The Cryptonomist

After a lengthy regulatory process, Blockchain.com has secured crucial blockchain com fca clearance that cements its position in the UK digital asset market.

Blockchain.com secures UK FCA registration after four-year wait

Blockchain.com has finally obtained full registration from the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK, nearly four years after withdrawing its first application in March 2022. The FCA added the company to its official list of licensed crypto firms on Tuesday, marking a significant regulatory milestone for the London-rooted platform.

The new status allows Blockchain.com to operate under the UK's strict anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing rules. However, the company must still comply with the existing crypto licensing regime, which does not yet grant full financial services authorization. That wider framework is expected to be introduced by the end of 2024, setting the stage for a more comprehensive regime.

Scope of the UK authorization and strategic positioning

With the FCA registration, Blockchain.com is now recognized as a licensed crypto service provider under the UK's regulatory system. The company can offer brokerage, custodial, and institutional-grade crypto services nationwide, operating under standards similar to those imposed on traditional banks and investment firms.

CEO Peter Smith underscored the importance of the approval, stressing the firm's British roots and its strategy to remain closely aligned with UK regulators. Moreover, he highlighted Blockchain.com's intention to help shape the country's evolving digital asset framework. In a post shared on X on Tuesday, the company noted it is now held to the same rigorous benchmarks as established financial institutions.

Looking ahead, Blockchain.com plans to apply for a full financial services license once the UK's new regime is rolled out in 2027. The firm sees this step as essential to consolidating its position in the UK and strengthening its presence across wider European markets, building on its existing MiCA license in the European Economic Area.

From MiCA license to broader UK and European expansion

The recent UK approval complements Blockchain.com's earlier regulatory gains in Europe, where its MiCA authorization already enables it to serve customers across the European Economic Area. This combination of licenses should, in practice, support cross-border expansion and more integrated service offerings for institutional and retail clients.

In the UK, the blockchain com fca registration allows the company to scale products including digital asset custody, crypto wallets, and enhanced brokerage solutions. Furthermore, it gives Blockchain.com a stronger foundation to work with local banks and other regulated financial entities that require partners operating under familiar compliance standards.

Regulatory compliance as a core business pillar

Co-founder Nic Cary described the FCA registration as a meaningful step in Blockchain.com's long-running objective to build within established regulatory frameworks. He pointed to the firm's UK talent base and history in London as factors that support its commitment to long-term compliance and institutional-grade infrastructure.

That said, the company will continue navigating a shifting policy landscape as the UK moves from its current crypto-specific rules to a broader licensing structure by 2027. During this transition, Blockchain.com aims to demonstrate that regulated crypto platforms can meet the same expectations for transparency, risk controls, and governance as traditional finance players.

In summary, Blockchain.com's FCA registration, combined with its MiCA license in Europe, significantly strengthens its regulatory footprint and positions the company to expand compliant crypto brokerage, custody, and institutional services across both the UK and the wider EEA.

In a move that could reshape cross-chain payments, a new tether investment is backing the expansion of LayerZero Labs’ interoperability infrastructure across the digital asset ecosystem.

Tether backs LayerZero Labs with new strategic capital

On 10 February, 2026, Tether Investments announced a new strategic stake in LayerZero Labs, the development company behind a leading interoperability protocol. The deal underlines Tether’s push to back production-grade cross-chain infrastructure used by exchanges, protocols, and institutions worldwide.

Combined with the Wallet Development Kit (WDK) developed by Tether, this stack is positioned as a core rail for digital asset payments, settlements, and custody. Moreover, it is designed from the ground up for agentic finance, enabling AI agents to manage autonomous wallets and transact with stablecoins and other digital assets at scale.

LayerZero’s infrastructure underpins USDt0 and XAUt0

LayerZero Labs is behind one of the most widely used bridging frameworks in the market, providing the core technology that lets digital assets move securely and efficiently across blockchains. Over the past year, its interoperability stack has been used by Everdawn Labs to build and launch USDt0 and XAUt0 under live market conditions.

These assets are built on LayerZero’s Omnichain Fungible Token standard, which enables tokens to move across multiple chains without being fragmented into wrapped versions. That said, the focus is not only on technical elegance but also on delivering liquidity that behaves as a single pool, regardless of which network users interact with.

Since launch, USDt0 has supported more than $70 billion in cross-chain value transfers in under twelve months. This real-world throughput has been highlighted by Tether and LayerZero as evidence of global-scale interoperability and validation of LayerZero Labs’ technology as critical infrastructure for major assets.

Strategic rationale behind the new tether investment

The new tether investment reflects Tether’s confidence in LayerZero Labs’ engineering capability and execution record. Moreover, it underscores the firm’s view that interoperability is fast becoming foundational infrastructure for the digital asset market, rather than an optional add-on.

The commitment aligns with Tether’s wider strategy of backing systems that reduce fragmentation, improve liquidity efficiency, and allow stablecoins to function as global settlement instruments. In practice, that means supporting networks where the same asset can move seamlessly across diverse blockchain environments without splintered liquidity or complex user experience.

Executive views on interoperability and agentic AI

“Tether invests in infrastructure that is already delivering real-world utility,” said Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether. “LayerZero Labs has built interoperability technology that allows digital assets to be transferred in real-time across any transport layer and distributed ledger, enabling a fundamental utility within the financial industry.”

Ardoino added that this infrastructure is designed to support an emerging economy driven by autonomous agents: “This enables digital assets to serve the infinite agentic AI economy that will require such primitives to orchestrate micro-payments at an unprecedented scale.” However, he stressed that the focus remains on robust, proven infrastructure rather than experimental systems.

“Tether is a company the world envies. They have turned a vision of borderless money into a reality,” said Bryan Pellegrino, CEO of LayerZero. “The success of USDt0 was an important stepping stone. Having Tether deepen its commitment with this investment is the ultimate validation.” Pellegrino said the two firms are “thrilled to continue building the rails for global permissionless markets together.”

Role of Tether Investments in the wider ecosystem

Tether Investments operates as the independent investment arm of Tether, which it describes as the largest company in the digital assets industry. Based in El Salvador, the firm deploys capital from Tether’s profits and excess reserves into sectors where technology, infrastructure, and real-world utility converge.

Its portfolio spans artificial intelligence, financial services, energy, biotechnology, education, and digital media. Furthermore, it holds strategic positions in areas such as commodities, remittances, and sports and entertainment, often targeting projects that can scale globally.

Through these investments, Tether Investments aims to back ventures with long-term potential to improve access, efficiency, and resilience in both emerging and developed markets. The unit’s mandate supports Tether Group’s broader mission to strengthen decentralized systems, enhance infrastructure resilience, and widen real-world access to open, transparent technologies.

Overall, the new capital backing for LayerZero Labs underlines Tether’s view that cross-chain interoperability, agentic finance, and scalable settlement rails will be central pillars of the next phase of digital asset and stablecoin adoption.

The Bank of England is launching a new phase of onchain securities experiments, and chainlink settlement is now at the center of its latest pilot.

Bank of England invites Chainlink into its Synchronisation Lab

On Feb. 10, 2026, the Bank of England confirmed that Chainlink, the decentralized oracle network, will join its experimental Synchronisation Lab. The program is designed to test how blockchain-based assets can settle in step with traditional central bank money across the UK financial system.

The Bank described the initiative as an exploratory program that will examine onchain securities settlement against central bank funds. Moreover, the Synchronisation Lab will connect innovative platforms with a simulated environment for the UK’s core payment infrastructure, enabling participants to trial advanced settlement workflows.

Scope and timing of the Synchronisation Lab rollout

The new lab will bring together 18 firms tasked with exploring coordination between sterling balances held at the central bank and securities recorded on distributed ledgers. According to the announcement, operations are scheduled to begin in spring 2026 and will run for roughly six months, with participants expected to deliver working demonstrations.

Within this timeframe, the project will test how onchain records can interact with central bank money while maintaining existing risk controls. However, the Bank of England has stressed that the initiative remains experimental, and that no production systems will be connected during the trial period.

Chainlink and UAC Labs AG to build decentralized settlement models

Chainlink will focus on designing a decentralized method for executing settlements that explicitly link central bank funds to digitally issued securities. In practice, that means developing workflows where tokenized assets and cash-like claims held at the central bank can move in synchronized fashion, reducing settlement risk and operational friction.

In the bank’s announcement, the oracle provider stated that this work aims to support synchronized settlement between central bank money and onchain securities. That said, Chainlink emphasized that this collaboration is a test environment, not a live deployment of production infrastructure in the UK market.

UAC Labs AG will join the project with a similar mandate focused on decentralized models. Meanwhile, other synchronisation lab participants will concentrate on a wider set of experiments across multiple market segments and asset classes.

Swift, LSEG and Partior explore broader tokenization use cases

Several major financial infrastructure providers are also involved in the lab. Swift, the global messaging network, LSEG, and Partior have been selected to test use cases that include foreign-exchange transactions, tokenized bonds and collateral, and broader collateral management workflows.

These trials will explore whether common messaging standards, interoperable platforms, and synchronized cash movements can support a new generation of tokenized instruments. Moreover, they will examine how different technology stacks can interface with the central bank’s evolving settlement architecture.

Modernizing the UK’s Real-Time Gross Settlement core

The Synchronisation Lab is one component of the Bank of England’s program to upgrade its core payments engine, formally known as Real-Time Gross Settlement (RT2). The evolving infrastructure underpins sterling payments across the country’s financial system, from high-value interbank transfers to key market utilities.

Participants in the lab will connect to a simulated version of the upgraded RT2 system through dedicated APIs and a test user interface. This setup will allow them to demonstrate how their platforms would coordinate with payment providers, asset registries, and other financial market infrastructures, without touching live balances.

Risk limits and regulatory status of the trial

The Bank of England has underlined that the Synchronisation Lab will not handle actual funds and does not imply regulatory approval for any participating firm. Instead, all activity will occur in a closed test environment that mirrors, but does not replicate, real-world settlement flows.

The bank has said that data from the program will inform design decisions for any future live synchronization capability. However, policymakers will still conduct separate assessments around risks, legal frameworks, and industry readiness before moving toward production services.

Chainlink settlement and the wider tokenization push

The decision to involve Chainlink in direct experiments with central bank money settlement reflects a broader push to bring tokenization into mainstream market infrastructures. In previous industry pilots, firms such as Swift and global banks have tested integration models that draw on Chainlink’s oracle technology for messaging and data verification.

In this context, the chainlink settlement work within the Synchronisation Lab will test whether decentralized services can support reliable coordination between traditional central bank accounts and emerging digital securities ledgers.

Stablecoin rules and UK digital asset regulation

The project coincides with a parallel systemic stablecoins consultation by UK regulators. That process focuses on proposed rules for digital tokens backed by government bonds or deposits held at central banks, reflecting concern about potential systemic payment and settlement risks.

Taken together, the Synchronisation Lab and stablecoin policy work suggest that UK authorities are preparing for multiple models of digital settlement. Moreover, they indicate that both public infrastructures and private-sector tokenization platforms will be expected to meet stringent resilience and oversight standards.

Outlook for onchain settlement in the UK

The Bank of England has framed this initiative as a research and development effort rather than a commitment to any particular technology or vendor. The presence of Chainlink, Swift, LSEG, Partior, and UAC Labs AG shows that authorities want to test a diverse range of approaches before shaping the next phase of RT2.

As the lab progresses through 2026, the results are expected to offer practical evidence on how onchain securities can interact with central bank money. In turn, these findings may help define how the UK’s financial system ultimately moves onchain, from wholesale securities settlement to new forms of digital cash-backed instruments.

Amid rising political scrutiny, the usd1 stablecoin has rapidly expanded its footprint across the crypto market, with Binance now at the center of its liquidity.

Binance holds 89% of USD1 supply on exchange

Blockchain intelligence platform Arkham reports that Binance now custodies an overwhelming 89% of the Donald Trump family-linked USD1 stablecoin. According to DeFi analytics site DefiLlama, the dollar-pegged token, issued by World Liberty Financial, has $5.4 billion in circulation. However, that concentration on a single centralized venue is unusual even in the highly consolidated stablecoin sector.

USD1 is a dollar-pegged token tied to World Liberty Financial, the crypto venture openly backed by the US president’s family. Moreover, its rapid rise has made it a focal point for debates around political influence and digital asset markets. The large share held on one exchange raises questions about liquidity resilience should Binance face market or regulatory shocks.

Jessica Jung, a member of Binance’s global PR team, stressed that high balances do not imply ownership. “Liquidity follows user demand and we work hard to meet demand and serve our users,” she told DL News. That said, Jung emphasized that Binance’s role is primarily infrastructural, aimed at meeting user trading and custody needs rather than managing proprietary exposure to USD1.

Binance program drives incentives for USD1

To be clear, Binance’s custody of USD1 tokens reflects customer deposits, with external custodial arrangements long established across traditional finance and crypto. Still, no other major stablecoin currently has such a large proportion held on a single third-party exchange. This concentration underscores Binance’s central role in the token’s liquidity, distribution, and custody.

In December, Binance launched a dedicated programme designed to promote usage of USD1 on its platform. It offers up to 20% yield on USD1 holdings of up to $50,000, a level that stands out in the broader stablecoin market. Moreover, those incentives have likely contributed to increased deposits and trading volumes, reinforcing Binance’s dominance over the token’s on-exchange supply.

Jung said Binance treats USD1 similarly to other listed assets. “Our involvement with World Liberty Financial-related products, including USD1, is limited to standard listing, infrastructure, and market-access services that we provide to a wide range of projects on consistent terms,” she noted. However, the combination of user demand and attractive yields has effectively concentrated much of USD1’s live float on the exchange.

Backing assets and regulatory ambitions

The usd1 stablecoin is backed by a pool of US government bonds, dollar deposits and other cash equivalents, according to project disclosures. Such a reserve structure mirrors that of several leading dollar-pegged tokens that rely on short-term Treasury securities and bank holdings to maintain stability. Moreover, this composition is intended to reassure institutional users and regulators about liquidity and credit quality.

World Liberty Financial is also pushing into regulated finance. In January, the company applied for a US banking license, signaling ambitions that extend beyond a single crypto token. Co-founder Zak Folkman told DL News at the time: “We believe the best path to broader adoption, including everyday transactions, is to establish USD1 as the preferred stablecoin for major institutions, enterprises, and consumers, too.” That application, if approved, could further integrate USD1 into traditional payment and treasury systems.

USD1’s growth has been striking. It is now the fifth largest stablecoin by circulation after jumping over 50% in the past month alone. However, that rapid expansion has arrived alongside escalating criticism of the president’s family involvement in the crypto industry, creating a complex mix of financial innovation and political controversy.

Political backlash and conflict-of-interest concerns

House Democrats have accused the 79-year-old president of self-dealing, foreign influence, and obstruction of justice tied to his family’s activities in digital assets. These allegations have sharpened focus on the USD1 project and on World Liberty Financial’s investors and partners. Moreover, they have added a new political dimension to what would otherwise be a routine discussion about stablecoin design and market share.

Political scrutiny is not limited to the token’s reserve model or usd1 circulation growth. In November, a 60 Minutes investigation linked a $2 billion investment deal between Binance and Abu Dhabi’s MGX to Donald Trump’s presidential pardon for the exchange’s co-founder Changpeng Zhao. Critics say the deal, which was conducted using USD1, was structured as a favor in return for the pardon.

Binance CEO Richard Teng and Zhao’s lawyer Teresa Goody Guillen have both dismissed claims that the exchange helped boost the usd1 stablecoin in advance of the pardon. They argue that capital flows and token promotion were driven by market considerations rather than political quid pro quos. However, the timing of the deal and the scale of the investment continue to fuel opposition narratives in Washington.

White House defense and outlook for USD1

The White House has repeatedly rejected allegations of wrongdoing linked to USD1 or World Liberty Financial. “President Trump’s assets are in a trust managed by his children. There are no conflicts of interest,” Anna Kelly, the deputy press secretary, told DL News in January. That said, the administration’s assurances have done little to quiet critics who see USD1 as emblematic of blurred lines between public office and private gain.

Looking ahead, the future of USD1 will hinge on regulatory responses, institutional adoption, and market confidence in its reserves. Binance’s dominant share of the token’s custody gives it outsized influence over day-to-day liquidity, but also concentrates operational risk. Moreover, as World Liberty Financial pursues a banking license and seeks broader acceptance, USD1 will remain a test case for how politically connected stablecoins navigate both markets and governance scrutiny.

In summary, USD1’s combination of rapid growth, heavy reliance on a single exchange, and direct links to the Trump family has made it one of the most closely watched experiments in the stablecoin sector, with Binance’s role central to its evolving narrative.

The UK regulator is escalating its campaign against misleading htx crypto promotions as it clamps down on firms that ignore financial marketing rules.

FCA launches legal action against HTX

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has begun legal proceedings against global crypto exchange HTX, formerly known as Huobi, for allegedly promoting cryptoasset services illegally to UK consumers. Since the marketing rules came into force in October 2023, firms offering crypto products in the UK must comply with stricter standards designed to protect the public.

Under these rules, firms promoting cryptoassets on websites or social media must ensure messages are fair, clear and not misleading. Moreover, advertising cryptoassets to UK users without following these requirements is a criminal offence. The FCA stresses that this framework is central to consumer protection in the rapidly expanding digital asset market.

Crypto advertising rules and HTX breaches

Since October 2023, the FCA has engaged extensively with crypto firms to help them adapt to the new regime, and the majority have, according to the regulator, reacted positively. However, HTX had already been the subject of a prior FCA warning for its illegal promotion of crypto services to UK-based customers.

Despite that warning, the exchange continued to publish financial promotions that breached the rules on its website and across several major social platforms, including TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. This pattern of conduct has now triggered full enforcement action by the UK watchdog over the ongoing illegal cryptoasset promotions uk case.

Opaque structure and regulator concerns

The FCA highlighted that HTX operates what it describes as an opaque organisational structure. The exchange has allegedly obscured the identities of its owners and those who operate its website, limiting transparency for both regulators and customers. Moreover, repeated attempts by the FCA to contact and engage with HTX have been ignored.

Following the issue of legal proceedings, HTX has taken steps to block new UK customers from registering accounts on its platform. However, existing UK users can still log in and access what the FCA describes as unlawful financial promotions. The regulator also notes that HTX has provided no assurance that its recent changes will be permanent, leaving the FCA concerned about the ongoing risk of rule breaches.

FCA statement on the UK crypto market

Steve Smart, joint executive director of enforcement and market oversight at the FCA, underlined the regulator’s broader goals for the sector. He stated that the rules are designed to support a sustainable and competitive crypto market in the UK, ensuring consumers have the information they need to make informed decisions about high-risk assets.

Smart said that HTX’s conduct stands in stark contrast to most firms that are working to comply with the FCA’s regime. Furthermore, he stressed that this is the first time the FCA has taken enforcement action against a crypto firm for illegally marketing products to UK consumers. He added that the authority will continue to act against businesses that ignore the rules governing crypto advertising rules uk.

Restrictions on HTX apps and social media

To protect users, the FCA has asked social media platforms to block HTX’s accounts from being visible to UK-based consumers. It has also requested that HTX applications be removed from the Google Play store and the Apple app store in the UK. These measures aim to limit the reach of any ongoing unlawful promotions aimed at domestic users.

This intervention underscores the regulator’s growing focus on social media crypto ads, which often target retail investors with high-risk products. That said, the FCA continues to emphasise that consumers should exercise caution when dealing with crypto platforms, particularly when promotions appear on channels that may lack rigorous oversight.

HTX on the FCA Warning List

HTX is currently listed on the FCA’s official Warning List of unauthorised firms. Consumers who choose to deal with this exchange will not have access to the Financial Ombudsman Service if they later need to make a complaint. Moreover, they will not benefit from UK compensation schemes.

The FCA warns that consumers are unlikely to get their money back if HTX goes out of business. As a result, it urges the public to avoid this and similar unauthorised crypto firms warning where regulatory protections are absent. The regulator continues to underline that crypto investing remains high risk, and users should be prepared to lose all the money they commit.

How UK consumers can protect themselves

Individuals can use the FCA’s online tools to improve their due diligence before interacting with any exchange or platform. In particular, they can check fca warning list entries to see whether a firm is operating without authorisation or targeting UK users illegally with financial promotions.

Moreover, the FCA encourages people to visit its dedicated cryptoasset promotions page, which offers guidance on recognising risky offers and explains the standards firms must meet. These resources form a central part of broader consumer protection crypto uk efforts, aimed at reducing harm as digital assets and related services continue to expand.

In summary, the FCA’s case against HTX marks a significant escalation in UK oversight of crypto marketing. The action is intended both to curb unlawful promotions and to send a clear signal that firms must fully respect the rules governing htx crypto promotions if they wish to reach UK consumers.

In a new manifesto on technology and power, Vitalik Buterin argues that ethereum ai can underpin a safer, more decentralized future for artificial intelligence.

Vitalik Buterin challenges the global race to AGI

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has issued a sharp warning about the current worldwide push toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). He argues that the prevailing race, driven mainly by speed and scale, is fundamentally misguided and increases systemic risk instead of managing it responsibly.

According to Buterin, competition focused on being first to AGI lacks clear direction, intention, and guardrails. Moreover, he believes this approach amplifies the danger of catastrophic failures, because safety and governance lag behind raw capabilities. That said, he calls for technology that embeds caution and verifiability at its core.

In a summary of his stance shared on social media by Coin Bureau, Buterin is quoted as saying that the “race for AGI” is flawed. Instead, he wants a safer, decentralized AI stack built on Ethereum, with local models and crypto-style governance countering the dominance of Big Tech platforms.

Ethereum as a neutral base layer for decentralized AI

Buterin envisions an AI ecosystem where intelligence is not monopolized by a few corporations, but distributed across many actors using open infrastructure. In this model, power disperses through users and communities, rather than being concentrated inside proprietary, closed systems run by major technology companies.

Moreover, he places Ethereum at the center of this transformation, treating it not just as a blockchain, but as a financial coordination layer. This neutral base layer can host autonomous AI agents that interact, transact, and coordinate directly on-chain without relying on trusted intermediaries.

The article explains that AI agents could operate on Ethereum using rollups and Layer 2 networks. These scaling solutions would allow AI systems to initiate transactions securely, resolve conflicts on-chain, and provide cryptographic proofs of their actions. As a result, the need for off-chain trust assumptions would be drastically reduced.

Local AI models, privacy, and zero-knowledge tools

Privacy is another critical pillar of Buterin’s proposal. He strongly favors local AI models over centralized systems that must ingest vast amounts of user data. In his view, local deployments keep control in the user’s hands, limit data extraction, and reduce the risk of pervasive surveillance by state or corporate actors.

That said, Buterin does not argue against powerful AI capabilities; instead, he wants those capabilities embedded in architectures that naturally preserve privacy. Local processing, combined with cryptographic tools, could make it possible to enjoy advanced AI while exposing far less sensitive information to third parties.

Within this framework, Ethereum becomes a toolkit for zero-knowledge payments and verifiable checks. AI agents could prove that certain computations or decisions were made, and that specific conditions were met, without revealing underlying confidential data. Moreover, this design promises enhanced safety and accountability without sacrificing core functionality.

Crypto-style governance as protection against AI abuses

Governance sits at the heart of Buterin’s critique of present AI development. He argues that oversight should be built on transparent, programmable, and community-driven systems rather than opaque corporate boards or poorly understood regulatory processes. In his view, crypto governance ai models are better suited to managing powerful technologies.

By comparison, traditional AI governance often operates in the dark, consolidating decision-making power in a handful of executives or regulators. However, these arrangements typically lack robust accountability mechanisms and clear incentive structures aligned with the broader public interest.

Ethereum-based governance, Buterin suggests, could offer a credible alternative. Token-weighted or reputation-based systems can distribute influence, while on-chain rules and incentives reward beneficial behavior in a transparent manner. This creates alignment and introduces consequences inside AI ecosystems that, today, often operate without meaningful checks.

Defensive acceleration and the path to responsible AI

Buterin situates his vision within the concept of defensive acceleration ai. Rather than simply trying to slow down AI research, this strategy aims to accelerate the development of safety mechanisms, governance frameworks, and open infrastructure that can keep pace with capabilities.

Moreover, this approach rejects blind scaling and what he sees as “wantonness” in the current race. Instead, it insists that ethics, verifiability, and accountability become enforceable properties of the underlying technology stack, not optional add-ons layered on top after deployment.

In this context, Buterin argues that an ethereum ai architecture can anchor the convergence between crypto and AI. The goal is to shift the trajectory of the field: from domination to coordination, from extractive data mining to user empowerment, and from unchecked acceleration to sustainable innovation guided by robust governance.

From domination to coordination in the AI era

Buterin’s vision ultimately reimagines how societies might govern intelligent systems in the coming decade. He proposes that a neutral, programmable settlement layer like Ethereum can help transform AI from a tool of centralized control into an ecosystem of accountable, cooperating agents.

If realized, this model would make transparency the default, allow verifiable behavior by AI entities, and embed incentives that favor responsible use over reckless scaling. That said, achieving such a shift will require technical advances, community consensus, and deliberate policy choices across both the crypto and AI sectors.

As debates over AGI intensify in 2025 and beyond, Buterin’s call for an Ethereum-led, decentralized AI stack offers a blueprint for those seeking to balance innovation with safety, privacy, and genuine user empowerment.

Amerykańscy decydenci przygotowują się do kluczowej dyskusji na temat regulacji bitcoinów, ponieważ Biały Dom zwołuje spotkanie na wysokim szczeblu dotyczące przyszłości nadzoru nad aktywami cyfrowymi.

Biały Dom koncentruje się na strukturze rynku kryptowalut

Biały Dom ogłosił spotkanie, które odbędzie się dzisiaj, 10 lutego 2026 roku, poświęcone Bitcoinowi i szerszej strukturze rynku kryptowalut. Sesja ta podkreśla rosnącą kontrolę rządu nad aktywami cyfrowymi, ponieważ wolumeny handlowe i zainteresowanie instytucjonalne nadal rosną w całym sektorze.

Instytucje finansowe na całym świecie przyspieszają wdrażanie sztucznej inteligencji, a nowe badania Finastra podkreślają, jak ta zmiana przekształca strategie, zarządzanie ryzykiem i doświadczenia klientów w całym sektorze.

Wykorzystanie AI prawie powszechne w instytucjach finansowych

Nowe ustalenia z Finastra, opublikowane 10 lutego 2026 roku w Londynie, wskazują, że usługi finansowe osiągnęły decydujący punkt zwrotny dla AI. Tylko 2% instytucji finansowych zgłasza obecnie brak wykorzystania sztucznej inteligencji, co sygnalizuje przejście od eksperymentów do pełnoskalowej realizacji.

There was a change noted in the exchange-traded funds after bitcoin news reported that spot bitcoin etf recorded back-to-back days of net inflows. According to data mentioned by Coin Bureau from SoSoValue, $145 million was injected into bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds on Monday. It marked the first two-day inflow streak in three weeks. This update comes after a period of mixed flows that have defined the recent dynamics.

This comes as Bitcoin, as well as Ethereum, continues to evolve in relation to their trading. Bitcoin ETF received major attention as a result of the increased inflows. However, the digital assets were moving in varied ways. Coin Bureau was also responsible for sharing the latest updates through their public post.

Bitcoin News Tracks ETF Inflows After Volatile Sessions

Bitcoin price recent news is seen through a clear data point from SoSoValue, a platform that tracks daily ETF flows for listed spot Bitcoin products. The platform shows that there were net inflows of $145 million experienced for that session, as prices confirmed a second day of gains.

Source: X/@coinbureau

It is clear that this streak had not happened for several weeks.

The inflows were preceded by sessions where there were either outflows and flat trading activity. The ETF flow data recorded such flows before the change. Market participants tend to look for movements as a gauge of the market. However, it is necessary to note that such activity reflects only flows and nothing else.

SoSoValue Data Shows Asset Levels and Market Context

Data from SoSoValue also reflected total net assets for Bitcoin spot ETFs at close to $90 billion at the time of writing. The chart accompanying the update included daily inflow and outflow bars, providing context about recent volatility. Bitcoin traded near the $70,000 level during the session, the same dataset indicated.

Coin Bureau’s reporting of Bitcoin news did not present the inflows as a reversal into a trend. In fact, the post was more about the fact that such inflows have happened consecutively. The manner of presentation of these facts focused on when and how large, not for how long. This is typical in the way ETF flow metrics are usually reported.

Bitcoin News Sources Highlight Public Market Signals

Coin Bureau made the announcement via their verified social media post, attributing the information to SoSoValue. The post indicated that the consecutive increases were recorded after three weeks, stating that the figure of $145 million represented the ‘daily net increase’ rather than the cumulative rise.

The information made headlines due to the timing of the inflows, and it should be noted that there are many headlines that can be expected out of public data on ETF flows, as this information has a reputation for making headlines when there is consolidation within the market. There are many different indicators of this that can be expected, as Bitcoin news headlines tend to look at metrics like this because they give insight into funds in a transparent way.

ETF Activity Adds Context to Bitcoin and Ethereum Markets

Even though the focus of the information was on Bitcoin ETFs, there was an overall active market for digital currencies. The price of Bitcoin and Ethereum was within their usual range during this session. There was an emphasis on the ETFs that track Bitcoin due to the confirmation of inflows, while there was minimal mention of Ethereum ETFs during this update.

For example, recent Bitcoin news also reports on movements with exchange-traded funds, which are being included in overall market updates. As can be seen, flow data is merely part of overall data that analysts monitor. The most recent data is merely an update on overall trends, which will be made clear over coming sessions.

Institutional demand for tokenized finance in Asia is accelerating as the finchain avalanche collaboration moves to bring traditional assets on-chain at scale.

FinChain deepens strategic cooperation with Avalanche

FinChain, a blockchain finance platform under Fosun Wealth Holdings, has entered a deep strategic cooperation with Avalanche to expand blockchain-based financial services across Asia. The initiative, announced on February 10, 2026 in Hong Kong and New York, aims to unlock tens of billions of dollars from traditional financial channels through deployment of standardized on-chain financial assets.

The partnership will see FinChain integrate the Avalanche network as core infrastructure for tokenizing real-world financial instruments. Moreover, the collaboration is positioned to strengthen Avalanche’s footprint in Asia while offering institutional-grade access to regulated assets on-chain.

Launch of Asia’s first yield-bearing RWA stable token FUSD

FinChain has officially launched what it calls Asia’s first yield-bearing real-world-asset stable token, FUSD (Yield-Bearing Stablecoin FUSD), which will debut on Avalanche and is planned for integration across the entire Avalanche DeFi ecosystem. The token is designed as a standardized, institution-focused liquidity instrument.

FUSD is backed by real-world financial assets, including but not limited to Taikang Asset Management (Hong Kong) money market funds and ChinaAMC money market funds. These are high-liquidity, standardized financial instruments that provide a stable income profile. In addition, the token supports multi-chain interoperability and offers stable yield returns to qualified users.

The design targets institutional participants such as financial institutions, crypto-native financial firms, family offices, private equity funds, and pension funds. Furthermore, FUSD aims to function as a crypto-financial liquidity management tool offering high transparency, rapid settlement, flexible liquidity, and a secure, collateral-backed structure.

Focus on RWA tokenization and compliant cross-chain connectivity

On February 10, FinChain hosted the “2026 Asia Crypto Finance High-Level Closed-Door Forum” in Hong Kong, where the initiative with Avalanche was formally unveiled. This event marked a crucial milestone in FinChain’s broader vision of achieving compliant interoperability across major public blockchains on a global scale.

FinChain is currently concentrating on building compliant cross-chain connectivity that can support the transfer of tokenized traditional assets across multiple networks. In this architecture, FUSD is positioned as a foundational anchor asset for real, verifiable total value locked (TVL) across leading blockchains, supporting the growth of on-chain financial markets.

According to the company, the finchain avalanche initiative is expected to advance the tokenization of real-world assets in Asia and help standardize how regulated financial products are represented on-chain.

FUSD as a bridge between Web2 finance and Web3

“FUSD aims to serve as a bridge connecting Web2 standardized financial assets with the Web3 crypto-financial world,” said Zhao Chen, CEO of FinChain. By linking regulated money market exposure with blockchain rails, the product is designed to make traditional yield-bearing instruments programmable and composable within DeFi.

Chen added that the launch of FUSD will offer public blockchains, exchanges, and asset managers an “unprecedented yield-bearing stable token.” Moreover, together with Avalanche, FinChain expects to contribute to a new on-chain landscape for potentially trillions of dollars in financial assets as tokenization accelerates globally.

Avalanche ecosystem to support institutional adoption of FUSD

Avalanche, recognized for its high throughput and compliance-friendly architecture, has increasingly become a preferred blockchain infrastructure for global financial institutions and enterprises. Through the integration with FinChain, Avalanche will facilitate the circulation and adoption of FUSD by institutional players within its ecosystem.

The collaboration underscores Avalanche’s intent to expand real, compliant assets on-chain via globally regulated financial instruments. Additionally, it aligns with the network’s strategy of hosting high-quality tokenized assets that meet institutional requirements around transparency, settlement speed, and risk management.

Jacky Kong, Head of Ava Labs Hong Kong, noted that through FUSD, the partners plan to provide real financial assets in Asia with broader liquidity and collaboration opportunities, both within Avalanche and across global financial markets. This, he said, will enable more traditional financial assets to enter the blockchain world seamlessly.

Avalanche’s existing institutional RWA footprint

Kong highlighted that Avalanche currently hosts over USD 1.2 billion in on-chain TVL and already lists flagship RWA assets such as BlackRock BUIDL and Apollo ACRED. These initiatives involve major institutions including JPMorgan, Citi, and BlackRock, demonstrating growing institutional confidence in the network’s capabilities.

That said, FinChain’s entry is expected to significantly expand the volume and diversity of real, liquid on-chain assets in the future. By focusing on money market-linked stable tokens and standardized financial instruments, the partnership aims to bring additional depth to Avalanche’s institutional DeFi stack.

Building a robust Asian on-chain financial infrastructure

As a leading financial blockchain platform, FinChain plans to work closely with Avalanche to build a robust on-chain ecosystem for standardized financial assets across Asia. Leveraging FinChain’s network of institutional partners and technical resources, the initiative is projected to unlock tens of billions of dollars in financial channels for tokenization.

Moreover, the collaboration is expected to drive innovation in institutional asset tokenization, cross-border payments, and decentralized finance applications. By combining FinChain’s regulatory alignment and Avalanche’s high-performance infrastructure, the partners aim to set new benchmarks for tokenized finance in the region.

About Avalanche

Avalanche is an ultra-fast, low-latency blockchain platform designed for builders that require high performance at scale. Its architecture allows the creation of sovereign, efficient, and fully interoperable public and private layer 1 (L1) blockchains that leverage the Avalanche Consensus Mechanism.

This design enables high throughput and near-instant transaction finality while offering wide-ranging architectural customization. As a result, Avalanche positions itself as an ideal environment for a composable multi-chain future where diverse financial and non-financial applications can coexist.

Supported by a global community of developers and validators, Avalanche provides a fast, low-cost environment for building decentralized applications (dApps). Furthermore, its combination of speed, flexibility, and scalability has made it a platform of choice for innovators exploring new models in blockchain-based finance and beyond.

About FinChain

FinChain is a Web3 brand incubated by Fosun Wealth Holdings, focused on building a global real-world financial blockchain network. The project collaborates with major public blockchains around the world to construct decentralized, compliant layers and develop a unified on-chain identity system.

Its mission is to expand cross-border liquidity reserves for financial institutions and stablecoin issuers while offering compliant decentralized infrastructure for fintech developers globally. In addition, FinChain aims to foster on-chain trust mechanisms, enhance transparency of financial assets, and improve financing and investment efficiency.

By combining these elements, FinChain is working to build a compliant, decentralized financial ecosystem that can support the next generation of tokenized assets, digital markets, and institutional blockchain adoption.

LMAX Group is expanding its institutional footprint with the launch of the omnia exchange, a new venue designed to connect FX markets and digital assets on a single infrastructure.

LMAX introduces unified multi-asset trading venue

Institutional exchange operator LMAX Group has unveiled Omnia Exchange, a platform built to let clients trade FX, crypto, stablecoins and other digital assets in one place. The company announced the launch on Tuesday, positioning the venue as an institutional-grade multi asset exchange with global reach.

According to LMAX, Omnia provides what it calls a “unified multi-asset infrastructure layer”. The new venue allows users to trade any supported asset directly against any other, with trading available 24/7 and no restrictions on size or type. Moreover, the design is aimed at institutional workflows rather than retail order flow.

Blockchain and traditional settlement rails combined

One of Omnia’s core features is settlement flexibility. Trades can be settled over traditional rails, such as existing banking networks, or through blockchain instant settlement, allowing near-immediate on-chain delivery of assets where supported. However, LMAX emphasized that both routes are intended to meet the standards required by institutional participants.

This hybrid approach seeks to address a long-standing operational gap between fiat FX markets and digital assets. That said, it also responds to demand from clients who want the speed of on-chain transfers while maintaining the controls, reporting and compliance frameworks of established capital markets infrastructure.

LMAX’s institutional crypto footprint

LMAX has become a significant player in institutional crypto trading through its existing LMAX Digital business. The group reported $8.2 trillion in institutional crypto trading volume last year, underscoring the scale of demand from banks, funds and other professional counterparties.

Whereas LMAX Digital operates as an institutional crypto execution venue and custodian focused primarily on crypto-FX pairs, Omnia is designed to go further. A spokesperson said via email that the new platform aims to bring FX, crypto, stablecoins and other digital assets under one roof, enabling any asset to be traded directly against any other, rather than limiting flows to crypto versus fiat pairs.

Cross-asset connectivity and liquidity

The lmax omnia platform is intended to act as an fx crypto integration platform, making it possible to route orders and manage risk across currencies and tokenized instruments from a single venue. Moreover, by concentrating flows in one place, LMAX is targeting deeper cross asset liquidity for institutional clients.

This approach aligns with a broader industry trend, where crypto trading platforms target institutional market participants by offering access to both digital and traditional instruments. However, Omnia’s focus on direct pairings between any supported assets seeks to differentiate it from venues that still segment trading by asset class.

Bridging traditional and digital capital markets

LMAX CEO David Mercer framed the launch in strategic terms, saying Omnia “crosses the rubicon” between traditional markets and digital marketplaces. In a statement, Mercer described the venue as “the foundation for a new paradigm in capital markets” that allows institutions to exchange any asset, at any time and from any location.

“By opening access to wholesale FX and digital asset markets globally, we are removing barriers, reducing friction and unlocking liquidity,” Mercer said. Moreover, he argued that institutions could “exchange value as simply as sending a message,” which he claims will create what he called “hyper-efficient capital.”

Stablecoins and institutional access

A recent deal between LMAX Group and Ripple to integrate Ripple’s RLUSD into the group’s infrastructure highlights the role of stablecoins in this strategy. The partnership signals that stable-value tokens are increasingly viewed as tools for stablecoin institutional access rather than solely for crypto-native activity.

This focus on tokenized cash instruments complements LMAX’s institutional trading crypto business and reflects demand for on-chain settlement options in wholesale markets. However, it also positions Omnia to serve clients that want to move between FX, stablecoins and other digital assets without leaving an institutional framework.

Positioning in the institutional crypto landscape

The launch of the omnia exchange comes as more players race to build infrastructure for institutional crypto trading platform offerings that combine regulated market practices with digital asset technology. LMAX is betting that its history in FX and its existing institutional client base can help it capture a meaningful share of this growing segment.

Overall, by unifying trading and settlement for FX, cryptocurrencies and tokenized assets, LMAX aims to lower operational barriers and deepen liquidity for large market participants, while preserving the controls and standards expected in global capital markets.

W ruchu, który podkreśla rosnącą konkurencję w DeFi, integracja Sushi z Solaną ma na celu poszerzenie dostępu do szybkiego handlu dla milionów użytkowników kryptowalut.

Sushi wdraża się na Solanie, aby rozszerzyć swój zasięg wielołańcuchowy

9 lutego 2026 roku w Nowym Jorku zdecentralizowana giełda Sushi ogłosiła oficjalne uruchomienie na sieci Solana, co stanowi znaczący krok w jej strategii ekspansji na wiele łańcuchów. Wdrożenie rozszerza zestaw produktów handlowych i płynności Sushi do jednego z najszybciej rosnących ekosystemów blockchain w branży.

Instytucjonalne zapotrzebowanie na bezpieczne usługi cyfrowych aktywów rośnie szybko, a opieka Ripple jest modernizowana, aby uchwycić ten rosnący segment z nowymi możliwościami.

Ripple wzmacnia instytucjonalną opiekę z nowymi partnerami

Ripple ujawnił szereg strategicznych partnerstw, aby wzmocnić swoją platformę instytucjonalnej opieki, Ripple Custody, poszerzając swoją rolę jako wiodące rozwiązanie w zakresie opieki nad cyfrowymi aktywami instytucjonalnymi. Nowe współprace z Securosys i Figment, w połączeniu z ostatnimi integracjami z Chainalysis i przejęciem Palisade, znacznie rozszerzają funkcjonalność usługi.

Francja wchodzi w decydującą fazę regulacji kryptowalut, ponieważ firmy stają w obliczu twardego terminu na uzyskanie autoryzacji Mica w ramach europejskiego rynku aktywów kryptograficznych.

Reżim przejściowy we Francji kończy się 1 lipca 2026

Francuski regulator AMF przypomniał wszystkim dostawcom usług cyfrowych aktywów (DASP), że reżim przejściowy wygaśnie 1 lipca 2026. W ramach tego reżimu firmy działające przed wejściem w życie rozporządzenia MiCA mogły kontynuować oferowanie usług związanych z aktywami kryptograficznymi we Francji bez pełnej licencji.

W świeżym znaku agresywnej inwestycji w centra danych AI, pożyczka Apollo Nvidia podobno zbliża się do zakończenia, aby wesprzeć ambitną strategię leasingu chipów związaną z Elonem Muskiem.

Apollo pozyskuje finansowanie warte wiele miliardów dolarów na sprzęt Nvidia

Pożyczka o wartości około 3,4 miliarda dolarów od Apollo Global Management jest bliska finalizacji dla wehikułu inwestycyjnego, który kupi chipy Nvidia i wynajmie je xAI, zgodnie z raportem The Information opublikowanym 9 lutego. Outlet cytował osobę zaznajomioną z tą sprawą, sugerując, że warunki są na zaawansowanym etapie.

Zainteresowanie inwestorów AI, kryptowalutami i Web3 przyspiesza, ponieważ zakup domeny AI.com przez założyciela dużej giełdy rzuca światło na wschodzące platformy dla twórców.

Założyciel Crypto.com zabezpiecza AI.com za 70 milionów dolarów

Według Financial Times, Kris Marszalek, założyciel Crypto.com, kupił premium domenę AI.com za około 70 milionów dolarów. Raport wskazuje, że inni licytujący na adres podobno obejmowali OpenAI i X.ai, podkreślając, jak strategiczne stały się związane z AI właściwości internetowe.

Wprowadzając instytucjonalną dyscyplinę do aktywów cyfrowych, DeFi Technologies wprowadził indeks DVIO, aby przekształcić regulowane przepływy kapitałowe w perspektywę na rynek kryptowalut.

Nowy wskaźnik oparty na rzeczywistych przepływach inwestorów

DeFi Technologies Inc., poprzez swoją spółkę zależną Valour, uruchomiła Indeks Możliwości Inwestycyjnej Valour DEFT (DVIO), instytucjonalny wskaźnik, który śledzi, jak regulowany kapitał inwestorów jest alokowany w aktywach cyfrowych, wykorzystując rzeczywiste przepływy przez platformę ETP Valour. Indeks jest aktualizowany co tydzień i obejmuje 50 najlepszych aktywów w ekosystemie Valour według aktywów pod zarządzaniem (AUM) i przepływów.

Ethereum i Bitcoin nadal handlują w określonych przedziałach, ponieważ rynki kryptowalutowe wykazują mieszany impet, a ruchy są ograniczone, a dane on-chain zyskują uwagę traderów i analityków. Dyskusje na temat bieżących prognoz cen Ethereum koncentrują się na tym, czy rynek może być w trakcie długotrwałej konsolidacji czy odnowionej zmienności.

Wnioski z Coin Bureau z analizy IntoTheCryptoVerse sugerują scenariusz, w którym Ethereum musiałoby ponownie odwiedzić niższe poziomy przed jakąkolwiek trwałą ekspansją. W międzyczasie komentarz sugeruje, że obecne warunki są przejściowe, a nie kierunkowe.

Po brutalnej wyprzedaży i przerwach związanych z pogodą, ekosystem wydobycia bitcoinów przechodzi ostry reset, który ponownie stawia ekonomię wydobycia Bitcoina w centrum uwagi.

Największy spadek trudności od zaostrzenia w Chinach w 2021 roku

Sieć Bitcoinów BTC $70,411.45 właśnie odnotowała 11% spadek trudności wydobycia, największy spadek od zaostrzenia branży w Chinach w 2021 roku. Dostosowanie nastąpiło po szybkim spadku hashrate'u spowodowanym spadającymi cenami i powszechnymi przerwami związanymi z burzami zimowymi w USA.

Trudność wydobycia określa, jak trudno jest odkrywać nowe bloki, i automatycznie dostosowuje się mniej więcej co dwa tygodnie. Ten mechanizm utrzymuje średni czas bloku blisko 10 minut, niezależnie od liczby maszyn online.

W roku zdefiniowanym przez zmienność makroekonomiczną i szybką automatyzację, BingX AI staje się centralnym punktem strategii giełdy mającej na celu zreformowanie sposobu działania traderów.

BingX zobowiązuje się do 300 milionów dolarów na stos handlowy z pierwszeństwem AI

BingX przeznaczył 300 milionów dolarów na sztuczną inteligencję na dłuższą metę, pozycjonując się jako miejsce „wszystko w AI”, gdzie automatyzacja traktowana jest jako podstawowa infrastruktura rynku. Zamiast dodawać izolowane boty, giełda odbudowuje swoją strukturę, aby uczenie maszynowe informowało każdy istotny etap przepływu handlowego.