Cryptopolitan

Financial veteran Ray Dalio raised concerns about the rise of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), warning that they could usher in a new era of global surveillance. He cautioned that although CBDCs are efficient, they may also give governments unmatched access to monitor and regulate financial transactions.

In an interview on the Tucker Carlson Show on Monday, Dalio said the country is at “stage five” of a six-stage cycle, “sort of at the brink but not over the brink,”. He emphasized that traditional systems are strained by rising debt, partisan polarization, and shifts in global power.

Dalio highlights risks and limits of CBDCs globally

Billionaire hedge fund manager Ray Dalio just told Tucker Carlson that central bank digital currencies are coming:

"There will be no privacy… all transactions will be known… and if you're politically disfavored, you could be shut off." pic.twitter.com/Jz3mcdvC04

— COMBATE |🇵🇷 (@upholdreality) February 9, 2026

In the interview, Dalio stated, “I think it will be done,” referring to the likely implementation of central bank digital currencies. He said that “of course it’s easy to transact” with digital currency, implying that convenience is a significant factor in its uptake. 

However, he cautioned that there are trade-offs associated with this simplicity of use, particularly regarding privacy.

Regarding privacy, Dalio stated that CBDCs are a highly effective government control tool and that there will be no privacy with them. He clarified that all digital currency transactions will be recognized, emphasizing that authorities can see every payment. He said that might be an effective way to monitor both legal and illicit activity.

Dalio emphasized the control aspect of digital currencies, noting that governments might use them to enforce laws or collect taxes, stating that they “can tax that way” and “take your money.”

He raised concerns about the potential worldwide use of CBDCs, pointing out that foreign owners of digital currency “may feel… if you’re a Frenchman… they could take your money.” Dalio linked CBDCs to geopolitical power, which allows a government to exert control over non-citizens. He explained that this is one of the risks associated with granting a state complete visibility and control over finances.

Dalio did not predict that CBDCs would take over every economy. He told Carlson, “I don’t think that you’re going to see the development of central bank digital currencies to be of a magnitude that it’s going to be… that big of a deal.” 

Although digital currencies “will be done” and expand, Dalio believes their transformational potential is limited. 

During the interview, Dalio explained the workings of the monetary system, drawing comparisons between current issues and previous crises, such as the stagflation of the 1970s. He further highlighted the need for hard assets like gold as a store of wealth amid vulnerabilities in fiat currencies.

The billionaire also explored other topics, including the dangers of internal political deadlock, the deterioration of global geopolitical institutions, and broader historical cycles in which rising and declining countries have frequently clashed. He argued that the U.S. must take decisive action to preserve stability.

Dalio warns of rising global capital tensions

Dalio’s concerns about CBDCs align with his warnings about the global financial landscape, where control over capital is increasingly a tool of geopolitical influence.

Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Dalio said the world is on the cusp of a capital war. He stated, “We are on the brink. That means not in, but it means we are quite close to [a capital war] and it would be very easy to go over the brink into a capital war, because there are mutual fears.”

Dalio’s warning came at a moment of growing global tension.

Dalio cited U.S. President Donald Trump’s attempt to purchase Greenland as a potential point of contention between the U.S. and Europe. He specifically stated that European owners of U.S.-denominated assets might be afraid of sanctions, and that the United States has a “reciprocal fear” that it will no longer be able to obtain foreign funding or demand for its assets.

According to Citi, approximately 80% of foreign purchases of U.S. Treasuries between April and November 2025 were made by European buyers.

Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free.

The Bitcoin market is showing all signs of a major bear market. The price has declined by 30% in a week, briefly dipping lower than the $61,000 mark and currently trading 50% lower than its all-time high. Such a sharp fall has raised concerns that Bitcoin may not have hit rock bottom, and major support levels are being tested. 

In such a scenario, seasoned investors look beyond the market and identify new projects with strong fundamentals, built during the bear market. For many, the answer is Mutuum Finance (MUTM), a new DeFi crypto that is making waves and regarded by many as the next big crypto to buy in the coming days.

Bitcoin Enters a Defining Bear Phase

The Bitcoin market is in a major bear phase. The key indicators show a bearish market, and the Bitcoin price is declining significantly. The Relative Unrealized Loss ratio has surged to 24%, which puts the market in a bear phase. While some investors are buying during the lower prices, major investors are distributing their holdings, which may not help the market in a major turnaround.

Experts have suggested that the market may not hit rock bottom until mid 2026, and prices may fall in the range of $45,000 to $50,000. Such a market environment makes high-risk, high-hype tokens a bad choice and forces investors to look at tokens with working products.

Mutuum Finance: A Working Testnet Before the Presale Ends

While many new tokens are just an idea, Mutuum Finance has already become a working protocol. The V1 lending and borrowing protocol is already working on the Sepolia testnet, a major achievement for the token before its launch. On the testnet, anybody can test drive how it all works using pretend assets. This ensures that the underlying technology for lending and borrowing is ready to go. This level of maturity prior to the mainnet launch is unprecedented and greatly reduces the risks for investors. This is why MUTM is an exceptionally promising new cryptocurrency that is able to stand out from the crowd of hype and empty promises.

The Presale Window for Maximum Gain

The Mutuum Finance presale is a unique opportunity. As can be seen from the data, the project has managed to attract over $20.4 million from over 19,000 holders so far. Now, the project is currently in Phase 7, where the tokens are priced at $0.04. This phase is moving rapidly, and it is the last opportunity to buy the tokens at this price level. As soon as it is sold out, the next phase, Phase 8, will be priced at $0.045. The official launch price is set at $0.06.

However, as can be calculated by the working product and the strong community, the real gains can be made immediately after the listings on the exchanges. A logical and conservative prediction would be that the token would reach the level of $0.48 within a few days after the official launch. This would be a 12x gain from the current level of $0.04. For example, if an investor decides to put $500 into the project, it would reach $6,000.

Earn Twice with the Buy-and-Distribute Engine

One of the most important features that can sustain long-term demand for the protocol is its reward system. A portion of all fees collected from lending and borrowing activities on the platform is automatically used to purchase MUTM tokens on the market, which are then used as additional rewards for users who choose to stake their assets with the safety module.

This creates a powerful feedback loop: the more users who come onto the platform, the higher the fees, and the more MUTM tokens can be purchased and awarded to loyal users who hold their assets with the safety module. For example, if you stake $2,000 with the safety module, you can earn an estimated 5-8% returns per year in additional MUTM tokens, making it one of the top crypto to buy now for those seeking compounded returns.

Why MUTM Stands Out as the Top Crypto to Buy Now

For those seeking a safe and secure investment strategy, Mutuum Finance offers one of the best investment opportunities based on fundamentals alone, particularly in a fearful market. Given the uncertain path for Bitcoin, investing in a high-potential project like MUTM, with its strong utility and presale, is one strategy many investors are using. Furthermore, it is one of the few projects out there that offers investors the ability to be part of the protocol itself, rather than just another token, and be part of the foundation for the next crypto market cycle.

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

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

The Ethereum Foundation has announced a new partnership with Security Alliance, also known as SEAL, a security-focused non-governmental organization.

They are joining forces to establish the “Trillion Dollar Security” program, which aims to make the Ethereum network more secure as more funds pass through it.

At the core of this initiative is a tracking tool that went live on February 5. The dashboard is not like a regular security audit that is filed away. Instead, it continuously monitors the security of the Ethereum network across six different areas that are essential for keeping the network safe.

Dashboard tracks six security areas

The six security areas include:

User Experience (UX): Tracking transaction readability and permission controls.

Smart Contracts: Monitoring code vulnerabilities and developer tooling.

Infrastructure & Cloud: Assessing Layer 2 protocols and RPC provider risks.

Consensus Protocol: Guarding against client centralization and quantum threats.

Monitoring & Incident Response: Coordinating real-time detection of failures.

Social Layer & Governance: Analyzing organizational capture and regulatory pressures.

The dashboard monitors eight to 29 distinct safety metrics in each of these areas. The tool also indicates what needs to be done next. Only seven of the 29 proposed safety controls in the user experience component are currently operational, demonstrating the amount of work that remains to be done.

Breaking down the numbers, the user experience area has 29 security measures. Seven are already running, 13 are being built right now, eight are still being researched, and one is planned for later. For the smart contracts area, there are 13 controls being tracked. Four are active, seven are being implemented, and two are still in the planning stage.

The infrastructure and cloud section encompasses 17 different protections. Eight of those are already operational, six are being implemented, two are in the research phase, and one is planned. The consensus protocol part comprises 15 controls. Four are complete, four are being developed, and seven are still being studied. The social and governance category tracks eight mechanisms, with three already in place and five under development.

Security assessment of Infrastructure and Cloud Security on Ethereum. Source: Trillion Dollar Security.

Fighting the drainer problem

This partnership goes beyond merely creating charts and graphs. The Ethereum Foundation is actually paying for a security engineer to work full-time with SEAL’s intelligence team.

ScamSniffer, a crypto intelligence company, discovered that scammers have taken nearly $1 billion in cryptocurrency over the years using these methods. The good news is that SEAL and other investigators managed to bring that number down to $83.85 million in 2025, which was the lowest ever. But there’s been a recent increase in two specific types of scams; address poisoning and signature-based phishing in early 2026.

This new security push marks a change in what Ethereum focuses on. For a long time, the network concentrated on growing bigger and completing “The Merge.” Now the Foundation wants to prove the network is secure. By making security something that can be measured and tracked, Ethereum is trying to show it can handle trillions of dollars for big institutions. The timing matters because Ethereum has major updates coming in 2026.

“The Security Alliance has done important work to combat attacks and the ecosystem has benefited tremendously,” the Ethereum Foundation wrote on X after SEAL made the announcement.

SEAL doesn’t plan to stop with Ethereum. The nonprofit wants to create a place where different groups can share information about threats and give legal protection to ethical hackers. SEAL said this Ethereum partnership is just the first of several they have planned with other blockchain networks. They’re inviting other crypto groups to get in touch: “If your foundation or crypto ecosystem is interested in similar sponsorship opportunities, we’re happy to discuss how this model protects users at scale,” SEAL said.

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

Brad Garlinghouse said the company is doubling down on using XRP as a core part of its institutional payments push. The chief executive made the remarks late Monday on social platform X, responding to the community’s debate about the asset in the company’s direction.

“Glad to see the message is (finally, even more) clear! XRP family has and always will be top of mind for Ripple,” CEO Garlinghouse wrote, seemingly answering opponents who had questioned if the stablecoin issuer is concentrating on cross-border payments using RLUSD only. 

The statement follows up on Ripple’s DeFi outlook released last week by developers, which also stated that the token is at the center of on-chain settlements. In its announcement, the Ripple developer team described XRP as “the primary bridge asset for institutional liquidity,” with features intended to meet compliance, risk, and standards expected by banks and financial institutions.

XRP community celebrates as institutional rails take shape

According to Ripple’s outlook, XRP Ledger is launching several live components including multi-purpose token standards (MPTs) and permissioned domains that let verified participants access specific network functions.

Confidential transfer functions for MPTs, expected to debut on XRPL in the first quarter, could provide transaction-level privacy with controlled disclosure, a balance demanded by regulators and enterprises.

The developers explained that permissioned domains will be paired with credential systems and batch transaction capabilities for enterprise use, Cryptopolitan reported last week. The XRP Ledger is also planning to integrate identity and control features directly at the protocol level. The domains, coupled with credential checks, will help restrict XRPL’s access to approved entities. 

Moreover, Ripple noted that XRP could become the automated bridge currency for asset transfers, linking different tokens or currencies. While stablecoin corridors and remittance channels are contributing to on-chain volume, transaction fees, and account reserves denominated in XRP connect network usage to the token itself. 

One point of criticism of the XRP Ledger has been its limited compatibility with Ethereum-style smart contracts. Ripple argues that the lack of EVM programmability has restricted application growth, and it plans to address this with a new EVM-compatible sidechain linked through the Axelar network. 

Brother theres certain people who really see whats happening, others are in it to make a quick buck off a trade. We can spot what's real and what's just for show. "Real eyes, realies, real lies"

— Bailey Edwards (@BaileyEdwards0) February 9, 2026

The sidechain allows Solidity developers to use XRP Ledger liquidity and identity tools while working within Ethereum dev environments. “And some of you thought ripple wasn’t true to their word as XRP as bridge asset. The vision has not changed,” wrote the X account of influencer Mr.Man XRP.

Did SWIFT abandon a ready XRP network? 

The reaffirmation by CEO Garlinghouse comes against the backdrop of XRP supporters disappointment after SWIFT selected ConsenSys-built blockchain Linea as its onchain bank messaging system. The same pilot also incorporated stablecoins issued on Linea, sidelining expectations that Ripple’s network or its RLUSD stablecoin would be chosen.

SWIFT processes more than $150 trillion in wire transfers annually and is the dominant global financial messaging network. XRP investors had speculated that Ripple technology could replace or integrate with SWIFT infrastructure last year, following the ISO20022 standard adoption deadline in late November.

ISO 20022 provides structured financial data formats, which SWIFT uses to facilitate secure message exchange between institutions worldwide. Observers interpreted SWIFT’s choice as a setback for XRP supporters who believed their ledger might power mainstream bank messaging. 

“This cannot be true, not possible,” seasoned XRP investor Gary Cardone joked, “I have been told for years that XRP has Swift all tied up, locked down.”

Separate online discussions also made technical references linking XRP to established financial systems. According to social media posts highlighting code in both Ripple-related infrastructure and the platform of R3’s Corda network, modules labeled “XrpPayment,” “XrpSettlement,” “SWIFTService,” and “SWIFTPaymentStatusType” appeared. 

Meanwhile, XRP is trading at $1.42 at the time of this publication, down 0.9% over the last 24 hours. The fifth largest coin by market cap dropped to $1.38 over the weekend, but regained the $1.40 level during Monday’s Asian morning trading session.

The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them.

A growing dispute over the Federal Reserve’s proposal for limited master accounts, dubbed “skinny master accounts,” is sparking tension between the crypto industry and traditional banking groups as regulators push toward clearer digital‑asset policy this year.

At the centre of the debate is a Federal Reserve initiative to offer a new class of accounts that would grant qualified fintech firms and crypto‑focused entities access to the central bank’s payment system, but with restrictions on interest earnings, liquidity services, and other privileges associated with full master accounts.

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller confirmed the central bank’s upcoming introduction of its “skinny master account” plan before year-end. Waller issued this statement at a time when there is a stall in broader cryptocurrency market structure legislation and when markets are struggling.

Even with these challenges, the Fed Governor remained optimistic that this simplified version of a Fed master account would be implemented before the start of next year. 

Waller urges individuals to prepare for the implementation of skinny master accounts

A standard master account is a primary, central account used to manage, group, and track financial transactions or data for multiple sub-accounts or branches, acting as a parent account in a hierarchical structure. It grants institutions the opportunity to access the Fed’s payment systems directly, providing them with seamless access to the US money supply.

However, reports highlighted that the suggested “skinny” account consists of several restrictions. For instance, the accounts would bear no interest and would not permit discount window borrowing.

On the other hand, crypto industry players and community banks submitted their views on whether regulators should offer non-bank financial institutions direct access to specific components of the US payment infrastructure. Their responses illustrate disagreements between the two parties. Responding to this dispute, Waller acknowledged that, “We’ll have to work through those issues, but if we manage it well, I’d like to complete this by the year’s end if possible.” 

While the Fed Governor anticipates reaching a mutually beneficial solution, sources noted that the central bank is advancing its initiatives on digital asset frameworks, while lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are confronting numerous obstacles to enacting a comprehensive regulatory framework for the industry.

At this moment, Waller stated that the crypto industry welcomed US President Donald Trump with widespread enthusiasm and hope for change upon taking office, given his pro-crypto stance. However, he claimed that this enthusiasm is waning as the prices of leading cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, sink to their lowest levels in months.

“You get involved, you can earn some money, but you might also lose some,” Waller explained. “That’s just how things work in many of these cases. Some of the excitement that came with the current administration’s approach to crypto is starting to fade.” 

Crypto industry remains optimistic on market structure bill

Regarding Waller’s remarks, analysts acknowledged heightened tension among investors in the crypto market amid significant price declines. For example, Bitcoin hit an all-time high of over $126,000 last year; nonetheless, data from CoinMarketCap show that this price has dropped sharply, with the cryptocurrency currently trading at $70,066.89, reflecting a 0.86% decrease in the past 24 hours.

In the meantime, reports mentioned that lawmakers on Capitol Hill are attempting to pass a more comprehensive crypto market structure bill, widely known as “Clarity.” This name was derived from the House version that passed last summer. Still, Senate proceedings are facing serious hurdles, fueling concerns that clarity may be further delayed.

Notably, upon enactment of this bill, the crypto industry would be subjected to comprehensive oversight as it would set standards for crypto exchanges and DeFi operators. Moreover, it would outline the role of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission, the key agencies in the crypto industry.

Join a premium crypto trading community free for 30 days - normally $100/mo.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has shared updated views on the Ethereum-AGI convergence, suggesting the ecosystem can soon enable AIs to interact economically. Buterin says the goal is to build more viable decentralized AI infrastructures to enable more decentralized authority under the ERC-8004 standard.

In what he describes as only one piece of the bigger Ethereum puzzle, Buterin emphasizes that the ecosystem can help AIs interact economically in the near future. As an economic layer for AI-related interactions, Ethereum can enable decentralized authorization for API calls, bot-to-bot hiring, and security deposits (including on-chain dispute resolution). Buterin believes in building tooling to make interactions between AI agents as trustless and/or private as possible.

According to the Ethereum boss, this can be achieved in the short term through local LLM tooling and zero-knowledge (ZK) payment for API calls, so that remote models can be called without the need to link identities from call to call. Buterin also believes the industry should focus on ongoing work in cryptographic approaches to improve AI privacy, client-side verification of cryptographic proofs, TEE (Trusted Execution Environment) attestations, and other forms of server-side assurances. 

Buterin views Ethereum and AGI frameworks as philosophically alike 

According to the Ethereum co-founder, the Ethereum-AGI intersection is a topic that many people are excited about, but they think about the two from completely separate philosophical perspectives. He notes that our civilization should approach Ethereum and AGI in the same way, choosing a positive direction rather than embracing undifferentiated acceleration of both. Buterin thinks it is actually essential to integrate the AI and crypto perspectives.

“There are indeed some promising applications of AI inside of blockchain ecosystems, or AI together with cryptography, though it is important to be careful about how the AI is applied.” 

–Vitalik Buterin, Co-founder of Ethereum

However, the Ethereum executive previously noted a particular challenge in securing both AI and crypto. In crypto, Buterin emphasized that open source is the only way to build truly secure systems. Meanwhile, an “open” AI model (or its training data) greatly increases its vulnerability to malicious machine learning attacks. 

Buterin rejects Solana’s Anatoly’s narrow AGI focus 

Two years ago, I wrote this post on the possible areas that I see for ethereum + AI intersections: https://t.co/ds9mLnrJWm

This is a topic that many people are excited about, but where I always worry that we think about the two from completely separate philosophical… pic.twitter.com/pQq5kazT61

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) February 9, 2026

In a long X post, the Ethereum boss responded to Solana’s Anatoly Yakovenko (“Toly”), rejecting what he calls Toly’s narrow focus on AGI. According to Buterin, Toly’s perception of AGI is similar to reducing Ethereum to just “working in finance” or “working on computing.”  

The Ethereum co-founder also emphasizes human empowerment, safety from superintelligent threats, and practical steps like revitalized markets and governance structures. He also notes that while skeptics see the AGI vision as a shift from past Ethereum narratives, builders are praising the move towards self-sustaining AI agents. Meanwhile, Hyperbolic Labs’ co-founder and CTO, Yuchen Jin, believes that “self-improvement” or thinking that “AGI is near” remains an illusion without continual learning.

In support of Jin’s sentiments, OpenAI’s Sam Altman recently said that reaching true AGI will not take one big step but rather many medium-term breakthroughs, according to Cryptopolitan. However, while he believes that achieving AGI is very close, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella disagrees. Satya noted that reaching true AGI is nowhere close, adding that it is not just about him or Sam declaring it; it is the reality.

In the meantime, Buterin notes that LLMs can overcome the limitations of all these “beautiful” theories. He also argues that while prediction and decision markets, decentralized governance, combinatorial auctions, quadratic voting, and a universal barter economy have all been greatly limited by constraints on human attention and decision-making power, LLMs can massively scale human judgment.  

Additionally, Buterin claims that the Ethereum network can make all this a reality if his best ideas from 2014 are revisited. He believes that many more new and better ideas can be added to his initial views, and that AI and ZK technologies can provide a whole new set of tools to bring those ideas to life.

Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free.

Discord announced on Monday that it will soon ask all users globally to confirm their age via a facial scan or by uploading a form of identification to access adult content. 

Discord’s press statement revealed that the improved teen safety features being implemented globally will further the company’s long-standing goal of making the app safer and more welcoming for users aged 13 and older.

The chat platform said that this update will automatically provide all new and current users worldwide with a teen-appropriate experience with revised communication settings, limited access to age-gated areas, and content filtering that protects the privacy and deep connections that characterize Discord.

Discord expands global age checks and safety controls

Discord will soon be expanding teen safety protections worldwide including teen-by-default settings and age assurance designed to create safer experiences for teens.

We’re also launching recruitment for Discord's first Teen Council, creating a space for teen voices to help shape… pic.twitter.com/CW7G4sO38R

— Discord Support (@discord_support) February 9, 2026

Discord allows people to create and join groups based on their interests.  The group messaging tool revealed that it has more than 200 million monthly users.

Discord currently requires certain users in the UK and Australia to confirm their age to adhere to online safety regulations. However, the chat platform announced that it will implement age checks for all new and existing users globally starting in early March this year. This means that some users will need to complete an age-verification process to change certain settings or access sensitive content, such as servers, age-restricted channels, app commands, and certain message requests.

“Nowhere is our safety work more important than when it comes to teen users, which is why we are announcing these updates in time for Safer Internet Day. Rolling out teen-by-default settings globally builds on Discord’s existing safety architecture, giving teens strong protections while allowing verified adults flexibility.”

–Savannah Badalich, Head of Product Policy at Discord.

The community server app stated that the new default settings will limit what users can see and how they may communicate. Only users who will authenticate as adults will be allowed to access age-restricted forums and unblur sensitive content. The site also revealed that until users pass Discord’s age checks, they won’t be allowed to view direct messages sent to them by an unknown user.

Drew Benvie, head of social media consultancy Battenhall, stated that it’s a good idea to support efforts to make social media a safer place for all users.

Discord’s move comes amid growing global concern over how social media platforms expose children and teenagers to harmful content and addictive design features. 

Governments, regulators, and courts are increasingly examining tech companies to determine whether they are doing enough to protect young users. Recent measures demonstrate growing pressure to enhance industry-wide online safety standards.

The European Union on February 6 accused TikTok of breaching the bloc’s digital regulations wth “addictive design” features that lead to compulsive use by children.

EU regulators said that their two-year probe found that TikTok has not done enough to evaluate how features like autoplay and infinite scroll may affect users’ physical and emotional health, particularly children and “vulnerable adults.”

The European Commission said it believes TikTok should change the “basic design” of its service. 

Social media giants face landmark child addiction trial

The largest social media corporations in the world, including TikTok, are facing a number of historic trials that aim to make them accountable for injuries to children who use their services in 2026. February 9 marked the start of opening arguments in one such trial held in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

There are allegations that Google’s YouTube and Instagram’s parent firm, Meta, intentionally injures and addicts children. The lawsuit’s original names, TikTok and Snap, reached settlements for unknown amounts.

An American Lawyer, Mark Lanier, said in the opening statement that the case is as “easy as ABC,” which he said stands for “addicting the brains of children.”  The lawyer also called Google and Meta “two of the richest corporations in history” that have “engineered addiction in children’s brains.”

Prosecution attorney Donald Migliori said in his opening statement that  Meta has fabricated claims about the security of its platforms by designing its algorithms to keep youth online despite being aware that youngsters are vulnerable to sexual exploitation on social media.

Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.

Popular YouTuber James “MrBeast” Donaldson’s Beast Industries is making its strongest push yet into finance by acquiring Step, a banking app for teenagers and young adults. The YouTuber said the move is aimed at helping teens and young adults learn to manage their personal finances early. 

The deal, announced Monday, comes just weeks after a reported $200 million capital infusion from crypto treasury firm BitMine Immersion Technologies. Tom Lee described the investments as “uniting the No. 1 creator in the world with the biggest Ethereum platform in the world.”

Just a few weeks ago, the popular YouTuber filed a trademark application for a banking platform called MrBeast Financial, dated October 13, and submitted it to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) under his company.

Beast Industries’ Housenbold insists they will provide young people with tools to build financial security

Speaking on the Step deal on X, Donaldson shared his excitement, claiming he had no mentor to teach him about investing or finances growing up, but he can now offer young people the financial grounding he lacked. 

In response to his post, some X users applauded his action, agreeing with the content creator that the plan would elevate millions of young people and encourage financial literacy. One X user noted, “This is amazing! Providing financial education and tools for young people is so important. Can’t wait to see how this helps millions build a stronger financial future.”

However, others asserted that the deal may do more harm than good, as it could expose teens to financial tools they are not ready to navigate before they fully understand the risks involved.

Nonetheless, Beast Industries CEO Jeff Housenbold contended that the deal helps them reach their audience with practical, technology-led solutions that can make a real difference to their financial lives. He remarked, “Financial health is fundamental to overall wellbeing, yet too many people lack access to the tools and knowledge they need to build financial security.”

CJ MacDonald, CEO and Founder of Step, also noted that their partnership makes sense because both Step and Beast Industries share a similar belief in helping others. The two sides have yet to disclose the acquisition cost.

Bitmine’s Lee said its corporate values aligned with Beast Industries

Last month, Beast Industries secured $200 million investment from Bitmine. At the time, Lee explained that Ethereum’s role as a smart contract platform positions it at the center of a future where financial services and digital money increasingly overlap, making the investment in Beast Industries a logical fit.

He had also remarked, “Beast Industries is the largest and most innovative creator-based platform in the world, and our corporate and personal values are strongly aligned.” 

Moreover, CEO Jeff Housenbold said the cash infusion would help the company develop a financial services platform while advancing Beast Industries’ mission to become the world’s top entertainment brand. Donaldson’s companies have hinted at launching a financial services offering, with the “MrBeast Financial” trademark pointing toward possible crypto use.

Beast Industries now has 450+ million YouTube subscribers and continues to offer products like Feastables and to run social impact initiatives, including Beast Philanthropy. Bitmine’s holdings also include over 4.29 million ether valued at $8.4 billion, as well as about $586 million in cash, making it the top corporate holder of ether with more than 3.54% of all coins, per StrategicEtherReserve data.

If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter.

Ethereum faces strong selling pressure, trapped between key support at $1,826 and resistance near $2,359. Large investors are selling holdings, suggesting cautious short-term sentiment. While its long-term network strength remains, this uncertainty pushes investors to seek assets with clearer immediate growth paths. Attention is shifting to newer, cheap crypto projects with working products and high-growth plans, making them the cheapest crypto to buy for potential large returns. Among these picks is Mutuum Finance (MUTM) at $0.04.

ETH’s Challenge: Navigating a Tight Range

Ethereum’s price action is confined. Recent sales by large funds of over 420,000 ETH have tightened market liquidity. The price must hold above $1,826 to avoid a fall toward $1,640. While its Layer 2 ecosystem is growing, a breakout needs a major new application. For investors, this creates a waiting game. In contrast, a new cryptocurrency, Mutuum Finance (MUTM), is capturing interest by moving forward with its live testnet launch and an in-demand presale phase, offering a defined entry before major exchange listings.

A Completed Audit Gives a Foundation of Trust

Mutuum Finance has completed its audit with Halborn Security. This audit has included all the smart contracts for lending and borrowing. It is considered to be an important step, as many new cryptocurrencies have failed in this area. This means that for an interested investor, the basic system has been audited by experts, thus reducing the risks of technical failure to a minimum. This ensures that MUTM gets off to a solid start as a secure investment option for crypto investors, far ahead of other new crypto investment ventures that have not undergone such rigorous testing.

A Dual Lending System Serves Every User

The main system at Mutuum Finance is its Dual Lending System. The Dual Lending System comprises two parts: the first part is the Peer-to-Contract system, also known as P2C. This system allows for the lending of common tokens such as Ethereum or ETH. Users deposit their tokens in a pool for interest earnings.

A deposit of $2000, for example, could earn an interest of $300-$500 annually, depending on protocol utilization. The second part of the system is the Peer-to-Peer system, also known as P2P. This system allows for the lending of any token between two people. The key difference here is that with P2P, the lender and borrower set loan terms, and it’s done outside lending pools. The Dual Lending System ensures that all users are catered to, thus increasing the number of users for the system.

The Presale Phase Coincides with New Features

Mutuum Finance is in its final stages of presale, with the current phase being Phase 7 at $0.04 per token. The phase is progressing very quickly, with the next phase set to see an increase in token price. The most significant news for investors is that it is now possible to buy MUTM tokens using a credit or debit card.

This being the case, investors in Phase 7 can look forward to a gain as soon when the project is launched at $0.06. However, based on the project’s fundamentals, such as its token buyback-and-redistribute mechanism and exchange listings, it is likely that the price of the project can reach as high as $0.42. A current investment of $1,000 can reach as high as $7,000 thanks to this rise, making it the cheapest cryptocurrency to buy for exponential growth.

Positioned for a Breakout

As Ethereum is struggling with its complexities, Mutuum Finance is offering a simple proposition. They have a secure product that is already functional and is priced affordably. Their completed audit, functional dual lending protocol, and presale phase all come together as a potent combination. For investors looking for the best cryptocurrency to invest in for long-term growth, this new cryptocurrency is offering a unique combination of affordability and the potential for value appreciation.

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

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

Ripple released a statement dated Monday, February 9, outlining its collaboration with  Securosys, a Swiss-based cybersecurity company, and Figment, a leading staking infrastructure provider for proof-of-stake networks. This partnership played a key role in improving the XRP-focused firm’s institutional custody platform. 

In response to this announcement, analysts asserted that the San Francisco–based fintech company’s move will streamline banks’ and custodians’ efforts to provide custody services and staking without the complexity of managing their own validators or key management systems.

Moreover, following Ripple’s acquisition of Palisade, a French-regulated digital asset custody and wallet infrastructure provider, and the incorporation of Chainalysis compliance tools, these custody improvements empower regulated institutions to securely manage cryptographic keys using either on-site or cloud-based HSMs. 

Apart from this, they can also offer users the ability to stake on networks such as Ethereum and Solana, with integrated, real-time compliance checks.

Ripple seeks to solidify its position as a leader in the blockchain ecosystem

Regarding its recent improvements, Ripple decided to break down these enhancements for better understanding, stressing that these integrations streamline deployment and accelerate the launch of institutional custody services.

To stay competitive in the ecosystem and solidify its position as a leader, the blockchain infrastructure provider noted that it is strengthening its institutional infrastructure to support expansion beyond its core payments business into custody, treasury, and post-trade services for regulated businesses. 

At this point, it is worth noting that Ripple is a technology company and digital payment network designed to provide payment and custody solutions to financial institutions. In addition, the firm is responsible for issuing the XRP token and RLUSD, a US dollar-pegged stablecoin launched in late 2024.

Meanwhile, reports noted that Ripple’s recent update came just after the blockchain payments firm introduced a corporate treasury platform that can integrate traditional cash management systems with digital asset technology. 

On the other hand, analysts found that as proof-of-stake technology continues to evolve, several institutions have shown heightened interest in staking while the regulatory environment remains unpredictable.

Even so, Figment decided to improve its collaboration with cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase in October last year. This move enabled clients of Coinbase Custody and Prime to stake various proof-of-stake assets alongside Ether. Furthermore, the new feature enabled institutional users to stake across multiple networks, including Solana, Sui, Aptos, and Avalanche, via Figment’s system. 

Several firms in the blockchain ecosystem implement updates to their operations 

As competition in the blockchain ecosystem intensified, Anchorage Digital, a leading regulated institutional crypto platform, confirmed the launch of staking support for the Hyperliquid ecosystem towards the end of last year. This move enabled HYPE staking alongside its existing custodial offerings.

Afterwards, the bank announced the availability of this service via Singapore-based Anchorage Digital Bank and its self-custody wallet Porto. For validator operations, it noted that Figment would manage them.

Meanwhile, despite staking providing institutions with a way to generate yield on proof-of-stake networks, sources revealed the emergence of new efforts to generate yield from BTC that do not rely on staking.

Following this announcement, Fireblocks, a leading enterprise-grade platform, announced earlier this month its intention to adopt the Stacks blockchain to expand institutional access to Bitcoin-based lending and yield products.

The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them.

Polymarket has sued the state of Massachusetts in federal court, alleging that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) was the only agency authorized by Congress to regulate event contracts. This argument implied that states lack the authority to independently shut down prediction markets over which the CFTC holds exclusive jurisdiction.

To demonstrate the seriousness of the situation, Neal Kumar, the Polymarket Chief Legal Officer, acknowledged the filing of the lawsuit in a statement published on Monday, February 9. He asserted that the matter concerns national markets and presents significant legal questions that necessitate federal adjudication rather than state-level handling.

Meanwhile, in reference to Massachusetts and Nevada’s acts towards the prediction markets, Kumar mentioned that, “Trying to close down Polymarket US and other prediction markets in state court does not change federal law — states like Massachusetts and Nevada that pursue this will lose a great chance to develop future markets.”

Polymarket initiates a legal battle against Massachusetts

Regarding Polymarket’s recent move against Massachusetts, reports highlighted that the prediction market’s lawsuit was intended to prevent potential enforcement actions by Andrea Campbell, the Attorney General of Massachusetts. 

The company criticized certain states’ attempts to regulate prediction markets, saying these actions improperly interfere with federally regulated derivatives markets.

In the meantime, it is worth noting that this legal battle was initiated just after the Massachusetts state court issued a ruling mandating the temporary halt to Kalshi’s contract provisions for sports events within the state. 

As reported earlier by Cryptopolitan, Judge Barry-Smith said he intended to finalize the injunction requiring Kalshi to comply with the state’s sports betting law henceforth, following a hearing on January 16. According to the judge, the licensure and the consequent oversight of sports betting in Massachusetts serve both public safety and health, and the Commonwealth’s financial interests. However, he noted that he was still considering pausing his order to allow the prediction market platform to file an appeal.

Kalshi is a regulated exchange and prediction market where individuals can trade on the outcome of real-world events. When this news was linked to sources pointing to a similar case in Nevada that occurred recently. Similarly, in Nevada, a judge barred Polymarket from offering sports contracts to residents, citing conflicts with the state’s sports betting rules.

This was after the judge argued that the issuance threatens to dismantle the state’s existing sports betting rules, according to sources close to the matter who wished to remain anonymous due to the confidential nature of the matter.

While the situation intensifies, reports have admitted that Massachusetts and Nevada are not the only US states opposing prediction markets. This was after analysts conducted research and discovered that at least eight other states, such as New York, Illinois, and Ohio, have embraced measures to restrict or contest sports-related prediction markets, citing information from the prediction market Kalshi.

Analysts outline prediction markets’ recent rapid growth despite facing challenges 

In response to Polymarket’s recent legal battle with Massachusetts, analysts argued that prediction markets have experienced rapid expansion despite mounting regulatory efforts. 

To support this claim, data from Dune, a powerful, community-driven analytics platform, showed that these markets recorded an all-time high of $3.7 billion in trading volume in a single week in January, surpassing the previous peak.

Apart from this finding, additional information from Messari, a leading provider of crypto market intelligence, research, and data visualization tools, showed that the two leading prediction markets, Polymarket and Kalshi, achieved near-equal trading volume, despite using different systems. Polymarket is a decentralized platform that uses blockchain technology, while Kalshi is a traditional financial exchange for event contracts. 

Nonetheless, both firms have raised substantial capital from venture investors. Polymarket reached a $9 billion valuation, while Kalshi achieved a $11 billion valuation after closing its most recent funding rounds.

Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free.

Binance turned out to be the biggest holder of Trump‑linked USD1 stablecoin. The largest crypto exchange reportedly concentrates roughly 87% of the token’s supply. This comes in when the exchange recently added 4,225 Bitcoin to its Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU) after swapping around $300 million worth of stablecoins.

Data shows that there are more than 5.36 billion World Liberty Financial USD (USD1) in circulation. Around $4.3 billion sits in wallets linked to Binance. However, the cumulative market cap for Stablecoin is on a surge and hovering at $314.5 billion. Tether is still leading the stablecoin tally with over 184.5 billion in circulation.

Binance US holds almost no USD1

Binance holding such a huge bag of USD1 gives it an unusually large role in explaining liquidity, distribution, and demand for a politically connected stablecoin. Meanwhile, its US affiliate holds almost no exposure. Binance US reportedly controls just $1,119 worth of USD1. This suggests that the foreign entities are the main participants who are interacting with World Liberty Financial.

WLF-linked USD1 moved on to hit the $5 billion mark last month. This placed the token among the largest stablecoins globally by circulation. Eric Trump, in a post, wrote, “Very proud of all the work being done by WLF. However, this surge allegedly coincided with a series of promotions run by Binance, which has eventually boosted its adoption.

Founded back in September 2024, World Liberty Financial describes itself as being inspired by President Trump. It lists him as co-founder alongside Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Barron Trump. An LLC affiliated with Trump and family members owns about 38% of the company. It also controls 22.5 billion WLFI governance tokens. The entity is entitled to 75% of the proceeds from WLFI token sales.

Trump reported earning $57.4 million from WLF in his recent financial disclosure. Meanwhile, the Trump Organization has said Trump retains control over his businesses while in office.

Binance betting big on USD1?

Binance’s role has been crucial to USD1’s rapid expansion. The exchange waived trading fees for users converting other stablecoins into USD1 in December 2025. This happened when the transaction fees are a primary source of revenue for crypto platforms. Binance even introduced incentives allowing users to earn rewards on USD1 balances.

On Jan. 22, Binance said users holding USD1 would share $40 million in rewards. Yield-bearing stablecoins are currently the subject of intense debate in Congress. Lawmakers are considering whether such incentives resemble interest payments traditionally regulated within the banking system.

The growing relationship between Binance and World Liberty Financial has already attracted lawmakers’ attention. They argue that it presents a conflict of interest. Trump is now both a beneficiary of a major crypto business and the president overseeing regulatory policy. On the other side, Binance itself remains barred from operating its main platform in the country.

Binance founder, Changpeng Zhao, pleaded guilty in 2023 to money-laundering violations. He served four months in prison. However, Trump pardoned Zhao last year and allowed him to retain his majority ownership of Binance. All these moves have sparked speculation that the platform might seek a return to the US market.

Join a premium crypto trading community free for 30 days - normally $100/mo.

Bitcoin investment products recorded $264.4 million in outflows over the past week, marking a third consecutive week of losses. However, the pace of withdrawals slowed sharply, even as altcoin funds posted their first inflows since mid-January, according to the latest CoinShares Digital Asset Fund Flows report.

XRP-led products attracted $63.1 million in inflows, while Ethereum and Solana funds added $5.3 million and $8.2 million, respectively. In total, crypto fund outflows fell to $187 million, down dramatically from $1.695 billion the previous week and $1.73 billion the week before that.

The slowdown sounds promising, said CoinShares head of research James Butterfill, who added that deceleration in fund flows has historically pointed to a potential market inflection point. 

But he added that the change in direction isn’t sufficient to substantiate a turnaround. Butterfill cited further signs that could indicate a break, including easing whale selling, deeply oversold conditions (the RSI has fallen to 16), and investor sentiment emerging that recent weakness has triggered a buying opportunity. 

Crypto prices rebound after sharp selloff

The moderation in outflows coincided with a rebound in crypto prices following last week’s sharp selloff, during which Bitcoin fell to a nearly 16-month low of $62,822 and recovered to around $70,500, according to CoinGecko data.

Currently, the leading digital asset is trading at  $70,437after after last week’s sharp sell-off and subsequent rebound. It is down roughly 44% from its all-time high north of $126,000 set last October, when forced liquidations and whale sales triggered a crypto winter.

Selling intensified last week, with the token posting its worst daily drop since November 2022. “The current Bitcoin price action is a mere crisis of confidence. Nothing broke, no skeletons will show up,” Bernstein analyst Gautam Chhugani said in a note on Monday morning.

“In an AI world, Bitcoin and crypto are not interesting enough,” Chhugani said, adding that the “Bitcoin bear case is the weakest in its history.”

He also pointed out that spot ETFs have seen only a 7% outflow compared with a 50% correction in bitcoin prices during last week’s sell-off.

Despite the slowdown, sustained withdrawals pushed total crypto fund assets under management down to $129.8 billion. This is the lowest level since March 2025, when the Trump administration announced a new round of tariffs.

At the same time, exchange-traded product (ETP) trading volumes hit a record $63.1 billion last week. This increase is in stark contrast with the trend of spot crypto markets. In a note to investors, 10x Research said trading volumes during the recent crash were significantly lower than those seen in October, indicating thinner liquidity and activity driven more by derivatives than by broad market participation.

Analysts are split between bearish risks and long-term Bitcoin bulls

Looking ahead, 10x Research remains cautious, pointing out that its altcoin model has been bearish since mid-January and warning that most altcoins remain structurally weak. On prediction market Myriad, users assign just a 10% probability to an “alt season” occurring in the first quarter of the year.

Similarly, sentiment toward Bitcoin is mixed. Myriad users consider a 56% probability that Bitcoin’s next significant shift will be toward $55,000 — not $84,000 — and 10x Research suggests any recovery below $91,000 would likely be a countertrend bounce. 

More bearish voices persist, with Bloomberg Intelligence strategist Mike McGlone reiterating that Bitcoin could eventually decline to $10,000, citing pressure on highly speculative assets in a tightening environment.

Even so, long-term bulls are hanging steady. CryptoMondays founder Lou Kerner reaffirmed his forecast, stating in the Quantum Economics blog that Bitcoin could hit $1 million by 2031.

Butterfill cautioned about short-term market volatility, noting that such a massive price drop is often accompanied by fund defaults or stress events that have been largely invisible to date.

Get seen where it counts. Advertise in Cryptopolitan Research and reach crypto’s sharpest investors and builders.

Ethereum (ETH) may have been at the center of decentralized applications and smart contracts, but as a multi-hundred-billion-dollar market, its potential to return investors 10 times their money in a single year is likely in the rearview window. Investors are looking for new cryptos that have a greater potential for upside. Among these, one of the next big crypto projects that investors are discussing is Mutuum Finance (MUTM). 

Ethereum’s Rebound

Ethereum’s current position lies just above the $2,000 support zone, which has been a critical level for the cryptocurrency in the past. This zone has been a critical level for Ethereum in the past, and its fall below this level has triggered a cautious rebound for the cryptocurrency, with bulls trying to push its price towards the $2,150 level and stabilize its momentum. The success of this move will determine whether Ethereum’s price will continue its fall towards the $1,380 level or not. This cautious approach by Ethereum’s bulls can be regarded as a natural consequence of the cryptocurrency’s inability to grow at a rapid rate, which has prompted investors to look for new opportunities in the market, such as Mutuum Finance (MUTM).

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) Price Prediction

Mutuum Finance’s vision is to develop a high-performance platform for lending and borrowing on the Ethereum network and address the inefficiencies in the current capital allocation system. Its unique two-market structure allows for instant lending and borrowing through its Peer-to-Contract liquidity pools and for negotiating loan terms through its Peer-to-Peer marketplace.

Since its initial presale in Q1 2025, Mutuum Finance has been able to raise over $20.4 million and has gained more than 19,000 unique token holders. At the moment, tokens for Phase 7 are priced at $0.04. Phase 8 will follow at $0.045, meaning those who wait will be required to pay more in this phase. These increases will continue in the upcoming phases until MUTM goes live on exchanges at $0.06. 

If MUTM were to rise 10x from its current price, it would land at $0.40, meaning an investor who puts $100 into the project right now gets $1,000 post-listing. However, analysts project much stronger growth to hit $1, citing strong presale demand that has seen Mutuum Finance raise $20.43 million from nearly 19,000 investors at a time when top cryptos like ETH are struggling. If this momentum accelerates post-launch, further fueled by potential top-tier listings and protocol adoption, a run to $1 looks imminent. This would deliver a 25x ROI and turn $100 into $2500.

Testnet Milestone

One of the most important milestones for the project was the activation of the  V1 Protocol for users of Sepolia’s testnet, allowing users to interact with the lending and borrowing features without using actual assets. The activation of the protocol confirms that the project’s code is completely functional.

One key component is the mtToken, which users get when they contribute assets to liquidity pools. These tokens serve as a type of receipt that appreciates in value over time based on borrowers’ repayments of interest. For example, a user could earn $720 per year on a $12,000 deposit of USDC with a 6% APY. As the platform continues to grow, it is possible to earn $1,200 or more per year.

Roadmap for 2026: Growth and Efficiency

In its roadmap for 2026, Mutuum Finance is looking to grow its utility and reach. For example, a native over-collateralized stablecoin will be developed, enabling users to borrow without exposure to markets. Chainlink and Pyth oracle integrations will be made to ensure that users get accurate pricing on their assets. Furthermore, a move to Layer-2 networks is planned, making it more efficient for users to borrow and lend.

The development team is working on various incentives to attract users to the platform. For example, a leaderboard rewards the top contributor to the presale with $500 worth of MUTM tokens daily. Additionally, a $100,000 giveaway will be made to ten winners, each receiving $10,000 worth of MUTM tokens.

Ethereum is a massive network, and its size means that a 10x return is highly unlikely. However, the search for exponential returns has shifted to newer projects. Enter Mutuum Finance (MUTM), a new crypto priced at $0.04 that is offering a live DeFi lending platform, double liquidity, a presale that has already raised over $20.43 million, and a testnet that is already live. With a working testnet, a means of earning money through mtTokens, and a roadmap that looks towards 2026, MUTM is the next big crypto with the structural underpinnings that will be able to offer the type of returns that large-cap networks are now unable to. This combination of utility, growth potential, and early adoption makes MUTM one of the most promising next big crypto opportunities available today.

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

Website: https://mutuum.com/ 

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance 

Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the imprisoned former CEO of FTX, has launched a fresh attack on what he calls “Biden’s lawfare machine,” claiming prosecutors prevented him from presenting evidence that would have cleared him of fraud charges.

In a series of posts on X published via a proxy, SBF aligned himself with Donald Trump and other defendants he says were victims of politically motivated prosecutions. The posts came in response to comments from Ryan Salame, former co-CEO of FTX Digital Markets, who is also serving time in prison.

Salame had reacted to news that law firm Fenwick & West agreed to settle a lawsuit alleging it helped facilitate FTX’s fraud. He claimed the firm had explicitly advised that Alameda Research did not need US money transmitting licenses for non-US work, the very issue for which he is imprisoned.

SBF says FTX was solvent

SBF, who is serving a 25-year sentence after being convicted on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy in November 2023, has repeatedly insisted FTX was solvent when it collapsed. “The money was always there, and FTX was always solvent,” he wrote in the thread.

However, Ryne Miller, FTX’s former general counsel, has refuted those claims. In October 2025, Miller stated that assets available when FTX filed for bankruptcy were nowhere near adequate and that the company’s founders were “fabricating asset lists” while desperately seeking new investors.

In his posts, SBF stated that prosecutor Danielle Sassoon wrote a 70-page document that had all the evidence but was excluded from trial because, according to him, the prosecutors didn’t want the jury to see it. 

He claimed they prohibited him from pointing out FTX was solvent.

He claimed Judge Lewis Kaplan, who presided over both his case and several Trump-related cases, “rubber-stamped everything Biden’s DOJ wanted” and prevented the jury from seeing the truth.

Allegations against prosecutors

In his posts, SBF accused the Biden administration of targeting him for multiple reasons. He wrote that the administration hated crypto, and he happened to be one of the faces of crypto in the US. 

SBF stated that his switch from being a Democratic Party donor to a Republican donor was another reason why he was hated. 

SBF also mentioned that his opposition to Gary Gensler, the former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chair, was another reason for the hate he faced from the Biden administration. He wrote that he visited DC dozens of times to try to get power moved away from Gensler.

SBF also alleged that Salame faced bogus charges after refusing to testify against him. According to the posts, prosecutors threatened Salame’s pregnant fiancée, Michelle Bond, to force a guilty plea. Bond was subsequently indicted on campaign finance charges in August 2024. Salame received a 90-month sentence, more than three times the combined sentences of cooperating witnesses.

Sassoon, the prosecutor whom SBF claims was fired by Trump, resigned from the Justice Department in February 2025 rather than comply with orders to dismiss corruption charges against New York mayor Eric Adams.

In November 2025, she testified before a federal judge, denying allegations that she made Salame take the plea deal by promising not to prosecute his fiancée.

The timing of these posts coincides with SBF’s ongoing appeal, which hinges partly on his solvency argument. During trial, Kaplan ruled that whether assets could eventually be recovered was immaterial to fraud charges.

Why is SBF aligning with President Trump?

Once the second-largest individual donor to Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign, contributing $5.2 million, SBF now praises the Trump administration. 

Some X users have called out SBF’s posts, stating that it is a play at getting a pardon. While there is no indication that the president plans to grant one, it won’t be the first time that the president has pardoned a convicted crypto founder serving their sentence.

There was a slight increase in the odds of SBF getting a presidential pardon from Trump in the prediction markets around his appeal hearing that occurred in November 2025.

Critics say SBF’s latest post is a revisionist attempt to change the narrative and the public’s perception of what caused FTX’s crash.

Sharpen your strategy with mentorship + daily ideas - 30 days free access to our trading program

In a recent exchange between Elon Musk and a user on X, the billionaire responded to criticism about how his companies receive substantial funding and subsidies from the government. 

It is not the first time a discussion of this nature has happened on X. However, Musk responded with his usual defense — pointing to results as the reason behind his success, not government handouts. 

Musk calls out a ‘clown’s analysis’ 

The exchange began with an X user accusing the US government of constantly throwing money at Musk even before he delivers on his promises and often after he reneged on them. 

This implies the company heavily relies on things like taxpayer funds, subsidies and contracts to build wealth and buff valuations, something Musk clearly did not like to hear. 

“Tesla $TSLA grants/subsidies essentially mirror SpaceX ‘contract money’ for Artemis moon trips that still never happened,” the X user who started the discourse wrote. “Basically the more Musk ramps up lies, the more the government indiscriminately throws money at him.” 

The post quickly did rounds, and before long, people were in the comment section sharing their opinions. One of the many who seemed to be on Musk’s side called the account out for lying, pointing out that SpaceX attracts all it does because it provides valuable launch services and offers a “far better deal for taxpayers than NASA or the Defense Department would have gotten from any other provider (Boeing, Russia, ULA, etc.).” 

It was that post that Musk responded to with a snarky comment, dismissing the opinion as a “clown’s analysis.” 

“Even if every bit of bullshit he says is true, it still amounts to less than 1% of the value of Tesla and SpaceX,” Musk asked. 

“Where did the other 99% come from?” 

That reply implies that, rather than handouts, Tesla and SpaceX create revenue in many other ways, which is what is really responsible for their current level of success. It frames everything both companies get from the government as negligible, just 1% out of the 100%. 

Musk’s companies continue to run hot

SpaceX has been in the headlines frequently since the year started because of significant new developments related to its funding and capital. 

At the start of the year, SpaceX secured $739 million in new national security launch contracts from the Pentagon. It was also awarded the full amount for US military launch missions, with no slice of the portion going to its competitors. 

It counts as a new government contract funding for launches and builds on past work between both entities. That news did not create as much ripple among critics as what happened at the beginning of this month. 

In the first week of February, SpaceX acquired Musk’s xAI in a major merger that valued the combined entity at around $1.25 trillion. This is a merger rather than a fresh cash infusion, but it also represents a huge consolidation of resources and value under SpaceX, while integrating xAI’s AI capabilities ahead of planned growth. 

SpaceX is also gearing up for its IPO, which is scheduled to potentially hold in mid-2026 and could help the company raise billions at a valuation as high as $1.5 trillion. If it happens, this would make it one of the biggest public offerings ever, and Musk’s critics will have fresh fodder to criticize Musk, who could have become the world’s first trillionaire by then.

Sharpen your strategy with mentorship + daily ideas - 30 days free access to our trading program

Oracle is flying with Aladdin on his mat today. The stock has rallied 13%, which makes it the biggest gainer on the day. That comes right after Amazon said it’s going to throw $200 billion into data centers, chips, and hardware this year.

That’s helped Oracle break out. It’s also the second week in a row that the stock has gone up. Still, even with this rally, Oracle is down around 50% from its highs in September.

The AI money is pouring in from every angle. Companies are spending like crazy. That includes Amazon, Meta, Alphabet, and Microsoft, which together are planning to put $650 billion into AI tools.

Some traders now think a slice of that spending might actually go to software names like Oracle. The stock is reacting hard today, but there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes.

Analysts disagree on Oracle’s future after debt program and AI bets

One reason Oracle is running today is that DA Davidson upgraded it to Buy. They gave it a new price target of $180, up from Neutral. The analysts said they believe a “revamped OpenAI” will come back stronger and keep pushing Google in AI.

They also said OpenAI now has enough money to meet its side of the deal with Oracle. That, in their view, clears Oracle’s biggest risk.

Gil, the analyst at Davidson, wrote, “Software isn’t dead. We believe companies will continue to pay for Oracle’s products and that they will not be vibe coded away.” He thinks software demand will stay steady, even in a messy market.

But not everyone’s feeling that bullish. Melius Research actually downgraded Oracle to Hold and kept a lower target at $160. While they say they respect Larry El for going bold here, they also say Oracle is sitting on a heavy load of debt and equity.

And they raised a serious question: “What should a stock sell for with no free cash flow until the 2030s?” Melius thinks Oracle should be priced more like an infrastructure business than a software firm.

Bernstein is still on the optimistic side but even they cut their price target to $313 from $339. They still rate the stock Outperform, though. Bernstein pointed to the $45 billion to $50 billion debt and equity program Oracle announced last Monday. That’s how they’re going to fund the huge AI data center build they promised last year. Bernstein said this funding will likely carry Oracle through fiscal year 2028.

Still, the entire software sector is under pressure. The iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF has dropped 28% from its highs in recent weeks. Traders are worried AI might actually cut into demand for traditional software. But some are betting the money from Big Tech’s AI boom will still flow into Oracle and others with cloud infrastructure.

Justin, an analyst at Bank of America, said cloud firms are facing tough macro risks, which could lead to stock volatility. But he also said, “Management teams seem confident in their ability to forecast demand, and that capacity will be fully utilized in 2026.”

And while cloud growth at Amazon and Alphabet was strong, David at UBS said their capex guidance came in way above what traders expected, and that’s what the market reacted to. But for Oracle, the cash pouring into AI infrastructure may finally be landing in its lap.

Sharpen your strategy with mentorship + daily ideas - 30 days free access to our trading program

While the goal of reaching a $4.50 target price may appear lofty, history has proven that cryptos with verified tech, tokenomics, and community engagement can provide investors with monumental returns. The following crypto analysis will highlight the key fundamentals that can potentially launch a new crypto like Mutuum Finance (MUTM) on a path towards monumental returns, making it a top crypto to buy.

Verified Protocol Functionality

First and foremost, investors need a verified protocol, and that’s exactly what they’re getting with the recent launch of the Mutuum Finance V1 protocol, currently under public verification on the Sepolia testnet. This moves the project from being a concept to a working product. During the testnet, investors can verify and interact with Mutuum Finance’s lending protocol, specifically interact with its mtTokens, debt tokens, and the automated liquidator bot. The tokens supported during this testnet are ETH, LINK, USDT, and WBTC. This level of transparency and verification prior to mainnet launch creates a tremendous level of trust, a key requirement that must be met by any new crypto looking to capitalize on future value appreciation.

Current Presale Phase Drives Price Appreciation

The current market phase is a key determinant in reaching long-term crypto success, and in the case of MUTM, investors are currently in the presale phase, in phase 7 at a $0.04 price. While investors can expect a gain as they near the $0.06 launch price, the key catalysts that can potentially drive an 8x return at launch lie in projected exchange listings and key project features such as dual lending, over-collateralized lending, and a buy-and-redistribute mechanism. These drive demand and make Mutuum Finance desirable for investors even post-launch. These features, as well as predicted value generation post-launch make it a prime time for investors to get in and have a chance at being a top crypto asset to invest in for growth and appreciation.

Historical Precedent For Growth

The roadmap to $4.50 becomes apparent when understanding the sustainable growth factors and historical precedents. For example, XRP in the year 2017 traded for under $0.01 before the confluence of utility narratives and market cycles propelled the asset to $3.84, a 38,000% increase. Mutuum Finance has its own catalyst in the form of a fee-sharing economy.

Part of all fees within the protocol buys back MUTM tokens, allocating them to mtToken stakers. Therefore, if an investor stakes $3,000 within the protocol, they not only earn interest on their investment but also a proportionate share of all the token buybacks. This creates a compounding effect in that the growth of the protocol leads to an increase in rewards for investors, creating a logical pathway towards increasing token value.

A Confluence of Factors for a Major Breakout

The predicted growth of the MUTM token from its current levels to the figure of $4.50 is based on a series of factual events that have already been tested in the form of a live protocol, a presale phase before the token is listed on exchanges, and a tokenomics model in which the growth of the protocol directly translates into the demand for the token. This is the same confluence of factors that has propelled the success of top crypto projects in the past. For those seeking the next big success story in the crypto market, Mutuum Finance offers a data-driven opportunity in the form of newly launched crypto projects with a clear and justified path for explosive growth.

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

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

FG Nexus has announced that it will be implementing a 1-for-5 reverse stock split in an effort to attract institutional investors and improve its trading liquidity despite its low price. 

To remedy its falling stock value and attract institutional interest, FG Nexus has announced that it will be implementing a reverse stock split, reducing its authorized shares from 900 billion to 180 billion. 

The FG Nexus stock is down almost 100% over the last six months.

FG Nexus is down almost 100% over the last year. Source: Google Finance

FG Nexus announces a reverse stock split 

FG Nexus Inc. officially announced today that its Board of Directors has approved a one-for-five reverse stock split set to take effect on Friday, February 13, 2026. 

The reverse split will automatically convert every five shares of current common stock into one share of new common stock. For example, a person who owns 100 shares before the split will own 20 shares afterward. 

In preparation for the change, the common stock has been assigned a new CUSIP number: 30329Y403. However, the company’s common stock will continue to be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under its existing ticker symbol, “FGNX.”

Kyle Cerminara, the Chairman and CEO of FG Nexus, explained that the goal is to make the stock more appealing to institutional investors who often avoid stocks with very low prices. By consolidating the shares, the company hopes to see a proportional increase in the price of each share. 

As of today, the company has 32,776,218 shares of common stock outstanding. After the split becomes effective, that number will drop to approximately 6,555,243 shares. Furthermore, the number of common shares that the company is authorized to issue will be reduced from 900 billion to 180 billion. 

The company stated that no fractional shares will be issued. Instead, the company’s transfer agent, Broadridge Financial Solutions, LLC, will provide a cash payment in place of that fractional share. 

Will the reverse split affect the value of previous investments?

Investors often worry during reverse splits about whether or not they are losing money, but the total value of the investments stays the same. The rights and privileges attached to the common stock also remain exactly the same. 

Recent market data shows that FG Nexus’s share price dropped significantly from a 52-week high of over $41 to recent lows near $1.93. 

The company is part of a growing group of companies that use cryptocurrency as a primary treasury asset and has explicitly stated that it wants to be a “gateway to digital-asset-powered finance.” This strategy includes staking its Ethereum (ETH) holdings to earn rewards and building a platform for the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs).

As of late January 2026, FG Nexus reported holding 37,594 ETH. The company has also been very active in buying back its own shares. Between late 2025 and early 2026, the firm repurchased nearly 10 million shares. 

CEO Kyle Cerminara has argued that buying back shares when they trade below the company’s net asset value (NAV) is a great way to increase the value for remaining owners.

If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter.