Cryptopolitan

Speculative Layer-1 ecosystems built around narrative momentum have struggled to provide stable participation economics during the 2026 market drawdown. Operator incentives tied directly to native tokens have amplified downside exposure as price compression continues across multiple sectors.

This environment has accelerated interest in participation models that separate operational rewards from token price performance, particularly those anchored to measurable network activity and external settlement assets.

MemeCore’s Incentive Model Meets Harsh Reality

MemeCore was designed as an EVM-compatible Layer-1 focused on a “Meme 2.0” economy, using its Proof of Meme consensus system to reward cultural relevance and on-chain viral engagement. Participation outcomes are therefore influenced by social momentum in addition to validator activity.

As of February 2026, MemeCore’s native token trades near $1.41 after rebounding from a brief flash-crash range between $1.12 and $1.20 earlier in the month. Despite the recovery, the asset remains roughly 52% below its $2.96 cycle high. Network participation economics remain closely tied to token valuation, leaving operators exposed to continued volatility while broader market direction remains uncertain.

Everlight’s Role Alongside Bitcoin

Bitcoin Everlight functions as a Bitcoin-adjacent transaction coordination layer that operates without altering Bitcoin’s protocol, monetary policy, or consensus rules. The system is designed to handle execution-layer activity such as transaction routing and coordination, while Bitcoin retains final settlement authority.

Transaction confirmations are achieved through quorum-based validation across Everlight nodes, typically completed in seconds. For additional settlement assurance, activity can be periodically anchored back to Bitcoin, creating a linkage between execution speed and base-layer finality without introducing protocol changes.

How Everlight Nodes Generate BTCL Rewards

Everlight nodes perform operational tasks including transaction routing, uptime maintenance, and performance verification. These nodes are not Bitcoin full nodes and do not validate Bitcoin blocks. Their function is limited to execution-layer coordination within the Everlight network.

Node operators commit BTCL to participate and earn Bitcoin derived from real network usage. BTC distribution is calculated using routing throughput, uptime coefficients, performance metrics, and node tier classification. Everlight supports Light, Core, and Prime node tiers, each carrying increasing routing responsibility and proportional access to BTC-denominated network rewards.

No lock period is enforced. Participation is flexible, with Bitcoin earned only while nodes remain active and performant. Nodes that fail to meet performance thresholds lose routing priority and associated BTC allocation until operational standards are restored.

Participation Model Comparison

DimensionMemeCoreBitcoin EverlightReward AssetNative tokenBitcoin (BTC)Reward BasisCultural & viral signalsTransaction routing activityExposure to Token PriceHighLimitedMandatory LockupProtocol-definedNoneNode Function ScopeConsensus & signalingExecution & routingBitcoin Layer ImpactNoneNo protocol changes

Running Nodes Through a Mobile Interface

Everlight node participation is managed through a dedicated mobile application, allowing operators to monitor and adjust activity from a smartphone. The app provides live reporting on node status, uptime consistency, routing activity, and Bitcoin earned from network operations.

Performance alerts notify operators of uptime disruptions, routing changes, and BTC distribution events. This design reduces infrastructure complexity and enables participation without constant server oversight, expanding access beyond traditional node operators.

Independent third-party analysis of Everlight’s node structure and reward mechanics is available through Crypto Dex World.

Audits and Team Identity Checks Are In Place

Bitcoin Everlight has completed multiple independent security evaluations intended to assess smart contract logic, deployment integrity, and potential attack surfaces. Reviews conducted through the SpyWolf Audit and SolidProof Audit focus on verifying contract behavior under real-world conditions and identifying implementation risks prior to broader network usage.

Beyond code review, Everlight has also completed independent team identity verification via SpyWolf Team Identity Verification and Vital Block Team Validation. These processes establish accountability by confirming the identities responsible for network development and operations, reducing counterparty opacity for participants.

BTCL Presale Structure and Market Positioning

Bitcoin Everlight has a fixed supply of 21,000,000,000 BTCL. Allocation is defined as 45% public presale, 20% node rewards and network incentives, 15% liquidity provisioning, 10% team allocation under vesting, and 10% reserved for ecosystem development and treasury use.

The presale follows a 20-stage structure. Phase 3 is currently active with BTCL priced at $0.0012. Presale allocations unlock 20% at token generation, with the remaining 80% released linearly over six to nine months. Team allocations follow a 12-month cliff with extended vesting thereafter. BTCL utility is limited to transaction routing fees, node participation thresholds, performance incentives, and anchoring operations.

In a market where token-denominated participation remains vulnerable to drawdowns, Everlight’s Bitcoin-based reward model positions network activity as a defensive alternative. If market conditions improve, increased transaction demand expands routing activity. If volatility persists, operators continue earning Bitcoin from ongoing network usage.

Run Everlight nodes through the mobile app and earn Bitcoin from real network activity.

Website: https://bitcoineverlight.com/
Security: https://bitcoineverlight.com/security
How to Buy: https://bitcoineverlight.com/articles/how-to-buy-bitcoin-everlight-btcl

Daiwa Capital Markets is now telling investors to buy Palantir, even though the stock has been a mess this year. Analyst Shigemichi Yoshizu thinks it still has room to bounce, even after dropping 20% since January. He lowered his price target from $200 to $180, but that still means there’s a 26% gain possible if the stock recovers.

The company reported strong fourth-quarter earnings last week, beating both revenue and profit estimates. Shares jumped 7% the next day. Shigemichi said, “The earnings release left a positive impression.

The company continued to see extraordinary demand for its AI platform services from both public and private sectors.” That’s exactly what helped Daiwa flip from neutral to buy.

Palantir gets a boost from U.S. commercial demand

What really caught Wall Street’s attention was the spike in Palantir’s U.S. commercial revenue, which rose 137%. The company expects that number to keep climbing. Shigemichi said clients aren’t just testing the software anymore. They’re now running operations with it.

He also wrote that the company is expanding quickly by adding more users, increasing contract lengths, and finding new ways for customers to use the platform. He added, “With the firm projecting U.S. commercial revenue up at least 115%, it reaffirmed the significant growth potential of future earnings.”

Even with that growth, Palantir keeps catching heat in the UK. Since 2023, the company has pulled in over £500 million in government contracts and hired Lord Mandelson’s Global Counsel to help with strategy.

Critics are pushing to get the company off public contracts altogether, saying it’s a black box when it comes to transparency.

One of the biggest deals came when Palantir landed a £330 million contract with the NHS to help organize health data. That partnership made people nervous. The company has ties to the Israeli military and U.S. immigration enforcement, including ICE, which has been blamed for deadly crackdowns on American soil. Those connections raised a lot of questions.

In June, the UK Government refused to share briefings sent to Keir Starmer before he and Mandelson visited a Palantir showroom in Washington DC. That refusal only made the backlash worse.

Government ties, IPO timeline, and sky-high valuation

In the U.S., Palantir is deep in government work. It builds AI tools and data platforms like Gotham and Foundry for military and intelligence agencies. The company recently landed a $10 billion deal with the Army. It’s also worked on battlefield surveillance, immigration data, and federal databases.

Before going public, Palantir wasn’t profitable. It filed for an IPO in July 2020 and listed directly on the New York Stock Exchange on September 30, 2020 using the symbol PLTR. Four years later, on November 26, 2024, it moved over to the Nasdaq, keeping the same ticker.

On September 6, 2024, S&P Global added the company to the S&P 500, and shares jumped 14% the next day. But in 2025, The Economist took aim, calling Palantir “the most over-valued firm of all time.” Its market cap hit $430 billion, over 600 times its earnings from 2024. As of November 2025, it was trading at 85 times expected sales, the most expensive stock on the index.

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Blockchain.com has won regulatory approval in the UK. The crypto exchange has been added to the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) registry of licensed crypto companies under its trading name “BC Operations” today.

The company said being granted registration places them under immediate oversight. Rather than waiting for legislation, Blockchain.com is currently operating under the very same strict standards that traditional finance and banks adhere to in the UK.

FCA oversight helps, but custody risk still comes down to execution.

— Tychi Labs (@TychiLabs) February 10, 2026

This approval marks a key milestone for the company, following the initial abandonment of its bid for FCA licensing in March 2022. The company joins other 50 firms, including Coinbase UK, Moonpay, Bitstamp, Binance, and Kraken.

Blockchain.com eyes partnerships with banks and financial firms

The approval allows Blockchain.com to operate in accordance with the UK’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulations. The FCA registration enables the company to deliver brokerage, custodial, and institutional-grade crypto services.  

Blockchain.com also plans to leverage this authorization to collaborate with banks and other regulated financial institutions.

Although the company can now provide crypto-related services in the UK, it is still subject to the current licensing regime. The FCA’s crypto licensing framework does not yet provide full financial services authorization.

To that end, the company said it is committed to securing full authorization under the government’s new permanent regulatory regime, which is expected to take effect in 2027.

“We are committed to working hand-in-hand with the FCA and UK policymakers as they shape the permanent regulatory framework, ensuring the UK remains a global leader in financial innovation,” Blockchain.com founder and CEO Peter Smith said.

The approval follows Blockchain.com securing its MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) license last year, which provides passporting rights across all 30 European Economic Area (EEA) countries under one unified regulatory framework. Currently, Blockchain.com said it has a presence across more than 70 jurisdictions globally.

FCA to finalize UK crypto rules by Summer 2026

The UK’s FCA’s executive director of payments and digital finance, David Geale, said in a speech that the agency will set its final rules for digital assets in early summer. He said that the FCA is “open for business, and we want crypto firms to succeed.”

The FCA has been consulting on its proposed approach to crypto regulation since the UK Treasury published a draft Statutory Instrument last April. This is meant to issue stablecoins, safeguard crypto activities, and operate a crypto trading platform, intermediation, and staking under the regulator’s remit.

At the end of last year, the FCA set ambitious new growth targets for 2026, including finalizing digital asset rules and advancing the UK-issued sterling stablecoins, to provide “faster and more convenient” payments.

According to an FCA press release at the time, the regulator said it would open up its regulatory sandbox. The regulators called it a scheme for the safe testing of products and for supporting innovative policy development for firms wanting to experiment with the issuance of stablecoins.

The legislation is yet to be officially passed into law. However, when it eventually does, the FCA wants to be ready to implement its new framework.

As reported by Cryptopolitan, the FCA published its final consultation paper for crypto-asset regulation a couple of weeks ago. It focused on how the FCA’s “Consumer Duty” rules will apply to digital currency firms, as well as the regulator’s proposed approach to international firms.

He encouraged all interested parties to share their views on the proposals by the March 12 deadline. “We want innovators, regulators, government, and industry all involved in shaping the future of crypto in the UK,” said Geale.

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Hyundai is going straight at China’s auto giants in Europe. The company just said it’s getting ready to roll out five new electric and hybrid vehicles over the next 18 months, and it’s not teaming up with anyone. This is Hyundai’s way of saying it doesn’t need help from rivals to meet Europe’s emissions rules.

The plan is to electrify every Hyundai model by next year. That’s what Xavier Martinet, the company’s European head, said during an interview in Frankfurt. He made it very clear:

“We don’t plan on pooling with anyone. Why would you pay a competitor to reach your objective? You’re not only spending money, but you’re enriching somebody else.”

Hyundai is keeping its emissions strategy in-house and doesn’t want to rely on deals with others just to hit its targets.

Hyundai refuses credit pooling while other carmakers strike deals

Under current EU rules, carmakers must cut emissions or face huge fines. They can sell more electric cars or buy carbon credits from companies that already meet the limits. Most companies are choosing the second option. Not Hyundai.

Nissan is buying credits from BYD, which is one of the fastest-growing Chinese car brands in Europe. Mazda is joining forces with Changan Mazda, a joint venture it runs with a state-owned Chinese firm. Tesla is pooling credits with Stellantis, Toyota, Honda, Ford, and Leapmotor, which is based in China. Mercedes-Benz is working with Polestar and Volvo Cars, both owned by Geely, another Chinese group.

Meanwhile, Hyundai is doing none of that. No credit buying. No pooling. Nothing. The company is trying to stay at the top by itself. Hyundai, along with its sister company Kia, already holds 8 percent of the EU and UK car market.

That’s the biggest share for any non-European brand. The plan to keep that spot starts in April, when Hyundai will launch the Ioniq 3, a fully electric hatchback that will go up against Volkswagen’s ID.3, which starts at just under €30,000.

Hyundai shifts strategy as EV sales grow slower than expected

Even though EV sales went up 48 percent last year, Martinet said the transition to electric is still slower than expected. Hyundai now plans to offer every model with either an electric or hybrid version by 2027, not full EVs across the board. That’s a change from earlier goals.

Martinet said the group has a big advantage: it owns a lot of its supply chain. From chips to steel, and even robotics and logistics, Hyundai has more control than most other carmakers. That gives it some room to breathe as pressure from regulations builds.

By 2030, car companies in Europe will need to cut emissions by 55 percent compared to 2021 levels. That’s going to cost a lot. And the UK isn’t going easy either. By the end of the decade, 80 percent of new car sales in the UK must be electric.

Martinet warned that might be too much. “I truly believe there’s a moment when we’ll have an issue in terms of the ability of the [carmakers] to continue pouring money into the EV mandate in the UK,” he said. Companies are already offering big discounts just to meet the rules.

At the same time, the fight isn’t just happening in Europe. Back in the United States, BYD is suing the government over tariffs that were first put in place during Donald Trump’s presidency. The case was filed on January 26, 2026, in the U.S. Court of International Trade, under case number 26-00847.

Four BYD units are listed as plaintiffs: BYD America, BYD Coach & Bus, BYD Energy, and BYD Motors. They’re going after several U.S. federal agencies, including Customs and Border Protection, the Treasury Department, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

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The yuan has jumped to 6.91 per dollar, its strongest level since May 2023. This marks seven straight months of gains, the longest winning streak since 2020–2021.

Since the start of 2025, the yuan is up 5%, making it the third-best performing Asian currency since September. And it’s not by luck. China’s financial authorities are behind it, pushing banks to cut their U.S. Treasury buying and reduce exposure if they’ve loaded up too much. This sudden pullback in dollar demand is driving the rally.

At the same time, the dollar is falling apart, making it easier for the yuan to shine. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index has dropped 1.7% this year, after plunging 8% in 2025. That was the worst yearly showing for the dollar since 2017. Traders expect this trend to continue, especially if the Federal Reserve slashes rates deeper than markets are pricing in.

Fed rate cuts and Trump pressure weigh on the dollar

According to State Street strategist Lee Ferridge, the dollar could lose another 10% this year if the Fed turns more aggressive. He says a third rate cut in 2026 is “possible,” not just because of economic data, but because of the pressure that President Donald Trump might put on whoever replaces Jerome Powell as Fed Chair.

Ferridge told reporters at the TradeTech FX conference in Miami, “Two is a reasonable base case, but we have to accept we are going into a more uncertain period of Fed policy.” He also said if Trump pushes for cheaper borrowing, that could accelerate dollar weakness even further.

The first cut is expected around June, with most traders betting on two quarter-point reductions by the end of 2026. But if the new Fed Chair bows to White House pressure, a third could be on the table. On top of that, Ferridge added that deeper cuts lower hedging costs for foreigners investing in the U.S., which would hurt the dollar more as they hedge aggressively.

Ferridge did say the dollar might briefly bounce back 2%-3% if U.S. data surprises on the upside. But so far, momentum is still sliding. And as the dollar dips, the yuan keeps gaining ground.

Beijing cracks down on crypto to protect the yuan

China isn’t just pushing banks behind closed doors. Regulators just banned unapproved yuan-pegged stablecoins and tokenized risk-weighted assets, both from inside and outside the country. On February 6, the People’s Bank of China, along with several agencies, issued a statement warning that these crypto products could threaten the yuan’s stability if left unregulated.

The ban includes a full stop on businesses using words like “stablecoin,” “RWA,” or “cryptocurrency” in their names or scope. This is about pushing the adoption of the e-CNY, China’s state-backed central bank digital currency that’s been in the works for years. The document called it a response to “new circumstances and new challenges.”

There’s also an international layer to all this. The U.K. just became the first foreign country to host two yuan-clearing Chinese banks.

On January 29, during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Beijing, China’s central bank approved the Bank of China’s London branch as a new clearing hub. This boosts offshore yuan trading in Europe, with London now a major link in China’s global currency network.

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The Bank of England partnered with blockchain oracle Chainlink on Tuesday to test atomic settlements with tokenized assets. The BoE’s initiative, Project Meridian, aims to integrate traditional finance with decentralized systems.

The Bank of England’s Synchronisation Lab allows operators to demonstrate how they would interact with the bank’s RT2 synchronization capability. The Lab also aims to demonstrate what services operators could offer to synchronization users, including RTGS account holders, asset ledger operators, and customers in asset markets.

BoE’s Lab runs for 6 months from spring 2026

The @bankofengland’s Synchronisation Lab is a platform for industry to demonstrate use cases & understand business models for synchronisation.

Here’s how Chainlink is enabling the next generation of UK financial infra: https://t.co/PYS56yiGWE

— Chainlink (@chainlink) February 10, 2026

The Lab will build on Meridian and provide synchronization operators with a venue to experiment with various use cases. Britain’s central bank introduced the Synchronisation Lab in October 2025 to demonstrate use cases and understand synchronization business models.

The BoE announced that 18 organizations have already been selected to participate in the initiative. The entities will test a flurry of diverse synchronization use cases. 

The financial institution expects the Lab to run from spring 2026 for around six months. The period is meant to enable participating synchronization operators to test use cases and demonstrate how they would interact with RT2 and users.

The BoE stated that its Synchronisation Lab aims to help the bank better evaluate its design options for the exchange of information between RT2 and operators. The bank’s Lab also seeks to demonstrate synchronization’s flexibility by allowing participants to showcase use cases and the benefits they could offer users.

The UK’s central bank believes that synchronization may interest firms in the BoE’s Digital Securities Sandbox (DSS), which enables innovation in the issuance, trading, and settlement of securities in the country. The BoE revealed that the Lab provides a pathway for DSS firms to test the settlement of digital security transactions in sterling central bank money. The Lab will also not support real-money payments.

The BoE set the application deadline on November 28, and successful applicants will receive more detailed specifications at a later date. The bank will give the applicants another two months to build or develop their prototypes, with the bank looking to iterate with them on their design and build before the Lab launches.

Lab Participants are expected to use the bank’s capabilities to test their use cases. They will be invited to present their use cases and findings at an industry showcase once the Lab closes.

The BoE said it will publish a report about the key learnings for the live functionality. The bank also plans to use the Lab’s findings to support ongoing design and other development work.

The central bank’s Lab will enable its participants to simulate the basic interactions required for synchronization settlement. The bank also designed the Lab to function as a platform and expects Lab Participants to build the additional elements required to integrate with it.

The Lab will simulate the RT2’s settlement engine, which is required to settle and manage a transaction. The Lab will mimic RT2’s user interface to provide participants with visibility into transactions they orchestrate. It will also emulate an Application Programming Interface (API) layer, allowing participants to oversee and control the entire lifecycle of settling a transaction.

BoE’s Lab explores two different synchronization models

The BoE’s Synchronization Lab will explore two models to help the bank, RTGS account holders, and operators evaluate different options. The first model will enable synchronization operators to send the earmarking instruction to RT2 and instruct the final settlement.

The second proposed model will allow RTGS account holders to send the earmarking instruction directed by a synchronization operator. Operators are responsible for issuing the final settlement, while the Lab Participant will simulate the earmarking instruction.

The BoE will also consider two more models based on the feedback from the initial experimentation. The bank expects the models to test additional controls that RTGS account holders could apply.

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Coinbase’s Base app has dropped its creator rewards program as well as its Farcaster-powered social feed. An official announcement from the Base App indicates that Coinbase is shifting from a more social Base ecosystem to a trading-first experience that prioritizes tradable assets.

Coinbase’s Base app has announced a major strategic shift from its social-centric ecosystem to a more trading-oriented platform that focuses entirely on tradable assets. Base App said it was getting rid of the farcaster-powered “Talk” feed to incorporate a feed tailored for onchain activity.

Base App halts creator rewards after distributing $450k to 17k creators

We're making the Base app the best place to trade onchain. 

Starting today, the feed will focus entirely on tradable assets. This means we're removing the Talk feed in favor of a feed of onchain activity.

As part of this shift, we're also sunsetting Creator Rewards. In the last…

— Base App (@baseapp) February 9, 2026

As part of the restructuring process, Base App also announced it will be culminating the platform’s creator rewards program. The platform noted that the creator rewards program has distributed over $450,000 to more than 17,000 creators in the last six months. The rewards program will end on February 15, and final payouts will be distributed on February 18. The figures show that each creator has received an average of $26 over the preceding six months.

“We’re grateful for all the creators who helped us build so far, and will be sharing new ways we’ll reward the Base App community soon,” Base App wrote on X. “We’re just getting started building the best trading experience onchain.”

The decision, confirmed by Base’s founder Jesse Pollak, who emphasized that the platform needed to operate under one primary function, which he concluded was trading. Pollak announced on X that he was one of the leading advocates for the farcaster integration in the Base App. He explained that after the application’s rollout, the founders realized that they needed to “do less, better.” Pollack confirmed that Base App will continue to support Farcaster and its builders despite its termination on the Base App.

Base App founder’s previous comments hint at ongoing developments 

The Base App founder made a similar announcement in mid-January that has seemingly laid the foundation for the app’s recent transformative shift. According to Pollak’s January announcement, the Base App was going to make trading its main operation to drive demand and distribution for assets across the onchain economy. “In general, there is a desire to engage with and trade high-quality assets. This is the most important opportunity as we bring capital markets onchain,” Jesse Pollak said.

In a detailed thread, Pollak said that the application was too social, hence too close to Web2, and did not support enough assets that users wanted to trade. He explained that the app’s usage suggested the growing demand for what he termed “high-quality assets.” Pollak also suggested that the feed needed to show what was happening onchain. 

He also added that the team believed it made more sense to layer social features on top of finance than vice versa. Pollak said that the app developers would build a finance-first UX and overhaul the social ecosystem with new features such as copy trading, leaderboards, and feed trading.

Cryptopolitan reported that the proposed changes raised questions on the suitability of mini apps, which had been sold as consumer experience tools and onboarding creators, to the new focus. Pollak emphasized that this will remain a priority in the application and added that the Base App team is working to improve discoverability and refine tooling to measure their performance.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong also echoed Pollak’s announcement, saying the app was taking a new trajectory focused on retail investors and traders as its initial users. Armstrong also said that the app will expand its feed to incorporate a broader range of assets to support everyone building on Base.

Coinbase launched the Base App in July last year and pitched it as a central piece of Coinbase’s “Everything App” strategy. The application was purposefully designed to integrate onchain social networking, messaging, and payments with onchain activities such as trading and investing.

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Sergey Nazarov, co-founder of blockchain oracle network Chainlink, says the current cryptocurrency bear market is proving the sector’s ability to handle volatility rather than exposing new systemic weaknesses. Based on his argument, no major structural failures such as FTX have occurred, and the expansion of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) continues at a robust pace.

Nazarov’s comments, shared publicly on social media and in industry press interviews, framed the latest market correction not as a failure, but as evidence that the crypto ecosystem has matured beyond the shocks that defined earlier cycles.

In an X post dated Tuesday, February 10, Nazarov elaborated that although market cycles are inevitable, they serve as crucial indicators of an industry’s evolution and trajectory.

Reports note a 44% decline in the crypto market’s total value from an October peak of $4.4 trillion, with the market losing nearly $2 trillion in just 4 months. Despite this downward trend, Nazarov appeared calm. He highlighted two main reasons that distinguish this bear market from earlier ones.

Nazarov differentiates the current bear crypto market from the previous ones

Regarding his reasons for why the recent bear market is different from earlier ones, Nazarov began by noting that this time around, there have been no major collapses like those in previous declines that led to massive institutional failures, such as FTX, or issues related to crypto lending in 2022. This finding implied that the crypto industry has strengthened its capacity to navigate market turbulence.fccccch 

“There have been no large risk management failures leading to big institutional failures or widespread systemic risks,” he said.

The second reason was that the founder of Chainlink observed the continuous expansion of RWA tokenization and on-chain perpetual contracts for traditional commodities despite crypto price volatility.

This discovery demonstrates that the innovation offers tangible value, rather than mere speculation. To support this claim, data from RWA.xyz, a leading data and analytics platform, shows that the value of tokenized RWAs on-chain has increased significantly, rising 300% over the last year.

In an attempt to explain this scenario, Nazarov argued that having real-world assets on-chain does not mirror crypto volatility; rather, it possesses a unique value proposition that can appreciate independently of Bitcoin or broader crypto market trends.

Nonetheless, this surge has not been reflected in Chainlink’s price, which has retreated 83% from its 2021 all-time high and 67% from its October peak. Currently, it is trading at a bear-market low below $9. 

Meanwhile, in addition to the above arguments, Nazarov also highlighted key trends shaping the future of cryptocurrency. According to him, on-chain perpetual contracts and tokenization offer certain benefits, such as 24/7 markets, on-chain collateral, and the ever-increasing volume of instantaneous data.

Afterwards, he anticipated that this crucial utility would be the catalyst for institutional adoption, driving the need for further infrastructure development, as complex real-world assets require more robust and sophisticated on-chain systems.

Several individuals have raised concerns about the recent declines in the crypto market 

While Nazarov maintains composure during the downturn, several investors have raised concerns about the recent market declines, igniting tension in the crypto industry.

Due to this situation, Gautam Chhugani, a Senior Analyst at Bernstein specializing in global digital assets, shared a note published on Monday this week stressing that, “we are currently witnessing the weakest Bitcoin bear case in its history.” He further warned that, “If these trends keep going, I think what I have been saying for years will come true; on-chain RWAs will exceed cryptocurrency in total value within our industry, fundamentally changing what our industry is about.” 

On the other hand,  Jeff Mei, chief operating officer at the BTSE exchange, argued that this unique sell-off is primarily driven by external, non-crypto factors.

These factors include heightened concerns that stalling AI infrastructure investment will drag down the stock market, as well as concerns about Kevin Warsh assuming the role of Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States. Several individuals anticipate that Warsh will reduce liquidity in the financial system.

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The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has filed a lawsuit against crypto exchange HTX over illegally promoting crypto asset services to British consumers. According to the watchdog, the actions are a breach of the new financial advertising rules.

FCA said that it began proceedings against HTX and several related persons in the Chancery Division of the High Court in October 2025. 

According to an update published Tuesday, the regulator said it received permission on Wednesday to serve the case outside the UK and by alternative means. This was necessary because HTX (formerly known as Huobi Global) is incorporated in Panama.

The FCA adds HTX to its Warning List

The UK’s crypto financial promotions regime came into force in October 2023 and applies to both domestic and overseas firms that target UK consumers. Any crypto promotion must either be issued by an authorised firm or approved by one, and must meet detailed requirements on risk disclosures and presentation.

The FCA has said that most firms adjusted their marketing practices or withdrew from the UK following the introduction of the rules. In HTX’s case, the FCA has been monitoring its activities for several months. 

“HTX operates an opaque organisational structure, hiding the identities of its owners and the operators of its website,” the FCA said. Repeated attempts to engage with the company had been ignored, it added. 

As stated, the FCA had warned about HTX’s promotion of crypto services to UK consumers. “However, it has continued to publish financial promotions in breach of these rules on its website and on social media platforms, including TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube,” the authority said.

The FCA acknowledged that HTX has taken some steps to restrict new UK users from registering. However, it said existing UK customers can still log in and view promotions that the regulator considers unlawful. The FCA added that it has not received assurances that these changes are permanent, raising concerns about continued non-compliance.

The FCA has instructed social media companies to block HTX’s accounts in the UK. The regulator has asked for the removal of HTX’s apps from Google Play and the Apple Store within the UK. 

The FCA emphasized that firms promoting crypto services to UK consumers must adhere to rules that protect them from misleading or harmful marketing. Meanwhile, the regulator has put the company on its Warning List, notifying consumers that they are not protected by the UK government if they have a complaint against HTX.

Steve Smart, the FCA’s joint executive director of enforcement, stated, “HTX’s conduct stands in stark contrast to the majority of firms working to comply with the FCA’s regime. This is the first time we’ve taken enforcement action against a crypto firm illegally marketing their products to UK consumers.”

Beyond the UK, HTX’s regulatory retreat spans several important markets, reinforcing perceptions that the exchange is losing ground in key global jurisdictions. 

The platform has either restricted access or withdrawn services in major financial hubs, including the United States, mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Turkey, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Sudan, Venezuela, and Cuba.

HTX launches USDe minting and redemption service 

In other news, HTX  launched its new USDe minting and redemption service. The HTX minting and redemption process for USDe uses Ethena Labs’ smart contracts. The service eliminates the need for spot order books or OTC liquidity, simplifying the minting and redemption process.

🚀USDe Minting & Redemption is now live!

Mint & redeem directly on HTX.
Hold $USDe in your @HTX_Global spot account to harvest daily rewards!@ethena

Start Here:https://t.co/u33IpFI5he pic.twitter.com/E52G6dbSlL

— HTX (@HTX_Global) February 10, 2026

HTX also introduced a daily rewards program for users holding USDe in their spot accounts. Rewards will be paid weekly, allowing users to earn passive returns while maintaining dollar-denominated exposure.

The platform plans to add a USDe Flexible product to HTX Earn, with returns reaching up to 15% APY. HTX stated that the product will support seamless participation for users seeking steady yields with simple entry requirements.

A trading campaign now complements the launch and offers a 10,000 USDe reward pool through February 20. HTX framed the event as a way to encourage early engagement with the expanding synthetic dollar ecosystem. 

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Binance Coin has long been one of the most widely used cryptocurrencies, supported by the massive Binance ecosystem and its strong exchange utility. However, recent price action has raised new questions about its long term outlook. With BNB struggling to hold momentum and trading pressure increasing, many investors are now asking whether the token can reclaim higher levels or continue to fade below $630.

This Binance Coin price prediction for 2026 explores why BNB may face slower growth ahead. From market saturation and regulatory pressure to reduced upside compared with earlier cycles, analysts are reexamining the role of BNB in a changing crypto market. Understanding these factors is key for investors planning their next long term move.

Binance Coin (BNB) 

Binance Coin (BNB) is one of the foundations of the market, and its performance in the first part of 2026 has not impressed most individuals. The token is currently trading at close to $625 and has a market capitalization of around $100 billion. 

Although its domestic chain is still growing, BNB is not able to keep its pace above the crucial mark of $700. The token seems to be stuck in an extreme consolidation period where traders consider the influence of the rise of global regulations on centralized platforms.

The technical analysis will show that BNB is struggling with a number of tough resistance points at $650 and $685. These tiers have become quite hard to crack and each time the price tries to make an upswing, a fade occurs. 

Analysts have given a weak price projection on the balance of 2026. It is believed that BNB can only achieve a modest growth of 10%to be placed at the end of the year at $690. This sluggish expansion is pushing investors to find newer projects which have far greater upside potential.

Mutuum Finance (MUTM)

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is taking a different path as traditional financial systems face growing pressure. The project is building a non custodial lending and borrowing protocol focused on speed, low costs, and user control. Its aim is to reduce the friction found in traditional banking by replacing manual processes with automated smart contracts. According to official updates shared on X, the team has already reached an important milestone with the launch of its V1 protocol on the Sepolia testnet.

This V1 protocol release allows the community to test the platform’s core features in a live test environment before the full mainnet launch. Users can explore how the lending engine works, interact with yield bearing mechanisms, and see how positions are managed in real time. By delivering a working product at this stage, Mutuum Finance is showing progress beyond marketing claims. This early execution is a key reason the project has attracted growing attention going into the first quarter of 2026.

MUTM Presale Achievement and Community Rewards

The demand of Mutuum Finance can be seen in the presale stages, which are selling fast. The project has already raised over $20.4 million and has more than 19,000 holders. At present, the token is in Phase 7 and costs $0.04. This is after a gradual increase since its early point of commencement of 0.01. Having an assured initial price of $0.06, the phase 7 participants are enjoying a 50% discount.

In order to ensure that the community is involved, the project has a 24 hour leaderboard on its dashboard. The best contributors each day are followed by this board and a leader gets a bonus of $500 in MUTM every day. Joining the project has also become very easy. It also allows MUTM payments in the leading cryptocurrencies and even direct cards. This is accessible to a large number of investors who are able to be in place before the supply is actually consumed.

Stablecoins, Oracles and Elite Security

Mutuum Finance has a visible roadmap of expansion in the future. The group will introduce an over collateralized native stablecoin. With this asset, the users will be able to access the liquidity of their holdings without selling them. In a bid to be accurate and safe, the protocol is combined with the best of the best decentralized oracles. All types of collateral have real time price feeds by these oracles to avoid errors or protect the funds of the user.

The most critical attribute to the project is security. Mutuum Finance has undergone an extensive security audit by Halborn that is among the most reputable companies in the world. The project also has a high score in transparency rated at 90/100 CertiK rating. It is this safety promise which causes whales to shun out of stagnating assets such as BNB and into MUTM. The Phase 7 sell out is taking its toll, and the window is quickly closing to enter at $0.04.

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

Website: https://www.mutuum.com
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

Michael Saylor says he is not worried about Strategy’s credit risk even as bitcoin keeps sliding. He said the company has already planned for ugly markets. Prices can drop hard and stay low, and the company will still keep going. The plan is simple:- If Bitcoin collapses for years, the debt gets refinanced and pushed forward.

Saylor spoke as bitcoin traded around $68,970, down 9% in five days. The token fell as low as $60,062, the weakest level in roughly 16 months. At that point, it was down more than 50% from its record. Despite that, Saylor said the company will keep buying bitcoin every single quarter and will not sell any of what it already owns.

Saylor lays out refinancing plan as debt stays high

Michael Saylor, the co-founder and executive chairman, said on CNBC that even a brutal collapse would not change the plan. “If bitcoin falls 90% for the next four years, we’ll refinance the debt. We’ll just roll it forward,” Saylor said.

When asked if banks would still lend under that scenario, he answered yes and pointed to bitcoin volatility as a reason lenders stay interested. He said volatility does not kill value.

Strategy carries more than $8 billion in total debt. A large part came from convertible notes used to buy Bitcoin. The company now holds 714,644 bitcoins, worth about $49 billion, making it the largest corporate holder of the asset. Saylor said the firm expects to keep buying bitcoin every quarter forever and does not plan to sell any holdings.

He also said the company has about two and a half years of cash on the balance sheet to cover dividends. Later, he said Strategy faces no margin calls and has $2.25 billion in cash, enough to pay interest and distributions for more than two years. Still, pressure is rising as bitcoin trades below the firm’s $76,052 average cost.

Losses deepen as volatility drops and investors turn defensive

The numbers are getting worse on paper. In its latest earnings release, Strategy reported a $12.4 billion net loss for the fourth quarter. The loss came from mark-to-market declines in its bitcoin holdings, as Cryptopolitan reported.

This week, further market stress pushed the value of Strategy’s stash below its total purchase cost for the first time since 2023, wiping out gains made after the election.

The company also said it does not expect to generate earnings or profits this year or in the near future. Based on that outlook, Strategy said any distributions to holders of its perpetual preferred shares are expected to be tax-free for now. The stock fell about 2% on Tuesday as bitcoin broke below $70,000 again. Shares are down more than 40% over the past three months.

Market signals show caution. Bitcoin implied volatility dropped from about 83% to near 60%, pointing to lower expectations for sharp swings. At the same time, options traders remain defensive. The 25 delta call put skew stays tilted toward puts, showing demand for downside protection.

During the earnings call, Chief Executive Officer Phong Le told recent buyers to stay patient. “Some of you bought Bitcoin or MSTR in the last year, this is your first downturn, my advice is to hold on,” Phong said. His comments triggered angry reactions in the livestream chat.

For the past four years, Strategy acted as a high beta proxy for bitcoin. Shares jumped more than 3,500% between 2020 and 2024.

That rise came through equity sales and debt, and it also turned the firm into a target for critics of leveraged crypto exposure. Saylor has made clear that criticism will not change the plan.

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Polymarket will partner with Kaito AI, the popularity-focused aggregator. The prediction platform may launch markets based on popularity and opinion. 

Polymarket may open markets for the influence and popularity of trends, brands, and people. The prediction market partnered with Kaito AI, one of the leading influence-tracking and SocialFi platforms. 

We're taking the next step into Attention Markets, built in partnership with @Polymarket – the next stage in predicting internet trends!

Prediction Markets are becoming a core part of not only crypto, but everyday life more widely.

Measurable attention opens up a new way for… pic.twitter.com/cI8E6b2RFV

— Kaito AI 🌊 (@KaitoAI) February 10, 2026

The partnership arrived just weeks after Kaito had to reinvent its model. After X revoked access to its API for SocialFi projects, Kaito switched to other metrics of popularity and influence. 

On its side, Polymarket kept offering a wider variety of small markets, with a test run of ‘attention markets’ in January. 

Polymarket is quick to expand to new areas of interest, including the recent AI agent trend, Moltbook.

Polymarket to track public attention

Polymarket has mostly focused on organic events and politics for its markets. Attention markets will be a novel way to track trends and influence. 

‘These new markets will quantify the volume and changes in public attention based on data from social media,’ said Kaito CEO Yu Hu.

Polymarket and Kaito will still track data across X, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, using Kaito’s method of determining mindshare. The tracking will also produce a positive or negative sentiment metric. 

Based on the data, Polymarket will be able to launch new pairs, such as the sentiment on companies or VIPs. Polymarket has already launched other markets powered by Kaito, including the tracking of its own mindshare. 

Dozens of attention markets are expected in March

Dozens of new attention markets are expected in early March, and thousands by the end of the year. Attention markets can also track individual influencers or KOLs in the crypto space and general social media circles. Polymarket will offer a way to tokenize and trade Internet celebrity events and trends. 

Attention markets are yet another trend somewhat similar to current news tokens or content-based memes, which track short-term Internet news or events.

‘It’ll be a completely new experience when people can scroll through social media and realize they can express their views on what they are seeing and take a side with it on these markets,’ said Polymarket’s head of crypto, Thibault Alizard.

Currently, the focus of Polymarket is on specific personalities and events, but it may broaden to AI topics and even more niche Internet events. 

Polymarket still carries peak activity

Polymarket still carries near-peak activity based on active wallets and transactions. Most of the platform’s users trade five or more pairs, but a growing number only choose one market. 

Most of the bets are made for markets with 40% to 60% probability, with only 0.5% of all bets placed on odds below 5%. Those low-probability bets are used for trading in a small range, often leading to 100% growth. 

Polymarket predictions now carry relatively small volumes. The leading pair on potential US strikes on Iran reached a volume of $282M, while the next Fed decision invited over $82M in trading. Other pairs are smaller, with volumes often under $1M. 

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Members of the Russian parliament have passed provisions allowing the state to treat cryptocurrency as property as part of criminal proceedings.

The new legislation unties the hands of law enforcement and judicial authorities in a growing number of cases requiring the seizure of digital assets.

Russian lawmakers adopt law regulating crypto seizure

The State Duma, the lower house of the Russian legislature, approved a law introducing a procedure for seizing and confiscating cryptocurrency in crime-related cases.

The legislation, which amends the country’s Criminal Code and Criminal Procedural Code, recognizes digital currencies like Bitcoin (BTC) as property.

On Tuesday, members of the chamber passed the federal Law on its third and final reading, the Interfax news agency and the business news outlet RBC reported.

It regulates the actions of investigators as well as the methods employed to conduct the seizure of such assets, allowing them to either establish control over physical devices like servers, computers, and hardware wallets or transfer the coins to dedicated safe addresses, if possible.

The document establishes a mechanism for seizing cryptocurrency for the purpose of subsequent confiscation or to secure a civil claim, the reports noted.

The protocol for each crypto seizure must specify the type of currency, its amount, and the respective addresses. Access information and storage media must be kept sealed.

The bill was first submitted to the Duma in the spring of last year. It’s expected to be approved by the Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, and enter into force 10 days after its publication.

The executive power in Moscow will then introduce the necessary bylaws governing the storage and transfer of seized crypto funds.

Crypto confiscation gets regulated before other operations

Russia is yet to properly regulate the full spectrum of crypto-related transactions in its jurisdiction. According to officials in Moscow, this is going to happen by July 1, at the latest.

Upcoming legislation will be based on a new regulatory concept unveiled by the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) in late December 2025, as reported by Cryptopolitan.

The document envisages recognizing cryptocurrencies and stablecoins also as “monetary assets,” widening investor access and legalizing trading on licensed exchanges.

The rules for coin seizure come after Russia’s Constitutional Court upheld the rights of cryptocurrency owners, including to judicial protection.

The review was prompted by the case of a Russian citizen who sought the return of 1,000 USDT he had temporarily transferred to an acquaintance. Lower courts had rejected his claim based on his failure to inform the Federal Tax Service (FNS) about his holdings.

There have been a few similar precedents in the country. In January, local media revealed that the office of the Federal Bailiff Service in the Krasnodar Krai region had seized the digital assets of a man who failed to pay child support to his ex-wife.

Other cases have been only partially resolved. A Russian court recently ordered the seizure of the property of a former employee of the interior ministry convicted of accepting a 5 billion-ruble bribe in cryptocurrency. It remained unclear whether his digital holdings were actually arrested.

Deputy Justice Minister Elena Ardabyeva was quoted as stating earlier that the new law consolidates the existing practice of seizing digital assets during investigations, both from cold and hot wallets. Russian authorities plan to also rely on the cooperation of foreign exchanges for such measures.

Law enforcement and judicial officials will also be able to request quotes for the market value of cryptocurrency holdings and seize other assets within that total to cover financial losses inflicted by persons and entities.

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Telegram is facing new restrictions and fines for hosting content that the authorities object to. According to reports, Russia’s communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, planned to limit access to Telegram from today.

Telegram users across Russia reported widespread disruptions for a second consecutive day. Complaints on outage-monitoring services surged to around 15,000, far above normal levels, with most users reporting problems downloading photos and videos. Some users in Russia say the app is still working but appears to be slow.

Regulator cites crime prevention as basis for ongoing restrictions

Roskomnadzor said it will continue to impose consistent restrictions on the Telegram messenger “in order to enforce Russian legislation and ensure the protection of citizens.” According to Roskomnadzor, the restrictions were introduced to “counter criminals”. 

In Russia, the app, founded by Russian-born entrepreneur Pavel Durov, is used publicly and privately far and wide. Newsmakers of all kinds, including the Kremlin, courts, media, celebrities, and the exiled opposition, use the app to instantly distribute information to large audiences.

State news agency RIA said Telegram faces fines of up to 64 million roubles ($830,000) in eight upcoming court hearings. All of them are related to alleged failures to remove information required by Russian law.

Russia began limiting Telegram last August. The state accused the app of refusing to share information with law enforcement in fraud and terrorism cases. These limits included restricting some features, such as voice and video calls, on the service co-founded by Russian billionaire Pavel Durov.

Meanwhile, as restrictions expand, many Russians increasingly rely on virtual private networks (VPN) to bypass state censorship and access blocked or throttled services.

Outside Russia, Telegram is facing legal and regulatory action in several countries as of early 2026. In France, authorities have investigated Telegram founder Pavel Durov over alleged failures to curb criminal and extremist content on the platform.

In Malaysia, a case was filed by the authorities, referring to Telegram as violating communications legislation by hosting harmful content. In Australia, Telegram had some bad fights with the eSafety Commissioner pertaining to compliance with online safety reporting.

Additionally, the platform is faced with concerns about copyright infringement and the responsibility of content moderation. This is similar to issues within other messaging applications throughout the European Union, as well as in Spain.

In response, Durov has consistently denied wrongdoing. He has defended Telegram’s moderation as compliant with applicable laws. He cast legal actions against him as misguided attempts to hold a platform owner responsible for the actions of third parties. According to him, Telegram prioritizes user privacy and free speech.

Russia pushes an app model similar to China’s WeChat

As it has blocked access to foreign messaging apps, the government has been pushing people to use Max, a state-run “super-app” that looks a lot like China’s WeChat. Max does more than just chat. It hosts government services, lets users store documents, and allows banking and other public and private services. However,  human rights groups have warned that the platform could enable mass surveillance.

As reported by Cryptopolitan, Russia moved toward a full ban on the messaging app WhatsApp after months of service degradation. The regulator alleged that the Meta Platforms Inc.-owned app was being used to organize terrorist attacks and recruit perpetrators in Russia, in violation of the law.

Russian authorities have also banned US-owned social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, and X, and have limited access to YouTube as part of a crackdown on services since President Vladimir Putin ordered the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. In December, it also blocked Apple’s video-calling app FaceTime. Those restrictions remained in place.

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Bitcoin (BTC) is demonstrating considerable resiliency, evidenced by rising interest levels as measured by Google Search metrics. As has been seen time and time again, when interest is focused intently on the asset, this interest can quickly translate to other crypto assets. 

This trend is now being reflected in rising interest levels for Mutuum Finance (MUTM), a crypto now being seen in many of the same circles as Bitcoin. As a result, many analysts are now referring to MUTM as representing the next big crypto, especially as interest is now being directed away from established cryptos and toward those with higher growth potential.

Bitcoin’s Volatile Week: Attention, but Without Direction

Bitcoin (BTC) has recently been receiving widespread attention after falling significantly to the $60,000 level, along with a series of unusual events contributing to short-term market volatility. One of these events was a critical malfunction of South Korea-based exchange Bithumb, resulting in an estimated $44 billion in BTC being mistakenly transferred to user accounts. 

Although 99.7% of this amount has now been recovered, this event was followed by a significant 11.16% downward difficulty adjustment, representing the largest decrease since China banned mining in 2021. However, periods of huge attention following a price collapse have resulted in a price rebound. While BTC could soon start climbing, its potential remains limited, while Mutuum Finance’s potential shines. 

How Mutuum Finance’s Dual Lending Model Works in Practice

Mutuum Finance is a new DeFi crypto capturing strong investor interest in 2026. MUTM has integrated two lending systems, which are complementary and cater to the needs of diverse risk profiles and assets. The systems are Peer-to-Contract (P2C), which allows multiple parties to lend and borrow, and Peer-to-Peer (P2P), which allows one-on-one lending contracts. 

In the P2C system, the assets are deposited into the liquidity pool, and the rate of interest adjusts automatically depending on the pool utilization. For instance, if Alice, the lender, deposits 10,000 in USDC, she will be issued 10,000 mtUSDC and could earn between 9 and 12% APY as the pool of assets gets utilized by the borrowers. In the case of the P2P system, the flexibility of the lending protocol allows the parties to negotiate the terms of the loan and the assets being used in the loan contract. In the latter case, Alice can lend $5,000 USDC directly to Carol at a mutually agreed rate of 15% APY.

Next DeFi Breakout

For the next big crypto asset, smart investors consider Mutuum Finance, which offers the potential for high returns at $0.04 in the 7th phase of its presale. Mutuum Finance offers the benefits of live lending, yield farming through the issuance of mtTokens, and risk management tools. Its token, MUTM, has seen strong adoption, with more than $20.4 million raised and nearly 19,000 token holders in the ecosystem.

The gradual and steady growth of the token is another positive attribute of MUTM. The token price began at $0.01 in Phase 1 and has been increasing steadily to the current price of $0.04 in Phase 7. Upcoming phases will feature higher prices until MUTM launches at $0.06. MUTM’s earliest investors who bought in phase one have already seen a 300% growth on their investment. 

The current phase marks the last time MUTM will be priced at $0.04, making it the most ideal buy price for the token. An investor investing $2,500 at the current price of $0.04 will receive 62,500 MUTM tokens. With the token priced at the scheduled at $0.06, the investor will see this position reach $3,750 during market debut, cementing the advantage of an early buy.

Variable vs. Stable Rates

Mutuum Finance offers a diversified and flexible borrowing model that adjusts to the strategies of the users through variable and stable interest rates. Variable rates are adjusted in accordance with the changing supply and demand in the lending markets, making it the most appropriate for short-term borrowing. For example, a trader who is borrowing $10,000 worth of USDT for a 45-day arbitrage trade could be paying as low as 4% variable, which is approximately $50 in interest, taking advantage of the changing markets. 

On the other hand, stable rates fix the interest rates for the entire duration of the loan, which provides security; a $15,000 loan for six months at a 7% APY interest rate would generate around $1,800 in interest, which protects the borrower against the possibility of interest rates rising.

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) search interest is rising as investors flock to its presale following the testnet launch. The presale has exceeded $20,400,000, raised from more than 18,980 investors. With strong real utility, MUTM is quickly becoming the top crypto for explosive growth in 2026. 

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

Website: https://mutuum.com/ 

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance 

Cisco has stepped up its AI development efforts by launching its 102.4 Tbps switch to compete with higher-bandwidth chips from Nvidia and Broadcom.  

Cisco, a global tech and AI company based in Amsterdam, has unveiled a new switch it claims can rival Nvidia’s Spectrum-X Ethernet Photonics and Broadcom’s Tomahawk 6.

In a press release published on Tuesday, the firm announced the launch of the Silicon One G300 for large GPU deployments. The company claims the Silicon One G300 can power new Cisco N9000 and Cisco 8000 systems that are at the center stage of AI networking in the data center.

Cisco rolls out Silicon One G300 to join the AI networking race

Like Nvidia and Broadcom’s chips, the G300 has 512 SerDes that process data at 200 Gigabits per second. The massive radix implies that Cisco’s new release can now support deployments of up to 128,000 GPUs using just 750 switches, compared with 2,500 previously required for the same output. The SerDes can also merge to facilitate even faster connections of up to 1.6 terabits per second.

The firm said the new release features the latest liquid-cooling systems, allowing the switch to power high-density optics and unlock new efficiency benchmarks for its clientele. The company also announced that it had optimized Nexus One to enable streamlined AI development operations for enterprises. According to Cisco, the upgrade has eliminated the complexity that can prevent AI developers from scaling AI data centers.

Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer, Cisco, said that Cisco “was spearheading performance, manageability, and security in AI networking by innovating across the full stack – from silicon to systems and software.” Patel added that the company was developing a foundation to support various client tiers, including hyperscalers and enterprises, as they adopt AI-powered workloads.

Martin Lund, Executive Vice President of Cisco’s Common Hardware Group, also commented on the new switch, saying that Cisco Silicon One G300 will provide users with “high-performance, programmable, and deterministic networking” to allow them to “fully utilize their compute and scale AI securely and reliably in production.”

The new Silicon One G300 is 102.4 Tbps of switching silicon, and the company claims it offers Intelligent Collective Networking, which increases network utilization by 33% and reduces job completion time by 28% compared to simulated non-optimized path selection. The advantages will make AI data centers more profitable, with more tokens generated per GPU-hour, according to Cisco.

Cisco emphasized in the press release that the switch offers several advantages, including the ability to handle bursty AI traffic and to respond more quickly to link failures. The switch also prevents packet drops that can stall jobs, ensuring reliable data delivery even over long distances, according to the announcement.

Cisco announces AgenticOps release for data center networking

The Silicon One G300 is highly programmable and interoperable with new network functionality, even after deployment. According to the AI company, this functionality allows the switch to play multiple network roles and support emerging use cases. The switch will also protect long-term infrastructure investments and provide users with holistic, at-speed security required to keep clusters functioning effectively and efficiently. 

Cisco also announced it has released AgenticOps for data center networking through AI Canvas. The release will make it easier for users to troubleshoot through guided, human-in-the-loop conversations that convert complex tasks into actionable resolutions. 

The developments come after industry experts say the chip industry is poised for continued growth. Cryptopolitan reported that the chip market is set to hit $1 trillion in annual revenue for the first time. The reports cited comments made by John Neuffer, who runs the Semiconductor Industry Association.

Neuffer said that the semiconductor sector is the foundation of every critical strategic industry. The report noted that the rise of data centers worldwide is driving a surge in demand for powerful chips, helping chip makers like Nvidia, Broadcom, and Micron record strong sales. 

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Mainland China users have been cut off from trading services on the Victory Securities platform. Functions of buying and deposits have been permanently disabled following months of gradual decline. 

Despite the cut-off, Victory Securities clarified that withdrawals will remain open to allow the affected users to recover their existing assets.

Victory Securities blocks mainland trading functions

Victory Securities, a licensed broker in Hong Kong, has completed the final step in its multi-phase plan to distance its digital asset services from the Mainland Chinese market.

The firm announced that users identified as Mainland Chinese residents can no longer use the platform to buy or trade virtual currencies. Victory Securities clarified that it is not freezing assets, and users still have “withdrawal-only” privileges.

Victory Securities had previously paused new address certifications and banned the purchase of specific tokens for the mainland Chinese market.

Currently, the platform remains fully operational for local Hong Kong residents and international investors. The brokerage stated that its measures are essential to remain in “good standing” with both the Hong Kong SFC.

Why are Hong Kong crypto brokers cutting off mainland Chinese users now?

Days before Victory Securities made its announcement, Mainland Chinese authorities, led by the People’s Bank of China (PBoC), expanded the ban on issuing offshore tokens and the use of yuan-linked stablecoins in international markets.

By cutting off mainland users, Hong Kong brokers are protecting their licenses. Under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (AMLO), Hong Kong virtual asset service providers (VASPs) face “strict liability” if they are found to be “actively marketing” prohibited services to mainland residents.

Anhui recently reported a case involving a hidden money transfer chain, showing why the regulatory response is necessary.

The victim in Hefei was lured into a “dating app” scam, tricked into participating in a fraudulent shopping scheme, and was eventually convinced to deliver 260,000 yuan worth of gold to a designated offline location.

In the scheme, a suspect named Liu acted as a virtual currency acceptor and was involved in crypto trading since 2020.

On June 7, 2025, after Liu sold virtual currency on an illegal platform, the funds stolen from the Hefei victim were transferred into his bank account. Liu immediately moved the money to his personal WeChat account to hide the trail. Following a long-distance pursuit, police arrested Liu in Sichuan on January 15, 2026.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has been accelerating the implementation of the Stablecoin Ordinance, which became a regulated activity on August 1, 2025.

Since the primary entry point of many mainland users into the market is stablecoins, brokers are under intense pressure to ensure that no “gray market” funds from the mainland are entering the Hong Kong financial system.

The SFC now requires brokers to conduct rigorous due diligence on the residency of their clients. If a platform is found to be a “backdoor” for mainland capital to bypass China’s capital controls, it risks losing its hard-won VASP license.

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A mysterious 30-second Super Bowl advert sent millions of curious viewers to ai.com’s website on Sunday night, but what was meant to be an $85 million triumphant product announcement soon turned sour. 

The most engaging ad of the night quickly turned into a wave of complaints as millions of users battled with gateway timeouts, endless loading screens, and many unanswered questions.

ai.com stokes curiosity with Super Bowl ad

ai.com’s 30-second fourth-quarter spot generated up to 9.1x more engagement than the average Super Bowl LX ad, enabling it to top all other brands in EDO’s annual TV outcomes ranking of all Super Bowl ads, which was released on Monday. 

However, that same ad was considered “ineffective” by Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, primarily because it failed to clearly communicate the value of ai.com’s new product to viewers.

The fourth-quarter ad showed three usernames (@mark, @sam, and @elon), which were accompanied by motion graphic visuals and an abstract tagline, “AGI is coming”, which offered little to no details about what the platform was or what it actually offers. 

Using the element of mystery was definitely effective, as the ad gained the top spot in engagement rankings by EDO (a TV outcomes company), outperforming even the Super Bowl ad by 9.1 times, according to their analysis. 

While ai.com was successfully able to drive curious viewers to their website, that initial wave of anticipation, excitement and curiosity was quickly replaced by other emotions.

AGI is coming? When? Where? How?

ai.com’s “AGI is coming” ad left viewers with more questions than answers. As millions of viewers brought out their phones during the break to reserve their handles, most were greeted with error screens and slow loading times due to the wave of traffic the website had to handle. 

According to ai.com, their platform offers “autonomous AI agents” that can work, send messages, execute actions across apps, and even trade stocks on their users’ behalf. 

The CEO, Kris Marszalek, explained his vision as “a decentralized network of billions of agents who self-improve and share these improvements with each other, vastly and rapidly expanding agentic capabilities and accelerating the advent of AGI.” 

However, for the everyday viewer that’s unfamiliar with AI terms, the Super Bowl ad offered little to no context about what they were actually signing up for, leaving them more confused than excited.

“Right now, it’s more of a promise than a product,” said Jamey Tucker, a consumer technology reporter, in his latest analysis for WRDW. “The platform is not fully live yet. There’s no finished product most people can actually use today.”

Will the public lose patience with ai.com?

Less than an hour after the ad aired, users had already taken to social media with complaints about the error messages, gateway timeouts, and site outages. 

Yesterday, as complaints increased, Marszalek responded on X: “Insane traffic levels. We prepared for scale, but not for THIS.” He later attributed the disruption to external factors outside the company’s control.

For users who eventually got through the initial hurdles, the experience still fell short of what was hinted at. The website requires a credit card to prove users are human, but the actual AI agent functionality is still unavailable. 

As of now, users can only reserve two handles- one for themselves and another for their future AI assistant, but there is still no active product for use yet.

Questions over product readiness despite massive spending

Several eyebrows are now being raised at the technical difficulties that occurred despite the scale of investment behind the campaign/launch. With Marszalek buying the ai.com domain name for $70 million (in cryptocurrency, the highest domain sale in history), combined with an estimated $8-10 million for the Super Bowl ad slot in particular and production costs, the total investment could reach somewhere close to $85 million.

“Tech companies often use massive moments like the Super Bowl to create fear of missing out, and to encourage people to act first and ask questions later,” according to WRDW’s analysis. “That sense of urgency many viewers felt during the commercial was intentional.”

Generating hype before product completion isn’t new to tech spaces, but the scale of ai.com’s investment, combined with the subsequent infrastructure issues has fueled skepticism. The platform was eventually restored, so users are still able to complete registrations and reserve their handles. 

However, first impressions go a long way especially in tech, and now the public is wondering whether the product is truly ready for mainstream adoption, or if they’re being carried away by the hype of a vision still under construction.

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Bitcoin dropped below $70K again, sliding to $68,666 after a brief weekend bounce. Ether fell harder, down 8.8% at one point, hitting $1,902.

The Dow just hit another all-time high, rising 200 points, as investors keep rotating out of tech and into old-school names like Goldman Sachs and AmEx.