South African Firms Launch a Local Currency-Backed Stablecoin

A consortium of South African firms has launched ZAR Universal (ZARU), a blockchain-based stablecoin pegged to the local currency. Transparency and Reserve Management A consortium of South African financial and fintech firms—Luno, Sanlam Specialised Asset Management, Easyequities, and Lesaka—has unveiled ZAR Universal (ZARU), a blockchain-based stablecoin pegged to the South African rand. The partners describe […]

Read More

Chinese Money Laundering Networks Funneled $16.1 Billion in Crypto in 2025

In 2025, Chinese-language money laundering networks processed $16.1 billion in illegal crypto, nearly 20% of the global underground economy. Telegram Channels as Laundering Hubs Chinese-language money laundering networks funneled an estimated $16.1 billion in illicit funds through cryptocurrency transactions in 2025, according to a new report from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis. The study found these […]

Read More

Are Markets in a Bubble? Top Economists See Strength — With Caveats

Fears of a looming market bubble have returned as stock prices climb and artificial intelligence spending accelerates, but several leading economists argue that the broader economic picture remains more stable than the headlines suggest. From Wall Street valuations to U.S. growth and global resilience, their message is consistent: conditions look stretched in places, but not […]

Read More

Wintermute Founder Casts a Cold Eye on Crypto’s Direction

Wintermute founder Evgeny Gaevoy offered a blunt assessment of crypto’s current condition on Wednesday, arguing that the industry has stalled on substance even as speculation continues to dominate attention. Gaevoy Criticizes Stablecoins, Perp Exchanges, and Token Design In a thread published on X on Feb. 4, 2026, Gaevoy, CEO of market-making firm Wintermute, dismissed ongoing […]

Read More

Binance Dominates Crypto Reserves With $155 Billion Lead

Coinmarketcap’s latest Proof of Reserves report shows Binance holding an overwhelming lead in exchange reserves, showcasing sharp differences in scale, liquidity, and asset strategies across major crypto platforms. Proof of Reserves Highlights Binance’s Liquidity Advantage Coinmarketcap (CMC) has published its January 2026 Major Crypto Exchange Reserves Ranking, offering a detailed snapshot of how liquidity is […]

Read More

FIDD Goes Live — Fidelity Brings Its Digital Dollar Stablecoin to Crypto Markets

On Wednesday, Fidelity Investments’ digital currency arm Fidelity Digital Assets announced it launched its first stablecoin, the Fidelity Digital Dollar (FIDD), marking the firm’s formal entry into the U.S. dollar–pegged digital currency market. Fidelity Launches USD-Pegged Stablecoin on Ethereum Network Fidelity Investments, which oversees more than $12 trillion in assets under administration, introduced the Fidelity […]

Read More

Polymarket’s Free Grocery Store Pop-up Aims to One-up Kalshi’s Viral Giveaway

Two rival prediction markets took their competition offline and into the checkout aisle this month, as Polymarket and Kalshi rolled out free-grocery stunts in New York City that blended viral marketing, civic signaling, and a not-so-subtle flex at a moment when food prices — and regulatory pressure — are both uncomfortably high. Free Groceries in […]

Read More

Ethereum Sheds $100 Billion in Market Cap During a Relentless Weeklong Slide

Ethereum endured its sharpest decline of the year, losing $100 billion in market value and dropping nearly 27% in a week, with prices hitting $2,107, the lowest since May 2025. Institutional Movement and Macroeconomic Pressures While bitcoin’s steady erosion dominated the news cycle this week, ethereum (ETH) stole the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, […]

Read More

Bitcoin Falls to $72,000 Intraday Low, Market Cap Down $500B Since Mid‑January Peak

Bitcoin fell below $73,000 for the second straight day, extending a volatile week in which it lost nearly 18% of its value and erased about $500 billion from its market cap since mid‑January. Bitcoin Erases Gains as Liquidations Mount For the second consecutive day, bitcoin slid below the $73,000 threshold, extending a volatile week that […]

Read More

US Stocks Walk a Tightrope: AI Fears Tangle With Earnings Strength

The U.S. stock market is having an identity crisis, torn between the promise of blockbuster earnings and the panic over an artificial intelligence (AI) bubble. The Gravity of the Grift Wednesday’s mixed trading session is more than just a squiggle on a chart; it’s a stark Rorschach test for investor sentiment. With the Dow Jones […]

Read More