Crypto Briefs
Short updates on stories reported by a single outlet so far — summarized in a few sentences, always linking the original reporting. Stories picked up by more publications get full articles.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
US Core PCE Inflation Exceeds Forecast, May Influence Fed Policy
US core PCE inflation rose above economist expectations, signaling persistent price pressures that could prompt a more cautious Federal Reserve approach to interest-rate policy. The inflation data carries potential implications for financial markets broadly and cryptocurrency valuations, which have historically shown sensitivity to Fed policy shifts and real-rate expectations.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingPhase blockchain launches mainnet with $45M backing
Phase blockchain launched its mainnet with a $45 million commitment from Kirill Eves, founder of payment platform Unlimit. The network aims to enable smartphone-based participation in AI tasks, though observers note centralized funding could affect governance decentralization.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingChainalysis Traces North Korean Crypto Cash-Outs Through Garantex
Chainalysis has traced North Korean cryptocurrency cash-outs flowing through Garantex, a digital-asset exchange, according to reporting by Crypto Briefing. The finding underscores compliance gaps at global crypto platforms and raises questions about exchange hiring practices and sanctions enforcement.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingRussia registers first self-regulatory body for crypto
Russia has established its first self-regulatory organization for cryptocurrency exchangers and depositories, marking a regulatory step toward formalizing the crypto sector. The move may enhance market confidence and potentially attract institutional participation in Russian crypto markets.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingOKX Survey: European Crypto Investors Prefer Digital Assets Over Retirement Plans
An OKX survey found that 19% of European crypto investors view digital assets as their preferred vehicle for lasting wealth, compared with 8% who favor retirement plans, according to Crypto.news. The survey indicates a significant divergence in investment priorities between European and US respondents, though specific US figures were not detailed in the brief.
Read the original at Crypto.newsPolygon Labs expands Open Money Stack to Solana
Polygon Labs has extended its Open Money Stack payment infrastructure to Solana, enabling businesses to integrate bank accounts, digital wallets, cross-chain transfers and global payouts through a single interface. The expansion, announced October 29, allows developers on Solana to access the same payment tooling previously available on Polygon's network.
Read the original at Crypto.newsU.S. Sanctions North Korean Crypto Addresses Linked to Fake-Worker Scheme
U.S. authorities on October 28 designated Ethereum and Tron addresses connected to North Korea's $600 million fake-worker operation, expanding financial sanctions beyond the listed wallets. The action targets a scheme in which North Korean operatives posed as remote workers to infiltrate Western companies and extract funds.
Read the original at CryptoSlateBitcoin Fell After 12 of 16 Fed Rate Hikes Since 2018
Bitcoin traded lower in the 30 days following 12 of the Federal Reserve's 16 rate increases since 2018, according to a 99Bitcoins review of 71 Fed decisions. Traders currently price in a 79% probability of another rate hike on December 9, raising questions about potential near-term impacts on BTC price action.
Read the original at 99Bitcoins$HYPE surges on reports ICE plans US Hyperliquid futures
Hyperliquid's native token $HYPE rose 10% following reports that Intercontinental Exchange, owner of the NYSE, plans to launch Hyperliquid futures trading in the United States. The development could expand market access and strengthen regulatory standing for the decentralized derivatives protocol.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingIndodax Halts Deposits and Withdrawals Following Cyberattack Attempts
Indodax, an Indonesian cryptocurrency exchange, suspended deposits and withdrawals after experiencing cyberattack attempts. The incident has disrupted trader access to liquidity and raised questions about the exchange's cybersecurity protocols.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingStarknet cuts quantum-safe signature verification cost to $0.023
A Starknet challenge has reduced the cost of quantum-safe signature verification on the network to approximately $0.023 per check. The development could help accelerate adoption of post-quantum cryptography across blockchain systems, addressing long-term security concerns about quantum computing threats to current cryptographic standards.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingICE Partners With Trade.xyz on U.S. Hyperliquid Futures
Intercontinental Exchange, parent of the NYSE, has partnered with Trade.xyz to develop regulated perpetual futures contracts for Hyperliquid, pending CFTC approval. The collaboration aims to bring Hyperliquid trading to U.S. markets through a compliant framework, though specific launch timing and contract terms have not been disclosed.
Read the original at Crypto.newsTeku, Besu patch Docker image flaw affecting Ethereum validators
Teku and Besu, two major Ethereum client implementations, released Docker image updates to address weak certificate keys that posed a security risk for software connecting to external services. The vulnerability could have allowed operators' systems to accept fraudulent certificates, affecting some Ethereum validator setups.
Read the original at Crypto.newsSolana Co-Founder Questions Off-Chain Projects' Solana Association
Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko stated that projects built outside the main Solana blockchain should not be considered part of Solana, amid BULK's expansion across multiple networks. The comment reflects ongoing debate within the ecosystem about what qualifies as native Solana infrastructure versus external applications.
Read the original at Crypto.newsAirtm partners with Mastercard's BVNK for stablecoin payments
Airtm partnered with BVNK, a stablecoin infrastructure provider owned by Mastercard, to offer wallet-based payments for emerging-market users via Stellar blockchain integration. The partnership was announced at the Stellar Meridian Conference on October 29.
Read the original at Crypto.newsCardano Foundation Joins Swiss Tokenization Group CMTA
The Cardano Foundation has joined the Capital Markets and Technology Association (CMTA), a Swiss-based tokenization group, following recognition of its CIP-0113 standard for issuing tokenized shares under Swiss regulatory rules. The move signals Cardano's growing involvement in regulated digital asset infrastructure for securities markets.
Read the original at Crypto.newsEthereum slides toward $2,300 as spot ETFs see $170M outflows
Ethereum price declined toward $2,300 on October 29 amid $170 million in net outflows from spot ETH exchange-traded funds over three consecutive trading sessions. Analysts monitored key technical support and resistance levels as the decline unfolded.
Read the original at Crypto.newsCF Benchmarks Launches CFB Oracle for Institutional Crypto Indices
CF Benchmarks has launched CFB Oracle, a service that delivers cryptographically signed price index data to applications on Ethereum, HyperEVM, and Robinhood Chain. The oracle enables institutional crypto price indices to be used directly on-chain across multiple blockchain networks.
Read the original at NewsBTCIndian Certificate Issuer Flaw Affects Ethereum Client Setups
A security failure at Indian certificate authority eMudhra caused some Ethereum Teku and Besu node clients to trust forged certificates, prompting developer fixes. Default mainnet nodes were not exposed to the vulnerability, limiting immediate risk to the network.
Read the original at CoinDeskBitcoin traders eye market inflection point tied to inflation
CoinDesk analysis identifies a chart marking an inflection point in markets that could influence inflation trends and risk-asset prices, including bitcoin and technology stocks. The piece suggests traders should monitor this technical development as a potential signal for broader asset-class movements.
Read the original at CoinDeskBermuda Selects WalletConnect for Onchain Merchant Payments
Bermuda has chosen WalletConnect to facilitate cryptocurrency payments among local merchants as part of its onchain economy initiative. The rollout will begin in the second quarter of 2027 with ticketing platform PTIX as the first integration point.
Read the original at CoinDeskSparkLend USDT Liquidity Tightens to $11.95M at 96% Utilization
SparkLend's USDT market has drawn down available liquidity to $11.95 million with utilization near 96%, pushing supplier yields to 6.9% APY and borrower rates to 7.70% APR following a liquidity squeeze earlier in the week. The tight conditions reflect elevated demand for USDT borrowing on the platform.
Read the original at The DefiantBitcoin Core Vulnerabilities Disclosed as $12B Options Expiry Looms
Three vulnerabilities in Bitcoin Core were disclosed on October 28 following AI-assisted security research by Project Loupe, according to 99Bitcoins. The disclosures came hours after the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, as traders prepared for a $12 billion Bitcoin options expiry on Friday.
Read the original at 99BitcoinsCorporate Bitcoin Holdings Reach 1.3M BTC, Driven by Single Firm
Publicly listed companies collectively hold 1.3 million BTC, representing 31% growth over the past 14 months, according to CryptoQuant data cited by ZyCrypto. The brief does not identify which company drove most of the accumulation, limiting analysis of the trend's sustainability.
Read the original at ZyCryptoRipple Announces Coinbase Deal, $900M Revenue Run Rate at Swell
Ripple revealed a deal with Coinbase and disclosed a $900 million annual revenue run rate during its Swell 2026 conference, according to CryptoPotato. The announcements continued a series of major revelations from the event's opening day.
Read the original at CryptoPotatoFormer FTX COO learned of liquidity crisis hours before public
Former FTX Chief Operating Officer Constance Wang disclosed that she discovered the exchange's liquidity shortfall only hours before it became public knowledge. The revelation underscores gaps in internal risk management and transparency protocols at the now-defunct exchange, raising questions about governance failures during FTX's collapse.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingFormer Swift CEO Joins OpenTrade as Chairman
Lazaro Campos, former chief executive of Swift, has joined London-based stablecoin firm OpenTrade as chairman. OpenTrade reported $300 million in assets locked and over $1 billion in annual transaction volume at the time of the announcement.
Read the original at CoinDeskFed holds rates steady as December hike odds climb to 83-88%
The Federal Reserve maintained its target rate at 3.75%-4% on October 28 with a 10-2 vote, though governors Lisa Cook and Beth Hammack dissented in favor of an immediate rate increase. Rate-market trackers now price December rate-hike odds between 83% and 88%, a shift from market expectations of a hold, with potential implications for Bitcoin and digital-asset valuations sensitive to monetary policy.
Read the original at CryptoSlateWestpac Imposes A$10,000 Monthly Limit on Crypto Payments
Westpac, Australia's second-largest bank, will enforce a A$10,000 (approximately USD 6,600) monthly cap on cryptocurrency payments starting in December, with no exemptions or higher limits available. The restriction applies to outbound crypto transactions, while deposits from exchanges into Westpac accounts remain unaffected, signaling heightened compliance controls on crypto activity.
Read the original at The DefiantUniswap Adds 13,137 New Addresses in Largest Spike Since 2020
Uniswap experienced its biggest growth in new addresses since 2020, adding 13,137 new addresses in a recent period. The protocol's token UNI faces a critical support level at $7 to sustain its recovery momentum.
Read the original at CryptoPotato