Crypto World
Blockchain.com Expands into Ghana After 700% Nigerian Trading Growth
Blockchain.com is expanding its footprint in Africa with a launch in Ghana, deepening a regional push that has already shown strong traction in Nigeria over the past year. The company said it plans to offer Ghanaian users access to its trading platform as it builds out local infrastructure and pursues additional markets across the continent. The Nigeria rollout revealed robust demand, with the brokerage transaction volume up by more than 700% and trading activity centered on Bitcoin (BTC) (BTC) (CRYPTO: BTC), Tether (USDT) (USDT) (CRYPTO: USDT), and Tron (TRX) (TRX) (CRYPTO: TRX).
The Ghana expansion follows a period of rising activity ahead of a formal launch, with the company reporting a 140% increase in active users in the country over the past year and an 80% jump in transaction volumes. Blockchain.com stressed that its strategy in Ghana centers on building out local compliance and regulatory engagement, including a local compliance representation position. The move underscores a broader objective: to accelerate its regional infrastructure, forge partnerships with local payment rails, and position Ghana as a gateway to additional African markets.
“We are actively collaborating with Ghanaian officials and regulators to help build a regulatory framework and have already established local compliance representation in Ghana,” a Blockchain.com spokesperson told Cointelegraph. The emphasis on regulatory alignment mirrors a wider industry trend as exchanges seek clearer paths to operate within increasingly formal oversight regimes across the continent.
The company highlighted the importance of integrating with Ghana’s mobile money ecosystem, noting that such rails are a cornerstone of its strategy in the region. With mobile payments deeply embedded in everyday commerce, the ability to settle trades and fund wallets through popular mobile money channels is viewed as a key driver of uptake for digital assets among a broader cross-section of the population.
Blockchain.com’s Ghana announcement sits within a larger narrative of Sub-Saharan Africa’s rapid crypto growth. The firm already operates in more than 70 jurisdictions globally and has signaled plans to pursue additional African markets as part of a long-term growth plan. That strategy aligns with data from Chainalysis, which shows Sub-Saharan Africa emerging as a hotbed of on-chain activity. The region logged more than $205 billion in on-chain crypto value between July 2024 and June 2025, up 52% from the previous year, placing it among the world’s fastest-growing markets. Nigeria dominates that activity, accounting for more than $92 billion in on-chain value during the same period, with South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Ghana following closely behind.
The Ghana push also resonates with broader discussions about crypto as a tool for remittances and cross-border payments. At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Vera Songwe, a former United Nations official, noted that stablecoins are increasingly used to reduce remittance costs, which traditionally run around $6 per $100 sent. In economies grappling with inflation and uneven access to traditional banking, such digital dollar alternatives are gaining appeal as faster, cheaper settlement mechanisms. Songwe’s remarks reflect a growing consensus among policymakers and researchers that digital assets can complement, rather than replace, existing financial systems when properly regulated and integrated.
Beyond Lagos and Nairobi, Africa’s crypto narrative features voices like Africa Bitcoin Corporation founder Stafford Masie, who has argued that Bitcoin is already serving as everyday money in some communities. Masie told the Coin Stories podcast that merchants in certain local economies accept satoshis for goods and services, underscoring a level of grassroots adoption that is outpacing formal channels in parts of the continent. This angle—where crypto acts as day-to-day currency rather than solely as a store of value—adds nuance to the Ghanaian expansion and the continent’s longer-term potential as a regional crypto hub.
Industry observers also point to regional price dynamics and currency volatility as catalysts for crypto uptake. Data from Borderless.xyz indicated that Africa recorded the highest median stablecoin-to-fiat conversion spreads among tracked regions in February, highlighting both demand for dollar-denominated liquidity and the challenges of local fiat markets. Taken together with Chainalysis’ Africa-focused data and Masie’s observations, the Ghana launch can be read as part of a broader pattern in which crypto infrastructure—paired with accessible payments rails—helps broaden financial options for a population that remains largely mobile-first and cash-centric in many communities.
Blockchain.com’s expansion in Ghana comes amid a wider push by global crypto exchanges to establish local footprints across Africa. The Ghana launch—backed by public relations coverage from PR Newswire—signals a willingness to engage with regulators and to tailor product offerings to local conditions. While the practical rollout will hinge on a complex mix of licensing, compliance, and partnerships, the company’s statements emphasize a pragmatic approach: build the necessary regulatory bridges, invest in regional teams, and connect digital assets to existing payment ecosystems to support everyday use cases.
Crypto adoption grows across Sub-Saharan Africa
Crypto use has surged in Sub-Saharan Africa in recent years. Chainalysis’ data for the 12-month period ending mid-2025 shows the region accumulating substantial on-chain value, with Nigeria taking the lead in absolute terms. South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Ghana are among the other notable centers of activity. Analysts say this demand is driven by cross-border remittances, currency volatility, and a youthful, mobile-first user base seeking access to financial services beyond traditional banks. The Ghana launch sits at the intersection of these dynamics, offering a test case for how a major platform can adapt its services to a regulatory environment and to local payment rails that shape user behavior.
In Davos, Songwe emphasized that stablecoins can offer meaningful improvements in remittance costs and speed, potentially reshaping how money moves across borders in Africa. The combination of lower fees, faster settlement, and broader digital adoption may accelerate not only trading and savings but also merchant adoption as more businesses accept digital assets as payment. The narrative around stablecoins, remittances, and cross-border rails is increasingly central to how policymakers, fintechs, and asset providers view Africa’s crypto opportunity.
As Africa’s crypto story unfolds, Masie’s remarks about Bitcoin as a practical medium of exchange in some regions illuminate a reality that policymakers and investors are watching closely. If more communities begin to adopt crypto for day-to-day transactions, the demand for user-friendly products, local-language support, and compliant, regionally integrated services could rise quickly. For Blockchain.com and similar firms, the Ghana market represents both a proving ground and a springboard for broader regional expansion, where the combination of regulatory clarity, accessible payment rails, and culturally aware service design could accelerate crypto’s mainstream viability on the continent.
Why it matters
The Ghana expansion, alongside Nigeria’s sustained growth, demonstrates that Africa is not merely a speculative backdrop for crypto, but a dynamic testing ground for real-world use cases. Building out local compliance structures and engaging with regulators signals a shift from offshore operations toward regionally anchored models that can adapt to diverse regulatory regimes. For users, this could translate into more reliable access to trading, wallets, and payments that work with familiar mobile money platforms, reducing friction and increasing trust in digital assets.
From an industry perspective, the Ghana launch reinforces the importance of partnerships with payment providers and local banks to unlock liquidity and enable quick settlement. It also underscores the need for clear regulatory frameworks that protect consumers while allowing innovation to flourish. The combination of on-chain growth data, grassroots adoption, and the ongoing push for settlement efficiency suggests a longer-term trajectory where crypto services become embedded in everyday financial activity across Sub-Saharan Africa.
For builders and policymakers, the initiative highlights the critical balance between market access and compliance. As the region navigates licensing regimes, data privacy, and anti-money-laundering standards, a measured, transparent approach will determine whether crypto becomes a durable feature of Africa’s financial architecture or a transient trend. The Ghana moment should be read as part of a broader continental arc—one that could redefine how people in many economies access, move, and use digital value.
What to watch next
- Regulatory milestones in Ghana: licensing decisions, local governance structures, and the pace of market onboarding.
- Speed and scope of mobile-money integrations: new payment rails, KYC requirements, and onboarding timelines for retail users.
- Additional African market entries by Blockchain.com and peers, including partner networks and regional hubs.
- Post-launch adoption metrics in Ghana: active users, transaction volumes, and the mix of assets traded.
Sources & verification
- Blockchain.com Ghana launch press release and regional expansion statements (PR Newswire).
- Chainalysis report on Sub-Saharan Africa on-chain activity and regional growth (September report referenced).
- Vera Songwe remarks on stablecoins and remittances at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
- African crypto insights from Stafford Masie’s Coin Stories interview on Bitcoin as everyday money.
- Borderless.xyz data showing stablecoin-to-fiat conversion spreads by region (February).
Blockchain.com expands in Ghana as Africa strategy accelerates
Blockchain.com is expanding its Africa footprint with a formal push into Ghana, a move described by the company as a continuation of its strategy to grow beyond markets where it already operates. The Ghana initiative follows Nigeria’s rapid uptake, where the platform launched retail operations last year and reported a more than sevenfold rise in brokerage activity. In Nigeria, traders have prioritized Bitcoin (BTC) (BTC) (CRYPTO: BTC), Tether (USDT) (USDT) (CRYPTO: USDT), and Tron (TRX) (TRX) (CRYPTO: TRX), reflecting broad appetite for major digital assets as users experiment with wallets, trading, and payments on the go.
The Ghana plan emphasizes a local presence—comprising regulatory engagement, regional leadership, and partnerships with payment rails—that could accelerate user onboarding and broaden access to digital assets in a country where mobile money is deeply entrenched in daily life. The company’s stance is to establish a regulated, compliant operating framework from the outset, a strategy that aligns with global trends toward clearer oversight as crypto markets mature across the region.
Industry observers note that Africa’s crypto surge has a distinct social dimension. Chainalysis data show that Nigeria remains a dominant driver of on-chain activity for the continent, but the growth story extends beyond a single country. The $205 billion on-chain value figure for the region underscores the scale of activity and the potential for service providers that can offer user-friendly interfaces, robust security, and accessible funding and withdrawal channels to attract a broader base of customers who previously relied on informal channels for cross-border payments and savings.
From a macro perspective, the Ghana launch comes at a time when policymakers are increasingly evaluating how to balance innovation with consumer protection. Songwe’s Davos remarks about stablecoins and remittances reflect a recurring theme: digital currencies can lower costs and speed settlements for cross-border flows, provided that stablecoin issuance, custody, and compliance frameworks are designed with local realities in mind. In practice, this means building partnerships with local banks and payment processors and cultivating a regulatory environment that supports responsible crypto usage while preserving financial stability.
Masie’s account of Bitcoin’s role in some African communities adds texture to the Ghana narrative. If merchants already accept satoshis in daily transactions in parts of the continent, then the Ghana expansion could unlock practical uses beyond speculation, reinforcing the case for a networked economy where crypto acts as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, existing financial channels. In parallel, the ongoing discourse around stablecoins and on-chain liquidity continues to shape how fintechs approach product design, risk management, and customer education as they roll out new services in the region.
Ethereum price consolidates near the point of control after rejecting $4,800 resistance. Market Auction Theory suggests a potential rotation toward $870, risking a drop below $1,000.
Summary
- Range Structure: Ethereum trades within a macro range between $4,800 resistance and $870 support.
- Current Level: Price consolidating near the point of control (POC).
- Downside Risk: Market Auction Theory favors rotation toward $870, risking a move below $1,000.
Ethereum (ETH) price is currently trading within a large macro trading range that has defined price behavior over an extended period. The upper boundary of this range sits near $4,800, while the lower boundary is positioned around $870.
This broad structure has acted as the framework for Ethereum’s price action as the market continues to rotate between areas of high and low value.
Ethereum price key technical points
- Range Structure: Ethereum continues to trade within a macro range between $4,800 resistance and $870 support.
- Point of Control: Price is currently consolidating around the POC, a major equilibrium level.
- Downside Target: Market Auction Theory suggests a potential rotation toward the $870 range low.
Ethereum’s rejection from the range high resistance near $4,800 marked a significant technical development for the broader market structure. Range highs often act as areas of heavy supply where sellers begin to step into the market. When price is unable to sustain acceptance above these levels, it typically signals that bullish momentum is weakening and that a corrective rotation may follow.
Following the rejection at resistance, Ethereum’s price rotated lower and has now returned to the point of control, which represents the area where the highest volume within the range has been traded. The POC often functions as a magnet for price during periods of consolidation because it reflects a fair value zone where both buyers and sellers previously agreed on price.
At the moment, Ethereum is attempting to hold above this level as the market enters a short-term consolidation phase. From a technical standpoint, it is common for price to temporarily stabilize around the POC before deciding on the next directional move. In many cases, this area can provide a short-term bounce or relief rally as buyers attempt to defend the equilibrium zone.
This comes as BMNR shares climbed over 4% on Monday, revisiting the key $20 resistance as Ethereum rebounded and the company continued accumulating, highlighting renewed interest in Ethereum-linked assets.
However, when analyzing the broader structure through the lens of Market Auction Theory, the larger directional bias may still favor further downside. This theory suggests that once price loses acceptance near the value area high, the market often seeks to rotate toward the value area low, where the next significant liquidity pool exists.
In Ethereum’s current structure, the value area high aligns closely with the previous rejection near $4,800, while the value area low sits near the range low around $870. If the auction process continues to develop in this direction, the market may gradually move lower as price searches for the next major area of value.
Such a move would place Ethereum below the psychological $1,000 level, which represents an important milestone for traders and investors. Psychological price levels often act as areas where market sentiment can shift quickly, particularly if broader bearish conditions remain intact.
However, rising institutional accumulation of Ethereum signals growing confidence in the asset and renewed momentum for the expansion of decentralized finance, which could influence long-term market sentiment despite short-term downside risks.
Another factor supporting the downside scenario is the broader macro market structure. Ethereum’s inability to sustain higher highs within the range suggests that bullish momentum remains limited. Until a strong structural breakout occurs, the dominant market behavior is likely to remain rotational rather than trending.
What to expect in the coming price action
Ethereum is currently holding near the point of control, where short-term consolidation or a temporary bounce may occur. However, the broader market structure remains bearish following the rejection at $4,800 resistance.
If Market Auction Theory continues to play out, price may gradually rotate toward the range low near $870, increasing the probability that Ethereum could trade below $1,000 in the coming weeks or months.
A Swiss-regulated crypto bank has joined a European Union–backed, blockchain-based settlement venue for tokenized securities, signaling a step toward weaving digital asset infrastructure into traditional capital markets. Zug-based Amina announced it is becoming a listing sponsor on 21X, Europe’s first fully regulated DLT trading and settlement venue, making the bank the platform’s inaugural regulated participant. The move aligns with Amina’s partnership with Tokeny, a Luxembourg-based provider of technology for issuing and managing tokenized financial assets, enabling issuers to access a regulated path to on-chain securities. The collaboration aims to tackle a long-standing hurdle for institutional adoption: the interoperability of tokenized-asset platforms within a regulated ecosystem. 21X, operating under the EU’s DLT pilot regime, received an infrastructure permit in December 2024 to run a regulated market for blockchain-based securities in a regulatory sandbox.
The push to connect regulated banks with tokenized issuances and trading comes amid a broader push to demonstrate viable, compliant on-chain markets. Industry observers have long pointed to the challenge of cross-platform interoperability as a bottleneck to scale. A Baker McKenzie analysis cited in June ascribes the obstacle to the “lack of interoperability of tokenized asset platforms,” arguing that scale will only be achieved when multiple market players transact across common or interconnected venues. In that context, Amina’s participation on 21X could help test how a conventional bank operates within a regulated blockchain venue, potentially lowering both onboarding friction and counterparty risk for institutional issuers.
Launched in 2023, the EU’s DLT pilot regime is designed to provide a regulatory sandbox for experimenting with blockchain-based trading and settlement of financial instruments. Regulators use the framework to gauge how distributed-ledger technology could fit into existing market infrastructure before broad-scale adoption. While the pilot has sparked excitement about real-world applications, participants have warned that the regime’s current limits may hinder European on-chain markets from scaling to compete with other jurisdictions. The involvement of regulated banks like Amina will be watched closely as a potential signal of practical viability for the model.
The momentum around tokenized real-world assets remains notable. In the United States, major financial institutions such as BNY Mellon, Nasdaq, and S&P Global have supported the expansion of the Canton Network, underscoring growing interest in interoperable, permissioned blockchains for finance. In Europe, venues like 21X are being tested under the EU’s DLT pilot regime to determine how regulated participants might issue, manage, and trade tokenized securities in a controlled environment. In February, eight EU-regulated digital-asset companies publicly urged policymakers to accelerate legislation, warning that delays could leave Europe trailing the United States and other markets in tokenized-finance development.
The market for tokenized real-world assets has drawn attention to the breadth of potential applications. Data from RWA.xyz places the total value of tokenized real-world assets at about $26.5 billion, illustrating the scale of interest across asset classes and geographies. The industry has already witnessed notable milestones: Kraken’s tokenized-securities trading on its xStocks platform opened to European users, offering blockchain-based versions of US-listed equities, and Liechtenstein’s Ondo secured regulatory approval to provide tokenized equities to European investors. These developments, alongside ongoing regulatory dialogue and the expansion of regulated venues, paint a picture of a market moving from pilot-stage experimentation toward incremental adoption among institutions.
As the ecosystem evolves, observers will watch for concrete indicators of broader participation, including more banks endorsing on-chain settlement rails, issuers selecting 21X or other regulated venues for tokenized outcomes, and the pace at which interoperable standards emerge across platforms. While it remains to be seen how quickly tokenization can scale to the level of traditional capital markets, Amina’s entry into 21X marks a meaningful data point in the ongoing journey toward regulated, institution-friendly on-chain markets.
Related: Crypto exchanges gain as tokenized commodity market climbs to $7.7B
Strong growth of tokenized real-world assets
The trajectory of tokenized assets is underscored by ongoing institutional interest in blockchain infrastructure for asset tokenization. In the United States, major participants have backed initiatives to broaden tokenization-enabled markets, while Europe continues to experiment with regulated venues such as 21X. The push toward interoperability and compliant issuance remains central to unlocking scale, even as regulators balance innovation with investor protection.
In September, Kraken launched tokenized securities trading for European users via its xStocks platform, which provides blockchain-based representations of US-listed equities. Two months later, Ondo received regulatory approval in Liechtenstein to offer tokenized equities trading to European investors, signaling continued momentum in Europe’s tokenization efforts.
The broader market narrative remains anchored in tangible data points. Market trackers show tokenized real-world assets expanding beyond niche pilots, with more institutions evaluating how tokenization can streamline issuance, custody, and settlement within regulated frameworks. Still, industry participants emphasize that any acceleration will depend on the creation of interoperable networks and clear regulatory guidance that harmonizes cross-border flows.
At the same time, the conversation around tokenization continues to reference the European DLT pilot regime as a proving ground for governance, risk controls, and settlement mechanics. Critics caution that the framework’s current scope may constrain full-scale on-chain markets in Europe, yet proponents see it as a crucial early step toward a more resilient, regulated digital-asset infrastructure.
Why it matters
For market participants, Amina’s entrance into 21X represents more than a symbolic endorsement of on-chain infrastructure. It signals that a regulated bank is willing to operate within a tokenized-securities venue, bringing traditional counterparty risk management, custody standards, and KYC/AML processes into an on-chain trading and settlement workflow. If the model proves scalable, issuers looking to tokenize real-world assets—ranging from securities to structured-finance instruments—could gain a more predictable path to access capital markets through regulated environments rather than ad hoc private ledgers.
For platform operators, the first fully regulated bank participant underscores the importance of robust interoperability and compliance layers. The Baker McKenzie citation underscores a recurring industry theme: that scaling tokenization requires a network of interoperable platforms rather than isolated silos. The involvement of regulated banks may incentivize other actors to participate, potentially driving higher liquidity and broader issuance on platforms like 21X.
For investors, the evolution of tokenized markets within regulated contexts could translate into clearer risk controls and more familiar governance structures. Regulators’ continued experimentation—paired with industry participation—may reduce friction around custody, settlement finality, and cross-border access, all of which have historically deterred large institutions from engaging with tokenized assets.
What to watch next
- Progress on 21X’s regulatory milestones, including any new listing sponsors or issuances on the venue.
- Additional banks or financial institutions joining regulated blockchain trading and settlement rails in Europe.
- Regulatory developments affecting the EU DLT pilot regime and cross-border tokenization standards.
- Tokeny’s integration pipeline and any new issuer programs enabling tokenized securities under regulated frameworks.
- Updates to market data on tokenized real-world assets, including new asset classes and liquidity indicators.
Sources & verification
- Announcement of Amina becoming the listing sponsor on 21X, via BusinessWire: AMINA Becomes First Regulated Bank on 21X Europe’s First Fully Regulated DLT Trading and Settlement Venue.
- Baker McKenzie, tokenization in financial services analysis on interoperability and scale.
- EU DLT pilot regime background and regulatory sandbox description.
- RWA.xyz data on the tokenized real-world asset market size ($26.5 billion).
- Related coverage on tokenized securities and regulated venues (Kraken xStocks, Ondo Liechtenstein approval).
Key narrative details
Editor’s note: A US federal court’s dismissal of all Anti-Terrorism Act claims against Binance marks a definitive legal vindication for the company. In a 62-page decision, the court found no evidence that Binance aided terrorists, participated in, or conspired with terrorist organizations, despite claims by 535 plaintiffs alleging material support related to 64 terrorist attacks. The ruling reinforces Binance’s stated commitment to compliance, governance, and constructive engagement with regulators worldwide, and signals that the company will vigorously defend its reputation and operations.
Key points
- The court dismissed all Anti-Terrorism Act claims against Binance in the case, across every allegation.
- The court found no evidence Binance aided terrorists, linked itself to attacks, or conspired with terrorist organizations.
- The ruling addresses claims by 535 plaintiffs alleging material support related to 64 terrorist attacks.
- While plaintiffs may seek to amend, Binance emphasizes it will defend its position and will continue to engage with regulators.
This dismissal is a complete vindication of all false allegations.
Why this matters
The ruling delivers a decisive legal victory and underlines Binance’s ongoing investment in compliance infrastructure, regulatory engagement, and robust governance. It reinforces that Binance’s operations do not support terrorism in any form and provides a clear clarification to the market about the company’s posture and risk controls.
What to watch next
- Whether plaintiffs file an amended complaint within the 60-day window.
- Binance’s ongoing regulatory engagement worldwide and governance actions.
Disclosure: The content below is a press release provided by the company/PR representative. It is published for informational purposes.
US Federal Court Dismisses All Claims Against Binance in Anti – Terrorism Lawsuit
Court rejects allegations that Binance assisted, participated in, or conspired with terrorists. This represents a decisive legal dismissal of all claims
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by registered users, announced today that a U.S. federal court in the Southern District of New York has dismissed all claims brought against the company under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). The lawsuit involved 535 plaintiffs who alleged that Binance provided material support related to 64 terrorist attacks.
In a 62-page decision, the Court found that plaintiffs failed to establish any of their central allegations: that Binance assisted terrorists, that Binance associated itself with terrorist attacks, that Binance participated in or sought to advance those attacks, or that Binance engaged in any conspiracy with terrorist organizations.
“This dismissal is a complete vindication of all false allegations,” said Eleanor Hughes, Binance’s General Counsel. “The court has unambiguously rejected the false and damaging narrative that Binance assisted terrorists. We have always maintained that these claims were without merit, and today’s ruling confirms that. We will continue to defend ourselves aggressively against any litigation or reporting that misrepresents who we are and how we operate.”
A Full and Complete Legal Victory
The Court’s decision to dismiss all claims, across every allegation, represents a decisive legal victory.
While the Court has allowed plaintiffs 60 days to file an amended complaint in light of a recent appellate decision, Binance is confident that no amended pleading will be able to cure the fundamental deficiencies the Court identified. The underlying claims have been thoroughly examined and rejected.
Commitment to Compliance and Legal Integrity
Binance has consistently invested in industry-leading compliance infrastructure, regulatory engagement, and legal governance. Today’s ruling affirms that Binance’s operations do not support, facilitate, or enable terrorism in any form.
The company will continue to engage constructively with regulators worldwide, operate within established legal frameworks, and pursue vigorous legal action where necessary to correct false and misleading narratives about its business.
About Binance
Binance is a leading global blockchain ecosystem behind the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and registered users. Binance is trusted by more than 310 million people in 100+ countries for its industry-leading security, transparency, and unmatched portfolio of digital asset products. For more information, visit: https://www.binance.com
Nasdaq said it is working with Boerse Stuttgart Group’s tokenized settlement platform Seturion to connect its European trading venues to infrastructure designed to settle tokenized securities using distributed ledger technology.
According to Monday’s announcement, the collaboration will initially focus on structured products and aims to support faster settlement of tokenized assets across European capital markets.
Seturion supports multiple asset classes across public and private distributed ledger networks and allows transactions to be settled using either central bank money or on-chain cash. Boerse Stuttgart said the platform is intended to be open to a broader network of financial institutions across Europe.
Under the partnership, Nasdaq will link its European trading venues to Seturion so that tokenized securities traded on those markets can be settled through the platform. The companies said they plan to expand participation to additional issuers, brokers and financial institutions over time.
The partnership aims to address fragmentation in Europe’s post-trade infrastructure, where securities settlement is handled by multiple national systems with differing rules and processes. By using distributed ledger technology, the companies say a shared platform could help reduce settlement times and operational complexity across European markets.
The European Central Bank in April said there was “an urgent need to integrate Europe’s fragmented capital markets, not only in the area of post-trade but also in supervision and other areas.”
The system is designed to operate within existing European regulatory frameworks, including MiFID II and the DLT Pilot Regime, which allow financial institutions to test distributed ledger technology in trading and settlement of tokenized securities.
In February, Boerse Stuttgart Group said it would merge its cryptocurrency business with Frankfurt-based digital asset trading company Tradias as part of a strategy to expand its presence in institutional crypto markets.
Related: Kraken wins Kansas City Fed approval for limited master account access
Traditional exchanges push deeper into tokenized securities
Exchange operators are increasingly exploring tokenized versions of traditional securities as part of efforts to modernize capital market infrastructure.
Nasdaq said today that it was partnering with Kraken, a US-headquartered crypto exchange, and tokenization infrastructure provider Backed to develop a gateway aimed at supporting tokenized equities while preserving issuer control.
In September, Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation said it plans to bring a subset of US Treasury securities onto the Canton Network, with the long-term goal of expanding tokenization to a broader range of assets eligible for custody at its subsidiary, the Depository Trust Company. The market infrastructure operator processed around $3.7 quadrillion in 2024.
In January, the New York Stock Exchange and its parent company Intercontinental Exchange said they were developing a platform for trading tokenized stocks and exchange-traded funds that would support 24/7 trading and blockchain-based settlement.
Last week, Intercontinental Exchange announced it had taken a board seat in OKX after investing in the crypto exchange and plans to offer NYSE-listed tokenized stocks and derivatives to OKX users starting in 2026.
Tokenized public equities have grown to about $1.01 billion in total onchain value, according to data from RWA.xyz.
Magazine: What’s a ‘Network State’ and are there real-life examples? Big Question
The crypto industry is entering a cycle of adjustment that has shifted from speculative behavior to structural fundamentals due, in part, to the passage of major legislation such as the GENIUS Act in the United States and MiCA in the EU. This shift places greater weight on how individual networks generate revenue, manage supply, and attract sustained user activity.
As a result, investors are increasingly examining protocol upgrades, token mechanics, and real usage metrics when assessing long-term price potential rather than relying on short-term narratives. In practical terms, that means looking at projects with real traction – so here are five that could break out in 2026 based on trading ranges, on-chain usage, and adoption trends.
HYPE and the $100 Scenario
Hyperliquid recently announced the HIP-3 upgrade, which adds gold and silver to the list of assets it covers. These changes helped the price of its native HYPE token rise to about $33. Some market watchers are suggesting it can eventually fly past its current all-time high of just under $60 and hit as much as $100 in 2026.
Looking at HYPE’s technical picture above reinforces this constructive fundamental view. For example, the 50-day exponential moving average is trending higher and could soon cross above the 200-day EMA. That would form a “golden cross,” a pattern many analysts view as a bullish buy signal.
Furthermore, the MACD has extended above its signal line on the daily chart, meaning there is increasing bullish momentum. The RSI is also around 60, which suggests strong buying pressure but still leaves room for more upside before the asset starts to look overbought.
But reaching $100 would require more than just price expansion. It would mean that volume growth, buybacks, and burns would continue, and there would be deeper liquidity across tokenized assets on Hyperliquid.
If the platform maintains its lead in on-chain derivatives and successfully integrates more institutional-grade margin tools, the token could consolidate its value. And based on its current volume profile, facilitating $2.6 trillion worth of trades in 2025, and market penetration, a move toward $100 before year-end is within the boundaries of fundamental growth – assuming the ecosystem continues to attract high-liquidity markets.
BNB’s $2,000 Target
Ranked as the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, BNB was trading near $640 as of this writing, nearly 54% off its peak. However, from a technical standpoint, the asset is showing early signs of stabilization after a downtrend that began toward the end of January.
The 10- and 20-day exponential moving averages were of special interest, with TradingView data showing them flattening out while the RSI climbed higher for the first time in several weeks. That implies the selling pressure may be reducing, with the reversal leading some supporters to suggest that the next bull run will push BNB to $2,000.
Price forecast estimates indicate that BNB is expected to increase gradually over time, with a near-term price target of $610 and an expected average price of $640–$820 at approximately the mid-point of the forecast horizon.
Analyst Duo Nine supports this scenario and anticipates the first price target for BNB will be just below $700. If that level is reclaimed, the market watchers believe $900 will be the threshold.
However, reaching $2,000 in 2026 would require that the BNB Chain register more activity on-chain, and there would also need to be more clarity about how regulators treat tokens linked to exchanges.
Solana to $300
A strong run at the tail end of last year gave traders hope that 2026 could be the year Solana (SOL) finally hits the $300 milestone.
The coin’s narrative revolves around withstanding change in the market and keeping a loyal developer base focused on high-throughput applications. According to recent data, the network has the second-largest market share in DeFi and has at times had more 24-hour DEX trading volume than Ethereum.
Over the past week, SOL has gained more than 9%, outpacing the broader market. According to chartist Ali Martinez, the coin is currently range-bound, with support at $76 and resistance around the $90 level. A move above $90 would signal a potential shift toward upside continuation, with analyst Crypto Patel suggesting last month that once SOL outgrows its corrective phase, it could go past $300, even hitting $500 or $1000.
But to reach these elevated price points, there needs to be continued development, a stable network with solid performance, and wider Layer 1 infrastructure usage, driven by the clarity of the regulatory environment in key markets.
However, it must also be noted that Ethereum and other fast chains remain highly competitive, and outages, as seen in the past, could also impact SOL’s risk profile, making it more difficult to pass the record-breaking price milestone.
Uniswap’s $20 Projection
The case for Uniswap (UNI) climbing to $20 was strengthened on December 25, 2025, when tokenholders voted to flip the protocol’s fee switch, allowing a portion of its revenue to be used for a buy-and-burn program.
The move means that some of Uniswap’s profits are now being used to raise the value of UNI, and the results have been clear: the token has gone up more than 17% in the last week, bringing it to just under $4.00, according to CoinGecko.
Another indicator to consider is Uniswap’s market cap to TVL ratio. UNI currently holds the 37th spot in terms of market cap, with a value of around $2.5 billion. Meanwhile, DefiLlama puts the platform’s TVL at $3.12 billion, giving a ratio of 0.81 and indicating that UNI is quite undervalued.
With the token’s worth now tied to measurable revenue and supply reduction, and given that fundamentals have not been priced in, there is some upside potential that could push UNI to $20. This is more so, given that Uniswap recently won full dismissal of a scam token class action lawsuit, with the judge ruling the platform cannot be held liable for the misconduct of third-party token issuers.
WFI to Reach $100?
WFI is the native token of the WeFi ecosystem, which is building core infrastructure for a fully on-chain financial system and decentralized on-chain banks (deobanks). Crowned as the digital bank of the year for 2025 by Finance Feeds, WeFi has pushed WFI’s strong performance in the market.
The initiative offers its users the opportunity to manage their own crypto assets and use numerous services related to conventional banking, such as payment processing, fund transfers across borders, and savings account options.
According to data from CoinGecko, WFI has had an eventful 12 months, gaining well over 400% in the timeframe, which pushed it to a new all-time high of $3.00 in January 2026.
That yearly rise stands in sharp contrast to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple’s XRP, which are all heavily in the red for the same period.
If WeFi keeps growing its user base, and corporate stablecoin settlements expand as management anticipates, WFI’s demand profile could change materially, taking it from $3 to $20, $50, and potentially $100 in 2026.
Zcash Open Development Lab, which Zcash devs formed after leaving Electric Coin Capital, raised funds from prominent crypto VCs.
The recently founded firm Zcash Open Development Lab (ZODL) — formed by the core developers of Zcash (ZEC) after they recently exited Electric Coin Capital — announced today, March 9, that it has secured over $25 million in seed funding to support the privacy-focused ecosystem.
A number of prominent venture capital firms and investors participated in the seed round, including Paradigm, a16z crypto, Winklevoss Capital, Coinbase Ventures, Cypherpunk Technologies, Maelstrom, Chapter One, Balaji Srinivasan, Haseeb Qureshi, and Mert.
In a separate X post today, the founder of ZODL and former CEO of ECC, Josh Swihart, explained the move, the recent organization shifts, and the org’s goals post-funding:
“ Ultimately, we intend to deliver a private, decentralized financial system as an alternative to legacy institutions. This funding allows us to bring these ambitions to life, without relying on Zcash dev fund grants to get there.”
The price of ZEC rallied nearly 10% to over $215 on the news, making it the second-best performer among the top-100 crypto assets today.
ECC to ZODL
The fundraising round marks a major milestone for the new firm, which formed after a governance dispute in January that resulted in the entire core development and leadership team at ECC leaving.
ECC’s wallet app, Zalshi — now rebranded to Zodl — was a key focus of the dispute, as ECC and the nonprofit board overseeing it, Bootstrap, disagreed about the app’s development strategy.
Under Swihart’s leadership, the former ECC team swiftly moved to form a new entity and wallet, which are effectively rebrands of ECC and Zalshi, respectively. Swihart also clarified at the time that the team had no intentions of leaving the Zcash ecosystem or its core development.
This article was generated with the assistance of AI workflows.
The Trump administration’s cybersecurity framework names cryptocurrency and blockchain as technologies requiring federal protection, a first for a U.S. presidential strategy document.
The White House recently published President Trump’s Cyber Strategy for America, which states that the administration will pursue “supporting the security of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies” as part of a broader effort to “build secure technologies and supply chains that protect user privacy from design to deployment.”
This marks the first time a U.S. presidential cybersecurity document has explicitly named blockchain as a protected technology class, placing it alongside post-quantum cryptography and AI in the administration’s national security priorities.
The document also contains language with potential enforcement implications for crypto, calling on the government to “uproot criminal infrastructure and deny financial exit and safe haven,” framing cybercrime and intellectual property theft as “some of the greatest threats to global economies.” The administration also signed a companion executive order on the same day targeting cybercrime and fraud, which is expected to shape how agencies enforce the policy.
On the regulatory side, it commits the administration to streamlining compliance burdens across the board, pledging to “streamline cyber regulations to reduce compliance burdens, address liability, and better align regulators and industry globally” so that “the private sector has the agility necessary to keep pace with rapidly evolving threats.”
For crypto, the bottom line is a dual message: recognition as critical infrastructure worthy of federal protection, paired with a signal that the administration will pursue the illicit finance channels that the industry has long struggled to police.
The PENGU token is up 7% in the past 24 hours.
Pudgy Penguins has officially launched Pudgy World, a free-to-play browser-based game.
Set across a fictional frozen landscape called The Berg, the game features 12 unique towns for players to explore. The central storyline tasks players with helping the character Pengu track down a missing friend named Polly, with mini-games woven throughout. The multiplayer setup means players can explore The Berg together in real time.
The launch marks a significant milestone for one of crypto’s most successful crossover brands. Pudgy Penguins was purchased by current CEO Luca Netz in 2022 and has since evolved from a forgotten relic of 2021’s NFT summer into one of the top collections in the NFT space.
What has set Pudgy Penguins apart from its peers is an aggressive push into mainstream consumer products. The brand’s IP coverage expanded steadily under Netz, with physical toys featured in Walmart and Amazon, a children’s book deal with Random House, and a mobile game called Pudgy Party, which became the top-ranked mobile racing game in Apple’s App Store within three days of its release.
The ecosystem’s PENGU token is up 7% in the past 24 hours, trading at a $440 million market capitalization.
Pudgy World is designed to bring the brand’s broad audience, spanning physical retail, social media, mobile gaming, and crypto, into a single, shared interactive space.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Traders compare crypto futures platforms as derivatives activity grows across major exchanges.
Summary
- Futures platforms BTCC, Binance, and Bybit differ in leverage, fees, and margin systems as derivatives trading grows.
- BTCC offers up to 500x leverage, compared with Bybit’s 200x and Binance’s 125x on major perpetual futures pairs.
- Binance, Bybit, and BTCC all provide USDT perpetual futures, but only Binance and Bybit offer coin-margined contracts.
Growing institutional and retail participation in cryptocurrency derivatives markets has prompted traders to examine the technical specifications of futures trading platforms more closely. Comparisons between BTCC, Binance, and Bybit reveal differences in leverage availability, trading costs, margin systems, and platform features.
Leverage and fees
Higher leverage allows traders to control larger positions with smaller margin deposits, but also increases the risk of liquidation when prices move against a position.
Bybit offers up to 200x, and Binance caps leverage at 125x on major perpetual futures pairs. BTCC offers the highest maximum leverage of the three platforms, at up to 500x on select perpetual futures contracts.
On maker fees — charged when a trader places a limit order that adds liquidity to the order book — Binance and Bybit both charge 0.02%, while BTCC charges 0.025%. On taker fees — charged when a trader executes a market order — Bybit charges the highest rate at 0.055%, followed by BTCC at 0.045% and Binance at 0.04%. All three platforms offer tiered fee structures in which higher trading volumes or account balances qualify users for reduced rates.
Contract types and margin modes
All three exchanges offer USDT-margined perpetual futures contracts, which settle in Tether (USDT). Binance and Bybit additionally offer coin-margined contracts, which allow traders to use cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ether as collateral. BTCC focuses on USDT perpetual contracts.
Cross-margin and isolated margin modes are available across all three platforms. Binance and Bybit also offer portfolio margin, which allows traders to offset positions and reduce capital requirements. BTCC does not list portfolio margin as a feature.
All three platforms maintain insurance funds intended to cover losses that exceed a trader’s margin balance during liquidation events. Each exchange also employs an auto-deleveraging mechanism, which reduces the positions of profitable traders when insurance funds cannot fully absorb a liquidation shortfall. Margin calls are issued across all three platforms when a trader’s equity falls below maintenance thresholds.
Demo and simulated trading
BTCC offers a demo trading environment that operates within the main platform interface using virtual funds. Binance and Bybit provide simulated trading through separate testnet environments. Testnets are distinct from demo environments, as they run on separate blockchain infrastructure rather than replicating live platform conditions.
BTCC was founded in 2011, making it the oldest of the three exchanges. Binance launched in 2017 and grew to become one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges by trading volume. Bybit was founded in 2018 with a focus on derivatives trading.
The three platforms offer comparable core functionality in several areas, including USDT perpetuals, cross and isolated margin modes, insurance funds, and tiered fee structures, while differing on leverage ceilings, taker fee rates, contract variety, and the scope of available margin tools.
Disclosure: This content is provided by a third party. Neither crypto.news nor the author of this article endorses any product mentioned on this page. Users should conduct their own research before taking any action related to the company.
Bitcoin whipsawed between $65k and $69k as oil spiked then retreated, underscoring that macro energy shocks still script BTC’s role as a global risk barometer.
Summary
- Bitcoin rebounded from $65k toward $69k after oil slid from near $120 on strategic-reserve headlines, tying BTC’s bounce directly to easing energy shock fears.
- Traders framed BTC as a high-beta gauge of global risk appetite, watching the $67k area as a key line in the sand for whether the rally sticks.
- Spot data show BTC hovering near $68.6k with over $50.7b in volume as Ethereum and Solana lag or outperform on the risk curve rotation.
Bitcoin (BTC) reminded markets on Monday that macro still writes the script. After sliding to roughly $65,000 earlier in the session, the benchmark cryptocurrency snapped back toward $69,000 as crude oil retreated sharply from near $120 per barrel on headlines that strategic reserves could be tapped. CoinMarketCap summed it up bluntly: “Bitcoin recovered to around $69,000 after falling to $65,000, rebounding as oil pulled back sharply from near $120 per barrel following reports that strategic reserves may be tapped.”
That sequence – energy shock fears, then relief, then a crypto bid – was not lost on traders watching the tape. One macro‑focused account responded that “when energy shock fears fade, crypto catches a bid almost immediately,” framing BTC as a high‑beta expression of global risk appetite rather than an isolated digital asset. Another observer at Zeconomy wrote: “From 65K to 69K on an oil pullback is a good reminder that BTC still trades like a global risk barometer,” underlining how quickly flows rotate once pressure eases in commodities.
At the same time, positioning around key levels remains central to how this move is being read. Aequalis Lab argued that “if it holds 67k, next week could get spicy,” pointing to the mid‑$60K band as a line in the sand for trend traders. Short‑term sentiment, at least among vocal bulls, has already flipped back toward accumulation: one trader insisted that “$69K proves the dip was just a blip, accumulation continues,” while another suggested that future “nostalgia about buying BTC at current levels” will dominate once prices move to “levels that seem somewhat unbelievable to most of the market.”
For now, spot data show Bitcoin trading near $68,600, up about 2.5% over the last 24 hours, with 24‑hour turnover above $50.7 billion and a market capitalization north of $1.35 trillion. Ethereum changes hands around $2,011, down roughly 3.7% on the day with a market cap of about $260.2 billion, while Solana trades near $83.76, up roughly 2.7% over the same period as liquidity rotates down the risk curve.
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