Crypto World
Aster launches AOS-2 with 1M ASTER listing stake
Aster has activated AOS-2, requiring projects to stake 1 million ASTER for four years before validators can approve a new perpetual market.
Summary
- Applicants must stake 1 million ASTER for four years, with no early withdrawal option.
- Successful proposals will move to Aster’s risk team before the contract launches on T+1.
- Projects that fail the validator vote will receive their full ASTER stake back.
- AOS-3 will follow, although Aster has not disclosed its rules or launch date.
AOS-2 opens Aster perpetual listings to applicants
Aster said in an Aug. 11 X post that the standard replaces private listing talks with a public process built around token staking, validator votes, and on-chain records.
Under AOS-2, a project must first meet Aster’s eligibility conditions and stake 1 million ASTER before it can submit a perpetual market proposal. The tokens remain locked for four years, and the applicant cannot leave the program early once the lock begins.
Eligible proposals then move to an on-chain validator vote. Approval does not immediately activate trading because Aster’s risk-control team must first configure the contract and assign the market’s operating parameters.
Once that process is complete, Aster plans to list the perpetual contract on T+1, meaning the next day after the required market setup. The announcement does not state whether T+1 refers to a calendar day or a business day.
A rejected application does not lose its deposit. According to the AOS-2 rules, Aster will return the full 1 million ASTER stake if validators vote against the listing. The announcement does not say how long the voting period lasts, what share of validator support is needed, or when the returned tokens become available.
The four-year lock therefore applies to successful applicants rather than serving as a listing fee. Aster did not disclose whether the locked tokens earn staking rewards, carry governance rights beyond the listing vote, or become subject to penalties if a listed project later fails to meet platform rules.
Aster keeps control of leverage and market risk
Although validators decide whether a proposed market can proceed, Aster’s risk-control system retains authority over leverage and other contract settings. The platform said those rules will be public and each decision will be recorded on-chain.
Risk settings are central to a perpetual contract because traders can maintain leveraged long or short positions without an expiration date. The exchange must set parameters covering margin requirements, liquidation levels, and the amount of leverage available, although Aster’s announcement did not list the exact factors its team will use.
The model divides responsibility between validators and the platform. Token holders participating in validation decide whether an eligible market should receive approval, while Aster determines how the contract will operate once it reaches the listing stage.
AOS-2 follows AOS-1, which opened spot-token listings to projects meeting published conditions. The latest standard applies the same public-entry approach to perpetual contracts, a market where Aster said listings have traditionally depended on private negotiations between projects and exchanges.
Aster has already used direct partnerships to add perpetual markets. In April, crypto.news reported its GENIUS listing, which made the exchange the first decentralized venue to offer a GENIUS perpetual contract.
The April arrangement also included a $200,000 ASTER trading reward pool and followed Aster’s partnership with the Genius trading platform. Under AOS-2, eligible projects now have a stated route to apply without depending solely on a privately arranged partnership.
AOS-2 gives ASTER another staking function
Requiring 1 million ASTER for every application adds a new use for the platform’s native token. The size of the requirement also means the cost of applying will change with ASTER’s market price, even though the number of tokens remains fixed.
Aster has not stated whether applicants may delegate the stake, obtain the tokens through third parties or submit a joint application. Its Aug. 11 announcement also did not disclose whether multiple proposals from the same organization would each require a separate 1 million-token lock.
The requirement arrives after Aster connected ASTER more closely to platform revenue. On June 17, the protocol said it would use 99% of daily fees for open-market token purchases and remove an equal amount from its reserves.
As previously covered on crypto.news, Aster also planned to reduce total supply from 8 billion to 3 billion ASTER through reserve burns. Purchased tokens were assigned to its Loyalty Rewards program, where distribution goes to veASTER holders according to their lock-weighted participation.
Aster separately imposed a 50,000 USDT charge for permissionless spot listings, with the proceeds directed toward ASTER purchases and rewards for stakers. AOS-2 uses a different structure because the perpetual-market deposit is returned when validators reject a proposal and remains locked when the application succeeds.
The staking rule comes as decentralized perpetual exchanges take a larger share of derivatives activity. CoinGecko’s 2026 Crypto Perpetuals Report found that perp DEXs increased their share of open interest from 3.6% in early 2025 to 13.5% in early 2026, according to coverage published in May.
CoinGecko also reported that top perp DEX open interest rose from $1.19 billion at the start of 2024 to $14.99 billion by the end of January 2026. Centralized exchanges still controlled most activity, with Binance and OKX accounting for 33% and 15% of the market during the first four months of 2026.
U.S. users face separate derivatives rules
AOS-2 changes how markets reach Aster, but it does not, by itself, decide who may legally trade the resulting contracts. Access for U.S. residents depends on federal derivatives rules and the platform’s geographic restrictions.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission regulates U.S. commodity futures, options, and swaps through registered entities, including designated contract markets and derivatives clearing organizations. The agency has also brought cases against offshore platforms accused of offering leveraged crypto derivatives to U.S. customers without registration.
In May 2026, the CFTC approved a Bitcoin perpetual futures contract for listing on a registered U.S. exchange and issued staff advisories covering continuous trading, clearing, and settlement, according to an updated CFTC regulation guide. The agency’s action concerned a regulated domestic product and did not provide general approval for U.S. customers to use offshore perpetual platforms.
Aster’s Aug. 11 announcement did not address U.S. availability, registration with the CFTC, or country-level access rules for markets approved through AOS-2. It also did not identify the assets that may qualify, publish an initial list of applicants, or disclose when the first validator vote will begin.
Aster said AOS-3 will follow AOS-2, but the exchange has not announced what the next standard will cover or when its rules will take effect.
Crypto World
Strategy CEO Says Firm Will Resume Bitcoin Accumulation This Year
Strategy CEO Phong Le says the company plans to resume accumulating Bitcoin later this year, despite having sold portions of its BTC holdings earlier in the year—an approach that has attracted investor scrutiny.
In a Monday interview with FOX Business, Le said Strategy purchased about 175,000 Bitcoin since the start of the year while selling roughly 7,000 BTC. He characterized the net flow as “about 25 times more” buying than selling and noted that Strategy has moved from being the world’s second-largest institutional Bitcoin holder to becoming the largest.
Key takeaways
- Strategy says it will restart net Bitcoin accumulation later this year after earlier sales.
- Le reported ~175,000 BTC bought since the beginning of the year versus ~7,000 BTC sold, implying Strategy remains a major net buyer.
- Strategy has sold Bitcoin on four occasions since May, with the most recent sale totaling 1,690 BTC.
- Recent sales have been linked to shareholder payouts and balance-sheet uses, including dividends and share repurchases.
- Broader pressure is building on the corporate Bitcoin treasury model as some public companies trade below the net asset value of their BTC.
Strategy’s plan to keep buying, and why the sales matter
Le’s message is direct: despite stepping back from pure accumulation, Strategy intends to increase its BTC exposure again “throughout the course of the year.” That stance arrives after the company diverged from its long-running “never sell” narrative, even if the magnitude of selling appears small relative to its total holdings.
According to the interview, Strategy has accumulated more than 840,000 BTC overall, while still making sales on four occasions since May. The most recent disclosed sale was for 1,690 BTC.
Le’s comments help frame the trade-off Strategy is facing as a public company with ongoing obligations. The company has used proceeds from recent Bitcoin sales for purposes that extend beyond building its BTC treasury—supporting preferred stock dividends, funding share repurchases, and adding to its U.S. dollar reserve.
The tension for investors is straightforward: selling Bitcoin—even when paired with larger net buying—can be seen as a shift in the risk-management and capital allocation logic that originally attracted many BTC-focused shareholders.
From “never sell” to balancing equity and dividends
Market scrutiny has focused on Strategy’s departure from its “never sell” approach. The company’s situation underscores a challenge unique to Bitcoin-heavy treasury models when they operate under traditional public-company constraints.
As a result, Strategy’s capital decisions are not driven by Bitcoin price views alone. Instead, it must weigh requirements tied to common and preferred shareholders alongside its accumulation strategy. The implication is that even firms positioned as long-term Bitcoin holders may still periodically liquidate BTC to meet other corporate finance priorities.
Why the corporate Bitcoin treasury model is under strain
Beyond Strategy specifically, the broader economics of corporate Bitcoin treasuries have been stressed by weaker market conditions. Data cited from BitcoinTreasuries.NET indicates that public companies collectively hold more than 1.26 million BTC, while spot-exposed vehicles such as exchange-traded funds and other funds hold more than 1.6 million BTC.
The treasury model historically gained momentum during a period when corporate Bitcoin holders traded at premiums to the value of their BTC holdings. In that environment, firms could raise capital through equity or debt and then convert that financing into additional Bitcoin, according to analysis referenced from Novaque Research.
But the mechanics worsen when the market assigns a discount. When companies trade below the net asset value of their Bitcoin holdings, new capital raises can dilute existing shareholders more than they did during premium periods. That makes it harder for treasury firms to perpetuate rapid accumulation without creating downside dilution—especially if capital markets are tighter and equity valuation is less supportive.
In other words, even if the long-term thesis remains intact, the near-term path to growth may require more careful balancing between BTC buying and other corporate uses of cash, particularly when the equity story is no longer a simple premium-to-NAV loop.
What to watch next for Strategy and other BTC treasuries
Strategy says it intends to resume accumulation later this year, but investors should monitor whether future buying is funded primarily through balance-sheet decisions (including any further BTC sales) or through renewed access to capital markets. More broadly, the sustainability of corporate Bitcoin treasury expansion may increasingly depend on whether share pricing can recover toward—or at least not deeply undercut—BTC net asset values.
Crypto World
Coinbase Wins Abu Dhabi License to Expand Tokenized Securities Hub
Coinbase has received regulatory approval in Abu Dhabi to provide investment arrangements and custody services through Abu Dhabi Global Market. The approval strengthens the company’s international expansion and establishes the emirate as its global base for tokenized securities outside the United States. The move also supports Coinbase’s broader strategy to expand regulated blockchain financial services across major international markets.
Coinbase Establishes Abu Dhabi Tokenization Hub
Coinbase secured a Financial Services Permission from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market. Consequently, the exchange can arrange investment deals and provide regulated custody services within the financial center. The approval creates a legal framework for its tokenized securities business.
The company selected Abu Dhabi as its international tokenization hub outside the United States. Therefore, Coinbase will build blockchain-based services for traditional financial assets from the emirate. The initiative supports the wider adoption of onchain capital markets under regulated conditions.
Coinbase plans to issue tokenized securities backed by underlying company shares through the FSRA framework. Each digital security will represent an actual share under approved prospectus terms. The structure allows regulated blockchain ownership while maintaining established financial standards.
Tokenized Securities Expand Regulated Digital Asset Services
Each tokenized security will carry rights linked to its underlying share according to the approved offering documents. Eligible holders can receive shareholder rights, including voting rights, when they satisfy the applicable conditions. Dividend payments will automatically be reinvested under the structure governing the digital securities.
The platform removes the need for traditional brokerage accounts and correspondent banking relationships. Instead, users will hold tokenized securities through compatible digital wallets. Meanwhile, every transfer will undergo sanctions screening under the applicable regulatory framework.
Coinbase also retains authority to freeze or seize digital assets whenever regulatory requirements demand such action. The company said the framework balances blockchain efficiency with compliance obligations. The approval strengthens Abu Dhabi’s position as a regulated center for digital financial services.
UAE Expansion Supports Broader International Growth
Coinbase continues expanding its operations across the United Arab Emirates beyond tokenized securities. At the same time, the company is building a derivatives business in Dubai. Together, both operations will focus on blockchain-based capital markets and regulated derivatives services.
The company stated that the UAE will host two of its largest international businesses outside the United States. Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi operation will support tokenized securities while Dubai develops derivatives offerings. The combined strategy reflects growing demand for regulated digital asset infrastructure across global financial markets.
Coinbase is also preparing to launch futures, perpetual contracts, and options for professional participants in the United Kingdom. The planned offering will cover cryptocurrencies, stocks, commodities, and foreign exchange markets. More than 170 contracts will become available, while perpetual products will support continuous trading with leverage limits reaching 50x and dated futures offering leverage up to 20x.
The approval builds on Abu Dhabi’s efforts to attract digital asset companies through clear regulatory frameworks and dedicated financial infrastructure. ADGM has introduced digital asset regulations over recent years to support blockchain businesses seeking regulated international operations. Consequently, Coinbase joins several global firms expanding regulated services from the UAE as tokenized financial markets continue developing worldwide.
Crypto World
July’s Heat Made History. Trump’s Cuts Could Leave Us Less Prepared for What Comes Next
But NOAA relies on federal funding in order to keep historic records, observe weather patterns, and produce informed forecasts.
The Trump Administration reduced NOAA’s workforce in 2025, and subsequently proposed steep cuts to the agency’s funding, hampering its ability to monitor weather conditions, analyze patterns, and provide forecasts.
The National Weather Service (NWS), which operates under NOAA, lost roughly 600 employees—about 15% of its workforce—through layoffs, buyouts and retirements. It must now respond to increasingly severe weather events—like hurricane season and wildfire season—with reduced resources. As a result, it announced last year that it was scaling back the tools used to track weather patterns, such as weather balloons.
The administration later proposed cutting NOAA’s overall budget by $1.6 billion, or roughly 26%, compared with fiscal year 2025.
“A leaner NOAA that focuses on core operational needs, eliminates unnecessary layers of bureaucracy, terminates nonessential grant programs, and ends activities that do not warrant a Federal role, will provide better value to the American public,” its budget summary stated.
Crypto World
Internet Computer (ICP) Rebounds 10% Weekly: What’s Happening and What’s Next?
The leading cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), experienced substantial volatility over the past week, ultimately posting minor gains.
ICP – the utility token of Internet Computer – outperformed all top 10 digital assets within that period, and some believe it could be gearing up for a much more substantial rally.
The Next Potential Targets
Earlier today (August 11), the asset’s price soared to almost $2.40, the highest level since mid-June. It later retraced to the current $2.28 (per CoinGecko), representing a 10% weekly increase.

It remains unclear what exactly caused the resurgence. One possible catalyst could be the fact that Internet Computer is close to reaching the massive target of 300 billion processed transactions. According to the X account BSCN, the number has risen to roughly 298 billion since launch.
“To give some context, Solana (a network known for its scalability) has generated a cumulative total of 121 billion transactions – still extremely impressive, but not even close to Internet Computer’s figure,” the entity added.
Following the latest revival, crypto X is full of analysts envisioning further gains. Clifton Fx argued that ICP is getting ready for a 100-150% “massive bullish rally,” while CW thinks the asset has reached the sell wall zone, which ranges between approximately $2.35 and $2.45. In their view, breaking above would open the door to a rise to $3.
Crypto With Gopal also chipped in, claiming that ICP has printed a falling wedge formation on its price chart. He believes “a clean breakout” above $3.50-$4 could trigger a strong expansion move to as high as $7.
Still Light-Years From the Record
Despite the recent move north, ICP remains nearly 99.7% down from the historic peak of around $700 witnessed in the spring of 2021. Back then, its market capitalization briefly surpassed $18 billion, while as of now the figure stands at less than $1.3 billion. This makes ICP the 56th-biggest cryptocurrency.
Not long ago, X user Cryptorphic envisioned a potential slump to $1.67 if $2.10-$2.12 turns into resistance, whereas Crypto Patel forecasted a possible crash to $0.50 should the psychological level of $2 fail to hold. Given the ongoing bear market, a fall that deep is still on the table, so traders and investors should remain cautious.
The post Internet Computer (ICP) Rebounds 10% Weekly: What’s Happening and What’s Next? appeared first on CryptoPotato.
Crypto World
Russia Proposes Regulated Exchange Trading for Bitcoin, Ether, USDT
Russia’s central bank has drawn up a proposed shortlist of crypto assets that, if approved, could be eligible for trading on regulated platforms under the country’s newly enacted crypto framework. The regulator said the candidate assets include Bitcoin, Ether, and the stablecoin USDT.
The proposal is part of broader rules taking shape after President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Aug. 4 granting the Bank of Russia authority to decide which digital currencies may be admitted to “organized” trading and to set investor-access requirements. The central bank is now inviting public comments on the draft through Aug. 24.
Key takeaways
- The Bank of Russia’s draft list names Bitcoin, Ether, and Tether’s USDT as potential candidates for admission to organized exchange trading.
- Eligibility is tied to criteria such as market capitalization, average daily trading volume, and at least five years of price history on overseas markets.
- New access rules would cap purchases for non-qualified investors at 300,000 Russian rubles (about $3,650) per year per intermediary, while qualified investors face no such limit.
- All investors would need to complete a test and review crypto risk information before trading, regardless of their classification.
- The regulator is accepting comments on the proposal until Aug. 24, meaning the draft could change before final rules are set.
Draft eligibility list: what assets could be admitted
In a statement Tuesday, the Bank of Russia said it has compiled a proposed set of crypto assets that could be allowed for public trading on exchanges under the incoming regulatory regime. The announcement, published on the regulator’s website, also specified that the assets must satisfy a number of benchmark conditions.
According to the central bank, those conditions include a requirement tied to market capitalization, average daily trading volume, and at least five years of price history on international markets. By emphasizing both scale and long-running market data, the approach appears designed to narrow eligibility toward more established assets rather than newer tokens.
Among the named candidates are Bitcoin and Ether—two of the most liquid and widely traded cryptocurrencies globally—as well as USDT, a stablecoin issued by Tether. The inclusion of a major stablecoin signals that the regulator’s framework is not limited strictly to volatile coins, at least at the eligibility stage.
Why the new law changes the regulator’s role
The draft list does not stand alone; it follows a shift in Russia’s regulatory structure created by federal law that took effect after being signed by Putin on Aug. 4. That law gives the Bank of Russia the power to determine which crypto assets can enter organized trading and to create the operating rules for that process.
Earlier reporting from Cointelegraph noted that the core rules were set to take effect in 2026 as part of the new legal framework. With the central bank now moving to propose an asset list and investor rules, the practical implementation of that authority is beginning to take shape.
For market participants, the key implication is that not all tokens may be treated equally under the same umbrella. The regulator’s criteria—and the fact that eligibility is decided by the central bank—introduces an additional layer of compliance and potentially affects which assets exchanges can list for retail access.
Investor access rules: limits, “qualified” status, and risk testing
Beyond which assets could trade, the Bank of Russia’s proposal also addresses who can buy and how much. Under the draft rules, non-qualified investors would be limited to purchasing up to 300,000 rubles per year (about $3,650) of cryptocurrency through each intermediary. Intermediaries explicitly referenced include brokers, crypto exchange services, and asset managers.
Qualified investors, by contrast, would not face purchase limits for crypto assets traded on exchanges or through over-the-counter markets. The distinction between “qualified” and “non-qualified” investors matters because it shapes the effective scale at which different classes of customers can participate.
Importantly, the Bank of Russia said the framework requires a pre-trade step for everyone. “Before making transactions, all investors, regardless of their status, will have to pass a test and familiarize themselves with the risks of investing in crypto assets,” the central bank stated.
This requirement is designed to apply across the board, potentially limiting impulsive participation by ensuring buyers demonstrate awareness of crypto risk—while still allowing higher-volume activity for those who qualify.
Regulator rationale and what to watch next
The central bank said the restrictions are intended to protect non-qualified investors from sharp and unpredictable crypto price fluctuations. The logic is straightforward: if retail access is permitted, the regulator wants guardrails to reduce the likelihood of outsized losses among less experienced participants.
Russia’s draft also signals where the regulator’s focus may be during implementation. First, asset eligibility appears to rely on objective market metrics and longevity, which may constrain the range of tokens available for public exchange trading. Second, investor limits and required testing could reshape the economics of retail trading—especially if intermediaries must build compliance processes around classification and risk education.
The proposal remains open for public comment until Aug. 24, so investors and industry participants should watch for any changes to the eligibility criteria, the list of assets, or the specifics of the investor test and qualification thresholds.
For now, the central development is clear: Russia’s crypto market is moving toward a regulated structure where both the tradable universe and retail access conditions are determined by the Bank of Russia. The next key moment will be how the regulator responds to feedback and finalizes the framework ahead of full implementation of the new law.
Crypto World
5 takeaways from the country’s latest auto sales data
Exterior view of the Tesla Gigafactory during a government-organised media trip in Shanghai, China, April 14, 2026.
Go Nakamura | Reuters
BEIJING — Survivors have emerged in China’s fiercely competitive car market, which is increasingly dominated by electric-powered vehicles.
Here are brands that have emerged as Chinese consumers’ favorite, according to industry data from Autohome:
1. Geely ranks first
Among the 10 most popular car models sold in China in the six months through July, Geely‘s Xingyuan electric hatchback was the bestseller with nearly 197,500 units sold.
The price? Just under 100,000 yuan ($14,820).
Geely has emerged as a close rival to BYD, ranking second by overall China sales volume in 2025. The Hangzhou-based company still sells gasoline-powered cars in addition to electric vehicles, such as those sold under its premium brand Zeekr.
2. Tesla keeps selling
The company’s Model Y ranked second in popularity with more than 180,000 of the electric SUVs sold. The Tesla car comes at a steeper price tag of 263,500 yuan to 313,500 yuan, but that didn’t stop it from topping sales of Li Auto‘s i6 SUV and Xiaomi’s SU7 sedan.
3. BYD barely makes top 5
Three of the 10 best-selling cars, as per Autohome data from February through July, were from BYD. But the most popular one — a modestly priced Yuan UP SUV — just managed fifth place with nearly 97,700 units sold. In sixth place was the Ti 7 under BYD’s off-road brand, followed by its Sealion 06 SUV.
The Chinese car giant reported its passenger car sales dropped by more than 10% in the first half of the year.
4. VW holds on
The German automaker was the only traditional foreign car company to make the top 10 — with its compact gasoline-powered Lavida in ninth place, squeezed between Leapmotor’s A10 electric SUV and Geely’s gasoline-powered Boyue L SUV.
5. Electric dominates
New energy vehicles, which include battery and hybrid-powered cars, accounted for 65.1% of new passenger cars sold in July — up from 54% a year ago, according to China Passenger Car Association data released Tuesday.
But the category still saw sales for the year through July drop by 12.5%, as passenger car sales overall tumbled by 20.3%, industry data showed.
Crypto World
Shipfinex taps ADI Chain to tokenize $500M vessel portfolio
Dubai-based Shipfinex has partnered with ADI Chain to tokenize about 35 vessels valued at roughly $500 million, with the planned structure designed to give shipowners access to blockchain-based financing and investment channels.
Summary
- Shipfinex has partnered with ADI Chain to tokenize about 35 vessels valued at roughly $500 million through separate special purpose vehicles.
- The planned tokens could represent vessel backed credit, charter linked income or other economic interests, with ADI Chain providing distribution and settlement infrastructure.
- Stablecoins denominated in UAE dirhams, U.S. dollars and other currencies are expected to support primary allocations and distributions.
- The project remains in the pilot and operational readiness stage, with no Maritime Asset Tokens publicly issued and the regulated issuance route still being finalized.
- Tokenized real world assets totaled about $38.1 billion as of Aug. 9, while Standard Chartered expects the market to reach $4 trillion by the end of 2028.
According to Shipfinex, each vessel in the planned pipeline will be placed inside a separate special-purpose vehicle, creating a legal structure through which tokens can represent economic interests tied to individual ships.
Shipfinex plans $500 million vessel tokenization pipeline
Depending on how each transaction is structured, the tokens could represent vessel-backed credit, income linked to charter agreements, or other economic interests connected to a specific ship. Separating the vessels into individual SPVs would also allow the economic rights associated with one ship to be structured independently from the rest of the portfolio.
ADI Chain will provide the blockchain infrastructure for distribution and settlement under the partnership. Primary allocations and subsequent distributions are expected to use stablecoins denominated in UAE dirhams, U.S. dollars and potentially other currencies.
The companies have not yet moved the planned assets into public issuance. Shipfinex said the partnership remains in its pilot and operational-readiness phase, while the regulated route required to issue the Maritime Asset Tokens is still being finalized.
As a result, none of the planned Maritime Asset Tokens have been publicly issued so far, despite the companies identifying a pipeline of about 35 vessels.
The $500 million portfolio would represent only a fraction of the value held in the global maritime industry. Clarksons Research valued the world fleet and ship orderbook at approximately $2.1 trillion at the beginning of 2026.
Shipfinex’s planned structure would bring vessels, an asset class traditionally financed through bank loans, leasing arrangements and private capital, into a tokenization model where defined economic rights can be represented and settled through blockchain infrastructure.
A similar model has already emerged elsewhere in the maritime sector. In June, crypto.news reported on Ethra Ship’s launch of a blockchain protocol for investments linked to operating maritime assets.
Ethra’s structure separated its SHIP governance token from a regulated real-world asset investment layer backed by vessel-owning SPVs. The platform was supported by Ethra Invest, which had been acquiring, managing and commercially operating vessels since 2021.
Ethra also said individual ships in the market can cost between $30 million and $120 million, illustrating the amount of capital that can be required to gain direct exposure to maritime assets. Its model used operating vessels and charter revenue as the economic base for its tokenized investment structure.
ADI Chain provides stablecoin settlement infrastructure
For Shipfinex, ADI Chain’s role extends beyond recording the planned vessel-linked tokens. The network is expected to support their distribution and settlement, including transactions involving currency-denominated stablecoins.
ADI Chain has already been involved in digital asset infrastructure projects in Abu Dhabi. In May, a previous report covered BNY’s launch of institutional Bitcoin and Ether custody services in Abu Dhabi Global Market through a collaboration involving Finstreet Limited and the ADI Foundation.
BNY, which had $59.4 trillion in assets under custody and administration at the time, initially offered custody for Bitcoin and Ether to regional institutional clients. The platform was also intended to support stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets as its services expanded.
ADI Chain has separately been used for dirham-denominated stablecoin infrastructure. DDSC, a stablecoin backed one-to-one by UAE dirham reserves, launched on ADI Chain in February after receiving approval from the UAE Central Bank.
The stablecoin was initiated by International Holding Company and First Abu Dhabi Bank, according to the announcement at the time. Its presence on ADI Chain provides existing dirham-based settlement infrastructure as Shipfinex prepares a model that could use UAE dirham-denominated stablecoins for vessel token allocations and distributions.
Tokenized real-world assets reach $38.1 billion
Shipfinex is preparing the vessel program while the value of tokenized real-world assets continues to increase across government debt, commodities, private credit and other asset classes.
Data from RWA.xyz showed approximately $38.1 billion in tokenized real-world assets as of Aug. 9. U.S. Treasury debt accounted for about $16.2 billion of the total, while tokenized commodities represented another $4.9 billion.
The market had already expanded sharply earlier in the year. By May, RWA.xyz and other market data placed tokenized real-world assets at roughly $31 billion to $34 billion, compared with around $5.4 billion at the start of 2025. Ethereum hosted about 60% of the value at the time, while tokenized U.S. Treasuries accounted for roughly $15 billion.
Growth has also extended into assets that have historically been difficult to divide or distribute to investors. Vessel tokenization falls into that category because ownership, financing and income rights can be tied to individual physical ships through legal entities rather than existing natively on a blockchain.
Under Shipfinex’s proposed setup, the SPVs would provide that off-chain legal structure, while ADI Chain would handle the blockchain-based distribution and settlement layer. The exact rights attached to each token would depend on whether a transaction represents credit, charter-linked income or another economic interest.
Standard Chartered sees tokenized assets reaching $4 trillion
Institutional forecasts have put the potential tokenization market far above its current size. In a report released Monday, Standard Chartered forecast that tokenized real-world assets could reach $4 trillion by the end of 2028, according to Geoff Kendrick, the bank’s global head of digital asset research.
An earlier Standard Chartered forecast covered in May projected $4 trillion of tokenized assets on-chain by the end of 2028, split evenly between stablecoins and real-world assets.
Kendrick said at the time that established decentralized finance protocols with strong risk controls could capture much of the activity as traditional financial assets move on-chain. He cited BlackRock’s BUIDL tokenized Treasury fund as an example of an institutional asset that can generate Treasury yield while also being used within blockchain-based financial products.
The bank’s projection included a $2 trillion target for stablecoins and another $2 trillion for tokenized RWAs by the end of 2028. Standard Chartered also estimated that roughly 1,000 times more assets remained off-chain than on-chain when it published the earlier forecast.
Shipfinex, meanwhile, has yet to publicly issue any of the Maritime Asset Tokens in its proposed $500 million vessel pipeline, with the company still working through pilot preparations, operational readiness and the regulated issuance route for the planned tokens.
Crypto World
ENS DAO approves foundation overhaul with five-seat board
ENS DAO has approved and executed a governance proposal that turns the ENS Foundation into a full-time operating body with a five-seat board, a professional staff, and control over a roughly $65 million endowment.
Summary
- ENS said the “Next Era of ENS DAO” proposal has completed on-chain execution after receiving tokenholder approval.
- Five voting directors will oversee the foundation, including three independent members.
- A one-time transfer of 1 million ENS tokens will fund employee compensation under restricted terms.
- ENS tokenholders retain control over protocol upgrades, fees, DAO-held tokens, and board appointments.
ENS Foundation takes over daily operations
According to an official ENS announcement, the approved structure gives the foundation the staff and legal standing needed to handle work that cannot be managed easily through on-chain votes alone.
ENS has operated for almost a decade as a naming system built on Ethereum. Its domains replace long blockchain addresses with names such as “alice.eth,” while also supporting website records, profiles, and other identity data.
Millions of ENS names have been registered, and the protocol has gained support from wallets, applications, and Layer 2 networks. However, the DAO itself is not a legal entity, leaving it unable to sign many institutional agreements, employ a permanent team, hold intellectual property directly, or represent the protocol in formal policy talks.
Under the executed proposal, the ENS Foundation becomes the legal and operating body for those functions. A full-time executive director will lead daily operations, manage staff, and oversee the grants program within budgets approved by the board.
Alexander Urbelis will serve as executive director and hold one voting board seat. ENS founder Nick Johnson will occupy a second seat, while Kartik Talwar, Brett Sun, and Anthony Leutenegger will serve as independent directors.
Independent directors will receive 40,000 USDC per year and serve two-year terms that the DAO may renew. If a director declines the payment, the funds will go to a nonprofit or public-good project of that person’s choice, according to the proposal.
Tokenholders also retain the power to appoint and remove directors. The removal process includes a written petition, supporting evidence, a response period for the board, and a 30-day period between the petition and the vote.
ENS DAO keeps control of the protocol and its tokens
The new setup separates operational work from decisions affecting the ENS protocol. The proposal states that smart contract upgrades, registration prices, fee structures, constitutional changes, the root key, and registry controls will remain with ENS tokenholders.
“Protocol control remains exclusively with ENS tokenholders,” the proposal states.
ENS Labs will continue operating as a separate Singapore-based entity with its own management and board. The foundation will hold ENS trademarks, brand assets, and other intellectual property, then license the relevant rights to ENS Labs while funding its work through the existing grant relationship.
Treasury safeguards were also added after delegates raised concerns during discussions that began in June. The DAO’s approximately 54.6 million ENS tokens remain under the same on-chain controls, and the proposal does not grant the foundation general authority over them.
One exception allows 1 million ENS tokens to move to the Foundation Safe for future employee compensation. Any grants from that pool must use multiyear vesting, while compensation for a director or the executive director requires approval from independent board members.
Until grants are issued, the foundation cannot vote, delegate, lend, or pledge the transferred tokens. It also cannot transfer them to ENS Labs or use them to pay ENS Labs staff. Unused tokens must return to the DAO if the foundation closes or if tokenholders approve a recall.
ENS has previously used outside organizations to manage part of its treasury. In November 2022, crypto.news reported its selection of Karpatkey to manage an endowment initially valued at about $52 million.
Nine-day timelock protects ENS endowment
Administrative control of the Endowment Safe, holding approximately $65 million in ETH and stablecoins as of July, now sits with the foundation board through approved signers. The assets have not moved to a new address, and the change does not give any director, employee, or private party beneficial ownership of the funds.
Endowment transactions will pass through a nine-day timelock by default. During that period, the ENS Security Council can cancel a transaction if it is unauthorized, incorrect, malicious, or outside the foundation’s approved mandate.
The proposal uses an OpenZeppelin Timelock Controller and a Blockful Security Council contract. Existing investment permissions granted to the endowment manager remain unchanged.
Meanwhile, the DAO’s operational wallet stays under its existing structure. The wallet held about $16 million in ETH and stablecoins as of July, while active payment streams continue drawing from it under their current terms.
Before receiving regular operating funds, the executive director must submit a projected budget to the board and publish a high-level version on the ENS governance forum. Transfers to cover setup costs cannot exceed $500,000 before that disclosure, and the first annual budget is due within 60 days of the proposal’s adoption.
Current grants, service-provider commitments, and active payment streams will continue until their scheduled end. Future grant work will move under the foundation, including the Service Provider Program, while existing reporting duties for recipients remain in place.
ENS Foundation will represent .ens in standards talks
Legal standing also allows the foundation to speak for ENS before internet standards bodies and government institutions. Its mandate includes participation in the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, the Internet Engineering Task Force, and the World Wide Web Consortium.
At ICANN, the foundation plans to pursue formal recognition and stewardship of “.ens” as a top-level domain. The work could help determine how blockchain-based names interact with the conventional Domain Name System used by browsers, websites, and email services.
Other Web3 naming providers have already sought a place in the ICANN system. In June 2024, crypto.news covered a partnership between Unstoppable Domains and Blockchain.com to seek approval for the “.blockchain” top-level domain. The report also noted that ENS had integrated “.box,” an ICANN-recognized domain compatible with standard browsers and email systems.
ENS has also worked directly with traditional domain companies. A February 2024 report on its partnership with GoDaddy said users could connect conventional internet domains to ENS-compatible wallet addresses without paying an additional fee.
For U.S. users, the foundation’s legal and brand-enforcement work carries practical relevance because naming disputes and impersonation cases can enter American courts. In September 2022, an Arizona federal court granted ENS an injunction involving the eth.link gateway domain after a dispute over its sale.
Formal recognition for DAOs remains limited in the United States. Wyoming has created legal structures for decentralized organizations, but an on-chain vote alone does not generally give a DAO the same ability as a registered entity to hire employees, hold trademarks, sign contracts, or appear in legal proceedings.
The foundation will adopt an interim conflict-of-interest policy covering its directors and executive director. Disclosures and recusals must be recorded publicly, ENS Labs funding requires support from a majority of eligible independent directors, and a refined policy must be presented for board approval within 90 days.
Crypto World
Twenty One Capital posts $413.5M Q2 loss as Bitcoin falls
Tether-backed Bitcoin-focused company Twenty One Capital has reported a $413.5 million net loss for the second quarter of 2026 after Bitcoin’s decline reduced the value of its holdings.
Summary
- Twenty One Capital lost $413.5 million during the second quarter of 2026.
- A $401.5 million Bitcoin valuation loss accounted for most of the quarterly deficit.
- CEO Raphael Zagury plans to add acquisitions, capital markets services, and Bitcoin-backed loans.
- The NYSE-listed company gives U.S. investors stock-based exposure to a large corporate Bitcoin reserve.
Bitcoin losses have dominated Twenty One Capital’s results
According to Twenty One Capital’s second-quarter financial report, a $401.5 million decline in the value of its Bitcoin holdings accounted for most of the company’s quarterly loss.
Twenty One Capital’s latest loss has shown how strongly its financial statements depend on Bitcoin’s price at the end of each reporting period. Because the company holds the cryptocurrency as its main asset, changes in Bitcoin’s fair value pass through its reported earnings even when it does not sell the coins.
The $401.5 million reduction tied to Bitcoin represented about 97% of the total second-quarter loss. Remaining expenses accounted for roughly $12 million, based on the two figures in the report, although the source did not provide a complete breakdown of those costs.
A similar effect appeared in the company’s first-quarter accounts. Twenty One Capital reported an $859.7 million net loss for the three months ended March 31, according to its SEC quarterly filing. An $847.8 million decline in the fair value of its Bitcoin holdings caused most of that loss.
As of March 31, Twenty One held 43,514 BTC with a reported fair value of $2.95 billion, down from $3.80 billion at the end of 2025. Its cost basis for the holdings stood at about $3.69 billion, while the price used to value each coin fell from $87,316 on Dec. 31 to $67,832 on March 31.
Combined, the first two quarters have produced reported net losses of about $1.27 billion. Nearly $1.25 billion of that amount came from the lower accounting value of the company’s Bitcoin, based on the first-quarter filing and the second-quarter figures.
Such fair-value losses do not necessarily represent cash leaving the business. The first-quarter filing shows that Twenty One sold one Bitcoin and recorded a $3,180 gain on that disposal, while the much larger loss came from revaluing the coins it continued to own. Bitcoin’s closing price in later reporting periods can reverse part of a previous loss or create another expense under the same accounting treatment.
Twenty One Capital plans businesses beyond its treasury
New CEO Raphael Zagury has said Twenty One cannot rely only on holding Bitcoin and must develop businesses capable of producing cash flow. His plan centers on buying operating companies, using debt and equity markets to raise capital, and offering loans secured by Bitcoin.
Zagury took over from Strike founder Jack Mallers on July 20, according to the company’s leadership announcement. Mallers stepped down to concentrate on Strike but remained involved in the leadership handover.
“Twenty One holds one of the largest Bitcoin balance sheets in the public markets,” Zagury said in the announcement.
“My job is to build the operating company around it, with the discipline, governance, and executional rigor of an institution.”
The company identified five strategic priorities when Zagury became CEO. In addition to acquisitions and Bitcoin financial services, management plans to develop its capital markets operation, manage its Bitcoin reserves through debt and equity transactions, and keep a holding-company structure for acquired businesses.
Zagury has experience across both traditional finance and Bitcoin infrastructure. Before taking the top job, he served as a Twenty One director and interim audit committee chair. His earlier roles included positions at Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, and Merrill Lynch, while he also helped lead Bitcoin mining and infrastructure company Elektron Energy.
In May, Twenty One said it was considering a combination with Strike and Elektron that would have joined payments, mining, treasury management, and financial services. The company later removed Strike from consideration after Mallers left the CEO position, leaving the payments business as an independent company.
Tether has tightened control of the Bitcoin company
Twenty One began with support from Tether, Bitfinex, SoftBank, and Cantor Equity Partners. Its 2025 launch plan valued the business at $3.6 billion and called for more than 42,000 BTC, alongside capital raised through convertible notes and a private investment in public equity.
Tether later acquired SoftBank’s full interest in the company, crypto.news reported in May. The transaction removed a large outside shareholder and increased Tether’s influence over the listed company.
The original structure had included Bitcoin contributions from Tether, Bitfinex and SoftBank. A separate financing package consisted of convertible senior secured notes and common equity, with the proceeds allocated mainly to additional Bitcoin purchases and corporate expenses.
By the time Twenty One entered the public market in December 2025, its treasury had grown to more than 43,500 BTC. Earlier coverage of its debut noted that falling Bitcoin prices were already putting pressure on the stock and other digital-asset treasury companies.
Investors were also questioning whether Twenty One could develop enough operating revenue to distinguish its shares from direct Bitcoin holdings or spot exchange-traded funds. At the time, the company employed four full-time workers and had not provided a product-launch schedule.
Under Zagury, management has placed more attention on acquiring businesses and generating income rather than measuring performance only by the size of the Bitcoin reserve. Twenty One still uses Bitcoin per share, expressed in satoshis, as one of its internal performance measures.
The company’s first-quarter filing showed 12,557 satoshis per Class A share at both Dec. 31 and March 31. Twenty One had 346.5 million Class A shares outstanding at the end of the quarter, while its Bitcoin balance fell by one coin.
U.S. investors face Bitcoin and company-specific risks
Twenty One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker XXI, giving U.S. investors access to its Bitcoin holdings through a regulated public stock. That exposure also includes corporate expenses, debt, management decisions, and share issuance, which do not apply when an investor holds Bitcoin directly.
The shares were trading near $4.59 on Aug. 11, while Bitcoin changed hands around $63,802. Because XXI represents an operating company rather than a spot Bitcoin ETF, its stock price can trade above or below the value of the Bitcoin attributable to each share.
Twenty One has also used Bitcoin to support its financing. Its first-quarter SEC report listed about $484.4 million of convertible notes and said 16,116 BTC served as collateral for them. Management stated that the pledged coins could not be treated as an available source of liquidity while they remained tied to the notes.
At the end of March, the company held $114.1 million in cash and $117.9 million in net working capital. Management said those resources were sufficient to fund operations for at least one year from the filing date and did not expect to sell Bitcoin during that period to meet ordinary liquidity needs.
A governance issue emerged after SoftBank’s representatives left the board following Tether’s purchase. As crypto.news covered in June, the NYSE warned Twenty One that its audit committee no longer met the exchange’s independence rules.
The exchange gave the company until June 5 to appoint a qualified independent audit committee member before attaching a below-compliance indicator to its listing. Twenty One appointed an independent director on June 8, according to its investor-relations records.
Crypto World
XRP holders can earn up to $10,000 a day as prices weaken and market outlook clears
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
XRP continues to underperform amid market uncertainty and delays surrounding the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, while UE Crypto gains attention for yield options.
Summary
- XRP is underperforming the broader crypto market, with renewed investor interest in UE Crypto’s cloud mining and yield services.
- A weaker XRP price and uncertainty around the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act are prompting holders to explore alternative income strategies through UE Crypto.
- UE Crypto is positioning its cloud mining platform as an option for XRP holders seeking additional digital asset returns without relying solely on price appreciation.
The cryptocurrency market has remained relatively calm, with a slight downward trend, while XRP has fallen to the bottom.
Over the past few weeks, the broader market has remained in a period of relatively stable volatility, while XRP, the cryptocurrency associated with the founders of payments company Ripple, has continued to underperform. When other cryptocurrencies rise, XRP tends to gain less; when other cryptocurrencies fall, XRP tends to decline more sharply.
The reason may be the current lack of transparency in the market — or, more specifically, the delay surrounding the long-awaited Digital Asset Market Clarity Act.
As investors explore cloud mining and yield opportunities, the weakness in XRP’s price has driven increased interest in UE Crypto.
Amid continued market volatility, XRP holders seeking cloud mining and yield strategies continue to show interest in UE Crypto.
XRP fell 1.24% on the day, while UE Crypto is promoting the development of long-term cryptocurrency yield solutions.
Today’s cryptocurrency charts show that the market is cooling down. Among the top ten cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, XRP recorded the largest seven-day decline, falling 4.96%, while Solana gained 3.64% and Bitcoin rose 1.17% over the same period. XRP also fell 1.24% on the day, while the broader market remained largely flat. The token’s price action appears to indicate that the Clarity trade is being unwound.

Driven by market sentiment, XRP’s price fell to a recent low, causing its market capitalization to shrink and temporarily losing its position as the world’s fourth-largest digital asset. The increase in short-term volatility has prompted some investors to reassess their future XRP investment strategies.
At the same time, an increasing number of XRP holders are considering other options: while maintaining a bullish long-term outlook for XRP, is there a way to mitigate the impact of short-term price volatility while generating consistent additional returns from their XRP holdings?
It is against this backdrop that the UE Crypto cloud mining platform has attracted increasing attention from investors seeking to hedge against market volatility and enhance returns through cloud mining and yield aggregation mechanisms.
As XRP volatility increases, UE Crypto emerges as a new option for investors
In light of the recent increase in XRP price volatility, more and more XRP holders are turning their attention to UE Crypto. They are seeking to explore more stable and sustainable yield models through cloud mining and yield aggregation mechanisms while maintaining their long-term digital asset holdings.
Unlike highly volatile leveraged trading or strategies that rely solely on price appreciation, the UE Crypto cloud mining platform provides a more accessible way to participate in digital asset activities. Users do not need to deploy mining machines or maintain hardware; they simply need to select a computing-power contract to participate in the mining service. This allows them to maximize the utility of their digital assets while maintaining their focus on the long-term outlook for XRP.
About UE Crypto
UE Crypto is headquartered in the United Kingdom and operates within European regulatory frameworks such as MiCA and MiFID II, continuously improving its transparency, operational standards, and user protection mechanisms.
The platform adopts a multi-layer security architecture, including:
- Annual financial and security compliance audits by PwC.
- Digital asset custody insurance provided by Lloyd’s of London.
- Enterprise-level network protection from Cloudflare and McAfee® security systems.
- Bank-grade data encryption technology and professional security infrastructure to provide multiple layers of protection for user assets and accounts.
UE Crypto supports a range of major digital assets, including XRP, BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, DOGE, LTC, and SOL, providing users with a more flexible and convenient digital asset service experience.
Start earning daily returns in just three steps
1. Register an account
2. Choose a mining package
Based on personal budget and requirements, select a suitable cloud mining contract and start mining with a single click.
3. Start earning
Once the contract is activated, the system will automatically allocate computing power, and returns will be settled automatically every 24 hours. Users can withdraw their returns at any time or continue participating according to their needs, enabling long-term compound growth of their assets.
Popular UE Crypto contracts
- BTC (Beginner Experience Contract) Investment Amount: $100,Contract Term: 2 days,
Daily Return: $4,Total Return at Contract Expiration: $100 + $8 - DOGE (Digital Intelligent System Contract) Investment Amount: $500,Contract Term: 5 days,Daily Return: $6.25,Total Return at Contract Expiration: $500 + $31.25
- BTC (Super Computing System Contract) Investment Amount: $1,000,Contract Term: 10 days,Daily Return: $13.10, Total Return at Contract Expiration: $1,000 + $131
- LTC (Algorithm-Driven System Contract) Investment Amount: $5,000,Contract Term: 25 days, Daily Return: $72,Total Return at Contract Expiration: $5,000 + $1,800
- BTC (Quantitative Intelligent System Contract) Investment Amount: $10,000,Contract Term: 35 days, Daily Return: $158,Total Return at Contract Expiration: $10,000 + $5,530
For more details about the contract plans, please visit the official UE Crypto website.
Summary
Bullish case
A daily close above the $1.0486 Fibonacci resistance level would provide the first evidence of buyers entering the market, potentially opening the way toward the EMA cloud and the $1.0887–$1.1066 golden zone. This would require the Clarity Act narrative to regain momentum rather than simply remain stalled.
Bearish scenario
A break below the $1.0128 low, followed by a loss of the psychological $1 level, could initiate a gradual decline toward and below $0.90. Both the death cross and negative squeeze momentum point in the same direction. At present, an upside move does not appear to be the more likely path.
The bullish case remains, but it is not yet sufficient. XRP is being viewed as a proxy for the Clarity Act, while market pricing suggests that the probability of the bill passing has fallen to 21%. For users holding XRP over the long term, market attention is shifting from relying solely on price appreciation toward more diversified ways of participating in the digital asset ecosystem.
For example, DeFi cloud mining services provide users with additional options for long-term participation in the digital asset ecosystem, allowing them to focus on the long-term value of their assets while exploring more stable and sustainable yield management strategies.
Join UE Crypto today and earn daily passive income through digital assets.
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.
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