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Bitcoin miners have powered down to ease the load on the grid in the past, such as in 2022, when Texas miners curtailed their activities amid a major winter storm. A winter storm threatening to pelt most of the southern US with ice and heavy snow this weekend could see Bitcoin miners curtail their operations until the front has passed. American weather forecasting company AccuWeather reported on Thursday that a “massive winter storm” could extend for 1,800 miles from far west Texas to the mid-Atlantic coast, cutting power, preventing travel in over a dozen states and affecting upwards of 60 million people. When large storms have caused havoc to power grids in the past, Bitcoin miners have powered down to ease the load on the grid. In 2022, when a major winter storm hit Texas, crypto miners across the state voluntarily curtailed their activities. Read more
The American Bankers Association’s fight over stablecoin yields has become its top priority as Congress looks to pass crypto market structure legislation before the midterms. The American Bankers Association (ABA) has made cracking down on stablecoin yield a top priority for 2026, amid its ongoing debate with US lawmakers that it will hurt the banking industry’s competitiveness. The ABA said on Tuesday that one of several priorities it has this year is to “stop payment stablecoins from becoming deposit substitutes that slash community bank lending by prohibiting paying interest, yield or rewards regardless of the platform.” Stablecoin oversight topped a list of five priorities, which also included fighting financial fraud, stopping arbitrary interest rate caps, and focusing on indexing and mission-driven banks. ABA CEO and president Rob Nichols said the priorities are guided by input from various banks and businesses of all sizes and models. Read more
The Justice Department will drop its case against Nathaniel Chastain, a former OpenSea manager who successfully appealed a wire fraud and money laundering conviction. US prosecutors will not retry their wire fraud and money laundering case against a former manager at the nonfungible token platform OpenSea, following a federal appeals court's July reversal of the convictions. On Wednesday, prosecutors told a Manhattan federal court that they entered into a one-month deferred prosecution agreement following the appeals court ruling, after which the case will be formally dismissed. In a letter, Manhattan US Attorney Jay Clayton, a former SEC chair, said the decision was made based on Chastain already serving parts of his initial sentence, including three months behind bars, and that he agreed not to contest the forfeiture of 15.98 Ether (ETH) worth $47,330 that that prosecutors alleged was obtained through the scheme. Read more
Some Bitcoiners are “highly skeptical” that quantum computing is to blame for Bitcoin’s sideways price action, while others argue it’s a major issue. Bitcoin backers have minimized claims that fears around quantum computing being a threat to the cryptocurrency sooner than expected are dragging on its price. Glassnode lead analyst James Check said in an X post on Thursday that linking Bitcoin’s price to quantum computing fears “is akin to blaming market manipulation for red candles, and declining exchange balances for green ones.” Check argued that while quantum computing may be “keeping some capital away” from Bitcoin (BTC), the weakness in Bitcoin’s price performance has been driven far more by heavy selling from long-term holders. Read more
Bitcoin derivatives markets show traders holding steady, but the path back to $95,000 relies on institutional inflows returning, especially after this week’s $1.58 billion outflow. Key takeaways: Bitcoin funding rates sit at 7%, showing bullish traders are still hesitant to increase leveraged positions. The spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $1.58 billion in outflows while gold hit record highs, signaling a shift toward safe assets. Read more
Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire says AI agents have no alternative to stablecoins and will conduct everyday activities with the tokens within as little as three years. Within three to five years, billions of artificial intelligence agents that can work without human input will use crypto and stablecoins for everyday payments on behalf of users, says Jeremy Allaire, the CEO of stablecoin issuer Circle. “Three years, five years from now, one can reasonably expect that there will be billions, literally billions of AI agents conducting economic activity in the world on a continuous basis,” Allaire said on Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao shared a similar view on stage at the WEF on Thursday, saying the “native currency for AI agents is going to be crypto” and will do everything from buying tickets to paying restaurant bills. Read more
The filing with the US SEC seeks to eliminate contract caps on crypto ETF options, a change Nasdaq argues would address unequal treatment in derivatives markets. US exchange Nasdaq has filed a rule change with the Securities and Exchange Commission to remove limits on options tied to spot Bitcoin and Ether exchange-traded funds, in a move to align crypto ETF options with rules applied to other commodity-based funds. The proposal, filed on Jan. 7 and made effective on Wednesday, lifts the existing 25,000-contract limits on options linked to a range of Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) ETFs listed on Nasdaq, including products from BlackRock, Fidelity, Bitwise, Grayscale, ARK/21Shares and VanEck, according to the filing. The SEC waived its standard 30-day waiting period, allowing the rule change to take effect immediately, while retaining the authority to suspend the change within 60 days if it determines further review is warranted. Read more
The lawsuit was filed days after the president threatened on social media to sue the banking giant for debanking him weeks after his supporters attacked the US Capitol in 2021. US President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit in Florida state court against JPMorgan, claiming that the banking giant terminated accounts connected to the president and his businesses “without warning or provocation.” According to a Thursday Bloomberg report, Trump filed a complaint in the Miami-Dade County state court, seeking $5 billion in damages from JPMorgan and its CEO, Jamie Dimon. The complaint was not available on the court’s public docket at the time of publication. The lawsuit accused JPMorgan of trade libel and breach of implied covenant of good faith, and Dimon of violating Florida’s deceptive trade practices law. A spokesperson for the bank said the lawsuit had no merit and JPMorgan “does not close accounts for political or religious reasons.” Read more
Institutional compliance costs and higher Treasury yields are reshaping stablecoin issuance as growth shifts from rapid expansion to balance-sheet discipline. After a period of rapid expansion, the global stablecoin market has largely stalled, signaling a consolidation phase as new regulation, liquidity constraints and higher real-world yields weigh on new issuance, according to Jimmy Xue, co-founder of quantitative yield protocol Axis. In a note shared with Cointelegraph, Xue said that while stablecoin regulation has advanced, tighter frameworks in the United States and Europe have forced institutional issuers to hold higher-quality reserves and absorb rising compliance costs, slowing the pace of net issuance. At the same time, elevated real yields on US Treasurys have increased the opportunity cost of holding stablecoins that offer no direct yield. That dynamic has dampened speculative minting and reinforced stablecoins’ role as infrastructure for payments, settlement and short-duration liquidity, rather th...
An ordinance to amend the city’s zoning laws laid out guidelines for where a crypto miner could operate in the area and how loud the operation could be. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen in Kingsport, Tennessee approved changes to the city’s zoning rules that could pave the way for cryptocurrency mining companies and data centers to operate locally. In a Tuesday meeting, the board unanimously approved on first reading an ordinance to amend the land zoning related to data centers and cryptocurrency mining sites, according to local reports. The ordinance sets guidelines on where those facilities could be located within the city. Its approval followed a recommendation from Kingsport’s planning division in December and requires a second vote before the amendment is formally adopted. Read more
The independent advisory board, comprising researchers and industry experts, plans to publish papers on digital-security risks and guidance for developers, organizations and users. Coinbase has formed an independent advisory board to assess how advances in quantum computing could affect the cryptography used by major blockchain networks, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. In a Wednesday blog post, Coinbase introduced the advisory board formed by experts in quantum computing, cryptography, distributed systems and blockchain security from academia and industry, including senior researchers from major universities, the Ethereum ecosystem and Coinbase. The board will publish public papers assessing the state of quantum computing and its implications for blockchain systems, issue guidance for developers, organizations and users and respond to major advances in quantum technology with independent analysis. Read more
At Davos, Jeremy Allaire said Circle's stablecoin functions as shared infrastructure rather than a competitor to banks or card networks. Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire said the company views its dollar-pegged stablecoin as neutral financial infrastructure with network effects, rather than a product meant to compete with existing payment companies. Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box during the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, Allaire said Circle does not view card networks such as Visa or Mastercard as competitors, describing them instead as “significant partners.” According to Allaire, stablecoins are “network effect businesses,” with usage and circulation increasing as more developers and institutions integrate, adding that Circle operates as a “neutral company” that does not compete with banks, payment companies or exchanges. Read more
An actively managed fund blends Bitcoin, precious metals and mining stocks as asset managers expand crypto’s role in macro and capital-preservation strategies. Bitwise Asset Management has launched a new exchange-traded fund (ETF) designed to hedge against currency debasement, underscoring how digital assets are increasingly being incorporated into broader macro investment strategies following the success of spot Bitcoin ETFs. On Thursday, Bitwise unveiled the Bitwise Proficio Currency Debasement ETF, which trades on the NYSE under the ticker BPRO. The actively managed fund seeks to address the declining purchasing power of fiat currencies through a portfolio that includes Bitcoin (BTC), precious metals and mining equities. Unlike spot Bitcoin ETFs, BPRO allows for discretionary allocation across crypto and commodity-linked assets. The structure appears aimed at wealth managers seeking Bitcoin exposure without committing to a single-asset crypto product, particularly amid persistent inflation concerns. Read m...
Bitcoin's price rally to $90,000 failed to hold after 16,653 BTC were sent to exchanges, but an improving spot market suggests traders see BTC’s current pricing as discounted. Crypto exchanges saw a surge in Bitcoin (BTC) flows over the past two days, emulating a pattern seen when the market topped in July and August 2025. A total 16,653 BTC was sent to exchanges, potentially a sign that the current sell-off could deepen. Bitcoin researcher Axel Adler Jr. said that the atypical BTC exchange inflow occurred Tuesday and Wednesday, including 9,867 BTC on Tuesday and 6,786 BTC onWednesday. This sharply contrasts with January’s average daily netflow range of -2,000 to +2,000 BTC. Although the netflow has since normalized (+296 BTC), the accumulated inflows create a supply overhang near current levels. As a result, the current move toward $89,000 to $90,000 is viewed as a key resistance test. Read more
Natix and Valeo are building a decentralized, self-driving camera model to offer a transparent foundation for the safe mainstream deployment of physical AIs. Automotive technology supplier Valeo and Natix Network, a Solana-based decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) provider, have partnered to build an open-source, artificial intelligence (AI) multi-camera model aimed at improving autonomous driving systems. The two companies said Thursday they are building what they call the World Foundation Model (WFM), which they say will be able to learn and predict real-world motion, while adapting to traffic situations. The multi-camera model aims to push the boundaries of AI models from text-based understanding to real-world scenarios in physical environments, according to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph. It also aims to advance research into autonomous driving. Read more
Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he is advising several governments on tokenizing state assets. Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Binance and co-founder of YZi Labs, said he is in talks with “probably a dozen governments” about tokenizing their assets. Speaking on a panel at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday, Zhao said he had been engaged with several unnamed countries’ governments as part of efforts related to tokenization. The former CEO said tokenization was a “huge” proven aspect of the crypto industry, along with “exchanges and stablecoins.” “I’m talking with probably a dozen governments about tokenizing some of their assets, because this way the government can actually realize the financial gains first and use that to develop those industries,” said Zhao. Read more
The funding will support Superstate’s effort to let companies issue and trade regulated shares directly on public blockchains. Financial technology and tokenization company Superstate has raised $82.5 million in a Series B round as it pushes deeper into onchain capital markets, aiming to modernize the way companies raise money and go public using blockchain. The round was led by Bain Capital Crypto and Distributed Global, with participation from Haun Ventures, Brevan Howard Digital, Galaxy Digital, Bullish, ParaFi and several other crypto-focused investors, according to a press release shared with Cointelegraph. “This year, tokenization will catalyze the transformation of capital markets,” said Robert Leshner, CEO of Superstate. “We're grateful to our partners that allow us to grow our best-in-class team, products, and ambitions,” he added. Read more
US President Donald Trump has decided not to invade Greenland, which gives Bitcoin some relief from the geopolitical pressures that have been weighing on its price chart. The world breathed a small, collective sigh of relief on Wednesday when US President Donald Trump said he would not use force to take over Greenland during a rambling, hour-long speech to a crowd of world leaders in Davos. Trump argued why the US should rightly own Greenland, ostensibly as a bulwark against Russian or Chinese influence in the region. However, he walked back some worrying rhetoric about military action, stating that he would not use force to take over Greenland, which itself is an autonomous region of Denmark. He scrapped plans to use tariffs to pressure allies to go along with his acquisition plans. Indeed, he walked away from Davos with a supposed “framework of a future deal.” Bitcoin (BTC) responded positively to the news, bumping up from around $87,000 to $90,000 as the evening came to a close. Read more
Onchain asset manager Maple is taking syrupUSDC to Coinbase’s Base network, adding institutional credit rails while pursuing Aave's Base instance next. Onchain asset manager Maple is extending its yield-bearing US dollar token, syrupUSDC, to Coinbase’s Base network, plugging institutional credit directly into a fast‑growing Ethereum layer-2 ecosystem. According to a Thursday release shared with Cointelegraph, the launch will provide the company with a “direct path” to Coinbase’s broader ecosystem of users and products, while making institutional-grade yield available to a wider base of onchain users, rather than keeping it siloed on the Ethereum mainnet. An Aave governance proposal is also currently live to onboard syrupUSDC as collateral on the Aave V3 Base Instance, if the vote passes. Read more8179 items