Cryptocurrency

The Federal Reserve has proposed granting limited master account access to crypto firms that have long sought such privileges. This move is seen as a significant signal of shifting US regulatory stance toward the crypto industry. Master accounts allow institutions to directly use the Fed’s payment clearing system, and gaining this access would substantially improve crypto firms’ operational efficiency and fund liquidity. The proposal is currently in the public comment period. ...

Strategy Makes $2 Billion Bitcoin Purchase Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) has made a massive bitcoin purchase worth approximately $2 billion last week, according to CoinDesk. The move further solidifies Strategy’s position as the largest publicly traded bitcoin holder. The company’s continued accumulation comes as bitcoin recently dipped below $77,000. Source: CoinDesk

Harvard’s endowment has recently liquidated its ether ETF positions, while Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund Mubadala continues to accumulate shares in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF, adding over $90 million to its already substantial position. Institutional allocation strategies in crypto are showing clear divergence: academic institutions reducing ethereum exposure while Middle Eastern sovereign funds remain bullish on bitcoin. Source: The Block

Taiwan News Anchor Indicted for Allegedly Taking Crypto Payments from China to Produce Propaganda

The U.S. Treasury Department has demanded that Binance comply with government-specified monitoring guidelines, marking an escalation in regulatory pressure on the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. According to reports, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is intensifying enforcement actions, requiring Binance to fully implement compliance monitoring requirements. This move is seen as a key part of the U.S. government’s ongoing efforts to clean up the cryptocurrency industry. Binance, as the world’s largest crypto trading platform, has long faced intense scrutiny from regulators worldwide. Previously, Binance agreed to pay $4.3 billion in fines to resolve the U.S. Department of Justice investigation and committed to strengthening its compliance framework. ...

BNY Mellon partners with Finstreet and ADI Foundation to build digital asset infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, marking a major institutional crypto push in the Middle East

The world’s largest crypto exchange eliminates roughly 700 positions as CEO Brian Armstrong pushes an AI-first operational model

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase announced it will cut approximately 14 percent of its workforce as the company navigates ongoing regulatory uncertainty and market restructuring. Several other crypto firms have similarly scaled back operations.

US Army officer Gannon Ken Van Dyke is charged with using classified information to bet on Venezuelan President Maduro’s capture on the crypto-powered prediction market Polymarket, winning over $400,000. He pleaded not guilty in New York federal court on Tuesday.

Amid escalating geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, institutional investors are increasingly buying BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF options as a new tool for hedging global portfolio risk.