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August (previously, Fractal) is building web3 infrastructure allowing all on-chain financial assets to interact with and collateralize against each other via a universal margin account – starting with existing crypto assets and expanding to real world assets.
Solana yield trading platform Exponent completes $5 million seed round, led by Multicoin Capital
Exponent Finance, a Solana-based yield trading platform, announced the completion of a $5 million seed funding round. The round was led by Multicoin Capital, with participation from Solana Ventures, RockawayX, L1D, Prelude, and Theia Blockchain, along with several key figures from the Solana ecosystem as angel investors. The round was initiated in May last year and closed in August, bringing Exponent's total funding to $7.1 million. Exponent stated that the funds will be used to expand its yield trading platform and upgrade it into a more comprehensive on-chain yield infrastructure, covering active yield management needs within the Solana ecosystem. (The Block)
Trump-linked crypto company AI Financial to acquire Block Street for up to $43 million
Odaily AI Financial (formerly Alt5 Sigma), a publicly listed crypto company linked to the family of U.S. President Donald Trump, has announced it will acquire crypto infrastructure startup Block Street for up to $43 million. Block Street was founded by Matthew Morgan, who currently serves as an advisor to AI Financial and is also its CEO and largest shareholder.According to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the deal was reached last Monday. Block Street was registered in October 2025, but Morgan stated that its business operations had started about 16 months prior.The acquisition has raised market concerns about potential conflicts of interest, as Morgan is both an advisor to AI Financial and the founder of the acquired company. He was briefly nominated for the position of Chief Investment Officer in a previous cooperation deal between AI Financial and World Liberty Financial, but the role was later adjusted to an unpaid advisor position.In August, AI Financial reached an agreement with World Liberty Financial to include approximately $1.5 billion in crypto assets on its balance sheet, in exchange for equity and a board seat. This collaboration also positioned the company as part of the "Trump family crypto ecosystem."In interviews, Morgan has denied that the transaction constitutes self-dealing, stating that Block Street focuses on tokenization and ICO infrastructure capabilities, areas AI Financial is looking to enter. He claimed to have pitched the asset to several other public companies and turned down acquisition offers with higher valuations.However, since establishing ties with the Trump family crypto project, AI Financial's stock price has fallen by over 90%, reflecting ongoing market skepticism toward the "crypto reserve public company" model.This transaction has also reignited controversy over insider transactions and governance structures within public companies. Similar cases have frequently emerged in the crypto industry recently, with multiple listed companies criticized for mixing assets with related-party transactions, raising investor concerns about the risks of conflicts of interest. (Fortune)
Pantera and Other Investors Push Satsuma to Sell $50 Million Bitcoin Reserve
Odaily Odaily Planet Daily reports that investors including Pantera Capital Management are pushing UK Bitcoin reserve company Satsuma to sell its $50 million Bitcoin reserve. In August 2025, Satsuma shifted to an "AI-driven" Bitcoin reserve strategy, successfully raising £164 million (approximately $221 million) through convertible loan notes. The round was led by ParaFi Capital, with participation from Pantera, Digital Currency Group (DCG), Kraken, Arrington Capital, and others.It is reported that Satsuma confirmed that some shareholders have "demanded a return of capital," but did not disclose the specific identities of those shareholders. In an email statement, Satsuma's Executive Chairman Ranald McGregor-Smith said the company is exploring options to facilitate these requests while protecting the interests of all shareholders. (The Block)
A major whale purchased 80 billion PEPE tokens—worth approximately $3.08 million—after an eight-month hiatus.
According to on-chain analyst Ai Aunt (@ai_9684xtpa), wallet address 0x2Dc…1AA2D purchased 80 billion PEPE tokens again after an 8-month hiatus, spending approximately $3.08 million. Previously, on August 14, 2025, this address withdrew 660 billion PEPE tokens at an average price of $0.0000122. Following this top-up, its average holding cost dropped to approximately $0.0000074; however, it remains underwater by roughly $5.094 million as of now.
Bitcoin’s implied volatility has dropped to a year-to-date low, and the market reacted indifferently to Friday’s CPI data.
According to CoinDesk, the U.S. March CPI data will be released on Friday. Markets expect the annual growth rate to jump from 2.4% in February to 3.4%, yet Bitcoin markets have reacted calmly. The options market currently prices in only about a 2.5% volatility range, and the BVIV Index (30-day implied volatility) has fallen to 46.5%, its lowest level since January 31. Traders broadly view this release as non-eventful. This CPI report is drawing heightened attention primarily due to energy shocks triggered by the Iran conflict—U.S. gasoline prices surged above $4 per gallon in March, the first time since August 2022. Multiple analysts note that softer-than-expected data could revive rate-cut expectations, while hotter data would reinforce the “higher-for-longer” interest-rate narrative—exerting an asymmetric impact on crypto markets.
Developer proposes to fork Bitcoin eCash, reallocate Satoshi Nakamoto's BTC holdings
Paul Sztorc, a developer who has long focused on Bitcoin scaling solutions, proposed a Bitcoin hard fork named eCash, set to occur at block height 964,000 in August 2026. Users holding BTC at the time of the fork will receive eCash on a 1:1 basis, and the new chain will introduce the Drivechains sidechain architecture. The controversy mainly centers on the plan to pre-allocate a portion of the eCash corresponding to the Satoshi Nakamoto address on the new chain to early investors, a move that has drawn criticism from the community, with some accusing it of "stealing" tokens. Paul Sztorc stated that this initiative aims to provide incentives for development and collaboration before the project's launch.
Grinex Ceases Operations, Potentially Delivering a Heavy Blow to Russia’s Sanctions-Evasion Shadow Financial System
According to DL News, Russian cryptocurrency exchange Grinex announced last Wednesday that it would cease operations after suffering a cyberattack that resulted in the theft of over 1 billion rubles—approximately $13 million. The report states that Grinex had processed nearly $100 billion in trading volume for the sanctioned stablecoin A7A5 in 2025. Its shutdown is expected to weaken Russian companies’ ability to convert rubles into usable international currencies and deliver a severe blow to Russia’s shadow financial system designed to circumvent sanctions. Grinex was viewed as the successor to Garantex, which had previously been sanctioned and shut down. Both Grinex and Old Vector—the issuer of A7A5—were sanctioned in August 2025 by the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom.
Solana yield trading platform Exponent completes $5 million seed round, led by Multicoin Capital
Exponent Finance, a Solana-based yield trading platform, announced the completion of a $5 million seed funding round. The round was led by Multicoin Capital, with participation from Solana Ventures, RockawayX, L1D, Prelude, and Theia Blockchain, along with several key figures from the Solana ecosystem as angel investors. The round was initiated in May last year and closed in August, bringing Exponent's total funding to $7.1 million. Exponent stated that the funds will be used to expand its yield trading platform and upgrade it into a more comprehensive on-chain yield infrastructure, covering active yield management needs within the Solana ecosystem. (The Block)
Developer proposes to fork Bitcoin eCash, reallocate Satoshi Nakamoto's BTC holdings
Paul Sztorc, a developer who has long focused on Bitcoin scaling solutions, proposed a Bitcoin hard fork named eCash, set to occur at block height 964,000 in August 2026. Users holding BTC at the time of the fork will receive eCash on a 1:1 basis, and the new chain will introduce the Drivechains sidechain architecture. The controversy mainly centers on the plan to pre-allocate a portion of the eCash corresponding to the Satoshi Nakamoto address on the new chain to early investors, a move that has drawn criticism from the community, with some accusing it of "stealing" tokens. Paul Sztorc stated that this initiative aims to provide incentives for development and collaboration before the project's launch.
Bitcoin Developer Paul Sztorc Plans August Launch of Hard Fork eCash, Offers 1:1 BTC Exchange, Sparks Community Controversy
Bitcoin developer Paul Sztorc has announced the official launch of the Bitcoin hard fork network eCash in August this year. BTC holders will be able to exchange BTC for eCash at a 1:1 ratio after the hard fork goes live. It is reported that the Layer1 node software of the network will be a "near copy" of the Bitcoin Core client, continuing to use the SHA-256 hashing algorithm, with a reduced initial mining difficulty to attract more miners to participate. Additionally, eCash will be equipped with seven Layer2 scaling networks called "drivechains" to increase transaction throughput and support optional on-chain privacy features.Paul Sztorc stated that eCash differs from Bitcoin Cash in 2017, as it will no longer use the "Bitcoin" branding, positioning it as a long-term solution to Bitcoin's scalability and privacy issues. However, his proposal to manually redistribute a portion of Satoshi Nakamoto's approximately 1.1 million BTC to early investors has sparked strong controversy within the community. Some Bitcoin supporters criticize the move as potentially constituting "theft" and undermining Bitcoin's principles. (Cointelegraph)
Analysis: ETH/BTC Exchange Rate Rises to 10-Week High, Ethereum Outperforms Bitcoin Recently
Odaily News The ETH/BTC exchange rate has risen to a 10-week high, with Ethereum outperforming Bitcoin recently. The ratio broke through the resistance of the downtrend line since August 2025 and has risen above the 50-day and 100-day exponential moving averages. XWIN Research pointed out that the staff statement issued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 13 explained that DeFi frontends and wallet interfaces do not need to register as broker-dealers if they meet conditions such as non-custody and a neutral fee structure, which has driven Ethereum's strength.On-chain data shows an upward trend in active addresses, and the Coinbase premium gap is also improving, indicating a recovery in institutional demand in the United States. Enterprise-level accumulation is accelerating; Bitmine accumulated 279,000 ETH in the past 30 days and currently holds 4.87 million ETH, accounting for over 4% of the circulating supply. In the futures market, the global ETH open interest reached $16.37 billion, and the funding rate remains negative, indicating that shorts dominate. However, the open interest on Binance increased by 10.47% to $6.04 billion, and the funding rate turned positive, creating an extreme imbalance between global shorts and longs on Binance.
Related news
Strategy maintains STRC May dividend rate at 11.5%, MSTR stock sees first monthly gain in nine months
Odaily Strategy (MSTR) announced that the dividend rate for its perpetual preferred stock Stretch (STRC) will remain at 11.5% for May, marking the third consecutive month at this level. According to data, STRC's volume-weighted average price (VWAP) for April was $99.76, close to its $100 par value. Strategy positions STRC as a high-yield savings alternative, aiming to reduce volatility through monthly cash distributions.Additionally, Strategy's common stock (MSTR) closed April at $165, gaining 33% and ending a streak of eight consecutive monthly declines that began in August 2025. Bitcoin also rose 12% in April, marking its best monthly performance since April 2025. Strategy is currently considering adjusting STRC's distribution frequency from monthly to semi-monthly to further smooth price fluctuations. (CoinDesk)
Solana yield trading platform Exponent completes $5 million seed round, led by Multicoin Capital
Exponent Finance, a Solana-based yield trading platform, announced the completion of a $5 million seed funding round. The round was led by Multicoin Capital, with participation from Solana Ventures, RockawayX, L1D, Prelude, and Theia Blockchain, along with several key figures from the Solana ecosystem as angel investors. The round was initiated in May last year and closed in August, bringing Exponent's total funding to $7.1 million. Exponent stated that the funds will be used to expand its yield trading platform and upgrade it into a more comprehensive on-chain yield infrastructure, covering active yield management needs within the Solana ecosystem. (The Block)
Trump-linked crypto company AI Financial to acquire Block Street for up to $43 million
Odaily AI Financial (formerly Alt5 Sigma), a publicly listed crypto company linked to the family of U.S. President Donald Trump, has announced it will acquire crypto infrastructure startup Block Street for up to $43 million. Block Street was founded by Matthew Morgan, who currently serves as an advisor to AI Financial and is also its CEO and largest shareholder.According to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the deal was reached last Monday. Block Street was registered in October 2025, but Morgan stated that its business operations had started about 16 months prior.The acquisition has raised market concerns about potential conflicts of interest, as Morgan is both an advisor to AI Financial and the founder of the acquired company. He was briefly nominated for the position of Chief Investment Officer in a previous cooperation deal between AI Financial and World Liberty Financial, but the role was later adjusted to an unpaid advisor position.In August, AI Financial reached an agreement with World Liberty Financial to include approximately $1.5 billion in crypto assets on its balance sheet, in exchange for equity and a board seat. This collaboration also positioned the company as part of the "Trump family crypto ecosystem."In interviews, Morgan has denied that the transaction constitutes self-dealing, stating that Block Street focuses on tokenization and ICO infrastructure capabilities, areas AI Financial is looking to enter. He claimed to have pitched the asset to several other public companies and turned down acquisition offers with higher valuations.However, since establishing ties with the Trump family crypto project, AI Financial's stock price has fallen by over 90%, reflecting ongoing market skepticism toward the "crypto reserve public company" model.This transaction has also reignited controversy over insider transactions and governance structures within public companies. Similar cases have frequently emerged in the crypto industry recently, with multiple listed companies criticized for mixing assets with related-party transactions, raising investor concerns about the risks of conflicts of interest. (Fortune)
The U.S. Senate actually has only about 9 to 10 working weeks left to advance the Clarity Act
with the revision of the Clarity Act expected to move forward in May, the crypto industry is closely watching its legislative window before the August congressional recess. Ji Kim, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation, stated that the Senate has limited time remaining, and the industry hopes to get the bill to President Trump's desk for signature before August.However, after accounting for recess periods and other legislative agendas, the Senate effectively has only about 9 to 10 working weeks left to advance the bill. Currently, the bill still needs to first pass through the Senate Banking Committee, with disagreements over stablecoin yield and rewards remaining key obstacles.
Developer proposes to fork Bitcoin eCash, reallocate Satoshi Nakamoto's BTC holdings
Paul Sztorc, a developer who has long focused on Bitcoin scaling solutions, proposed a Bitcoin hard fork named eCash, set to occur at block height 964,000 in August 2026. Users holding BTC at the time of the fork will receive eCash on a 1:1 basis, and the new chain will introduce the Drivechains sidechain architecture. The controversy mainly centers on the plan to pre-allocate a portion of the eCash corresponding to the Satoshi Nakamoto address on the new chain to early investors, a move that has drawn criticism from the community, with some accusing it of "stealing" tokens. Paul Sztorc stated that this initiative aims to provide incentives for development and collaboration before the project's launch.
Bitcoin Developer Paul Sztorc Plans August Launch of Hard Fork eCash, Offers 1:1 BTC Exchange, Sparks Community Controversy
Bitcoin developer Paul Sztorc has announced the official launch of the Bitcoin hard fork network eCash in August this year. BTC holders will be able to exchange BTC for eCash at a 1:1 ratio after the hard fork goes live. It is reported that the Layer1 node software of the network will be a "near copy" of the Bitcoin Core client, continuing to use the SHA-256 hashing algorithm, with a reduced initial mining difficulty to attract more miners to participate. Additionally, eCash will be equipped with seven Layer2 scaling networks called "drivechains" to increase transaction throughput and support optional on-chain privacy features.Paul Sztorc stated that eCash differs from Bitcoin Cash in 2017, as it will no longer use the "Bitcoin" branding, positioning it as a long-term solution to Bitcoin's scalability and privacy issues. However, his proposal to manually redistribute a portion of Satoshi Nakamoto's approximately 1.1 million BTC to early investors has sparked strong controversy within the community. Some Bitcoin supporters criticize the move as potentially constituting "theft" and undermining Bitcoin's principles. (Cointelegraph)