Connect with us

Crypto World

Anchorage Digital backs Immunefi in strategic bet on on-chain security rails

Published

on

Coin Center presses Senate to keep dev protections in BRCA bill

Anchorage Digital has taken a strategic stake in Immunefi and its IMU token, tying a U.S.-chartered crypto bank directly into on-chain bug bounty infrastructure for DeFi security.

Summary

  • Anchorage Digital invested in Immunefi and purchased IMU, tightening links between a U.S.-chartered crypto bank and one of crypto’s largest bug bounty platforms.
  • The deal signals institutions now treat on-chain security as core infrastructure, with Immunefi’s bug bounties positioned as a way to cut exploit tail risk across DeFi and L1s.
  • Anchorage can route banks and asset managers toward standardized bounty programs and security SLAs, while Immunefi gains a regulated partner to legitimize IMU’s role in its Security OS.

Anchorage Digital, the first federally chartered crypto bank in the United States, has made a strategic investment in security infrastructure provider Immunefi and purchased its native IMU token, tightening the link between regulated financial institutions and on-chain bug bounty markets. The move underscores how institutional players are increasingly treating protocol security as critical infrastructure rather than an afterthought, especially as capital flows back into higher-risk DeFi and L1 ecosystems.

Immunefi operates one of crypto’s largest bug bounty platforms, linking white-hat hackers with protocols that pay out rewards for disclosed vulnerabilities instead of suffering live exploits. By taking both an equity-style strategic position and exposure to IMU, Anchorage is effectively underwriting the thesis that better-aligned incentives between security researchers and protocols can reduce tail-risk events that destabilize markets and damage institutional confidence. For clients that custody assets with Anchorage, the signal is clear: security infrastructure is becoming part of the investable stack, not just a cost center.

Advertisement

The timing matters. After multiple cycles of bridge hacks, governance takeovers, and oracle failures, institutional allocators have become acutely sensitive to smart contract risk, often demanding audit trails, bug bounty coverage, and clear incident response procedures before deploying size into a protocol. Anchorage’s backing gives Immunefi a regulated, U.S.-chartered partner that can open doors with banks, asset managers, and corporates who require robust counterparties before touching on-chain security workflows. In practice, this could translate into larger, more structured bounty programs and standardized security SLAs around major DeFi and infrastructure projects.

For Immunefi, Anchorage’s involvement also helps legitimize IMU as part of a broader security ecosystem rather than a speculative side token. If the relationship deepens, one plausible path is tighter integration between Anchorage’s custody stack and Immunefi’s bounty coordination layer, allowing institutional clients to pre-commit budgets to security programs or ring-fence funds for rapid response payouts when vulnerabilities surface. Such tooling would mirror traditional cyber insurance and incident-response retainers, but enforced and settled on-chain.

At the ecosystem level, the deal signals a slow but decisive shift: instead of merely insuring against crypto risk from the outside, regulated entities are now buying into the core primitives that reduce that risk at the protocol level. Whether that bet pays off will show up directly in exploit frequency, recovery rates, and the willingness of large, regulated pools of capital to treat DeFi rails as investable infrastructure rather than a speculative side-show.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Crypto World

Ghana Positions Itself as Africa’s Hub with First Crypto Regulatory Sandbox

Published

on

Brian Armstrong's Bold Prediction: AI Agents Will Soon Dominate Global Financial

TLDR:

  • Ghana admits 11 firms into crypto sandbox to test exchanges and tokenization under VASP Act.
  • Over 3 million Ghanaians use crypto, with transaction volumes rising 80% amid growing adoption.
  • Blockchain.com expands to Ghana after 700% growth in Nigeria’s digital asset market.
  • Sandbox supports regulatory compliance, investor protection, and responsible innovation for firms.

Ghana’s crypto regulatory sandbox has launched under the 2025 VASP Act, allowing 11 firms to test digital asset services.

The initiative aims to regulate the market, protect consumers, and build a structured framework for the country’s growing crypto ecosystem.

Ghana opens regulatory sandbox for virtual asset providers

The Ghana crypto regulatory sandbox allows selected firms to operate under regulatory supervision. The Securities and Exchange Commission and Bank of Ghana oversee the 12-month pilot. 

Eleven firms, including Hyro Exchange, Koinkoin, and Africoin, have been admitted. The sandbox is the first operational step following the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act (2025), which legally recognizes digital asset companies. 

The programme permits firms to test cryptocurrency exchanges, tokenization of assets, and custodial services within a controlled environment.

Advertisement

Companies meeting the regulatory requirements may receive full licences after six months. Others can continue testing until the program ends. The SEC will use lessons from the sandbox to prepare final licensing guidelines for virtual asset service providers.

Regulators have emphasized compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards. The sandbox aims to encourage responsible innovation while strengthening investor protection and market integrity.

Advertisement

Ghana’s framework contrasts with Nigeria’s approach, where the SEC has paused new sandbox admissions. Ghana’s pilot indicates a structured path for regulated digital asset adoption, positioning the country as a potential hub for crypto innovation in West Africa.

The programme also includes local and international players like Blockchain.com, Hanypay, and Vaulta. Their participation demonstrates confidence in Ghana’s regulatory clarity and the growing potential of its crypto market.

Growth of crypto adoption and Blockchain.com expansion

Crypto adoption in Ghana has increased rapidly, with more than 3 million users now participating in the market. Transaction volumes have surged by 80 percent, reaching over $3 billion by 2024. 

These figures highlight the demand for regulated digital asset services in the country.

Advertisement

Blockchain.com, which reported over 700 percent growth in Nigeria, is expanding into Ghana to meet rising regional demand. 

The company has already seen a 140 percent increase in active Ghanaian users and an 80 percent growth in transactions. The firm is focusing on infrastructure development, regulatory engagement, and local partnerships. 

Stablecoins and other digital assets are expected to improve cross-border payments and support expanding digital commerce ecosystems in West Africa.

The sandbox provides an environment for firms like Blockchain.com to test market-ready products while maintaining compliance.

Advertisement

Ghana’s approach aligns market growth with investor protection and responsible innovation, creating a regulated framework for virtual asset services.

The regulatory pilot demonstrates Ghana’s commitment to balancing rapid crypto adoption with legal and operational oversight.

With the sandbox, firms can innovate safely while contributing to a structured and secure digital asset ecosystem.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Crypto World

Is the XRP Rally Losing Steam? Open Interest Drops Sharply Across Exchanges

Published

on

What It Means for XRP Investors and Prices


XRP futures traders appear to be pulling back as open interest dropped, funding rates weakened, and exchange transaction activity fell significantly.

XRP failed to break above $1.40 on Wednesday despite early-week optimism about a potential resolution to the Iran conflict. At the same time, derivatives data suggest speculative activity in the market has been cooling.

Open interest in XRP derivatives has declined sharply across major trading platforms after a period of strong speculative activity that accompanied the asset’s rally toward its cycle peak in July 2025.

Advertisement

Signs of Cooling After Heavy Long Liquidations

New data tracking multi-exchange open interest shows that the total value of active futures contracts has dropped noticeably across nearly all major exchanges, which indicates a reduction in leveraged participation. Open interest represents the total number of futures contracts that remain active in the market, and a decline typically means that traders are closing positions or reducing exposure.

Despite the broader decline, Binance continues to hold the largest share of XRP derivatives activity, as open interest currently stands at approximately $222 million. Bybit follows with about $195 million in open interest. While these figures remain higher than the lowest levels recorded in 2024, they are significantly below the high readings observed during mid-2025 when XRP reached its cycle high and speculative trading activity intensified.

After examining liquidation data across exchanges, CryptoQuant found a clear dominance of long liquidations compared with short liquidations, both in frequency and total value. This pattern suggests that bullish traders have been disproportionately affected by recent market volatility.

The report also said that heavy long liquidations typically push funding rates lower, and often bring them back toward neutral levels or even into negative territory. Such conditions generally reflect weakening bullish sentiment and increased caution among derivatives traders.

Advertisement

Market Participation Slows

Meanwhile, activity involving XRP transfers to and from major cryptocurrency exchanges has dropped to its lowest level since the indicator was introduced. The data comes from the Multi Exchanges Daily Depositing/Withdrawing Transactions Delta, a metric that tracks the number of XRP deposit and withdrawal transactions across 15 major trading platforms.

You may also like:

According to the analysis, the sharp decline in transaction activity comes after XRP’s price fell by more than 60% from the highs recorded last summer. The drop in deposits and withdrawals means that fewer users are currently interacting with exchanges, in what appears to be a notable slowdown in overall exchange-related activity for the cryptocurrency.

SPECIAL OFFER (Exclusive)

Binance Free $600 (CryptoPotato Exclusive): Use this link to register a new account and receive $600 exclusive welcome offer on Binance (full details).

LIMITED OFFER for CryptoPotato readers at Bybit: Use this link to register and open a $500 FREE position on any coin!

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Crypto World

February CPI Holds at 2.4% as Oil Shock Complicates Fed Rate Outlook

Published

on

Brian Armstrong's Bold Prediction: AI Agents Will Soon Dominate Global Financial

TLDR:

  • February CPI rose 2.4% YoY with core inflation at 2.5%, remaining above the Fed’s 2% target. 
  • Monthly CPI growth slowed slightly, aided by stable vehicle prices and lower rental inflation. 
  • Rising oil prices after the Iran conflict may push March inflation higher than February levels. 
  • Weak payroll growth and higher unemployment complicate the Fed’s March 18 policy decision.

February CPI data showed stable inflation in the United States during February. The figures matched expectations and indicated slower price growth.

However, rising oil prices and weaker employment data now place the Federal Reserve in a difficult position before its March policy meeting.

February CPI Shows Cooling Trend Before Energy Shock

February CPI increased 2.4% compared with the same period last year. The figure matched January’s reading and aligned with market expectations. 

Core inflation also remained steady at 2.5%, still above the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation target. Monthly price growth reached 0.3% in February after a 0.2% increase in January.

Core CPI rose 0.2%, slightly lower than the previous month. Lower rental inflation and stable vehicle prices helped keep monthly increases relatively moderate.

Advertisement

Some consumer categories still experienced rising costs. Grocery prices climbed 0.4% during February and rose 2.4% compared with a year earlier. 

Clothing prices also increased sharply, rising 1.3% during the same month. Energy prices moved higher during February but remained manageable. 

Gasoline prices increased 0.8% during the month yet remained lower than last year’s levels. These numbers represent conditions before the recent geopolitical conflict affected global energy markets.

Bull Theory noted the timing challenge surrounding the data release. The post stated that the Federal Reserve received the “perfect inflation report at the worst possible time.”

Advertisement

Oil Price Surge and Weak Jobs Data Complicate Fed Decision

Energy markets changed rapidly after the conflict involving Iran began near the end of February. Shipping disruptions in the Persian Gulf pushed oil prices sharply higher within days. 

Energy costs, therefore, started rising after the February CPI measurement period ended.

Oil prices briefly approached $120 per barrel before falling back to near $87. 

The market remains unstable because shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz face ongoing risks. Around 20% of global oil shipments normally pass through this route.

Advertisement

Fuel prices are already increasing in the United States. The national average price for regular gasoline reached about $3.58 per gallon. 

That represents an increase of roughly 20% within one month. Higher fuel costs often affect transportation, logistics, and airline travel. 

Businesses may also experience higher shipping expenses if energy prices remain elevated. Economists, therefore, expect fuel costs to influence inflation in the next report.

At the same time, labor market data shows signs of slowing. Payroll growth reached only 58,000 jobs in February, far below expectations of 126,000. 

Advertisement

The unemployment rate also rose to 4.4%. The Bull Theory summarized that policymakers now face three signals: cooling inflation, weakening jobs, and rising energy costs.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Crypto World

VanEck Crypto ETPs Reach 401(k) Investors via Basic Capital

Published

on

VanEck Crypto ETPs Reach 401(k) Investors via Basic Capital

VanEck has made some of its digital asset exchange-traded products (ETPs) available to 401(k) holders in the United States, signaling a push to integrate crypto-focused investments into traditional retirement accounts.

On Wednesday, the fund issuer said a selection of its digital asset ETPs will be offered through Basic Capital, a fintech platform that provides employer-sponsored 401(k) plans.

The companies did not specify which VanEck digital asset ETPs will be available on the platform. Within crypto, VanEck is best known for the VanEck Bitcoin Trust (HODL) and the VanEck Ethereum Trust (ETHV), its spot Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

The asset manager also offers the VanEck Digital Transformation ETF (DAPP), often referred to as its “Onchain Economy” ETF, which invests in companies involved in the digital asset ecosystem. 

Advertisement

VanEck expanded its crypto product lineup earlier this year by launching a spot Avalanche ETF in the United States. 

The US Department of Labor in May backtracked on previous federal guidance that discouraged 401(k) plan providers from offering crypto among their investment options.

Source: VanEck

Basic Capital was founded in 2021 and raised $25 million in a Series A funding round last year led by venture capital firms Forerunner and Lux Capital. The company’s 401(k) platform gives investors access to alternative assets beyond traditional stocks and bonds.

Related: Ethereum is very much ‘the Wall Street token,’ VanEck CEO says

Policy shift opens retirement plans to alternative assets

The move comes amid growing regulatory momentum to integrate digital assets into traditional retirement planning.

Advertisement

In August, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to expand access to alternative assets in 401(k) plans, including digital assets.

The directive called on agencies such as the Treasury Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission to coordinate on potential rule changes to support the broader adoption of alternative investments in retirement accounts.

The policy shift comes as more Americans rely on workplace retirement plans to build long-term savings.

Employer-sponsored defined contribution plans held about $13.9 trillion in assets as of September, including roughly $10 trillion in 401(k) plans, according to the Investment Company Institute.

Advertisement
401(k) plans are grouped under Defined Contribution (DC) plans. Source. Investment Company Institute

Separate data from Vanguard’s “How America Saves 2025” report suggests savings rates are also rising. Nearly half (45%) of participants increased their contribution rates in 2024, reflecting the growing use of automatic contribution features in employer plans.

Related: Crypto’s 2026 investment playbook: Bitcoin, stablecoin infrastructure, tokenized assets