Crypto World
AI Absorbs $242 Billion in Q1 Venture Funding, Exceeding All of 2025 Combined
Artificial intelligence captured roughly $242 billion in venture capital funding during Q1 2026, accounting for 80% of all global startup investment in the quarter.
The figures mark a record quarter as total global venture investment reached approximately $300 billion across some 6,000 funded companies.
Mega-Rounds Drive AI Funding Surge
Four deals accounted for 65% of all global venture capital. OpenAI raised $122 billion, Anthropic secured $30 billion, xAI closed $20 billion, and Waymo brought in $16 billion. AI funding in Q1 alone exceeded all of 2025 combined.
However, the capital flood is hitting physical limits. A Bloomberg report found that roughly half of US AI data centers planned for 2026 have been delayed or cancelled.
Transformer shortages, grid strain, and supply chain bottlenecks are limiting the buildout. Only about one-third of the projected 12 GW of new capacity is under active construction.
AI Agents Enter the Workplace
Meanwhile, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong revealed the exchange is testing AI agents that operate alongside human employees in Slack and email.
Armstrong suggested Coinbase could eventually have more AI agents than human staff, reflecting a broader corporate shift toward autonomous systems.
The workplace transformation has also reignited political debate. Elon Musk proposed “universal HIGH INCOME” via federal government checks, arguing AI productivity would offset inflation. Andrew Yang echoed the call, urging faster action on AI-funded universal income.
Senator Bernie Sanders pushed back from a different angle, warning that AI firms plan to spend $300 million on 2026 midterm elections.
Sanders called on Democrats to resist industry pressure and confront what he called “the AI Oligarchs.”
The tension between record capital inflows and infrastructure bottlenecks suggests AI’s growth trajectory may face near-term friction even as its economic influence accelerates.
The post AI Absorbs $242 Billion in Q1 Venture Funding, Exceeding All of 2025 Combined appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Crypto protocols have warned that an increase in AI use has led to a flood of bogus bug bounty submissions, putting a strain on teams trying to identify real threats to their protocols.
Bug bounties are a system to reward “good” hackers for submitting reports about potential vulnerabilities and are popular in the crypto industry. AI has now made it easier to sift through large amounts of code to find possible bugs, though AI is also known to hallucinate.
“AI is changing the way that bug bounty programs must operate,” said Barry Plunkett, co-CEO of Cosmos Labs, on Tuesday, responding to a bug bounty hunter who accused the protocol of ignoring their vulnerability report.
“Our program has seen a 900% increase in submission volume from last year, on the order of 20-50 per day,” he said, adding that it’s led to a huge increase in both valid and invalid reports.
Kadan Stadelmann, a blockchain developer and chief technology officer at Komodo Platform, told Cointelegraph he has also seen a notable increase in bug bounty submissions and payouts across organizations.
“There has definitely been an increase in low-quality bug bounty submissions, some of which have been false positives, potentially suggesting AI sourcing. One potential explanation is that AI has caused a decrease in the cost to produce a report, resulting in an influx of submissions.”
In January, Daniel Stenberg, the creator of the open-source data transfer tool curl, which is used in many apps, including blockchain infrastructure, announced he was ending his bug bounty program because of an influx of “AI slop in vulnerability reports,” and he was exhausted from sifting through them.
HackerOne, one of the largest bug bounty platforms in the world, reported in January that there were 85,000 valid bounty submissions in 2025, up 7% from the previous year.
AI could be both the cause and the solution
Plunkett said Cosmos Labs has already started to adapt its approach as a result of the uptick in bug bounty submissions by tightening how it scores submissions, prioritizing trusted researchers with a proven track record and working with other bug bounty providers that offer more advanced triage.
Meanwhile, Stadelmann said bug bounty programs have proven integral to defending decentralized systems, and adopting AI to assist in sifting through the noise could be a solution.
“Blockchain teams will have to create AI deterrents to sift through incoming bug bounties. The smaller the team, the bigger the problem of increased bug bounties will become. Software engineers won’t have the capacity to examine everything,” he said.
“This is where defensive AI systems to automatically sift through incoming bug bounties will be crucial. Teams dependent on bug bounties will need to develop stricter standards on their bug bounty programs as a means of lowering the number of incoming reports.”
Related: Crypto hackers stole $17B over past 10 years: DefiLlama
Key Takeaways
- Ruben Roy from Stifel Nicolaus increased AMD’s price target to $320 from $280, maintaining a Buy recommendation
- This fresh target suggests approximately 17% potential upside and exceeds the Street’s average forecast of around $291
- The upgrade reflects AI infrastructure demand surpassing expectations and significant partnerships with Meta and OpenAI
- AMD’s previously announced long-term EPS target of $20+ was established prior to the Meta partnership, suggesting room for upward revision
- Supply chain bottlenecks represent a significant concern that could hamper AMD’s ability to capitalize on robust demand
Shares of Advanced Micro Devices surged on Tuesday following a notable price target revision from Stifel Nicolaus, with the semiconductor stock climbing 3.47% during trading.
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., AMD
Ruben Roy, a Stifel analyst who ranks eighth among equity research professionals covering Wall Street, increased his price forecast for AMD to $320 from his previous $280 target while reaffirming his Buy recommendation. This updated projection indicates potential appreciation of approximately 17% from present trading levels within the coming year.
Roy’s optimistic stance positions him notably above the Street’s collective view. Currently, 37 analysts with Buy ratings on AMD have established an average price target hovering around $291.
The strategic timing is noteworthy. With AMD’s quarterly earnings report on the horizon, institutional investors appear to be adjusting their positions in anticipation.
Catalysts Driving the Bullish Thesis
Stifel’s upgraded outlook rests on two primary pillars. First, demand for AI computing infrastructure is accelerating beyond previous forecasts across both specialized accelerators and conventional processor designs. Second, AMD has secured transformative customer agreements — particularly multi-gigawatt strategic commitments with Meta and OpenAI.
Roy highlighted an important consideration regarding AMD’s financial guidance. The company had previously communicated a long-term earnings-per-share target exceeding $20, but Roy emphasized that this benchmark predated the announcement of the Meta collaboration. He characterized this $20+ figure as a baseline rather than an upper limit.
Stifel isn’t the only institution expressing increased confidence in AMD’s trajectory. Bank of America lifted its price objective to $310 from $280 on April 18. BofA’s Vivek Arya calculated that each gigawatt of deployed AI infrastructure capacity could generate approximately $15–$20 billion in net revenue for AMD, projecting data-center segment growth exceeding 60% year-over-year throughout 2026 and 2027.
Manufacturing Constraints Pose Challenge
Despite the optimistic outlook, the price target increase includes an important caveat. Stifel identified deteriorating supply chain constraints as a material risk factor. AMD may struggle to manufacture sufficient chip volumes to satisfy the accelerating customer demand.
This disconnect between robust market appetite and constrained production capacity represents the critical dynamic in AMD’s investment narrative at present. The company’s success in addressing this imbalance will significantly influence whether the $320 price target proves achievable.
AMD’s processor and graphics technologies form the backbone of AI-powered data center infrastructure. Additionally, the company is developing Helios, a comprehensive AI server rack platform scheduled for commercial availability in the latter half of 2026.
Year-to-date, AMD shares have appreciated 31.16%, while posting remarkable gains of 218.75% over the trailing twelve months. Tuesday’s trading volume reached approximately 9.09 million shares, substantially below the three-month average daily volume of 32.47 million shares.
The consensus Wall Street rating for AMD stands at Moderate Buy, reflecting 20 Buy recommendations and eight Hold ratings issued during the past three months, with a mean price target of $287.33.
One in four European investors has invested in cryptocurrency, according to a new study of 6,000 people across Germany, Italy, Spain, and France.
The findings, referenced by Boerse Stuttgart Digital, indicate rising interest in digital assets.
Crypto Adoption Gains Ground Across Europe
Market research firm Marketagent polled investors aged 18 to 70 between August 2025 and January 2026. The findings revealed that Spain leads crypto adoption with nearly 28% participation. Germany follows at 25%, with Italy (24%) and France (23%) slightly behind.
The survey also highlights sustained interest, with 36% of crypto investors likely to reinvest within five years. Spain again ranks highest in overall interest at over 40%, followed by France (36%), Germany (35%), and Italy (34%).
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“Crypto adoption across Europe is continuing to grow, with Spain emerging as a frontrunner. Notably, it is not only the number of investors entering the market that is significant, but also the sustained intention to invest further in the coming years, even in the face of market volatility,” Dr. Matthias Voelkel, CEO of Boerse Stuttgart Group, stated.
Despite rising interest, limited understanding remains a key barrier. Investors in Germany report higher confidence than their peers. Yet 65% still find crypto too complex, compared to 73% in Spain and France, and 70% in Italy.
Improved knowledge could drive further adoption. 54% in Spain, 49% in France, and 44% in both Italy and Germany say they would invest more if better informed.
Notably, Boerse Stuttgart Digital highlighted that the interest presents a clear strategic opportunity for banks, brokers, and asset managers.
Nearly one in five investors expect their bank to offer crypto access within three years. The demand is strongest in Germany (22%), followed by Spain (19%), Italy (18%), and France (16%).
The potential for customer movement reinforces this shift, as 35% of European investors would consider switching banks for better crypto services.
Spain shows the strongest inclination (40%), ahead of Italy (35%), France (33%), and Germany (29%), indicating that crypto offerings are becoming a key competitive factor.
Beyond banking, insights from BeInCrypto Legal and Regulatory Expert Council suggest crypto is moving into mainstream political debate in the United Kingdom.
“So we have something we call a crypto voter, and we believe very strongly that will become a bigger issue,” Adriana Ennab, UK Director at Stand With Crypto, told BeInCrypto.
Dion Seymour, Crypto Tax Technical Director at Andersen and former HMRC policy lead, noted that the growing number of crypto holders in the UK signals the issue is no longer marginal and demands greater political attention.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch leaders and journalists provide expert insights
The post Crypto Adoption Hits 25% Across Europe’s Four Leading Economies appeared first on BeInCrypto.
True Market Mean and Short-Term Holder cost basis form a critical $78.2K to $79.2K range that could define the next major move.
Key Takeaways
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate pricing reduced by 23%, now $22.99/month from $29.99
- PC Game Pass sees a 15% decrease to $13.99/month from $16.49
- Day-one access to new Call of Duty releases eliminated from Game Pass subscriptions
- Xbox gaming revenue declined approximately 10% year-over-year with hardware plummeting 32%
- Recent Xbox leadership change under Asha Sharma drives pricing restructure
The Xbox division at Microsoft has faced mounting challenges. Gaming accounted for a mere 7% of overall company revenue in the most recent quarter, marking it as the sole major business segment experiencing decline.
The financial picture painted a stark reality: console hardware sales plunged 32% following Microsoft’s decision to shelve two game projects, “Everwild” and “Perfect Dark.” CFO Amy Hood acknowledged during an analyst briefing that Xbox content and services revenue fell short of internal projections.
Game Pass Ultimate’s $29.99 monthly subscription had been in place since October, when Microsoft implemented a $10 increase. That pricing decision, as it happens, proved unpopular with consumers.
According to reports, Asha Sharma—Xbox’s newly appointed leader—communicated to staff via internal memo that the subscription had grown prohibitively expensive. Sharma, who joined from Meta, assumed control of Xbox in February following a leadership restructuring that saw Phil Spencer transition out and Sarah Bond depart.
Her solution: reduce pricing while maintaining the game catalog. Game Pass Ultimate falls to $22.99 monthly—representing a 23% discount. PC Game Pass decreases 15% to $13.99. Both adjustments took effect immediately.
The Call of Duty Compromise
There’s a significant caveat. Newly released Call of Duty titles will no longer debut on Game Pass at launch. Microsoft had leveraged the blockbuster franchise as a primary incentive for subscription growth, particularly following its massive $75.4 billion Activision Blizzard purchase in 2023.
Moving ahead, subscribers wanting immediate access to fresh Call of Duty releases must purchase them separately at $69.99. These games will join Game Pass approximately twelve months post-launch.
This represents a meaningful compromise—reduced subscription fees, but diminished launch-day content availability.
Microsoft indicated the adjustments stem from subscriber feedback. “Our players cover a wide breadth of geographies, preferences, and tastes,” the company stated in an official blog post.
Game Pass subscriber count stood at 34 million throughout 2024. Microsoft has not released updated membership figures.
Competitive Landscape Pressures
Xbox remains behind Sony and Nintendo in both hardware sales and subscription service adoption. This competitive disadvantage has forced Microsoft to reconsider Game Pass’s value proposition and pricing strategy.
The termination of hardware initiatives and two game development projects signals a wider strategic reevaluation of the gaming division’s direction. Some industry observers have speculated about potential divestiture or scaling back of the Xbox business, though Microsoft has issued no official statements regarding such possibilities.
Amy Hood referenced an undisclosed impairment charge within the gaming segment during the recent earnings presentation. No specific amount was disclosed.
MSFT stock advanced approximately 0.79% in after-hours trading following the pricing announcement.
Analyst sentiment toward Microsoft remains predominantly bullish, with 34 Buy recommendations and 3 Hold ratings issued over the past three months. The consensus price target stands at $581.61.
Bitcoin price jumped 2.5% today after President Trump confirmed an extension of the Iran ceasefire, and the market moved exactly as the prediction suggests. BTC touched $77,500 in early Asia trading, its highest print since Friday’s two-month peak of $78,300.
Equities are mirroring, S&P 500 down by 0.5% on last night’s close, erasing $500 billion in the process. Ether climbed as much as 2.5% too, tracking BTC tick for tick. Spot Bitcoin ETF inflows have been providing a consistent institutional bid beneath recent price action, and today’s geopolitical relief added the external catalyst.
— Crypto Rover (@cryptorover) April 21, 2026
CRASH:
$500,000,000,000 wiped from the U.S. stock market in just 90 minutes after Kevin Warsh’s statements. pic.twitter.com/uED5gQa0AF
“Crypto has been in a bullish mood in the past few weeks, often shrugging off bad news and climbing on good news,” said Caroline Mauron, co-founder of Orbit Markets.
The asymmetry shows structural demand for crypto.
Discover: The best pre-launch token sales
Bitcoin Price Prediction: $80,000 This Week
Wednesday’s spike put BTC back inside a decisive range. Most prediction projects Bitcoin at $75,000 over the next 10 days, with a weekly forecast of $77,300, which puts the current price bullish. More optimistic predictions have April 22 ceilings as high as $85,800, though that sits well outside the technical consensus.
The critical levels are clean. Paul Howard, senior director at Wincent, put it plainly: $72,000 is the key support zone, and $79,000 is where profit-taking has repeatedly capped the rally. But $75,000 should hold as a solid floor, and a clean close above $80,000 would “unlock significant further upside.”
Technically, RSI sits high neutral at the 50 area, while the EMA composite leans bullish with 11 of 23 tracked indicators flagging buy signals. If the ceasefire extension holds, BTC could close above $79,000 this week, and momentum funds pile in, sending it to above $80,000.
Bitcoin has outperformed gold by a wide margin since the end of February, up more than 15% while bullion dropped 10%. This is not accidental.
Discover: The best crypto to diversify your portfolio with
Bitcoin Hyper Targets Early Mover Upside as Bitcoin Tests Key Levels
Bitcoin at $77,500 sounds bullish. But at this market cap, the math for multiples gets harder. Early-stage infrastructure plays inside the Bitcoin ecosystem are where asymmetric upside still exists — and that’s exactly the thesis behind Bitcoin Hyper.
Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is positioning as the first Bitcoin Layer 2 with Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) integration with faster transaction throughput than Solana, paired with Bitcoin’s underlying security. The pitch addresses Bitcoin’s three core bottlenecks: slow transactions, high fees, and limited programmability.
Current presale price sits at $0.0136, with $32 million raised to date. Staking rewards are live with 36% APY bonus. The project includes a Decentralized Canonical Bridge for BTC transfers and high-speed smart contract execution via SVM. Institutional Bitcoin demand signals suggest the broader ecosystem is entering a higher-activity phase, which historically lifts infrastructure tokens alongside BTC.
Research Bitcoin Hyper before the presale closes.
The post Bitcoin Price Prediction: Another Ceasefire, Another Rally appeared first on Cryptonews.
Bitcoin rose above $78,000 on Wednesday after renewed easing in Middle East tensions supported risk appetite across digital assets.
Summary
- Bitcoin climbed above $78,000 after ceasefire news eased tension and pushed traders into risk assets.
- Roughly 110,000 traders were liquidated in 24 hours, with short positions making up most losses.
- Strategy bought 34,164 BTC for $2.54 billion, helping support momentum as institutional demand stayed firm.
The move came after US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire with Iran would be extended, while market participants also reacted to Strategy’s latest Bitcoin purchase.
The broader crypto market moved higher alongside Bitcoin. Total market value climbed above $2.7 trillion, while Ethereum, Monero, Bitcoin Cash, BNB, and Solana also posted gains. At the same time, leveraged traders faced heavy losses as liquidations neared $500 million over the past 24 hours.
Ceasefire extension supports market rebound
The latest price move followed comments from Trump on the conflict involving Iran. He said the ceasefire would remain in place as officials waited for a “unified proposal,” while adding that Iran’s government was “seriously fractured.”
Those remarks helped improve sentiment across global markets. S&P 500 futures rose 0.5%, while Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.6%. In crypto, Bitcoin advanced 2.2% over 24 hours and 4.3% over the week to trade above $78,000 during Wednesday trading.
This was not the first market reaction tied to the conflict. Earlier in April, crypto prices also moved higher after the US and Iran agreed to pause hostilities for two weeks. The latest extension again pushed traders toward risk assets.
Brent crude remained near $98 a barrel, while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index slipped 0.7% as investors continued to assess how long tensions in the region could last. Even so, digital assets stayed firm as traders focused on the ceasefire decision.
Bitcoin leads gains as altcoins follow
Bitcoin traded at about $78,145 after breaking out of recent headline-driven volatility. Ether rose 2.1% to $2,366, BNB added 1.3% to $640, and Solana gained 1.8% to $87. Most of the top 10 cryptocurrencies traded in positive territory, with only stablecoins and Tron showing small declines.
The upward move also came after Strategy disclosed a fresh Bitcoin purchase. The company bought 34,164 BTC for $2.54 billion at an average price of $74,395 per coin. That pushed its total holdings to 815,061 BTC, acquired for about $61.6 billion at an average cost of $75,527.
With Bitcoin trading above that average entry price, Strategy’s position returned to a modest unrealized profit. The company’s latest purchase was its biggest since November 2024 and added another corporate demand signal to the market.
Fund flow data also showed renewed investor interest. CoinShares reported that global crypto funds recorded $1.4 billion in inflows last week. Bitcoin attracted $1.12 billion, while Ethereum brought in $328 million. Chainlink and Sui also posted inflows, while XRP and Solana saw outflows despite price gains.
Liquidations near $500 million as shorts take the hit
The fast market rebound caused sharp losses for traders using high leverage. Total liquidations reached about $460 million in the past 24 hours, with short positions making up roughly 70% of that total.
Bitcoin-related liquidations rose to $212 million, while Ether positions accounted for $123 million. The biggest single liquidation took place on Bitget and exceeded $7.5 million.
Data also showed that nearly 110,000 traders were liquidated during the period. The figures reflected how quickly sentiment changed after the ceasefire update and Bitcoin’s move above $78,000.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Key Takeaways
- Tim Cook transitions from Apple CEO to Executive Chairman effective September 1, 2026
- Hardware Engineering SVP John Ternus, a 25-year Apple employee, named as successor
- AAPL shares declined 2.52% in response to the leadership announcement
- Q2 FY26 earnings scheduled for April 30; analysts project $1.94 EPS on revenue of $109.32B
- Wall Street maintains Moderate Buy rating with $305.81 average target price, suggesting ~12% potential gain
Apple appears ready to return to its product-focused roots.
The tech giant revealed Monday that Tim Cook will relinquish his CEO position on September 1, 2026, transitioning to Executive Chairman. John Ternus, who currently serves as Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering after 25 years with the company, will assume the chief executive position. The announcement sent AAPL down 2.52%.
Ternus embodies Apple’s product-first philosophy. His signature accomplishment involved spearheading the Mac’s migration away from Intel processors to proprietary Apple Silicon — a strategic move that strengthened Apple’s competitive positioning in the personal computer sector.
His attention to detail borders on legendary. Speaking at a 2024 University of Pennsylvania commencement ceremony, Ternus shared a story about examining machined screw heads on the Cinema Display — his first Apple project. He discovered the manufacturer had added 35 concentric grooves instead of the specified 25.
“Maybe a customer notices, maybe they don’t,” Ternus explained. “But either way, whenever I saw one of those displays on someone’s desk, it mattered to me.”
This meticulous approach represents the foundation upon which Apple was established.
Refocusing on Product Excellence
Recent years saw Apple emphasizing its services ecosystem and artificial intelligence capabilities. The services division — encompassing App Store, AppleCare, and Apple Music — has delivered solid performance. The AI narrative has proven more challenging.
Selecting Ternus indicates a strategic realignment toward hardware as Apple’s fundamental strength. The reality is simple: without iPhones, Macs, iPads, and Watches, the accompanying services ecosystem becomes irrelevant. This appointment communicates that priority clearly.
Cook’s own succession plan mirrors his original ascension. Steve Jobs selected Cook — an operations and supply chain expert rather than a product visionary — because Apple required different leadership capabilities at that juncture. Today, Cook and the board are entrusting leadership to someone who thinks in precision measurements and manufacturing specifications.
The recently launched MacBook Neo, with student pricing beginning at $500, exemplifies the direction a Ternus-led Apple might pursue: competitive pricing while maintaining the premium quality standards the brand demands.
Financial Outlook and Shareholder Composition
The leadership transition comes just before Apple releases Q2 FY26 financial results on April 30. Analyst consensus calls for earnings per share of $1.94 alongside revenue reaching $109.32 billion.
Regarding shareholder structure, TipRanks data shows public companies and retail investors controlling 60.61% of AAPL. Exchange-traded funds represent 21.61% of ownership, while mutual funds hold 17.70%. Vanguard leads all institutional holders with 8.45%, followed by Vanguard Index Funds controlling 6.87%.
Wall Street analysts assign AAPL a Moderate Buy consensus rating, comprising 16 Buy recommendations, 8 Hold ratings, and 1 Sell rating across the previous three months. The consensus price target stands at $305.81 — approximately 12% higher than current trading levels.
Apple’s April 30 quarterly report will provide the initial significant gauge of market confidence in the new leadership framework.
Sui-based liquid staking platform Volo Protocol said on Wednesday that an attacker drained roughly $3.5 million from three of its vaults, the latest DeFi security breach in a month already shaken by nine-figure exploits.
Volo froze every vault after detecting the attack and notified the Sui Foundation. The stolen assets included Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC), gold-backed XAUm, and USD Coin (USDC). The team said the remaining $28 million in total value locked across other vaults carries no shared attack vector.
Inside the Volo Protocol Exploit
Volo described the breach as a security incident in a statement posted on X early Wednesday. Only three vaults were affected, and the team said no other part of the protocol shares the same vulnerability.
The project is working with on-chain investigators and ecosystem partners to trace and recover the stolen funds. A full post-mortem will follow once the internal review concludes.
Volo originally launched as a dedicated SUI liquid staking platform, issuing the Volo Staked SUI (vSUI) token, before being acquired by Sui lending protocol NAVI in early 2024. The vault products targeted in this incident sit on top of that staking layer and accept wrapped assets and stablecoins as collateral for yield strategies.
Volo also moved to reassure users that any losses would not be passed on.
“Volo is prepared to absorb this loss. We will do our best not to pass this to our users,” Volo team, said.
The protocol said a remediation plan would follow once damage control operations finish, adding that rebuilding user trust depends on actions rather than promises.
Latest Hit in a Brutal Month for DeFi
Volo’s loss follows a string of major April incidents that have battered decentralized finance. Solana-based Drift Protocol lost about $285 million on April 1, in what Elliptic has linked to a suspected North Korean infiltration operation.
Less than three weeks later, restaking protocol Kelp DAO was drained of 116,500 restaked ether (rsETH) worth roughly $292 million through a compromised LayerZero bridge. Ethereum DeFi has since lost more than 17% of its total value locked.
Balancer also lost more than $128 million to an exploit earlier in the year. A targeted wallet drain cost one individual investor over $280 million across Ethereum and Arbitrum.
The Sui ecosystem has faced similar crises before. Attackers exploited the Cetus exchange for about 223 million dollars in May 2025. A flaw in concentrated liquidity pools enabled the attack. Sui validators and the community recovered most stolen funds. Total value locked on Sui exceeded 2.6 billion dollars in late 2025. This growth expanded the attack surface for exploiters. Attackers now target vault logic and oracle dependencies more often.
Volo promises to cover the 3.5 million dollar loss without external help. Depositors will watch closely when withdrawals reopen. The post-mortem should clarify the root cause. It will show whether the flaw was isolated or systemic. The findings may impact trust in the Sui DeFi ecosystem.
The post Volo Protocol Loses $3.5 Million in Sui Vault Exploit Amid DeFi Hack Streak appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Paris Blockchain Week showed us how the digital asset market is developing in 2026. Discussion across the event focused on regulation, investor demand, tokenization, and the conditions needed for growth.
In an exclusive interview with BeInCrypto, Sabina Liu, Managing Director EU at KuCoin, shares her view on the current cycle, the rise of institutional participation, and the areas attracting the most attention in Europe.
The interview also covers macro liquidity, the outlook for tokenized real-world assets, Europe’s role in regulated digital asset growth, and the market assumptions Sabina Liu believes deserve a second look.
Q1. Your panel looks at the digital asset forecast for 2026. From where you sit, what feels genuinely different about this cycle?
This cycle feels different because activity is becoming less momentum-driven and more rooted in long-term market development. We’re seeing stronger institutional participation alongside continued retail engagement, with increasing convergence between TradFi and DeFi. That is influencing market flows, but also the way products are being designed and distributed across the ecosystem.
At the same time, areas like tokenization, particularly RWAs, are progressing from experimentation into adoption, especially on the demand side. This is being supported by greater regulatory clarity, participation from TradFi players, and the growth of on-chain infrastructure.
Overall, the focus is turning toward distribution and a more compliant, sustainable framework for long-term growth.
Q2. A lot of discussion this year links crypto more closely to macro liquidity. How much do you think broader liquidity conditions will shape digital asset growth in 2026?
Macro liquidity remains an important backdrop for digital asset markets, as it does across most asset classes. It can influence risk appetite, capital flows, and short-term market activity.
What also stands out in this cycle is how the market is developing beyond liquidity conditions alone. We’re seeing continued progress in infrastructure, growing institutional participation, and early traction in areas like tokenization and RWAs.
Liquidity may influence the pace of growth, but the durability of that growth will depend on structural factors such as regulatory clarity, product maturity, and the depth of market infrastructure.
Q3. RWA keeps coming up as one of the major opportunities ahead. What do you see as the main challenge in distribution today, especially in Europe?
Tokenization of RWAs is gaining momentum, but distribution remains one of the key challenges.
There is progress on the infrastructure and supply side, yet distribution still depends on the strength of the use case and the ability of participants or investors to access these products within a clear and consistent regulatory framework.
Scalable distribution will require alignment across infrastructure, regulation, and user access so RWAs can develop into more accessible investment products.
Q4. Do you think Europe is in a strong position to lead the next phase of regulated digital asset growth?
Europe is well positioned to play a leading role in the next phase of regulated digital asset growth. The region has taken meaningful steps to establish a clear and structured regulatory framework, which gives the market a strong base for trust across the ecosystem.
That clarity becomes increasingly important as the market matures and institutional participation grows. It allows platforms, counterparties, and investors to operate with greater predictability and confidence, which is essential for long-term capital formation.
Q5. Which types of institutions do you think are most likely to drive meaningful market growth in 2026?
Firms established under MiCAR in Europe are likely to play an important part in bringing further adoption among retail and institutional investors who have not previously participated in digital assets.
The rising issuance of stablecoins is also likely to drive innovation and payment use cases, which will require further tokenization of HQLAs.
At the same time, more institutional investors are allocating capital into the digital asset space. Overall, the market is developing into a more mature ecosystem.
Q6. There is a growing view that the real test for this market is not how much short-term capital it can attract, but how well it can support long-term capital. Do you agree?
To a degree, yes. Long-term capital supports market depth, resilience, and sustainable growth, while short-term capital can still drive activity. Both have a place in the ecosystem, and both serve different investment intentions.
For the market to support long-term capital effectively, it needs to demonstrate trust through compliance, governance, and reliable infrastructure. The platforms and markets able to meet those standards will be in the strongest position to support the next stage of growth.
Q7. Looking ahead through the rest of 2026, what is one market assumption you think people should stop repeating?
One common assumption is that the market will continue to behave mainly as a momentum-driven, retail-led cycle.
What we are seeing instead is a transition toward a more institutional and infrastructure-led phase, where capital allocation decisions are becoming more long-term and supported by clearer frameworks.
The post KuCoin’s Sabina Liu on Where Crypto Growth Is Coming From in 2026 appeared first on BeInCrypto.
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