Crypto

Chinese authorities have arrested Li Xiong, former chairman of Huione Group, linked by U.S. regulators to billions in illicit crypto flows.

Meta’s 2026 stablecoin push favors partnerships over issuing its own coin. Here is why the company is choosing infrastructure and distribution instead. Meta plans to introduce dollar-linked stablecoin payments across its platforms in late 2026. Unlike its earlier Libra attempt, the company will not issue its own cryptocurrency but instead integrate existing stablecoins. Regulatory opposition to the Libra/Diem project made it clear that governments were uncomfortable with Big Tech issuing private global currencies. Meta’s new strategy reflects those lessons by avoiding direct control over the currency itself. Instead of managing stablecoin reserves or issuance, Meta intends to work with external partners that handle infrastructure, compliance and settlement, while Meta itself focuses on user experience and payment distribution. Read more

Two papers published this week have reignited debates about the risk posed by “Q-day” to the cryptography that underpins digital assets.

In this week’s Crypto Long & Short Newsletter, Nilmini Rubin writes on the challenge facing crypto and traditional markets to create a hybrid, shared governance structure. Then, Meredith Fitzpatrick covers how financial institutions must fundamentally rethink AML risk as crypto and TradFi converge.

Moody's has rated a New Hampshire Bitcoin-backed bond—a first for BTC as direct bond collateral.

Also: OpenAI raises $122 billion, crypto ecosystems diverging post-quantum strategies, and Base’s 2026 roadmap.

JPMorgan is weighing a move into prediction markets as crypto firms, startups and rivals like Goldman Sachs race to dominate the fast-growing sector.

The bitcoin miner issued a $10 million convertible note and closed a $65 million insider-led round while racing to regain compliance with exchange rules.

"That's a pure money laundering for someone or playing against their own users while having all the insider information," one analyst claimed.

Global asset manager Franklin Templeton is acquiring a CoinFund spinoff to build out its own crypto wing, Franklin Crypto.

Bitcoin is no longer responding to rising global liquidity the way it did in the last cycle. Even as money supply expands, a stronger dollar is tightening financial conditions faster than liquidity can lift prices. Bitcoin traders love one chart more than almost any other: global M2 liquidity with a time lag. More money expanding […] The post Bitcoin breaks from M2 money supply as dollar strength overrides global cash growth appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Michael Selig argued that prediction markets operating offshore in “unregulated space” could lead to an FTX-style collapse.

Token voting fails crypto governance with low participation and whale dominance. Decision markets price conviction to fix broken DAO incentives. Opinion by: Francesco Mosterts, co-founder of Umia. Crypto prides itself on being a market-driven system. Prices, incentives, and capital flows determine everything from token valuations to lending rates and blockspace demand. Markets are the industry’s primary coordination mechanism. Yet, when it comes to governance, crypto suddenly abandons markets altogether. Recent governance disputes at major protocols have once again exposed the tensions inside DAO decision-making. Participation remains extremely low and influence is highly concentrated. A study of 50 DAOs found “a discernible pattern of low token holder engagement,” showing that a single large voter could sway 35% of outcomes and that four voters or fewer influence two-thirds of governance decisions. Read more

The company said this is the first time digital assets are embedded natively into a treasury management system.

Fed's Barr Calls for Strong Stablecoin Oversight The post Fed’s Barr Calls for Strong Stablecoin Oversight, Citing ‘Long and Painful’ History appeared first on Cryptonews.

Ripple Nears National Bank Status as OCC Rule Takes Effect The post Ripple XRP Nears National Bank Status as OCC Rule Takes Effect April 1 appeared first on Cryptonews.

The novel platform allows CFOs and their treasury teams to manage fiat and digital assets in a single system, Ripple said.

Ethereum is opening Q2 2026 trading above $2.1k, still well below the levels needed to suggest any meaningful trend reversal. After a brutal first quarter that saw ETH lose around a third of its value from the late-2025 highs, the question heading into the new quarter is whether the asset can finally find a base, […]

The update adds digital asset accounts and real-time visibility tools for corporate finance teams managing liquidity across systems. Ripple has added digital asset capabilities to its treasury management platform, allowing corporate finance teams to hold, track and manage cryptocurrencies and fiat balances within a single system, the company said. According to a company announcement, the update introduces Digital Asset Accounts and a unified dashboard that aggregates balances across bank accounts, custody providers and onchain wallets, giving treasury teams real-time visibility into both cash and digital assets. The system supports assets including XRP (XRP) and Ripple USD (RLUSD), with balances updated in real time and recorded alongside fiat transactions. APIs connect external custodians and sync activity into the platform, according to Ripple. Read more

Franklin Templeton has agreed to acquire CoinFund spinoff 250 Digital to launch Franklin Crypto, a dedicated crypto arm targeting institutional crypto investment management. Global asset manager Franklin Templeton is set to expand its crypto footprint by acquiring a spinoff of the crypto-native investment firm CoinFund. Franklin Templeton said Wednesday it plans to acquire 250 Digital, a CoinFund spinoff that runs liquid crypto investment strategies, expanding the asset manager’s digital asset business. The deal will form part of a new unit called Franklin Crypto once it closes. The move follows CoinFund’s decision earlier this year to spin out its liquid strategies business into 250 Digital as the company sharpened its focus on venture investing. Read more