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, August 13, 2026
B2C2 hires Schroders veteran to expand crypto business in Asia
B2C2, an institutional crypto liquidity provider, has appointed a former chairman of Schroders Wealth Management Asia to lead its regional expansion. The hire signals the firm's push to attract family offices and asset managers in Asia amid growing institutional interest in digital assets.
Read the original at CoinDeskKalshi seeks $750M at $40B valuation from Sequoia, Wellington
Prediction-market platform Kalshi is in talks to raise $750 million at a $40 billion valuation, nearly doubling its May valuation of $22 billion when it raised $1 billion. The funding would involve venture firms Sequoia Capital and Wellington Management, according to CoinDesk reporting.
Read the original at CoinDeskStrata Pauses Neutrl Market Operations Over Reserve Concerns
Strata has paused minting and redemptions on its Neutrl market contracts, which held over $1.7 million in combined onchain value across two tranche tokens. The pause was implemented while the protocol assesses the impact on its reserves, though specific technical or financial issues were not detailed in the announcement.
Read the original at The DefiantFlare's FXRP Now Accepted as Collateral for Derive Options Trading
XRP holders can now use Flare's wrapped token FXRP as collateral to trade options through Derive, enabling hedging and speculation without depositing assets on centralized exchanges. The integration expands utility for Flare's XRP wrapper and provides non-custodial alternatives for derivatives exposure.
Read the original at DecryptWhite House Endorses Cyber Privateering Against Crypto Crime
The White House has endorsed cyber privateering as a strategy to combat cryptocurrency-related criminal networks, signaling a shift toward proactive cybersecurity approaches. The endorsement represents a potential change in global norms regarding the private sector's role in countering digital threats tied to crypto activities.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingZerohash fails to secure US trust bank charter from OCC
Zerohash's application for a US trust bank charter was returned by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, marking another setback for crypto firms seeking federal banking licenses. The development underscores ongoing regulatory obstacles facing digital asset companies attempting to establish compliant banking infrastructure.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingSwissquote cuts guidance as H1 crypto income plunges
Online bank Swissquote lowered full-year revenue and profit guidance following a sharp decline in first-half crypto trading volumes. The bank's shares slid on the announcement, reflecting weaker-than-expected demand for cryptocurrency trading services during the period.
Read the original at CoinDeskBitGo Launches BitGo Assist, AI Search Agent for Institutions
BitGo has launched BitGo Assist, a natural language search agent designed for institutional clients to streamline access to account information. The tool aims to enhance client autonomy and potentially reduce dependency on support teams by enabling easier retrieval of data through conversational queries.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingCentrifuge integrates with Compass Labs for one-click asset looping
Centrifuge has integrated with Compass Labs to enable one-click asset looping across 43 bundled transactions, according to Crypto Briefing. The integration is designed to streamline DeFi participation by reducing friction for smaller investors and automated strategies, though specific details on transaction mechanics and performance metrics were not disclosed.
Read the original at Crypto Briefingether.fi Launches Tokenized Stocks, Fiat Rails, and Aave-Backed Lending
ether.fi released a summer update adding tokenized stock trading, new fiat on/off ramps, and borrowing against assets via Aave integration, one week after removing restaking from its weETH liquid staking token. The protocol also introduced programmatic ETHFI token buybacks funded across all revenue streams.
Read the original at The DefiantBullish holds 19,990 Bitcoin worth $1.28B through Q2
Bullish retained 19,990 Bitcoin valued at $1.28 billion through the second quarter, maintaining its corporate treasury strategy. The holding reflects the broader trend of companies accumulating Bitcoin as a strategic asset, with potential implications for market dynamics and institutional investment patterns.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingRiot Platforms sells 4,300 BTC to fund AI infrastructure pivot
Riot Platforms has sold 4,300 Bitcoin to fund operations and support its strategic shift toward AI infrastructure. The move reflects the company's effort to diversify revenue streams beyond volatile Bitcoin mining, aiming to enhance investor appeal through broader technology exposure.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingMUFG Tests JGB Repos on Canton Network Blockchain
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group subsidiaries launched a proof of concept for Japanese government bond repo transactions on the Canton Network, targeting automated processing and 24-hour on-chain settlement. The project explores blockchain efficiency in traditional fixed-income markets.
Read the original at Crypto.newsTrezor Discloses 13,689 Customer Records Exposed in ShipMonk Breach
Trezor revealed that an unauthorized actor breached its shipping provider ShipMonk, exposing personal information of 13,689 customers. The hardware wallet maker disclosed the incident in an Aug. 13 security notice after ShipMonk notified them of the unauthorized access to its systems.
Read the original at Crypto.newsPUMP Token Rallies 27% Despite 6.88B Token Unlock
Pump.fun's PUMP token climbed 27% from its Aug. 8 low to near $0.0028, supported by record weekly fees that bolstered its buyback-and-burn mechanism. The rally occurred amid a 6.875 billion-token unlock, which market participants absorbed without significant downward pressure.
Read the original at Crypto.newsSouth Korea Imposes 7-Day Deadline for Crypto Exchange Asset Seizures
South Korea has enacted new rules requiring cryptocurrency exchanges to comply with civil creditor seizure orders within seven days, allowing custodians to freeze, disclose, transfer, swap, and sell debtor assets upon court order. The regulation expands civil enforcement mechanisms against crypto holdings and could significantly impact how exchanges handle asset custody obligations.
Read the original at CryptoSlateEther Products Lead $600M Crypto ETP Inflows in July
Ether-based exchange-traded products attracted the majority of $600 million in new inflows to crypto ETPs during July, according to The Defiant. Bitcoin products maintained dominance in trading volume, accounting for 78.5% of $133.3 billion in total global crypto ETP trading despite ether's lead in new money inflows.
Read the original at The DefiantSEC Plans Framework for Tokenized Stocks, Announcement Expected Friday
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is preparing new rules governing tokenized stocks, with a potential announcement expected as soon as Friday, according to Decrypt. The framework could represent a significant regulatory development for the cryptocurrency sector this year.
Read the original at DecryptSubscription Revenue Surge Offsets Digital Asset Sales Decline in Q2
Digital asset sales fell to $32.6 billion from $58.6 billion year-over-year, but subscription and other revenues nearly doubled to approximately $65 billion, allowing a major company to meet adjusted earnings expectations. The revenue mix shift reflects both market headwinds in crypto trading volumes and successful diversification into subscription services.
Read the original at CoinDeskGrayscale: Bitcoin adoption expanding through traditional finance vehicles
Grayscale predicts Bitcoin ownership will broaden among retail savers through conventional investment channels including financial adviser portfolios, brokerage spot ETFs, and retirement products, without requiring users to download cryptocurrency applications. The firm attributes this expansion to persistent government deficits and advancing blockchain finance integration into traditional markets.
Read the original at CryptoSlateFed's Hammack Notes Business Resilience Despite Tariff, Oil Pressures
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland official Hammack highlighted business resilience in the face of tariff and oil market shocks, suggesting economic adaptability. However, ongoing inflation and rate hikes pose risks to growth and consumer affordability, according to the analysis.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingEconomists Hanke and Walker Highlight $41.7T U.S. Treasury Negative Balance Sheet
Economists Steve Hanke and David Walker cited Treasury data showing a $41.7 trillion negative balance sheet, emphasizing the need for structural economic reforms to address long-term fiscal imbalance and unfunded obligations. The analysis underscores concerns about U.S. economic stability and sustainability.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingSK Hynix commits $720B for South Korea's largest memory factory network
SK Hynix announced a $720 billion investment to construct South Korea's largest memory chip factory network, according to Crypto Briefing. The expansion is expected to strengthen South Korea's position in global memory chip production and influence worldwide technology supply chains.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingSK Hynix workers form unified union amid wage negotiation stall
SK Hynix workers have established a unified union as wage negotiations remain deadlocked, according to Crypto Briefing. The labor organization reflects mounting tensions within the semiconductor industry and could shape future workplace policies affecting tech sector employers.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingLombard pilots Bitwise covered-call options strategy with $10M
Lombard has launched a $10 million pilot program using Bitwise's covered-call options strategy to generate yield on crypto holdings. The shift reflects growing institutional interest in income-focused crypto investment strategies that balance yield generation against capped upside potential.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingEthereum drops 2.4% to $1,872 after inflation data, tests support
Ethereum declined 2.4% from $1,918 to an intraday low of $1,872 following U.S. inflation data, with traders selling on the initial market reaction. ETH is now trading below the $1,900 level and testing a key daily support zone, with the $1,850 level identified as a potential next downside target.
Read the original at Crypto.newsTwitch Enables Amazon AI Training by Default, Raising Privacy Concerns
Twitch has activated Amazon AI training as a default setting for user content, with the platform's chief product officer acknowledging uncertainty about whether content was previously used for training purposes. The decision to enable the feature by default rather than require opt-in suggests the company anticipated low voluntary participation from users concerned about their data being used for AI model development.
Read the original at DecryptMetaplanet's Bitcoin Concentration Losses Highlight Single-Token Risk
Metaplanet has reported unrealized losses from its concentrated bitcoin holdings, according to CoinDesk's market commentary. The situation underscores the risks of portfolio strategies that rely heavily on a single cryptocurrency asset rather than diversification.
Read the original at CoinDeskBitcoin Holds Near $64K as Monero and Hyperliquid Outperform
Bitcoin traded near $64,000 in low-volatility conditions following Wednesday's CPI report, while alternative assets Monero and Hyperliquid showed stronger relative performance. Markets remained in a tight range with subdued movement across major cryptocurrencies.
Read the original at CoinDeskStudy Identifies 65,340 Risky Crypto Addresses Linked to $574M in Losses
Research has identified 65,340 cryptocurrency addresses associated with $574 million in losses, according to CryptoSlate reporting. Two newly described attack vectors account for approximately $15.7 million of the total, while the broader figure encompasses the full scope of detected misuse across the detected corpus.
Read the original at CryptoSlate