune execution, work out the imperfections, and perfect various components before official rollout. It helps investors become comfortable with the product before making significant commitments. 

One of the features investors will get to interact with during the testnet, and one that will play a key role in the project after mainnet launch, is mtTokens. mtTokens are minted and given to lenders when they deposit assets into the liquidity pool. They represent the lender’s deposit in a 1:1 ratio and appreciate as interest is paid by the borrowers. For instance, by depositing 15,000 USDC into the system at 6% APY, the lender gets 15,000 mtUSDC, which makes $900 in interest each year. 

As the dream of $10 fades for Ripple investors, they are moving to a new crypto with a better prospect of appreciating in the near future. This new crypto is known as Mutuum Finance (MUTM) at $0.04. Going forward, it is expected to appreciate to $2. The cryptocurrency has thus become a top pick amongst investors looking for the best cheap cryptocurrency to buy in 2026.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://mutuum.com/ 

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance 

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said he remains confident that an agreement can be reached on the US crypto market structure legislation. This comes in when there are divisions between banks and digital-asset firms, which continue to stall progress in Washington.

In a post on X, Armstrong mentioned that the company is working toward a “win-win” outcome that advances President Donald Trump’s crypto agenda while addressing concerns raised by traditional lenders. “We’re all in,” he wrote, adding that Coinbase was among the first to advocate for what’s best for crypto users.

The US’s biggest crypto exchange is facing uncertain market conditions. COIN price dipped by almost 8% in the last trading session. It ended the day trading at $141.09.

White House talks continue

Armstrong in a post highlighted that the GENIUS Act, which was passed six months ago, is now being “re-litigated” in Congress. He warned that renewed debate over stablecoin provisions (including potential limits on rewards) has deeply impacted their customers.

Coinbase representatives attended recent White House meetings. It was aimed at resolving a months-long impasse between crypto firms and large US banks. Armstrong said the industry remains aligned and that discussions are moving toward an agreement involving the White House, banks and crypto companies.

Chief legal officer Paul Grewal echoed that view. He stated that after a meeting in the Eisenhower Office Building, the administration is committed to finding solutions that benefit American consumers. However, talks so far have not produced a breakthrough and he seems quite sure that they can do this.

Absolutely. As soon as I walked into the Eisernhower Building this week to work on market structure, it was immediately clear that this Admin is committed to finding solutions for all involved, for the betterment of American consumers. We can do this. https://t.co/mfdKnA9QpN

— paulgrewal.eth (@iampaulgrewal) February 13, 2026

The push for legal clarity comes at a difficult moment for Coinbase. The company posted a surprise quarterly loss on Thursday as weaker trading volumes weighed on revenue d. It’s the exchange’s first since the third quarter of 2023. Coinbase reported a net loss of $666.7 million, or $2.49 per share, for the quarter ended Dec. 31. Data shows that its transaction revenue fell to $982.7 million from $1.56 billion a year earlier. The drop was basically driven by 45% dump in consumer trading revenue.

Coinbase struggles as Bitcoin halves

The crypto market crushed the bulls’ hope in the final months of 2025 after President Trump imposed new tariffs on Chinese imports. His actions signaled possible export controls on critical software. Bitcoin price has Bitcoin has nearly halved from its October peak. Bitcoin price is trading at an average price of $66,544 at the press time. BTC ETFs are bleeding too. These funds saw almost $3.5 billion withdrawn in November, $1.09 billion in December and more than $1.6 billion in January.

Coinbase said in its shareholder letter that crypto markets are cyclical and that conditions can shift quickly. Shares were up modestly in extended trading after earnings but remain down nearly 40% this year.

At the same time, regulators are expanding engagement with the sector. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) recently announced a new Innovation Advisory Committee. The team is built to help shape policy on emerging technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence in financial markets.

Members include executives from major crypto firms and traditional financial institutions. Participants span companies such as Ripple, Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini, Uniswap Labs, Chainlink Labs, Solana Labs, Crypto.com, Nasdaq and CME Group.

The global digital assets continue to trade in the “Extreme Fear.” The cumulative crypto market cap dropped marginally over the last 24 hours to stand at $2.28 trillion. Its 24 hour trading volume dipped by 7% to hover around $102 billion.

The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them.

Cango received $10.5 million from an equity investment from EWCL in addition to $65 million cumulative investment from entities owned by members of its leadership.

The firm launched a new Dallas-based subsidiary, EcoHash Technology, to lead development of its global AI compute network.

Cango’s roadmap includes near-term hardware deployment, mid-term software orchestration, and long-term global AI platform expansion.

Cango announced that it received over $75 million in fresh equity investments to fuel the growth of its AI infrastructure business.

According to a statement by the firm, it has closed the previously announced Class B equity investment of $10.5 million from Enduring Wealth Capital Limited (EWCL), 

The firm also secured equity investments to the tune of $65 million from entities wholly-owned by Cango’s chairman, Xin Jin and company director, Chang-Wei Chiu, bringing the total capital raised to $75.5 million.

The fresh capital signals strong support from company leadership to strengthen its balance sheet and also contribute to its AI business expansion.

CEO Paul Yu stated that Cango also made a treasury adjustment to strengthen its balance sheet and reduce financial leverage with a $305 million sale from its BTC holdings to settle debt obligations. This adjustment is expected to increase the company’s capacity to fund its strategic expansion into AI compute infrastructure.

In a letter to its shareholders, the NYSE-listed company mentioned that it has established EcoHash Technology LLC, a new subsidiary that it fully owns, based in Dallas, Texas, to focus on advancing its AI compute initiatives.

Cango sets up infrastructure to power AI transition 

As mentioned in earlier reports, Cango made major strides to end 2025, with its Bitcoin treasury valuation exceeding its stock market capitalization as of early January 2026. 

At the time, it also announced plans to create a globally distributed AI-compute network, and this latest development is a step in that direction for the company. 

CEO Paul Yu stated that the firm is trying to cover the “Power Gap,” a disconnect between rising AI compute demand and existing grid capacity, and that has informed its latest strategic transformation. 

Yu’s sentiments echo opinions shared by Nokia CEO Justin Hotard, who told Reuters that “I fundamentally think we’re at the front end of an AI supercycle, much like the 1990s with the internet.”

Cango plans to leverage its globally distributed mining infrastructure, which spans more than 40 sites across North America, the Middle East, South America, and East Africa, to deliver scalable, low-latency compute capacity to meet what it describes as long-tail inference demand from small and medium-sized enterprises.

While it is committing resources to expand its AI inference compute service to its existing sites, the firm also plans to become an enabler for mid-to-small-sized BTC mining operators seeking a low-cost, modular pathway to diversify their infrastructure to tap into the AI supercycle. 

Internal moves lined up for expansion goals

To lead Cango’s AI operations is Jack Jin, who was recently hired as the chief technology officer of its AI business subsidiary. Before his role with Cango, Jin managed large-scale GPU systems and orchestration platforms at Zoom Communications.

Cango is also assembling a dedicated team that will be joining the new CTO in guiding technical execution.

The company ticked off another box after it successfully completed a technical demonstration that validated its core hardware innovation, which is standardized, plug-and-play compute nodes designed for fast deployment across its existing infrastructure. 

This will enable the firm to offer on-demand compute capacity by drawing on power from current mining operations. Cango expects the sites to become operational in relatively short timeframes.

The company stated that conversion to AI-ready infrastructure requires limited upgrades, creating the potential to keep developing more revenue streams while addressing enterprise demand for accessible AI compute.

Cango’s transition roadmap

Cango transition is following a three-phase development roadmap, which are the near, medium, and long-term phases, and according to Yu, early results are already emerging.

In the near term, the focus remains on standardization and the efficient deployment of containerized GPU compute nodes as plug-and-play solutions for quick rollout.

The medium-term phase focuses on software-defined orchestration. Cango is developing a proprietary in-house platform to manage and integrate its distributed compute capacity, evolving its role from operator to what it terms an ecosystem enabler. As an enabler, the company will be helping mid-to-small-sized BTC mining operators to diversify their infrastructure into AI at relatively lower costs.

This architecture is designed to offer its global footprint as an integrated, enterprise-grade network without the typical infrastructure complexity associated with distributed computing at scale.

The long-term vision extends to building a mature global AI infrastructure platform by activating underutilized power across its mining ecosystem. The company management expects this strategy to bring in recurring revenue streams from platform services and compute agreements designed to be durable across market cycles.

Yu acknowledged the multi-year nature of the transition, stating, “The transition from mining to AI compute will continue to develop over multiple years, and we are still in the early stages. While the path ahead requires sustained effort, our roadmap is clear, and we are committed to prudent, step-wise execution.”

The announcement follows Cango’s completion of several foundational milestones in 2025, including acquiring and enhancing the hashrate efficiency of 50 exahash per second of on-rack machines, securing an initial 50 megawatts of energy infrastructure, divesting legacy operations, and completing its transition to a direct NYSE listing.

Cango still maintains strong interests in its AutoCango.com international used car export business alongside its digital asset operation.

The world’s largest crypto exchange by trading volume has rolled out its prepaid Mastercard crypto card in several countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States, marketing lead Anka Tsintsadze confirmed on Friday.

The Binance Mastercard is now accessible to verified users in select CIS jurisdictions including Armenia, allowing users to convert bitcoin, ethereum, stablecoins and more than 100 supported tokens instantly into local fiat currency at checkout. 

“Pay in crypto. Merchants get fiat or crypto. Best way to push crypto payments and adoption,” Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao wrote on X, lauding the crypto card service’s regional expansion.

Binance crypto card debuts in CIS, expands European service coverage

According to Binance’s notes, the card supports both in-store and online transactions for outlets that accept Mastercard. Prepaid crypto card holders are eligible to receive up to 2% cashback on qualifying purchases, capped at $22.59 per month. 

Users in the CIS can now fund accounts using US dollars via credit or debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. In Uzbekistan, customers may deposit Uzbek som through the Humo card network, while those in Kazakhstan can top up balances in tenge through local banks and Mastercard channels.

Me, somewhere in Yerevan, paying with my #CryptoCard pic.twitter.com/GfJxQEYUXS

— Anka Tsintsadze (@AnkaTsintsadze) February 12, 2026

The card’s functionality enables customers to retain crypto holdings until the moment of purchase. When making payments at a store or eatery, Binance executes the exchange at checkout, so the cardholder does not have to pre-convert their crypto into fiat. 

The free-of-charge crypto-linked payment card will only be available to applicants who already hold an account with a provider that issues such cards, including a crypto exchange or a digital currency-supporting bank. 

Binance requires users to complete identity verification and anti-money laundering checks before ordering the card, including standard know-your-customer procedures. Once approved, users can access card services without Binance administrative, processing, or annual fees, although third-party charges still apply in some cases.

Before today’s announcement, the exchange had launched its card services in the UK, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. The CIS rollout extends Binance’s card footprint beyond the European Economic Area.

Crypto card campaign slotted in Valentine’s Day promotion

In addition to the CIS card launch, Binance announced a Valentine-themed promotional campaign with a $20,000 reward pool. The campaign runs from 2026-02-13 00:00:00 to 2026-03-13 23:59:59 (UTC), or until the rewards are fully distributed.

The promotion features pink-themed crypto rewards and invites users to complete tasks within the Binance ecosystem. Users can join the prize list by taking part in activities such as referring friends, topping up wallets, or trading on Spot and Futures markets.

The “Bring a Plus One” initiative rewards users for inviting new participants to the platform. “Love at First Top-Up” encourages participants to deposit via Binance P2P, fiat channels, card payments, or the Buy Crypto feature. Rewards can reach up to $1,000 in tokens identified by a pink icon, including AMP, UNI, and DOT. 

US prosecutors are warning the public that Valentine’s Day is a peak season for romance cryptocurrency scams. In an alert issued Thursday, the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio told citizens to be cautious of online relationships.

Attorney David Toepfer wrote that fraudsters may have already been building trust over weeks or months before February 14, luring victims into making crypto payments to fraudulent investment platforms. 

He listed several warning signs, including requests to move conversations from dating apps to WhatsApp or Telegram, early professions of love, refusal to meet in person, and demands for payment via crypto, gift cards, or wire transfers.

“Romance scammers are after your money, not your heart. They prey on trust and emotion, often targeting elderly Americans and vulnerable individuals. We encourage everyone to slow down, verify identities, and never send money to someone you have not met in person,” US Attorney Toepfer explained.

Get seen where it counts. Advertise in Cryptopolitan Research and reach crypto’s sharpest investors and builders.

Russian authorities are not currently considering blocking Google in the country, officials in Moscow indicated amid measures to restrict its video-sharing platform YouTube.

The statements also come against the backdrop of the full blocking of Meta’s WhatsApp in Russia and attempts to slow down the popular messenger Telegram, used by millions of Russians.

Google ban to affect majority of Russian smartphones running on Android

Russia has no immediate plans to block the world’s leading search engine, Google, announced Anton Gorelkin, first deputy chairman of the Committee on Information Policy at the State Duma, the lower house of Russian parliament.

“As for big statements about bans, there are in fact no such plans. I specifically asked the regulators about it,” Gorelkin wrote in a post on Russia’s “national” messenger Max.

Quoted by the official Russian news agency TASS on Thursday, the lawmaker explained:

“A ban would clearly entail an entire set of negative consequences, primarily affecting the performance of the Android operating system, on which 60% of Russians’ smartphones run.”

The lawmaker then acknowledged that a move like that is unlikely to make Google pay the fines imposed in lawsuits filed by Russian firms against the American company.

“Especially because the story is not over yet as hearings continue in foreign courts and various legal mechanisms are being employed,” the deputy elaborated.

Even if the fines cannot be collected in full, if Google is spared a Russian blockade, the parties in these cases would still be able to reach an agreement on reasonable terms, Gorelkin pointed out.

If Russia ever moves to abandon Google services, it should do that gradually, he suggested, adding that, in his view, “legislative conditions need to be created for a smooth transition to domestic solutions.”

Cutting access to Google deemed feasible but inappropriate

Blocking Google in Russia is currently inappropriate, according to Andrey Svintsov, another deputy chairman of the same committee at the Duma.

Speaking to the Govorit Moskva radio, he noted that while this is possible in terms of technology, there’s no reason to do that at the present time, elaborating:

“In my opinion, it is quite technically feasible. I’m not sure it’s necessary right now.”

He reminded that Russia’s telecom watchdog, Roskomnadzor (RKN), is also counting on Google’s return to Russia to collect money from the company for the fines it has imposed.

YouTube bears full brunt of Russian restrictions

Meanwhile, Google’s sister company YouTube was among those affected by the latest punitive measures taken by the regulator against foreign-based internet platforms.

Earlier this week, its domain was removed from Roskomnadzor’s DNS servers, effectively cutting access to the leading video-sharing platform, traffic to which had been already throttled down.

Both Google and YouTube, which is the planet’s second-largest search engine, are owned by the U.S. tech giant Alphabet Inc.

The same happened with WhatsApp, the messaging service of the owner of the social media networks Facebook and Instagram, Meta. The latter has been designated as an “extremist” organization in Russia.

Meanwhile, the Telegram messenger, which is used by millions in Russia, including institutions and officials, was slowed down. RKN limited voice calls through both apps in August. In all recent cases, incompliance with Russian law was cited as the main reason for the measures.

In a broad interview with TASS, the Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted that the full services of the messengers may be restored only after they start complying with Moscow’s terms, while he also pitched the state-approved Max as an alternative.

At the same time, a report by the business news portal RBC, quoting experts in the field, revealed that Russia’s firewall simply doesn’t have the capacity to block all these major platforms at once.

Want your project in front of crypto’s top minds? Feature it in our next industry report, where data meets impact.

Like the broader cryptocurrency market, XRP has witnessed a shift in market structure to the downside ever since October 2025. Year to date XRP is down nearly -26% putting it on par with drawdowns witnessed by other large caps. Against this backdrop, attention has recently turned to XRP’s Community Day 2026, Ripple’s global virtual gathering that brings together developers, institutions and ecosystem leaders to discuss the next growth phase for XRP. 

Held on February 11-12, 2026, the event took place across three regional X Spaces sessions covering EMEA, the Americas and APAC audiences. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, President Monica Long and XRPL co-creator David Schwartz were accompanied by representatives from major crypto and fintech companies like Grayscale and Gemini. The central themes throughout the event spanned across regulated financial products, ETFs, wrapped XRP, DeFi application, cross-chain liquidity and the expanding role of XRP in capital markets and real-world payments. The sessions also included live Q&As with Ripple’s leadership team and highlighted the company’s priorities for 2026 around institutional adoption and on-chain infrastructure. 

Events like these in the crypto space often come with price volatility, sometimes even before the event begins, as expectations build around potential announcements, partnerships and ecosystem updates. XRP entered Community day in a consolidation phase after a volatile move to the downside and currently hovering around the key technical support level of around $1.35. 

So far, the broader macro uncertainty and risk off sentiment that is coming down on the crypto market have outweighed the immediate impact of the announcements from the event. That said, optimism from such events often requires time to materialize and typically depends on whether the developments signal actual, structural demand rather than short-lived sentiment. 

Event Optimism Building Within the Community

Despite price not reacting to the event from the get go, there was a clear message that came out from Community Day 2026. Throughout the event, the idea of the XRP Ledger being more than just a payments network and as an infrastructure for regulated finance came through. Institutional adoption, cross chain expansion and new developer tooling to strengthen XRPL’s role in tokenized assets were the core themes covered during the two day event. There were also discussions around its roadmap with emphasis being placed on programmability updates, compliance-friendly features and continued investment in the developer ecosystem. The themes and talking points ultimately showed a long term strategy focused on expanding enterprise and institutional use cases. 

A genuinely huge moment for XRPL as traditional finance moves onchain!

Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of leading UK insurer Aviva plc, has announced a partnership with @Ripple with the intention of tokenising traditional fund structures on the XRPL.

Read…

— Markus Infanger (@markusinfanger) February 11, 2026

A major partnership was also announced during the event between Ripple and Aviva Investors, the global asset management wing of Aviva plc. The partnership aims to explore the tokenization of traditional fund structures on the XRP Ledger.  This marks Ripple’s first partnership with a European investment manager and highlights a deeper push into tokenized finance. For Aviva investors, the initiative represents its first step toward incorporating on-chain fund structures. This partnership once again exemplifies the long term narrative of XRP becoming a key player bridging traditional finance and blockchain-based infra. 

Historical Impact of Major XRP Events 

History often suggests that crypto events can play into the “buy the rumor, sell the news” dynamic and this has been observed in previous XRP events as well. For example, Ripple’s annual Swell conference has acted as a short term price catalyst in the past. Take Swell 2023 for instance, XRP rallied by nearly 50% for four weeks leading up to the conference, only to be followed by profit taking. 

However, news around regulatory clarity had a much more long term impact and momentum to price. The news around the U.S. SEC dropping the long standing Ripple lawsuit in March 2025 not only had an immediate impact on price but saw a durable momentum all the way up to August of the same year when the case was officially closed. During this period XRP’s price rallied by nearly 46%. 

Market Structure Remaining the Deciding Factor 

Even though the Community Day might’ve brought in fresh narratives, the broader macro environment continues to influence market structure and sentiment across asset classes including crypto. The entire crypto sector remains heavily influenced by global liquidity conditions, interest rate expectations and risk appetite. 

Currently, global uncertainty is impacting the crypto market. Economic unpredictability is at unprecedented levels and this is indicative by looking at the World Uncertainty Index. This index is used as a barometer to judge global economic uncertainty by tracking how frequently uncertainty related terms appear on economic and policy reports across the globe. For perspective, this index is now higher than levels seen during both the pandemic and the 2008-2009 financial crisis. 

Ultimately, this level of fragility in the macroeconomic environment makes it extremely difficult for any sort of event-driven news to gain traction. Global sentiment and external macro forces currently remain the key parameters to keep close eyes on for a momentum shift in XRP and the broader market. 

Levels Traders are Watching

After breaking the April 2025 lows of $1.61 on February 1st, price has dropped by another 15% and is now testing a key support zone between the $1.30 to $1.35. Traders are watching this level because this coincides with a cluster of price activity all the way back to August-October 2021. Zones with repeated historical reactions often become important battlegrounds between buyers and sellers. 

Derivatives positioning also highlights similar areas of interest and where we could potentially see volatility. When we look at XRP’s three-month liquidation heatmap, a large portion of long liquidations has already been cleared by the recent decline. However, a pocket of long leverage still sits below the current market price, particularly in the $1.30 to $1.25 region. At the same, significant short liquidation clusters are emerging between $1.50 and $1.63. 

Strategy saw a silver lining after the latest market downturn. The STRC preferred stock returned above $100, allowing more selling and potential BTC purchases. 

After two weeks of dormancy, Strategy’s STRC returned to above $100 valuations. At this price range, Strategy can sell more preferred shares, boosting its ability to not skip weekly BTC purchases. 

STRC is one of the solutions for tapping the MSTR common stock facility, which has led to fast dilution. However, Strategy tries to sell STRC in a tight range, with new additions only when the price rises above $100. In this price range, selling STRC slightly decreases its value, while leaving Strategy with extra funds for BTC purchases. 

The STRC preferred stock still has to pay out 11.25% in mandatory monthly dividends, which puts a dent into Strategy’s cash pile. For now, Strategy has set up reserves to serve its obligations and debt while waiting for a better time for BTC. 

STRC rises to $100.03

On Thursday, STRC rose above $100, entering the range between $99 and $101, at which Strategy may extend selling. 

In the past week, Strategy achieved $13M in STRC volume above $100 on Wednesday, and another $193M on Thursday. This amount was enough to buy 49% of the BTC mined in the past week. 

STRC returned above $100, allowing Strategy more access to capital, while buyers receive an 11.25% dividend paid out monthly. | Source: BitcoinQuant.

In total, STRC sales may allow for the purchase of 1,557 BTC. For now, this amount is relatively small and does not affect the market, which sees even bigger selling pressure. 

Despite this, STRC is heavily advertised, and some investors may switch to the preferred dividend stock at a time of higher market volatility. 

STRC supporters claim the undervalued BTC is a call to switch to the preferred stock. For some, the dividend is used to buy the dip on BTC, while retaining their initial value. In this way, the cash reserves of Strategy are also redirected into BTC, while awaiting a recovery.

Is STRC viable? 

Supporters may use STRC for compounding or waiting out for a bull market in BTC. The success of Strategy’s preferred stock still depends on a BTC bull market. In the long term, Strategy expects BTC performance to offset the dividends paid for STRC. 

However, Strategy will still require cash, and for now, no cash has been raised from BTC sales. Strategy has claimed its playbook can survive as long as BTC stays above $8,000, by securing accessible capital through STRC and, more recently, the Euro-denominated SATA. 

In February, MSTR common stock held above $123. Hypothetically, the common stock may appreciate in a positive BTC scenario, allowing Strategy to raise additional funds. For now, there are still fears that a protracted bear market can break Strategy’s playbook.

Get 8% CASHBACK when you spend crypto with COCA Visa card. Order your FREE card.

HIVE Digital Technologies Ltd. said its high-performance computing arm, BUZZ, has signed customer agreements worth about $30 million to boost its AI cloud ambitions.

According to a press statement shared with Cryptopolitan on Friday, the Canadian company announced that BUZZ, its Tier-III data center platform, secured two-year fixed-term contracts subject to performance obligations.

The contracts are expected to expedite the expansion of HIVE’s Tier-III operations, which support advanced high-performance computing workloads. 

Buzz signs infrastructure deal to deploy AI-GPUs

Per HIVE’s statement, the new deals anchor the first phase of BUZZ’s AI-optimized GPU deployment at its Canada West facility in Manitoba. Compute capacity from this phase is scheduled to come online during the quarter ending March 31, 2026.

The initial build-out consists of 504 liquid-cooled GPUs built on Dell servers, all meant for high-performance AI and HPC workloads. Executives stated that, based on executed contracts, current pricing, and deployment schedules, this first phase should generate about $15 million in annual recurring revenue upon full operationalization.

HIVE expects total annualized revenue from its HPC segment to increase from about $20 million to $35 million upon full deployment, subject to capital expenditures, operating costs, and customer utilization.

The technology company also expects to incur capital expenditures for electrical systems, cooling infrastructure, and working capital needs. Other operating expenses will include power, hosting, maintenance, staffing, and network costs, the firm’s higher-ups said.

According to HIVE’s President Aydin Kilic, the company could scale its HPC GPU AI cloud business toward approximately $140 million in annual recurring revenue over the next year. In a prior earnings webcast, the tech firm revealed it aimed to deploy 2,000 AI-optimized GPUs at its Canada West facility this year.

“This is just the beginning. Demand for long-term access to high-performance, power-efficient AI compute continues to expand globally, and we are excited to further scale our GPU cloud business throughout 2026,” Kilic told reporters earlier today.

Craig Tavares, President and Chief Operating Officer of BUZZ HPC, said Canada needs more sovereign AI compute capacity and domestic infrastructure to serve local workloads and global AI companies from a secure base.

BUZZ to execute Tier-III strategy with capital discipline

Executive Chairman of HIVE, Frank Holmes, believes the company is doing well in 2026, supported by the strong momentum in its HPC and GPU cloud business.

“HIVE has built a track record as one of the longest-standing publicly traded crypto Tier-I data center operators, performing through market cycles while protecting cash flow and balance sheet strength. Now, with BUZZ, we are leveraging that foundation to build a high-growth AI cloud platform spanning Canada, Sweden, and Paraguay,” the executive boasted.

Speaking on capital requirements of data centres, Holmes propounded that Tier-I systems for hashrate services need about $1 million per megawatt of infrastructure. In comparison with more advanced systems, he explained that Tier-III facilities have materially higher capital demands because they include premium GPU hardware, power architecture, and advanced cooling systems.

Constructing and equipping a comparable fully self-funded Tier-III facility with similar GPU capacity could require around $70 million in capital expenditures. HIVE has already purchased properties and buildings for its Tier-I facilities, but the chief executive said the firm is still assessing selective Tier-III conversions and colocation strategies for HPC.

Bitcoin mining to continue with AI on the horizon

On February 5, HIVE released operational results for January 2026, which showed a 290% year-over-year increase in hashrate. The average hashrate reached 22.2 exahash per second and peaked at 23.7 EH/s. HIVE produced 297 Bitcoin in January, a 191% increase from the total recorded 12 months earlier.

The company’s average daily production reached 9.6 bitcoin per day in January, while maintaining more than 2% of the global Bitcoin network hashrate throughout the month. Moreover, the fleet efficiency averaged 17.5 joules per terahash, while mining rigs produced approximately 13.4 Bitcoin per exahash.

HIVE will release financial results for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, on February 17, during an earnings call scheduled for 8:00 AM Eastern Time.

Get 8% CASHBACK when you spend crypto with COCA Visa card. Order your FREE card.

EV registrations worldwide declined by 3% in January as policies take shape in China and the U.S. Global car manufacturers with significant exposure to the U.S. market are pulling back on advancements in their Electric Vehicle ambitions, citing challenging market conditions under Trump’s administration.

The number of electric vehicle registrations worldwide, measured by registrations, dipped by 3% in January, settling at 1.2 million units, including battery-powered electric vehicles and hybrid cars. The decline is primarily due to policy changes in both China and the United States. 

EV registrations drop by 20% in China and 33% in the U.S., BMI data shows

According to data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (BMI), the EV sector corrected following the introduction of a purchase tax and lower EV subsidies in China, as well as regulatory shifts in the U.S.

The data shows that the numbers declined by 20% in China to below 600,000 units, the lowest numbers in the last two years. In North America, the decline was much steeper, dropping 33% to just over 85,000 units. In January, the U.S. sold the fewest electric vehicles since early 2022.

Global car manufacturers that heavily rely on the U.S. market have scaled back advances in the EV sector after they recorded $55 billion in writedowns in 2025 as market conditions toughened. The car makers cited increased trade wars between China and the U.S., as well as a complex mix of vehicle types in Europe, as the main reasons for scaling back on Electric Vehicles.

As electric registrations dip in China and the U.S., Europe showcased a different story. Electric car Sales in Europe grew by double digits to over 320,000 units, logging a 24% month-over-month increase. However, the growth rate was the slowest since last February, according to BMI data. The rest of the world racked up their purchases, pushing EV registration numbers to just under 190,000, representing a 92% surge. Major buyers resided in Thailand, South Korea, and Brazil.

BMI data manager Charles Lester said that the growing number of EV exports from China is likely to continue throughout the year. He also noted that more exports will likely flow to Southeast Asia, where growth has been concentrated.

Honda’s third-quarter profit declines by 61% following Trump’s tariff changes 

As the EV sector stabilizes, car manufacturers are feeling the impact. Japanese car manufacturer Honda reported that its third-quarter profit declined 61% to ¥153.4 billion (about $1 billion). Cryptopolitan’s previous coverage highlighted that the company incurred heavy losses on units exported to the U.S. market due to Trump’s tariffs, which hit its business hard. 

The company also saw a significant decline in sales revenue, which fell from ¥16.33 trillion ($107 billion) to ¥15.98 trillion ($102.6 billion), while the operating profit sank from ¥1.14 trillion ($7.4 billion) to ¥591.5 billion ($3.86 billion). The profit before income taxes declined 37% to ¥771.7 billion ($5 billion) while the operating margin slid to 3.7% from 7.0%.

Competition in the Electric Vehicle sector has also grown significantly in recent years. Recently, South Korean carmaker Hyundai announced it was preparing to roll out five new electric and hybrid vehicles over the next 18 months to challenge Chinese rivals in Europe. According to the report, the company aims to electrify all Hyundai models by next year to meet the EU’s emissions rules. The rules require car manufacturers to reduce their carbon emissions by selling more electric cars or buying carbon credits, or face massive fines.

As the EV sector continues to develop, electric car owners in the U.S. have unlocked a new way of using their cars besides driving. According to a recent report by Cryptopolitan, U.S. users have been using their electric vehicles to power their homes amid ice storms, freezing temperatures, and blackouts.

Get 8% CASHBACK when you spend crypto with COCA Visa card. Order your FREE card.

As buyers seek the best crypto to invest in right now, two coins – Cardano (ADA) and Mutuum Finance (MUTM) — are taking the spotlight. While ADA is a well-established layer-1 crypto project with a steady development roadmap, Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is quickly becoming a top crypto to watch as its presale gains momentum. Many are debating which is truly the best crypto to invest $1,000 in for high returns.

Cardano Drifts Toward Key Support Levels

The current crypto market is witnessing a drifting trend for Cardano (ADA), with the support levels for ADA at $0.22, $0.20, and a potential dip to $0.15 if the downward trend continues. The current price action is quite defensive for ADA, and a retest of the $0.29 EMA is required for the crypto to recover from the current bearish trend. This lack of direction for the crypto makes it a less attractive buy for a buyer with just $1,000 to invest.

Investing $1,000 in MUTM

Since its presale began, Mutuum Finance (MUTM) has quickly become a popular crypto investment option, raising over $20.5 million from more than 19,000 investors. Currently, MUTM is in its 7th phase, for $0.04. This represents a 4x jump from phase one’s price of $0.01. 

An individual who is investing $1,000 in the current price will get 25,000 MUTM tokens. Analysts suggest the possibility that the token could trade as high as $1 per token as a result of decent presale traction, as well as its recent successful testnet deployment and upcoming mainnet debut. If these factors create enough momentum for the token to hit $1, the $1,000 investment will become $25,000. This growth potential makes MUTM a top crypto for investors in 2026. The project has a capped supply, an active community, and practical utilities for the protocol. For investors deciding on the best crypto to invest in, MUTM represents a strong choice.

Flexible Borrowing: Tailored for Every Investor

Mutuum Finance is a DeFi protocol with flexible borrowing options. It is designed for both short-term investors and long-term investors. It offers both fixed and variable interest rates. This means a trader can opt for, say, a variable 3% APY on a $3,000 loan for a short period of time, like 30 days, and opt for a fixed 5% APY on a $10,000 loan for 12 months. Choosing a fixed rate for a loan held for a long period of time means they are protected from possible rate surges, which might occur during times of high platform usage. 

2026 Roadmap

Mutuum Finance has an aggressive 2026 roadmap. It aims to improve the utility, efficiency, and incentives of the protocol. This includes the creation of a native over-collateralized stablecoin. The stablecoin will use yield-bearing collateral, which means its borrower continues to earn interest in Mutuum Finance’s lending pools. In addition, the protocol is set for multi-chain integration, which will grow the protocol’s reach and demand. 

To improve the incentives for the community, the protocol offers several rewards. For instance, its daily leaderboard rewards the investor with the highest buy of the day with $500 MUTM. In addition, the protocol has a $100,000 giveaway with 10 participants set to receive $10,000 MUTM.

If we consider where to invest $1,000 right now, we can see the difference between slow growth and explosive, early-stage investment. While Cardano is slowly making its way to key support, Mutuum Finance is growing exponentially, with a price of $0.04 and a presale that has already raised over $20 million from 19,000+ investors. With its live dual lending platform, flexible borrowing options, and 2026 roadmap to $1, MUTM has the potential to turn $1,000 into much more than Cardano.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://mutuum.com/ 

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance