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
UBS Raises BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Stake to $90M
UBS increased its holdings in BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF to approximately 2.5 million shares valued at $90 million as of June 30, 2026. The position's value rose roughly 230% during the first half of 2026, according to SEC filings, signaling institutional appetite for Bitcoin spot ETF exposure.
Read the original at Crypto.newsEthena Partners with FalconX for Stablecoin Lending
Ethena announced Aug. 14 that it has appointed FalconX as an institutional lending partner to provide overcollateralized stablecoin credit facilities supporting its synthetic dollar (USDe) business. The arrangement adds stablecoin-backed lending infrastructure to Ethena's collateral backing.
Read the original at Crypto.newsTether receives unqualified KPMG audit opinion on 2025 accounts
Tether completed its first independent full financial audit, with KPMG U.S. issuing an unqualified opinion on Tether International's 2025 accounts. The stablecoin issuer reported a $6.814 billion reserve surplus, marking a significant transparency milestone for the company following years of scrutiny over its backing.
Read the original at Crypto.newsTempo Launches Embedded Yield Product With Deel Integration
Tempo introduced Tempo Earn, an embedded yield product that routes rewards through Morpho vaults and tokenized money market funds, structuring payments outside stablecoin issuers to comply with US regulations prohibiting interest on stablecoins. Deel's contractor wallet is the first deployment, with promotional rates up to 4% APY.
Read the original at The DefiantBitwise CIO: Crypto Tokens Entering Revenue-Driven Era
Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan stated that cryptocurrency projects are increasingly adopting revenue-driven models, with Hyperliquid, Uniswap, and Aave directing protocol revenues toward token buybacks and burns. The shift reflects a maturing market where token economics align with cash flow generation rather than speculative growth alone.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingBinance dominates July 2026 exchange traffic at 36M visits
Binance attracted 36 million visits in July 2026, maintaining its lead as overall crypto exchange traffic declined. The concentration of volume among top exchanges signals industry consolidation that may reduce competitive pressure and limit innovation in the sector.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingSaturn integrates Ondo tokenized securities into STRC products
Saturn has partnered with Ondo to add STRCon and other tokenized securities to its STRC-based product offerings, the companies announced on Aug. 13. Saturn also secured an undisclosed strategic investment from Ondo as part of the agreement, expanding access to tokenized stocks within the STRC ecosystem.
Read the original at Crypto.newsKraken partners with Mesh to streamline cross-exchange crypto deposits
Kraken has integrated Mesh's SmartFunding technology to allow users to deposit crypto directly from other exchanges without manually copying wallet addresses. The feature lets users select "Another exchange" on Kraken's deposit screen, sign in securely, and complete transfers automatically; Mesh's SmartFunding can combine balances from multiple tokens on the source exchange to meet deposit amounts. The integration is live for Coinbase transfers with additional exchanges planned.
Read the original at Cryptohopper Exchange NewsBullish shares rise 10% as Q2 adjusted EBITDA triples
Bullish's stock price increased 10% following Q2 results showing adjusted EBITDA tripling, driven by the company's pivot toward subscription revenue and tokenization initiatives. Despite the adjusted metric improvement, the company reported substantial GAAP losses, reflecting underlying risks in the cryptocurrency sector.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingEthereum Foundation Shifts From Poseidon to SHA and BLAKE3
The Ethereum Foundation is moving away from Poseidon hashing toward SHA and BLAKE3 cryptographic algorithms. The shift reflects a broader effort to improve compatibility and prepare for post-quantum cryptographic requirements within the Ethereum ecosystem.
Read the original at Crypto Briefing21Shares Files Prospectus Update for Spot SUI ETF on Nasdaq
21Shares has filed a prospectus update for TSUI, its spot Sui token ETF trading on Nasdaq. The filing reflects regulatory progress in the crypto ETF market and signals institutional appetite for alternative digital asset exposure beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Read the original at Crypto BriefingB2C2 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 CoinDesk