LATEST BY NADIA CHEN

Markets
Bitwise Pulls Plug on Dogecoin ETF After Less Than a Year
Bitwise is discontinuing its Dogecoin exchange-traded fund (ETF), BWOW, less than a year after its launch, citing low asset under management (AUM) and investor interest. The fund held just $688,000 as of early September.

Regulation
Kalshi's US Traffic Soars 1,500% as Regulatory Storm Gathers
Prediction market Kalshi has seen a staggering surge in US web traffic and trading volume, even as it navigates intensifying legal scrutiny over its controversial sports contracts.

Regulation
Coinbase Deepens Canadian Footprint with Regulated Crypto Derivatives
Coinbase has launched regulated crypto derivatives for eligible Canadian traders, offering perpetual and dated futures with up to 10x leverage, signaling a significant expansion into the country's evolving digital asset market.

Markets
Corporate Giants Double Down on Bitcoin as Solana Executes Massive Token Burn to Combat Inflation
Strive Capital has significantly expanded its Bitcoin holdings, becoming a top corporate holder, signaling robust institutional confidence. Meanwhile, Solana validators have approved a substantial 18.9 million SOL token burn to address inflation and stabilize the network's economy.

Markets
Bitcoin Miners Outshine AI Stocks Amidst BTC Rally, Signaling Shifting Market Dynamics
As Bitcoin stages a significant rally, mining stocks like Canaan and American Bitcoin are not just recovering but dramatically outperforming AI-focused equities, highlighting the enduring leverage of direct crypto exposure.

Markets
Bitcoin Surges Past $62K, But Coinbase Premium Signals Lingering US Buyer Hesitation
Bitcoin has climbed above $62,000, yet a prolonged negative Coinbase Premium suggests that US institutional and retail buyers are not matching the aggressive accumulation seen from international traders, despite recent positive ETF inflows.

Markets
Bitcoin Dips to Two-Week Lows as US Market Divergence Fuels Caution
Bitcoin faced renewed selling pressure, dropping to its lowest point in two weeks, as US equities stalled, failing to mirror the modest rebound seen in Asian markets.

DeFi
FalconX Expands Tokenized Credit to Monad, Signaling New Era for Institutional DeFi Lending
FalconX has broadened its tokenized credit facility to the Monad network, enabling institutional clients to leverage digital assets as collateral within DeFi, marking a significant step for institutional participation.

Regulation
Australian Police Seize $4.1M Bitcoin in Major Darknet Bust, Signaling Intensified Crypto Crackdown
Australian police have seized 52 Bitcoin, valued at $4.1 million, in a significant crackdown on a darknet marketplace, underscoring law enforcement's growing capabilities in tracking illicit crypto transactions.

Regulation
Europe's Digital Payment Frontier: Bank of Italy Official Urges Tokenized SEPA Exploration
A senior Bank of Italy official has called for the European Union to seriously consider tokenized SEPA payments, signaling a potential shift in how traditional finance views blockchain technology for mainstream transactions and a strategic move against stablecoin dominance.

Markets
Bitcoin's $77K Ceiling: Profit-Taking and Dwindling Volume Stall Rally
Bitcoin's recent attempts to break past the $77,000 mark have repeatedly met resistance, largely due to consistent profit-taking by short-term holders and a significant drop in spot trading volumes. This dynamic suggests a temporary loss of market conviction and a potential pause in the rally.

Markets
Tether Backs Major Crypto Merger: Twenty One Capital, Strike, and Elektron to Form New Powerhouse
Tether, the majority shareholder of Twenty One Capital, has proposed a three-way merger involving Bitcoin payments firm Strike and Bitcoin mining company Elektron Energy, aiming to create a diversified crypto entity.

Regulation
Crypto Lobby Urges Fed to Codify 'Reputation Risk' Ban, Bolstering Banking Access
The Blockchain Association is pressing the Federal Reserve to formally remove 'reputation risk' from bank supervisory programs, a move critical to preventing future crypto debanking and ensuring regulatory consistency across federal agencies.

Infrastructure
Succinct Launches Zcam: Cryptographic Verification Takes Aim at AI Deepfakes
Cryptography firm Succinct introduces Zcam, an iPhone app that cryptographically signs photos and videos at capture, providing a crucial defense against AI-generated deepfakes and media manipulation.

Markets
Spot ETH ETFs Log 10-Day Inflow Streak: Is $3,000 Ether Next Amid Broader Market Caution?
Ethereum spot ETFs have attracted over $633 million in a 10-day run, signaling renewed institutional interest. Yet, with DApp revenues declining and derivatives traders showing restraint, the path to $3,000 for Ether remains uncertain.

Markets
CFTC-Regulated Kalshi Reportedly Preps Crypto Perpetual Futures Launch
Prediction market platform Kalshi, already regulated by the CFTC, is reportedly gearing up to launch perpetual futures contracts for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, signaling a significant expansion into the US derivatives landscape.

Infrastructure
Circle's USDC Bridge Streamlines Cross-Chain Transfers While CCTP Faces Legal Scrutiny
Stablecoin issuer Circle has launched its USDC Bridge, a new user interface designed to simplify native cross-chain stablecoin transfers. Built atop the existing Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP), the launch comes as Circle grapples with a class-action lawsuit alleging negligence related to a $230 million exploit th

Markets
X's Cashtags Ignite $1 Billion Crypto Trading Volume in Just Two Days
X's new Cashtags feature, integrated with Canadian broker Wealthsimple, has facilitated over $1 billion in trading volume for crypto assets and stocks within its first 48 hours, signaling a significant step towards mainstream financial integration on the platform.

Markets
North Korean Hackers Leverage AI in Zerion Attack, Signaling Evolving Threat Landscape
A recent attack on crypto wallet Zerion by North Korean-affiliated hackers utilized AI-enabled social engineering, resulting in a $100,000 loss from company hot wallets. This incident follows a similar, larger exploit against Drift Protocol, highlighting a critical shift in cyberattack vectors from smart contract vulne

Markets
Chainalysis Flags Crypto Payments to Iran as Major Sanctions Risk for Shippers
Shipping firms using cryptocurrency for payments to Iran face substantial sanctions exposure, warns Chainalysis, highlighting how crypto's transparent ledger makes illicit financial flows easier to trace and freeze.

Markets
Bitget Launches SpaceX Pre-IPO Proxy, Signaling Crypto's Deeper Dive into Traditional Assets
Bitget's new IPO Prime platform debuts with preSPAX, a tokenized proxy offering indirect exposure to SpaceX's post-IPO performance, highlighting a growing trend of crypto exchanges bridging the gap between digital assets and traditional finance.

Markets
Bitcoin Surges Past $72K Amid Geopolitical 'Truce,' But Derivatives Signal Caution
Bitcoin briefly topped $72,000 following a US-Iran ceasefire announcement, triggering $280 million in short liquidations. However, derivatives data suggests underlying bearish sentiment persists, raising questions about the rally's sustainability.