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Is Bitcoin's Bear Market Low In? A Signal Absent for 45 Weeks Returns

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Bitcoin Flashes a Key Signal For Bear Market Low

Bitcoin (BTC) has appreciated roughly 30% since August, and despite a volatile September, the largest cryptocurrency has stayed in the green for the month with gains of 3.33%.

Beyond those gains, Bitcoin has also flashed a key signal, suggesting the bear market lows for this cycle may be in.

Alex Thorn Says this Bitcoin Signal Has Confirmed Past Bottoms

That signal arrived on Sunday. Bitcoin posted its first weekly close above its 50-week moving average since November 2025. No weekly close had finished above that average in the 45 weeks since.

Alex Thorn, head of firmwide research at Galaxy, flagged the close and pointed to what it has meant in earlier cycles.

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“Regaining the 50w MA has historically served as strong confirmation that bear market lows are in,” he said.

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Bitcoin Flashes a Key Signal For Bear Market Low
Bitcoin Flashes a Key Signal For Bear Market Low. Source: X/Alex Thorn

Historical data provides some context for Thorn’s view. In a research note, the executive identified 13 instances in completed bear markets when Bitcoin crossed back above its 50-week moving average.

Only two of those instances were followed by another lower low, with both occurring during the 2021–2022 decline. More broadly, four of the five bear markets that lost the moving average saw the first reclaim after the cycle low hold as the eventual recovery signal.

This history helps explain why the latest weekly close has drawn attention. However, the 50-week average is only one part of the broader cycle structure.

Why the 50-Week and 200-Week Averages Matter For Bitcoin

Bitcoin’s 50-week and 200-week moving averages have historically provided important reference points during major market cycles. The 200-week moving average has acted as a floor, with only 56 of 642 weekly closes printing below it since its existence. 

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The 50-week average has served as the ceiling, capping rallies until a drawdown ends. According to Thorn, this cycle has “so far behaved similarly to the 2015 and 2018 bear markets at the floor.” 

Bitcoin lost the 50-week moving average during the week of November 16, 2025. It then reached a bear market low of $58,525 on June 30, 2026, marking a 53.1% decline from its October 2025 record of $124,824.

Since then, Bitcoin has gained 39%. Sunday’s weekly close came 3.0% above the 50-week moving average at $78,786 and 23.9% above the 200-week average at $65,487. Bitcoin traded at $81,341 at press time.

Bitcoin (BTC) Price Performance.
Bitcoin (BTC) Price Performance. Source: BeInCrypto Markets

The recovery above both levels strengthens the case that the low could be in. Still, the latest move has not eliminated the possibility of another decline.

Several analysts expect Bitcoin to bottom in October. The coming weeks will therefore test whether June’s low holds as the cycle floor or whether the calendar call proves right.

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The post Is Bitcoin's Bear Market Low In? A Signal Absent for 45 Weeks Returns appeared first on BeInCrypto.



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Bank of Russia sets 1% crypto risk limit under draft rules

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Bank of Russia sets 1% crypto risk limit under draft rules

The Bank of Russia has proposed capping banks’ total risk from cryptocurrencies and foreign digital instruments at 1% of their capital as it sets prudential limits for lenders entering the country’s newly regulated crypto market.

Summary

  • Bank of Russia has proposed limiting banks’ total risk from cryptocurrencies and foreign digital instruments to 1% of their capital.
  • The proposed rules cover direct crypto holdings, derivatives and other linked instruments, while allowing certain lower risk positions to be offset.
  • Crypto exposure and certain client positions would carry a 1,250% risk weight, while some excluded client positions would receive a 50% risk weight.
  • Banks are expected to begin reporting covered turnover and the new N31 and N32 risk ratios from January 2027.

According to the Bank of Russia, the draft regulation would introduce two maximum risk ratios, N31 for individual credit institutions and N32 for banking groups on a consolidated basis. Both would be limited to 1% of the institution or group’s own funds.

The rules would cover more than direct cryptocurrency holdings. Loans, derivatives, bonds, repo transactions, guarantees, credit lines and other financial instruments whose payments or value depend on cryptocurrencies or foreign digital instruments can fall within the calculation.

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Banks would have to remain within the 1% ceiling on every operating day, while a breach on any such day would count as noncompliance. The draft gives the central bank authority to take measures against an institution if breaches occur on six or more operating days within any 30 consecutive operating days.

Bank of Russia crypto rules separate assets by risk

The proposed framework divides crypto related transactions into two groups based partly on sanctions and physical liquidity risks, determining how banks can account for long and short positions.

Group 1 includes certain exchange traded cash settled derivatives, qualifying over the counter derivatives and instruments involving counterparties that meet specified credit standards. Some transactions with cryptocurrency miners can qualify under conditions tied to their income from digital asset sales.

Deliverable derivatives and some loans, credit lines, guarantees, repo transactions and bonds can fall into the lower risk group when settlement is available in rubles or currencies of countries Russia does not classify as unfriendly.

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For qualifying assets with lower freezing and physical liquidity risks, banks would be permitted to offset opposing long and short positions when calculating exposure. The draft applies discounts when maturities differ, starting at 5% and rising with the gap between the positions. A maturity mismatch of 37 months or more carries an 85% coefficient.

Group 2 captures direct investments in cryptocurrencies and foreign digital instruments, loans settled exclusively with such assets, certain repo transactions and derivatives that do not qualify for Group 1. Other crypto related transactions not included in the first category would fall into Group 2 as well.

The central bank would calculate Group 2 exposure using the larger of a bank’s long or short position in each asset, preventing institutions from fully offsetting the two sides for purposes of the risk limit.

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Banks face a 1,250% crypto risk weight

Capital treatment under the proposal would impose a 1,250% risk weight on a bank’s aggregate crypto exposure and certain client positions for which the institution assumes responsibility.

The Bank of Russia said client assets for which a digital depository is responsible for losses arising from seizure or restrictions linked to sanctions risk would be included in the relevant risk calculation. Client positions where the bank does not bear that responsibility would be excluded from the N31 and N32 limits and instead receive a 50% risk weight for capital adequacy purposes.

Cryptocurrencies and foreign digital instruments could not be counted as collateral when banks calculate provisions for possible losses. Derivatives tied to crypto or foreign digital instruments would carry a 36% risk factor under the proposed framework.

The regulator plans to introduce reporting for turnover in the covered instruments and the N31 and N32 ratios from January 2027, with detailed reporting forms still under development. The regulation is expected to be officially published in the fourth quarter of 2026 and would take effect 10 days after publication.

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Russia sets bank limits after regulated crypto market opens

The prudential proposal arrives weeks after Russia’s regulated cryptocurrency framework took effect on Sept. 1, bringing trading, custody and cross border crypto transactions under a formal system overseen by the Bank of Russia.

As crypto.news previously reported, nonqualified investors can purchase eligible liquid cryptocurrencies worth up to 300,000 rubles per year through each intermediary after passing a suitability test. Qualified investors can trade without the same purchase ceiling, although testing requirements still apply.

The Bank of Russia had already started preparing operating requirements for the institutions expected to serve the market. Draft rules published in July set out requirements for crypto exchanges and depositories, including registration and capital provisions for companies handling digital assets.

Russian banks have meanwhile been preparing their own infrastructure. Sberbank has set a Dec. 1 target to launch crypto trading infrastructure covering trading, custody, settlement and digital depository services for eligible customers.

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Alfa Bank has been testing cryptocurrency trading through its Alfa Investments brokerage application with a limited group of qualified investors. The lender has said a larger rollout depends on the completion of the regulatory framework and has plans to establish its own digital depository.

Regulatory scrutiny has continued alongside the market rollout. On Sept. 15, the Bank of Russia identified cryptocurrencies and stablecoins as a financial market risk, citing concerns that digital assets could be used as substitutes for the ruble and reiterating the possibility of complete investment losses. The regulator’s risk assessment came as Russia continued implementing rules for licensed crypto operators and digital asset custody.



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Vietnam targets 2026 launch for first licensed crypto service providers

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Blockchain.com obtains Cayman VASP licence after conditional approval

Vietnam has said its first crypto asset service providers are expected to receive licenses and begin operations in 2026 as regulators build a supervision system around the country’s five year digital asset market pilot.

Summary

  • Vietnam expects its first licensed crypto asset service providers to begin operations in 2026 under its five year pilot framework.
  • Five companies have passed an initial assessment, but no final exchange license had been issued as of Aug. 30.
  • Regulators are developing supervision rules focused on risk management, investor asset protection and anti money laundering controls.
  • Vietnam is seeking regulatory experience from Austria and the EU as it prepares its domestic crypto market framework.

According to the State Securities Commission of Vietnam, Deputy Minister of Finance Nguyen Duc Chi gave the timeline during a Sept. 15 meeting with Austrian Financial Market Authority Executive Director Mariana Kühnel in Vienna, where officials discussed financial market oversight and future cooperation.

Chi said Vietnam has established a pilot legal framework for crypto assets, while regulators are working on the rules needed to supervise companies and investor activity once licensed platforms start operating. The discussions with Austria focused partly on how financial authorities can adapt oversight to technological developments and new types of assets.

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The licensing plan has moved forward during 2026. Five companies have already passed an initial assessment under the pilot, although none had received a final exchange license as of Aug. 30. Passing the assessment does not authorize a company to operate a crypto trading platform.

Vietnam crypto licenses remain under review

Vietnam formally opened its licensing process in January, when the Ministry of Finance introduced administrative procedures covering the issuance, adjustment and revocation of licenses for crypto asset trading platforms.

As crypto.news previously reported, applicants must be Vietnamese enterprises with at least 10 trillion dong, roughly $383 million, in paid in charter capital. At least 65% of the capital must come from institutional shareholders, while companies must meet requirements covering governance, staffing, infrastructure and cybersecurity.

Foreign investors cannot own more than 49% of an exchange under the pilot. More than 35% of an applicant’s capital must come from at least two qualifying organizations such as commercial banks, securities companies, fund managers, insurers or technology companies.

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Several financial groups have prepared businesses for the regulated market. VPBank linked CAEX secured backing from OKX Ventures and HashKey Capital in April as it worked toward the capital requirements for a license. CAEX’s pilot application involves VPBank Securities and LynkiD alongside the two investors.

SSI Digital Technology has pursued a separate route, signing an agreement with South Korean exchange Bithumb to explore a local digital asset exchange business. Their planned cooperation covers technology, wallets, custody, security, risk controls and compliance, while any exchange operation remains subject to Vietnamese approval.

In May, Chi said the country’s first official regulated crypto market activity could begin as early as the third quarter of 2026. Affiliates of Techcombank, VPBank and LPBank, along with VIX Securities and Sun Group, were among companies reported to have moved through initial screening. Five firms entered the licensing process, although authorities had not issued their first final license at the end of August.

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FATF recommendations shape Vietnam crypto supervision

Alongside licensing, the State Securities Commission is developing a mechanism to supervise service providers and investor transactions using recommendations from the Financial Action Task Force.

SSC Chairwoman Vu Thi Chan Phuong said the framework places emphasis on risk management, protection of investor assets and anti money laundering controls. Vietnam wants to draw on the experience of the FMA and other European Union regulators while refining its rules for crypto assets.

The Austrian authority’s role includes oversight of crypto asset service providers alongside banks, insurers, pension funds, securities firms, investment funds, stock exchanges and other parts of the financial system. It handles responsibilities involving market supervision, investor protection, anti money laundering controls and unauthorized financial activity.

Kühnel told the Vietnamese delegation that many financial regulations applied in Austria are determined at the EU level, with the FMA responsible for their implementation domestically. She proposed more exchanges between the two countries through the International Organization of Securities Commissions and online technical meetings between experts.

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Chi agreed with the proposed cooperation format, saying the channels could turn information sharing and technical support between the two authorities into concrete activities.

New penalties accompany the five year crypto pilot

Vietnam’s regulatory work is taking place under a five year pilot introduced through Resolution No. 05/2025/NQ-CP in September 2025. The framework covers crypto asset issuance, trading, custody and licensed service providers.

New enforcement rules took effect Sept. 1 under Decree No. 284/2026/ND-CP, setting penalties for unauthorized services, improper crypto asset issuance, inadequate customer checks and failures involving anti money laundering requirements.The crypto penalty framework was approved in July as authorities prepared for licensed domestic platforms.

Organizations that provide crypto services or advertise an exchange without authorization can face fines ranging from 180 million to 200 million dong. Licensed providers can face separate penalties for failures involving customer asset segregation, transaction monitoring, account information and customer verification.

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Domestic investors will eventually be required to conduct covered trading through Ministry of Finance licensed providers. Decree 284 provides an organizational fine of between 30 million and 50 million dong for trading outside approved platforms, while the general half rate provision indicates lower penalties for individuals.

The restriction does not immediately apply simply because the decree took effect in September. Resolution 05 gives domestic investors a six month transition period beginning only after the Ministry of Finance issues its first crypto asset service provider license. With no final license issued by Aug. 30, that countdown had not yet started.

Vietnam looks to Austria for regulatory experience

Crypto formed part of a larger regulatory discussion between Vietnamese and Austrian officials. Chi said small and medium sized enterprises represent roughly 99% of operating businesses in Vietnam, with support policies being refined around governance, financial capacity, compliance and digital transformation.

Phuong said authorities are considering restructuring stock trading boards, including arrangements for small and medium sized businesses. Regulators are working on listed product quality, transparency and disclosure requirements while strengthening supervision against market manipulation and price rigging.

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The Vienna meeting ended with the two sides agreeing to pursue technical exchanges through IOSCO and direct meetings between experts as Vietnam continues developing its financial and crypto asset supervision framework.



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Avalanche price eyes 90% rally as tokenization demand lifts AVAX – CoinJournal

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Avalanche price eyes 90% rally as tokenization demand lifts AVAX - CoinJournal

Key takeaways

  • AVAX surged nearly 50% in one week, reaching an eight-month high of $10.82 on Sunday.
  • Institutional tokenization developments involving ICE, New York Life Investment Management, Aave and Janus Henderson have boosted sentiment.
  • Avalanche’s Helicon upgrade is scheduled for Sept. 22 and will reduce the minimum staking period from 14 days to 48 hours.

Avalanche’s AVAX token has climbed nearly 50% over the past week, reaching an eight-month high of $10.82 on Sunday as institutional tokenization developments renewed demand for the cryptocurrency.

One of the rally’s leading catalysts involves Intercontinental Exchange, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange. ICE has reportedly spent about a year testing Avalanche as it explores infrastructure for round-the-clock trading of tokenized U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds.

ICE has not selected Avalanche or announced a commercial partnership. However, Ava Labs President Charley Cooper said the company remains actively engaged with the network.

The development has strengthened expectations that Avalanche could play a role in bringing traditional financial assets onchain.

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New York Life plans tokenized fund on Avalanche

New York Life Investment Management provided another institutional catalyst by announcing plans to launch its first tokenized fund on Avalanche through Centrifuge.

The offering will bring the firm’s U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond Strategy onchain, giving eligible investors access to exposure tied to high-yield corporate debt.

Other financial companies are also expanding their involvement with Avalanche. Aave is developing an institutional real-world asset lending market on the network, while Paxos has added support for AVAX and USDC.

Asset manager Janus Henderson has also joined Avalanche as a validator, further strengthening the network’s institutional credentials.

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Together, these developments reinforce Avalanche’s positioning as a blockchain for tokenized funds, credit products and other real-world assets.

Avalanche’s upcoming Helicon upgrade provides an additional potential catalyst for AVAX.

Scheduled for Sept. 22, the upgrade will reduce the minimum staking lockup period from 14 days to 48 hours. The change could make staking more flexible by allowing participants to commit their tokens for substantially shorter periods.

Helicon will also modify validator requirements and reward structures. Lowering the time commitment may encourage more users to participate in network validation, although the full impact will depend on how validators respond to the revised economics.

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The timing of the upgrade, alongside growing institutional interest, has added momentum to AVAX’s recovery.

Falling wedge points to $19–$20 target

AVAX’s weekly chart is showing a potential long-term recovery setup after the price rebounded from the lower boundary of a large falling wedge that has developed since its 2021 peak.

Falling wedges are generally viewed as bullish reversal patterns when the price rebounds from the lower trendline and eventually breaks above descending resistance.

The latest recovery started around the $5.80–$6.50 region, a historical support zone that has repeatedly attracted buyers. AVAX subsequently climbed above its 20-week Exponential Moving Average near $7.97, strengthening the case for a broader recovery within the wedge.

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If the rebound continues, the next major upside target lies between $19 and $20. The wedge’s descending upper trendline is converging in this area with the 0.236 Fibonacci retracement level near $19.86.

A move from approximately $10.50 to that resistance zone would produce an estimated gain of 85%–90%.

Before AVAX can approach $19, it must overcome resistance around its 50-week EMA. A rejection from this moving average could slow the recovery or send the token back toward lower support levels.

AVAX/USD Daily Chart

The broader bullish setup would weaken if AVAX loses the wedge’s lower trendline and falls decisively below $5.80. That level currently serves as the primary invalidation point for the recovery thesis.

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AVAX’s outlook therefore remains constructive while it holds above the reclaimed 20-week EMA and maintains the wedge’s lower support. 

However, the projected move toward $19–$20 remains conditional on the token clearing intermediate resistance and sustaining institutional-driven demand.

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Uniswap Founder Reveals Sam-Bankman Fried Paid 7 Figures for Uniswap.com and Lost It

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UNI price performance over the past month

Uniswap founder Hayden Adams has dusted off a story from the protocol’s early years. He says Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) once paid seven figures for the Uniswap.com domain, then pointed it at a fork.

Adams volunteered the account on X under a post about a16z.vc. Someone parked that address with an open offer to sell it to Andreessen Horowitz, the venture firm known as a16z.

How SBF Ended Up Owning the Uniswap.com Domain

The original owners wanted seven figures, meaning at least $1 million. Uniswap walked away from that price. Bankman-Fried paid it anyway, Adams says.

He then aimed the domain at a fork, a copycat exchange running on Uniswap’s open-source code. Adams did not name the fork. He also stopped short of claiming to know the motive, and said he could only guess at it.

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The timing stays open as well. Bankman-Fried took control of SushiSwap, the best known Uniswap fork, in September 2020 after its anonymous founder handed over the keys. Adams did not say whether the domain fits that period.

The stakes went beyond ego, though. Uniswap runs its app on a .org address, so some traders type the .com version first. Whoever controls that address decides where those visitors land.

However, the redirect handed Uniswap an opening. Adams says his lawyers called it malicious use of the domain, and that argument alone recovered the address for nothing. Uniswap.com now points to the protocol’s official site.

Adams did not say whether Bankman-Fried got anything back. He also did not describe the process his lawyers used.

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Hayden Adams. Source: X

Where the Buyer Stands Now

Bankman-Fried faces steeper problems today. A jury convicted the FTX founder of fraud in November 2023, and a judge ordered 25 years in prison plus an $11 billion forfeiture. A petition to the Supreme Court is his last open door.

Uniswap, meanwhile, kept shipping. Governance switched on protocol fees in December and started burning UNI, the protocol’s governance token. More than 100 million UNI had reached the burn address by February.

UNI price performance over the past month
UNI Price Performance. Source: BeInCrypto Markets

UNI trades near $8.78, roughly double its level a month earlier. Most of that gain arrived in one sharp leg higher after the middle of September. Whale wallets had already bought at the fastest pace in five years during August, and Bitwise has separately filed for a spot Uniswap ETF.

Therefore the domain story reads as a footnote. Still, it shows what the fork rivalry looked like away from the charts. Money bought the address, and lawyers took it back.

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Bank of Korea Launches 24-Hour Won Settlement Pilot

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Bank of Korea launches 24-hour won settlement pilot for foreign investors

Bank of Korea launches 24-hour won settlement pilot for foreign investors

The Bank of Korea’s new network will let foreign investors settle won transactions during business hours in their home countries.



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Saudi Arabia exits China backed mBridge digital currency project

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Saudi Arabia exits China backed mBridge digital currency project - 1

Saudi Arabia has ended its participation in the China linked mBridge digital currency platform after completing a central bank digital currency trial in May 2025, removing the kingdom from a cross border payment project that has faced scrutiny in Washington over its potential to reduce reliance on the dollar.

Summary

  • Saudi Arabia ended its mBridge participation after completing a planned CBDC proof of concept in May 2025.
  • SAMA said the withdrawal was part of its original plan, while a source rejected suggestions that a wider inference should be drawn from the decision.
  • mBridge enables direct cross border CBDC settlement between participating central banks and has faced US scrutiny over its potential to reduce reliance on dollar based payment systems.
  • China has continued expanding cross border digital yuan infrastructure as mBridge moves toward commercial use.

According to a Financial Times report, the Saudi Central Bank, known as SAMA, confirmed it was no longer a participating member of mBridge after finishing its planned proof of concept on May 13, 2025.

SAMA said its departure was part of its original plan for testing the technology. The central bank initially joined mBridge as an observing member in 2023 under the Bank for International Settlements before taking part in the development of the platform’s minimum viable product and conducting its proof of concept in 2024.

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“As planned, SAMA successfully completed its mBridge [proof of concept] on 13 May 2025. Following the completion of the PoC, SAMA is no longer a participating member of mBridge,” the central bank said.

Saudi Arabia had become an active participant in the project in 2024 alongside China, Hong Kong, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. The BIS, which had helped develop the platform, left the project in October that year.

Saudi Arabia says mBridge exit followed its original plan

Questions over the Saudi withdrawal have centered on whether Riyadh faced pressure from Washington because of US concerns surrounding payment systems that could operate with less dependence on the dollar and conventional correspondent banking networks.

A person familiar with the matter told the FT that it would be “inaccurate to draw any wider inference” from SAMA’s decision because the central bank’s involvement in mBridge had been limited from the start.

Another person familiar with the situation said SAMA no longer wanted to be publicly involved in the project but continued to engage more discreetly.

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The distinction comes as mBridge has drawn political attention in the United States. The blockchain based system allows participating central banks to transact using their own digital currencies, enabling payment and foreign exchange settlement without requiring the dollar to serve as the intermediary currency in every transaction.

Daleep Singh, who served as White House deputy national security adviser for international economics under former President Joe Biden, warned in 2025 that China could gain considerable influence over standards governing privacy, security, interoperability and enforcement of US sanctions through the platform.

President Donald Trump has separately threatened BRICS countries with tariffs if they pursue alternatives intended to replace the US dollar in international trade.

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Eswar Prasad, a Cornell University professor and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told the FT that many US allies viewed systems such as mBridge as economically useful because they could reduce excessive dependence on the dollar dominated international financial system.

At the same time, those countries remained sensitive to US objections to projects that could reduce the dollar’s role or expand the use of China’s renminbi in international finance, Prasad said.

mBridge is moving toward commercial use

mBridge was developed as a wholesale CBDC system for direct cross border payments between participating financial institutions. Its blockchain infrastructure allows central banks and commercial banks to conduct payment and foreign exchange settlement through digital versions of national currencies.

China, Hong Kong, Thailand and the UAE were among the original central bank participants, with the BIS Innovation Hub initially involved in developing the infrastructure.

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The project reached its minimum viable product stage in 2024, allowing participating jurisdictions to move beyond earlier experimental work toward real value transactions.

As crypto.news previously reported, People’s Bank of China Deputy Governor Lu Lei said in October 2024 that jurisdictions participating in mBridge would need to respect each other’s monetary rules while maintaining a balance between their rights and responsibilities.

Lu said the system should reduce barriers and costs in cross border payments without creating new geopolitical or compliance costs. Former PBOC Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said at the time that mBridge’s relationship with the US dollar would depend not only on technological development but on policy decisions in Western countries.

The BIS left the initiative later in October 2024. Agustín Carstens, its general manager at the time, said the institution had “graduated out” of the project because participating central banks were capable of continuing the work themselves.

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Carstens rejected suggestions that the BIS departure meant mBridge had failed or that its decision had been driven by political considerations. The FT separately reported that Washington had pressured the institution to withdraw.

Macau has since joined the network, extending mBridge beyond its earlier group of participating monetary authorities. The system went live in Macau in June 2026, giving local banks access to the cross border CBDC infrastructure.

China keeps expanding cross border digital yuan payments

China has continued building other channels for international digital yuan settlement alongside mBridge.

In July, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China completed the first digital yuan payment between China and Singapore through the upgraded Digital Currency Express platform. The transaction settled nearly 10 million yuan in import shipping fees, with the funds reaching the Singapore recipient on the same day.

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The Digital Currency Express system is operated through China’s international digital yuan infrastructure and supports both centralized and blockchain based settlement. Its 2026 upgrade combined earlier cross border payment, blockchain service and digital asset systems into one network using ISO 20022 messaging standards.

ICBC later expanded its use of the infrastructure for international payments, while its Inner Mongolia branch completed a 220 million yuan transfer to Hong Kong through the multilateral CBDC bridge.

Chinese authorities have been extending the digital yuan network domestically as well. The PBOC added eight commercial banks to the e CNY operating network in August, taking the number of service operators to 30.

Official figures cited when China revised its digital yuan framework showed the currency had processed 3.48 billion transactions by November 2025. Beginning in January 2026, verified digital yuan wallets were permitted to earn interest as authorities moved the currency beyond its earlier electronic cash model.

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China’s central bank has kept cross border payments among the areas under development. Wang Xin, director general of the PBOC Research Bureau, said in June that stablecoins could take on a larger role in international payments while calling for closer monitoring of their effect on payment infrastructure and the international monetary system.

Wang called for continued international cooperation on CBDCs as central banks test new settlement systems, while the PBOC has been monitoring stablecoin use as another potential channel for international transactions.

Saudi Arabia had remained among the jurisdictions named in China’s cross border digital yuan plans even after SAMA says its mBridge proof of concept ended. Chinese authorities outlined plans in 2026 to expand cross border e CNY pilots involving Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, while SAMA’s newly disclosed statement places the end of its formal mBridge participation on May 13, 2025.

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Binance warns iPhone users of FomoPeek malware targeting crypto wallets

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Binance warns iPhone users of FomoPeek malware targeting crypto wallets

Binance has warned iPhone and iPad users to check whether they have installed FomoPeek after security researchers linked versions 1.1 and 1.2 of the app to malicious code capable of exposing private keys, seed phrases and other data stored across affected devices.

Summary

  • Binance has warned iPhone and iPad users after malicious code was discovered in FomoPeek versions 1.1 and 1.2.
  • The malware could exploit iOS vulnerabilities to access private keys, seed phrases, login credentials and data stored by other apps.
  • Affected self custody users were advised to create new wallets on clean devices and transfer their assets to the new addresses.

According to Binance, the warning follows a security incident disclosed by the community and findings from blockchain security firms including SlowMist, which found that the affected FomoPeek versions could exploit vulnerabilities in Apple’s iOS operating system and obtain high level privileges on a device.

The malware targets the device itself instead of a specific crypto application, Binance said. A successful attack could therefore expose information held by other apps, including login credentials, chat records and files alongside cryptocurrency wallet data.

Users who have installed FomoPeek and run iOS 26.x or an earlier version should remove the application, avoid reinstalling it and update their operating system to the latest available version, according to Binance.

Self custody wallet users were advised to use a separate device that has never had FomoPeek installed to create a new wallet and transfer their assets to the new address. Binance asked anyone who detects unusual asset activity to preserve the affected device and relevant evidence before contacting customer support.

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FomoPeek malware could escape the iOS sandbox

SlowMist’s investigation provided more detail on how the malicious versions operated after the security firm received multiple reports of stolen assets involving private key exposure.

Working with the OKX security team, researchers found two modules inside FomoPeek versions 1.1 and 1.2 that were unrelated to the application’s advertised functions. One contained an iOS kernel exploitation framework equipped with eight exploit methods, allowing it to select an attack method based on the device model and operating system version.

The framework’s declared coverage included iOS 12.0 through 18.7.2 and iOS 26.0 through 26.1, according to the researchers. SlowMist said older versions of iOS generally faced a higher level of risk.

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Once an exploit succeeded, the malicious code could escape the iOS sandbox, decrypt Keychain data and access files belonging to other applications. Such access could expose private keys, wallet recovery phrases, account credentials, conversations and locally stored files.

Researchers found that the malicious code communicated with infrastructure unrelated to FomoPeek’s public services and could receive remote instructions. Analysis of its communications showed that operators could control exploit execution and how frequently the process ran.

Historical versions obtained through the official App Store showed that FomoPeek 1.0 did not contain the two malicious frameworks. Version 1.1, build 105, introduced them on Sept. 9, while version 1.2, build 110, retained the code after its Sept. 12 release.

Version 1.3, build 111, removed both frameworks on Sept. 17, according to the security analysis. The affected 1.1 and 1.2 versions had been distributed through Apple’s official App Store instead of third party or re-signed installations.

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Crypto wallet malware has repeatedly targeted mobile devices

Mobile devices have remained a target for malware designed to obtain crypto wallet credentials. In July, crypto.news previously reported on the SparkKitty mobile spyware, which could collect images from infected iOS and Android devices and send them to servers controlled by attackers.

Kaspersky had initially detailed the malware in June 2025 after finding infected applications distributed through Apple’s App Store, Google Play and unofficial channels. SparkKitty sought wallet recovery phrases, passwords and other sensitive information that users had stored as images on their phones.

An earlier malware family called SparkCat used optical character recognition to scan images for cryptocurrency recovery phrases. Some infected applications carrying the malicious software had reached official app stores, while Kaspersky said the campaign had been active since March 2024.

Researchers have found other methods for compromising iPhones without relying on users storing seed phrase screenshots. In March, Google’s Threat Intelligence Group identified an iPhone exploit kit known as Coruna that contained five complete exploit chains and 23 vulnerabilities.

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The framework targeted devices running versions between iOS 13 and iOS 17.2.1 and could search compromised phones for cryptocurrency wallet recovery phrases and financial information. Google researchers said the toolkit had moved through different groups over time, including financially motivated cybercriminals.

Malicious apps have reached Apple’s App Store

Crypto users have faced separate threats from applications that impersonate legitimate wallet software.

In August, a fake Wasabi Wallet app appeared on Apple’s App Store and was linked by security monitoring reports to the theft of roughly 6 BTC from one victim.

The fraudulent listing was identified as the 27th reported crypto wallet clone found on the App Store during 2026 at the time. A fake Ledger application represented the largest reported case among the clones, with roughly $9.3 million stolen.

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Another fake Ledger Live app had previously been linked to the loss of 5.9 BTC worth roughly $420,000 from American musician Garrett Dutton, known professionally as G. Love.

Dutton downloaded software posing as the Ledger Live manager onto a new MacBook Neo and entered his recovery phrase into the fraudulent application. Blockchain records showed the stolen Bitcoin subsequently moving to several deposit addresses associated with the KuCoin exchange.

Unlike wallet impersonation schemes that depend on convincing a user to manually surrender a recovery phrase, SlowMist’s FomoPeek findings describe malicious code capable of obtaining elevated system access and collecting information from other applications after exploiting the operating system.

Earlier mobile malware drained thousands of crypto wallets

SlowMist has previously investigated malicious applications that obtained wallet information directly from users’ devices.

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In February 2025, the security firm reported that a fake application called BOM had compromised more than 13,000 wallets across Android and iOS, with estimated losses exceeding $1.82 million.

The application requested access to files, photos and media before scanning device storage for private keys and mnemonic phrases and transmitting the information to a remote server, according to the investigation.

Onchain analysis linked the main attacker address to stolen assets that moved across BNB Chain, Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum and Base. The affected cryptocurrencies included USDT, Ethereum, Wrapped Bitcoin and Dogecoin.

For FomoPeek users, SlowMist recommended checking accounts for unauthorized activity and generating a new private key and seed phrase on a trusted device where the affected application had never been installed. Assets held in wallets potentially exposed through versions 1.1 or 1.2 should then be moved to the newly generated wallet.

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Binance gave similar instructions in its security notice, while advising users to keep their device software updated and avoid applications obtained from untrusted sources.




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Shibarium reorg resolved as dRPC migration continues

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Shiba Inu coin dies slowly as new rival Based Eggman reclaims memecoin momentum, GGs vs SHIB

Shibarium has resolved its reported reorg issue as of Sept. 19, while dRPC migration and other infrastructure work remain unfinished.

Summary

  • Shibarium’s reorg issue has been resolved, while dRPC still must complete its infrastructure transition process.
  • Node operators received fully rotated Bor and Heimdall peer lists, replacing obsolete infrastructure connection settings.
  • Shibarium’s official documentation now lists rpc.shibarium.shib.io as the main RPC endpoint for chain ID 109.
  • Shibariumscan reindexing reached 53%, though that figure measures explorer indexing, not overall network recovery progress.
  • Shibarium previously migrated public RPC infrastructure in late 2025 after retiring older network connection endpoints.

Mazrael, a longtime Shiba Inu community member, relayed an update attributed to developer Kaal Dhairya in a Sept. 19 X post, saying “Kaal says reorg is solved.” The message said dRPC still needed to complete the same transition in the network’s new environment. Public reporting reproduced the statement, though detailed technical information explaining the reorg’s cause, duration or affected blocks has not been released.

A separate public statement directly from Dhairya explaining the reorg was not located in the sources reviewed. The resolution therefore remains attributed to the update shared by Mazrael, while current Shiba Inu technical documentation independently confirms several infrastructure changes surrounding Shibarium’s RPC and node setup.

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Shibarium reorg is fixed while dRPC work continues

The latest update places the reorg fix inside a longer infrastructure migration that began before September. Shibarium replaced its previous public RPC setup in late 2025 and now directs users and applications to https://rpc.shibarium.shib.io, according to the network’s current official documentation. The page lists Shibarium as chain ID 109, with BONE as its native currency and Shibariumscan as the network explorer.

Mazrael’s update describes dRPC as the remaining party that needs to complete the transition into the new environment. No deadline for that step was provided in the post, and the available Shiba Inu documentation does not give a completion date for the dRPC migration.

The current material does not identify the reorg as a new exploit. No published security notice reviewed for this report links the September 2026 reorg to stolen funds, compromised validator keys or another bridge attack. The lack of technical disclosure means the scope of the reorganization cannot yet be independently measured from the statements released so far.

Shibarium suffered a separate security event in September 2025. As crypto.news reported, an attacker obtained control over enough validator keys to exploit the bridge and remove roughly $2.4 million in assets after using a 4.6 million BONE flash loan. Developers responded by restricting functions and securing remaining assets.

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Node operators received new Bor and Heimdall peers

Days before the reorg resolution update, Shibarium node operators were told to replace old peer information.

On Sept. 15, Mazrael reported that the network had completed a full peer rotation covering Bor static nodes and Heimdall persistent peers. The update was described as a replacement of the previous configuration, not an expansion of the existing peer list. Contemporary reports said the new IP set differed completely from the old one.

Shibarium’s official node guide currently instructs operators to confirm that seeds and bootnodes match official values when setting up nodes. The guide covers separate Heimdall and Bor processes and tells operators to check Heimdall synchronization before starting Bor. A catching_up: false result indicates that Heimdall has completed synchronization.

The documentation specifies port 26656 for Heimdall peer-to-peer communication and port 30303 for Bor peer-to-peer traffic. Full and sentry nodes require at least 16 GB to 32 GB of RAM under the published minimums, while validator nodes are listed at 32 GB to 64 GB.

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Shibarium advises operators to use snapshots for quicker recovery and migration, monitor disk and network performance and keep node software updated. Its documentation says public access should go through sentry nodes instead of exposing validator ports directly to the internet.

RPC registry now points to Shibarium’s official endpoint

The public Ethereum chain registry independently confirms the updated Shibarium connection information.

The current ethereum-lists chain ID 109 entry names Shibarium and lists https://rpc.shibarium.shib.io as its first RPC endpoint, followed by a NOWNodes endpoint. It records both the chain ID and network ID as 109 and points users to Shibariumscan as the explorer.

The registry is used by wallets and Web3 services to obtain standardized EVM network metadata. Its Shibarium entry now matches the RPC endpoint published by Shiba Inu’s own documentation, providing an independently visible record of the updated network configuration.

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Reporting around the current migration said the registry entry had lagged behind Shibarium’s November 2025 RPC move before being refreshed in 2026. The official documents reviewed confirm the present endpoint configuration, though they do not state when every third-party wallet, node provider or middleware service adopted it.

Shibarium’s infrastructure work comes after the network crossed a major usage threshold last year. In related crypto.news coverage, Shibarium surpassed one billion cumulative transactions in April 2025, with more than 194 million addresses recorded at the time.

Explorer indexing and validator maintenance remain unfinished

Shibariumscan has been rebuilding its indexed chain data during the infrastructure work. U.Today reported on Sept. 20 that the explorer displayed 53% of blocks as indexed at the time of its check. The percentage refers to explorer reindexing and should not be treated as a measurement of overall Shibarium network recovery.

The live Shibariumscan explorer remains accessible, though its current index-completion percentage was not available as retrievable text during this review. The 53% figure is therefore best treated as the Sept. 20 snapshot reported from the explorer, not a current figure guaranteed to remain unchanged.

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Infrastructure work extends beyond the explorer. Shiba Inu’s official ecosystem status service currently lists Shibarium Validator Staking as under maintenance following an infrastructure migration that began April 17, 2026. The notice says users may be unable to access or interact with validator staking during the maintenance period and advises them not to attempt staking transactions until service is restored.

The official SHIB Ecosystem Status page still displays the validator staking disruption as unresolved, with the engineering team working on restoration and no public completion date listed.




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Is the Trump-Xi Summit Now an Iran Summit? Bitcoin, Stocks and Oil Are Trading Like It

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Oil Prices on September 21.

Stocks and crypto moved higher on Monday while oil prices fell. Investors are pricing in several developments this week, the biggest being the Trump-Xi meeting in Washington.

Bitcoin (BTC) held above $81,000 and Asian equities advanced, while crude slipped to its lowest in more than a week. 

Beijing Becomes the Variable in the Iran Standoff

Trump is scheduled to meet with Xi in Washington on September 24. Traders are treating that meeting as the week’s main event for trade sentiment, and it now carries a second angle tied to the Gulf.

Saudi Arabia has asked Beijing for help with the Houthis, prompting China to privately urge Tehran to use its influence to rein in the Yemen-based group. Reuters reported the request on September 17, citing three Iranian sources familiar with the matter.

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The Iran-backed group said it struck sensitive sites in Riyadh on Saturday with missiles and drones. It also hit an Aramco facility at the Red Sea export hub of Yanbu.

Mark Pfeifle, a Republican strategist and former White House national security official, told Al Jazeera that China’s role is the development worth watching this week.

“Now, the Saudis have asked the Chinese to intervene with the Iranians and to hold back the Houthis. So, you’re seeing for the first time, really, China involving themselves,” Pfeifle said.

Meanwhile, Tehran has already made its move. Iran conveyed its conditions for ending the war to Washington through Qatari mediators, security chief Mohsen Rezaei told Al Jazeera on Saturday. 

Those terms include ending the war on all fronts, unfreezing Iranian funds, and lifting the naval blockade.

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Global Markets Climb as Oil Slips Over 2%

Now, traders see a chance for diplomacy during UN week. At the same time, Saudi shipments are recovering. The oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz averaged 2.9 million barrels per day (bpd), up sharply from 700,000 bpd in August. 

The developments pushed oil lower.  West Texas Intermediate traded near $98 a barrel, down about 2.2%, while Brent slipped about 2.1% to roughly $102. 

Oil Prices on September 21.
Oil Prices on September 21. Source: TradingEconomics

Equities moved in the opposite direction. South Korea’s KOSPI rose 1.67% to 7,009.27, the Kosdaq added 0.99%, Taiwan’s TAIEX gained 1.10%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.59%.

KOSPI Index Performance.
KOSPI Index Performance. Source: Google Finance

S&P 500 futures were up 0.43%, and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.61%. Bitcoin added 1.29% to about $81,433. Ethereum (ETH) climbed close to 3% over 24 hours to $2,663. Overall, the market rose 0.089%.

Traders will find out this week whether the Washington summit produces any movement on Iran, or whether the diplomacy track stalls again.

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The post Is the Trump-Xi Summit Now an Iran Summit? Bitcoin, Stocks and Oil Are Trading Like It appeared first on BeInCrypto.



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Kalshi faces ‘fake crypto volume’ allegations as critic flags identical $5,500 trades

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Kalshi faces ‘fake crypto volume’ allegations as critic flags identical $5,500 trades

First, he flagged a crucial mix-up in Beni’s original post, explaining that the Artemis chart cited in the complaint measured prediction-market share rather than perpetual contract volume.

He also demystified why Kalshi’s volume numbers look so high, explaining that they use the exact same reporting convention as Polymarket: volume reflects the maximum potential payout, not the upfront cash spent. Because each event contract pays out exactly $1 to the winner, the industry tracks volume by counting the total number of $1 outcomes on the line. For example, if a trader buys 100,000 contracts priced at 30 cents, they spend only $30,000 in cash, but the system records $100,000 in volume because that is the total maximum value of the contracts at maturity. This naturally inflates the headline volume figures, but it represents real user demand, not fake wash trading.

Turning his attention to the perpetual contracts, IcoBeast firmly rejected the idea that Kalshi handpicks a closed club of Self-Clearing Members. Under CFTC regulations, “fair access” is legally mandated, meaning any firm that clears the necessary capital and operational hurdles is legally entitled to join.

“Separately on perps you claimed that “Here SCM means market makers that are selected by Kalshi lmfao”. This isn’t true. Anyone can become a Self-Clearing Member of a CFTC regulated exchange as long as they meet the regulatory requirements. “Fair access” is a reg requirement for us,” IcoBeast.eth said.

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