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Blockchain financial company Fence completes $20 million funding round, led by Galaxy Digital
blockchain financial company Fence has announced the completion of a $20 million new funding round, led by Galaxy Digital, with participation from Parafi Capital and Crane Venture Partners. Fence is dedicated to leveraging blockchain and tokenization technology to transform the back-office processes of the asset-backed finance market, primarily focusing on the operational layer of structured credit transactions, including loan pool tracking, collateral verification, and cash flow management. Fence emphasizes that it does not define itself as a blockchain company, but rather uses blockchain as back-office infrastructure to automatically manage cash, collateral, and transaction rules through smart contracts, and to tokenize loan positions when necessary to enhance liquidity and automation. (CoinDesk)
Tether Leads $14 Million Series A Funding Round in Latin American Digital Wallet Belo
Latin American digital wallet Belo has completed a $14 million Series A funding round, led by Tether, with participation from Titan Fund, The Venture City, Mindset Ventures, and G2. The funds will be used to expand into Latin American markets including Mexico, Chile, and Colombia, and to scale stablecoin payment infrastructure deployment.Founded in 2021, Belo offers a wallet service that combines local currencies with digital dollars, currently serving over 3 million users. This investment also reflects Tether's increasing efforts to expand stablecoin payment applications in emerging markets. (CoinDesk)
SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic to Go Public or Raise Over $240 Billion, Potentially Impacting Crypto Market Liquidity
According to CoinDesk, SpaceX is expected to go public in June and could surpass Saudi Aramco’s $29 billion IPO in 2019 to become the largest IPO in history. Meanwhile, OpenAI and Anthropic are also planning to go public in the second half of this year. Collectively, these three companies are projected to raise over $240 billion—potentially marking a pivotal turning point for liquidity in the crypto market. Market analysts believe these mega-IPOs could significantly drain liquidity from risk assets, with the crypto market sitting in the same funding pool. As mainstream crypto assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum have closely tracked the Nasdaq and U.S. equity risk sentiment in recent years, a large-scale shift of capital toward subscribing to tech giants’ IPOs may weaken buying support for BTC, ETH, and altcoins.
Analysis: Approximately 93% of GameFi projects have failed, with capital flows shifting toward AI, RWA, and other sectors.
According to CoinDesk, data disclosed by market-making firm Caladan shows that approximately 93% of GameFi projects are now effectively dead, with token values down 95% from their 2022 peaks. Funding for game studios has also plunged 93% by 2025. Investment in Web3 gaming has nearly dried up entirely, as capital flows have shifted toward AI, real-world assets (RWA), and Layer-2 infrastructure—triggering a collapse across the gaming industry. Even Animoca Brands, one of Web3’s most active investors, has scaled back its gaming investments to roughly 25% of its portfolio and begun pivoting toward areas such as stablecoins. Moreover, in 2022, 63% of Web3 venture capital funding flowed into gaming; by 2025, that share has fallen to single digits. Over 300 games have announced shutdowns, turning Web3 gaming into a cautionary tale about chasing speculation while neglecting product-market fit.
Revolut’s target valuation nearly triples to $20 billion, with a U.S. IPO as early as 2028
According to CoinDesk, citing the Financial Times, Revolut—the largest fintech company in Europe and a crypto-friendly platform—has informed investors that its target valuation range for its IPO is $150 billion to $200 billion, with the earliest possible listing date no earlier than 2028. Previously, in November 2025, the company completed a share sale at a valuation of $75 billion—representing over a 125% increase from that figure. Meanwhile, Revolut is reportedly preparing for a secondary share sale in the second half of 2026, with an expected valuation of approximately $100 billion. Financially, the company’s pre-tax profit for 2025 rose 57% year-on-year to £1.7 billion (approximately $2.3 billion). On the operational front, Revolut obtained a full UK banking license in March this year and has applied to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a U.S. banking license, accelerating its global market expansion. However, insiders indicate that a formal valuation target has not yet been finalized.
Abu Dhabi-based tokenization firm KAIO completes $8 million strategic funding round led by Tether
According to CoinDesk, KAIO, a regulated tokenization firm based in Abu Dhabi, has announced the completion of an $8 million strategic funding round, with investors including Tether. Combined with its prior funding, KAIO’s total capital raised now stands at $19 million. KAIO primarily provides infrastructure for asset management firms to distribute funds on-chain, enabling products from institutions such as BlackRock, Brevan Howard, and Hamilton Lane to be integrated into blockchain systems. KAIO stated it plans to expand into credit, structured investment products, and ETFs, and intends to launch on-chain funds in partnership with Mubadala Capital. The company reported currently managing approximately $100 million in assets and having processed over $500 million in cumulative transactions.
Anchorage Digital Partners with M0 to Build Next-Generation Compliant Stablecoin Issuance Infrastructure
Anchorage Digital has announced a partnership with stablecoin infrastructure protocol M0 to jointly develop a next-generation compliant stablecoin issuance and management system aligned with the U.S. regulatory framework. Anchorage Digital plans to expand its issuance platform capabilities by integrating M0's modular stablecoin protocol, providing institutional clients with infrastructure support to issue stablecoins under the U.S. regulatory system.M0 allows institutions to issue and manage stablecoins based on demand and has already partnered with several payment and crypto platforms, including Stripe, MoonPay, and MetaMask. The protocol supports a highly modular design, enabling various types of institutions—including fintech companies, exchanges, and payment service providers—to quickly issue their own stablecoins. (CoinDesk)
Germany AllUnity Expands Euro Stablecoin EURAU to Solana
AllUnity, a joint venture backed by DWS, Flow Traders, and Galaxy Digital, announced the expansion of its Euro-denominated stablecoin EURAU, which complies with the EU's MiCA regulatory framework, to the Solana blockchain network. This move aims to enhance the efficiency of on-chain Euro transfers and support compliant financial applications.EURAU was first launched on Ethereum in July last year, backed by 100% reserves and issued under the EU's e-money regulatory framework. By integrating with Solana, AllUnity seeks to leverage its high-performance network to achieve faster settlement speeds and lower transaction costs, enabling businesses and developers to complete on-chain Euro transfers within seconds.This mechanism can be widely applied in areas such as cross-border payments, transaction settlement, lending, and corporate treasury management. For instance, payment companies can execute real-time payments to overseas contractors without waiting days for traditional bank transfers to settle. (CoinDesk)
Nigel Farage Faces Compliance Investigation for Failing to Disclose $6.7 Million Grant from Tether Shareholder
According to CoinDesk, Nigel Farage, leader of the UK’s Reform UK party, is facing a parliamentary standards inquiry after receiving an undisclosed £5 million (approximately $6.7 million) grant from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne—prior to his election as a Member of Parliament in 2024. Harborne resides in Thailand and holds a 12% stake in stablecoin issuer Tether. Farage stated that the grant was intended to ensure his personal security—not for political activities. However, both the Conservative and Labour parties have accused him of violating House of Commons rules requiring MPs to register any income received within the 12 months preceding their election, and have referred the matter to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. Reform UK countered that the payment constitutes a “personal unconditional gift,” exempt from disclosure requirements and unrelated to the election. The UK government announced in March this year that it would suspend political parties’ acceptance of cryptocurrency donations to guard against foreign interference. Previously, Christopher Harborne donated £9 million to Reform UK—the largest single political donation ever made by a living individual in the UK. This year, Ben Delo, co-founder of BitMEX, also donated £4 million to the party. Additionally, Farage himself holds a 6.31% stake in Stack BTC, a Bitcoin treasury company.
Stellar CMO: The Crypto Industry Must Move Away from "Get-Rich-Quick Narratives" Toward "Get Rich Slow" to Win Mainstream Trust
Odaily Planet Daily reported that Jason Karsh, the new Chief Marketing Officer of the Stellar Development Foundation, stated that for the crypto industry to achieve mainstream adoption, it must shift from short-term speculation and "hype cycles" to long-term value creation, emphasizing that "get rich slow" is the key path to building trust.Karsh pointed out that the industry's long-standing reliance on obscure jargon and technical terminology has actually widened the cognitive gap with average users. He believes that crypto "peaked too early in the public eye" due to the speculative frenzy, distorting its true value potential. He emphasized that the real opportunity lies in rebuilding the global financial infrastructure to enable more efficient value transfer and storage. Meanwhile, the Stellar Development Foundation, which has consistently focused on payment and cross-border financial applications since 2014, is now benefiting from the gradual regulatory recognition of stablecoins and tokenized assets.Karsh called stablecoins "the first killer app," but also noted that there is still a barrier to public understanding, suggesting they be redefined as "programmable dollars." He stated that the industry's future goal is to drive trillions of dollars in assets onto the blockchain, but the key lies in rebuilding trust at both the product and narrative levels, rather than relying on token issuance to drive growth. He concluded that the next wave of crypto growth will come from replacing traditional financial infrastructure, not just speculative cycles, but in the short term, the industry must first prioritize the foundational adoption phase of "attracting 100 million real users." (CoinDesk)
CFTC Chairman: AI to Be Used for Reviewing US Crypto Market Registration Applications and Enhancing Market Surveillance
CFTC Chairman Mike Selig, in an interview with CoinDesk, stated that the CFTC is developing tools leveraging AI to review registration applications for the U.S. crypto market and monitor trading activity. Mike Selig noted that due to federal government layoffs, which have reduced the agency's workforce by more than one-fifth, AI and automation technologies will be used to fill the manpower gap and improve the efficiency of document review. Currently, his employees are undergoing training on Microsoft Copilot, while the agency is also developing internal tools for reviewing swaps data and market surveillance.Furthermore, Mike Selig stated that the digital asset classification guide jointly released by the CFTC and the SEC is the most important initiative during his tenure, aimed at providing regulatory clarity for market participants. Regarding prediction markets, Mike Selig reiterated the CFTC's exclusive jurisdiction and emphasized that strict enforcement actions will be taken against violations such as insider trading.
CertiK Officially Announces Attendance at Consensus Miami: Driving Web3 Trust Upgrade Through Security
Odaily, According to sources, CertiK has confirmed its participation as a sponsor at Consensus Miami 2026. As the world's largest Web3 security company, CertiK plans to deeply engage in industry dialogue and ecosystem building through a series of activities.During the conference, CertiK will host and co-host two side events, inviting global founders, technical professionals, and industry representatives to discuss topics such as Web3 security, AI applications, and on-chain infrastructure. Founder and CEO Ronghui Gu will also participate in relevant roundtable forums to explore security and transparency in blockchain and financial infrastructure. Additionally, CertiK will set up a booth at the venue and conduct multiple fireside chats with partners, focusing on industry pain points including institutional adoption, risk visualization, and Web3 compliance implementation.Organized by CoinDesk, Consensus Miami 2026 will be held from May 5 to 7 in Miami, USA. It is expected to bring together over 20,000 industry participants globally, making it one of the most influential conferences in the crypto and Web3 industry.
Analysis: Bitcoin Rises Above $77,000 but Remains Range-Bound
According to CoinDesk, Bitcoin (BTC) edged up slightly on Friday, rising 1.25% to approximately $77,250 since 00:00 UTC, yet it remains range-bound between $75,000 and $80,000 since April 19. Futures funding rates are predominantly negative, indicating traders continue favoring short positions on rallies; Bitcoin futures open interest stands at roughly $19 billion—essentially flat week-on-week—with a 3-month annualized basis of 1.5%. In the options market, sentiment leans bullish: call options accounted for 58% of options volume over the past 24 hours, and demand for downside protection has eased.
21Shares Executive: Bitcoin Could Hit $100,000 This Year as Institutions Accelerate Entry
Adrian Fritz, Chief Investment Officer of 21Shares, stated that spot Bitcoin ETFs continue to attract capital inflows, reinforcing Bitcoin's core position in institutional asset allocation, even as the price remains volatile below the $80,000 mark. Adrian Fritz pointed out that since the beginning of this year, Bitcoin ETFs have absorbed nearly $2 billion in funds, sourced from retail investors, institutions, and hedge funds engaging in arbitrage and options strategies. He believes that as traditional asset management institutions like Morgan Stanley accelerate their deployment, crypto assets are being more broadly incorporated into multi-asset portfolio allocations. Bitcoin's current daily trading volume has exceeded $50 billion, with liquidity levels approaching those of large-cap tech stocks like Nvidia. The ETF mechanism simultaneously provides primary and secondary market liquidity, gradually granting it "institutional-grade asset" attributes.Although the market remains under pressure from macroeconomic conditions and interest rate environments, Adrian Fritz believes that ETF inflows have shifted from being speculation-driven to structural demand. He predicts that driven by factors such as improving geopolitical conditions, sustained capital inflows, and short covering, Bitcoin could challenge the $100,000 threshold this year. Meanwhile, differentiation among altcoins is intensifying, with the market shifting towards an asset selection logic that places greater emphasis on fundamentals and cash flow. (CoinDesk)
Analysis: Bitcoin Spot Trading Volume Hits Lowest Since October 2023, Low Liquidity May Amplify Market Volatility
data shows the daily spot trading volume of Bitcoin has fallen to below $8 billion, the lowest level since October 2023, when the BTC price was still below $40,000. Glassnode points out that since the peak of over $25 billion in early February this year, trading volume has continued to decline. A low-volume environment typically implies reduced market depth, making it more sensitive to capital flow changes.Market depth is usually measured by the cumulative bids and asks within a 2% range of the current price. When depth contracts, a few large orders can significantly drive price movements, meaning market volatility may be amplified. However, the options market does not currently fully reflect this risk. The Volmex BVIV index shows that Bitcoin's 30-day implied volatility has fallen below 42% annualized, hitting a three-month low, indicating that traders are generally betting on continued market stability.Analysis suggests that with market sentiment cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, Bitcoin is currently hovering around $77,800, lacking a clear direction. If the Fed signals a hawkish stance, particularly expressing concerns over rising energy prices and inflation risks, it could prolong the pause in rate cuts or even strengthen expectations of a rate hike, thereby suppressing risk asset performance. (CoinDesk)
U.S. Cryptocurrency Market Structure Bill Faces Roadblocks; Critical Timeline May Be in May
According to CoinDesk, the U.S. cryptocurrency market structure bill—the Clarity Act—has seen no significant public progress over the past month and is not expected to achieve a breakthrough in April. The report notes that if the bill is to pass before the election, May 25—Memorial Day—is viewed as a critical milestone for advancement; after that date, members of Congress will gradually shift into campaign mode, leaving less time for legislative work. At present, it remains unclear whether the Senate Banking Committee will move forward with related hearings. Issues such as stablecoin yields and other outstanding matters have also yet to be publicly resolved. Even if these disagreements are addressed, the House of Representatives would still need to vote on the bill again.
Trump: Will Not Allow Banks to Obstruct Crypto Market Structure Legislation
Odaily Odaily: U.S. President Trump stated at a private event for TRUMP Meme coin holders held at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida that the White House will not allow banking lobbying groups to hinder the progress of the crypto market structure bill, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. He said the crypto industry has entered the mainstream, declaring "America is the leader in crypto," and that banks should not obstruct the establishment of stablecoin and crypto regulatory frameworks.Dubbed the "most exclusive meeting in the world," the event invited hundreds of large TRUMP coin holders. Guests included Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, Ark Invest founder Cathie Wood, Anchorage Digital CEO Nathan McCauley, and boxing champion Mike Tyson. Previously, the U.S. banking industry had expressed concerns that stablecoin reward mechanisms could impact traditional deposit businesses, which had slowed the legislative process. (CoinDesk)
Analysis: The Bitcoin winter has ended; this correction is more like a sharp pullback within a bull market.
According to CoinDesk, Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman of Strategy, stated that the Bitcoin winter has ended, as Bitcoin’s price has held above $78,000. Market analyst Mati Greenspan believes the recent market downturn should not be labeled a “crypto winter,” but rather a sharp correction within a broader bull market—and added that Bitcoin has likely already bottomed out, with its next leg up potentially driven by both institutional and sovereign adoption. The report notes that Strategy recently acquired 13,927 additional bitcoins, bringing its total holdings to 780,897 BTC. Greenspan also indicated that sovereign adoption—specifically central banks adding Bitcoin to their reserve assets—could be a key driver in the next phase.
North Korean hackers spent months meeting Drift Protocol employees in person before stealing $285 million
North Korean spies spent months conducting multiple in-person meetings with Drift Protocol employees before executing one of the largest social engineering attacks against a crypto protocol, stealing $285 million. According to TRM Labs data, losses attributed to North Korean hackers accounted for 76% of total crypto hack losses in 2026. (CoinDesk)
Bitcoin’s Quantum Security Crisis: 6.9 Million BTC at Risk, Governance Challenges Impede Response
According to CoinDesk, while quantum computers cannot break Bitcoin’s mining mechanism or blockchain ledger, they could potentially crack the elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) that secures wallet ownership—using Shor’s algorithm. Currently, approximately 6.9 million BTC—roughly one-third of the total supply—are at potential risk because their public keys are already visible on-chain; this includes Satoshi Nakamoto’s estimated early holdings of about 1 million BTC. Transactions generated after Ethereum’s 2021 Taproot upgrade are similarly exposed due to public key disclosure. Ethereum has maintained an official post-quantum migration plan since 2018, with four full-time teams and over ten independent development groups, and operates a dedicated progress website at pq.ethereum.org. In contrast, Bitcoin currently lacks a unified roadmap for quantum resistance: existing proposals such as BIP-360 and BitMEX Research’s detection framework have not gained broad support among core developers. Prominent Bitcoin advocate Nic Carter has bluntly labeled Bitcoin’s quantum response “the worst,” while Blockstream CEO Adam Back acknowledges that current quantum systems remain confined to laboratory settings—but still endorses deploying optional upgrade paths in advance. Analysts note that Bitcoin’s decentralized governance culture makes coordinating large-scale security upgrades extremely difficult, and resolving historical issues—such as how to handle Satoshi’s holdings—presents a particularly thorny dilemma. A related Google paper warns that once quantum attacks become feasible, the window for effective response may already have closed.
North Korea’s Lazarus Group Launches macOS Malware Attack
According to CoinDesk, the North Korean hacking group Lazarus Group has launched a new macOS-targeted campaign dubbed “Mach-O Man,” aimed at executives and institutions within high-value sectors such as cryptocurrency and fintech. The attack employs a social engineering technique called “ClickFix” to trick victims into pasting commands into their Mac Terminal, thereby granting attackers access to corporate systems, SaaS platforms, and financial resources. CertiK researchers stated that “Mach-O Man” is a modular macOS malware toolkit developed by Lazarus Group, now also adopted by other cybercriminal groups. It often self-deletes before victims detect it, complicating attribution and detection. Additionally, attackers have already carried out this campaign by hijacking DeFi project domains and replacing legitimate Cloudflare messages with fake ones.
Jefferies: KelpDAO Security Incident May Slow Down Wall Street's Blockchain Deployment
Odaily News Wall Street investment bank Jefferies' analysis indicates that the approximately $293 million attack on Kelp DAO on April 18 exposed critical infrastructure risks, which may prompt traditional financial institutions to reassess the pace of blockchain and tokenization advancement.Jefferies believes the attacker triggered market sell-offs and liquidity stress by minting unbacked tokens and borrowing across platforms. The incident is suspected to be potentially linked to the Lazarus Group and also highlights the single point of failure in the validation mechanisms of cross-chain bridges. As institutions accelerate the tokenization of assets (such as funds, bonds, and deposits), related risks may cause some banks and asset management firms to temporarily pause deployments, prioritizing a review of system security. Especially in scenarios reliant on cross-chain infrastructure, security vulnerabilities could lead to market fragmentation, undermining the practical utility of tokenized assets.Despite short-term confidence being shaken, Jefferies still emphasizes that the long-term trend remains unchanged. Against the backdrop of regulatory progress and continuous infrastructure improvement, use cases like stablecoins still hold growth potential. However, the industry as a whole is still in its early development stage and requires time to enhance system robustness. (CoinDesk)
Kelp DAO Counters LayerZero’s Attribution of the $290M rsETH Vulnerability
According to CoinDesk, Kelp DAO will dispute LayerZero’s explanation of the $290 million rsETH cross-chain bridge vulnerability, stating that the compromised single-validator configuration relied on LayerZero’s own infrastructure and that this setup was part of LayerZero’s default integration—rather than a custom choice by Kelp DAO violating recommended practices. The attacker stole approximately 116,500 rsETH by compromising the servers LayerZero used to verify cross-chain transactions and disrupting its fallback nodes. Kelp DAO emphasized that the incident affected only the LayerZero-based bridging layer, leaving its core liquidity re-staking contracts unimpacted. LayerZero subsequently responded by announcing it would cease signing messages for any applications using a single-validator configuration and would mandate secure migration.
Kelp DAO Cross-Chain Bridge Attacked, ~$292M rsETH Stolen
According to CoinDesk, Kelp DAO’s LayerZero-based cross-chain bridge was attacked, with the attacker withdrawing 116,500 rsETH—worth approximately $292 million at current prices, or roughly 18% of its circulating supply. This incident has become the largest DeFi attack of 2026 to date. In response, Aave, SparkLend, and Fluid have frozen rsETH-related markets, and Lido Finance has suspended new deposits into its earnETH product. Kelp DAO stated it is jointly investigating the incident with LayerZero, auditing firms, and external security experts.
Anchorage Digital Partners with M0 to Build Next-Generation Compliant Stablecoin Issuance Infrastructure
Anchorage Digital has announced a partnership with stablecoin infrastructure protocol M0 to jointly develop a next-generation compliant stablecoin issuance and management system aligned with the U.S. regulatory framework. Anchorage Digital plans to expand its issuance platform capabilities by integrating M0's modular stablecoin protocol, providing institutional clients with infrastructure support to issue stablecoins under the U.S. regulatory system.M0 allows institutions to issue and manage stablecoins based on demand and has already partnered with several payment and crypto platforms, including Stripe, MoonPay, and MetaMask. The protocol supports a highly modular design, enabling various types of institutions—including fintech companies, exchanges, and payment service providers—to quickly issue their own stablecoins. (CoinDesk)
Germany AllUnity Expands Euro Stablecoin EURAU to Solana
AllUnity, a joint venture backed by DWS, Flow Traders, and Galaxy Digital, announced the expansion of its Euro-denominated stablecoin EURAU, which complies with the EU's MiCA regulatory framework, to the Solana blockchain network. This move aims to enhance the efficiency of on-chain Euro transfers and support compliant financial applications.EURAU was first launched on Ethereum in July last year, backed by 100% reserves and issued under the EU's e-money regulatory framework. By integrating with Solana, AllUnity seeks to leverage its high-performance network to achieve faster settlement speeds and lower transaction costs, enabling businesses and developers to complete on-chain Euro transfers within seconds.This mechanism can be widely applied in areas such as cross-border payments, transaction settlement, lending, and corporate treasury management. For instance, payment companies can execute real-time payments to overseas contractors without waiting days for traditional bank transfers to settle. (CoinDesk)
Hyperliquid Eyes Prediction Market, Plans to Explore Zero Opening Fee Model to Challenge Polymarket
Hyperliquid is accelerating its entry into the prediction market arena, planning to compete with platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi through a newly launched "outcome tokens" mechanism.According to the recently disclosed fee structure, Hyperliquid adopts a "zero fee for opening positions, fees for closing or settlement" model for event trading, covering scenarios such as minting, trading, burning, and settlement. The platform also offers lower transaction costs for "aligned quote tokens," including market-making rebate increases and fee discount mechanisms. This feature will be introduced through the HIP-4 upgrade, enabling users to trade binary contracts based on real-world events within a single account, integrated with the existing spot and perpetual contract system to form a unified trading environment.The prediction market has grown rapidly in recent years, with total trading volume exceeding $63.5 billion in 2025. Hyperliquid's previously launched HIP-3 has driven its permissionless perpetual contract market to account for over 35% of the platform's trading volume. Currently, event tokens are still in the testnet phase, and the mainnet launch date has not yet been announced. However, the industry widely expects this to become a crucial infrastructure for Hyperliquid to challenge the existing prediction market landscape. (CoinDesk)
Blockchain financial company Fence completes $20 million funding round, led by Galaxy Digital
blockchain financial company Fence has announced the completion of a $20 million new funding round, led by Galaxy Digital, with participation from Parafi Capital and Crane Venture Partners. Fence is dedicated to leveraging blockchain and tokenization technology to transform the back-office processes of the asset-backed finance market, primarily focusing on the operational layer of structured credit transactions, including loan pool tracking, collateral verification, and cash flow management. Fence emphasizes that it does not define itself as a blockchain company, but rather uses blockchain as back-office infrastructure to automatically manage cash, collateral, and transaction rules through smart contracts, and to tokenize loan positions when necessary to enhance liquidity and automation. (CoinDesk)
CFTC Chairman: AI to Be Used for Reviewing US Crypto Market Registration Applications and Enhancing Market Surveillance
CFTC Chairman Mike Selig, in an interview with CoinDesk, stated that the CFTC is developing tools leveraging AI to review registration applications for the U.S. crypto market and monitor trading activity. Mike Selig noted that due to federal government layoffs, which have reduced the agency's workforce by more than one-fifth, AI and automation technologies will be used to fill the manpower gap and improve the efficiency of document review. Currently, his employees are undergoing training on Microsoft Copilot, while the agency is also developing internal tools for reviewing swaps data and market surveillance.Furthermore, Mike Selig stated that the digital asset classification guide jointly released by the CFTC and the SEC is the most important initiative during his tenure, aimed at providing regulatory clarity for market participants. Regarding prediction markets, Mike Selig reiterated the CFTC's exclusive jurisdiction and emphasized that strict enforcement actions will be taken against violations such as insider trading.
Ondo Finance Launches Proxy Voting Functionality for Holders of Over 250 Tokenized Securities
According to CoinDesk, Ondo Finance has partnered with Broadridge to introduce proxy voting functionality for holders of over 250 tokenized securities on its platform. Users can log in to Broadridge’s ProxyVote system via their crypto wallets to review corporate documents and submit voting preferences. The total market value of stocks and ETF tokens currently issued on its Global Markets platform exceeds $700 million. Ondo stated that while these tokens do not directly confer shareholder rights, the platform can consider investors’ voting preferences when exercising voting rights on the underlying shares it holds.
Related news
Paradigm Partner Proposes PACTs Mechanism to Provide Protection Path for Quantum-Vulnerable Bitcoin Addresses
Odaily Odaily, Dan Robinson, General Partner at Paradigm, has proposed "Provable Address Control Timestamps" (PACTs) mechanism, aiming to provide a protection path for Bitcoin addresses under the potential threat of quantum computing. The scheme allows coin holders to generate on-chain commitments using address control proofs via BIP-322, combined with a random salt value. It utilizes OpenTimestamps for temporal anchoring, establishing proof of ownership without revealing wallet information. If quantum-vulnerable addresses are frozen in the future through a soft fork, users can submit STARK zero-knowledge proofs when spending to unlock assets. The mechanism also offers a potential recovery path for wallets derived based on BIP-32, but its implementation still relies on Bitcoin introducing STARK verification capabilities and obtaining community consensus. (CoinDesk)
Analysis: Bitcoin Rises Above $77,000 but Remains Range-Bound
According to CoinDesk, Bitcoin (BTC) edged up slightly on Friday, rising 1.25% to approximately $77,250 since 00:00 UTC, yet it remains range-bound between $75,000 and $80,000 since April 19. Futures funding rates are predominantly negative, indicating traders continue favoring short positions on rallies; Bitcoin futures open interest stands at roughly $19 billion—essentially flat week-on-week—with a 3-month annualized basis of 1.5%. In the options market, sentiment leans bullish: call options accounted for 58% of options volume over the past 24 hours, and demand for downside protection has eased.
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)
North Korean hackers spent months meeting Drift Protocol employees in person before stealing $285 million
North Korean spies spent months conducting multiple in-person meetings with Drift Protocol employees before executing one of the largest social engineering attacks against a crypto protocol, stealing $285 million. According to TRM Labs data, losses attributed to North Korean hackers accounted for 76% of total crypto hack losses in 2026. (CoinDesk)
Anchorage Digital Partners with M0 to Build Next-Generation Compliant Stablecoin Issuance Infrastructure
Anchorage Digital has announced a partnership with stablecoin infrastructure protocol M0 to jointly develop a next-generation compliant stablecoin issuance and management system aligned with the U.S. regulatory framework. Anchorage Digital plans to expand its issuance platform capabilities by integrating M0's modular stablecoin protocol, providing institutional clients with infrastructure support to issue stablecoins under the U.S. regulatory system.M0 allows institutions to issue and manage stablecoins based on demand and has already partnered with several payment and crypto platforms, including Stripe, MoonPay, and MetaMask. The protocol supports a highly modular design, enabling various types of institutions—including fintech companies, exchanges, and payment service providers—to quickly issue their own stablecoins. (CoinDesk)
Bessent: U.S. Authorities Have Seized Nearly $500 Million in Iranian Cryptocurrency Assets
According to CoinDesk, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the United States has seized nearly $500 million in Iranian crypto assets as part of “Operation Economic Fury.”