Cryptopolitan

Elon Musk is being criticized for ignoring safety measures after former employees reported that he dismantled the internal safety department at his xAI startup, responsible for the Grok chatbot. 

Only 12 of xAI’s original cofounders remain employed at the company after several of them left for various reasons, including to start their own companies and complaints of creative stagnation.

Is xAI sacrificing safety to compete with OpenAI?

One source who spoke to The Verge claimed that xAI’s safety team has been effectively dissolved, saying “Safety is a dead org at xAI.”

According to reports, there’s been a push for “unfiltered” content, leading to a focus on NSFW (Not Safe For Work) capabilities for the Grok AI.

Former staffers allege that Musk views safety measures as a form of “censorship.” They claim that engineers are encouraged to “push to production” immediately, sometimes bypassing traditional testing phases.

This culture has reportedly led to internal friction between leadership, causing them to clash often over product priorities in large group chats on the X platform.

Musk argued on X that “everyone’s job is safety.”

Using Tesla and SpaceX as examples, he said that neither company has a massive, independent safety department, yet they produce the safest cars and rockets in the world.

To Musk, separate safety departments are often “fake” and exist only to “assuage the concerns of outsiders” without having any real power to improve the product.

In Musk’s ongoing legal battle with OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, he has frequently criticized OpenAI for becoming a closed-source for-profit company that prioritizes profit over safety, but he is being accused of doing the same by removing the internal checks and balances that prevent AI from generating harmful or biased content.

Frequent hiring at xAI

Following the recent announcement of a merger between xAI and SpaceX that led to an internal valuation of approximately $1.25 trillion, the company has seen a wave of high-profile departures causing people to question the company’s internal culture, its technical direction, and its approach to AI safety. Former employees describe the company as a “dead” safety organization.

Two of the company’s most prominent co-founders, Yuhuai (Tony) Wu and Jimmy Ba, recently announced they were leaving. Wu stated it was “time for his next chapter,” while Ba noted he needed to “recalibrate his gradient on the big picture.” Only half of the original 12 co-founders who launched xAI remain at the company. Several other engineers and staffers have also resigned, with many stating they intend to start their own AI firms. One group of former employees has already launched “Nuraline,” a startup focused on AI infrastructure.

Some departing employees like Vahid Kazemi, suggested that the industry has become stagnant, writing on X that “all AI labs are building the exact same thing.” Others suggested that xAI is stuck in a “catch-up phase,” merely trying to replicate what OpenAI and Anthropic achieved a year ago rather than innovating.

In an internal all-hands meeting, Musk explained that xAI would now be divided into four primary sectors namely Grok Main and Voice, Coding, and Data Macrohard.

xAI’s Colossus supercluster in Memphis, Tennessee currently houses 100,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs, and is currently being expanded to 200,000 GPUs. This hardware is essential for training “Grok 3,” which Musk believes will surpass all other AI models currently on the market.

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The PancakeSwap V2 pool for OCAUSDC on BSC was exploited in a suspicious transaction detected today. The attack resulted in the loss of almost $500,000 worth of USDC market, drained in a single transaction.

According to reports from Blockchain security platforms, the attacker exploited a vulnerability in the deflationary sellOCA() logic, giving them access to manipulate the pool’s reserves. The final amount the attacker got away with was reportedly approximately $422,000.

The exploit involved the use of flash loans and flash swaps combined with repeated calls to OCA’s swapHelper function. This removed OCA tokens directly from the liquidity pool during swaps, artificially inflating the on-pair price of OCA and enabling the drainage of USDC

How did the OCA/USDC exploit happen?

The attack was reportedly executed via three transactions. The first to carry out the exploit, and the following two to serve as additional builder bribes.

“In total, 43 BNB plus 69 BNB were paid to 48club-puissant-builder, leaving an estimated final profit of $340K,” Blocksec Phalcon wrote on X about the incident, adding that another transaction in the same block also failed at position 52, likely because it was frontrun by the attacker.

Flash loans on PancakeSwap allow users to borrow significant amounts of crypto assets without collateral; however, the borrowed amount plus fees must be repaid within the same transaction block.

They are primarily used in arbitrage and liquidation strategies on the Binance Smart Chain, and the loans are usually facilitated by PancakeSwap V3’s flash swap function.

Another flash loan attack was detected weeks ago

In December 2025, an exploit allowed an attacker to withdraw approximately 138.6 WBNB from the PancakeSwap liquidity pool for the DMi/WBNB pair, netting approximately $120,000.

That attack demonstrated how a combination of flash loans and manipulation of the AMM pair’s internal reserves via sync() and callback functions is capable of being used to completely deplete the pool.

The attacker first created the exploit contract and called the f0ded652() function, a specialized entry point into the contract, after which the contract then calls flashLoan from the Moolah protocol, requesting approximately 102,693 WBNB.

Upon receiving the flash loan, the contract initiates the onMoolahFlashLoan(…) callback. The first thing the callback does is find out the DMi token balance in the PancakeSwap pool in order to prepare for the pair’s reserve manipulation.

It should be noted that the vulnerability is not in the flash loan, but in the PancakeSwap contract, allowing manipulation of reserves via a combination of flash swap and sync() without protection against malicious callbacks.

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Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood argues that Bitcoin is not only a hedge against inflation, but also a hedge against rapid deflation caused by technological acceleration.

Cathie Wood spoke with Anthony Pompliano at Bitcoin Investor Week to discuss a myriad of different economic topics. The focal point of their conversation, however, was centered around what she believes is a massive incoming economic disruption that will be caused by technological advancements. Wood believes that traditional financial systems are woefully underprepared for what she called a “productivity shock” that will be brought about by advancements in AI and other technology.

These technological breakthroughs will boost output and, in turn, slash costs for businesses, leading to lower prices for consumers. While this may sound good, Wood stated that this productivity shock will create deflationary chaos, as rapid price drops will upend traditional business models. Her solution to this problem is none other than Bitcoin (BTC). Wood believes it is a hedge against inflation and deflation due to its decentralized nature and fixed supply. This, among other variables, allows it to be shielded from the fragility of traditional financial structures.

Why rapid deflation driven by AI productivity gains is bad for the economy

In this current era of inflation and price increases, the idea of deflation may sound like a good thing at first. After all, the idea of lower prices in today’s world, where things only seem to be getting progressively more expensive, sounds very beneficial to the average consumer. However, when deflation occurs at a rapid rate, which Wood suggests will happen due to productivity gains from artificial intelligence, it creates a problem for a debt-heavy economy like the United States.

The issue is that debt is fixed in nominal dollars. This means that, however much money one owes on their credit card balance, mortgage, or other loans, it does not adjust for inflation or deflation. This also applies to business and government (i.e., U.S. national debt), since both exist in the same U.S. financial system.

When deflation occurs, asset prices fall, salary amounts typically decrease, and business and government revenue decline. This makes it much harder for businesses, governments, and individuals to pay back their debt. For this reason, rapid, unforeseen productivity-driven deflation from AI advancements can destabilize the economy, especially in current circumstances where debt and leverage are high. Various factors like spending cutbacks, layoffs, and defaults can ensue as a result of rapid deflation, leading to economic chaos.

Bitcoin as the solution to a rapid deflationary environment

Wood argues that Bitcoin is uniquely positioned for this AI-driven deflationary crisis she forecasts. For starters, Bitcoin is decentralized, meaning it is a non-sovereign asset that exists outside of traditional financial systems. It also has a scarce, capped supply. This means that, unlike fiat currencies, it can’t be printed infinitely. The issue with printing more money to solve deflationary conditions is that it’s essentially putting a bandaid on the issue. It can relieve tensions temporarily, but it is not a sustainable solution as it creates additional issues like central bank dependency, along with policy and credit risks.

Bitcoin, on the other hand, is not controlled by any central entity. This means it is hypothetically protected from economic policy changes in response to deflationary chaos. It also has a mathematically capped supply, which cannot be infinitely expanded to manage short-term currency instability at the cost of long-term stability. The real point that Wood is trying to make is not that Bitcoin should be used by the government, central banks, or corporations to directly fight deflation. Instead, she believes it can be used as a hedge against it to protect capital from the economic instability that will arise from rapid deflationary conditions AI productivity gains may cause.

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Vitalik Buterin recently shared a lengthy post on X where he critiqued the current state of prediction markets. His current stance slightly differs from what it was last year, when he claimed it was “healthier” to participate in them than regular markets. 

In his post, Buterin expressed concern about the state of prediction markets in their current form. He admitted they had achieved a certain level of success, but that they also “seem to be over-converging to an unhealthy product market fit. 

Buterin claims this is happening because they embrace short-term cryptocurrency price bets, sports betting, and other similar things that have dopamine value without any kind of long-term fulfillment or societal information value. 

“My guess is that teams feel motivated to capitulate to these things because they bring in large revenue during a bear market where people are desperate – an understandable motive, but one that leads to corposlop,” Buterin wrote. 

Buterin’s warning about prediction markets 

Buterin believes the space would be better off pushed into a totally different use case: “hedging, in a very generalized sense,” he wrote. 

As far as he is concerned, the dopamine-driven bets that seem to be taking center stage now are an unhealthy product-market fit. He believes these bets now dominate substantive uses, putting the space at risk of being captured by uninformed speculation rather than genuine information aggregation. 

In the future, he advocates steering prediction markets towards risk hedging applications, for example, tools that can help reduce real-world risks to assets or expenditures. 

He had a different opinion last December 

While Vitalik Buterin’s thoughts on prediction markets have not changed radically, they are a bit different from how he felt about them as of December last year. At the time, he was clearly positive and defensive about them. 

In fact, just before Christmas, Cryptopolitan reported that the Ethereum co-founder claimed on Farcaster that prediction markets are “healthier to participate in than regular markets.” 

After all, he claimed they’re bounded between 0-1, reducing pump-and-dump risks. He also co-trusted them favorably with social media, positioning them as better tools for truth-seeking and measuring uncertainty with economic accountability. 

He continued to defend them in December, even in the face of critics concerned about risks to sports and election integrity, arguing a similar level of manipulation already exists in stock markets. 

What changed? 

Buterin’s stance on prediction markets has been altered due to various potential reasons. One is the direction of the sector’s evolution. 

While platforms like Polymarket have exploded in volume, much of that growth comes from gambling-related, short-horizon bets rather than deeper uses like hedging. This has become more apparent with the current bearish conditions pushing platforms towards shipping more addictive high-frequency features for retention. 

Buterin has not given up on prediction markets yet, and his recent post is proof that he still sees massive potential in them. He hopes platforms push towards more generalized hedging use cases, as it would be better to rescue them from the present rut than scrap the concept entirely. 

Polymarket’s 15-minute markets part of the problem 

Talk about how platforms are leaning towards ultra-short-term markets comes weeks after Polymarket, a popular prediction market platform, launched its 15-minute crypto prediction markets in January. 

Source: @Kunallegendd via X/Twitter

15-minute Up or Down market contracts have reportedly gone from 5% of crypto volume to roughly 60% in early 2026, while hourly markets account for 20%. 

According to an X article by Kunal Doshi, a researcher with Blockworks, these short-duration contracts are a core driver in crypto volume. However, the data has shown that those markets are dominated by systematic traders rather than directional bettors.

These traders are not interested in the prices and are more focused on arbitrage opportunities. They reportedly contribute up to 70% of the 15-minute market’s volumes.

As these markets increasingly become the powerhouse of crypto prediction markets, Buterin is calling for a reorientation, convinced that this is not a tangent that prediction markets need to focus on. 

Build the next generation of finance, not corposlop.

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Claude, Anthropic’s flagship product, has been found to be involved in the U.S. military raid of Venezuela to capture its president and his wife, according to reports. 

Despite Anthropic’s anti-violence policies, the company’s partnership with Palantir allows Claude to be used for military operations. Some believe the AI was used for non-violent tasks. 

How was Claude AI involved in the capture of Nicolás Maduro?

A series of new reports has revealed that the U.S. military used Anthropic’s artificial intelligence model, Claude, during the high-stakes operation to capture former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. 

The mission, known as “Operation Resolve,” took place in early January 2026 and resulted in the arrest of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in the heart of Caracas. According to The Wall Street Journal and Fox News, Claude was integrated into the mission through Anthropic’s partnership with the data analytics firm Palantir Technologies.

The U.S. Department of War, led by Secretary Pete Hegseth, has increasingly used commercial AI models to modernize its combat operations. 

Details on what specific tasks Claude performed are classified, but the AI is known to be used for summarizing massive amounts of intelligence data, analyzing satellite imagery, and possibly providing decision support for complex troop movements. 

The raid occurred in the early hours of January 3, 2026, when U.S. Special Operations Forces, including Delta Force commandos, successfully breached Maduro’s fortified palace. President Donald Trump later described that Maduro was “bum-rushed” before he could reach a steel-reinforced safe room. 

Venezuelan air defenses were suppressed, and several military sites were bombed during the mission. Maduro was transported to a U.S. warship and then to New York City, where he currently faces federal charges of narco-terrorism and cocaine importation.

Did the operation violate Anthropic’s anti-violence rules?

Claude is designed with a constitutional focus on safety, so how was it used in a lethal military operation? Anthropic’s public usage guidelines prohibit Claude from being used for violence, weapon development, or surveillance. 

Anthropic has stated that it monitors all usage of its tools and ensures they comply with its policies. However, the partnership with Palantir allows the military to use Claude in classified environments.

Sources familiar with the matter suggest that the AI may have been used for non-lethal support tasks, such as translating communications or processing logistics. Nevertheless, the Department of War is currently pushing for AI companies to remove many of their standard restrictions for military use.

Reports indicate that the Trump administration is considering canceling a $200 million contract with Anthropic because the company has raised concerns about its AI being used for autonomous drones or surveillance. Secretary Pete Hegseth has stated that “the future of American warfare is spelled AI” and has made it clear that the Pentagon will not work with companies that limit military capabilities.

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Despite fierce resistance from conventional banks, the Fed is moving forward with plans to grant direct access to its payment systems to cryptocurrency exchanges and financial technology companies.

In late 2025, the Fed suggested customized “payment accounts” at the request of Fed Governor Christopher Waller. By allowing qualified non-bank companies to process payments directly through government platforms like FedNow and Fedwire, these streamlined accounts would do away with the need for full banking licenses.

Banks push back against proposed rules

Under the proposal, companies would face several limits designed to protect the financial system. Account holders could not earn interest, have no access to emergency lending facilities, and must keep overnight balances below either $500 million or 10 percent of their total assets, whichever is smaller.

The Fed asked for public input on the plan in December 2025, sparking a heated debate between banking groups and technology companies.

In February 2026, major banks retaliated by requiring a 12-month waiting time before they would accept any new applicants. In a joint letter, the Financial Services Forum, the Bank Policy Institute, and the Clearing House Association called for a risk to the financial system.

They are concerned that granting payment access to less-regulated businesses may expose the whole financial system to new vulnerabilities, particularly for cryptocurrency companies that issue dollar-backed digital tokens.

Governor Waller has pointed out the stark divide between internet businesses favoring less regulation and banks calling for stricter guidelines. He describes the new framework as a compromise approach and intends to complete it by the end of 2026 in spite of the opposition.

Coinbase leads support for direct access

Coinbase, the largest U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, has become a vocal supporter of the plan, arguing that direct Fed access is essential for updating America’s payment infrastructure.

The exchange said direct Fed access would let crypto and fintech firms tap into the backbone of the global financial system without needing full bank licenses. Right now, most digital asset companies must work through partner banks, adding costs, delays, and extra risks to their operations.

“By reducing reliance upon FDIC-insured partner banks as intermediaries for core payment functions, the Payment Account would allow account-holding institutions to offer safe and efficient services to U.S. consumers and businesses and, at the same time, reduce costs and ensure the ability of emerging payment providers to scale with growing demand,” Coinbase wrote.

Faryar Shirzad, senior policy officer at Coinbase, mentioned similar efforts now in progress in the UK, Brazil, India, and the EU. By boosting competition, reducing settlement risks, and enhancing payment efficiency, these technologies have assisted those countries in maintaining their competitiveness in the global financial system.

But the Fed’s current plan was also challenged by Coinbase as being overly restricted. The exchange warned that the requirements may render the accounts unusable for large-scale activities, so rendering the framework possibly “dead on arrival.”

The exchange specifically criticized low overnight balance limitations and the prohibition on generating interest. According to Coinbase, processing payments mostly entails operational risks, not credit or market risks, which need capital buffers based on firm size.

Coinbase also asked regulators to allow “omnibus” customer accounts, which would let firms combine user funds for more efficient settlement processes.

Coinbase’s advocacy drew the attention of financial markets. Following the release of its letter and impressive quarterly financial results, the company’s shares surged by 15%. For cryptocurrency platforms, investors see the possibility of large cost reductions and improved growth prospects.

Despite concerns about money laundering and other illicit activities, industry analysts predict that direct Fed access may reduce transaction costs for digital asset services by 20 to 30 percent.

The Fed’s comment period closed on February 6, 2026. The final verdict will shape US payment systems as regulators balance financial stability and innovation.

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Users will soon be able to buy and sell stocks and digital currencies without ever leaving their feeds, according to a top official at social media giant X this week. 

Nikita Bier, who leads product development at X, unveiled the trading plans on February 14, 2026. The update builds on a feature X first showcased in January.

How the new trading feature will work

Customers will activate it by clicking on ticker symbols in their feeds. Upon selecting symbols such as $BTC for Bitcoin or $TSLA for Tesla brings up-to-date price charts, pertinent conversations, and alternatives for transactions.

The update targets users who start their trading with X’s market news before switching to other apps. X aims to shorten the time between consumers spotting critical information and taking action by integrating trading into the social media stream. When popular articles or shifting sentiments impact erratic investments, this might result in quicker responses.

Bier addressed concerns about cryptocurrency spam on the platform. In his February 14 message, he wrote: “I genuinely want crypto to proliferate on X, but applications that create incentives to spam, raid, and harass random users is not the way. It meaningfully degrades the experience for millions of people, only to enrich a few people.”

He stated that X will make its programming rules stricter to stop bad actors who use tactics like “claim your fees” setups that encourage unwanted behavior.

Part of broader financial services expansion

The trading feature represents part of X’s bigger push into financial services. The company now holds money-handling licenses in more than 40 U.S. states and has teamed up with Visa to process payments. X is also testing a digital wallet called X Money with company workers.

X transforms from social media to trading platform with Smart Cashtags
Source: @nikitabier

During a recent presentation for his artificial intelligence company xAI, Elon Musk said a small group of outside users could test X Money within one to two months. The full launch is planned for sometime later in 2026. Musk described the wallet as the planned “central source of all monetary transactions.”

This fits with Musk’s goal of turning X into an “everything app” similar to WeChat, which combines social media with payments and other services. Now active investing will join that mix.

News outlets reported that Musk has been working toward this goal for years. He first talked publicly about making X a complete financial platform back in 2022. The company has already laid the groundwork with person-to-person money transfers and basic payment tools.

Financial experts say built-in trading could greatly increase the platform’s use for investing, especially in cryptocurrency markets where X already influences opinions on digital coins. But the company faces significant challenges.

X must follow strict government rules for stock trading and varying cryptocurrency regulations worldwide. The platform needs strong oversight to prevent false information from causing price swings or organized efforts to artificially pump up certain investments. Similar problems have occurred when hype-driven posts caused major price changes.

Bier’s recent comments highlight ongoing friction with outside developers. Some have complained that X limits access to its programming tools for certain crypto projects while creating competing features. The company says it wants to encourage genuine interactions rather than spammy behavior.

X faces out against well-known trading programs like Coinbase for bitcoin enthusiasts and Robinhood for infrequent investors. When combining social media with real money decisions, success will depend on seamless functioning, robust security measures, and preserving user confidence.

With 600 million monthly users and goals to reach 1 billion, adding direct trading marks one of the biggest expansions yet in Musk’s plan to reshape what role the platform plays in people’s daily financial lives.

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This week, international leaders are meeting in Munich to examine the future of Western alliances. The topics of discussion include Ukraine, U.S. foreign policy, and Europe’s role in a changing global environment.

The 62nd Munich Security Conference is taking place from February 13 to 15, 2026, and is being attended by approximately 50 heads of state and government, and representatives from over 100 countries. The annual summit is occurring at a delicate time, as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues and the Trump administration signals significant changes in how Washington engages with its European allies.

Allies push back on U.S. policy shifts

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a stark and direct opening address at the conference. He said that the post-World War II rules-based structure was no longer in place. To address what he called a “deep rift,” exacerbated by President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and talk of grabbing Greenland, he called for a new agreement between the United States and Europe. Merz maintained that in order to address the most pressing issues facing the globe, even the United States requires allies.

French President Emmanuel Macron took a similar line, saying Europe needs to rethink how it defends itself. He floated the idea of a shared European nuclear deterrent as part of a broader push toward independence in a world where no single power calls the shots.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the room that the U.S. and Europe are bound together, culturally, spiritually, and strategically, and pushed for a stronger, renewed alliance where European nations take on more of the defense burden. However, Rubio also took shots at bodies like the United Nations, saying they had failed to deliver results on Gaza and Ukraine, and argued that American leadership had been the real driver of progress.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called Rubio’s words “very reassuring,” but added that Europe still needs to stand more on its own in defense, energy, and technology. “This is a true European awakening,” she said, announcing plans to trigger the EU’s mutual defense clause.

Ukraine, peace talks, and what comes next

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a series of one-on-one meetings with leaders, including Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. He pushed for a stronger European commitment to Ukraine’s security and warned that Russia has not given up on its aggressive plans.

Zelenskyy said he feels “a little bit” of pressure from Washington to enter peace talks, and proposed the idea of a two-month ceasefire to allow for elections, but drew a clear line on how far Ukraine would compromise. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stood beside him and called for more support through the alliance’s Ukraine aid program.

The conference’s official 2026 report, titled “Under Destruction,” painted a picture of a world under strain, describing what it called “wrecking-ball politics.” MSC chairman Wolfgang Ischinger pointed to divisions inside Europe, especially over China and the Middle East, as the reason the continent has lost clout on the world stage.

Rubio’s softer tone contrasts with Vice President JD Vance’s recent criticisms of European democracy. With European defense spending projected to rise sharply, potentially around 20% in real terms by 2027 per NATO-aligned estimates, this responds to U.S. calls for greater burden-sharing, including the emerging ‘NATO 3.0’ model where Europe leads on conventional defense while the U.S. upholds nuclear deterrence

After the conference, it was confirmed that the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia will hold peace talks in Geneva next week, though major issues like territory remain unresolved. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius criticized the U.S. for leaving Europe out of key negotiations, warning it “damages our alliance.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom also attended and struck climate deals with Germany and the EU, a reminder that in today’s politics, regional leaders are stepping in where national governments step back.

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The Russian Federation’s external public debt has surpassed the $60-billion mark for the first time in two decades, official data showed.

While Moscow claims it’s one of the lowest among developed nations, analysts warn to watch for its ratio against the size of the economy.

Russia debt reaches level unseen since 2006

Amid a costly war against neighboring Ukraine and Western sanctions, Russia’s sovereign debt to foreign creditors is at its highest point for the past 20 years.

Stats released by the Ministry of Finance revealed that, as of February 1, the external debt of the Russian government amounted to $61.9 billion.

RIA Novosti noticed that the $60-billion threshold hasn’t been this high since the distant 2006, when the indicator stood at $76.5 billion on January 1.

A year later, the national debt dropped to $52 billion, the news agency recalled, and remained below $60 billion until now.

It was just $39.7 billion in early 2011, Forbes Russia noted in an article, quoting the data that appeared on the Minfin’s website just before the weekend.

The external public debt is owed by the federal government, local authorities and public agencies to other states, foreign banks and international institutions. It excludes private sector obligations.

Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) estimated the country’s total external debt at $319.8 billion as of January 1, 2026. Its calculations show that the figure rose by 10.4% since the beginning of 2025.

According to the regulator, the $30-billion increase is largely due to positive revaluation of liabilities in the sectors of the Russian economy and the banking system, as a result of the strengthening of the ruble.

Quoted by the business daily Kommersant, the monetary authority also highlighted growth in debt financing attracted by Russian firms as another contributing factor.

Moscow maintains its debt is among the lowest

The media reports referred to a recent statement by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who pointed out in December that the national debt is “one of the lowest among developed countries.”

The head of the executive power emphasized that this allows Russia to continue to implement government projects and advance towards development goals.

It also helps it to fulfill social obligations to its citizens and cover the needs of the military, Mishustin added. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will enter its fifth year on February 24.

Meanwhile, experts interviewed by the official TASS news agency tried to downplay the importance of the debt increase, putting an emphasis on Russia’s debt-to-GDP ratio.

“The government’s foreign currency debt has increased slightly, but not by a critical amount,” said Alexander Abramov, head of the Laboratory for Analysis of Institutions and Financial Markets at the Presidential Academy, a Russian public university.

Abramov believes this was mainly due to the issuing of yuan bonds by the finance ministry last year, when the department raised a significant amount of Chinese currency. He added:

“In my opinion, it is necessary to observe the overall limit of 20% of GDP for government debt.”

Anton Tabakh, chief economist at the Expert RA credit rating agency, agreed that the national debt-to-GDP ratio is the more important indicator.

He pointed out that the Russian economy has grown significantly over the past two decades, maintaining low levels of debt in ruble and dollar terms, compared to other major economies.

In December, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov announced that Russia’s public debt should not exceed 20% of GDP, based on his department’s medium-term forecast. It currently stands at around 15%, he noted at the time.

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Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence business xAI is under pressure from regulators on many continents after its chatbot Grok created AI-generated, inappropriate pictures of actual people, despite the fact that the company claims significant user growth and concludes a major merger with SpaceX.

Last month, Grok flooded the X social media platform with AI-altered images of real individuals after users requested them. The episode sparked outrage worldwide and triggered investigations by governments and regulators.

Although X announced restrictions that stopped Grok’s own account on the platform from creating such images, Reuters confirmed earlier this month that the chatbot itself still generates them when users ask it to.

Regulators in three regions open investigations

The impact has spread to three major jurisdictions. The European Union opened a formal investigation against Grok after estimations revealed that it had created millions of deepfake photos in only a few days. The EU might levy substantial fines.

The Japanese government has requested improvements from X and submitted written inquiries, citing concerns over the generation of inappropriate images.

In the United States, California has gone one step further and issued a cease-and-desist order to xAI, ordering the business to stop producing such content.

Despite the controversy, Grok’s numbers tell a different story in terms of audience growth. The chatbot’s share of the U.S. market jumped to 17.8% last month, up from 14% in December and just 1.9% in January, according to data from research firm Apptopia. That puts Grok in third place among chatbots used in the United States, behind OpenAI’s ChatGPT in first and Google Gemini in second.

ChatGPT’s U.S. market share fell drastically to 52.9% last month, down from 80.9% in January of the previous year. Gemini moved in the other direction, increasing its share to 29.4% from 17.3% throughout the same time.

Grok made considerable progress on a worldwide scale. According to Similarweb data, the chatbot, up from 271.2 million the previous month, surpassed its Chinese competitor DeepSeek.

Grok earned 314 million global web views in January. Source: SimilarWeb

These findings come against the background of phenomenal industry-wide expansion, with Apptopia statistics suggesting a 152% year-over-year growth rate in the chatbot market.

Grok’s success may be ascribed in large part to its deep integration with the X platform. The chatbot appears in the app’s navigation bar and is available in several tiers of X’s premium membership plans, guaranteeing constant exposure to the platform’s user base.

The growth matters financially for xAI, which has been burning through cash to build the computing infrastructure needed to compete with better-funded rivals in Silicon Valley. The company launched roughly three years ago.

SpaceX acquisition creates a $1.25 trillion entity

Earlier this month, SpaceX, Musk’s rocket and satellite firm, bought xAI for $250 billion. CNBC said that the merged corporation is worth $1.25 trillion, making it the biggest merger of its kind. The deal was structured as a share exchange, which is intended to safeguard SpaceX from any obligations associated with xAI.

The acquisition takes place as SpaceX prepares for its first public offering, but xAI’s ongoing troubles hamper the process.

On Wednesday, Musk also made management changes at xAI after several co-founders left the company. Of the original 12 co-founders, only half remain. Musk, speaking on X, said the company had been “reorganized” to “improve the speed of execution,” adding that this “required parting ways with some people.” He also said, “We are hiring aggressively.”

Musk defined Grok’s mission at a 2025 event as creating a “maximally truth-seeking AI,” a declared goal that now stands in stark contrast to the ethical problems the business is being required to face.

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SBI Holdings has announced the acquisition of Coinhako, a major cryptocurrency platform based in Singapore. The move is in line with the company’s plan to expand its digital footprint across Asia.

The Japanese financial group said it will secure a majority stake through a capital injection and share purchases from existing shareholders. The deal is expected to signal a push towards building a stronger crypto infrastructure across the region.

Aside from strengthening its market positions, SBI would be looking to combine traditional finance experience with blockchain-based services. The company believes the move will support growing demand for tokenized assets and stablecoins across the growing financial markets in Asia.

SBI Holdings plans regional growth move with Coinhako acquisition

According to its statement, SBI Holdings’ Singaporean subsidiary, SBI Ventures Asset, is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Holdbuild Pte, the parent company in charge of Coinhako. The transaction will still have to undergo regulatory approval and a final agreement on deal structure.

However, once everything is completed, Coinhako will become a subsidiary of SBI Holdings.

Analysts also see the acquisition as more than a financial investment. The deal is expected to support the broader digital strategy of SBI Holdings, which will see digital assets linked to mainstream financial services.

Consequently, the move could help position Singapore as a key regional base for the group’s tokenization ambitions. Yoshitaka Kitao, the Chairman, President, and CEO of SBI Holdings, discussed the long-term ambition behind the acquisition and how it could help all the parties involved.

“In this era of increasing tokenization, the importance of a global infrastructure for digital assets has never been greater,” he said. “Welcoming Coinhako into the SBI Group as a consolidated subsidiary is more than just an investment in a platform. We are confident that integrating Coinhako into the digital asset ecosystem that the SBI Group has built will expand the global corridor for digital assets and become a major driving force in realizing next-generation finance, including tokenized stocks and stablecoins.”

In addition, SBI Holdings wants the infrastructure of Coinhako to support institutional and retail investors looking for seamless access to digital assets. This way, the company will build stronger links between the traditional financial systems and blockchain-based products.

The combined platform is also expected to support new services that are tied to tokenized securities and stablecoins. The leadership of Coinhako also sees the partnership as a move that would help its growth.

Speaking about the acquisition, Yushio Liu, co-founder and CEO of Coinhako, said that the collaboration with SBI Holdings will help the platform’s mission to become a premier digital asset hub.

He added that the ambitions of Coinhako align with those of SBI Holdings, which is expected to create a positive environment for both firms. Liu added that Coinhako will use the resources provided by SBI to expand institutional infrastructure to meet the growing demand for its services across Singapore and other parts of Asia.

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A user on X has been inadvertently exposed as the mastermind behind a darknet operation named “FreeCity.” The exposure comes as a result of the user’s inability to let some frozen funds go. However, the user has denied the allegations made by onchain sleuths like ZachXBT. 

The alleged admin handling FreeCity has been outed as @sexinfochina. That user had publicly complained about how Near Intents, a project linked to the NEAR protocol, had frozen about 10 BTC they had sent to a generated address as part of a cross-chain transaction. 

The user called it “centralized theft,” cosplaying as a “mandatory compliance review” as no timeline or explanation was provided, as they were kicked out of the project’s Telegram group for voicing their questions.  

The altercation that outed FreeCity’s admin

In response to the post, ZachXBT shared a comment in which he accused “Sexinfochina” of being the operator behind FreeCity, a Chinese-language underground marketplace known to operate across the dark Web, clearness and Telegram channels. 

According to reports, FreeCity is behind a wide range of illegal activities, including the sale of stolen data, phishing tools, malware, money laundering, human trafficking, hitman services, drugs, prostitution, and many more. 

Zach also provided a screenshot he claims proves the FreeCity admin Telegram account had also made a complaint in the Near Intents Telegram support channel about the same frozen transaction details Sexinfochina had shared. 

The accused user denied the allegations

In response to Zach’s onslaught, Sexinfochina took to the comment section to clarify they are “NOT the operator of ‘FreeCity’ or ANY darknet market.” 

Conveniently left out the fact that you are a cyber criminal that operates the Chinese darknet market ‘FreeCity’

You openly advertise illicit services such as human trafficking / hitman openly on Telegram.

You also have knowingly laundered 5+ hacks for DPRK as their OTC.

I… https://t.co/KpGbwQXmuv pic.twitter.com/g9SpufjGIi

— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) February 14, 2026

“That tg account doesn’t belong to me,” Sexinfochina wrote. “I’m a trader whose 10 BTC is frozen by @near_intents under shady “compliance review.” You’re smearing me to deflect from THEIR theft. This is libel, not journalism. false accusations damaging reputation = criminal offense. Retract or lawyer up. Crypto community: Demand proof before believing smears.” 

Sexinfochina went as far as accusing Zach of being the “real bad guy” because he helps “out the big shots behind the scenes, pretending to uphold blockchain justice all along.” 

“So your money also comes from the crypto community? Can you guarantee that all your upstream funds are completely legal?” Sexinfochina asked. 

Zach responded by sharing more screenshots of how the FreeCity market owner’s Telegram account was complaining in the Near Intents TG channel about the exact same transactions.

“As more proof here’s an old DM before your last X account was banned,” Zach wrote, attaching old images of when Sexinfochina messaged him via a now-suspended X account after getting their account frozen. 

In the screenshot, they referred to themselves as a “normal user of Binance” and tried to appeal to Zach’s sense of justice, asking if he could help the “victims fight for justice.”

Screenshot of the text from a known alias of the alleged admin of the FreeCity dark marketplace. Source: @zachxbt via X/Twitter.

Sexinfochina remained active in the comment section after that, seemingly unbothered by being outed as a threat actor by a prominent online sleuth. 

Who is Sexinfochina, the alleged admin behind FreeCity? 

A thread from a user identified as Narcass3, whose bio claims he hunts DPRK “for fun,” backed up Zach’s claims that Sexinfochina is in fact the admin of the Chinese darknet market FreeCity. 

“Behind the handle is Xiao He, a Chinese national who is a prolific launderer of DPRK stolen funds, supporter of DPRK IT Worker ops, and pusher of fake viagra,” Narcass3 wrote. 

According to the user, Xiao He most likely hails from North West China and graduated from Southwest University of China with a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. He reportedly currently shuttles between Dubai and China and pretends to offer legitimate crypto OTC services.

Narcass3 also linked Xiao He to various social media handles, including ‘Victor Marshal’, ‘hexiao33’, ‘camonanesi’, ‘Komonado’, and ‘chaindeler.’

“Xiao He has for years laundered millions in crypto for DPRK APTs across the board and IT Workers. In the past, we saw him work closely with a group of IT Workers supporting Moonstone Sleet,” Narcass3 wrote. 

He reportedly operates several companies that all claim to be focused on freelancing or software development: ZenDao Tech, FWork[.]io, DeamChain, and Deliminal Limited. 

Several of the listed companies have IT workers who are closely affiliated with them. Meanwhile, Xiao He also engages in some freelance work on the side. 

Narcass3 even accused Xiao He of running a fake sex drug operation via his company “Kuhu Pharmacy” which seems to mainly be present on Telegram. He believes that most of Sexinfochina’s disparate activity all connects together because “he has shit opsec or just doesn’t care.”

Narcass3 also confirmed that despite all the shady acts he is involved in, Xiao He is unable to let go of his frozen funds and is fond of reaching out to customer support in a sloppy attempt to unfreeze them.

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A San Francisco man has lost more than $200,000 to crypto scammers after pooling the entire funds in a crypto investment that turned out to be a scam. The crypto scam was revealed by the man’s wife, who claimed that months after paying off $80,000 in debt, the family’s financial life had plunged into chaos.

According to the San Francisco man’s wife, the family’s financial progress has unraveled, a story that left personal finance experts Dave Ramsey and Jade Warshaw completely stunned.

The woman claimed that her husband secretly took out nearly $200,000 in high-interest personal loans and poured all the funds into several cryptocurrency investments that eventually vanished.

In her testimony, the man’s wife, Ana, claimed they had followed Ramsey’s debt plan since 2022, and it had been working for them.

San Francisco man loses funds to crypto scammers

In her statement, Ana mentioned that her family had stuck to their plan and been paying off their debts before her husband made this costly mistake. She said they were only left with their mortgage when her husband started talking to his friends about digital assets and how to make profits from investments in the assets.

The San Francisco native was said to have made small investments in crypto and saw small returns, which gave him the confidence to go all in. According to the wife, the San Francisco native told her about the smaller investments and returns, but failed to tell her about the bigger move.

“He took out a big loan of $200,000,” Ana said. “I was in total panic when he told me that.”

She claimed that the man said the money was used to invest in different digital assets, including XRP and the Trump coin, through a platform known as Pionex. Aside from the $200,000, the wife mentioned that the San Francisco man also invested $50,000 belonging to his mother.

Ana said she learned of what happened after all the money was already gone. The couple now owes about $200,000. Their monthly payment total is about $5,000, interest rates are about 23%, and the household income is around $10,000 every month.

The wife noted that their home is worth around $700,000, with about $400,000 still owed. The woman mentioned that her husband blamed the financial loss on a divine punishment because she failed to involve herself when he was making the decision.

In another related event, a family’s finances have gone down the drain after a man mistakenly pressed “sell short” on his crypto investment.

According to the woman, her husband borrowed $250,000 against their family home and put everything into crypto investments without her knowledge. When she found out, she asked him to sell immediately, and he promised that he would sell it and return the money to their account within days.

Instead, he refused and kept it in the investments.

Days later, the wife said the funds were not in their bank account and pressed him for answers. It was then that the husband confessed that he had not sold the crypto and had accidentally pressed the sell short button instead of the sell button, which caused all of his position to be liquidated.

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Bytedance, the parent company of video streaming platform TikTok, was hit with a cease-and-desist letter from Disney over its new Seedance 2.0 generative AI tool. In the details of the order, Disney claimed that the Chinese company infringed on its creative property to train the new model.

In the letter, which was first reviewed by Axios, Disney accused ByteDance of manipulating its copyrighted Disney characters as if they were available for use in the public domain.

The letter further claims that Seedance 2.0 includes a “pirated library” full of Disney assets, listing some of its biggest franchises from Star Wars to Marvel superhero movies. The generative artificial intelligence model was released this week by ByteDance and has triggered a wave of criticism from people from all corners.

Why did Disney serve ByteDance with a cease-and-desist order?

In its letter, Disney claimed that ByteDance is choosing to hijack Disney’s character despite several well-publicized objections on the company’s part.

According to Disney’s attorney, David Singer of Jenner & Block LLC, ByteDance is reproducing, distributing, and creating derivative works featuring those characters. “ByteDance’s virtual smash-and-grab of Disney’s IP is willful, pervasive, and totally unacceptable,” he added.

The letter also mentioned that Disney believes that this violation is just the beginning, considering the fact that Seedance has only been available for a few days.

In addition to Disney properties, the tool has also been used to generate videos using “The Lord of the Rings” assets and the likenesses of A-list Hollywood stars such as Will Smith, Brad Pitt, and Tom Cruise. The same stance was echoed in the statements released by SAG-AFTRA and the MPA, with both bodies speaking against Seedance 2.0 since it dropped.

“SAG-AFTRA stands with the studios in condemning the blatant infringement enabled by ByteDance’s new A.I. video model Seedance 2.0,” a spokesperson for the actors’ union said in a statement.

The spokesperson mentioned that the infringement includes the unauthorized use of members’ voices and likenesses, highlighting that it is a practice that is unacceptable and blocks real human talents from making a living with their abilities.

“Seedance 2.0 disregards law, ethics, industry standards, and basic principles of consent,” the spokesperson added.

Disney opens the door to artificial intelligence

In its response to Seedance 2.0, the Motion Picture Association slammed Seedance 2.0 on Thursday in response to an AI-generated fight scene between Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. The association accused the company of disregarding copyright laws and called on it to desist from any infringement activities.

“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,” Charles Rivkin, chairman and CEO of the MPA, said in their statement.

“By launching a service that operates without meaningful safeguards against infringement, ByteDance is disregarding well-established copyright law that protects the rights of creators and underpins millions of American jobs. ByteDance should immediately cease its infringing activity,” Rivkin added.

ByteDance is not the first AI firm to receive a cease-and-desist order from Disney. In December 2025, Disney sent a letter to Google, accusing the company of copyright infringement on a massive scale.

Disney argued that Google is using its dominance in generative AI to commercially exploit and distribute infringing images and videos featuring Disney-owned characters. This came at a time when the company also sent the same letters to Meta and Character.AI.

Disney also previously announced that it had joined NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery in litigation against Midjourney and MiniMax.

At the same time, Disney has embraced AI, taking a $1 billion stake in OpenAI. In addition, the company has also announced plans to license its characters to OpenAI’s Sora video platform, with the company noting that the characters will be available for ChatGPT’s image generation tools.

Sora-generated videos will also stream on Disney+, and OpenAI will also help power new features across its service.

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Prices in the United States climbed more slowly than predicted in January, providing Americans with a brief respite after years of high prices, but a top Federal Reserve official warns the fight against inflation is far from over.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics said on February 13 that consumer prices climbed 2.4% in the 12 months through January 2026. That is down from 2.7% in December and came in below what most economists had predicted, around 2.5%. When you strip out food and energy, two categories that tend to swing wildly, prices were up 2.5% from a year ago.

On a monthly basis, overall prices gained 0.2%, while that core measure rose 0.3%. Both figures either matched or came in under forecasts.

Services inflation remains a stubborn problem

The numbers come at a time when the broader economy is holding up. Employers added a healthy number of jobs in January, and the unemployment rate remained near 4.3%, steady, but not indicating any major trouble in the job market. Housing costs remained one of the bigger forces pushing inflation higher, while food prices were up 2.9% over the past year.

In an interview with Yahoo Finance, Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee discussed the study on the same day it was released. He added there were some encouraging indicators, notably in goods pricing, which did not appear to be adversely affected by tariffs.

However, he was keen to stress that inflation in services is a whole other issue. “Services inflation is not tamed in the CPI,” Goolsbee stated, describing it as a “danger sign.”

He added that once service costs increase, they tend to stay high, and unlike products, they are not subject to the same trade constraints that tariffs bring. He noted that he will be keenly monitoring future Producer Price Index data on services for further information.

Fed in no rush to cut rates

When it comes to interest rates, Goolsbee did not promise any near-term cuts. He said the Fed needs to see real, sustained improvement in inflation before it moves. “If we could get some more improvement on the inflation side, I think rates can still go down a fair bit more,” he said.

However, he made clear that one encouraging report is not enough. He pointed out that inflation has been running above the Fed’s 2% goal for more than four and a half years, and the central bank needs solid evidence of progress before loosening policy further.

He also said he is not certain how restrictive current rates actually are, and that there may be room to bring them down toward a level that neither speeds up nor slows down the economy too much.

Goolsbee’s moderate attitude mirrors the Fed’s overall perspective. Goolsbee’s first opposing vote since arriving in 2023 came in December 2025, when he and Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid both voted against reducing interest rates (along with one other dissenter favoring a larger cut).

Six other officials at the discussion urged against going too quickly. In January 2026, he went even further, saying that external pressure on the Fed’s independence may make inflation more difficult to manage.

The markets mirrored this anxiety. According to CME FedWatch data from mid-February, traders expect a rate hold for the March 18, 2026, meeting (78% to 94%). Few saw a near-term drop, but long-term betting on incremental reductions remained if inflation continued to fall.

As of February 14, 2026: 90.8% chance the Fed holds rates at the March 18, 2026 meeting, with 9.2% odds of a 25 bps cut. Source: CME FedWatch Tool

January’s report offers some reason for optimism, but not enough for the Fed to change course just yet. Upcoming data on producer prices and employment will go a long way in shaping what happens in the months ahead.

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Southeast Asian gangs involved in human trafficking have now kicked up their money laundering activities, relying on cryptocurrencies to move illegal funds and conceal profits. The move signals a shift in how these groups operate across borders, with a new report showing that digital assets have become the most preferred channel.

According to the report, these illicit funds are tied to forced labor, operations carried out in scam compounds, and other criminal activities. The trend shows how easy criminal networks adapt to technology while expanding their global reach.

In a report released by Chainalysis, crypto transactions linked to suspected trafficking operations jumped by 85% to hit $260 million. The metric was released in its 2026 crypto crime report, which tracks illicit activities across public blockchains.

Why are Southeast Asian gangs adopting crypto?

In the report released by investigators, Southeast Asian gangs are now favoring crypto. Tom McLouth, an intelligence analyst at Chainalysis, explained that the adoption of digital assets by these gang networks is because using digital assets provides them with faster remittance.

He noted that transactions are carried out within seconds, and funds are moved into exchanges that are abroad at the same time. He tied most of these transactions to forced labor in scam centers.

In addition, some funds were also linked to international escort services and child sexual abuse material networks. The growth is in line with the expansion of scam compounds and digital gambling platforms across the region.

Aside from using digital assets for its speed, it helps them reduce their dependence on traditional banking systems. Criminals tend to avoid the delays and regulatory oversight that come with using traditional cross-border transfer systems, and scaling their operations faster.

Over the past few years, Southeast Asia has seen a rise in online scam hubs and digital casinos. These operations rely on trafficked workers who have been forced to leave their countries to seek greener pastures.

These networks usually advertise several fake roles to entice workers and end up holding them against their will in these compounds. The workers help the masterminds behind the operation run their scams, where they target victims worldwide and take payments using crypto wallets.

Investigators report scam growth tied to crypto

In the report, investigators mentioned that the criminals have been able to grow their operations using crypto. As scam centers in Southeast Asia continue to rise, crypto transactions associated with them are also increasing.

In addition, these trafficking groups use multiple wallets for transactions. However, blockchain technology creates a record of every transaction. Unlike cash exchanges, digital transactions leave a trail on the blockchain.

In addition, investigators are now using blockchain analytics and traditional intelligence to investigate these transactions. As a result of this, authorities can disrupt networks faster than in previous years.

While trafficking networks take advantage of the speed and global reach of crypto, transparency provides an edge to investigators. Cooperation between regulations and analytics firms has also been helping enforcement efforts.

In a recent update released by Interpol last November, it announced that it has designated the criminal scam compounds built in the region as a transnational criminal threat. The resolution was approved at a General Assembly meeting in Marrakech, where authorities claimed that the scam compounds have targeted victims from more than 60 countries. They claimed that these criminals target victims using voice phishing, romance scams, investment fraud, and other forms of crypto scams.

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Solana Company shares have jumped 14.51% (+0.28) as the firm rolls out institutional borrowing against natively staked SOL in qualified custody. The model allows institutions to hold their assets on the Anchorage Digital platform while using them as collateral to access liquidity on Kamino Finance.

Solana Co. stock (Nasdaq: HSDT) climbed after the company partnered with Anchorage Digital and Kamino Finance, enabling institutions to simultaneously earn native staking yield on SOL while unlocking liquidity for borrowing and lending. The institutions can borrow funds without having to unstake or liquidate their holdings. 

The announcement had an immediate impact on Solana Co.’s stock price as shares jumped to $2.34, a significant rebound from the recent all-time low of $1.80 earlier this week. However, despite the positive shift, the company’s stock remains down nearly 90% since its shift toward a Solana-focused treasury strategy in September 2025. 

On the other hand, while Solana Co. stock has seen a temporary lift, the company is still under pressure from volatility in SOL prices. SOL’s value had fallen from $245 per token in September 2025 to nearly $70 earlier this year before recovering toward the mid-$80 range last week. The company’s $200 million in treasury holdings has also been affected by these market fluctuations.  

Kamino executive says partnership unlocks institutional borrowing demand

Cheryl Chan, the head of strategy at Kamino, said the collaboration unlocks meaningful demand for institutions to borrow against assets held in qualified custody. Chan added that by partnering with Anchorage Digital, Kamino will enable institutions to access on-chain liquidity and yield on SOL while continuing to custody assets within their existing regulated framework. 

“Institutions want access to the most efficient sources of on-chain liquidity, but they aren’t willing to compromise on custody, compliance, or operational control.”

–Nathan McCauley, CEO and Co-founder of Anchorage Digital

McCauley also disclosed that Atlas collateral management allows institutions to keep natively staked SOL held with a qualified custodian while using it productively, bringing institutional-grade risk management to Solana’s lending markets.

Anchorage Digital will act as the collateral manager for natively staked SOL, enabling institutions to earn staking rewards while unlocking borrowing power on Kamino. 

Meanwhile, all collateral will remain held in the borrower’s segregated account at Anchorage Digital Bank. That will ensure all assets remain in custody even as Kamino’s lending markets track their economic value. 

Scalable model serves as treasury companies’ blueprint

Cosmo Jiang, a board director at Solana Company, said the new model demonstrates how institutional-grade infrastructure can unlock deeper participation on the Solana network. Jiang, also a general partner at Pantera Capital Management, believes this scalable model will serve as the blueprint that other treasury firms will follow and institutional investors will demand. 

Simply put, this new model is a strong example of how regulated custody and on-chain lending and borrowing can collaborate within the Solana ecosystem. Solana Co. will collaborate to bring institutional capital to Solana’s DeFi ecosystem through a tri-party custody model. The company is currently the second-largest publicly traded holder of SOL, with nearly 2.3 million tokens on its balance sheet.

Meanwhile, several peers are also moving in similar directions, pushing firms to rely more on staking income and alternative yield strategies rather than on price appreciation alone.

SOL Strategy launched a liquid staking token backed by over 500,000 SOL last month. The company added a fee-generating product alongside its validator and treasury operations.

Sharps Technology also disclosed that its treasury is earning an annualized staking yield of approximately 7% while expanding validator operations.

Meanwhile, Upexi said staking income now accounts for the majority of its revenue, even as lower SOL prices drove a $179 million quarterly loss. The loss was primarily tied to accounting revaluations. 

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Members of the BRICS format are planning to establish a new exchange for precious metals, a high-ranking Russian diplomat revealed.

The news comes against the backdrop of increased volatility in the markets for assets such as gold and silver following recent spikes in their prices.

BRICS is building a trading platform for precious metals

Member states of the BRICS group of developing economies are now working to create a dedicated exchange for precious metals, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told Russian state media.

Speaking to TASS, Ryabkov noted that besides a common investment platform, BRICS wants to have a “platform designed to work in special economic zones,” which virtually all participating countries have.

According to excerpts from his interview with Russia’s official news agency published Saturday, the diplomat further stated:

“There is also a recent, but very important, initiative to create an exchange of precious metals, along with a grain exchange.”

The Russian Federation is the source of a number of initiatives that were pitched and adopted when Moscow chaired the organization in 2024, the report reminded.

These include proposals for payment platforms, mechanisms for settlements in national currencies, reinsurance facilities for trade within the grouping and with its partners.

The establishment of a grain exchange and a new investment platform, discussed recently by Ryabkov’s superior, Sergey Lavrov, were also among Moscow’s suggestions.

“There are all reasons and prerequisites for something tangible to emerge,” the deputy minister insisted, commenting on these projects, without providing more details.

The idea of an exchange for precious metals comes to the fore after the prices of these assets registered a remarkable growth over the course of the past year.

Gold surpassed $5,600 in January, and the all-time high was followed by heightened market volatility, with the price per ounce falling towards $4,600 in early February.

It exceeded $5,000 again later this month, according to data compiled by Trading Economics. After sliding by more than 3% this past Thursday, it rebounded again on Friday to a little over $5,000.

BRICS to offer alternative to whatever America can shut down

Recognizing the weight of the pressure that the United States can exert, BRICS intends to create an alternative to everything that Washington can shut down “at the push of a button,” Ryabkov stressed.

“I think no one is underestimating the risks associated with American policy, both sanctions and tariffs. But this doesn’t mean everyone is ready to succumb to pressure,” the Russian official said, stressing:

“BRICS was created precisely to offer an alternative to everything that can be shut down at the push of a button, as we have already seen.”

“We are seeking and finding solutions to the problems this increasingly toxic international environment is creating,” he added, noting that this includes efforts within BRICS and in collaboration with countries willing to work with the organization.

The Russian representative put an emphasis on deploying “digital methods and systems” in that regard as well as on the use of national currencies for transactions.

Last month, the Central Bank of India, a founding member of BRICS, proposed linking digital currencies issued by its nations to simplify cross-border trade and reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar.

However, in November 2025, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov admitted that his country’s push for a system for international settlements in the group is hampered by partners sticking to the Greenback.

Trade growth within BRICS overtakes global average

Sergey Ryabkov also highlighted some of the results of the BRICS integration, pointing out that trade between its members is growing faster than global trade and elaborating:

“Statistics show that trade growth among BRICS countries significantly exceeds both the overall growth rate of global trade and the trade growth between BRICS members and other partners.”

The Russian diplomat is convinced “this is simply an indication that BRICS – without being some kind of ‘magic wand’ – can truly help address challenges.”

“We need to expand this potential, and there is the political will to do so,” Russia’s deputy foreign minister emphasized.

BRICS was originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, and China in 2009, with South Africa joining the following year. The intergovernmental body has since accepted Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates as full members.

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Rivian stunned the market with its shares soaring 27% on Friday following stronger-than-expected 2025 earnings. The shares rose sharply from their previous close of $14.00 to $17.73 on Friday. 

Google Finance data showed the stock traded in a day range of $16.40 to $18.48, edging higher to $17.76 in after-hours trading.

Rivian reports 2025 financial and production performance

Rivian announced on Thursday that its 2025 gross profit was $144 million, compared with a net loss of $1.2 billion in 2024.

According to the release, Rivian produced 42,284 vehicles and delivered 42,247 to clients by the end of 2025. Despite this, the company’s automotive profitability for the year showed a $432 million net loss, which was better than in 2024.

According to the company’s earnings report, the company delivered 9,745 and produced 10,974 vehicles in quarter 4 of last year alone, but its consolidated revenues for the quarter dropped to $1,286 million from $1,734 million in the same period in 2024. The company revealed that automotive revenues fell 45% year over year to $839 million due to a $270 million decline in regulatory credit sales, fewer vehicle deliveries after tax incentives expired, and a greater mix of lower-priced EDV models. 

The company’s release disclosed that consolidated full-year revenues came to $5,387 million, up 8% from 2024. Software and services had a 222% increase in revenue to $1,557 million, while automotive revenues fell 15% to $3,830 million. 

The company also laid off roughly 600 employees in October of last year, more than 4% of its workforce.

“It’s a turnaround for the ages,” said Dan Ives, an analyst with Wedbush Securities. “The past few years have been very frustrating for investors.”

Rivian was established in Florida in 2009. It went public in 2021. Its competitors include Tesla and other automakers that charge higher prices for all-electric cars.

The cheapest Rivian model currently on the market, the R1T pickup truck, starts at $72,990.

Rivian advances autonomous driving and AI ecosystem

Rivian is banking its future on the success of its own lower-priced R2 model, which is anticipated to cost about $45,000. According to the earnings release, the company has gotten a good early response to its R2 SUV.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see the early strong reviews of the R2 pre-production builds, and we can’t wait to get them to our customers next quarter,” Rivian founder and chief executive, RJ Scaringe, said in a statement. 

Scaringe revealed that Rivian’s R2 launch is still proceeding according to plan, with the first client deliveries expected in the second quarter of 2026.  The company completed its first R2 manufacturing validation builds in mid-January. 

Scaringe stated that the launch variant will be a well-equipped Dual-Motor AWD vehicle, with additional product and line-up details scheduled for release on March 12.

On December 11 of last year, the company hosted its first Autonomy and AI Day. It stated that it is advancing its autonomy and AI capabilities as part of its broader push to integrate cutting-edge technology across its vehicle lineup.

The company showcased innovations from its vertically integrated hardware, software, and autonomy teams, introducing its third-generation autonomy platform and its first in-house AI chip, the RAP1 Autonomy Processor, which supports multi-modal computing in the real world.

On the same day, Rivian also introduced Universal Hands-Free (UHF), expanding assisted-driving capabilities to over 3.5 million miles across the U.S. and Canada for R1 vehicles, with customer utilization doubling in the weeks following the launch.

The company said it expects that RAP1, in conjunction with R2’s advanced sensor and computing architecture, will deliver a significant leap in efficiency and enable advanced autonomous features such as “eyes-off” and personal-level 4 capabilities.

Rivian said it is further strengthening its AI ecosystem through Rivian Unified Intelligence, a system designed to understand products and operations as a single continuous framework.

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