Crypto World
Unstoppable Domains drops ICANN plans, offers refunds
Unstoppable Domains has dropped plans to seek ICANN recognition for its own Web3 domain extensions after finding that compliance, application, and auction costs would exceed the sales it expected to recover.
Summary
- Unstoppable Domains did not apply for its Web3 extensions during ICANN’s 2026 round.
- Customers who bought affected blockchain domains will receive refunds, according to founder Matthew Gould.
- ICANN received more than 1,600 primary applications during its 15-week submission period.
- The company remains involved as a service provider for applications including Telegram’s proposed .gram domain.
Unstoppable Domains says ICANN costs became too high
Unstoppable Domains said it did not submit ICANN applications for nine of its Web3 extensions, including .crypto, .wallet and .blockchain, before the 2026 application round closed. The decision ends its plan to add conventional DNS support to the affected blockchain-based domains.
According to the company’s founder, Matthew Gould, the expected cost of compliance, preparing each application, and competing in possible auctions exceeded the amount Unstoppable believed it could recover through domain sales. ICANN may place applicants into contention when two or more parties request the same extension, creating another potential expense beyond the initial application and evaluation process.
The company has notified affected customers by email and plans to refund purchases tied to extensions that it did not take into the 2026 application round. However, Unstoppable has not publicly released a complete list of eligible extensions, the amount covered by each refund, or the process customers must follow to receive their money.
Questions from holders have centered on whether refunds will cover every domain sold with the expectation of eventual ICANN recognition. Some customers said they retained their names because Unstoppable had repeatedly discussed bringing selected extensions into the standard internet system.
Gould responded that the domains will continue to operate as on-chain assets. Owners can still use supported names as readable aliases for cryptocurrency addresses and for other functions inside compatible wallets and decentralized applications, even though the names will not automatically work in conventional browsers through ICANN’s root system.
The decision ends a commitment dating to 2019
Since 2019, Unstoppable Domains has promoted the prospect that extensions such as .crypto and .wallet could eventually connect Web3 naming with the traditional internet. Gaining ICANN approval would have allowed an accepted extension to work through ordinary DNS infrastructure instead of relying mainly on compatible wallets, applications, browser settings or dedicated resolution services.
In June 2024, crypto.news reported that Unstoppable and Blockchain.com were preparing a .blockchain application for the next ICANN round. The companies said at the time that approval could allow .blockchain names to support normal websites and email while retaining Web3 functions.
Another partnership followed in May 2025, when Brave and Unstoppable launched the .brave domain for the browser’s users. Brave said the Polygon-based names could replace long wallet addresses, support decentralized websites, and operate across several blockchain networks. Both companies were also exploring an ICANN application that could bring .brave into the conventional DNS.
Without ICANN recognition, a blockchain domain and a DNS name using the same text can exist in separate naming systems. Standard browsers generally resolve ICANN-approved names by default, while Web3 names depend on supporting software. Owners may therefore retain their on-chain names without gaining the universal browser access previously tied to Unstoppable’s application plans.
For U.S. customers, the immediate effect is commercial rather than a new regulatory restriction. Unstoppable is based in the United States, while ICANN is a California nonprofit public-benefit corporation responsible for coordinating unique internet identifiers. Neither organization has said the refund plan changes the ownership of already-minted blockchain domains.
ICANN received more than 1,600 applications
ICANN opened the 2026 round on April 30 and accepted submissions for 15 weeks before closing the window at 11:59 p.m. UTC on Aug. 12. It was the first opportunity in years for companies, communities and other organizations to request new generic top-level domains.
In an Aug. 13 update, ICANN said it had received more than 1,600 primary applications. More than 1,100 also contained proposed replacement strings that could be considered if the preferred extension is unavailable or cannot proceed.
Most submissions arrived during the final days of the window, according to ICANN. The organization said the final count depended on applicants paying their evaluation fees, which were due either on Aug. 19 or seven days after the relevant invoice was issued, whichever date came later.
After an administrative review, ICANN plans to publish the public portions of the submissions on what it calls Reveal Day. The disclosure will identify the requested extensions, their applicants, and any strings sought by more than one party. Competing requests may then move through objection, evaluation, resolution, or auction procedures under the applicant guidebook.
Unstoppable has not withdrawn from ICANN-related business altogether. Gould said the company will continue participating as a service provider for partner applications, separating that work from the decision not to pursue its own established Web3 extensions.
Telegram and ENS are still pursuing conventional domains
Among the partner projects, Telegram has applied for .gram in the 2026 round, with Unstoppable acting as its registry service provider. Telegram founder Pavel Durov said ICANN approval could allow more than one billion users to register second-level addresses such as a username followed by .gram.
Durov also said Telegram users could build interactive websites linked to the proposed addresses using a single prompt. The company has not disclosed pricing, allocation rules or a launch date, while ICANN approval remains necessary before .gram can enter the standard domain system.
Ethereum Name Service has taken a separate route. Earlier in August, ENS token holders approved a foundation overhaul that created a five-member board and gave the reorganized entity authority to represent the protocol before ICANN and other internet standards bodies.
The ENS Foundation plans to pursue .ens as a conventional top-level domain, which could allow ENS-linked names to interact with browsers, websites and email services through established DNS infrastructure. ENS does not plan to seek .eth because three-letter country-code strings based on the ISO 3166-1 standard are reserved under ICANN’s application rules.
Crypto World
Pump.fun adds HyperEVM token trading with USDC
Pump.fun has added trading for any HyperEVM token through USDC as Hyperliquid L1 records about $503 million in decentralized exchange volume over 24 hours.
Summary
- Pump.fun users can trade HyperEVM tokens with USDC through the platform’s application.
- The company said traders will receive referral rewards and pay close to zero trading fees.
- HyperEVM operates alongside Hyperliquid’s spot and perpetual trading system.
- Hyperliquid L1 currently holds about $1.59 billion across decentralized finance protocols.
Pump.fun said on Aug. 26 that its application now supports tokens issued on HyperEVM, giving users a new route to buy and sell the assets with USDC.
The company described itself as the first application to introduce HyperEVM assets into this type of trading interface. Pump.fun did not provide independent evidence supporting the claim, which could not be verified at the time of publication.
Alongside token swaps, users can earn rewards when people trade through their referral links. Pump.fun also described transaction costs as close to zero, although its announcement did not publish an exact fee schedule or explain whether network gas charges are included.
At least one HyperEVM asset is already visible through the application. Pump.fun’s market page for EGG states that users can trade the token on Hyperliquid through Pump, confirming that the service was active when the page was checked.
Pump.fun has expanded beyond its Solana token market
Created as a Solana-based token launchpad, Pump.fun allows users to issue and trade tokens without setting up a conventional liquidity pool at launch. Its application became closely associated with meme coins, many of which trade on an automated bonding curve before moving to an external decentralized exchange.
HyperEVM support adds assets from another blockchain environment to the same interface. The announcement refers only to trading existing HyperEVM tokens and does not say whether users will be able to create HyperEVM assets through Pump.fun.
Trading support also extends Pump.fun’s business beyond the Solana market, which produced most of its activity and fee income. As crypto.news reported on Aug. 10, the platform generated $10.03 million in fees during the previous seven-day reporting period as trading volume reached $2.97 billion.
During that period, Pump.fun used $5.02 million to buy and burn approximately 2.15 billion PUMP tokens. The company said it directs 50% of revenue to automated repurchases and burns through a locked smart contract, with the mechanism having removed the equivalent of 15.7% of the token’s original supply by Aug. 10.
The platform’s token economics have also faced supply pressure. On-chain tracking in July showed 57.279 billion PUMP, worth approximately $86.49 million at the time, moving to 121 team and investor wallets after a one-year lockup ended. The transfers began a three-year vesting period, although movements to recipient wallets did not establish that the tokens had been sold.
HyperEVM connects applications with Hyperliquid liquidity
According to Hyperliquid’s documentation, HyperEVM is the Ethereum-compatible smart-contract environment built into the Hyperliquid blockchain. It is not a separate chain and shares the network with HyperCore, the system that handles Hyperliquid’s spot and perpetual order books.
Because HyperEVM supports the Ethereum Virtual Machine, developers can deploy applications written for Ethereum-compatible networks. HYPE serves as the gas token for transactions, while precompiled contracts and other network tools allow applications to read information from HyperCore.
Spot assets can also move between HyperCore and HyperEVM through Hyperliquid’s transfer system. Once deposited into the smart-contract environment, the assets can interact with decentralized exchanges, lending protocols, and other applications built on HyperEVM.
For users entering through Hyperliquid, the network’s onboarding documentation says they can buy HYPE with USDC and then transfer the HYPE from HyperCore to HyperEVM to cover gas costs. Pump.fun has not explained whether its interface handles that process automatically or whether users must maintain HYPE separately.
HyperEVM initially reached the testnet in February 2025, when Hyperliquid introduced support for Ethereum-compatible smart contracts. Since then, wallet providers, custodians, and decentralized finance projects have integrated the network.
Circle launched native USDC on HyperEVM in September 2025 alongside Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol V2. The system lets eligible users move USDC between supported networks without relying on conventional wrapped tokens.
Circle later became a stakeholder in the Hyperliquid ecosystem by purchasing HYPE. In May 2026, the stablecoin issuer said it had also extended USDC support to HyperCore and increased liquidity between HyperCore, HyperEVM and other supported blockchains.
Hyperliquid activity gives Pump.fun a larger token pool
Data from DeFiLlama shows that Hyperliquid L1 currently holds about $1.59 billion in decentralized finance value. Stablecoins on the network have a market value of roughly $6.79 billion, with USDC accounting for nearly 98% of the total.
Hyperliquid L1 processed around $503 million in decentralized exchange volume over the latest 24-hour period and approximately $3.75 billion over seven days. Perpetual trading volume reached about $12.43 billion over 24 hours and $82.47 billion for the week.
Network activity included roughly 612,000 transactions, 21,900 active addresses, and 5,400 new addresses during the latest daily period tracked by DeFiLlama. Protocols listed on the network include Kinetiq, HyperLend, Project X, HyperSwap, and Felix.
Rising activity has also supported HYPE’s recent price performance. An Aug. 25 market report said the token had reached a record high near $83.27 before trading around $80.50. HYPE had opened the preceding seven-day period near $69.60, leaving it with a double-digit gain after some traders took profits.
Pump.fun has not disclosed which decentralized exchanges or liquidity sources execute HyperEVM orders through its interface. Its announcement also did not specify whether every token becomes available automatically or whether contracts must pass technical or security checks first.
US users receive limited federal protection for meme coins
For American users, access to HyperEVM assets does not establish that every listed token has the same regulatory status. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said in a February 2025 staff statement that transactions involving the types of meme coins described in the document generally do not constitute securities offerings.
SEC staff compared typical meme coins with collectibles whose prices depend mainly on trading and market sentiment rather than rights to business income, profits, or assets. Under that view, issuers of qualifying meme coins would not need to register the transactions under the Securities Act of 1933.
The SEC staff statement also said buyers and holders of qualifying meme coins are not protected by federal securities laws. Staff warned that the position does not cover tokens labeled as meme coins to avoid securities requirements or assets whose economic structure otherwise meets the definition of a security.
A March 2026 SEC interpretation reiterated that staff statements have no legal force, do not change applicable law, and have neither been approved nor rejected by the Commission. The agency said regulatory analysis depends on the economic facts surrounding each crypto asset and transaction.
Crypto World
Quantum-Secure Bitcoin Comes With A Catch
Blockstream co-founder and CEO Adam Back has a reputation as a quantum computer skeptic who believes the technology is so immature the threat won’t materialize for decades.
Which makes it all the more fascinating that his company is one of the leaders in researching practical solutions to the issue. Back told Cointelegraph earlier this year “the safe thing” is to prepare for the threat well in advance.
Blockstream has already proven its experimental post-quantum signature scheme called SHRINCS works in production on its Liquid sidechain and a Bitcoin Improvement Proposal for SHRINCS was published earlier today.
Blockstream Research’s Jonas Nick called it “the first concrete proposal for a post-quantum signature scheme designed specifically for Bitcoin.” But he added that “SHRINCS is not intended to be Bitcoin’s ‘final’ signature scheme, and it is not optimal along every axis.
”I do think it is a very good trade-off among the options we have now,” he said.

Source: Jonas Nick
While the timeline is hotly debated, scientists agree that sufficiently advanced quantum computers will be able to reverse engineer private keys from public keys, thereby undermining Bitcoin’s security and enabling the theft of billions. That’s why the race is on to develop ways to upgrade Bitcoin to make it safe from attack.
Shrinking the size of post quantum signatures
One of Blockstream’s most promising areas of study has been in optimizing post-quantum signature schemes for Bitcoin’s requirements to enable the blockchain to keep more of the existing properties Bitcoiners hold dear.
The current crop of post-quantum secure hash and lattice-based signature schemes endorsed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology are between 38 and 123 times larger than Bitcoin’s existing ECDSA and Schnorr signatures.
Deploying any of them in Bitcoin could slow the blockchain down to a fraction of 1 TPS. Ethereum’s post-quantum team plans to deal with this issue by aggregating signatures using a tiny zero-knowledge proof for each block. That’s under consideration for Bitcoin too, and if implemented, it would see Bitcoin actually run faster than it does today, as a single proof takes less blockspace than a bunch of signatures. But in the Bitcoin world, adding zero-knowledge proofs would be a fairly radical change and face a steep uphill battle to garner enough support for activation.
Blockstream is considering that option too, but has wisely separated the proposal from the much more palatable option of figuring out how to shrink the size of NIST-approved hash based post-quantum signatures by around 13.23 times.
Related: Bitcoin’s quantum dilemma — Bigger blocks or STARK proofs?
Bitcoin optimized small(er) signatures
In December 2025, Blockstream researchers Jonas Nick and Mikhail Kudinov unveiled the SHRINCS signature scheme, and the opcode proposal was published in May. It’s a hash-based post-quantum signature scheme that has a minimum size of 548 bytes (plus the 48 byte public key) but can grow as large as 4,619 bytes.
“SHRINCS is the most Bitcoin-native post-quantum signature design anyone has produced,” explains Marin Ivezic, author of PostQuantum.com and founder of Applied Quantum.
“[It has] full BIP-39 seed recovery, and security resting on the same SHA-256 assumptions Bitcoin mining already depends on.”
He tells Magazine the scheme is still at an early stage and hasn’t been audited, nor has it benefited from the years of public cryptanalysis the NIST signatures have weathered.
But he says even at this early stage, it’s a serious contender.
“It is real code that has signed real transactions on Liquid mainnet, and I rate it the strongest answer yet to going post-quantum without wrecking Bitcoin’s block economics.”
Despite being much smaller than most post-quantum signatures, SHRINCS will still be around nine times larger than Bitcoin’s existing Schnorr signatures, which are 64 bytes, or the older ECDSA signatures, which are 70 bytes.
It might seem logical to assume that a signature nine times larger than the current ones would require Bitcoin’s block size to increase nine times to compensate, but Ivezic explains that’s not the case due to Bitcoin’s Segregated Witness.
“Under SegWit, signature bytes fit in the witness and take a quarter as much as other transaction data,” he says.
According to estimates published in Blockstream’s earlier research (using slightly different parameters), Bitcoin could run at 6.5 transactions per second if everyone used Taproot’s Schnorr signatures (about 80% of people don’t). The blockchain’s speed would drop to 0.5 TPS if Bitcoin used the NIST-approved lattice-based signature ML-DSA and to just 0.36 TPS using the NIST-approved hash-based signature SPHINCS+.
But employing SHRINCS, the blockchain could run at 3 TPS, which is similar to today.
SHRINCS was tested in production on the Liquid sidechain in March this year — they even included a copy of the Bitcoin white paper. So if it works in production, everything is fine and Bitcoin’s quantum problems are solved, right?

Source: Blockstream
SHRINCS sounds great: What’s the catch?
As the BIP warns, “a security proof is TODO” meaning that the research is promising but it is not yet a cryptographically mature proposal that has been fully validated.
It also introduces additional complexity to Bitcoin.
Every signature uses a new one-time key, and one of the reasons SPHINCS+ is so large is because it wraps all of those one-time keys in a multi-layer hash tree structure that makes the scheme stateless.
SHRINCS does away with all of that to save on space, and just stores used keys on your device (which is known as stateful) so it can quickly check keys aren’t being reused. The drawback is that signatures get larger by 16 bytes each time they are used, and if you lose your device, it requires a very large “stateless fallback” transaction around 5,777 bytes to recover.
Yoon Auh, founder of BOLTS Technologies, says in reducing the size, SHRINCS’ designers added “statefulness, compact signing paths, fallbacks, assumptions about how many times a seed is initialized, and rules for when devices must switch to larger stateless signatures.”
“That may be pragmatic engineering, but it is also complexity and fragility introduced largely to maximize throughput and minimize computation cycles. In Bitcoin, every new consensus rule becomes a permanent maintenance obligation, and every wallet-side assumption becomes a possible user failure mode.”
Refining SHRINCS and adding SHRIMPS
Blockstream has been researching and optimizing the scheme throughout 2026. Just last week it demonstrated that SHRINCS, and a range of other post quantum signature schemes, can effectively run on common hardware wallets. The BIP carries the warning however that this is not without risk:
SHRINCS keys generated using hypertree pruning for the stateless component are not compatible with SHRINCS implementations which do not support hypertree pruning. In fact, importing a key across such incompatible implementations may result in lost funds.
In March, the lab published a companion scheme called SHRIMPS, which was to be used in conjunction with SHRINCS to enable backup devices initialized from the same seed to be able to sign transactions. The SHRIMPS names has now been dropped for the BIP, and the scheme has been incorporated as a built in stateless path under the same 48 byte public key. It has been optimized with a non standard parameter set to be around 26% smaller than otherwise.
Blockstream has also been experimenting with lattice-based signature schemes, which are generally smaller than hash-based schemes but are seen as less proven and less reliable. It’s also considering the use of ZK proof aggregation of signatures. It estimates that if ZK proofs are used in conjunction with SHRINCS, Bitcoin’s speed could double to 6.7 TPS.
Blockstream has wisely separated the choice of signatures from questions around increasing the block size or adding ZK proof aggregation, as considering them together could sink the adoption of SHRINCS. Every post quantum upgrade to Bitcoin will be controversial and hard to gather enough support to activate.
“The binding constraint in Bitcoin’s quantum migration isn’t cryptography, it’s governance,” says Ivezic. “Between BIP-360, BIP-361, SHRINCS and STARKs, the engineering menu is filling up fast. What Bitcoin lacks is a mechanism for choosing from it before the clock runs out.”
Magazine: 5 tech predictions the mainstream media got horribly wrong
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Crypto World
Bitcoin slips below $78K as longs absorb $270M hit
Bitcoin fell below $78,000 after its breakout above $81,000 reversed, triggering a wave of long liquidations as traders took profits and bullish leverage unwound. Strong US spot ETF inflows, however, suggest underlying demand has not disappeared.
Summary
- Bitcoin dropped 4.1% from $81,238 to $77,870 before recovering toward $78,000.
- Long positions accounted for about $270 million of the market’s $324.4 million liquidations.
- Bitcoin futures open interest fell 4.5% from its level near the recent price peak.
- US spot Bitcoin ETFs drew $2.57 billion across seven consecutive inflow sessions.
Bitcoin price retreats after $81K breakout
Bitcoin’s pullback followed a round of profit-taking and an increase in leveraged long positions after last week’s short squeeze pushed the asset above $80,000.
Bitcoin (BTC) reached $81,238 on Tuesday after breaking out of a consolidation range that had held for about 10 weeks. The move placed the cryptocurrency roughly 29.5% above its range low before sellers returned near the May high.
Price subsequently fell to $77,870, marking a decline of about 4.1% from the peak. Bitcoin then recovered toward $78,000, placing it near the lower boundary of a short-term range identified by Bitfinex analysts.
The reversal did not follow a confirmed news catalyst. Instead, liquidation and open-interest data point to a derivatives reset after traders increased bullish exposure during the breakout.
CoinGlass data showed that the wider crypto market recorded $324.4 million in liquidations over 24 hours. Long positions accounted for approximately $270 million, or 83% of the total.
Bitcoin longs contributed about $109 million to those losses. The largest single liquidation involved an $11.91 million Bitcoin position on Binance.
Falling open interest signals leveraged longs exited
Bitcoin futures open interest declined to $54.79 billion, down 1.5% from $55.64 billion at the previous reading. Open interest has now fallen about 4.5% from the $57.38 billion recorded near Bitcoin’s $81,238 peak.
The combination of falling prices and lower open interest supports the view that leveraged long positions were closed or liquidated rather than replaced by an aggressive buildup of new short exposure.
CoinGlass recorded $68.81 billion in Bitcoin futures volume and $4.94 billion in spot volume. Funding rates were positive across several exchanges before the decline, showing that derivatives positioning had shifted toward bullish traders.
Jeff Ko, chief analyst at CoinEx, told crypto.news that the initial short squeeze had largely run its course, leaving spot buyers responsible for extending the rally.
“First, as above, the short squeeze is spent, so spot demand now has to lead rather than follow leverage,” Ko said.
Ko added that open interest and funding rates still appeared restrained to him despite the recent volatility. Continued restraint would reduce the risk of another large liquidation-driven reversal, although both measures will need monitoring if Bitcoin attempts to recover above $80,000.
US Bitcoin ETF inflows support the spot-demand case
US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $314.3 million in net inflows on Aug. 25, according to data from SoSoValue. BlackRock’s IBIT led the session with $284.4 million.
Seven consecutive positive trading sessions brought cumulative inflows to approximately $2.57 billion. Bitfinex said the flow represented firm spot demand rather than a rally sustained mainly by speculative leverage.
Ko separately estimated that the funds attracted roughly $1.9 billion during the week, describing it as the strongest weekly inflow of 2026.
“The question I care about most is whether this transitions from a derivatives-driven rally into a spot-driven one, and there are constructive signs,” Ko said.
Bitfinex also reported that 19 of the 20 largest liquid altcoins gained more than 12% during the broader market advance. Zcash rose 50.9%, Aave gained 44.7%, XRP climbed 43.3%, and Hyperliquid’s HYPE advanced 36.2% to a record high.
Aggregate altcoin market capitalization excluding Bitcoin and Ethereum rose 21% to $791.5 billion, according to the firm. Bitfinex added that holders who acquired Bitcoin 155 to 300 days earlier had moved from realizing losses to selling at a profit, creating overhead supply for ETF and other spot buyers to absorb.
Bitcoin must reclaim $80K to repair the breakout
Bitfinex analysts expect Bitcoin could consolidate between $77,100 and $80,000 before determining its next direction.
“We now have a squeeze that has run into a defined population of sellers but with a genuine bid underneath it,” the analysts told crypto.news.
“This leads us to believe that a potential lower timeframe range, or a continuation of the move is likely.”
The immediate support zone sits between $77,800 and $78,000, where buyers responded during the latest decline. A sustained break below that area could expose $76,500 to $77,000, followed by $75,700 to $76,000.
Bitcoin’s broader recovery would face a more serious test if BTC price falls below $72,500 to $73,000. Ko identified the 200-day moving average around $69,000 to $70,000 as the main medium-term support after Bitcoin moved above it for the first time since November 2025.
On the upside, Bitcoin must reclaim the $79,200 to $80,000 region to weaken the failed-break structure. A close above $81,100 to $81,250 would provide stronger confirmation that buyers have regained control.
Ko identified May’s high near $82,000 as the next difficult barrier. He said sustained ETF demand could support a move toward $85,000 to $90,000 because the source of demand will determine whether the advance holds.
Policy and bond yields remain risks for Bitcoin
US policy and Treasury-market conditions could influence whether institutional demand persists. Ko described the Sept. 15 CLARITY Act vote as an active risk for Bitcoin rather than merely a potential positive catalyst.
He also noted that the 30-year Treasury yield had returned to 5.27% after reversing an earlier decline. Higher long-term yields can tighten financial conditions and reduce demand for risk assets, including cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin’s next move, therefore, depends on whether ETF and other spot demand can absorb profit-taking without another increase in leverage. Continued inflows could support a renewed attempt at $81,000, while a loss of $77,100 would shift attention toward lower support and the strength of US institutional flows.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Crypto World
Stablecoin compliance could decide institutional winners: Aquanow CEO
Stablecoin compliance could determine which issuers win institutional adoption as new US accounting and regulatory rules raise standards for redemption, reserves and risk controls, according to Aquanow CEO Phil Sham.
Summary
- FASB has proposed clarifying when certain digital assets may qualify as cash equivalents.
- Direct redemption rights could make the same stablecoin receive different accounting treatment across holding arrangements.
- GENIUS Act rules will restrict the US market to licensed issuers under a phased timeline.
- Larger issuers may gain liquidity, although smaller stablecoins can compete through specialized uses.
The Financial Accounting Standards Board issued a proposal on Aug. 18 that would clarify how the existing definition of cash equivalents applies to certain digital assets, including some stablecoins.
The proposal does not classify every stablecoin as cash. Instead, it focuses on qualifying assets with characteristics such as price stability, liquid reserves, and contractual rights allowing holders to redeem directly with the issuer for cash on demand.
FASB’s proposal arrived one day after the US Treasury requested public comments on rules for implementing Section 3 of the GENIUS Act. Together, the two measures could reduce accounting uncertainty while raising the compliance threshold for issuers seeking institutional adoption in the US.
Phil Sham, CEO and co-founder of digital asset infrastructure provider Aquanow, told crypto.news that accounting recognition could remove a meaningful barrier for financial institutions. However, he said it would not automatically make stablecoins equivalent to bank deposits or other traditional cash holdings across every part of an institution.
Stablecoin accounting could remove treasury friction
Classifying qualifying stablecoins as cash equivalents could make them easier for companies to use in treasury management, payments, and settlement. The change may also affect how firms present digital assets on their balance sheets and assess their available liquidity.
Sham said the proposal could make it easier to add eligible stablecoins to existing financial workflows.
“If adopted, the proposal could remove meaningful accounting friction and make qualifying stablecoins easier to integrate into treasury and settlement workflows.”
Accounting treatment would only address one part of the institutional approval process. Banks, investment firms, and corporations would still need to consider regulatory capital rules, internal risk limits, collateral standards, and contractual obligations.
Many bond agreements and credit facilities have their own definitions of cash and cash equivalents. Even if a stablecoin meets the FASB standard, a borrower may need lender approval before using the asset to meet a liquidity covenant or minimum-cash requirement.
Institutions would also need to evaluate custody, issuer exposure, secondary-market liquidity, and their ability to redeem during periods of market stress.
“Firms would also require confidence in redemption, custody, issuer exposure, operational controls and liquidity under stress,” Sham said. “It could accelerate adoption, but not replace traditional cash holdings overnight.”
The distinction means a favorable accounting standard could support stablecoin use without resolving every legal, credit, and operational concern attached to the asset.
Redemption rights may matter more than the token
FASB’s focus on direct, on-demand redemption could also produce different accounting outcomes for institutions holding the same stablecoin.
Stablecoins are generally fungible on-chain, meaning one unit of a token is designed to be interchangeable with another. However, the legal rights attached to those units may depend on whether the holder bought them directly from the issuer, holds them through a custodian, or has exposure through an exchange account.
An institution holding a stablecoin through an exchange may have a contractual claim against the platform rather than the issuer. According to Sham, that additional counterparty exposure could prevent the asset from meeting the proposed cash-equivalent criteria.
“The same stablecoin could be fungible on-chain but treated differently depending on the holder’s contractual rights.”
A bankruptcy-remote trust or custodial arrangement could produce another outcome if it legally passes direct redemption rights to the beneficial owner. Sham said the result would depend on the final accounting standard, the institution’s documentation and the terms of the arrangement.
The proposal could therefore influence how institutional stablecoin products are structured. Exchanges and custodians may face pressure to show that customers retain enforceable redemption rights rather than only a claim against an intermediary.
“Accounting eligibility may therefore depend as much on how the stablecoin is held as on the asset itself,” Sham said.
GENIUS Act rules raise the compliance threshold
The GENIUS Act adds a separate regulatory test for issuers seeking access to US customers.
Under Treasury’s proposed implementation framework, a person generally would not be permitted to issue a payment stablecoin in the US after Jan. 18, 2027, without an appropriate federal or state license.
The law also places conditions on foreign-issued stablecoins offered in the country. Foreign issuers would need the technical ability to follow lawful US orders and comply with applicable arrangements between the US and their home jurisdictions.
A further restriction is due to begin on July 18, 2028. Digital asset service providers generally would no longer be permitted to offer payment stablecoins to US customers unless a licensed issuer issued them.
For institutions choosing among eligible stablecoins, Sham said formal authorization will be only the starting point. Firms will examine the issuer’s redemption terms, the quality and concentration of its reserves, asset segregation and independent reporting.
They are also likely to study what happens if the issuer or one of its reserve banks fails.
“Institutions ask three practical questions: who owes us the dollar, where is it held, and how quickly can we recover it under stress?”
Sham said a 1:1 reserve claim would not be enough by itself. Institutional users would want evidence that they can consistently redeem at par, including when liquidity conditions deteriorate.
Governance, cybersecurity, business continuity, anti-money laundering procedures and sanctions controls could also affect an issuer’s ability to win institutional business.
Compliance could concentrate stablecoin liquidity
The combined accounting and licensing requirements could direct more activity toward a limited group of issuers with established banking relationships, distribution channels, and compliance teams.
Large issuers can spread regulatory and operational costs across a wider user base. They also benefit from existing exchange integrations and deeper liquidity, making their stablecoins easier to use for trading, settlement and collateral.
Sham said those advantages could make it harder for newer issuers to attract enough liquidity to compete.
“Liquidity may concentrate among established issuers because compliance costs, distribution and network effects favour scale. That will make it harder, but not impossible, for newer players to compete.”
Smaller issuers could still build a market by targeting regional payment needs, industry-specific settlements, or markets underserved by the largest dollar-backed tokens. Lower costs alone may not be enough if users cannot reliably redeem the token or if intermediaries cannot offer it in the US.
A smaller issuer would need sound regulatory foundations, clear redemption terms and an ecosystem prepared to support the asset, according to Sham.
“Compliance earns the right to compete; utility and ecosystem readiness drive usage,” he said.
FASB’s proposal and the GENIUS Act framework remain subject to their respective rulemaking processes. Treasury said comments on its proposed rule should be submitted within 60 days of publication in the Federal Register.
If the rules take effect largely as proposed, stablecoin competition could shift from a race based mainly on supply, yield and exchange availability toward one shaped by legal claims, reserve access and the ability to return dollars during a crisis.
Crypto World
XRP and BTC users can access automated trading free, earning up to $7,000 daily
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
XRPPower uses AI automation to provide 24/7 digital asset services amid 2026 cryptocurrency market volatility.
Summary
- Crypto volatility in 2026 has increased financial pressure, driving interest in automated digital-asset services like XRPPower.
- XRPPower combines AI and automation with digital-asset services, offering continuous operations, security controls, risk management, and clearer user information.
- It focuses on secure, stable, transparent digital-asset services through AI analytics, automation, cybersecurity, risk management, and ongoing platform upgrades.
In 2026, the cryptocurrency market experienced significant price volatility. The fluctuating prices of mainstream digital assets such as BTC, XRP, and ETH led to asset depreciation and financial planning pressures for some holders.
Previously, many users primarily relied on rising digital asset prices for profits; however, with the market entering a period of high volatility, simply depending on price increases presents greater uncertainty.

As artificial intelligence and fintech rapidly converge, digital asset services are exploring more automated operating models. AI data analysis, automated systems, and 24/7 operation mechanisms offer users new options beyond traditional manual intervention.
In line with this trend, XRPPower combines AI technology with digital asset services, providing 24/7 platform services through an automated system and continuously optimizing system operation, data analysis, and account management functions. Users do not need frequent manual intervention; the system operates continuously according to the platform’s established rules.
How to use XRPPower?
1. Register an account
2. Understand the platform plans
After logging into the account, view the different service plans, including their duration, participation requirements, fees, and related rules. Fully understand the risks before choosing a plan.
3. Choose a payment method
Use digital assets such as BTC, XRP, ETH, USDT, and USDC to pay the fees, depending on the platform’s current support methods. Specific payment methods are subject to the platform’s display.
4. View account records
After participating, users can view the plan status and daily earnings in their personal account, which will be displayed in their account balance. They can withdraw funds directly or continue purchasing contracts.
Some popular profitable contracts
Investment Amount: $1000, Investment Period: 7 days, Daily Yield: $13.2, Principal Returned at Maturity: $1000
Investment Amount: $5000, Investment Period: 15 days, Daily Yield: $70.5, Principal Returned at Maturity: $5000
Investment Amount: $10000, Investment Period: 20 days, Daily Yield: $153, Principal Returned at Maturity: $10000
Click to view all contract profits
Extra referral rewards with zero investment
Log in to the created account and use a referral code or request link to invite friends and family to join the xrppower platform and receive a permanent 3% + 2% reward.
Example Description:
- User A refers User B to make an additional investment; if B invests $10,000, A will receive a 3% ($300) reward.
- User B recommends User C to make an additional investment; if C invests $10,000, B will receive a 3% ($300) reward, while A will receive a 2% ($200) second-tier referral reward.
XRPPower Intelligent System: Building a secure and transparent digital service system
In the continuous development of digital asset services, system security, operational stability, and information transparency are crucial foundations for the platform’s long-term development. XRPPower continuously improves its platform system from multiple aspects, including technical architecture, risk management, and user experience.
Multi-layered technical protection enhances account security.
XRPPower employs technologies such as SSL/TLS encryption, two-factor authentication (2FA), cold and hot wallet isolation, and multi-signature, and continuously improves access control, data protection, and system security. Simultaneously, the platform implements risk management, internal control, and information security practices advocated by international professional auditing and consulting firms such as PwC, continuously optimizing relevant management processes.
AI technology and automation improve system operating efficiency.
XRPPower applies AI data analytics and automated monitoring technologies to its platform operations, identifying abnormal activity, monitoring system status, and optimizing daily operations. It also integrates DDoS protection and Web Application Firewall (WAF) cybersecurity measures to further enhance its infrastructure protection system.
Clear information makes the platform easier for users to understand.
XRPPower emphasizes clear presentation of platform functions, service rules, program cycles, participation conditions, and related risks, and continuously optimizes account information and operational processes, enabling users to make informed decisions.
Continuous upgrades improve the digital asset service experience.
XRPPower’s mission is to continue to focus on the development of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, risk management, and infrastructure technologies, creating a more secure, stable, transparent, and easily searchable digital service environment through continuous system upgrades and process optimization.
About XRPPower
Since its launch in 2023, XRPPower has continuously explored the integration of digital asset services and AI intelligent technologies, constantly improving its platform functions and digital service system. Currently, the platform has over 3 million registered users, serving more than 180 countries and regions worldwide.
Register for a free XRPPower account to learn about the platform’s functions, service rules, and operating mechanisms.
For more information, visit the official website.
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.
Crypto World
Bitcoin price could reach $150K by mid-2027: Bernstein
Bitcoin has been projected to reach $150,000 by mid-2027 and climb toward $300,000 in 2029 under Bernstein’s base-case forecast.
Summary
- Bernstein expects Bitcoin to reach $125,000 by year-end and $150,000 by mid-2027.
- A currency-debasement scenario could lift BTC to $200,000 in 2027 and $500,000 in 2029.
- Institutional ownership, ETF access and long-held supply support the firm’s bullish forecast.
- Bernstein cut its Strategy price target from $450 to $350, citing accelerated equity dilution.
Bernstein analysts led by Gautam Chhugani said in an Aug. 26 client note that Bitcoin could recover to around $125,000 by the end of 2026 before setting a record near $150,000 in mid-2027.
The Wall Street research firm expects the asset to maintain its historical four-year cycle under its base case. Using a model tied to Bitcoin’s marginal production cost, the analysts placed the next cycle peak at approximately $300,000 in 2029.
Although the projection assumes Bitcoin follows its established market cycle, Bernstein presented a second path in which institutional demand and concerns about government debt accelerate the price increase. Under the more bullish scenario, BTC could reach $200,000 by mid-2027 and $500,000 in 2029.
Bernstein also retained its longer-term forecast of $1 million by the end of 2033. Each figure represents an analyst projection rather than a guaranteed price path.
Bitcoin price forecast rests on institutional ownership
Institutional access through U.S.-listed spot exchange-traded funds forms one part of Bernstein’s forecast. The firm said ETF participation and corporate treasury purchases may have helped limit Bitcoin’s latest decline compared with the much deeper losses recorded in previous cycles.
During earlier downturns, Bitcoin fell between 75% and 90% from its cycle highs, according to the analysts. Its latest decline reached about 50% from the October 2025 peak before BTC rebounded 28% over 10 days.
Ownership data cited in the note showed that approximately 59% of Bitcoin’s supply had not moved during the previous 12 months. Bernstein viewed the large inactive balance as evidence of a holder base willing to retain the asset through major price swings.
Recent U.S. fund flows have offered additional evidence of returning institutional participation. On Aug. 21, crypto.news reported that ETF inflows accelerated as Bitcoin moved above $76,000 for the first time since late May.
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted approximately $606 million on Aug. 20 after receiving $517 million the day before, according to SoSoValue data cited in the report. The two sessions produced more than $1.1 billion in combined net inflows while Bitcoin advanced from the low-$60,000 range.
Part of the rally came from traders closing leveraged bearish positions. CoinGlass data showed that almost $3 billion in crypto positions were liquidated as BTC crossed $70,000, with shorts accounting for most of the losses. Continued ETF purchases provided spot demand after the initial wave of forced buying.
Currency debasement could speed up Bitcoin’s rally
Rising government debt creates a second part of Bernstein’s bullish case. The analysts said the 40-year period of declining interest rates has ended while U.S. sovereign debt has reached $40 trillion, increasing the cost of servicing federal obligations.
“Rising yields create a self-reinforcing cycle of higher interest expenses, larger fiscal deficits, and increased borrowing needs,” the analysts said.
According to Bernstein, policymakers may respond to rising fiscal pressure through currency debasement instead of stricter spending measures. The firm said such an outcome could direct more capital toward assets with limited supply, including Bitcoin and gold.
Bitcoin’s programmed supply is capped at 21 million coins. Bernstein said its scarcity, cross-border accessibility, and growing institutional ownership strengthen its position as a hard asset when investors are concerned about the purchasing power of government-issued currencies.
Trading activity in U.S. investment products has begun to show interest in the debasement trade, according to Bloomberg senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust and State Street’s SPDR Gold Shares recently returned to the 10 most-traded U.S. ETFs, replacing some semiconductor products that had led activity during the summer.
Access to IBIT has also expanded for large Bitcoin holders. BlackRock lowered the minimum eligible Bitcoin-to-ETF conversion from $25 million to $1 million in July, a 96% reduction, as detailed in an Aug. 26 report on its lower conversion threshold.
Robbie Mitchnick, BlackRock’s head of digital assets, told Bloomberg that IBIT had processed more than $5 billion of such conversions. The total had stood near $3 billion in October.
Eligible holders use an intermediary to transfer Bitcoin into the ETF structure and receive shares carrying comparable exposure. Such transactions move existing BTC into the fund and should not be treated as new cash inflows.
BlackRock’s fund page showed IBIT holding about $60.65 billion in net assets as of Aug. 25. Ordinary U.S. investors can buy or sell its shares through Nasdaq without taking part in the creation process, while only authorized participants can create or redeem shares directly with the trust.
Bernstein cuts Strategy target despite Outperform rating
Alongside its Bitcoin forecast, Bernstein maintained an Outperform rating on Strategy but lowered its MSTR price target from $450 to $350. The analysts attributed the reduction to their revised Bitcoin cycle model and faster equity dilution.
The new target represented about 176% upside from Strategy’s $126.83 closing price on Aug. 25. Strategy remains the largest publicly disclosed corporate Bitcoin holder, with 840,447 BTC, or roughly 4% of the asset’s maximum supply.
Bernstein estimated that the company’s strengthened balance sheet provided about 3.9 years of cash coverage for annual interest costs and preferred-stock dividends. Continued Bitcoin gains and a recovery in Strategy’s STRC preferred shares toward their $100 reference value could allow the company to resume aggressive BTC purchases, according to the analysts.
Strategy raised approximately $2 billion from common-stock sales during the week ended Aug. 23 but bought no Bitcoin. A recent filing showed that the company added $300 million to its U.S. dollar reserve and spent $136.4 million repurchasing about 1.43 million STRC shares, as covered in a report on its latest capital raise.
Following the transactions, Strategy’s dollar reserve stood at about $5.1 billion. Its Bitcoin balance remained unchanged at 840,447 BTC, acquired for $63.36 billion at an average cost of $75,385 per coin, including fees and expenses.
Strategy reached its current balance after selling part of its treasury during the summer. Between June 29 and July 5, the company sold 3,588 BTC for about $216 million to fund distributions on its preferred securities and replenish cash previously used from its reserve.
Another sale between Aug. 3 and Aug. 9 removed 1,690 BTC from the treasury and generated approximately $108.6 million. Strategy directed the proceeds toward repurchasing around 1.15 million STRC shares.
Bitcoin dips as derivatives traders reduce exposure
Bitcoin traded near $78,458 on Aug. 26, down about 1% over 24 hours but still up nearly 14% during the previous seven days. Its intraday range stretched from approximately $77,648 to $79,319.
The pullback followed July U.S. inflation data. The Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index rose 3.7% from a year earlier, slightly above the 3.6% estimate reported by The Wall Street Journal.
U.S. equity futures weakened after the release, while Treasury yields moved higher. CoinGlass data cited in the original report showed Bitcoin futures open interest falling 2.7% over 24 hours to $54.8 billion, with open interest on CME and Binance each declining by nearly 1% over four hours.
Prediction-market traders remained optimistic about another advance before year-end. A Polymarket contract gave Bitcoin a 68% probability of reaching $85,000 by Dec. 31, 2026, although the odds can change as participants enter or exit their positions.
Crypto World
Dell Stock: How To Find And Own America’s Greatest Opportunities
Dell Computer was incorporated in 1984, borne from Michael Dell’s fascination with making computers while enrolled in a Texas college. Shares began trading in 1988, then doubled in five months starting in November 1990. Dell stock doubled again between June 1992 and November 1992. Dell’s quarterly earnings then turned down, and in 1993, it plummeted more than 70%. So there…
Copyright ©2026 Investor’s Business Daily, LLC. All rights reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Crypto World
Survey Finds 77% of Americans View Crypto as Risky in Retirement Plans
A new survey from the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) finds that most Americans remain wary of including cryptocurrency in workplace retirement plans. The research comes as U.S. policymakers work to broaden the range of alternative assets available in 401(k) and other defined-contribution plans—potentially placing crypto more directly in retirement-savings conversations.
According to the NIRS survey, 77% of Americans view cryptocurrency included in workplace retirement plans as risky, with 46% describing it as “very risky.” In parallel, 53% oppose employers offering crypto as an investment option.
Key takeaways
- 77% of respondents say crypto exposure in workplace retirement plans is risky, including 46% who call it very risky.
- 53% oppose employers adding crypto to retirement plan investment lineups.
- Concerns about retirement security are rising: 80% say the U.S. faces a retirement crisis, up from 67% in 2020.
- Debt and affordability pressures persist: 77% say debt blocks them from saving adequately.
- Regulatory direction is shifting: multiple federal actions have moved away from prior “extreme care” language and toward a framework that may facilitate alternative-asset inclusion.
Survey signals distrust even as retirement pressures mount
The NIRS report ties its crypto findings to broader anxieties about retirement outcomes. 80% of survey respondents said the U.S. faces a retirement crisis—an increase from 67% in 2020—while 61% said they are concerned about achieving financial security in retirement.
Affordability challenges also appear central to the survey’s picture. The research reports that 68% say it is becoming harder to prepare for retirement, and 77% say debt prevents them from saving enough. In that context, investor protection and risk tolerance are likely to remain key fault lines for any plan sponsors considering crypto-like exposures.
The survey was conducted by Greenwald Research between Oct. 24 and Nov. 14, 2025, surveying 1,203 Americans aged 25 and older. Results were weighted by age, gender, and income.
From “extreme care” to neutrality: a policy pivot
While public opinion in the NIRS survey skews negative toward crypto in employer retirement plans, regulatory posture has been moving in the other direction. The NIRS report points to changes under the Trump administration and federal regulators aimed at expanding access to alternative assets in defined-contribution plans.
One turning point came when the U.S. Department of Labor rescinded guidance from May 2025 that had urged 401(k) plan fiduciaries to exercise “extreme care” when considering cryptocurrency investments. In its place, the Department of Labor returned to a neutral approach that neither endorses nor discourages crypto as an investment option.
The policy shift accelerated further after Aug. 7, 2025, when President Donald Trump signed an executive order intended to “democratize access to alternative assets for 401(k) investors.” The order calls for expanding access to alternative assets in defined-contribution retirement plans, including those carried by investment vehicles that hold digital assets, while directing the Labor Department and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to consider regulatory changes.
Labor Department guidance continues to broaden the door
Following the executive order, the Department of Labor also rescinded earlier language. A few days later, it rescinded a 2021 guidance document that had discouraged 401(k) fiduciaries from considering alternative assets, saying investment decisions should instead be assessed through a neutral, principles-based framework.
More recently, the Department of Labor has moved from rescinding older guidance toward outlining how fiduciaries could evaluate alternative assets within plan lineups. In March 2026, it proposed rules describing how 401(k) fiduciaries could include alternative assets—again, with the stated goal of providing structures that reduce litigation risk. The proposal would require fiduciaries to consider factors such as fees, liquidity, valuation, and performance.
Still, the debate is far from settled. The NIRS report notes pushback from lawmakers, including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Bobby Scott, who urged the Department of Labor in June to withdraw the proposal. Their objections, as described in earlier coverage from Cointelegraph, cite crypto’s volatility and argue that safeguards for investors are insufficient.
Why the divide matters for retirement investors
The NIRS survey and the ongoing regulatory shift point to a significant mismatch between how Americans perceive crypto risk and how the regulatory framework may evolve around retirement-plan menus.
For plan sponsors and fiduciaries, this gap is likely to shape how proposals land with employers, participants, and policymakers. Even if rules become clearer about what diligence should look like, the core question for retirement consumers is whether crypto exposures align with retirement risk tolerance—especially when the same survey shows many Americans are already struggling with affordability and debt constraints.
For participants, the next phase to watch is whether proposed Labor Department rules finalize in a way that meaningfully changes what employers can offer, and how regulators address the specific concerns raised by lawmakers—particularly around volatility, liquidity, and valuation transparency.
As NIRS data underscores, public skepticism is high; the coming regulatory decisions and any resulting plan changes will therefore be tested not only by legal standards, but by whether they can earn participant trust in the context of retirement security.
Crypto World
These 4 Stocks Outgained Nvidia After Their Own Q2 Beats
Several stocks outpaced Nvidia (NVDA) in after-hours trading Wednesday, even as Nvidia earnings beat second quarter revenue and profit estimates.
Okta, Salesforce, CrowdStrike, and Veeva Systems all posted bigger percentage gains than Nvidia after their own quarterly results topped Wall Street forecasts.
Nvidia Earnings Beat Estimates, But Others Beat the Rally
Nvidia posted adjusted earnings of $2.22 per share on revenue of $96.22 billion for its fiscal second quarter. Both figures topped the $2.10 per share and $92.17 billion analysts polled by LSEG had expected.
Guidance also came in strong. Management pointed to $108 billion in third quarter revenue, above consensus estimates. Despite the beat, the stock added only 4% after hours, a modest reaction given the scale of the numbers.
Okta and Salesforce Led the After-Hours Gainers
Okta (OKTA) jumped about 19% postmarket, the largest gain among Wednesday’s reporters. The identity management company posted adjusted earnings of $1.05 per share on $805 million in revenue. Analysts surveyed by LSEG had expected 97 cents per share and $795 million. Okta also raised its full year earnings and revenue guidance.
Salesforce (CRM) rose about 13% after adjusted earnings more than doubled to $5.90 per share on an investment gain. Revenue reached $11.35 billion against an $11.32 billion consensus, according to LSEG data. A hold on that gain would add roughly 160 points to the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Thursday.
CrowdStrike (CRWD) added about 10% after beating on both revenue and earnings per share. Its third quarter guidance matched estimates on profit and came in higher on revenue. Veeva Systems (VEEV), a life sciences software maker, climbed about 7% after topping expectations on both lines. The company also raised its outlook for the current quarter and full year.
Smaller Moves and One Decliner
Agilent Technologies (A) rose 4%, matching Nvidia’s gain. Third quarter revenue of $1.88 billion beat a $1.84 billion FactSet estimate.
Everpure (P), the data storage company formerly known as Pure Storage, gained about 2%. The company earned an adjusted 70 cents per share on $1.19 billion in revenue. Both figures beat the 58 cents and $1.1 billion FactSet had projected.
Urban Outfitters (URBN) fell about 5% despite in-line results. Its earnings excluded a one-time tariff refund benefit.
Wednesday’s mixed reactions show that earnings beats alone don’t move stocks equally. Guidance quality and forward commentary shaped the size of each swing. Investors will watch whether these gains hold once Thursday’s trading session gets underway.
The post These 4 Stocks Outgained Nvidia After Their Own Q2 Beats appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Crypto World
Hyperliquid group asks CFTC to allow energy perpetuals
Hyperliquid Policy Center and trade[XYZ] have asked the CFTC to permit regulated perpetual contracts tied to WTI crude, Brent crude, and Henry Hub natural gas after their markets recorded more than $500 billion in cumulative volume.
Summary
- trade[XYZ] has operated perpetual markets on Hyperliquid since October 2025.
- The groups said continuous trading could help U.S. firms hedge energy exposure during weekends.
- Crude perpetual prices anticipated nearly 75% of the Sunday reopenings examined in a cited study.
- The filing proposes stablecoin margin, leverage limits, and regulated onchain market infrastructure.
Hyperliquid Policy Center and trade[XYZ] said in an Aug. 26 joint filing that U.S. regulators can bring energy perpetual contracts into regulated markets without waiting for new legislation.
Submitted in response to a Commodity Futures Trading Commission review, the letter calls for a legal path covering contracts linked to West Texas Intermediate crude, Brent crude, and Henry Hub natural gas. trade[XYZ], the first major third-party market deployer on Hyperliquid, has offered such products since October 2025.
Its markets have generated more than $500 billion in cumulative trading volume, according to the filing, which cited Bloomberg. The figure covers several asset classes available through trade[XYZ], including its energy products.
Unlike dated futures, perpetual contracts do not expire. Traders instead make recurring funding payments designed to keep each contract close to the price of its reference asset, allowing a position to remain open without being transferred into a new delivery month.
Energy perpetuals could fill weekend hedging gaps
Continuous access formed a central part of the groups’ case, particularly when geopolitical events moved oil prices while established U.S. futures venues were closed.
After conflict in the Middle East disrupted energy exports on Feb. 28, airlines, refiners and fund managers with crude exposure could not change their positions through regulated U.S. futures markets until trading resumed on Sunday evening, the filing said. Oil-linked perpetual contracts on Hyperliquid continued operating through the weekend.
According to the groups, about two-thirds of the oil price change between Friday’s close and the benchmark’s Sunday reopening had already occurred in the onchain market. Brent later reached nearly $120 per barrel by March 9, while jet fuel prices doubled within weeks, according to news reports cited in the filing.
Research published by Hyperliquid Policy Center also compared crude perpetual prices with the benchmark’s later reopening level. Across nearly 75% of the weekend closures studied, the perpetual contract finished closer to Sunday’s opening price than the benchmark’s previous Friday close.
The same study found no statistically measurable decline in the quality of CME WTI reopening prices after trade[XYZ] launched its crude contract, according to the filing. Hyperliquid Policy Center used the finding to argue that perpetuals can trade alongside dated futures without weakening the established benchmark.
Dated futures would remain useful for companies that need physical settlement, exposure to a particular delivery month, or positions based on the shape of the futures curve. Perpetuals, by comparison, could serve participants seeking continuous price exposure without regularly rolling a contract into its next expiry.
Contract size could also affect access. The filing noted that one benchmark WTI futures contract covers 1,000 barrels, representing around $70,000 in notional exposure at recent prices, while the median off-hours crude trade on trade[XYZ was about $1,300.
In May, an oil-perpetual partnership between Intercontinental Exchange and OKX showed that established market operators were also examining round-the-clock energy products. ICE agreed to license its Brent and WTI prices for perpetual contracts offered by OKX in selected markets outside the United States.
CFTC review has opened a US regulatory path
The CFTC requested public comments in June on two connected issues: extending standard energy futures to continuous trading and listing perpetual contracts tied to physical or storable energy commodities.
Its review covers reference-price reliability, manipulation risks, surveillance, position limits, margin, clearing, customer safeguards, and possible effects on physical energy markets. After adding questions and receiving requests for more time, the agency extended the submission deadline to Aug. 26.
CFTC Chair Michael Selig said the agency needed a “clear, data-driven record” as regulated entities considered longer trading hours and new contract designs. The commission has not approved energy perpetuals, and the public consultation does not guarantee that it will authorize them.
A regulated route already exists for some digital-asset products. As crypto.news reported in May, the CFTC approved Kalshi’s Bitcoin perpetual as the first federally regulated contract of its kind in the United States.
The approval treated Kalshi’s non-expiring product as a futures contract, although the CFTC limited its analysis to that contract and similarly structured products referencing digital commodities with deep and continuously active spot markets. Energy products require separate consideration because crude oil and natural gas have physical markets, delivery systems, and benchmarks that operate differently from Bitcoin.
Hyperliquid Policy Center has also sought an equity framework from the CFTC and the Securities and Exchange Commission. In an Aug. 24 submission, the group argued that qualifying equity perpetuals should be treated as security futures when they carry the established features of futures contracts.
Onchain systems would support continuous operations
For energy contracts, the latest filing asks the CFTC to adopt a technology-neutral framework rather than require a particular market structure. Exchanges and clearinghouses would need to demonstrate compliance with existing CFTC core principles before operating continuously.
Hyperliquid Policy Center and trade[XYZ] said onchain systems can run trading, margin checks, clearing, settlement, and surveillance at all hours. Under trade[XYZ]’s model, positions are funded in advance, while margin is recalculated with each transaction rather than waiting for a scheduled settlement period.
According to the filing, standard order-book liquidations have handled 97.9% of all notional volume liquidated across trade[XYZ] markets. Predefined backstop and tail-loss processes covered the remainder.
Because transactions, margin changes and liquidations appear on a public ledger, the groups said regulated operators could conduct real-time surveillance without adding separate reporting requirements for every market participant. Any U.S. operator would still have to meet applicable rules on market integrity, customer protection, and recordkeeping.
A July data integration added Hyperliquid and trade[XYZ] prices to TradingView, allowing users to monitor onchain markets covering commodities, equities, foreign exchange and crypto outside standard exchange hours.
Stablecoins could provide weekend margin
The filing also asks the CFTC to recognize eligible stablecoins and tokenized traditional assets as margin for cleared derivatives. Unlike transfers through banks that close on weekends, blockchain-based collateral can move while a continuous market remains open.
Current CFTC policy already permits certain digital assets in some cleared derivatives transactions. Under the agency’s crypto collateral pilot, participating futures commission merchants may accept Bitcoin, Ether and qualifying stablecoins, subject to reporting, capital and risk-management requirements.
Hyperliquid Policy Center and trade[XYZ] want the commission to clarify how such treatment would apply to energy markets. Their proposal does not call for crypto collateral in uncleared swaps, which remain outside the existing pilot.
Along with collateral rules, the groups proposed leverage limits set according to the asset class and plain-language disclosures explaining funding payments and liquidation processes. Market-integrity measures would also have to address price manipulation and the reliability of reference benchmarks during periods when physical energy markets are inactive.
Several CFTC requirements are written around conventional operating hours, including deadlines tied to the next “business day.” The filing asks the regulator to explain how such terms would apply when an exchange, clearing system, and collateral network continue running through nights, weekends, and holidays.
The final request calls for regulated operators to use onchain infrastructure for execution, margin, clearing, settlement, and recordkeeping whenever the systems satisfy existing CFTC core principles.
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