DraftKings launches a prediction markets app in 38 states, setting the stage for future crypto-linked contracts under a regulated US derivatives framework. DraftKings is expanding beyond sports betting into the realm of prediction markets, laying the groundwork for future crypto-linked contracts as regulated event trading gains momentum in the United States. As Bloomberg reported, the company announced on Friday that it has launched the DraftKings Predictions app, which allows users to trade contracts on sports and financial outcomes. At launch, the app is available in 38 states, with sports-related trading permitted in 17 of them. DraftKings ultimately plans to expand its prediction market offerings beyond sports and finance to include contracts linked to crypto, entertainment and cultural events, according to Bloomberg. Read more
Bitcoin and several major altcoins are attempting to start a recovery, but negative investor sentiment and selling at the range highs are preventing a stronger bull trend from forming. Key points: Bitcoin is attempting a recovery from the $84,000 level, but the bears continue to sell on rallies. Several major altcoins are struggling to start a recovery, but Bitcoin Cash looks strong in the near term. Read more
Bitcoin and several major altcoins are attempting to start a recovery, but negative investor sentiment and selling at the range highs are preventing a stronger bull trend from forming. Key points: Bitcoin is attempting a recovery from the $84,000 level, but the bears continue to sell on rallies. Several major altcoins are struggling to start a recovery, but Bitcoin Cash looks strong in the near term. Read more
Keonne Rodriguez said on social media that he will report to prison on Friday to begin his five-year sentence for operating an illegal money transmitter. Keonne Rodriguez, who pleaded guilty to one felony count related to his role at Samourai Wallet, is calling on US President Donald Trump to pardon him, citing similar language that has been successful in previous pardon applications. In a Thursday X post, Rodriguez said he would report to prison on Friday, where he will serve a five-year sentence for operating an illegal money transmitter. The Samourai co-founder claimed there were no “victims” to his crime, and blamed his incarceration on “lawfare perpetrated by a weaponized Biden DOJ.” In a message tagging Trump, Rodriguez expressed hope that the US president would issue a federal pardon for him and William “Bill” Lonergan Hill, another Samourai executive who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years. Rodriguez blamed “activist judges” for his legal troubles, claiming he was targeted by a “political ...
Keonne Rodriguez said on social media that he will report to prison on Friday to begin his five-year sentence for operating an illegal money transmitter. Keonne Rodriguez, who pleaded guilty to one felony count related to his role at Samourai Wallet, is calling on US President Donald Trump to pardon him, citing similar language that has been successful in previous pardon applications. In a Thursday X post, Rodriguez said he would report to prison on Friday, where he will serve a five-year sentence for operating an illegal money transmitter. The Samourai co-founder claimed there were no “victims” to his crime, and blamed his incarceration on “lawfare perpetrated by a weaponized Biden DOJ.” In a message tagging Trump, Rodriguez expressed hope that the US president would issue a federal pardon for him and William “Bill” Lonergan Hill, another Samourai executive who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years. Rodriguez blamed “activist judges” for his legal troubles, claiming he was targeted by a “political ...
The BitMEX co-founder's latest Substack essay argues the US Fed’s liquidity program mirrors quantitative easing mechanics that favor Bitcoin and other scarce assets. Arthur Hayes, co-founder and former CEO of crypto exchange BitMEX, argued in a Substack essay published Friday that the Federal Reserve’s new “reserve management purchases” (RMP) program is effectively a rebranded form of quantitative easing. Hayes argues that by buying short-term Treasury bills and recycling liquidity through money markets, the Fed is effectively financing government spending while avoiding the political stigma of quantitative easing, even as officials frame the program as a technical liquidity operation. Hayes said policies like RMP expand fiat liquidity and, in his view, favor scarce assets such as Bitcoin, gold and silver. Read more
The BitMEX co-founder's latest Substack essay argues the US Fed’s liquidity program mirrors quantitative easing mechanics that favor Bitcoin and other scarce assets. Arthur Hayes, co-founder and former CEO of crypto exchange BitMEX, argued in a Substack essay published Friday that the Federal Reserve’s new “reserve management purchases” (RMP) program is effectively a rebranded form of quantitative easing. Hayes argues that by buying short-term Treasury bills and recycling liquidity through money markets, the Fed is effectively financing government spending while avoiding the political stigma of quantitative easing, even as officials frame the program as a technical liquidity operation. Hayes said policies like RMP expand fiat liquidity and, in his view, favor scarce assets such as Bitcoin, gold and silver. Read more
The volatility of the cryptocurrency market is threatening the stability of corporate crypto treasury companies, resulting in larger swings in their net asset value that threaten their fundraising abilities. Cryptocurrency markets experienced another week of downside as investor activity gradually wound down ahead of the holiday period. Bitcoin (BTC) fell over 5% during the past week, dipping to a weekly low of $84,398 on Thursday, before recovering to trade above $87,769 on Friday, TradingView data shows. Crypto market volatility continues to threaten the sustainability of digital asset treasury (DAT) companies, as their longevity now depends on avoiding the multiple-to-net-asset-value (mNAV) “roller coaster,” making these firms subject to the value swings of the tokens held on their balance sheet, according to Solmate CEO Marco Santori. Read more
The volatility of the cryptocurrency market is threatening the stability of corporate crypto treasury companies, resulting in larger swings in their net asset value that threaten their fundraising abilities. Cryptocurrency markets experienced another week of downside as investor activity gradually wound down ahead of the holiday period. Bitcoin (BTC) fell over 5% during the past week, dipping to a weekly low of $84,398 on Thursday, before recovering to trade above $87,769 on Friday, TradingView data shows. Crypto market volatility continues to threaten the sustainability of digital asset treasury (DAT) companies, as their longevity now depends on avoiding the multiple-to-net-asset-value (mNAV) “roller coaster,” making these firms subject to the value swings of the tokens held on their balance sheet, according to Solmate CEO Marco Santori. Read more
Bitcoin advocates have been divided over Michael Saylor’s updated BTC thesis, leaving question marks over how the Strategy CEO views the cryptocurrency. Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin white paper envisioned a “peer-to-peer electronic cash system,” but Bitcoin’s biggest proponent seems to have an entirely different view of its purpose. Strategy executive chairman Michael Saylor, whose company has been buying Bitcoin aggressively for nearly five years since adopting a Bitcoin (BTC) treasury strategy, presented what many described as plans for a “Bitcoin central bank” during his keynote speech at Bitcoin MENA. Economist Saifedean Ammous, well-known in Bitcoin circles for penning The Bitcoin Standard, was also a notable figure attending the conference in Abu Dhabi. Ammous and Saylor are understood to converse regularly, with Saylor having written the foreword of Ammous’ most famous book. Read more
Bitcoin advocates have been divided over Michael Saylor’s updated BTC thesis, leaving question marks over how the Strategy CEO views the cryptocurrency. Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin white paper envisioned a “peer-to-peer electronic cash system,” but Bitcoin’s biggest proponent seems to have an entirely different view of its purpose. Strategy executive chairman Michael Saylor, whose company has been buying Bitcoin aggressively for nearly five years since adopting a Bitcoin (BTC) treasury strategy, presented what many described as plans for a “Bitcoin central bank” during his keynote speech at Bitcoin MENA. Economist Saifedean Ammous, well-known in Bitcoin circles for penning The Bitcoin Standard, was also a notable figure attending the conference in Abu Dhabi. Ammous and Saylor are understood to converse regularly, with Saylor having written the foreword of Ammous’ most famous book. Read more
Bitcoin's onchain data reveals new BTC whales with 50% of the realized capital, highlighting a shift in how capital is shaping the market. Freshly released Bitcoin (BTC) onchain data pointed to a less classic cycle peak or bottom and more toward a structural transition in how capital is entering the market. Key takeaways: Nearly 50% of Bitcoin’s realized cap is now attributed to “new whales,” highlighting a structural reset of the network’s cost base. Read more
Bitcoin's onchain data reveals new BTC whales with 50% of the realized capital, highlighting a shift in how capital is shaping the market. Freshly released Bitcoin (BTC) onchain data pointed to a less classic cycle peak or bottom and more toward a structural transition in how capital is entering the market. Key takeaways: Nearly 50% of Bitcoin’s realized cap is now attributed to “new whales,” highlighting a structural reset of the network’s cost base. Read more
The UK’s financial watchdog has launched a sweeping consultation that could reshape how crypto exchanges, staking services and DeFi operate ahead of a 2027 rollout. The United Kingdom is taking a decisive step toward fully regulating its crypto market. This week, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched a wide-ranging consultation outlining proposed rules for crypto exchanges, staking services, lending platforms and decentralized finance. The proposals follow new secondary legislation from the UK Treasury that formally brings crypto activities into the country’s financial services framework, with a target implementation date of Oct. 25, 2027. In this week’s episode of Byte-Sized Insight, Cointelegraph explored what this consultation signals for the UK crypto market and how industry leaders are interpreting the regulator’s direction. We spoke with Perry Scott, head of UK policy at Kraken and chair of the UK Cryptoasset Business Council, to break down what’s new and what’s at stake. Read more
The UK’s financial watchdog has launched a sweeping consultation that could reshape how crypto exchanges, staking services and DeFi operate ahead of a 2027 rollout. The United Kingdom is taking a decisive step toward fully regulating its crypto market. This week, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched a wide-ranging consultation outlining proposed rules for crypto exchanges, staking services, lending platforms and decentralized finance. The proposals follow new secondary legislation from the UK Treasury that formally brings crypto activities into the country’s financial services framework, with a target implementation date of Oct. 25, 2027. In this week’s episode of Byte-Sized Insight, Cointelegraph explored what this consultation signals for the UK crypto market and how industry leaders are interpreting the regulator’s direction. We spoke with Perry Scott, head of UK policy at Kraken and chair of the UK Cryptoasset Business Council, to break down what’s new and what’s at stake. Read more