Latest developments: Edelman told CoinDesk’s Jennifer Sanasie on Markets Outlook that the dispute over whether stablecoins can offer yield is threatening progress on market structure legislation.

• Banking groups argue allowing stablecoin issuers to offer yield would siphon deposits from traditional banks.
• Edelman said banks are opposing the provision largely because stablecoins pose a competitive threat to their business models.
• The issue has become a sticking point in negotiations around the Clarity Act, a proposed crypto market structure bill in Washington.
• Despite siding with crypto on the economics, Edelman said the banking lobby is politically strong and “likely to win the argument.”

Why it matters: Edelman argues the industry should compromise rather than risk losing regulatory clarity altogether.

• “I don’t think it’s the hill to die on,” Edelman said about the fight over stablecoin yield.
• He said the broader legislation would provide long-awaited regulatory certainty for crypto companies and investors.
• Prediction markets currently suggest the bill will pass, he said, though the timeline remains uncertain.
• Edelman warned the bill could stall if it doesn’t pass before midterm elections.

The market outlook: Edelman believes regulatory clarity could quickly revive crypto markets.

• If the bill fails, he expects a sharp but temporary drop in crypto prices as investors react.
• Over the long term, crypto would still grow but at a slower pace without supportive legislation.
• If clarity arrives, Edelman predicts crypto prices could surge and quickly reach new all-time highs.
• He reiterated his long-term forecast that bitcoin could reach $500,000 by the end of the decade.

Reading between the lines: Edelman also pushed back on fears that quantum computing threatens Bitcoin.

• Claims that quantum computers will break the Bitcoin blockchain are “one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard anybody say,” Edelman said.
• He argued the industry would develop defensive cryptography alongside any advances in quantum computing.
• Even if such machines emerge, attackers would likely target larger financial systems or infrastructure before Bitcoin.
• Edelman continues to recommend investors allocate up to 40% of portfolios to crypto broadly, focusing mainly on major assets such as bitcoin, ether and solana.

Looking ahead: Edelman expects consolidation among cryptocurrencies as the market matures.

• He predicts roughly a dozen major cryptocurrencies will ultimately dominate the sector.
• At the same time, tokenization could create hundreds of thousands of blockchain-based tokens representing assets like real estate, commodities and collectibles.
• That shift could dramatically expand diversification opportunities for investors.

Key Highlights

• Pentagon’s complete 3 million-person workforce will gain access to Google’s Gemini AI agents
• Initial rollout targets unclassified systems, while discussions progress for classified network integration
• Platform offers eight pre-configured agents designed for budget creation, meeting notes, and strategic planning
• Defense Department users have generated 40 million prompts through Google’s AI interface since its December debut
• Training completion remains limited to just 26,000 personnel despite significantly higher adoption rates

Google, owned by Alphabet, has initiated a comprehensive deployment of its Gemini AI agent technology throughout the United States Department of Defense, encompassing approximately three million personnel.

Alphabet Inc., GOOGL

The initial phase focuses on unclassified network infrastructure, where the majority of Defense Department personnel operate daily. Emil Michael, serving as under secretary of defense for research and engineering, indicated this strategic starting point.

Michael revealed that negotiations with Google are currently active regarding expansion into classified and top-secret cloud computing environments.

Google Vice President Jim Kelly made the announcement public through a Tuesday blog entry. Defense personnel will have the capability to create customized AI agents through natural language commands, eliminating any programming requirements.

The platform launches with eight ready-to-deploy agents. These automated assistants handle functions including meeting documentation, financial planning, and verification of proposed initiatives against national defense objectives.

Certain agents are designed to provide operational value, assisting with logistical planning and resource forecasting for military operations — capabilities available even on unclassified infrastructure.

Google’s conversational AI interface on the GenAI.mil website has been operational since December. During this period, 1.2 million Defense Department personnel have engaged with the system, generating 40 million distinct queries and submitting over four million documents.

The usage volume demonstrates significant adoption. The Gemini agent platform becomes accessible through this identical portal starting Tuesday.

Personnel Education Falls Short of Adoption Rates

A significant challenge exists. Just 26,000 Pentagon employees have completed formal instruction on appropriate AI utilization. Upcoming educational programs have reached capacity, a Pentagon representative confirmed.

Michael emphasized the importance of proper training. “It saves you a lot of time in the middle, but you have to review at the end to make sure there’s no hallucinations,” he said.

Bridging the divide between actual usage and completed training represents a priority as the Defense Department expands agent availability.

Military Exercise Planning Sees Dramatic Efficiency Gains

The technology has already demonstrated measurable impact in operational settings. Kenneth Harvey, who directs the Mission Training Complex at Fort Bragg, explained that developing a military exercise scenario accommodating up to 50,000 simulated troops previously required his nine-member team six months.

Leveraging the AI platform, a comparable exercise for US Southern Command reached completion within six weeks.

Harvey emphasized that “human eyes vetted every word” throughout the process.

This latest initiative represents a significant expansion of collaboration between Google and the Pentagon, a relationship that has experienced turbulence. In 2018, thousands of Google staff members protested the corporation’s participation in Project Maven, an AI-powered drone surveillance initiative. Google declined to continue that contract.

The technology company subsequently revised its policies regarding military contracts. Michael characterized Google as a “trusted” and “supportive” partner.

The Pentagon has simultaneously broadened its artificial intelligence partnerships. Recent agreements with OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI enable operations on restricted networks — developments that coincided with deteriorating relations with Anthropic.

The Department of Defense designated Anthropic a supply-chain security concern last week following the company’s objections regarding potential AI applications. Anthropic has responded by filing legal action against the government challenging this classification.

Prior to this conflict, Anthropic maintained exclusive status as the sole AI vendor with access to the Pentagon’s classified cloud infrastructure.

GOOG was trading at $308.84, up 0.81% on the day at the time of writing.

Bitcoin mining company Canaan increased its digital asset holdings to record levels in February, signaling a long-term accumulation strategy despite challenging market conditions for miners.

In its February unaudited mining update issued Tuesday, Canaan said it produced 86 Bitcoin (BTC) during the month, bringing its total holdings to 1,793 BTC, a new record for the company.

Canaan’s Ether (ETH) holdings also reached a record high of 3,952 ETH, with the combined value of its digital asset treasury totaling roughly $128 million at current prices.

The company’s Nasdaq-traded shares (CAN) were up 1% in late Tuesday morning trading. Sector-tracking exchange-traded fund CoinShares Bitcoin Mining ETF (WMGI) was up 2.5%.

Chairman and CEO Nangeng Zhang said the company remains focused on a long-term strategy of building its digital asset reserves.

“We maintain a long-term perspective on building and managing our digital asset treasury,” Zhang said.

Canaan also expanded its mining operations, with its installed hashrate reaching 14.75 exahashes per second (EH/s).

The update follows Canaan’s recent expansion in the United States. In February, the company acquired a 49% stake in three Bitcoin mining projects in West Texas for $39.75 million, a move aimed at increasing its North American mining capacity.

The Texas facilities are expected to boost Canaan’s presence in one of the world’s largest Bitcoin mining regions.

Related: Bitcoin miner production data reveals scale of US winter storm disruption

Miners ramp up Bitcoin sales as margins tighten

Canaan’s update comes as Bitcoin miners increasingly sell portions of their reserves amid worsening market conditions.

The trend has accelerated since October, when the biggest crypto by market capitalization peaked around $126,000 before falling by more than half to the low-$60,000 range, squeezing mining profitability.

The downturn has compounded what some analysts describe as the harshest margin environment the sector has faced, with rising operational costs and lower BTC prices weighing on miners’ balance sheets.

Data from TheEnergyMag’s Miners Weekly shows that publicly traded mining companies have sold more than 15,000 BTC since October. The total includes several large transactions, such as Cango’s February sale of 4,451 BTC and Core Scientific’s plan to sell up to 2,500 BTC this quarter.

The shift marks a departure from the trend seen earlier in 2025, when many miners adopted a de facto treasury strategy, choosing to retain a larger share of the Bitcoin they mined rather than selling it immediately.

Related: Bitcoin mining’s 2026 reckoning: AI pivots, margin pressure and a fight to survive