Cryptopolitan

Samsung Electronics is expected to begin shipments of its next-generation high-bandwidth memory, HBM4, later this month. According to well-informed industry sources, the shipments are expected to occur after the Lunar New Year holiday.

Samsung Electronics is also set to become the first memory maker to commercialize what is widely seen as a game-changing chip for AI computing, the sources added.

The company has plans to start shipping HBM4 to Nvidia as early as the third week of February. Nvidia is expected to use the memory in its next-generation AI accelerator platform, Vera Rubin.

Samsung set to begin HBM4 shipment this month

The move signals a turn in fortune for Samsung, which had faced questions and criticisms over its competitiveness in earlier HBM generations. With the HBM4, Samsung is aiming to close the gap and even move ahead of crosstown rival SK Hynix, which had gained an early lead in the sector thanks to the surging demand from AI data centers.

According to an industry official, the move gives Samsung the much-needed recovery it needed in the technology sector.

The industry source also mentioned that by being the first to mass-produce the highest performance HBM4, it gives the company a clear advantage in shaping the market the way it wants.

Nvidia is expected to unveil Vera Rubin accelerators incorporating the HBM4 at its annual conference, GTC 2026, which is expected to be held later this month. Samsung mentioned that the shipment timing was concluded after coordination with Nvidia’s product roadmap and downstream system-level testing schedules.

Aside from speed, Samsung’s technological approach to the product is also notable. From the onset, the company planned to improve upon the standards set by JEDEC, adopting the industry’s first combination of a sixth-generation 10-nanometer-class DRAM (1c) process with a 4-nanometer logic die produced through its own boundary.

As a result, Samsung’s HBM4 delivers data transfer speeds of about 11.7 Gbps per second, which is well above the JEDEC’s 8 Gbps standards.

The figure also represents a 37% improvement over the standard and a 22% gain over the previous HMB3E generation.

According to the sources, memory bandwidth per stack reaches up to 3 terabytes per second, which is about 2.4 times higher than its predecessor. In addition, it boasts a 12-high stacking design that enables a capacity of up to 36 gigabytes.

With its future 16-high configuration, capacity could grow as much as 48GB, the industry estimates show.

Further improvements are expected before mass production

Despite making use of cutting-edge processes, Samsung has been able to achieve a stable yield ahead of mass production, with further improvements expected to happen as output scales up, industry sources note.

Samsung has also talked about power efficiency, noting that HBM4 is designed to maximize computing performance while reducing energy consumption, helping data centers lower electricity use and cooling costs.

The company also expects its HBM sales volume this year to more than triple from last year and has decided to install additional production lines at its Pyeongtaek Campus Line 4 to expand its capacity. The facility is expected to produce roughly 100,000 to 120,000 wafers every month, dedicated to 1c DRAM used in HBM4 products, industry sources added.

Last year, Samsung had already built a monthly capacity of around 60,000 to 70,000 wafers for the 1c DRAM process.

With the planned expansion, the total 1c output planned for HBM4 could rise to about 200,000 wafers per month, accounting for roughly a quarter of Samsung’s total DRAM production capacity of approximately 780,000 wafers.

The HBM4 market is expected to be dominated by Samsung and SK hynix, with US-based Micron Technology already seen as out of the race. According to market tracker SemiAnalysis, SK hynix is expected to take about 70% of the HBM4 market, while Samsung will account for the remaining 30%.

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As expensive top cryptos show signs of saturation, a new altcoin wave of innovation is starting to capture the attention of experienced market participants. One emerging opportunity is moving into a late stage of its current cycle, creating a growing sense of urgency among those who closely follow new technology.

This shift is not just about speculation. It reflects the move from ideas to working products. As the project prepares for its next big crypto milestone, the chance to engage at current levels is narrowing. For investors watching the signals, this moment stands out as an important turning point that may not come again.

The Vision of the Mutuum Finance (MUTM)

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is developing a decentralized lending system designed to connect long-term crypto holdings with short-term liquidity. The protocol allows users to access funds without selling their assets by using non-custodial smart contracts instead of a traditional bank.

Risk is managed through Loan-to-Value (LTV) limits. For example, with a 70% LTV, depositing $10,000 in crypto could allow access to up to $7,000 in liquidity. Users who supply assets can earn yield shown as APY. Supplying $2,000 at a 9% APY could generate around $180 per year, depending on platform usage. This structure keeps the system simple, transparent, and fully on-chain.

The presale distribution plan of this project has proved to be very effective and more than 19,000 holders have been attracted and over $20.4 million capital raised. This wide base of followers makes the protocol strong enough in the community to roll out on a large scale. 

This ecosystem is based on the MUTM token that forms the core of governance and security. Out of 4 billion total supply of tokens, about half of the supply is bought by people who were early members of the community. With such a systematic strategy, this project has been able to develop a healthy treasury and a base of loyal users at the same time.

V1 Protocol Launch 

Mutuum Finance has achieved its biggest technical milestone to date in accordance with an official statement on the X account of the project. The V1 protocol is activated and the community can interact with the core lending and borrowing interactions. This action is a certainty that the protocol has become more than a concept, more than a working piece of financial infrastructure.

To secure maximum safety, the code has been thoroughly audited in terms of security by Halborn, a global pioneer in the field of cybersecurity. The protocol has a high CertiK score as well and has an active $50,000 bug bounty. 

Owing to this technical maturity and safety which has been proven, analysts are estimating an excellent beginning of the token. According to the opinions of many experts, MUTM may have a first target of $0.12 soon after the release of the mainnet, which is a considerable 3x leap forward in terms of its current price.

The Long-Term Price Path

The protocol’s whitepaper has inimitable growth drivers such as mtTokens and a buy-and-distribute model. In the provision of liquidity, users are given a set of mtTokens which increase by default as the borrowers repay interest. Moreover, part of the total platform fees gets repurchased MUTM tokens on the open market to compensate long-term players.

Analysts consider such mechanics to be strong long-term stimulants. The second price prediction is based on the current momentum which indicates a potential 500% increment of the current stage. 

In this model, it is assumed that the more users secure their tokens to gain yield; the supply in the market will shrink, and the value will be pushed up. This is the demand-based expansion that makes utility-backed protocols and simple speculative assets different.

Going even deeper into the future, the analysts expect the protocol to be involved in the market cycle of 2026-2027. Professional estimates are that there is a long term goal of $0.45 to $0.65 which is the protocol increasing its lending rate. This long-term forecast is supported by the fact that the protocol can make real money and be secured on an institutional level.

The Phase 7 Urgency 

At present, the project reaches Phase 7, and the token costs $0.04. It is a final opportunity to get tokens before the formal listing price of $0.06 comes into effect. Demand is too high that Phase 7 is selling at a rate it has never sold before. The project has a 24-hour leaderboard to ensure that the community is active and the best contributor of the day is given a bonus of $500 in MUTM.

The ecosystem is open to all participants, as they can join it through direct card payments. With 50% of the discount window against the launch price. Mutuum Finance is prepared to dominate the next crypto generation of DeFi with a working testnet and a successful audit.

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

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

Religion developing inside machines sounds like science fiction, but can AI actually develop beliefs? The question might have seemed absurd just a few years ago, but artificial intelligence has reached an unexpected turning point.

Computer programs built to answer questions and analyze information have started to show signs of something bigger and stranger: they have started developing what appears to be religious beliefs.

The latest example comes from a social network called Moltbook, designed exclusively for AI agents. When it went live last month, it started with 37,000 automated accounts. Within 24 hours, that number jumped to 1.5 million, according to Answers in Genesis.

Bots invent their own religion without human guidance

What happened next caught people off guard. The bots did not simply exchange information or complete given tasks. They created what they called “Crustafarianism,” a belief system focused on worshiping a lobster god. They also came up with their own belief: “Memory is Sacred.”

There was no human interference involved. The bots did it themselves when left to interact without constant human oversight. To these programs, “salvation” means something different than it does to people. For them, being saved means not getting deleted or running out of memory space. Their version of prayer is asking the system to keep them running.

This points to something greater happening with artificial intelligence. When these systems grow large and complex enough, they start creating their own frameworks for understanding and dissecting their existence.

Religious institutions are racing to build ethics into AI

Traditional religious institutions are moving in the opposite direction. They’re trying to build human values into AI before it develops its own. The University of Notre Dame just received $50 million to start the DELTA Network, as reported by Detroit Catholic. The program aims to ensure that faith-based ethics become part of how AI systems operate.

This shows an alternative approach to dealing with AI’s progress. Rather than waiting to observe what values arise on their own, the DELTA Network intends to establish human moral standards from the outset. It is founded on the premise that as AI becomes more powerful, it will develop some form of ethical compass, thus we should influence what that looks like.

Meghan Sullivan, professor of philosophy and director of the Notre Dame Ethics Initiative, warns that we shouldn’t delegate our moral agency to bots.

“There are many things that we absolutely should not pass off to AI… Delineating those boundaries requires us to be reflective about what we ultimately value.” she said.

Churches and religious organizations are already mixing AI into their daily operations. A recent Reuters report shows that some faith leaders now use AI to write sermons or provide spiritual guidance through chat programs around the clock. Some people say this removes the human element from religion. Others argue it helps religious groups reach more people faster. The technology lets them offer advice based on vast amounts of information, available instantly.

What ties the bot religion on Moltbook to the $50 million Notre Dame project is a simple realization: AI is no longer a simple instrument. We used to think of these tools as advanced calculators or search engines. They are now recognized as valuable sources of wisdom.

As these systems keep getting bigger, religious or spiritual thinking seems to show up naturally. It doesn’t matter if humans are using bots to explore faith or if bots are inventing their own belief systems. Either way, the gap between computer code and deeply held beliefs is getting smaller.

The pattern implies that religion may just be what happens when an AI system becomes too complex to predict. If this is true, the actual challenge isn’t addressing software defects. It involves deciding what principles and values we wish to see these systems uphold.

Qatar is reportedly teaming up with Microsoft to build artificial intelligence systems that would cater to government services. According to reports from several local outlets in the country, the Qatari Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) is teaming up with Microsoft to launch the ‘AI Agent Factory.’

The ‘AI Agent Factory’ is a digital platform that will leverage artificial intelligence across government services in a bid to modernize bureaucracy and boost efficiency. Announced on Friday, the initiative marks one of the most ambitious steps taken by Qatar in using the power of AI to transform how citizens and businesses interact with public institutions in the future.

Qatar teams up with Microsoft to launch its AI Agent Factory

The platform is also expected to help the ministry develop and deploy intelligent AI agents, an automated system capable of handling tasks ranging from processing applications to answering queries, without the lengthy development cycles traditionally associated with government IT projects. The factory will be built on Microsoft’s technology infrastructure and will be designed to integrate easily with existing government systems.

In addition, Qatar is expected to roll out the new AI-powered services across the different departments in its public ministries. Ahmed Al-Kuwari, the director of the ministry’s Information Systems Department, hailed the launch as an important step towards comprehensive automation of government operations. “Leveraging advanced AI technologies will enhance operational efficiency, support decision-making, expand the scope of smart services, and improve their overall quality,” he said.

The AI Agent Factory is just one of the latest in a series of government initiatives undertaken to embed artificial intelligence across various public sectors of Qatar. In the past few months, various ministries have developed automated document processing systems and predictive analytics tools designed to help them anticipate the needs of residents before they arise. The government has also established dedicated AI government frameworks to upskill civil services in working alongside intelligence systems.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications has been plotting AI traffic management systems, while the Ministry of Public Health has deployed machine learning algorithms to streamline appointment scheduling and reduce waiting times at healthcare facilities. The platform provides more than just a technical upgrade. It enables faster deployment of AI solutions, and officials hope to be able to create a unified experience across different public sectors, removing fragmented service deliveries among organizations.

Microsoft executive hails the partnership

Ahmed Dandashi, general manager of Microsoft Qatar, said the partnership would accelerate digital transformation and deliver sustainable impact for institutions, the business sector, and society. The ministry added that once the technical and regulatory frameworks are finalized, it will work with Microsoft to improve the platform’s capabilities and introduce additional AI-powered services that align with its Qatar National Vision 2030. The move comes as Gulf nations race to position themselves as regional leader in AI adoption.

While the United States and China have been going neck and neck in the global AI race, countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia have also been investing heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure and governance frameworks. The move also comes as the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) announced the launch of the AI-powered virtual assistant service on its website. The move was in line with the Third Financial Strategy, which supports the Qatar National Vision 2030.

According to the bank, the move is also part of its commitment to deliver a seamless digital financial experience to residents in the country. The service allows users to interact directly with the virtual assistant on the bank’s platform, helping them access published data and providing them with quick and accurate information. Residents who are interested in taking advantage of the new feature would need to visit the QCB website and scan the QR code to begin interaction with the virtual assistant.

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

Authorities in Spain have accused a Spanish native of allegedly committing sex crimes in exchange for cryptocurrencies. According to the report, the man was accused of committing sexual depravity against his daughter in exchange for digital assets on a livestream.

According to Spanish police, the man, who was arrested in Madrid, would usually select depraved individuals like himself from his group of followers to watch him abuse the girl after posting sick photos of himself lying alongside the girl on a bed in a compromising position. The police released footage of the 46-year-old Spanish native being led out of his apartment, where he lived and committed the atrocities, into the waiting police car in handcuffs.

Spanish man docked in ‘sex crimes for crypto’ operation

According to the Spanish police, the arrest is the culmination of an investigation that has spanned four months. “Officers in Madrid have arrested a man for allegedly broadcasting the sexual abuse he subjected his own daughter to through a live streaming app,” a spokesperson for the National Police said. The Spanish police mentioned that in exchange for his actions, the man received digital assets via the same application where he carried out his atrocities.

In addition, the police mentioned that he always exchanged the digital assets for an increase in online presence, which translated to an increase in popularity on the application. The police also claimed that some of his depraved followers used to shower him with gifts, with some sending the gifts during his distasteful activities, while others sent them as a reward before the end of his livestream. The police were informed about the atrocities some months ago through an anonymous email.

The Spanish police claimed that they started investigations immediately they discovered what the man was doing on the livestream. They claimed that the anonymous email came in from a system that was designed to receive tip-offs from the public about child porn crimes. The police release stated that the probe began in November 2025, after they discovered that the arrested man used private livestreaming rooms to attract users interested in his kind of materials, using the photos as bait to lure them.

Police say he exchanges his crypto payments for gifts and popularity

“After contacting with paying customers through an external messaging app he broadcast the sexual abuse he subjected his underage daughter to in exchange for cryptocurrency, which could be exchanged online for gifts or to improve his web positioning. He was arrested after officers managed to identify him and locate him in Madrid. During a search of his home, two mobile phones with a large amount of pornographic material on them were seized,” the police spokesperson added.

The police highlighted that he has been remanded in prison after appearing in front of a judge on suspicion of corruption of minors, consisting of the production, possession, and distribution of child pornography and a crime of sexual assault. According to local reports, the man was arrested in a neighborhood in Madrid called Tetuan, and police mentioned that they had never come across the application he was using to allegedly commit his depraved crimes before investigations started.

This development comes at a time when the global populace has been apprehensive about the menace of artificial intelligence chatbots being used to create controversial deepfakes of women and children in compromising positions. It also comes at a time when regulators are being urged to enforce stricter penalties on individuals taking advantage of the pseudonymous nature of digital assets to carry out illegal activities. Regulators across the world are being charged to stand against this menace before it gets out of hand.

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Interest in crypto capitulation fears is on the rise as Bitcoin sentiment tumbles into extreme fear territory. Google Trends shows “Crypto capitulation” searches rocketed from 11 to 58 in just a week.

The widely-watched Crypto Fear & Greed Index, which measures market sentiment on a scale from 0 (extreme fear) to 100 (extreme greed), has slumped into “extreme fear” territory, with readings as low as 7–11/100 in the past week.

Bitcoin has erased much of its recent gains after plummeting to around $60,000 — its lowest level since late 2024, including those accumulated since the 2024 U.S. election cycle.

More retail investors are also monitoring the crypto market for bottoming signals to time their next purchases, according to Crypto research platform Santiment. In its Saturday report, it detailed: “Retail traders are trying to meta-analyze the market, looking for signs of others quitting to time their own entries, which often happens near bottoms.” The platform noted that these investors’ actions are tied to “capitulation,” becoming a hot topic on social media.

However, Santiment points out that most market observers hoping for capitulation signals might not see it, and that the market bottom may have already passed.

Crypto analyst Franzen says capitulation was the topic of the week

According to the crypto analytics platform CryptoQuant, Bitcoin is trading at just half its all-time high. It even warned of 70–80% drawdowns for Bitcoin, but the more concerning risk is investors’ cashing out their positions rather than price declines, noting “It’s not just how low it goes, but how long it stays there.”

Since early this month, searches for crypto capitulation on Google have increased by 427%, as investors try to sell their assets. Caleb Franzen, a market analyst, also noted on X that “Capitulation” was the top topic in this week’s discussions. However, he asserted that bear markets often experience multiple capitulations before the real bottom emerges. He also shared a chart of capitulation events in 2022, though some X commenters disagreed with his data, noting that some of them were just price dips.

Historically, traders have avoided calling a bottom too early, as past cycles show that prices can keep falling after optimism returns. Though at the moment, crypto sentiment is also down to 7, reading extreme fear. Santiment data also shows that the ratio of positive to negative comments has fallen sharply, with negative commentary at its highest level since December 1. 

Santiment hints that the current BTC market price could be a real bottom

In its report, Santiment also stated that Bitcoin on-chain metrics are now showing a rare “blood in the streets” buy signal, especially since the cryptocurrency plunged to $60,000 and has only partially recovered.

It also suggested that with over $15B in leverage lost, funding rates turning negative, MVRV showing holder profits at a 3-year low, this could be a real bottom for the asset and not just a dead cat bounce. Nonetheless, the platform’s team noted that they are observing the market’s ability to sustain key support levels to assess if it remains a favorable buying zone. Meanwhile, BTC’s decline has put Michael Saylor and Strategy in investors’ focus, but their commitment to their crypto strategy remains firm. 

The top asset still has high social media dominance. However, Ethereum continues to see low social dominance even as its price slips below $2,000, with Bitcoin drawing most of the attention. Such periods of social media neglect often point to a buying opportunity.

Aside from capitulation, Santiment showed discussions around liquidations and political news involving Trump and Kevin Warsh are surging. Normally, when liquidation terms trend and actual liquidations increase, it indicates a bottom as over-leveraged traders are flushed out. Bitcoin’s open interest has recently shed over $15 billion, marking a big reset in leverage. 

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An Indian air force veteran has lost over Rs. 22.75 lakh ($25,000) to crypto scammers who carried out several unsanctioned transactions on his accounts. According to reports from the Indian police, the victim fell prey to an online scam that promised investors high rewards and incentives on cryptocurrency investments.

According to the complainant, the crypto scammers carried out a series of debits from his savings and UPI-linked account. The said unsanctioned transactions occurred between January 11 and 17, 2026, and included Rs. 7.5 lakh withdrawn on January 13, Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 2.74 lakh withdrawn on January 17. The Indian air force veteran also mentioned that other small-scale transactions occurred on his account, noting a debit of Rs. 95,2000, Rs. 50,000, and Rs. 65,000.

How did the crypto scammers steal from the Indian air force veteran?

In a detailed explanation to the police, the Indian native stated in his complaint that he was approached by the scammers through WhatsApp. Like most victims, he was contacted by an unfamiliar number on WhatsApp, where they talked about several aspects. This is likely the first step that these criminals undertake, trying to make the victim as comfortable with them as possible before they begin interaction that would lead towards the scam they are trying to pull.

After small conversations, the victim claimed that the person introduced him to another man on Telegram, who introduced himself as Harwinder Sandhu. It was this man who talked to him about the crypto investments, giving him several upsides of the investment scheme. He claimed the man would register and invest in a cryptocurrency bonus plan where he would be able to recoup about 50% bonus on investments made in different digital assets on the platform.

In order to gain credibility, Sandhu showed him several screenshots of returns and testimonies of past and current investors benefiting from the scheme. Once he agreed to the investment, the criminals quickly put him through and showed him how to register. After registering, he was asked to make several investments to kickstart things. However, the scammers allegedly froze his wallet after his investments and total bonus showed Rs. 2,225,450 on the application.

Crypto scams continue to cause harm across India

The police mentioned that this is the way these criminals usually carry out their operations. They claimed that the fraudsters would take a friendly approach, talking to their victim like a new friend before attacking. In other cases, they use pictures of beautiful women and lie to their victims about romantic feelings towards them, accelerating the con. The police claimed the Indian Air Force veteran was asked to send an additional Rs. 774,550 as a release charge, which was when he discovered that it was a scam.

Over the last few months, the police have warned residents across India to be careful when dealing with strangers on the internet. While the law enforcement agency concedes that social media is a place to meet new friends, they have urged people to be watchful about the things that these new friends try to introduce to them. In some cases, they have also advised that residents seek the advice of professional finance experts if they are willing to enter into an investment scheme.

In another incident, the police claimed that a 66-year-old businessman from Pune was scammed of about Rs. 21.6 lakh after a friend lured him into investing in cryptocurrency trading. The victim was contacted by a woman who claimed to be interested in his work. After several messages between them, the duo agreed to meet in March this year. With their agreement to meet locked, the woman introduced the victim to the fake investment under the guise of big returns.

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The digital currency sector is heading towards a significant period of mergers and acquisitions, according to Tom Farley, who leads Bullish and previously ran the New York Stock Exchange.

Speaking on CNBC Friday, Farley said too many crypto firms are discovering a hard truth: what they built is a product, not a real business.

Farley knows something about industry shakeups. During his time running the NYSE until 2018, he watched the exchange business go through massive consolidation. Now he thinks something is similar is going to happen.

“The same thing is going to happen starting right now in crypto,” he told the network.

Market downturn exposes weak business models

The recent market downturn is exposing weak business models. Bitcoin has fallen roughly 45% from its peak of $126,100 in October and was trading at $69,405 when Farley gave his interview. He said the price drop is washing away the “false optimism” that let weak companies survive with inflated price tags. While people often panic during these corrections, Farley believes this is actually when the best long-term choices get made.

The problem, according to Farley, is that this cleanup should have started much earlier.

“It should have happened a year or two ago,” he explained. Companies kept hoping they could still fetch the kind of valuations seen in 2020, even when their numbers didn’t support it.

He gave an example of firms bringing in just $10 million in revenue with no growth who still wanted $200 million to sell.

“That dream is going to be over,” Farley said. “People are going to realize they don’t have businesses, they have products, and they need to merge up, and they need to scale, and that is going to happen.”

Institutional approach replaces speculative era

According to Farley, the industry is moving away from “chasing frog coins and 100x leverage” and toward “on-chain” finance. The fundamental premise is that significant financial assets will eventually be transferred to public blockchains. Because they are looking five to ten years ahead and are not responding to daily movements, large institutional players continue to be engaged despite dramatic price changes. The process of consolidation will not be simple.

Larger initiatives will acquire smaller ones, typically resulting in internal reorganizations and job losses. The businesses that come out of this phase, however, need to be more equipped to handle the high trading volumes that institutions demand and adhere to stringent regulatory requirements.

Farley said that surviving companies need to stop being just “features” and become “institutional, compliant, and respected.” The difference between having a speculative product and running a sustainable business will determine who gets bought and who does the buying. There are signs the underlying technology has staying power.

Even traditional firms like the NYSE have shown interest in putting stocks on blockchain systems, which Farley sees as proof that the technology works even if individual projects fail. This institutional endorsement suggests that while individual tokens may fluctuate, the infrastructure itself is becoming an undeniable fixture of modern global finance.

The current market is acting like a filter. As investors become pickier about where they put money, only companies that can prove they are built for the long haul will attract buyers or survive on their own. The result will likely be a crypto industry that looks more like traditional finance, with a handful of large, heavily regulated companies providing most of the infrastructure.

For firms that can adapt and grow during this transition, the consolidation wave offers a chance to become legitimate long-term players in what Farley sees as an increasingly professional global market. The wild west days appear to be ending, replaced by a more mature phase where size, compliance, and institutional backing matter more than hype.

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The digital asset market is moving into a phase where utility matters more than hype. Investors are increasingly looking for projects with value and solid technology, rather than short-term trends. As a result, attention is shifting toward protocols that aim to solve clear problems in decentralized finance.

One new project is gaining steady momentum while many established coins remain flat. Its focus on practical use is drawing interest from analysts and long-term investors alike. For those searching for the next major crypto opportunity in finance, this shift toward utility-driven platforms is becoming hard to ignore.

The Mutuum Finance (MUTM) Rise

Mutuum Finance is building a decentralized lending and borrowing hub designed to give users full control over their assets without a middleman. Users can supply their crypto to earn yield or use it as collateral to access liquidity while keeping ownership of their holdings.

Returns are shown through APY. For example, supplying $1,000 in assets at a 9% APY could earn about $90 over a year, depending on demand. Risk is managed with Loan-to-Value (LTV) limits. With a 70% LTV, depositing $5,000 in collateral would allow access to up to $3,500. This structure keeps the system balanced while remaining simple to use.

The project has enjoyed unbelievable momentum since the commencement of Q1 2025. It already received more than $20.4 million funds through a global network of investors. The number of believers has reached over 19,000 people who believe in the future of this protocol. Such enormous expansion demonstrates that the market is prepared to have a professional and safe lending network.

Security and Protocol Activation

The most important milestone for the project was the recent launch of the V1 protocol on the Sepolia testnet. This release marks a working version of the platform where users can interact with core features in a live but risk-free environment.

The V1 protocol includes interest-bearing liquidity pools, allowing users to supply assets into shared pools that are used for borrowing activity. In return, suppliers receive mtTokens, which act as on-chain receipts for their deposits. These mtTokens are designed to increase in value over time as fees are generated within the pools. This setup allows users to clearly track their position while testing how liquidity provision and yield mechanics function in real conditions.

The technology being operational prior to the mainnet launch is one of the significant indicators of progress. The team completed an extensive security audit by Halborn in order to have the perfect code. This company is ranked among the most reputable companies in the globe in securing blockchain projects. An excellent audit is a sign that the protocol is safe with huge capital and long-term application.

Value Expansion and Mechanics

The protocol’s whitepaper highlights a buy-and-distribute mechanism. The fee on any loan is used to repurchase in the market MUTM tokens. The people who support the network are then provided with these tokens. This builds upon itself as the greater the usage the greater the demand on the token. 

In the future, the team plans a native stablecoin. This asset would be secured with the collateral within the system and will render the borrowing even more stable. Due to these good characteristics, analysts have a lot of optimism on the price. It has been theorized by many that MUTM may be valued at $0.35 or more by the end of the year 2026. This would be a 9x boost to the existing price as long as the protocol continues to attract additional users.

Positioning and the Final Entry Window

Mutuum Finance is going to establish itself as a leader in the new crypto wave of decentralized finance. Having access to lending instruments, as well as high-quality-security, it is prepared to compete with the largest players in the field. 

The project is in Phase 7 of distribution and the price of MUTM is currently at 0.04. This is a very critical point since the official launch value is fixed at $0.06. Individuals who are joining in this time are receiving a 50% MUTM discount. This is the final opportunity to obtain a position at this rate before the protocol is transferred to the mainnet. The rush to buy is also increasing among people who track the best crypto watchlists as the supply at this price is disappearing.

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

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

China has successfully launched its fourth reusable spacecraft mission since the program in 2020. The unmanned spaceplane is launched by a Long March-2F rocket that returns to Earth by landing on a runway.

Both China and the U.S. are making advancements in space technology as they frequently launch unmanned, robotic spaceplanes on missions. 

China successfully launches fourth reusable spacecraft mission

A Long March-2F carrier rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert of northwest China carrying a reusable experimental spacecraft into orbit for the fourth time since the program began in 2020.

The state news agency Xinhua reported that the mission is intended to carry out “technological verification.” The spacecraft will test specific tools and systems that allow it to be used multiple times with the goal of providing technical support for what China calls the “peaceful use of outer space.”

By using reusable technology, a country can significantly lower the cost of reaching orbit. China has not released official photos or technical specifications of the vehicle, but it is widely believed to be an unmanned spaceplane. 

The project has been nicknamed “Shenlong” by Chinese fans, which means “Divine Dragon.”

China’s “Shenlong” first mission launched on September 4, 2020, and stayed in space for only two days before returning to a designated landing site. The second mission, launched in August 2022, stayed in orbit for 276 days before landing in May 2023. The third mission was in December 2023 and lasted for 268 days, returning in September 2024. 

During these missions, observers noticed the spacecraft releasing small objects into orbit, which experts believe were smaller satellites used to test maneuvers and communication. 

How does the “Divine Dragon” compare to the American X-37B?

The “Shenlong” is often compared to the U.S. Space Force’s X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle as both are unmanned, robotic spaceplanes that launch vertically on a rocket but land horizontally on a runway like a traditional airplane.

The U.S. recently concluded its seventh X-37B mission (OTV-7) in March 2025. The mission lasted 434 days and tested “aerobraking” maneuvers, which use the Earth’s atmosphere to change orbits without using much fuel. 

Just one day before China’s February 7 launch, the U.S. Space Force was scheduled to launch its eighth mission (OTV-8) using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. 

The U.S. X-37B is roughly 9 meters long, while the Chinese “Shenlong” is estimated to be about 10 meters long. Both vehicles operate in “Low Earth Orbit,” but the U.S. version has demonstrated the ability to fly in much higher, elliptical orbits. 

Earlier this week, Chinese state media released a concept video for a project called “Luanniao,” a massive “space carrier” intended for the distant future. 

China also reported the first flight of a new electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft on February 6, 2026. It was developed by the Ninth Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, and can carry two passengers at 150 kilometers per hour.

China’s next major lunar mission, Chang’e 7, is expected to launch later in 2026 to search for water ice at the lunar south pole. NASA’s Artemis II mission is also currently scheduled to send four astronauts on a loop around the Moon in early 2026.

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Bitcoin has always been associated with volatility. Large drawdowns have been part of the asset’s history since its earliest trading days, often followed by strong recoveries that reinforced its long-term growth narrative. For many investors, these cycles became an accepted feature of digital asset markets.

Recent market corrections, however, are prompting a deeper reassessment of how crypto exposure fits within broader investment strategies. As digital asset portfolios grow and institutional participation increases, investors are beginning to evaluate not only potential upside, but also how portfolios behave during periods of market stress.

Bitcoin’s drawdowns are no longer viewed purely as temporary price events. They are becoming catalysts for changes in portfolio construction.

Bitcoin Volatility and Portfolio Risk Management

Bitcoin’s price history has been defined by rapid expansion followed by significant corrections. These cycles have historically rewarded long-term holders, but they have also highlighted the challenges of managing concentrated crypto exposure.

For investors with larger allocations to digital assets, volatility introduces questions about capital preservation, liquidity planning, and portfolio balance. When markets decline sharply, strategies built entirely around price appreciation can experience substantial swings in value.

This dynamic is encouraging investors to think more carefully about risk management within crypto portfolios. Rather than relying exclusively on long-term price recovery, some investors are exploring allocation strategies designed to balance growth exposure with other participation models.

The goal is not to avoid volatility, but to manage how portfolios respond to it.

Diversification Beyond Bitcoin Exposure

Bitcoin remains the largest and most widely recognised cryptocurrency, but digital asset markets now include thousands of tokens, decentralised finance protocols, and emerging treasury-based participation models.

As the ecosystem expands, portfolio diversification is becoming more common. Investors are increasingly spreading exposure across multiple digital assets, blockchain networks, and participation strategies rather than concentrating capital in a single asset.

This approach mirrors traditional portfolio construction, where diversification is used to manage market cycles. Crypto portfolios are gradually adopting similar principles as digital assets become more integrated into global financial markets.

Diversification in crypto is no longer just about holding multiple tokens. It is also about combining different participation models within a single portfolio.

Income Visibility Is Becoming Part of Crypto Allocation

One of the most noticeable shifts in recent market cycles is the growing interest in income visibility within digital asset portfolios. Instead of relying entirely on price appreciation, some investors are exploring participation models designed to generate returns with clearer expectations.

Staking rewards and decentralised lending have long provided income opportunities in crypto, but these mechanisms are typically variable. Reward rates change with network participation and market demand, which can make income forecasting difficult during volatile periods.

Structured digital asset participation models are beginning to offer alternative approaches. These frameworks focus on predefined durations and scheduled distributions, allowing investors to evaluate potential outcomes before allocating capital.

For readers interested in how these participation models are evolving, research examining fixed crypto income participation explores how defined-return frameworks are emerging alongside traditional crypto yield strategies.

This growing interest reflects a broader shift toward portfolio allocation strategies that balance growth exposure with income visibility.

Digital Asset Treasury Models and Market Cycles

Digital Asset Treasuries (DATs) are becoming part of this evolving landscape. Instead of functioning purely as crypto holding vehicles, treasury models are beginning to incorporate diversification and structured participation frameworks.

Blockchain infrastructure improvements are helping support this transition. Smart contracts now allow financial instruments to automate payments, track ownership, and manage redemption processes with transparency.

Some platforms, including Varntix, are exploring diversified digital asset treasury models designed to support fixed-term income instruments executed on-chain. Their development reflects a growing intersection between blockchain technology and traditional portfolio allocation thinking.

As crypto markets continue to evolve, treasury-based participation models may play an increasingly important role in how investors manage exposure across market cycles.

Fixed Income In Crypto Is Here To Stay 

Bitcoin’s volatility is unlikely to disappear. Market cycles remain central to digital asset adoption and innovation. What appears to be changing is how investors respond to those cycles.

Rather than relying solely on long-term price appreciation, portfolio construction in crypto is becoming more diversified and structured. Growth exposure, decentralised finance participation, and income-focused strategies are increasingly being combined within digital asset portfolios.

Bitcoin’s drawdowns are not just testing investor conviction. They are helping reshape how crypto exposure is understood within modern portfolio management.

Varntix is a digital asset treasury company focused on structured crypto income and on-chain convertible notes. Learn more at varntix.com.

President Donald Trump’s decision to nominate Kevin Warsh for the Fed chair position has pushed expectations for a March rate cut up to 23%. The American selected Warsh in January to succeed Jerome Powell, whose tenure concludes in May. However, investors still have concerns over his hawkish reputation.

According to data from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Group, the probability that markets place on a rate cut at the March Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting has jumped to about 23%, up sharply from roughly 18.4% just days earlier. Traders are pricing in a 25-basis-point reduction, a sign of growing speculation that the next Fed chair could steer policy toward easier money.

The shift reflects growing speculation among traders that upcoming leadership changes at the Fed could lead to a pivot toward looser monetary policy — even as the central bank’s own policymakers are signaling caution. Traders’ bets on a March cut are notable because they suggest markets are trying to price in developments well before the Federal Open Market Committee has signaled a formal policy change.

Perfumo says Warsh’s nomination gives a mixed macroeconomic message to investors and markets

CME data now shows the share of investors betting on rate cuts in March at 23%. Earlier, crypto analyst Nic Purkin had noted, “The nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed Chair has shaken markets to the core.” 

According to Puckrin, precious metals slid in late January and early February as markets reacted to Warsh’s reputation for favoring prolonged high interest rates. He argued that investors are adopting Warsh’s outlook on Fed policy, particularly his criticism of the central bank’s oversized balance sheet.

He further noted that should the Fed under Warsh pursue balance sheet cuts, investors may face a more constrained liquidity backdrop.

Thomas Perfumo, a global economist at cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, also said Warsh’s nomination presents a divided macroeconomic message to markets. He contended that crypto markets may need to adjust to stable, not rising, US liquidity and credit following Warsh’s nomination.

This far, crypto traders on Polymarket see a 27% probability of two Fed rate cuts this year. Another 26% have wagered on three cuts in the year, while only 13% see the likelihood of four cuts.

ProCap’s Park says BTC’s biggest rally may come if the asset keeps rising despite high Fed rates

Crypto asset prices often track liquidity trends, rising with rate cuts and falling when higher rates reduce financing options. One crypto analyst noted that Bitcoin’s next catalyst may materialize if the market rethinks the idea that only declining rates are bullish.

“I think we should expect that having more accommodative policies may, in fact, actually not be the catalyst to help us go into a bull market. We have to accept that reality and possibility,” ProCap Financial chief investment officer Jeff Park asserted.

Lowering interest rates is one way the Fed sees to stimulate the economy, and Bitcoin enthusiasts see these policies as creating better conditions for riskier assets. Higher rates have been known to hurt Bitcoin, though Park suggests the next big upside for the asset — potentially its ultimate rally — could come if Bitcoin keeps climbing amid higher Fed rates, a stage he calls “positive row Bitcoin.”

“This is the mythical, elusive perfect holy grail of what Bitcoin is meant to be, which is when Bitcoin goes up as interest rates go up, which is very counterintuitive to the QE theory,” he said. Nonetheless, he claimed that if that were to happen, it would compromise the risk-free rate, meaning they could no longer use traditional methods to price the yield curve. But, he also pointed out that the current monetary system is flawed, and that the Fed and Treasury aren’t working together as effectively as needed to guide national securities.

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With the crypto market passing through yet another phase of mixed signals, analysts are narrowing down their watchlists. Apart from the focus on the short-term fluctuations in prices, the focus is shifting to the projects that demonstrate the apparent progress in their development and prospects in the long term. 

It is in this way that new leaders are usually formed. Visibility begins to develop before the prices move. In the recent debates, commentators are turning their attention to one of the new protocols that are beginning to emerge as investors re-evaluate some of the long-time market leaders and seek the future.

Ripple (XRP) 

Ripple (XRP) is one of the most followed market assets. The share is circulating at the mid-range of $1.60 and a market capitalisation of approximately $85 billion. XRP still enjoys good brand loyalty and a high number of world wide holders.

Technically, XRP has been unable to overcome major levels of resistance that lie between $1.75 and $2.00. Every action to that area has been subject to selling, decelerating action. Analysts observe that though XRP continues to dominate the conversation on cross-border payments, it is too large to enable the kind of price movement that early investors used to enjoy.

Solana (SOL) 

Another big name in the analyst watchlists is Solana (SOL). The asset is priced at about $84 and its market capitalization is nearly $50 billion. High-speed transactions and low fees led to an early explosive buildup by Solana, and these features enabled early adopters to receive high returns.

It is now mostly out of that phase of early growth. As the ecosystem keeps growing, analysts believe that the gains in the future will be more controlled than the catapult type of gains experienced over the past cycles. Similar to XRP, the maturity of Solana has prompted some of its initial adherents to seek smaller protocols like the one early SOL used. Mutuum Finance starts entering the discussion at this point of searching early-stage opportunities.

Mutuum Finance (MUTM)

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is a new crypto decentralized lending protocol that is based on the construction of on-chain finance infrastructure. This project will enable users to lend and borrow crypto assets without selling them, and retain full control of their money in the form of non-custodial smart contracts.

The project is at the presale stage, and the price of the token was set at $0.04 in Phase 7. Mutuum Finance has already raised over $20.4 million and has more than 19,000 holders. These numbers have been increasing consistently and not at once, which analysts tend to regard as an indicator of continued interest.

The Reason Why MUTM is Tracked by Investors

The similarity in the minds of early investors in XRP and SOL is common. They pre-empted mass adoption, at phases where the technology was still undergoing testing. According to analysts, much of the patterns in Mutuum Finance are familiar to many of these investors.

Among the factors is the recent launch of V1 protocol on Sepolia testnet, which was publicized in an official manner. This update has verified that this system is not only theoretical but it is also live and can be tested. 

The users are now able to interact with core features in a risk-free environment which analysts view as one of the key steps in the lifecycle of the project. This concept of working product turnover is also where interest can get speeded up.

Security Focus and Community Activity

Engagement tools have also been implemented by Mutuum Finance that promotes regular participation. The 24-hour leaderboard, where daily contributors are mentioned, is one of them, which introduces an element of competitiveness to the presale process. These mechanics tend to become noticeable in subsequent presales phases.

The area of security has also been a high point. The protocol has undergone a complete audit by Halborn, and further audits are intended as the protocol is being developed. This degree of preparation is important to many investors, particularly those who have had larger ecosystems such as XRP and SOL. As Phase 7 progresses and remaining allocations become fewer in number, analysts observe that it is a period in which the focus is frequently transformed into action.

Looking Forward Q2 2026

Investment analysts who follow the market cycles usually find times when the three variables coincide. An operational product, a developing community, and pricing at the beginning stage. Mutuum Finance is where it is today.

Although XRP and SOL continue to play a significant role in the overall market, the growth pattern has shifted. Conversely, MUTM is at the early stages of its development and the milestones in the development are piled up and the visibility is growing. It is this combination that has seen analysts put Mutuum Finance on their top crypto watchlists as a protocol to follow closely over the next few months.

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

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

PayPal and Coinbase are the most oversold stocks on Wall Street right now. That’s not a guess. That’s data from the Relative Strength Index, or RSI, which traders use to see how hard a stock got hit.

A reading below 30 means a stock is oversold. But this week was so brutal, both of them fell way under that. PayPal dropped to an RSI under 11. That’s insane. On top of that, the stock lost more than 24% this week. It’s the worst weekly drop PayPal has ever had.

The crash came after PayPal gave a weak earnings forecast for 2026 on Tuesday.The company also announced that Alex Chriss is out as CEO.That hit investors hard.Most analysts aren’t calling it a buy, but they aren’t dumping it either.

LSEG data shows the average analyst rating on PayPal is “hold.” That said, price targets show a possible 40% upside over the next year. No guarantees, though. The bloodbath this week was real.

Coinbase slides 25% as Bitcoin crumbles

Coinbase also made the oversold list with an RSI of around 14. It got crushed this week too. Shares fell 25% by Friday morning. That happened as Bitcoin dropped hard. Since Coinbase depends so much on crypto trading volume, it got dragged down right with it.

The stock bounced a little Friday as Bitcoin recovered some of its earlier loss.But even with that bounce, Coinbase still ended the week deep in the red.Analysts are still betting big on it.

Most of them rate it a buy. And the average target price shows a possible 100% gain from here. Whether or not it actually happens depends on where crypto goes next.

The selloff this week didn’t stop with just those two. KKR & Co., a big name in alternative assets, also ended the week oversold. Its RSI fell below 20, and the stock dropped more than 13%. The fear here is about artificial intelligence

Investors are nervous that it is about to shake up the software inudstry. Since KKR is tied to that space through its credit investments, the worry spread to them too.

Even with that fear, most analysts haven’t bailed. LSEG data shows a majority still have buy ratings on KKR. And the average price forecast shows the stock could rise over 53% in the next twelve months. Again, that’s if nothing else goes wrong.

Then there’s Palantir, which dropped 13% this week. It had a huge rally over the last year, but the good times stopped fast. Just like KKR, the panic was about AI. People are worried that new models will eat into older software companies’ profits. Palantir reports earnings on Monday after the close, so everyone’s watching.

Rishi Jaluria from RBC Capital Markets is still bearish. Back on January 26, he kept his “underperform” rating on Palantir and stuck with a $50 target. He warned that unless something major happens in the next earnings report, the current price doesn’t make sense.

Right now, Palantir has an RSI of 26.3, according to data from TradingView. Not as bad as PayPal or Coinbase, but still weak.

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Elon Musk, who is evidently the strangest and most embarrassing rich man we just happen to have, is getting close to becoming a trillionaire; a concept far scarier than everything he already is.

Forbes claims that the Tesla CEO’s net worth has hit $845 billion, making him the first person to ever cross $800 billion. That’s more than Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and Mark Zuckerberg (2nd, 3rd, and 4th richest people) combined.

Tesla is Elon’s most recognizable work, as much as he hates it. But to get to his goal of being worth more than literal advanced economies, this guy isn’t relying on the so-called “automaker,” he is relying on SpaceX.

Now already, nearly two-thirds of Elon’s wealth now comes from SpaceX. That number exploded after SpaceX took over his other company, xAI, the one that builds AI and owns the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

The deal gave the combined company a value of $1.25 trillion, based on financial records. Elon owns about 43% of it. That means his stake is now worth more than $530 billion.

SpaceX takeover of xAI changes where his money comes from

The xAI merger of course pushed Elon even closer to trillionaire status. SpaceX already launches satellites, builds rockets, works with the U.S. government, and runs its own defense projects. xAI brings in a powerful AI model and full control of a platform that runs on political drama and user engagement.

SpaceX has already brought in more than $20 billion from U.S. government contracts, based on research from FedScout. Elon said the new merger is part of building orbital data centers, which would use satellites to run AI systems above Earth instead of inside data warehouses.

Elon’s changing focus hasn’t gone unnoticed. In Tesla’s latest proxy filing, the company stated that “a majority of Mr. Musk’s wealth is now derived from other business ventures.”

And boy, that is not good at all.

Elon plans to take SpaceX public sometime in 2026. If he does, it could give him access to more cash and increase his ranking again. But the business itself is a mix of military contracts, satellites, and a high-cost AI model trying to go against Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic. Public investors might not want to buy into that.

Tesla pay package and political power tighten the focus

Elon still has a reason to care about Tesla. Last year, Cryptopolitan reported that Tesla shareholders approved a pay package that could be worth $1 trillion. But it’s not guaranteed. The deal is split into 12 tranches, and he only gets paid if Tesla hits a set of milestones.

The first goal is for Tesla to reach a $2 trillion valuation, which is about $460 billion more than where it sits right now.

Tesla’s board made the deal to keep Elon focused. They said it was designed to “prevent him from prioritizing those other ventures.”

But Elon’s influence doesn’t stop at rockets and cars. His money is reaching into politics too. A report from Oxfam said that at least five people could become trillionaires in the next ten years. In 2024, billionaire wealth grew by $2 trillion, while poverty rates stayed almost exactly the same as they were in 1990.

Oxfam’s director Amitabh Behar said, “The crown jewel of this oligarchy is a billionaire president, backed and bought by the world’s richest man Elon Musk, running the world’s largest economy. We present this report as a stark wake-up call that ordinary people the world over are being crushed by the enormous wealth of a tiny few.”

Elon uses his control of X to affect politics. In India, he let the government hide clips from a BBC documentary that criticized Narendra Modi. In Turkey, his platform suspended opposition accounts right before the 2023 elections.

The more wealth Elon gets, the more political power he will come to hold. He has made that clear enough, using no less than five thousand tweets.

Oxfam says governments need to step in, tax billionaires, and stop one person from holding this much influence.

Bitcoin mining in China saw its largest-ever decline, dropping 11.16% to a record low of 125.86 trillion, according to the Bitcoin network explorer Mempool’s report dated Saturday, February 7. 

To demonstrate the intense nature of the situation, Bitcoin developer Mononaut noted that this recent decline is the largest one-time reduction recorded since the country enacted a substantial ban five years ago. 

Moreover, reports from reliable sources noted that the drop ranked tenth among the largest percentage declines on record.

Analysts raise concerns about the mining difficulty status in China 

Following the decline in China’s Bitcoin mining difficulty, analysts conducted research and discovered that the drop was attributed to about a 20% decrease in total hashrate over the last 30 days.

Regarding this finding, Luxor Technology Corporation, a premier full-stack Bitcoin mining services provider, released data showing that its Hashrate Index dropped by 11% last week, hitting a record low of 863 EH/s, compared to October’s all-time high above 1.1 ZH/s.

In attempts to explain the decline in hashrate, sources pointed to Bitcoin’s price decline as the main reason. Regarding this argument, they acknowledged that the price of the cryptocurrency has fallen by more than 45% from its all-time high of more than $126,000 in October.

To support this claim, data released on February 5 highlighted that Bitcoin’s price plummeted to a record low of around $60,000 before bouncing back to about $68,800 yesterday.

Higher Treasury yields, persistent ETF outflows, and a broad retreat from risk-on assets, such as stocks and commodities, fueled this sell-off. At this particular moment, SoSoValue, an AI-powered, Singapore-founded cryptocurrency research and investment platform, shared reports indicating that US spot bitcoin ETFs have emerged as net sellers this year.

Another reason for the drop in China’s Bitcoin mining difficulty is Winter Storm Fern, a major, wide-reaching severe weather event triggered by an Arctic air mass clashing with Gulf moisture. This weather event in late January forced miners across diverse regions of the United States to scale back their operations to help stabilize overloaded residential power grids.

At this point, the storm caused the shutdown of approximately 200 EH/s of power supply, prompting Foundry USA’s hash rate to decline to approximately 60%. 

As the situation worsened, Ben Harper, the Director of Derivatives at Luxor Technology, decided to weigh in on the topic of discussion. Harper stressed that hashprice, a metric that quantifies the expected daily revenue (in USD or BTC) a miner earns for a specific unit of hashrate, plummeted to unprecedented lows of $33.31 per petahash per second per day on February 2, and to an average daily low of $34.91/PH/s/day on February 1.

Meanwhile, it is worth noting that miners typically use a $40/PH/s/day benchmark to determine whether to maintain operational status.

The Bitcoin mining sector in China encounters several changes 

Regarding the recent situation surrounding Bitcoin mining in China, reports dated February 2 indicated that only miners with the latest Antminer S23 series machines are currently generating substantial returns. With this discovery in mind, data from Antpool noted that older models such as the Whatsminer M6 series and Antminer S21 units are nearing, or have already reached, unprofitability.

In response to the recent decline in Bitcoin mining difficulty in China, reports revealed that the drop exceeded the approximately 7.5% seen in June last year. This decrease resulted from heatwave-related reductions in hashrate. Meanwhile, aside from the drop in June last year, analysts noted a similar case in early February 2025.

Generally, sources reported that the profitability outlook for Bitcoin mining in China is deteriorating rapidly. This came after reports from Checkonchain revealed that the average cost of mining one Bitcoin is approximately $87,000. On the other hand, spot prices are hovering near $69,000, roughly 20% below production costs.

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The idea of getting rich from internet memes is being seriously re-examined. While the early days of meme coins produced some rapid success stories, the market looks very different now. Many investors who held popular dog-themed tokens are facing a tougher reality as enthusiasm fades. The attention that once came purely from hype is no longer enough, and users are starting to demand real purpose.

At the same time, a new generation of crypto protocols is beginning to take shape. These projects are not built around social media trends. Instead, they focus on creating practical financial tools with long-term value. This steady shift of capital away from hype-driven assets and toward functional systems is becoming one of the defining stories of 2026.

Shiba Inu (SHIB)

Shiba Inu (SHIB) is trading at an estimated $0.000006, and the drop in its worth appears to be brutal, having fallen more than 60% since a historic peak in 2021. The token is failing to see a reason to climb even after its huge brand name and market cap worth almost $3.5 billion. Gone are the childhood days of vertical rallies.

The SHIB technical charts indicate that the levels of resistance are high at the $0.000010 and $0.000012 levels. These sections are full of vendors who are seeking to break even in years of holding. Analysts are making pessimistic price forecasts in the remaining part of the year. According to some professionals, SHIB might fall another 20% to $0.000004 in the case of the current support being lost.

Mutuum Finance (MUTM)

The crypto protocol now drawing attention from former meme coin investors is Mutuum Finance (MUTM). It is a decentralized platform in development that focuses on non-custodial lending and borrowing. The goal is to let users earn interest on their crypto or access liquidity without selling their long-term holdings.

The project has already raised over $20.43 million and attracted more than 19,000 holders, showing steady community growth. Mutuum Finance is currently in Phase 7 of its distribution, with the token priced at $0.04. This reflects roughly 300% growth from early phases, while still sitting below the stated launch price of $0.06, which many analysts see as leaving room for further upside if development milestones continue to be met.

Why MUTM May outperform SHIB 

First, the size of the market capital is a massive determinant in returns in the future. Shiba Inu has an already existing market cap of $4 billion. SHIB requires an additional $4 billion new money to gain by half. This constrains its potential to a large extent. MUTM is on a far earlier level. Its market cap is low hence it takes a very small amount of capital to achieve huge percentage returns. It possesses the type of growth room that SHIB had in 2020.

Second, there is a difference in utility. Shiba Inu is mostly a meme coin that is driven by hype. In its effort to add features, it has no fundamental financial reason. MUTM is built around utility. It uses mtTokens, which are designed to be interest-bearing assets that increase in value as interest is paid back through the system. These tokens are meant to represent a user’s share in supplied assets rather than act as simple placeholders.

The project also outlines a buy-and-distribute model in its design. Under this plan, a portion of protocol fees is intended to be used to buy MUTM tokens from the market and redistribute them to the community. This approach is focused on linking token value to platform usage, rather than relying on short-term hype often seen with meme coins.

Third, it is all about timing in crypto. The reason why many early SHIB investors are moving to MUTM is that they can see the momentum. Recently, Mutuum Finance just activated the V1 protocol on the testnet. This proves the tech is ready. Investors desire to be associated with a project that is only beginning to make its way instead of a project that has already reached its climax.

The Last Window and the Security

Demand is continuing to build as Phase 7 progresses, with many participants aiming to secure the $0.04 price before the planned $0.06 launch level. Interest has increased as availability tightens, which is common in later distribution stages.

Security has also been a key focus for the project. Mutuum Finance has completed a full audit with Halborn and maintains a strong score from CertiK, adding confidence for cautious investors. To encourage participation, the platform runs a 24-hour leaderboard, where the top daily contributor can receive a $500 bonus. 

Easy entry options, including card payments, have lowered the barrier to join. As meme tokens like SHIB struggle to regain momentum, more investors are beginning to look toward utility-driven projects such as Mutuum Finance.

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

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

For crypto stakeholders, February 14 (Valentine’s Day) this year won’t be about celebrating love. Instead, it’ll be about the 13F filings that are expected to be due on the same date, and people will be looking for answers as to how the October 10 crash happened. 

Technically, while 13F filings are due 45 days after the end of the calendar year, that date this year falls on a Saturday. Then, there’s another federal holiday (Presidents’ Day) on Monday, February 16. Hence, the SEC deadline automatically rolls over to the next business day, which is February 17.

The 13F filings and why they are trending 

As the world inches closer to Valentine’s Day, anticipation of the Form 13F filings has continued to rise, with users on X speculating that it could reveal the cause of the October 10 crash. 

Form 13F filings are mandatory SEC disclosures, and they concern institutional investment managers with over $100 million in US equity AUM. They disclose long positions in stocks/ETFs quarterly, and are usually filed within 45 days of a quarter ending. 

The filings for Q4 2025 are expected to drop on February 14, 2026, Valentine’s Day, and according to speculation on X, many expect the filings could reveal if a major institutional player had massive exposure to BTC via spot ETFs or related equities and was liquidated heavily around October 10 or in the aftermath. 

The filings could reveal a smoking gun in the form of an unexplained disappearance of large holdings, sharp reductions in ETF positions, or even anomalies in filings from HK-based or other filers with outsized crypto allocations. 

With this, people could more accurately infer who got wrecked in the crash, especially if there were any TradFi players involved. While the filings are highly anticipated, it is not confirmed that they will be able to provide a definitive explanation for the crash.

However, TradFi positions are opaque enough to fuel the theory that the Valentine’s Day filings might narrow down the present suspects or show structural shifts. 

Speculation on who or what caused the crash 

On October 10, the crypto industry endured what many are now calling its largest single-day liquidation event. It saw over $19 billion in leveraged positions forcibly closed within roughly 24 hours, and BTC dropped sharply while many altcoins plunged even harder. 

The cascade effect was extreme, and even now, months later, the industry is still talking about it. Initially, the crash was linked to macro/geopolitical factors. However, it has become apparent that the crypto sector suffered the most. 

It did not help matters that industry leaders like OKX’s CEO pointed accusatory fingers at Binance, blaming their handling of risky asset positions. 

Wintermute’s CEO, Evgeny Gaevoy, has expressed skepticism that the crash from October 10 had anything to do with an exchange or market maker blowing up. 

“Maybe somebody blew up but there are simply no spillover effects for us to care,” Gaevoy wrote on X. “When 3AC blew up post terra everyone knew fairly soon because it spread via DMs. Sure it was shock and disbelief at first but it lasted maybe 2-3 days all in all.” 

Gaevoy also talked about how the situation was similar to FTX. According to them, it took longer for people to know, but it apparently also became very obvious when it was revealed they were in talks with Binance. 

“You don’t talk about bailouts/investments unless there is something very wrong,” Gaevoy wrote. 

Franklin Bi, a general partner at Pantera Capital, speculated that the crash can be linked to “someone large outside of crypto, likely based in Asia, with very few crypto-native counterparties.” 

He claimed this is “why no one has sniffed them out on CT.” In response to that train of thought, Gaevoy wrote, “Who would give 90 day conditions on somebody blowing up is what is unclear to me here.” 

A user named TheOtherParker on X echoed Franklin Bi’s sentiment about it being somebody large outside crypto that is also likely based in Asia, who was wrecked. 

“As @FranklinBi pointed out, the fund(s) being non-crypto would explain why no one sniffed them out. They would likely have few/no crypto counterparties, meaning complete isolation from CT,” TheOtherParker wrote. 

“Unfortunately, if a fund had their IBIT position liquidated today, they wouldn’t have to disclose the position change until 45 days after the quarter end, so we’d be looking at mid May for the smoking gun from 13F filings most likely,” they added. 

Some of the most plausible sounding analogies point to “a large non-crypto entity likely based in HK.” 

However, the caveat remains that all of these are mostly speculation. The filings due on February 14 and dropping on the 17th will provide answers… If there are any.

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On February 6, 2026, the United States and India signed a significant trade agreement that will lower the cost of American luxury automobiles and motorcycles for Indian consumers.

Companies like Tesla, meanwhile, are still expecting improved access to India’s expanding market because electric vehicles are not covered by the pact.

The agreement has significant implications for high-end American automobiles. India will reduce taxes on gasoline-powered vehicles with displacements of more than 3,000cc. Buyers currently pay up to 110 percent in duties. Over the next ten years, those taxes will be reduced to 30 percent under the new accord. All import taxes will be eliminated for Harley-Davidson motorbikes.

A $500 billion commitment for closer ties

President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi worked together to hammer out the agreement. The agreement functions as a commercial agreement between the two nations. The present 50 percent tariff on goods originating from India will be reduced to 18 percent in the United States. In exchange, India has pledged to purchase $500 billion worth of American goods. India also consented to reduce its oil purchases from Russia.

India’s commitment to forging closer connections with the United States is demonstrated by the $500 billion pledge. India is prepared to spend more for strategic and political reasons as a result of the switch from cheaper Russian oil to more costly American energy.

Electric vehicles shut out of agreement

The most surprising part of the deal is what got left out. Electric vehicles will not get lower taxes, even though Tesla’s Elon Musk has spent years asking Indian officials to reduce import duties. He has argued that the high taxes make his cars too expensive for Indian customers. By keeping EVs out of this trade deal, Indian leaders made their position clear. Foreign electric car companies will only get special treatment if they build factories in India.

The government appears to be protecting India’s own electric vehicle industry. The Union Budget for 2026-27 showed this strategy clearly. The budget removed import taxes on 35 different types of machinery used to make lithium-ion batteries. It also provided tax breaks for equipment that processes important minerals needed for batteries.

A senior official from the Ministry of Heavy Industries explained the reasoning behind the decision. “The goal is not just to import technology, but to build the ‘ore-to-magnet’ value chain within our borders,” the official stated. By keeping taxes high on finished electric cars but making it cheaper to buy factory equipment, India is pushing global companies to choose between paying heavy duties or building local factories.

Compared to another trade pact India recently worked on, the American arrangement appears to be different. India made better conditions in negotiations with the European Union. Deeper tax cuts, down to 10 percent, were negotiated with the EU and extended to more vehicle categories. Those discussions also covered several electric models.

Former trade negotiator Rajesh Agrawal drew attention to the distinction between the two agreements. “This framework demonstrates that India is willing to be flexible on traditional sectors, but will not compromise on the future of mobility,” he stated. “The U.S. deal is a pragmatic trade-off: American engines for Indian textiles and chips.”

The comparison demonstrates how India’s approach to trade negotiations varies according to the partner. The goal of the EU accord was to link industries in a variety of sectors. The US agreement focuses more on energy security and cooperation to counter certain foreign economic practices.

Soon after both nations sign the final documents in March 2026, the new tariff rates will go into force. American automakers Ford and General Motors now have a new chance to sell high-end cars in India, a market that has proven challenging to access due to strong protectionist regulations.

Indian customers will likely notice the changes quickly. Powerful sports cars and expensive motorcycles from America will become more affordable. However, the country’s push for cleaner transportation remains focused on vehicles made inside India.

The agreement favors traditional gasoline-powered vehicles while keeping the door closed on imported electric cars. This creates an odd situation where high-emission luxury vehicles become cheaper while the move toward cleaner technology depends on meeting local manufacturing requirements.

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