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At Cryptopolitan, we research, analyze, and deliver news—daily.
From breaking updates to in-depth analysis, educational guides, and market insights, we’re here to keep you informed with neutral and authentic news.
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From breaking updates to in-depth analysis, educational guides, and market insights, we’re here to keep you informed with neutral and authentic news.
Thank you for trusting us to be your go-to source!
Aave outlines vision to build $50T abundance economy
Aave, the leading decentralized lending protocol in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space, is advancing a strategic vision that will see blockchain finance shift from scarce assets to “abundance” based tokenization.
In addition, Aave Labs founder Stani Kulechov released a detailed roadmap that forecasts how DeFi could leverage what could amount to $50 trillion in tokenized “abundance assets” by 2050 — ultimately remaking the flow of capital and how money moves around the globe.
Kulechov’s thesis rests on the underlying principle that the next generation of DeFi expansion is not coming primarily from scant financial instruments such as government bonds or real estate. Rather, real-world assets linked to productive economic activity — including renewable energy infrastructure, energy storage, robotics, vertical farming, lab-grown food, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing.
According to data from RWA.xyz, about $25 billion in real-world assets have already been brought on-chain — mostly traditional assets like Treasury bonds and listed stocks. Kulechov believes this is just the beginning.
Kulechov argues that the world is ready for on-chain lending to accelerate change
According to the founder’s post, Kulechov forecasted an expansion in these scarce resources; however, he highlighted that the most substantial benefits from tokenization will stem from abundant assets.
Kulechov made this argument after noting the strong demand for new collateral from capital holders and the world’s readiness for on-chain lending to accelerate change. Apart from this, he projected that by 2050, solar energy could account for $15–$30 trillion of the $50 trillion abundance asset market.
On the other hand, the industry executive noted that tokenizing a $100 million solar project enables solar debt financiers to leverage $70M for new project investment.
Additionally, on-chain depositors can access a well-diversified, high-yield opportunity with low risk and great scalability. He also observed that tokenization allows investors to acquire solar assets, capture gains over three years, and efficiently redeploy that capital into subsequent developments. According to Kulechov, this approach could significantly improve capital efficiency.
“Traditional infrastructure investments tie up capital for many years. However, tokenized assets allow for ongoing trading, enabling the same dollar to fund several projects over time,” Aave’s CEO argued.
This concept also extends to energy storage batteries, robotics in labor, vertical farming, and lab-grown food for nutrition, semiconductors for computing, and 3D printing for materials.
In a statement, Kulechov mentioned that, “these abundant resources could provide better returns than scarce ones, which are likely moving toward a path of low profits and reduced margins.” He further stated that, “Products backed by abundance deliver improved returns, lower risks, and better alignment with values. They succeed in the market because they are superior products.”
Aave is trading at $126.26, down 3.4% over the past 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap. Users primarily lend and borrow Tether-issued USDt, Ether, and wrapped Ether on the platform.
Aave demonstrates a strong commitment to sharpen its focus on the DeFi sector
Just recently, Aave Labs announced the closure of its “umbrella brand,” Avara, to sharpen its focus on decentralized finance and streamline its brand.
This announcement followed Kulechov’s X post stating that Avara, which includes initiatives such as the Family crypto wallet and the social media platform Lens, is no longer necessary, given Aave’s full commitment to making Aave accessible to everyone.
He also unveiled that the Family crypto wallet, which operates on Apple iOS, is ending because, to attract millions of users, the team realized they needed to offer specific features like savings, rather than just basic wallet functionality.
This decision underscores the company’s long-standing aim of prioritizing its core offerings, particularly its primary lending protocol. The initiative transferred ownership of Lens to Mask Network last month. Regarding this move, Kulechov alleged that Aave would assume a reduced advisory role within the protocol to intensify its focus on the DeFi sector.
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In addition, Aave Labs founder Stani Kulechov released a detailed roadmap that forecasts how DeFi could leverage what could amount to $50 trillion in tokenized “abundance assets” by 2050 — ultimately remaking the flow of capital and how money moves around the globe.
Kulechov’s thesis rests on the underlying principle that the next generation of DeFi expansion is not coming primarily from scant financial instruments such as government bonds or real estate. Rather, real-world assets linked to productive economic activity — including renewable energy infrastructure, energy storage, robotics, vertical farming, lab-grown food, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing.
According to data from RWA.xyz, about $25 billion in real-world assets have already been brought on-chain — mostly traditional assets like Treasury bonds and listed stocks. Kulechov believes this is just the beginning.
Kulechov argues that the world is ready for on-chain lending to accelerate change
According to the founder’s post, Kulechov forecasted an expansion in these scarce resources; however, he highlighted that the most substantial benefits from tokenization will stem from abundant assets.
Kulechov made this argument after noting the strong demand for new collateral from capital holders and the world’s readiness for on-chain lending to accelerate change. Apart from this, he projected that by 2050, solar energy could account for $15–$30 trillion of the $50 trillion abundance asset market.
On the other hand, the industry executive noted that tokenizing a $100 million solar project enables solar debt financiers to leverage $70M for new project investment.
Additionally, on-chain depositors can access a well-diversified, high-yield opportunity with low risk and great scalability. He also observed that tokenization allows investors to acquire solar assets, capture gains over three years, and efficiently redeploy that capital into subsequent developments. According to Kulechov, this approach could significantly improve capital efficiency.
“Traditional infrastructure investments tie up capital for many years. However, tokenized assets allow for ongoing trading, enabling the same dollar to fund several projects over time,” Aave’s CEO argued.
This concept also extends to energy storage batteries, robotics in labor, vertical farming, and lab-grown food for nutrition, semiconductors for computing, and 3D printing for materials.
In a statement, Kulechov mentioned that, “these abundant resources could provide better returns than scarce ones, which are likely moving toward a path of low profits and reduced margins.” He further stated that, “Products backed by abundance deliver improved returns, lower risks, and better alignment with values. They succeed in the market because they are superior products.”
Aave is trading at $126.26, down 3.4% over the past 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap. Users primarily lend and borrow Tether-issued USDt, Ether, and wrapped Ether on the platform.
Aave demonstrates a strong commitment to sharpen its focus on the DeFi sector
Just recently, Aave Labs announced the closure of its “umbrella brand,” Avara, to sharpen its focus on decentralized finance and streamline its brand.
This announcement followed Kulechov’s X post stating that Avara, which includes initiatives such as the Family crypto wallet and the social media platform Lens, is no longer necessary, given Aave’s full commitment to making Aave accessible to everyone.
He also unveiled that the Family crypto wallet, which operates on Apple iOS, is ending because, to attract millions of users, the team realized they needed to offer specific features like savings, rather than just basic wallet functionality.
This decision underscores the company’s long-standing aim of prioritizing its core offerings, particularly its primary lending protocol. The initiative transferred ownership of Lens to Mask Network last month. Regarding this move, Kulechov alleged that Aave would assume a reduced advisory role within the protocol to intensify its focus on the DeFi sector.
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BTC posts largest difficulty decline in six months
The recent slowdown in mining led to the biggest dip in difficulty in six months. The shift will give current miners some breathing space, as BTC remains below $70,000.
BTC mining showed the biggest single drop of difficulty, following the latest recalculation. Difficulty had its single biggest drop in six months, sinking to levels not seen since August 2025.
The latest BTC difficulty calculation had a steep downturn, reflecting seasonal shutdowns, as well as non-viable miners moving away from the market. | Source: CoinWarz.
The difficulty dip is a mix of seasonal shutdowns, as well as decisions by some miners to shut down and not mine unprofitably. The difficulty metric is still relatively close to its all-time high, and some miners are in distress.
For now, most of the big pools show robust activity, while mining companies with older data centers have not slowed down their hashrate. The slowdown also reflects the weakened BTC market price, which hovered at $68,841.76.
Will BTC miners still support the network?
BTC has enough miners who can overcome the current difficulty levels. To date, the chain has not slowed down during any of the two-week periods of greater difficulty. Unlike smaller networks like Bitcoin Cash, the main BTC chain has no need for shorter periods of difficulty re-evaluation.
Some pools, like Mara[.]com, have not shed even a bit of their hashrate, remaining at 61.7 EH/s. The biggest gains came for Foundry USA, which aggregates the hashrate of US-based miners.
Following the difficulty recalculations, some data pointed to a V-shaped recovery for mining. The current shift in mining conditions may remove smaller operations, giving more influence into the hands of professional miners.
Recent data shows BTC is still mined in distress, as the production price is higher than the market price. Hash ribbon conditions have marked historical price bottoms. The current period of mining distress has now become the longest since the 2021 market correction.
At what BTC price is mining non-viable?
At the current price range, miners can still sell some of their older holdings, mined at a lower price. BTC miner reserves fell from 1.89M to 1.80M, with short-term selling also putting price pressure on BTC.
The average cost to mine one BTC ranges from $74,000 to $87,000, depending on methodology. Additionally, the full cost may include amortization of new machines, as well as the cost of credit.
Based on a rough estimation of mining activity, the cut-off price for miners to suffer would be $35,000 per BTC.
Despite this, stocks like IREN reflect the future expansion of AI data centers. IREN traded at $42.22, near the higher range for the past few months. MARA recovered from recent lows up to $7.92. Riot Platforms and Hut8 are also holding their positions.
BTC mining is once again questioned as a tool, especially after another halving. Currently, network fees are too low to cover the costs of mining, raising the issue of long-term network security.
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BTC mining showed the biggest single drop of difficulty, following the latest recalculation. Difficulty had its single biggest drop in six months, sinking to levels not seen since August 2025.
The latest BTC difficulty calculation had a steep downturn, reflecting seasonal shutdowns, as well as non-viable miners moving away from the market. | Source: CoinWarz.
The difficulty dip is a mix of seasonal shutdowns, as well as decisions by some miners to shut down and not mine unprofitably. The difficulty metric is still relatively close to its all-time high, and some miners are in distress.
For now, most of the big pools show robust activity, while mining companies with older data centers have not slowed down their hashrate. The slowdown also reflects the weakened BTC market price, which hovered at $68,841.76.
Will BTC miners still support the network?
BTC has enough miners who can overcome the current difficulty levels. To date, the chain has not slowed down during any of the two-week periods of greater difficulty. Unlike smaller networks like Bitcoin Cash, the main BTC chain has no need for shorter periods of difficulty re-evaluation.
Some pools, like Mara[.]com, have not shed even a bit of their hashrate, remaining at 61.7 EH/s. The biggest gains came for Foundry USA, which aggregates the hashrate of US-based miners.
Following the difficulty recalculations, some data pointed to a V-shaped recovery for mining. The current shift in mining conditions may remove smaller operations, giving more influence into the hands of professional miners.
Recent data shows BTC is still mined in distress, as the production price is higher than the market price. Hash ribbon conditions have marked historical price bottoms. The current period of mining distress has now become the longest since the 2021 market correction.
At what BTC price is mining non-viable?
At the current price range, miners can still sell some of their older holdings, mined at a lower price. BTC miner reserves fell from 1.89M to 1.80M, with short-term selling also putting price pressure on BTC.
The average cost to mine one BTC ranges from $74,000 to $87,000, depending on methodology. Additionally, the full cost may include amortization of new machines, as well as the cost of credit.
Based on a rough estimation of mining activity, the cut-off price for miners to suffer would be $35,000 per BTC.
Despite this, stocks like IREN reflect the future expansion of AI data centers. IREN traded at $42.22, near the higher range for the past few months. MARA recovered from recent lows up to $7.92. Riot Platforms and Hut8 are also holding their positions.
BTC mining is once again questioned as a tool, especially after another halving. Currently, network fees are too low to cover the costs of mining, raising the issue of long-term network security.
If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter.
$321M in tokens unlock this week, led by LayerZero and YZY
LayerZero and YZY drive this week’s $321 million token unlock fleet, with major releases scheduled between February 16 and February 23, 2026.
The unlock period includes four large cliff unlocks exceeding $5 million each and eight linear unlocks with daily releases above $1 million. ZRO leads the cliff unlock category at $44.99 million, while RAIN dominates linear releases with $93.46 million in scheduled unlocks. The combined release schedule will add tokens worth over $321 million to circulating supply.
ZRO and YZY lead cliff unlock schedule at $65 million
LayerZero’s ZRO token holds the top position on the cliff unlock list with 25.71 million tokens valued at $44.99 million that are scheduled for unlock. This represents 5.98% of the adjusted released supply. YZY holds the second position with 62.50 million tokens valued at $20.33 million.
The ARB token has scheduled 96.00 million tokens valued at $11.00 million for unlock, which represents 1.88% of the adjusted released supply. KAITO holds the third position on the cliff unlock list with 32.60 million tokens valued at $10.16 million, representing 10.64% of its adjusted released supply.
Token unlock data: Tokenomist.
The four cliff unlocks are expected to unlock tokens worth $86.48 million. The $44.99 million unlock of ZRO tokens is the largest unlock event scheduled between February 16-23.
RAIN bags the top position on the linear list
RAIN holds the top position on the linear unlock list with 9.46 billion tokens valued at $93.46 million released daily. This represents 2.78% of the circulating supply.
Solana has 476,870 tokens valued at $41.11 million scheduled for linear unlock, representing 0.08% of the circulating supply. The CC token holds the second position on the linear unlock list with 191.71 million tokens valued at $30.98 million, representing 0.51% of the circulating supply.
TRUMP holds the third position with 6.33 million tokens valued at $21.58 million scheduled for unlock, representing 2.72% of the circulating supply. The 1.25 million tokens of RIVER, valued at $15.62 million, make up 6.38% of the circulating supply.
WLD has 37.23 million tokens valued at $15.05 million scheduled, which make up 1.31% of the circulating supply. The 95.89 million tokens of DOGE, valued at $9.86 million, make up only 0.06% of the circulating supply.
The last of the major linear unlock events is ASTER, with 10.28 million tokens valued at $7.51 million, making up 0.42% of the circulating supply. The combined linear unlock events make up approximately $234.59 million, which is 73% of the week’s total unlock value.
Smaller token unlock events amount to $500,000
The GoPlus Security unlock event has 166.44 million GPS tokens, valued at $1.93 million, scheduled for unlock, which make up 1.66% of the total locked tokens. Hyperion has 1.35 million tokens of RION, valued at $267,171. Parcl has 14.2 million PRCL tokens, valued at $215,234, which make up 1.42% of the locked tokens.
The XL1 unlock event has 681.15 million tokens, valued at $201,437, which make up 1.79% of the total locked tokens. Project Merlin has 22.78 million MRLN tokens, valued at $4,356, which make up 2.85% of the locked tokens. Snapmuse.io has 6.28 million tokens of SMX.
Weekly unlock total exceeds $321 million
The combined unlock schedule totals over $321 million in token value across eighteen different cryptocurrency projects. Cliff unlocks account for $86.48 million or 27% of the total, while linear unlocks comprise $234.59 million or 73%. The remaining $2.63 million comes from smaller project unlocks.
LayerZero and YZY drive this week’s $321 million token unlock wave as the two largest cliff releases. RAIN’s $93.46 million dominates the linear unlock category, followed by SOL’s $41.11 million.
Want your project in front of crypto’s top minds? Feature it in our next industry report, where data meets impact.
The unlock period includes four large cliff unlocks exceeding $5 million each and eight linear unlocks with daily releases above $1 million. ZRO leads the cliff unlock category at $44.99 million, while RAIN dominates linear releases with $93.46 million in scheduled unlocks. The combined release schedule will add tokens worth over $321 million to circulating supply.
ZRO and YZY lead cliff unlock schedule at $65 million
LayerZero’s ZRO token holds the top position on the cliff unlock list with 25.71 million tokens valued at $44.99 million that are scheduled for unlock. This represents 5.98% of the adjusted released supply. YZY holds the second position with 62.50 million tokens valued at $20.33 million.
The ARB token has scheduled 96.00 million tokens valued at $11.00 million for unlock, which represents 1.88% of the adjusted released supply. KAITO holds the third position on the cliff unlock list with 32.60 million tokens valued at $10.16 million, representing 10.64% of its adjusted released supply.
Token unlock data: Tokenomist.
The four cliff unlocks are expected to unlock tokens worth $86.48 million. The $44.99 million unlock of ZRO tokens is the largest unlock event scheduled between February 16-23.
RAIN bags the top position on the linear list
RAIN holds the top position on the linear unlock list with 9.46 billion tokens valued at $93.46 million released daily. This represents 2.78% of the circulating supply.
Solana has 476,870 tokens valued at $41.11 million scheduled for linear unlock, representing 0.08% of the circulating supply. The CC token holds the second position on the linear unlock list with 191.71 million tokens valued at $30.98 million, representing 0.51% of the circulating supply.
TRUMP holds the third position with 6.33 million tokens valued at $21.58 million scheduled for unlock, representing 2.72% of the circulating supply. The 1.25 million tokens of RIVER, valued at $15.62 million, make up 6.38% of the circulating supply.
WLD has 37.23 million tokens valued at $15.05 million scheduled, which make up 1.31% of the circulating supply. The 95.89 million tokens of DOGE, valued at $9.86 million, make up only 0.06% of the circulating supply.
The last of the major linear unlock events is ASTER, with 10.28 million tokens valued at $7.51 million, making up 0.42% of the circulating supply. The combined linear unlock events make up approximately $234.59 million, which is 73% of the week’s total unlock value.
Smaller token unlock events amount to $500,000
The GoPlus Security unlock event has 166.44 million GPS tokens, valued at $1.93 million, scheduled for unlock, which make up 1.66% of the total locked tokens. Hyperion has 1.35 million tokens of RION, valued at $267,171. Parcl has 14.2 million PRCL tokens, valued at $215,234, which make up 1.42% of the locked tokens.
The XL1 unlock event has 681.15 million tokens, valued at $201,437, which make up 1.79% of the total locked tokens. Project Merlin has 22.78 million MRLN tokens, valued at $4,356, which make up 2.85% of the locked tokens. Snapmuse.io has 6.28 million tokens of SMX.
Weekly unlock total exceeds $321 million
The combined unlock schedule totals over $321 million in token value across eighteen different cryptocurrency projects. Cliff unlocks account for $86.48 million or 27% of the total, while linear unlocks comprise $234.59 million or 73%. The remaining $2.63 million comes from smaller project unlocks.
LayerZero and YZY drive this week’s $321 million token unlock wave as the two largest cliff releases. RAIN’s $93.46 million dominates the linear unlock category, followed by SOL’s $41.11 million.
Want your project in front of crypto’s top minds? Feature it in our next industry report, where data meets impact.
XRP leads South Korea trading activity, surpassing BTC and ETH
XRP recorded $1.2 billion in 24-hour trading volume across top exchanges in South Korea, outpacing BTC and ETH locally by a wide margin. Bithumb and Upbit activity show that XRP pulled in $1.2 billion in 24-hour trading volume, with Tether coming in a distant second at $254.35 million.
The Bithumb and Upbit data also showed that Ethereum ranked second with $304.41 million in 24-hour trading volume, while Bitcoin ranked third with nearly $285 million. Local media reports that XRP rose faster than Bitcoin and ETH after investors engaged in a panic-dip buying spree following the crypto market crash earlier this month. Data from the country’s largest exchanges reveals that domestic traders consistently prioritize XRP for its speed and liquidity when the market heats up.
Upbit records over $1T in 2025 XRP trading volume
Dunamu, the operator of Upbit, previously listed XRP as the platform’s most-traded asset for 2025, ranking it ahead of Bitcoin and ETH. Upbit processed over $1 trillion in XRP trading volume, surpassing Bitcoin and Ethereum to become the country’s most traded crypto asset for that year.
The Upbit team says XRP occupies a “sweet spot” for South Korean investors because it exhibits sufficient volatility to generate significant short-term returns while maintaining enough liquidity to allow traders to exit positions quickly.
Upbit also reported that XRP reached 13.26 million users, accounting for up to 22% of daily local trading at times. The exchange’s activity accounts for approximately 70% of South Korea’s crypto market, and XRP dominates locally in terms of volume, liquidity, and usage.
Meanwhile, Upbit’s review also ranked XRP/KRW as the top trading pair for much of 2025. CoinGlass data supports this pattern, showing that the XRP/KRW market on Upbit surged by 156% in a single hour. Other major exchanges, including Gate, Bybit, Coinbase, and OKX, also saw notable spikes in one-hour XRP trading volumes. The volumes range from $1.4 million to $3.12 million.
On the other hand, Upbit has also disclosed that XRP’s daily volume in South Korea regularly exceeds $95 million and has repeatedly surpassed Bitcoin’s 24-hour trading volume. The flow is driven by local retail engagement, creating a deep self-reinforcing liquidity pool.
XRP’s price drops 4.5% in 24 hours following a 38% short rally
XRP price has dropped by 4.5% to $1.46 over the past 24 hours, a significant turnaround from the brief 38% rally to $1.55 from February 6 to February 15. The performance places the digital asset way ahead of Bitcoin and Ethereum, which gained approximately 15% since February 6. BTC and ETH are currently trading at $68,263 and $1,957, respectively. BTC has lost 3% over the past 24 hours, while ETH has plummeted 6.4% over the same period.
Meanwhile, CryptoQuant data indicates that Binance XRP reserves dropped sharply by 192.37 million to ~2.55 billion between February 7 and February 9. The 7% slip marked the lowest level since 2024, although holdings have remained stable since then. XRP’s Bitcoin-beating rally tracks signs of dip-buying on Binance following the February 6 crash.
On the other hand, market analysts typically associate a drop in exchange balances with investor accumulation. The logic is that investors prefer to take direct custody of tokens rather than keep them on exchanges when intending to hold them long-term. Historical trends reinforce this view.
Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.
The Bithumb and Upbit data also showed that Ethereum ranked second with $304.41 million in 24-hour trading volume, while Bitcoin ranked third with nearly $285 million. Local media reports that XRP rose faster than Bitcoin and ETH after investors engaged in a panic-dip buying spree following the crypto market crash earlier this month. Data from the country’s largest exchanges reveals that domestic traders consistently prioritize XRP for its speed and liquidity when the market heats up.
Upbit records over $1T in 2025 XRP trading volume
Dunamu, the operator of Upbit, previously listed XRP as the platform’s most-traded asset for 2025, ranking it ahead of Bitcoin and ETH. Upbit processed over $1 trillion in XRP trading volume, surpassing Bitcoin and Ethereum to become the country’s most traded crypto asset for that year.
The Upbit team says XRP occupies a “sweet spot” for South Korean investors because it exhibits sufficient volatility to generate significant short-term returns while maintaining enough liquidity to allow traders to exit positions quickly.
Upbit also reported that XRP reached 13.26 million users, accounting for up to 22% of daily local trading at times. The exchange’s activity accounts for approximately 70% of South Korea’s crypto market, and XRP dominates locally in terms of volume, liquidity, and usage.
Meanwhile, Upbit’s review also ranked XRP/KRW as the top trading pair for much of 2025. CoinGlass data supports this pattern, showing that the XRP/KRW market on Upbit surged by 156% in a single hour. Other major exchanges, including Gate, Bybit, Coinbase, and OKX, also saw notable spikes in one-hour XRP trading volumes. The volumes range from $1.4 million to $3.12 million.
On the other hand, Upbit has also disclosed that XRP’s daily volume in South Korea regularly exceeds $95 million and has repeatedly surpassed Bitcoin’s 24-hour trading volume. The flow is driven by local retail engagement, creating a deep self-reinforcing liquidity pool.
XRP’s price drops 4.5% in 24 hours following a 38% short rally
XRP price has dropped by 4.5% to $1.46 over the past 24 hours, a significant turnaround from the brief 38% rally to $1.55 from February 6 to February 15. The performance places the digital asset way ahead of Bitcoin and Ethereum, which gained approximately 15% since February 6. BTC and ETH are currently trading at $68,263 and $1,957, respectively. BTC has lost 3% over the past 24 hours, while ETH has plummeted 6.4% over the same period.
Meanwhile, CryptoQuant data indicates that Binance XRP reserves dropped sharply by 192.37 million to ~2.55 billion between February 7 and February 9. The 7% slip marked the lowest level since 2024, although holdings have remained stable since then. XRP’s Bitcoin-beating rally tracks signs of dip-buying on Binance following the February 6 crash.
On the other hand, market analysts typically associate a drop in exchange balances with investor accumulation. The logic is that investors prefer to take direct custody of tokens rather than keep them on exchanges when intending to hold them long-term. Historical trends reinforce this view.
Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.
FSS upgrades AI to combat crypto manipulation
South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) is upgrading its AI-powered VISTA platform with additional Nvidia H100 GPUs to strengthen real-time detection of crypto market manipulation. The move is intended to sharpen surveillance of suspicious accounts and trading anomalies as regulators intensify oversight of virtual asset markets.
The FSS obtained a budget of 170 million Korean won ($117,640 USD) for internal server expansion this year, according to finance authorities on February 16. It intends to use this to acquire one more H100, a high-performance computing GPU from NVIDIA, by the second quarter of this year. The H100, released in 2022, is not the latest model but is one of the most widely used GPUs for AI training.
FSS upgrades AI to combat crypto manipulation
The FSS bought two H100s and obtained a 220 million Korean won ($152,240 USD) budget for server expansion last year. This enabled the agency to improve “VISTA,” a specialized AI platform launched in 2024 to investigate unfair virtual asset transactions.
According to the FSS, the new algorithm examines every potential sub-period in a trading record using a sliding-window grid search. The goal of this method is to enable a thorough examination of possible manipulation windows that investigators had to manually identify in the past.
The watchdog said that performance testing on completed investigation cases demonstrated that the technology identified all previously reported manipulation periods and flagged additional suspect intervals that were challenging to identify with traditional analysis.
A local news outlet stated that the agency’s goal for this year is to improve the platform’s capacity to identify questionable accounts utilized in coordinated market manipulation. It also aims to create a large language model (LLM) capable of analyzing messages that conspire to trade virtual assets unfairly.
The FSS is also reviewing the creation of an independent AI system to track real-time trends in the virtual asset market and spot anomalous transaction patterns. For example, the AI might identify abnormalities if the price of a significant virtual asset abruptly increased or decreased. Once this system is operational, it should be possible to promptly confirm whether unusual transactions were caused by technical issues at specific exchanges. Currently, the FSS reportedly receives virtual asset market trend data only once a day.
One insider from the FSS stated, “If further AI enhancements are deemed necessary, the agency will pursue additional GPU acquisitions.”
The AI improvement aligns with the regulator’s aim to enhance enforcement capabilities in the crypto space. On January 6, a local news outlet, Newsis, reported that the FSC was developing a payment suspension system that would stop transactions before suspects could launder ill-gotten funds.
South Korea flags a surge in crypto transactions
The watchdog said it is speeding up AI improvements as the number of suspected virtual asset transactions rises. The agency further stated that it is becoming more difficult to manually track capital transfers due to the increasing use of digital transaction methods.
A Cryptopolitan report, dated September 22, 2025, revealed that South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit flagged over 36,000 suspicious crypto transactions in 2025, a figure they claim had surpassed the total reported in 2023 and 2024.
Local virtual asset service providers filed 36,684 suspicious transaction reports (STRs) between January and August 2025, more than the 35,734 STRs reported in the two prior years, according to Yonhap News, citing data from the FIU and the Korea Customs Service (KCS).
FIU officials said there were only 199 flagged cases in 2021, 10,797 in 2022, 16,076 in 2023, and 19,658 in 2024. The previous record almost doubled in last year’s count.
According to customs officials, 9.56 trillion won, or roughly $7.1 billion, in cases involving virtual assets were referred to prosecutors between 2021 and August 2025. Approximately 90% of this, or 8.62 trillion won, was connected to “hwanchigi” scams, in which operators use cryptocurrency to transfer money abroad without going through banks.
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The FSS obtained a budget of 170 million Korean won ($117,640 USD) for internal server expansion this year, according to finance authorities on February 16. It intends to use this to acquire one more H100, a high-performance computing GPU from NVIDIA, by the second quarter of this year. The H100, released in 2022, is not the latest model but is one of the most widely used GPUs for AI training.
FSS upgrades AI to combat crypto manipulation
The FSS bought two H100s and obtained a 220 million Korean won ($152,240 USD) budget for server expansion last year. This enabled the agency to improve “VISTA,” a specialized AI platform launched in 2024 to investigate unfair virtual asset transactions.
According to the FSS, the new algorithm examines every potential sub-period in a trading record using a sliding-window grid search. The goal of this method is to enable a thorough examination of possible manipulation windows that investigators had to manually identify in the past.
The watchdog said that performance testing on completed investigation cases demonstrated that the technology identified all previously reported manipulation periods and flagged additional suspect intervals that were challenging to identify with traditional analysis.
A local news outlet stated that the agency’s goal for this year is to improve the platform’s capacity to identify questionable accounts utilized in coordinated market manipulation. It also aims to create a large language model (LLM) capable of analyzing messages that conspire to trade virtual assets unfairly.
The FSS is also reviewing the creation of an independent AI system to track real-time trends in the virtual asset market and spot anomalous transaction patterns. For example, the AI might identify abnormalities if the price of a significant virtual asset abruptly increased or decreased. Once this system is operational, it should be possible to promptly confirm whether unusual transactions were caused by technical issues at specific exchanges. Currently, the FSS reportedly receives virtual asset market trend data only once a day.
One insider from the FSS stated, “If further AI enhancements are deemed necessary, the agency will pursue additional GPU acquisitions.”
The AI improvement aligns with the regulator’s aim to enhance enforcement capabilities in the crypto space. On January 6, a local news outlet, Newsis, reported that the FSC was developing a payment suspension system that would stop transactions before suspects could launder ill-gotten funds.
South Korea flags a surge in crypto transactions
The watchdog said it is speeding up AI improvements as the number of suspected virtual asset transactions rises. The agency further stated that it is becoming more difficult to manually track capital transfers due to the increasing use of digital transaction methods.
A Cryptopolitan report, dated September 22, 2025, revealed that South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit flagged over 36,000 suspicious crypto transactions in 2025, a figure they claim had surpassed the total reported in 2023 and 2024.
Local virtual asset service providers filed 36,684 suspicious transaction reports (STRs) between January and August 2025, more than the 35,734 STRs reported in the two prior years, according to Yonhap News, citing data from the FIU and the Korea Customs Service (KCS).
FIU officials said there were only 199 flagged cases in 2021, 10,797 in 2022, 16,076 in 2023, and 19,658 in 2024. The previous record almost doubled in last year’s count.
According to customs officials, 9.56 trillion won, or roughly $7.1 billion, in cases involving virtual assets were referred to prosecutors between 2021 and August 2025. Approximately 90% of this, or 8.62 trillion won, was connected to “hwanchigi” scams, in which operators use cryptocurrency to transfer money abroad without going through banks.
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The IMF says stablecoins are becoming more closely tied to the US dollar system rather than repla...
Stablecoins are widely perceived as a way for crypto to bypass conventional financial institutions due to their unique services, such as offering borderless, 24/7 access to funds without relying on banks, providing instant, borderless financial freedom.
Nonetheless, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued a recent report presenting a contrasting view. In this report, the international financial watchdog noted that, “The stablecoin market is increasingly reliant on short-term US government debt, transforming the ‘stablecoin era’ into a private system for distributing dollars instead of replacing them.”
The total stablecoin market has ballooned to more than $300 billion, nearly doubling in recent years as traders, payment services, and remittance platforms increasingly adopt digital tokens. This surge in size and usage has caught the attention of regulators and central banks worldwide.
Stablecoins’ dominance in the market sparks concerns
Regarding the IMF’s findings, individuals sparked concerns in the industry. At this point, their discovery revealed that this system has experienced a rapid rise in concentration. To support this claim, the global financial institution highlighted that stablecoins connected to the dollar account for about 97% of all the issuance. Moreover, more than 90% of the market capitalization is concentrated in Circle’s USDC and Tether’s USDT.
This situation becomes crucial because major stablecoins, by holding significant Treasury bills and repos, now interact directly with financial systems that regulators closely monitor. This consists of competition for deposits, international transaction capabilities, and broader financial stability.
Apart from this warning, reports noted that the IMF also issued another warning about stablecoins towards the end of last year. The international financial watchdog alleged that stablecoins threaten to accelerate the adoption of foreign currencies in countries with weak monetary systems. This could, in turn, erode central banks’ ability to regulate capital flows, they said.
Moreover, the global financial institution issued a report titled “Understanding Stablecoins,” further cautioning that the rapid surge in dollar-pegged stablecoins and their cross-border use could prompt families and businesses to abandon local currencies for dollar-backed stablecoins. They contended that this outcome is particularly expected in regions with high inflation or diminished confidence in the local currency.
To breakdown this statement for better understanding, the IMF issued a statement noting that, “Stablecoins may contribute to currency substitution, increase capital flow volatility by circumventing capital controls, and fragment payment systems unless interoperability is ensured,” adding that, “These risks could be more pronounced in countries experiencing high inflation, in countries with weaker institutions, or in countries with diminished confidence in the domestic monetary framework.”
Meanwhile, despite these challenges, the International Monetary Fund sees potential to expand financial access. The Washington-based financial institution adopted this outlook after observing that mobile digital services have already surpassed traditional banking in many developing economies.
According to their argument, if stablecoins are regulated, they could enhance competition, reduce payment costs, and broaden financial inclusion.
Analysts raise concerns regarding the stability of the banking sector
Last month, reports noted that the global stablecoin market had exceeded $284 billion in circulation. This finding reignited debates over whether stablecoins will disrupt or replace traditional banking, or whether they signify a new layer of finance evolving alongside existing systems.
This topic dominated the headlines when Niall Ferguson and Manny Rincon-Cruz, historians and researchers at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, argued that concerns about the banking sector’s stability are overstated, even as banks intensify their opposition to stablecoin benefits.
At this particular moment, Ferguson and Rincon-Cruz characterized stablecoins as distinct from highly volatile cryptocurrencies such as BTC.
They claimed that while speculative tokens function essentially as financial derivatives, Fiat-backed stablecoins are increasingly used as payment tools, with their adoption accelerating rapidly since the enactment of the GENIUS Act.
Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.
Nonetheless, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued a recent report presenting a contrasting view. In this report, the international financial watchdog noted that, “The stablecoin market is increasingly reliant on short-term US government debt, transforming the ‘stablecoin era’ into a private system for distributing dollars instead of replacing them.”
The total stablecoin market has ballooned to more than $300 billion, nearly doubling in recent years as traders, payment services, and remittance platforms increasingly adopt digital tokens. This surge in size and usage has caught the attention of regulators and central banks worldwide.
Stablecoins’ dominance in the market sparks concerns
Regarding the IMF’s findings, individuals sparked concerns in the industry. At this point, their discovery revealed that this system has experienced a rapid rise in concentration. To support this claim, the global financial institution highlighted that stablecoins connected to the dollar account for about 97% of all the issuance. Moreover, more than 90% of the market capitalization is concentrated in Circle’s USDC and Tether’s USDT.
This situation becomes crucial because major stablecoins, by holding significant Treasury bills and repos, now interact directly with financial systems that regulators closely monitor. This consists of competition for deposits, international transaction capabilities, and broader financial stability.
Apart from this warning, reports noted that the IMF also issued another warning about stablecoins towards the end of last year. The international financial watchdog alleged that stablecoins threaten to accelerate the adoption of foreign currencies in countries with weak monetary systems. This could, in turn, erode central banks’ ability to regulate capital flows, they said.
Moreover, the global financial institution issued a report titled “Understanding Stablecoins,” further cautioning that the rapid surge in dollar-pegged stablecoins and their cross-border use could prompt families and businesses to abandon local currencies for dollar-backed stablecoins. They contended that this outcome is particularly expected in regions with high inflation or diminished confidence in the local currency.
To breakdown this statement for better understanding, the IMF issued a statement noting that, “Stablecoins may contribute to currency substitution, increase capital flow volatility by circumventing capital controls, and fragment payment systems unless interoperability is ensured,” adding that, “These risks could be more pronounced in countries experiencing high inflation, in countries with weaker institutions, or in countries with diminished confidence in the domestic monetary framework.”
Meanwhile, despite these challenges, the International Monetary Fund sees potential to expand financial access. The Washington-based financial institution adopted this outlook after observing that mobile digital services have already surpassed traditional banking in many developing economies.
According to their argument, if stablecoins are regulated, they could enhance competition, reduce payment costs, and broaden financial inclusion.
Analysts raise concerns regarding the stability of the banking sector
Last month, reports noted that the global stablecoin market had exceeded $284 billion in circulation. This finding reignited debates over whether stablecoins will disrupt or replace traditional banking, or whether they signify a new layer of finance evolving alongside existing systems.
This topic dominated the headlines when Niall Ferguson and Manny Rincon-Cruz, historians and researchers at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, argued that concerns about the banking sector’s stability are overstated, even as banks intensify their opposition to stablecoin benefits.
At this particular moment, Ferguson and Rincon-Cruz characterized stablecoins as distinct from highly volatile cryptocurrencies such as BTC.
They claimed that while speculative tokens function essentially as financial derivatives, Fiat-backed stablecoins are increasingly used as payment tools, with their adoption accelerating rapidly since the enactment of the GENIUS Act.
Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.
Global tech giants eye India as AI impact summit kicks off in New Delhi
New Delhi has become the focal point of the global artificial intelligence (AI) world as the India AI Impact Summit 2026 officially kicked off today at Bharat Mandapam, bringing together leading technology firms, international policymakers, and heads of state for five days of discussions on the future of AI.
India’s burgeoning digital economy and a young, tech-savvy population are making it a favored destination for investments in and innovations related to AI.
The big names attending include Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to welcome them, highlighting India’s role as both a market for new technologies and a talent hub.
Lalit Ahuja, CEO of ANSR, said that the summit is a massive validation of the market’s potential and that everyone is coming because India cannot be ignored.
India pushes to become a major tech hub
In the past few years, Modi’s government has asserted its vision of India as a global tech powerhouse. The nation has sanctioned $18 billion in semiconductor projects to expand its own supply chain and reduce reliance on imports.
The Indian market also encourages products produced for the global business community. Apple, for instance, has increased its production in the country. In 2025, for instance, Apple shipped roughly 14 million iPhones in India, capturing a record 9% slice of the country’s smartphone market, according to new data from Counterpoint Research shared with TechCrunch.
The figure marks a significant jump from Apple’s 7% share in 2024, making this the iPhone’s best performance yet in India, which ranks as the world’s second-largest smartphone market by total units sold.
Venture capital investors are betting big on startups in India, while local stock exchanges have boosted initial public offerings. Neil Shah, a partner at Counterpoint Research, said that government support acts as a red carpet, allowing global companies to establish themselves, expand, and diversify their operations worldwide.
Backed by this support, leading global companies are set to announce significant investments in India at the AI Impact Summit. Artificial intelligence takes center stage at the event, focusing on three key areas for businesses: infrastructure, users, and talent. As demand for computing power grows, many tech firms are expected to unveil investments in AI infrastructure, particularly in data centers.
Amazon, Microsoft, and Intel had pledged last December to build their AI infrastructure and chips in India, underscoring that the country is positioning itself as a vital location for such projects. On the user side, India represents one of OpenAI’s key markets for ChatGPT.
Other AI chatbots, such as Perplexity, also compete for users, at times offering free access to data useful for training and improving service features. India’s lack of major domestic competitors also creates a large market for these AI products.
Talent access is another big draw. “India is an AI talent factory,” said Tech Mahindra’s chief technology officer, Sham Arora. These centers also serve as hubs for offshore research, engineering, and product development. Over 60% of GCCs founded in the last two years are in AI, data, digital engineering, or product development, ANSR reported. Over 80% of the projected new GCCs for the next six to eight months are to be AI-led.
Companies expand AI leadership roles in India
India not only offers a destination for engineering talent, but more corporations are also seeking to fill senior leadership roles in AI. And companies are creating roles such as “chief AI officer” to direct and control how AI is developed and adopted.
Ahuja of ANSR explained that the availability of resources and talent means that many of these roles are already being formed in India. This demonstrates that the country is not just a center of machine learning and code development but also a place where AI policy-making and AI leadership capabilities exist.
With government support, global investment, and a growing pool of skilled professionals, India stands positioned as one of the most important players in the world AI landscape. India is now among the world’s fastest-growing technology markets, and this ambition is also emphasized by the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. Leaders, innovators, and policymakers gather here to discuss opportunities, challenges, and the future of AI.
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India’s burgeoning digital economy and a young, tech-savvy population are making it a favored destination for investments in and innovations related to AI.
The big names attending include Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to welcome them, highlighting India’s role as both a market for new technologies and a talent hub.
Lalit Ahuja, CEO of ANSR, said that the summit is a massive validation of the market’s potential and that everyone is coming because India cannot be ignored.
India pushes to become a major tech hub
In the past few years, Modi’s government has asserted its vision of India as a global tech powerhouse. The nation has sanctioned $18 billion in semiconductor projects to expand its own supply chain and reduce reliance on imports.
The Indian market also encourages products produced for the global business community. Apple, for instance, has increased its production in the country. In 2025, for instance, Apple shipped roughly 14 million iPhones in India, capturing a record 9% slice of the country’s smartphone market, according to new data from Counterpoint Research shared with TechCrunch.
The figure marks a significant jump from Apple’s 7% share in 2024, making this the iPhone’s best performance yet in India, which ranks as the world’s second-largest smartphone market by total units sold.
Venture capital investors are betting big on startups in India, while local stock exchanges have boosted initial public offerings. Neil Shah, a partner at Counterpoint Research, said that government support acts as a red carpet, allowing global companies to establish themselves, expand, and diversify their operations worldwide.
Backed by this support, leading global companies are set to announce significant investments in India at the AI Impact Summit. Artificial intelligence takes center stage at the event, focusing on three key areas for businesses: infrastructure, users, and talent. As demand for computing power grows, many tech firms are expected to unveil investments in AI infrastructure, particularly in data centers.
Amazon, Microsoft, and Intel had pledged last December to build their AI infrastructure and chips in India, underscoring that the country is positioning itself as a vital location for such projects. On the user side, India represents one of OpenAI’s key markets for ChatGPT.
Other AI chatbots, such as Perplexity, also compete for users, at times offering free access to data useful for training and improving service features. India’s lack of major domestic competitors also creates a large market for these AI products.
Talent access is another big draw. “India is an AI talent factory,” said Tech Mahindra’s chief technology officer, Sham Arora. These centers also serve as hubs for offshore research, engineering, and product development. Over 60% of GCCs founded in the last two years are in AI, data, digital engineering, or product development, ANSR reported. Over 80% of the projected new GCCs for the next six to eight months are to be AI-led.
Companies expand AI leadership roles in India
India not only offers a destination for engineering talent, but more corporations are also seeking to fill senior leadership roles in AI. And companies are creating roles such as “chief AI officer” to direct and control how AI is developed and adopted.
Ahuja of ANSR explained that the availability of resources and talent means that many of these roles are already being formed in India. This demonstrates that the country is not just a center of machine learning and code development but also a place where AI policy-making and AI leadership capabilities exist.
With government support, global investment, and a growing pool of skilled professionals, India stands positioned as one of the most important players in the world AI landscape. India is now among the world’s fastest-growing technology markets, and this ambition is also emphasized by the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. Leaders, innovators, and policymakers gather here to discuss opportunities, challenges, and the future of AI.
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UK cracks down on AI chatbots to protect children online
The UK government is moving to tighten regulations on the use of artificial intelligence chatbots to better safeguard children against harmful and illegal content.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has unveiled a process to fill a legal void that allowed chatbot providers to operate outside of major online safety laws. It will force companies that make and run AI chatbots to actively clamp down on illegal content and ensure their platforms are safe for younger users.
Now, the government claims it will change how the Online Safety Act is enforced and specify how chatbots must comply with the law. The regulation was designed much earlier in the process, but mainly adapted to the demands of social media platforms and public forums where people could post their content. Neither those who run private AI chatbots nor those who use them received equal coverage, and their responsibilities remain unclear. Starmer promised to close this loophole soon.
Chatbot companies need to adhere to the same legal obligations as other online companies, he cautioned, or be penalized. The government says this change must ensure that chatbot providers actively monitor their systems and block illegal material. In advance of his announcement, Starmer said no technology company would be exempt from the law.
The government also fears that treating AI chatbots differently from social media platforms could leave children vulnerable to harmful or inappropriate content. Officials believe that if AI chatbots are to reach their desired audience, particularly teenage and youth users, tougher protections are necessary.
New powers to tackle rapidly changing tech
In addition to filling legal gaps, the government will create new powers that will enable quicker action when risks emerge. Rather than waiting for Parliament to pass entirely new laws, regulators will respond to technology more quickly.
This is a way to ensure that protections keep pace with the swift progress in artificial intelligence. AI tools are improving quickly and moving into new areas. As a result, risks can manifest suddenly, and regulators require flexibility to address them.
Starmer recently pointed to the risks of harmful AI-generated content, such as cases where technology is being harnessed to create sexualized images of people without their consent.
He called such uses unacceptable and said existing laws should be enforced against them. The government said better enforcement would force companies to design safer systems from the start.
These could include protections built into chatbot software to identify and prevent illegal content before users see it. Technology companies are also set to shoulder responsibility for how their AI systems behave.
That means they need to monitor outputs, enhance safety features to make systems safer, and respond quickly when faults are detected.
Government moves to protect children from harm
The clampdown on AI chatbots is part of the larger challenge of child safety on virtually any digital platform. The government is considering new actions that could further reduce risk.
One suggestion in the works is a requirement that users be a certain age to access social media. Officials are also exploring how limiting features like infinite scrolling can encourage excessive screen time, as well as making it difficult for young people to disengage from harmful or addictive content.
These changes could come after public consultations on children’s wellbeing online. Parents, educators, and safety experts are worried about the impact of digital platforms on young people’s mental health and the amount of exposure to inappropriate content.
The government’s broader aim is to create a safer online environment where children can benefit from technology without being exposed to serious harm.
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer has unveiled a process to fill a legal void that allowed chatbot providers to operate outside of major online safety laws. It will force companies that make and run AI chatbots to actively clamp down on illegal content and ensure their platforms are safe for younger users.
Now, the government claims it will change how the Online Safety Act is enforced and specify how chatbots must comply with the law. The regulation was designed much earlier in the process, but mainly adapted to the demands of social media platforms and public forums where people could post their content. Neither those who run private AI chatbots nor those who use them received equal coverage, and their responsibilities remain unclear. Starmer promised to close this loophole soon.
Chatbot companies need to adhere to the same legal obligations as other online companies, he cautioned, or be penalized. The government says this change must ensure that chatbot providers actively monitor their systems and block illegal material. In advance of his announcement, Starmer said no technology company would be exempt from the law.
The government also fears that treating AI chatbots differently from social media platforms could leave children vulnerable to harmful or inappropriate content. Officials believe that if AI chatbots are to reach their desired audience, particularly teenage and youth users, tougher protections are necessary.
New powers to tackle rapidly changing tech
In addition to filling legal gaps, the government will create new powers that will enable quicker action when risks emerge. Rather than waiting for Parliament to pass entirely new laws, regulators will respond to technology more quickly.
This is a way to ensure that protections keep pace with the swift progress in artificial intelligence. AI tools are improving quickly and moving into new areas. As a result, risks can manifest suddenly, and regulators require flexibility to address them.
Starmer recently pointed to the risks of harmful AI-generated content, such as cases where technology is being harnessed to create sexualized images of people without their consent.
He called such uses unacceptable and said existing laws should be enforced against them. The government said better enforcement would force companies to design safer systems from the start.
These could include protections built into chatbot software to identify and prevent illegal content before users see it. Technology companies are also set to shoulder responsibility for how their AI systems behave.
That means they need to monitor outputs, enhance safety features to make systems safer, and respond quickly when faults are detected.
Government moves to protect children from harm
The clampdown on AI chatbots is part of the larger challenge of child safety on virtually any digital platform. The government is considering new actions that could further reduce risk.
One suggestion in the works is a requirement that users be a certain age to access social media. Officials are also exploring how limiting features like infinite scrolling can encourage excessive screen time, as well as making it difficult for young people to disengage from harmful or addictive content.
These changes could come after public consultations on children’s wellbeing online. Parents, educators, and safety experts are worried about the impact of digital platforms on young people’s mental health and the amount of exposure to inappropriate content.
The government’s broader aim is to create a safer online environment where children can benefit from technology without being exposed to serious harm.
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Coinbase stock rallies 16% as retail users stack Bitcoin and Ethereum
Coinbase stock rallied, spiking about 16% in a single session amid renewed optimism from retail cryptocurrency investors who have been accumulating Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) during recent price weakness.
The stock’s rebound comes after a prolonged period of volatility for both crypto markets and Coinbase’s own share price. Coinbase’s CEO, Brian Armstrong, highlighted that many individual users continued to build up their Bitcoin and Ethereum holdings even as prices were soft.
The rally continued as retail customers either bolstered or held onto their Bitcoin and Ethereum holdings during the recent market weakness, signaling trust among regular investors. Shares of Coinbase finished at $164.32 in the last trading session, gaining $23.23 or some 16%, per market data from TradingView.
The stock rose to $141 to open the day and continued to climb throughout the session, finishing close to its intraday high. Coinbase’s rise coincided with reports that retail investors were accumulating cryptocurrencies in the recent slide. Armstrong wrote that numerous users who bought more dropped or remained in the same position despite the market’s volatility.
He referred to the trend as “buying the dip “: an investment strategy in which people buy investments after a price decline in anticipation of a rebound. Bitcoin and Ethereum accounted for most of that activity, according to him. These two cryptocurrencies typically produce the greatest trading volumes on the exchange.
Armstrong also said that retail wallet balances in February were higher than in December despite price peaks and troughs. He alleged that many users displayed what crypto-lore scholars commonly call “diamond hands,” holding onto their assets rather than selling them during downturns.
Analysts outline key price levels and targets
Market analysts have been closely watching Coinbase’s technical levels. A weekly chart for analyst Ace illustrates the stock testing major Fibonacci retracement areas, which traders use to identify potential resistance and support zones.
They conclude that the next significant level of resistance is at $186.19. In continuation of the momentum, additional resistance levels could occur at $279.10, $365.48, and $426.98. But the overall chart remains corrective unless the stock rises above $186.19 in a big game-changer.
The good news is that Coinbase remains above $125.81, which analysts view as maintaining a longer-term bullish structure. More than just technical analysis, dozens of Wall Street firms have updated prices for Coinbase. Bernstein analysts recently forecast the stock could reach $212, and, more optimistically, even $500 to hit a new all-time high.
Meanwhile, several brokerages have cut their price expectations while maintaining positive or neutral ratings. H.C. Wainwright set one of the highest targets at $350, while Barclays set one of the lowest at $148.
Canaccord Genuity lowered its goal from $400 to $300. BTIG cut its target to $280. Benchmark cut its forecast to $267, and Goldman Sachs lowered its forecast slightly to $264. Other companies made comparable adjustments. J.P. Morgan lowered its valuation to $252, and Deutsche Bank revised it to $250.
Rosenblatt and Needham lowered their estimates to $240 and $230, respectively. Baird revised its rating to Neutral with a target of $165, while Piper Sandler set its target at $150.
Earnings miss, and insider sales draw attention
After a stock rally over the past month and favourable trends for retailers in the retail sector, Coinbase’s most recent earnings report showed weaker-than-expected results. In the fourth quarter through December 31, the company posted a net loss of $666.7 million.
The numbers lagged Wall Street expectations, adding another layer of complexity to the stock’s prospects. Armstrong has also recently sold over $100 million of Coinbase stock. He has sold approximately $500 million of his company’s shares over the last year.
Insider sales, which don’t necessarily portend bad expectations — executives tend to sell shares for diversification or simply because they want to plan their personal finances — can pull in investors, it’s true, particularly in turbulent times.
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The stock’s rebound comes after a prolonged period of volatility for both crypto markets and Coinbase’s own share price. Coinbase’s CEO, Brian Armstrong, highlighted that many individual users continued to build up their Bitcoin and Ethereum holdings even as prices were soft.
The rally continued as retail customers either bolstered or held onto their Bitcoin and Ethereum holdings during the recent market weakness, signaling trust among regular investors. Shares of Coinbase finished at $164.32 in the last trading session, gaining $23.23 or some 16%, per market data from TradingView.
The stock rose to $141 to open the day and continued to climb throughout the session, finishing close to its intraday high. Coinbase’s rise coincided with reports that retail investors were accumulating cryptocurrencies in the recent slide. Armstrong wrote that numerous users who bought more dropped or remained in the same position despite the market’s volatility.
He referred to the trend as “buying the dip “: an investment strategy in which people buy investments after a price decline in anticipation of a rebound. Bitcoin and Ethereum accounted for most of that activity, according to him. These two cryptocurrencies typically produce the greatest trading volumes on the exchange.
Armstrong also said that retail wallet balances in February were higher than in December despite price peaks and troughs. He alleged that many users displayed what crypto-lore scholars commonly call “diamond hands,” holding onto their assets rather than selling them during downturns.
Analysts outline key price levels and targets
Market analysts have been closely watching Coinbase’s technical levels. A weekly chart for analyst Ace illustrates the stock testing major Fibonacci retracement areas, which traders use to identify potential resistance and support zones.
They conclude that the next significant level of resistance is at $186.19. In continuation of the momentum, additional resistance levels could occur at $279.10, $365.48, and $426.98. But the overall chart remains corrective unless the stock rises above $186.19 in a big game-changer.
The good news is that Coinbase remains above $125.81, which analysts view as maintaining a longer-term bullish structure. More than just technical analysis, dozens of Wall Street firms have updated prices for Coinbase. Bernstein analysts recently forecast the stock could reach $212, and, more optimistically, even $500 to hit a new all-time high.
Meanwhile, several brokerages have cut their price expectations while maintaining positive or neutral ratings. H.C. Wainwright set one of the highest targets at $350, while Barclays set one of the lowest at $148.
Canaccord Genuity lowered its goal from $400 to $300. BTIG cut its target to $280. Benchmark cut its forecast to $267, and Goldman Sachs lowered its forecast slightly to $264. Other companies made comparable adjustments. J.P. Morgan lowered its valuation to $252, and Deutsche Bank revised it to $250.
Rosenblatt and Needham lowered their estimates to $240 and $230, respectively. Baird revised its rating to Neutral with a target of $165, while Piper Sandler set its target at $150.
Earnings miss, and insider sales draw attention
After a stock rally over the past month and favourable trends for retailers in the retail sector, Coinbase’s most recent earnings report showed weaker-than-expected results. In the fourth quarter through December 31, the company posted a net loss of $666.7 million.
The numbers lagged Wall Street expectations, adding another layer of complexity to the stock’s prospects. Armstrong has also recently sold over $100 million of Coinbase stock. He has sold approximately $500 million of his company’s shares over the last year.
Insider sales, which don’t necessarily portend bad expectations — executives tend to sell shares for diversification or simply because they want to plan their personal finances — can pull in investors, it’s true, particularly in turbulent times.
Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free.
Hong Kong unveils new crypto growth push with new regulatory initiatives
Policymakers at Consensus Hong Kong, a major annual conference focused on blockchain, Web3, and digital assets, unveiled a series of initiatives to strengthen the domestic digital asset landscape.
Following the policymakers’ announcement, reports noted that the Consensus showed that, despite the overhyped, silly projects, companies are still finding real, practical value in the technology.
Hong Kong seeks to solidify itself as a hub for digital assets
Hong Kong has displayed a growing interest in the crypto industry. To support this claim, reports noted that regulators in the region are actively fostering growth in the digital asset ecosystem through the introduction of a perpetual contract framework and the announcement that the first batch of stablecoin licenses will be issued next month.
In a statement, Jason Atkins, the chief commercial officer of crypto trading firm Auros, argued that “That clear direction gives many companies confidence to invest in Hong Kong and expand their operations.”
Following his remarks, sources noted that financial market regulators, the Securities & Futures Commission and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, indicated a readiness to collaborate with businesses and adapt their digital asset strategies. However, it is worth noting that the Special Administrative Region of China is still reviewing and approving activities and applicants.
Even so, Atkins noted that they are surveying companies on how to increase investment. “We’ve met with the SFC multiple times and talked with the HKMA at think tanks, panels, and groups where they genuinely want to understand how our businesses work and what we need to invest more in the city. This is very encouraging,” he explained.
In this survey process, regulators have been actively engaged with industry players to identify the necessary conditions for business growth and operational success. This includes reviewing existing regulations to ensure they better reflect current market needs.
At this moment, several analysts weighed in on the situation. They argued that the regulators are considering ways to ease or modify certain rules for specific types of investors.
They also discovered that their move follows a growing trend in the crypto industry, in which traditional institutions are increasingly exploring the crypto space or adopting blockchain technology.
Several Individuals demonstrate a heightened interest in blockchain technology
As cryptocurrencies become increasingly popular among individuals, sources reported that several panelists from significant firms such as Swift and Franklin Templeton admitted that they are either implementing or exploring blockchain technology to enhance operational efficiency.
Following their statement, analysts noted that this scenario reflects the 2018 trend, in which institutions embraced blockchain technology while distancing themselves from Bitcoin. However, these organizations are now moving beyond trials to take concrete action.
At this point, Rodrigo Coelho, CEO of Edge & Node, predicted that the surge of traditional, mainstream organizations entering the blockchain space will be a defining story of this year.
When reporters reached out to him to clarify his argument, Coelho stated that firms are actively seeking to gain deeper insights into this industry. To underscore the intensity of the situation, he noted that these companies are seeking specialists to address complex challenges.
Another industry executive who commented on the topic of discussion is Shawn Chan from Singapore Gulf Bank. He noted that these systems are more efficient for transferring value.
Despite outstanding international regulatory challenges, the industry executive expects blockchain adoption to grow among companies over the next decade.
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Following the policymakers’ announcement, reports noted that the Consensus showed that, despite the overhyped, silly projects, companies are still finding real, practical value in the technology.
Hong Kong seeks to solidify itself as a hub for digital assets
Hong Kong has displayed a growing interest in the crypto industry. To support this claim, reports noted that regulators in the region are actively fostering growth in the digital asset ecosystem through the introduction of a perpetual contract framework and the announcement that the first batch of stablecoin licenses will be issued next month.
In a statement, Jason Atkins, the chief commercial officer of crypto trading firm Auros, argued that “That clear direction gives many companies confidence to invest in Hong Kong and expand their operations.”
Following his remarks, sources noted that financial market regulators, the Securities & Futures Commission and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, indicated a readiness to collaborate with businesses and adapt their digital asset strategies. However, it is worth noting that the Special Administrative Region of China is still reviewing and approving activities and applicants.
Even so, Atkins noted that they are surveying companies on how to increase investment. “We’ve met with the SFC multiple times and talked with the HKMA at think tanks, panels, and groups where they genuinely want to understand how our businesses work and what we need to invest more in the city. This is very encouraging,” he explained.
In this survey process, regulators have been actively engaged with industry players to identify the necessary conditions for business growth and operational success. This includes reviewing existing regulations to ensure they better reflect current market needs.
At this moment, several analysts weighed in on the situation. They argued that the regulators are considering ways to ease or modify certain rules for specific types of investors.
They also discovered that their move follows a growing trend in the crypto industry, in which traditional institutions are increasingly exploring the crypto space or adopting blockchain technology.
Several Individuals demonstrate a heightened interest in blockchain technology
As cryptocurrencies become increasingly popular among individuals, sources reported that several panelists from significant firms such as Swift and Franklin Templeton admitted that they are either implementing or exploring blockchain technology to enhance operational efficiency.
Following their statement, analysts noted that this scenario reflects the 2018 trend, in which institutions embraced blockchain technology while distancing themselves from Bitcoin. However, these organizations are now moving beyond trials to take concrete action.
At this point, Rodrigo Coelho, CEO of Edge & Node, predicted that the surge of traditional, mainstream organizations entering the blockchain space will be a defining story of this year.
When reporters reached out to him to clarify his argument, Coelho stated that firms are actively seeking to gain deeper insights into this industry. To underscore the intensity of the situation, he noted that these companies are seeking specialists to address complex challenges.
Another industry executive who commented on the topic of discussion is Shawn Chan from Singapore Gulf Bank. He noted that these systems are more efficient for transferring value.
Despite outstanding international regulatory challenges, the industry executive expects blockchain adoption to grow among companies over the next decade.
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CZ warns lack of onchain privacy is blocking crypto payments adoption
Changpeng Zhao (CZ), co‑founder of the global exchange Binance, warned that insufficient privacy on blockchain networks remains a major barrier to widespread adoption of crypto payments.
The same holds for the transparency of onchain transactions, the executive said, making it challenging for businesses and institutions to comfortably use cryptocurrencies as routine payment options for salaries, suppliers, and other expenses.
The idea behind Bitcoin and Ethereum is transparency. The transactions are recorded in a public ledger accessible to everyone, though wallet addresses can’t be directly linked to names; they are often traceable and can be connected to individuals or companies over time.
This openness, CZ argues, poses quite real concerns for companies. He cited a straightforward case: If a company pays its staff members in crypto directly onchain, anyone who visits the company’s wallet address might see how much each worker receives.
Salary data is considered private in traditional banking systems. That same information can be made public on public blockchains. CZ also expressed concern over personal safety, speaking earlier on with investor Chamath Palihapitiya, the host of the All-In Podcast.
If everyone can instantly “see” how much crypto a person has or gets, they could be a target for theft, scams, or even physical threats. For A-list personalities or corporate chieftains, this visibility can become a big issue.
These worries are all in lock step with a broader discussion in the crypto community. Cryptocurrency’s early proponents were inspired by “cypherpunk” thinkers, the movement that called for strong encryption and privacy to shield people from threats of surveillance and control.
Bitcoin was initially conceived as a peer-to-peer digital currency that could be transferred without the use of banks or other intermediaries. Privacy was not optional for many early adopters; it was a foundational principle.
Businesses fear losing trade secrets on public blockchains
Some industry professionals agree with CZ’s position. Avidan Abitbol, formerly a Business Development Specialist for the Kaspa cryptocurrency project, has argued that companies will hesitate to fully adopt crypto and Web3 systems if they cannot keep their transactions confidential.
He points out that transaction data can reveal more than just payment amounts. It may expose information about supply chains, partnerships, client relationships, and overall financial activity.
For example, if a competitor studies a company’s blockchain activity, they can estimate revenue trends, identify key business partners, or track major deals. This level of transparency can put companies at a disadvantage during negotiations. It could also increase the risk of corporate theft or targeted scams. If attackers can see large transfers or identify patterns in payments, they may use that information to plan phishing attacks or other types of fraud.
Growing AI threats make blockchain privacy more urgent
The rapid pace of artificial intelligence’s advancement is just the latest twist in the story of privacy. Eran Barak, the former CEO of privacy-focused technology company Shielded Technologies, previously said that AI systems will allow hackers to focus more on publicly available data, combining files and information as they go.
Centralized servers maintaining useful content are already attractive targets for cybercriminals, Barak said. As AI tools evolve over the years, they will be equipped to sift through multiple sources of information for clues, connect the dots, and predict likely outcomes. With publicly available, permanent blockchain data, AI can scan large volumes of transactions to identify high-value targets.
So, for instance, an AI system could observe wallet activity, identify repeat payments, and estimate how much crypto a company or individual controls. Eventually, that could lead to intricate financial profiles without direct access to private accounts. Barak claims that as AI capabilities grow, onchain privacy technologies will become the new normal and will be even more important than ever before.
The goal of these technologies is to hide transaction details while still allowing blockchains to verify that payments are valid. A subset of blockchain projects is already experimenting with privacy-improvement tools, such as zero-knowledge proofs and other cryptographic techniques.
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The same holds for the transparency of onchain transactions, the executive said, making it challenging for businesses and institutions to comfortably use cryptocurrencies as routine payment options for salaries, suppliers, and other expenses.
The idea behind Bitcoin and Ethereum is transparency. The transactions are recorded in a public ledger accessible to everyone, though wallet addresses can’t be directly linked to names; they are often traceable and can be connected to individuals or companies over time.
This openness, CZ argues, poses quite real concerns for companies. He cited a straightforward case: If a company pays its staff members in crypto directly onchain, anyone who visits the company’s wallet address might see how much each worker receives.
Salary data is considered private in traditional banking systems. That same information can be made public on public blockchains. CZ also expressed concern over personal safety, speaking earlier on with investor Chamath Palihapitiya, the host of the All-In Podcast.
If everyone can instantly “see” how much crypto a person has or gets, they could be a target for theft, scams, or even physical threats. For A-list personalities or corporate chieftains, this visibility can become a big issue.
These worries are all in lock step with a broader discussion in the crypto community. Cryptocurrency’s early proponents were inspired by “cypherpunk” thinkers, the movement that called for strong encryption and privacy to shield people from threats of surveillance and control.
Bitcoin was initially conceived as a peer-to-peer digital currency that could be transferred without the use of banks or other intermediaries. Privacy was not optional for many early adopters; it was a foundational principle.
Businesses fear losing trade secrets on public blockchains
Some industry professionals agree with CZ’s position. Avidan Abitbol, formerly a Business Development Specialist for the Kaspa cryptocurrency project, has argued that companies will hesitate to fully adopt crypto and Web3 systems if they cannot keep their transactions confidential.
He points out that transaction data can reveal more than just payment amounts. It may expose information about supply chains, partnerships, client relationships, and overall financial activity.
For example, if a competitor studies a company’s blockchain activity, they can estimate revenue trends, identify key business partners, or track major deals. This level of transparency can put companies at a disadvantage during negotiations. It could also increase the risk of corporate theft or targeted scams. If attackers can see large transfers or identify patterns in payments, they may use that information to plan phishing attacks or other types of fraud.
Growing AI threats make blockchain privacy more urgent
The rapid pace of artificial intelligence’s advancement is just the latest twist in the story of privacy. Eran Barak, the former CEO of privacy-focused technology company Shielded Technologies, previously said that AI systems will allow hackers to focus more on publicly available data, combining files and information as they go.
Centralized servers maintaining useful content are already attractive targets for cybercriminals, Barak said. As AI tools evolve over the years, they will be equipped to sift through multiple sources of information for clues, connect the dots, and predict likely outcomes. With publicly available, permanent blockchain data, AI can scan large volumes of transactions to identify high-value targets.
So, for instance, an AI system could observe wallet activity, identify repeat payments, and estimate how much crypto a company or individual controls. Eventually, that could lead to intricate financial profiles without direct access to private accounts. Barak claims that as AI capabilities grow, onchain privacy technologies will become the new normal and will be even more important than ever before.
The goal of these technologies is to hide transaction details while still allowing blockchains to verify that payments are valid. A subset of blockchain projects is already experimenting with privacy-improvement tools, such as zero-knowledge proofs and other cryptographic techniques.
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Rubio's words fail to ease EU skepticism over transatlantic ties
Europe clapped for the words. Europe did not clap for the policies. That was the mood in Munich in 2026 when Marco Rubio stood on stage and tried to calm a room that has been tense for a year. People listened closely. They remembered what happened there in 2025. Nobody forgot.
Back then, JD Vance went straight at Europe. He said Europe was walking away from shared values. He criticized how governments handle democracy, migration, and free speech.
The speech hit hard. Many policymakers across Europe are still irritated about it. That memory was sitting in the room before Rubio even spoke.
Rubio tells Europe the alliance still stands
Rubio kept his message simple. He said the United States is not walking away from Europe. He said America wants Europe to stay strong. He brought up the two world wars. He said those wars prove the destinies of the United States and Europe are tied together.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul spoke to reporters on the sidelines. Johann said Rubio reassured leaders that the partnership between Europe and the United States is still in place. He admitted there are issues to sort out. He said both sides succeeded in the past and must deal with new threats in the 21st century.
Still, not everyone sounded relaxed. A senior European minister in the room said Rubio is the best option available from this administration. The same minister said the transatlantic relationship is not what it used to be.
Another European minister allegedly said if something breaks, it is hard to fix. He said Rubio offered a hand instead of an insult, but nothing fundamental has changed.
Some officials even said Vance’s 2025 speech was easier to handle because it was so aggressive. It pushed governments in Europe to close ranks fast. Rubio’s softer tone made things less obvious. The disagreements are still there. They are just packaged differently.
Leaders watch actions on Ukraine, Greenland, tariffs, and Hungary
Rubio skipped a meeting with European leaders that was expected to focus on Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte defended that decision.
Mark said Rubio had other important duties. He said the United States manages global responsibilities, not only Europe. He said he understood the scheduling conflict.
The Munich conference now works like a yearly checkup for the transatlantic relationship. This year, it happened only weeks after President Donald Trump, the 47th president who won the 2024 election, threatened military action to seize Greenland from Denmark, a NATO ally. He later stepped back. That moment followed the tariffs Trump placed on European countries last year. It also followed his support for Eurosceptic candidates in recent EU elections.
One senior EU diplomat said Rubio’s real message was not just in his speech. The diplomat pointed to Rubio’s visit to Slovakia on Sunday and then to Hungary. Both governments often clash with Brussels. That travel plan raised serious questions across Europe.
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Back then, JD Vance went straight at Europe. He said Europe was walking away from shared values. He criticized how governments handle democracy, migration, and free speech.
The speech hit hard. Many policymakers across Europe are still irritated about it. That memory was sitting in the room before Rubio even spoke.
Rubio tells Europe the alliance still stands
Rubio kept his message simple. He said the United States is not walking away from Europe. He said America wants Europe to stay strong. He brought up the two world wars. He said those wars prove the destinies of the United States and Europe are tied together.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul spoke to reporters on the sidelines. Johann said Rubio reassured leaders that the partnership between Europe and the United States is still in place. He admitted there are issues to sort out. He said both sides succeeded in the past and must deal with new threats in the 21st century.
Still, not everyone sounded relaxed. A senior European minister in the room said Rubio is the best option available from this administration. The same minister said the transatlantic relationship is not what it used to be.
Another European minister allegedly said if something breaks, it is hard to fix. He said Rubio offered a hand instead of an insult, but nothing fundamental has changed.
Some officials even said Vance’s 2025 speech was easier to handle because it was so aggressive. It pushed governments in Europe to close ranks fast. Rubio’s softer tone made things less obvious. The disagreements are still there. They are just packaged differently.
Leaders watch actions on Ukraine, Greenland, tariffs, and Hungary
Rubio skipped a meeting with European leaders that was expected to focus on Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte defended that decision.
Mark said Rubio had other important duties. He said the United States manages global responsibilities, not only Europe. He said he understood the scheduling conflict.
The Munich conference now works like a yearly checkup for the transatlantic relationship. This year, it happened only weeks after President Donald Trump, the 47th president who won the 2024 election, threatened military action to seize Greenland from Denmark, a NATO ally. He later stepped back. That moment followed the tariffs Trump placed on European countries last year. It also followed his support for Eurosceptic candidates in recent EU elections.
One senior EU diplomat said Rubio’s real message was not just in his speech. The diplomat pointed to Rubio’s visit to Slovakia on Sunday and then to Hungary. Both governments often clash with Brussels. That travel plan raised serious questions across Europe.
Join a premium crypto trading community free for 30 days - normally $100/mo.
India’s bold 2026 AI summit calls for inclusive global tech growth
India is opening the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam this week, putting New Delhi at the center of the world conversation on artificial intelligence.
It is the first of its kind to be hosted in a developing nation, which takes place from February 16 to 20. Prior summits in South Korea, France, and the United Kingdom focused on safety issues.
The summit is organized around three ideas: People, Planet, and Progress. Alongside policy discussions and research sessions, a massive trade expo brings together more than 300 exhibitors from India and over 30 other countries. The expo spans more than 10 themed sections covering fields like health, farming, and education.
A room full of world leaders and tech chiefs
The importance of the summit is highlighted by the guest list. Senior government officials and more than 20 heads of state have personally attended. At the personal request of Prime Minister Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron will arrive on February 17 and is expected to remain till February 19.
Prime ministers from Bhutan, Greece, Finland, Spain, and a number of other countries are also in attendance, along with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Representatives from the leading tech companies included Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, and representatives from Anthropic and DeepMind. India has the potential to become a “full-stack AI leader,” said Sam Altman.
Seven theme groups, each co-led by a delegate from a developed and a developing nation, form the foundation of the summit’s working agenda. It is anticipated that these groups would generate specific recommendations on topics like as applications in certain industries, reliable AI tools, and shared computing infrastructure.
India’s own AI push
India is arriving at this summit with real momentum behind it. With the government’s IndiaAI Mission, the country has been building up its data infrastructure, bringing thousands of graphics processing units online through public-private partnerships, and shortlisting 12 teams to develop homegrown large language models.
Officials say AI is the next significant layer of India’s digital infrastructure, a logical progression of initiatives like India Stack, Aadhaar, and UPI, which already serve more than 1.4 billion people.
India’s size and unique requirements are reflected in the real-world applications on exhibit at the summit. AI techniques are being used in healthcare to enhance remote diagnosis, increase telemedicine services, and forecast disease outbreaks in remote places where access to physicians is still restricted.
AI predicts crop yields, controls soil and water consumption, and detects insect risks early in the agricultural industry, which employs hundreds of millions of people. Shared infrastructure, according to organizers, may make comparable instruments more affordable for small-scale farmers. Productivity increases of 20 to 30 percent have already been demonstrated in pilot operations.
A call for shared AI resources
A “global AI commons” is an open, shared repository of AI tools, datasets, computing resources, and ethical norms that was proposed by Abhishek Singh. Singh argues that underdeveloped countries would keep buying and using technology created by others, with no say in how it works or what principles it upholds.
Singh wants to stay linked to the rest of the world and preserve international collaboration without being dependent on other influences.
Satyamev Jayate, the Indian national slogan, which translates to “truth alone prevails,” was the basis for the summit’s motto. With this framing, the country is not just acting as a host but also as a link between the many nations that are still trying to create themselves and others that are already developing AI.
The summit signals India’s intent to lead the “Global South” in demanding a seat at the table, ensuring that the future of AI is defined by shared infrastructure rather than digital dependency.
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It is the first of its kind to be hosted in a developing nation, which takes place from February 16 to 20. Prior summits in South Korea, France, and the United Kingdom focused on safety issues.
The summit is organized around three ideas: People, Planet, and Progress. Alongside policy discussions and research sessions, a massive trade expo brings together more than 300 exhibitors from India and over 30 other countries. The expo spans more than 10 themed sections covering fields like health, farming, and education.
A room full of world leaders and tech chiefs
The importance of the summit is highlighted by the guest list. Senior government officials and more than 20 heads of state have personally attended. At the personal request of Prime Minister Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron will arrive on February 17 and is expected to remain till February 19.
Prime ministers from Bhutan, Greece, Finland, Spain, and a number of other countries are also in attendance, along with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Representatives from the leading tech companies included Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, and representatives from Anthropic and DeepMind. India has the potential to become a “full-stack AI leader,” said Sam Altman.
Seven theme groups, each co-led by a delegate from a developed and a developing nation, form the foundation of the summit’s working agenda. It is anticipated that these groups would generate specific recommendations on topics like as applications in certain industries, reliable AI tools, and shared computing infrastructure.
India’s own AI push
India is arriving at this summit with real momentum behind it. With the government’s IndiaAI Mission, the country has been building up its data infrastructure, bringing thousands of graphics processing units online through public-private partnerships, and shortlisting 12 teams to develop homegrown large language models.
Officials say AI is the next significant layer of India’s digital infrastructure, a logical progression of initiatives like India Stack, Aadhaar, and UPI, which already serve more than 1.4 billion people.
India’s size and unique requirements are reflected in the real-world applications on exhibit at the summit. AI techniques are being used in healthcare to enhance remote diagnosis, increase telemedicine services, and forecast disease outbreaks in remote places where access to physicians is still restricted.
AI predicts crop yields, controls soil and water consumption, and detects insect risks early in the agricultural industry, which employs hundreds of millions of people. Shared infrastructure, according to organizers, may make comparable instruments more affordable for small-scale farmers. Productivity increases of 20 to 30 percent have already been demonstrated in pilot operations.
A call for shared AI resources
A “global AI commons” is an open, shared repository of AI tools, datasets, computing resources, and ethical norms that was proposed by Abhishek Singh. Singh argues that underdeveloped countries would keep buying and using technology created by others, with no say in how it works or what principles it upholds.
Singh wants to stay linked to the rest of the world and preserve international collaboration without being dependent on other influences.
Satyamev Jayate, the Indian national slogan, which translates to “truth alone prevails,” was the basis for the summit’s motto. With this framing, the country is not just acting as a host but also as a link between the many nations that are still trying to create themselves and others that are already developing AI.
The summit signals India’s intent to lead the “Global South” in demanding a seat at the table, ensuring that the future of AI is defined by shared infrastructure rather than digital dependency.
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Investors may soon bet on 2028 elections through ETFs
A financial company wants to create six new funds that would allow everyday investors to put money on who wins the 2028 elections, through the same brokerage accounts they already use to buy stocks.
Roundhill Investments, a company known for building investment products, has filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission to launch the funds. If approved, the products would be a first of their kind, turning election predictions into tradable assets.
New ground for ETFs
The six funds are not like standard funds that own bonds or equities. Three would pay out if Democrats win, and three would pay out if Republicans win. Each pair covers a different race including the presidency, the Senate, and the House of Representatives.
These funds would primarily invest in event contracts whose payouts depend directly on which party wins the specified election. Shares in the winning fund would converge toward $1 per share if the correct party wins, while shares in the losing fund could drop to near zero once results are certified. Typical investment funds don’t deliver binary, all-or-nothing outcomes like this.
Each fund’s party alignment and specific race are clearly indicated in its name and proposed ticker symbol, following a consistent pattern: “RED” for Republican and “BLU” for Democratic, paired with “P” for President, “S” for Senate, and “H” for House.
The program builds on recent advancements in political wagering. The CFTC dropped its plan to ban political betting exchanges in February 2026. Authorities halted attempts to outlaw websites that previously placed wagers on election outcomes.
Michael Selig, the CFTC chairman, stated that the previous approach had gone too far in blocking customers’ ability to do what they wish. He told his staff to create more detailed rules that would allow new goods while preserving the required protections. Financial firms are already investigating solutions that connect elections and investments as a result of this shift.
Risks are front and center for investors
Eric Balchunas described the idea as “potentially groundbreaking” on social media. He noted that while election betting into regular brokerage accounts could pull in a much larger number of users, wider access also raises concerns. However, critics question whether people will make impulsive bets instead of taking time to think things through.
There is also an unusual twist to how these funds are structured. While they purchase contracts tied directly to the 2028 election outcomes, the funds themselves do not terminate afterward. Instead, they’ll roll over and start betting on the 2032 cycle, giving investors a way to stay in the game across multiple elections.
Roundhill’s idea might bring in way more everyday investors than the prediction markets we have now. Since these funds would just keep rolling over to the next election cycle, you’re locked into long-term political and regulatory uncertainty for years.
The filing warns that the rules could change at any time. Regulators could still step in and restrict or outlaw these contracts. The company advises anyone who is uncomfortable with that uncertainty to avoid these products.
The SEC might be the first to allow large amounts of money to be wagered on politics through legal channels if it accepts these funds. Critics fear that the funds may incite reckless speculation or sway public opinion on election outcomes.
The SEC now has to review the application and decide whether to approve it. Whatever the agency decides, the outcome is expected to set the tone for whether other financial firms follow with similar products of their own.
If approved, it’ll show how far they’re willing to let investing and gambling on elections mix. That could easily lead to more impulsive bets and possibly shape how people feel about politics, while also kicking off a bigger wave of creative financial products that connect markets with real-world events.
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Roundhill Investments, a company known for building investment products, has filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission to launch the funds. If approved, the products would be a first of their kind, turning election predictions into tradable assets.
New ground for ETFs
The six funds are not like standard funds that own bonds or equities. Three would pay out if Democrats win, and three would pay out if Republicans win. Each pair covers a different race including the presidency, the Senate, and the House of Representatives.
These funds would primarily invest in event contracts whose payouts depend directly on which party wins the specified election. Shares in the winning fund would converge toward $1 per share if the correct party wins, while shares in the losing fund could drop to near zero once results are certified. Typical investment funds don’t deliver binary, all-or-nothing outcomes like this.
Each fund’s party alignment and specific race are clearly indicated in its name and proposed ticker symbol, following a consistent pattern: “RED” for Republican and “BLU” for Democratic, paired with “P” for President, “S” for Senate, and “H” for House.
The program builds on recent advancements in political wagering. The CFTC dropped its plan to ban political betting exchanges in February 2026. Authorities halted attempts to outlaw websites that previously placed wagers on election outcomes.
Michael Selig, the CFTC chairman, stated that the previous approach had gone too far in blocking customers’ ability to do what they wish. He told his staff to create more detailed rules that would allow new goods while preserving the required protections. Financial firms are already investigating solutions that connect elections and investments as a result of this shift.
Risks are front and center for investors
Eric Balchunas described the idea as “potentially groundbreaking” on social media. He noted that while election betting into regular brokerage accounts could pull in a much larger number of users, wider access also raises concerns. However, critics question whether people will make impulsive bets instead of taking time to think things through.
There is also an unusual twist to how these funds are structured. While they purchase contracts tied directly to the 2028 election outcomes, the funds themselves do not terminate afterward. Instead, they’ll roll over and start betting on the 2032 cycle, giving investors a way to stay in the game across multiple elections.
Roundhill’s idea might bring in way more everyday investors than the prediction markets we have now. Since these funds would just keep rolling over to the next election cycle, you’re locked into long-term political and regulatory uncertainty for years.
The filing warns that the rules could change at any time. Regulators could still step in and restrict or outlaw these contracts. The company advises anyone who is uncomfortable with that uncertainty to avoid these products.
The SEC might be the first to allow large amounts of money to be wagered on politics through legal channels if it accepts these funds. Critics fear that the funds may incite reckless speculation or sway public opinion on election outcomes.
The SEC now has to review the application and decide whether to approve it. Whatever the agency decides, the outcome is expected to set the tone for whether other financial firms follow with similar products of their own.
If approved, it’ll show how far they’re willing to let investing and gambling on elections mix. That could easily lead to more impulsive bets and possibly shape how people feel about politics, while also kicking off a bigger wave of creative financial products that connect markets with real-world events.
Get 8% CASHBACK when you spend crypto with COCA Visa card. Order your FREE card.
Dubai detains Israeli suspect in crypto-related Novak double homicide
An Israeli national was arrested in Dubai in connection with the killing of a Russian crypto figure and his wife. The authorities continue to unravel a case that has drawn attention from the global crypto community.
Michael Greenberg, also known as Mike Green, was reportedly detained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) about three months ago. He is described as a private investigator based in Thailand. However, Green is not suspected of carrying out the killings of Roman Novak and his wife Anna but is alleged to have had some involvement.
Israeli linked to suspects in UAE crypto killings
According to reports, Greenberg is under scrutiny for having ties to eight individuals already arrested in the case. Russian investigators reportedly found some crucial information on the suspects’ mobile phones that eventually led to his arrest in Dubai.
Novak, a Russian national, had allegedly raised $500 million through a fraudulent crypto application before going on the run. He had previously been convicted in 2020 in St. Petersburg for fraud linked to investment and crypto projects. Novak got a sentence of six years in prison. However, after his release in 2023, he moved abroad and reportedly carried on with their fundraising activities.
Russian authorities said Novak and his wife were reported missing after their relatives were unable to contact them. Reports suggest that the couple’s driver last saw them on Oct 2 2025. He allegedly dropped them near a lake in the Hatta area close to the Oman border. The meeting was described as a meeting with potential investors.
The couple was lured under the pretext of an investment meeting to a rented villa. The alleged offenders then attacked the couple as they failed to provide access to their crypto wallets. Investigators believe that the suspects discovered the wallet was empty which led to the couple being allegedly killed and dismembered. Their remains were reportedly found on Oct 3.
Russian and Emirati authorities are said to have traced the suspects’ movements using surveillance footage and phone signals. They tracked them in Oman and later in South Africa before disappearing on Oct. 4.
‘Wrench Attacks’ rise over crypto holders
This massive case is unfolding when the global crypto community is witnessing rising violence against holders and builders. Law enforcement agencies across different countries have reported an increase in so-called “wrench attacks.”
In May 2025, masked assailants attempted to abduct family members of the chief executive of Paris-based crypto exchange Paymium in broad daylight. Earlier in 2025, David Balland, co-founder of hardware wallet maker Ledger, was abducted in France. His partner also got captured in a ransom attempt involving crypto, but police managed to rescue the pair.
Other incidents have been reported in France, Italy and the United States. Individuals linked to digital asset holdings were allegedly targeted for extortion or kidnapping. As some crypto transactions can be pseudonymous on-chain, enforcement officials mention that physical threats have emerged as a new tool for criminals seeking access to digital wallets.
Get 8% CASHBACK when you spend crypto with COCA Visa card. Order your FREE card.
Michael Greenberg, also known as Mike Green, was reportedly detained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) about three months ago. He is described as a private investigator based in Thailand. However, Green is not suspected of carrying out the killings of Roman Novak and his wife Anna but is alleged to have had some involvement.
Israeli linked to suspects in UAE crypto killings
According to reports, Greenberg is under scrutiny for having ties to eight individuals already arrested in the case. Russian investigators reportedly found some crucial information on the suspects’ mobile phones that eventually led to his arrest in Dubai.
Novak, a Russian national, had allegedly raised $500 million through a fraudulent crypto application before going on the run. He had previously been convicted in 2020 in St. Petersburg for fraud linked to investment and crypto projects. Novak got a sentence of six years in prison. However, after his release in 2023, he moved abroad and reportedly carried on with their fundraising activities.
Russian authorities said Novak and his wife were reported missing after their relatives were unable to contact them. Reports suggest that the couple’s driver last saw them on Oct 2 2025. He allegedly dropped them near a lake in the Hatta area close to the Oman border. The meeting was described as a meeting with potential investors.
The couple was lured under the pretext of an investment meeting to a rented villa. The alleged offenders then attacked the couple as they failed to provide access to their crypto wallets. Investigators believe that the suspects discovered the wallet was empty which led to the couple being allegedly killed and dismembered. Their remains were reportedly found on Oct 3.
Russian and Emirati authorities are said to have traced the suspects’ movements using surveillance footage and phone signals. They tracked them in Oman and later in South Africa before disappearing on Oct. 4.
‘Wrench Attacks’ rise over crypto holders
This massive case is unfolding when the global crypto community is witnessing rising violence against holders and builders. Law enforcement agencies across different countries have reported an increase in so-called “wrench attacks.”
In May 2025, masked assailants attempted to abduct family members of the chief executive of Paris-based crypto exchange Paymium in broad daylight. Earlier in 2025, David Balland, co-founder of hardware wallet maker Ledger, was abducted in France. His partner also got captured in a ransom attempt involving crypto, but police managed to rescue the pair.
Other incidents have been reported in France, Italy and the United States. Individuals linked to digital asset holdings were allegedly targeted for extortion or kidnapping. As some crypto transactions can be pseudonymous on-chain, enforcement officials mention that physical threats have emerged as a new tool for criminals seeking access to digital wallets.
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Paramount sends legal notice to ByteDance over ‘Seedance’ dispute
Hollywood organizations are now pushing back against ByteDance’s Seedance 2.0, which they have described as a tool for copyright infringement. Paramount Skydance has become the latest company to issue a cease-and-desist order to ByteDance, the parent company of video streaming platform TikTok, over the generative artificial intelligence model.
ByteDance launched Seedance 2.0 earlier this week, with the updated model currently available to Chinese users of its Jianying app. While the company says it would soon be available to the global users of its CapCut app, the application has since drawn criticism over its ability to create videos using the likeness of real people as well as intellectual property owned by studios.
Paramount Skydance sends cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance
According to Paramount Skydance, ByteDance is engaging in what it calls a ‘blatant infringement’ of its intellectual property with its Seedance video and Seedream image generative AI platforms. The company alleged that the Chinese technology company is illegally using its IP, naming several characters and moves, including Dora the Explorer, South Park, Star Trek, The Godfather, and more. The company sent the letter on Saturday, asking ByteDance to discontinue the alleged infringement.
The letter was sent from Gabriel Miller, the intellectual property head of Paramount Skydance, and was addressed to ByteDance CEO Liang Rubo. In the letter, Miller mentioned that much of the content that the Seed platforms have been producing contained depictions of famous characters and franchises of Paramount’s. He noted that these materials are protected under copyright law, trademark law, and the law of unfair competition.
Miller added that the content in the AI-generated images and videos produced by ByteDance platforms is often indistinguishable, both visually and audibly, from Paramount’s copyrighted characters and stories. He noted that Paramount’s characters such as “South Park,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “Star Trek,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “The Godfather,” “Dora the Explorer” and “Avatar: The Last Airbender” have “all been repeatedly infringed by the Seed Platforms’ production and subsequent public performance and distribution of these images and videos.”
The intellectual property head also mentioned that the recent release of the Seedance 2.0 video generation tool has seen ByteDance not only continue its infringing activities, but it has now become more prevalent, and the unlawful outputs are now more widely released. In the letter, Paramount asked ByteDance to prevent violations of its intellectual property rights by ensuring that its content is not used or created by ByteDance or the Seed Platforms going forward, and remove all infringing instances of Paramount’s content from ByteDance’s platforms and systems.
Hollywood groups blast ByteDance and Seedance 2.0
Paramount Skydance is not the only studio that has issued a cease-and-desist order to ByteDance since the release of Seedance 2.0. According to a previous Cryptopolitan report, Disney sent a letter to that effect on Friday, noting that the company is making its AI platform a pirated library of Disney’s copyrighted characters and franchises. “ByteDance’s virtual smash-and-grab of Disney’s IP is willful, pervasive, and totally unacceptable,” David Singer, a partner at Jenner & Block, wrote on behalf of Disney.
Charles Rivkin, CEO of the Motion Picture Association, also issued a statement demanding that ByteDance cease its infringing activity. “In a single day, the Chinese AI service Seedance 2.0 has engaged in unauthorized use of U.S. copyrighted works on a massive scale,” Rivkin said. He noted that by launching a service that operates without safeguards against infringement, ByteDance is disregarding established copyright law that protects creators and facilitates millions of American jobs.
The Human Artistry Campaign, an initiative backed by numerous Hollywood unions and trade groups, has also criticized ByteDance and Seedance 2.0, calling it an attack on every creator around the world, with SAG-AFTRA saying it stands with the studios in condemning the blatant infringement enabled by ByteDance’s new AI video model.
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ByteDance launched Seedance 2.0 earlier this week, with the updated model currently available to Chinese users of its Jianying app. While the company says it would soon be available to the global users of its CapCut app, the application has since drawn criticism over its ability to create videos using the likeness of real people as well as intellectual property owned by studios.
Paramount Skydance sends cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance
According to Paramount Skydance, ByteDance is engaging in what it calls a ‘blatant infringement’ of its intellectual property with its Seedance video and Seedream image generative AI platforms. The company alleged that the Chinese technology company is illegally using its IP, naming several characters and moves, including Dora the Explorer, South Park, Star Trek, The Godfather, and more. The company sent the letter on Saturday, asking ByteDance to discontinue the alleged infringement.
The letter was sent from Gabriel Miller, the intellectual property head of Paramount Skydance, and was addressed to ByteDance CEO Liang Rubo. In the letter, Miller mentioned that much of the content that the Seed platforms have been producing contained depictions of famous characters and franchises of Paramount’s. He noted that these materials are protected under copyright law, trademark law, and the law of unfair competition.
Miller added that the content in the AI-generated images and videos produced by ByteDance platforms is often indistinguishable, both visually and audibly, from Paramount’s copyrighted characters and stories. He noted that Paramount’s characters such as “South Park,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “Star Trek,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “The Godfather,” “Dora the Explorer” and “Avatar: The Last Airbender” have “all been repeatedly infringed by the Seed Platforms’ production and subsequent public performance and distribution of these images and videos.”
The intellectual property head also mentioned that the recent release of the Seedance 2.0 video generation tool has seen ByteDance not only continue its infringing activities, but it has now become more prevalent, and the unlawful outputs are now more widely released. In the letter, Paramount asked ByteDance to prevent violations of its intellectual property rights by ensuring that its content is not used or created by ByteDance or the Seed Platforms going forward, and remove all infringing instances of Paramount’s content from ByteDance’s platforms and systems.
Hollywood groups blast ByteDance and Seedance 2.0
Paramount Skydance is not the only studio that has issued a cease-and-desist order to ByteDance since the release of Seedance 2.0. According to a previous Cryptopolitan report, Disney sent a letter to that effect on Friday, noting that the company is making its AI platform a pirated library of Disney’s copyrighted characters and franchises. “ByteDance’s virtual smash-and-grab of Disney’s IP is willful, pervasive, and totally unacceptable,” David Singer, a partner at Jenner & Block, wrote on behalf of Disney.
Charles Rivkin, CEO of the Motion Picture Association, also issued a statement demanding that ByteDance cease its infringing activity. “In a single day, the Chinese AI service Seedance 2.0 has engaged in unauthorized use of U.S. copyrighted works on a massive scale,” Rivkin said. He noted that by launching a service that operates without safeguards against infringement, ByteDance is disregarding established copyright law that protects creators and facilitates millions of American jobs.
The Human Artistry Campaign, an initiative backed by numerous Hollywood unions and trade groups, has also criticized ByteDance and Seedance 2.0, calling it an attack on every creator around the world, with SAG-AFTRA saying it stands with the studios in condemning the blatant infringement enabled by ByteDance’s new AI video model.
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Six arrested as Indian police wrap up week-long enforcement drive
The Indian police have announced the arrest of six individuals in a week-long crackdown across the country. According to local reports, the crackdown, which ran from February 7 to 13, targeted individuals carrying out different kinds of fraudulent activities, including investment fraud, loan app fraud, and part-time jobs scams.
According to the statement released by the Indian police, the crackdown was carried out with the help of investigators after they made trails of several illegal funds across different states, including Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The force also said it secured refunds worth about Rs. 16.9 lakh ($18,673) to victims through court orders. According to the police, the arrested individuals have been processed in court for bail hearings, while others are still being held in police custody pending the conclusion of investigations.
Indian police apprehend six individuals in latest crackdown
In the statement released by the Indian police, officers attached to the force travelled to Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh and arrested Gummadi Rambabu for acting as a mule account holder and facilitating the movement of illicit funds. The victim in this case said he was approached by one of the members of the network on Facebook. He claimed the person presented the crypto investment scheme and explained how it worked in detail. After days of discussion, he agreed to invest.
The victim was added to a Facebook group titled AZ70 Market Radar Station, where he said administrators offered stock tips and investment training. Members of the group also plastered screenshots showing their profits from the crypto investments made in the group, another move to entice the new members added to the group. The victim claimed he was provided a bank account to transfer Rs. 5.20 lakh into, which was coincidentally an account owned by the accused.
In another case, the Indian police said it arrested Santosh Chandra Kant Gaikaward in Mumbai for his role in a large-scale investment fraud that targeted victims locally. The victim claimed he was added to a WhatsApp group after the group initiated contact and was persuaded to invest through a trading application, which they falsely claimed had been duly registered with the appropriate federal agency. He was also shown a fabricated profit from crypto investments, a move that enticed him.
Police urge residents to be cautious online
In another separate investment fraud case linked to a WhatsApp group named Dream Chasers Together 371, three accused from Bhiwandi in Maharashtra were arrested for acting as mule accounts to transfer funds gotten from crypto investment scams. The individuals were identified as Momin Arham Rais Ahmed, Mohd Qais Mustaque Shaikh, and Momin Hina Imran Ahmed. The complainant was initially allowed to withdraw at first to build trust before being defrauded of over Rs. 65 lakh.
Police also arrested Katravath Nithin from Mahabubnagar in connection with a loan fraud application. The victim was lured through Instagram by fraudsters posing as representatives of loan companies. He was asked to share personal and banking details before being asked to pay about Rs. 2 lakh under the pretext of security deposits and processing charges. Investigators discovered that the funds were moved through several accounts owned by the criminals before being transferred into crypto and sent out of the country.
Meanwhile, officials of the Indian police have warned the public to exercise caution while trying to make money online. They urged residents to refrain from responding to unknown profiles or phone numbers, especially those acting overly friendly. In addition, the officials also warned residents to avoid sharing personal information and accessing crypto investment platforms through their official websites and to report suspected fraud immediately to the nearest police station.
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According to the statement released by the Indian police, the crackdown was carried out with the help of investigators after they made trails of several illegal funds across different states, including Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The force also said it secured refunds worth about Rs. 16.9 lakh ($18,673) to victims through court orders. According to the police, the arrested individuals have been processed in court for bail hearings, while others are still being held in police custody pending the conclusion of investigations.
Indian police apprehend six individuals in latest crackdown
In the statement released by the Indian police, officers attached to the force travelled to Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh and arrested Gummadi Rambabu for acting as a mule account holder and facilitating the movement of illicit funds. The victim in this case said he was approached by one of the members of the network on Facebook. He claimed the person presented the crypto investment scheme and explained how it worked in detail. After days of discussion, he agreed to invest.
The victim was added to a Facebook group titled AZ70 Market Radar Station, where he said administrators offered stock tips and investment training. Members of the group also plastered screenshots showing their profits from the crypto investments made in the group, another move to entice the new members added to the group. The victim claimed he was provided a bank account to transfer Rs. 5.20 lakh into, which was coincidentally an account owned by the accused.
In another case, the Indian police said it arrested Santosh Chandra Kant Gaikaward in Mumbai for his role in a large-scale investment fraud that targeted victims locally. The victim claimed he was added to a WhatsApp group after the group initiated contact and was persuaded to invest through a trading application, which they falsely claimed had been duly registered with the appropriate federal agency. He was also shown a fabricated profit from crypto investments, a move that enticed him.
Police urge residents to be cautious online
In another separate investment fraud case linked to a WhatsApp group named Dream Chasers Together 371, three accused from Bhiwandi in Maharashtra were arrested for acting as mule accounts to transfer funds gotten from crypto investment scams. The individuals were identified as Momin Arham Rais Ahmed, Mohd Qais Mustaque Shaikh, and Momin Hina Imran Ahmed. The complainant was initially allowed to withdraw at first to build trust before being defrauded of over Rs. 65 lakh.
Police also arrested Katravath Nithin from Mahabubnagar in connection with a loan fraud application. The victim was lured through Instagram by fraudsters posing as representatives of loan companies. He was asked to share personal and banking details before being asked to pay about Rs. 2 lakh under the pretext of security deposits and processing charges. Investigators discovered that the funds were moved through several accounts owned by the criminals before being transferred into crypto and sent out of the country.
Meanwhile, officials of the Indian police have warned the public to exercise caution while trying to make money online. They urged residents to refrain from responding to unknown profiles or phone numbers, especially those acting overly friendly. In addition, the officials also warned residents to avoid sharing personal information and accessing crypto investment platforms through their official websites and to report suspected fraud immediately to the nearest police station.
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Warren, Kim push scrutiny of UAE’s $500M investment in WLFI
Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Andy Kim have both called for a review into the $500 million stake made in the Trump-linked crypto project World Liberty Financial by a UAE government-linked entity. The democratic Senators issued a letter to that effect to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to look into the issue.
According to the letter, the Senators want Bessent to evaluate whether the reported stake in the Trump-linked project warrants a national security review. The Senators, who are both members of the Senate Banking Committee, asked Bessent to determine whether the Committee of Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) should look into the deal, per the letter. CFIUS is an interagency panel overseen by the Treasury that looks into foreign investments for national security risks.
Senators Warren and Kim want to review UAE stake in WLFI
The deal was reported by the Wall Street Journal last month. The news outlet mentioned that G42, a company backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the national security adviser and manager of the largest sovereign wealth fund in the UAE, acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial days before the second inauguration of Trump in January 2025. The deal was executed through an entity called Aryam Investment 1 and was signed by Eric Trump.
The deal required an upfront payment of $250 million, with about $187 million of the entire figure directed towards Trump family entities and at least $31 million to firms affiliated with the family of Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East and a co-founder of World Liberty Financial, the report said. President Trump has denied knowledge of the investment. “My sons are handling that, my family is handling it … I have all I can handle right now with Iran and with Russia and Ukraine,” Trump said to reporters.
In the letter, the Senators asked whether CFIUS had already reviewed the transaction and made any recommendations to the president about it. They noted that the CFIUS should have been mandated to review transactions that could give foreign governments access to sensitive technology or personal data. The letter pointed to the fact that World Liberty Financial says it collects personal information from users, questioning whether the UAE or China could gain access to the data.
Probes trail UAE’s $500 million stake in WLFI
The letter also mentioned that the deal would see WLFI give up two board seats to senior executives who hold key positions at G42. The Senators also cited longstanding United States intelligence warnings that G42 may have been involved in the provision of technology to assist China’s military. The company was accused of developing a surveillance app that was developed as a messaging app. In addition, G42 has faced scrutiny over its ties to Chinese firms, including Huawei and Beijing Genomics Institute.
However, the company said it had divested from the Chinese companies since early 2024. The CFIUS request adds to a growing list of probes that have been sought since the deal was announced. Last week, Rep. Ro Khanna, ranking member of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with China, launched an investigation demanding documents and answers from WLFI co-founder Zach Witkoff by March 1.
In the letter, Khanna focused on whether the investment may have influenced US export policy on advanced AI chips after the Trump administration approved a plan to give the UAE access to 500,000 of the most advanced AI chips per year. Bessent has also been grilled over WLFI at a House Financial Services Committee hearing last week, where he was asked to pause a pending Banking charter application tied to the firm. Senators Warren and Kim have given Bessent until March to respond to their letter.
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According to the letter, the Senators want Bessent to evaluate whether the reported stake in the Trump-linked project warrants a national security review. The Senators, who are both members of the Senate Banking Committee, asked Bessent to determine whether the Committee of Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) should look into the deal, per the letter. CFIUS is an interagency panel overseen by the Treasury that looks into foreign investments for national security risks.
Senators Warren and Kim want to review UAE stake in WLFI
The deal was reported by the Wall Street Journal last month. The news outlet mentioned that G42, a company backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the national security adviser and manager of the largest sovereign wealth fund in the UAE, acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial days before the second inauguration of Trump in January 2025. The deal was executed through an entity called Aryam Investment 1 and was signed by Eric Trump.
The deal required an upfront payment of $250 million, with about $187 million of the entire figure directed towards Trump family entities and at least $31 million to firms affiliated with the family of Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East and a co-founder of World Liberty Financial, the report said. President Trump has denied knowledge of the investment. “My sons are handling that, my family is handling it … I have all I can handle right now with Iran and with Russia and Ukraine,” Trump said to reporters.
In the letter, the Senators asked whether CFIUS had already reviewed the transaction and made any recommendations to the president about it. They noted that the CFIUS should have been mandated to review transactions that could give foreign governments access to sensitive technology or personal data. The letter pointed to the fact that World Liberty Financial says it collects personal information from users, questioning whether the UAE or China could gain access to the data.
Probes trail UAE’s $500 million stake in WLFI
The letter also mentioned that the deal would see WLFI give up two board seats to senior executives who hold key positions at G42. The Senators also cited longstanding United States intelligence warnings that G42 may have been involved in the provision of technology to assist China’s military. The company was accused of developing a surveillance app that was developed as a messaging app. In addition, G42 has faced scrutiny over its ties to Chinese firms, including Huawei and Beijing Genomics Institute.
However, the company said it had divested from the Chinese companies since early 2024. The CFIUS request adds to a growing list of probes that have been sought since the deal was announced. Last week, Rep. Ro Khanna, ranking member of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with China, launched an investigation demanding documents and answers from WLFI co-founder Zach Witkoff by March 1.
In the letter, Khanna focused on whether the investment may have influenced US export policy on advanced AI chips after the Trump administration approved a plan to give the UAE access to 500,000 of the most advanced AI chips per year. Bessent has also been grilled over WLFI at a House Financial Services Committee hearing last week, where he was asked to pause a pending Banking charter application tied to the firm. Senators Warren and Kim have given Bessent until March to respond to their letter.
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ECB expands EUREP, offering €50 billion in euro liquidity to global partners
The European Central Bank made a significant move to strengthen the euro’s position in international banking. This bank is making its emergency loan program available to central banks throughout the world.
On February 14, 2026, the ECB’s senior decision-making committee announced adjustments to the EUREP, which provides euros to other central banks during times of financial market turbulence.
Global access replaces limited regional program
Before this change, only eight countries near Europe could use this program. These included Romania, Hungary, Albania, and Montenegro. Now, almost every central bank in the world can apply to join.
The only banks excluded are those connected to money laundering, funding terrorists, or facing international penalties. Each bank that gets approved can borrow up to 50 billion euros. They need to put up good-quality euro bonds from European governments as security for the loans.
The new rules start in July 2026, and banks will have full access by the third quarter. This is much more money than banks could borrow before.
The ECB also dropped an old rule that required banks to lend the borrowed money to their own country’s banks. Now they can use the euros however they need to. The ECB said it will stop sharing details about how much each country borrows. Instead, it will only release combined weekly numbers to keep things private.
Applications are submitted via a formal request letter from the central bank’s governor directly to the ECB president.
ECB president cites geopolitical risks as driver
At the Munich Security Conference that same day, Christine Lagarde, the president of the European Central Bank, discussed these adjustments. She cited a globe rife with political unrest, disrupted supply lines, and fierce corporate competitiveness. According to her, the new program is faster, easier to use, and permanent. When financial market issues arise, this should increase public confidence in the euro.
The setup is similar to what the U.S. Federal Reserve does with its FIMA program. That program gives foreign government institutions access to dollars backed by U.S. Treasury bonds to keep markets stable. The ECB wants to create the same kind of safety net for the euro.
The euro still has a long way to go to catch up with the dollar. The euro makes up about 20 percent of global foreign exchange reserves held by central banks, while the dollar accounts for roughly 60 percent. But having a reliable backup source of euros could slowly change this balance.
When central banks and investors know they can get euros quickly if needed, they might be more willing to hold euro assets. This could lead to more trade, lending, and investment using euros.
Financial experts say these emergency programs usually sit unused during normal times. But just knowing they exist matters a lot. When market stress hits, they can make a real difference in keeping things stable.
Europe has been working toward less dependence on other countries’ financial systems as the world economy becomes harder to predict. Making EUREP available to more banks fits into this bigger plan.
“This facility also reinforces the role of the euro. The availability of a lender of last resort for central banks worldwide boosts confidence to invest, borrow and trade in euros, knowing that access will be there during market disruptions.” Lagarde said. “In a world where supply chain dependencies have become security vulnerabilities, Europe must be a source of stability – for ourselves and for our partners.”
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On February 14, 2026, the ECB’s senior decision-making committee announced adjustments to the EUREP, which provides euros to other central banks during times of financial market turbulence.
Global access replaces limited regional program
Before this change, only eight countries near Europe could use this program. These included Romania, Hungary, Albania, and Montenegro. Now, almost every central bank in the world can apply to join.
The only banks excluded are those connected to money laundering, funding terrorists, or facing international penalties. Each bank that gets approved can borrow up to 50 billion euros. They need to put up good-quality euro bonds from European governments as security for the loans.
The new rules start in July 2026, and banks will have full access by the third quarter. This is much more money than banks could borrow before.
The ECB also dropped an old rule that required banks to lend the borrowed money to their own country’s banks. Now they can use the euros however they need to. The ECB said it will stop sharing details about how much each country borrows. Instead, it will only release combined weekly numbers to keep things private.
Applications are submitted via a formal request letter from the central bank’s governor directly to the ECB president.
ECB president cites geopolitical risks as driver
At the Munich Security Conference that same day, Christine Lagarde, the president of the European Central Bank, discussed these adjustments. She cited a globe rife with political unrest, disrupted supply lines, and fierce corporate competitiveness. According to her, the new program is faster, easier to use, and permanent. When financial market issues arise, this should increase public confidence in the euro.
The setup is similar to what the U.S. Federal Reserve does with its FIMA program. That program gives foreign government institutions access to dollars backed by U.S. Treasury bonds to keep markets stable. The ECB wants to create the same kind of safety net for the euro.
The euro still has a long way to go to catch up with the dollar. The euro makes up about 20 percent of global foreign exchange reserves held by central banks, while the dollar accounts for roughly 60 percent. But having a reliable backup source of euros could slowly change this balance.
When central banks and investors know they can get euros quickly if needed, they might be more willing to hold euro assets. This could lead to more trade, lending, and investment using euros.
Financial experts say these emergency programs usually sit unused during normal times. But just knowing they exist matters a lot. When market stress hits, they can make a real difference in keeping things stable.
Europe has been working toward less dependence on other countries’ financial systems as the world economy becomes harder to predict. Making EUREP available to more banks fits into this bigger plan.
“This facility also reinforces the role of the euro. The availability of a lender of last resort for central banks worldwide boosts confidence to invest, borrow and trade in euros, knowing that access will be there during market disruptions.” Lagarde said. “In a world where supply chain dependencies have become security vulnerabilities, Europe must be a source of stability – for ourselves and for our partners.”
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