BlackRock has taken a significant step into the world of decentralized finance (DeFi) by bringing its $2.1 billion tokenized Treasury fund to Uniswap. This move marks the asset management giant’s first formal engagement with DeFi and offers institutions new avenues for on-chain investment. The announcement solidifies BlackRock’s growing interest in digital assets and blockchain technology.

The launch of BlackRock’s USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) will enable institutional clients to trade tokenized securities on the Uniswap decentralized exchange. The fund’s listing represents a broader push to expand institutional access to the growing DeFi space. This venture also includes BlackRock acquiring an undisclosed amount of Uniswap’s governance token, UNI.

The listing will initially be available to a select group of institutional investors and market makers. As a part of the collaboration, Securitize, a tokenization company, facilitated the launch of BUIDL. The cooperation between Securitize and BlackRock strengthens the legitimacy of tokenized assets as viable investment products.

Tokenization Boosts DeFi and Institutional Access

Tokenized assets have seen increasing popularity as they allow real-world assets to be traded on blockchain networks. BlackRock’s foray into DeFi with BUIDL aims to provide institutions with access to tokenized money markets. These assets, backed by US Treasury securities, are designed to offer liquidity, security, and yield to investors.

Securitize CEO Carlos Domingo noted the importance of providing institutions with self-custody tools to trade tokenized real-world assets. He emphasized that this new product gives investors the flexibility to interact with decentralized finance while maintaining traditional investment characteristics. BUIDL is now the largest tokenized money market fund, with over $2.1 billion in total assets across multiple blockchains.

BUIDL is not the only fund seeking to expand access to tokenized money markets. Other major financial institutions like Goldman Sachs and BNY Mellon have entered the tokenization space, signaling wider industry acceptance. BlackRock’s partnership with Uniswap and Securitize further highlights the momentum behind blockchain technology in traditional finance.

Implications of Wall Street’s Adoption of Tokenized Assets

The rise of tokenized assets has been partly driven by the growing adoption of stablecoins and blockchain infrastructure. Financial institutions see tokenization as a way to adapt to shifting market dynamics, especially as stablecoin usage continues to rise. JPMorgan analysts have pointed out that tokenized money market funds could offer a counterbalance to the increasing use of stablecoins in the broader economy.

Tokenization could play a crucial role in mitigating potential liquidity shifts caused by the rapid expansion of stablecoins. According to JPMorgan strategist Teresa Ho, tokenized funds offer investors a way to post money market fund shares as collateral without losing yield. This feature could provide a valuable hedge against the growing dominance of stablecoins.

The regulatory landscape also plays a critical role in shaping the future of tokenized real-world assets. With the GENIUS Act expected to influence the stablecoin market, clearer regulations could encourage further adoption of blockchain technology. Solomon Tesfaye of Aptos Labs believes that stablecoin regulations may accelerate broader adoption of on-chain assets like tokenized money market funds.

BitGo Holdings and 21Shares have broadened their alliance to extend custody and staking services for 21Shares’ U.S. exchange-traded funds and global exchange-traded products. The expanded deal will see BitGo provide qualified custody, trading and execution capabilities, and a unified staking infrastructure for 21Shares’ US-listed ETFs and international ETPs. The press release notes that this arrangement gives 21Shares enhanced access to liquidity across electronic and over-the-counter markets as part of a broader strategy to scale regulated crypto yield solutions for institutional investors. The partnership is anchored in BitGo’s regulated framework in the United States and Europe, leveraging its OCC-regulated federally chartered trust bank and MiCA-licensed European operations. Announcement.

21Shares is a major crypto ETF issuer, with an established footprint across 13 exchanges and 59 listed products, supported by more than $5.4 billion in assets under management as of Feb. 11, according to its public materials. The collaboration follows BitGo’s own foray into the public markets earlier in the year, when the Palo Alto-based infrastructure provider began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker BTGO.

In recent months, custodial and staking services have become increasingly entwined as institutions seek yield-generating crypto infrastructure within regulated wrappers. The new BitGo–21Shares framework exemplifies this shift, allowing traditional and alternative asset managers to offer staking yields while maintaining compliant custody—an arrangement that can streamline onboarding for large-scale investors who require robust risk controls and auditability. The broader ecosystem has seen a spate of partnerships and integrations aimed at embedding staking deeper into regulated product lines, a trend that has accelerated as more institutions seek regulated exposure to proof-of-stake ecosystems.

Among the notable examples cited in the ecosystem: a Coinbase–Figment collaboration that broadened institutional staking for assets including Avalanche (AVAX), Aptos (APT), Sui (SUI) and Solana (SOL) through Coinbase Custody. Separately, Anchorage Digital partnered with Figment to extend staking for Hyperliquid (HYPE), integrating these services via its banking and custody infrastructure. Ripple has also expanded its institutional custody stack with integrations that add hardware security module support to enable banks and custodians to offer custody and staking without building their own validator or key-management systems.

Beyond staking, the sector is witnessing growing interest in liquid staking—an approach that lets investors earn staking rewards while retaining a tradable token that preserves liquidity. Regulators in certain jurisdictions have signaled tolerance for specific liquid-staking activities, reinforcing the push toward regulated, yield-bearing structures. In another development, Hex Trust announced a collaboration with the Jito Foundation to integrate JitoSOL, a liquid staking token on the Solana blockchain, enabling clients to earn staking and MEV rewards while keeping SOL liquid for use as collateral in borrowing and lending through its Markets platform. These moves collectively illustrate how custody providers are layering staking liquidity into regulated product lines to satisfy investor demand for yield without compromising risk controls.

In this evolving landscape, the BitGo–21Shares partnership stands out for its scope and regulatory alignment. By combining BitGo’s OCC-regulated custody framework with MiCA-licensed European operations, the alliance aims to unlock scalable staking and liquidity across major markets for a broad set of products, including US-listed ETFs and international ETPs. The collaboration signals a maturation in the ecosystem, where product issuers can offer regulated staking while maintaining robust custody and market access—an arrangement that may help attract institutions that previously shied away from crypto exposure due to compliance and operational concerns. For readers seeking a deeper dive into the breadth of the collaboration, a related press release details the global ETF-partnership expansion across staking and custody, highlighting the operational pathways BitGo will provide for 21Shares’ product lineup.

Video and media discussions surrounding the partnership can be explored through a related presentation linked to the announcement.

Market participants should watch how the integration affects liquidity profiles and trading costs for 21Shares’ ETF roster, as well as how it influences the pace at which other ETF issuers consider similar custody-and-staking models. The collaboration may also influence how global regulators view regulated staking within ETF wrappers, particularly as MiCA implementations take fuller effect across Europe and as U.S. authorities continue to refine guidelines for crypto custody and staking activities.

Key takeaways

• BitGo will deliver qualified custody, trading and execution services, plus integrated staking infrastructure for 21Shares’ US ETFs and global ETPs.
• The services will be provided through BitGo’s regulated entities in the US and Europe, leveraging an OCC-regulated trust bank and MiCA-licensed operations.
• 21Shares’ product slate includes 59 ETPs listed across 13 exchanges, with more than $5.4 billion in assets under management as of Feb. 11.
• The move aligns with a broader institutional push to embed staking within regulated custody offerings, following similar partnerships and integrations across the sector.
• The deal underscores BitGo’s ongoing expansion into ETF and regulated markets after its BTGO listing on the NYSE earlier this year.

Tickers mentioned: $BTGO, $AVAX, $APT, $SUI, $SOL

Market context: The collaboration arrives amid growing institutional interest in regulated staking and custody-enabled yield strategies, supported by clearer regulatory frameworks in the U.S. and Europe and expanding ETF liquidity across crypto assets.

Why it matters

The partnership between BitGo and 21Shares represents a meaningful step in bringing regulated staking and custody to a broader class of institutional investors. By coupling BitGo’s OCC-chartered custody capabilities with 21Shares’ diversified ETF lineup, the arrangement reduces operational friction for asset managers seeking compliant exposure to proof-of-stake ecosystems. This is particularly relevant as the crypto industry pushes toward scalable yield opportunities within regulated wrappers, a dynamic that could accelerate the adoption of staking across traditional finance channels.

For 21Shares, the deal broadens access to liquidity and trading venues for its US-listed ETFs and global ETPs. As the ETF issuer continues to grow—reporting 59 products and substantial AUM—partnerships like this can help sustain product velocity, improve execution quality, and offer investors more reliable ways to participate in staking rewards without directly managing keys or validator infrastructure.

From a regulatory perspective, the alignment with an OCC-regulated entity in the United States and MiCA-licensed operations in Europe signals a mature model for regulated crypto infrastructure. If these structures gain broader acceptance, more issuers may pursue similar multi-jurisdictional approaches, further integrating staking into mainstream investment products. In a market that remains sensitive to liquidity, risk controls, and operational risk, such collaborations could contribute to steadier capital inflows and more robust market-making activity around crypto ETPs.

What to watch next

• Rollouts of custody and staking services for 21Shares’ entire U.S. ETF lineup and broader international ETPs, with clear launch timelines.
• Regulatory updates from the OCC and updates to MiCA implementations that may affect how staking is offered within ETF wrappers.
• Potential expansion of BitGo–21Shares technology and service integrations to additional product lines or new markets.
• Continued ETF issuance activity by 21Shares and related liquidity improvements across electronic and OTC venues.

Sources & verification

• BitGo and 21Shares Accelerate Global ETF Partnership Across Staking and Custody — Business Wire press release (Feb 12, 2026).
• 21Shares product catalog and assets under management (as of Feb 11) published by 21Shares.
• BitGo IPO coverage and BTGO listing details (Cointelegraph gateway to BitGo stock information).
• FalconX acquisition of 21Shares (context for 21Shares’ corporate structure).
• Ripple expands institutional custody stack with staking and security integrations (industry context for custody-staking trends).

BitGo expands custody and staking for 21Shares across US and Europe

BitGo and 21Shares have formalized an expanded collaboration that integrates custody, trading, and staking services for 21Shares’ US ETFs and global ETPs. The arrangement will see BitGo operate through its regulated US and European entities, including a federally chartered trust bank approved by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and MiCA-licensed European operations, providing a bridge between traditional custody controls and crypto-native staking yields. The underlying objective is to reduce friction for institutions seeking yield opportunities tied to major proof-of-stake ecosystems while maintaining stringent risk and compliance standards.

Within the scope of the agreement, 21Shares gains access to BitGo’s custody and execution frameworks, coupled with integrated staking infrastructure designed to support its ETF lineup. The collaboration underscores a broader trend in the market: custodians and wallet providers are increasingly embedding staking capabilities into regulated products to satisfy investors’ demand for yield, liquidity, and governance participation without sacrificing institutional-grade controls.

As a backdrop, the ecosystem has seen a series of institutional staking moves—ranging from Coinbase’s partnerships enabling direct staking for select assets, to Anchorage Digital’s collaborations that extend staking through regulated banking channels, and even Ripple’s expansion of its custody platform with security integrations. These developments collectively point to a maturation of the crypto infrastructure market, where regulated custody and staking go hand in hand to deliver scalable, compliant exposure to proof-of-stake networks. In this context, BitGo’s expanded alliance with 21Shares positions both firms to capture a larger slice of the ETF and ETP issuance market and to support a broader wave of institutional adoption.

Market participants will be watching how quickly the rollout unfolds and how liquidity improves across the involved products, particularly in the United States and Europe. The partnership could catalyze further collaborations between custodians and ETF issuers, as regulators continue to refine the boundaries of crypto custody and staking within regulated investment products.

As institutional adoption of digital assets matures, a new corporate playbook is emerging: treat ether not just as an investment, but as productive financial infrastructure.

The shift comes amid sharp downward market volatility. SharpLink Gaming (SBET) — which saw its stock soar last May after adopting an ether ETH$1,920.91 treasury strategy — has since plunged (along with every other of 2025’s hastily-formed digital asset treasury companies). It’s a reminder of the turbulence that continues to define the asset class.

At a panel discussion at Consensus Hong Kong 2026 featuring Sharplink Chairman Joe Lubin and CEO Joseph Chalom, the two executives outlined how DATs are evolving into a distinct institutional strategy.

“I’ve never seen more of a moment of differentiation where the actual macro tailwinds for Ethereum have never been better in its 10-and-a-half-year history,” said Chalom, pointing to the growth of stablecoins and tokenization. “Listen to Larry Fink at Davos, when he’s telling you $14 trillion of BlackRock assets will be tokenized, and over 65% of that to date is happening on Ethereum.”

While recent ether price action and ETF flows have raised concerns, Chalom framed them as part of broader macro de-risking. “Bitcoin and ether were very easy to de-risk,” he said, adding that rotations out of liquid assets are typical during volatility. “The largest players in institutional finance are telling us out loud — they’re coming to ether.”

SharpLink’s strategy differs, he argued, because it deploys permanent capital. “An ETF is a great passive exposure vehicle, but it needs to provide daily liquidity…We own permanent capital,” he said. “The third stage — which is actually most important — is making your ETH productive.”

Lubin emphasized ether’s distinguishing feature: yield.

“Ether would be a much better asset… because it is a productive asset. It yields. It has a risk-free rate,” he said, referring to staking returns of roughly 3%. SharpLink has staked nearly all its holdings and plans to continue accumulating. “We’ll keep buying ether. We’ll keep staking ether and adding new yield to ether.”

Beyond staking, Chalom described what he called “good institutional DeFi,” using long-term locked capital to earn risk-adjusted returns rather than chasing venture-style upside. “We’re not looking for convex VC 10x outcomes — we’re looking for the best risk-adjusted yield for our investors. And we’re actually confident that by doing it, we’ll improve the DeFi ecosystem by raising its standards.”

For Lubin, the shift resembles the early internet era. “A long time ago…there were internet companies. Now every company is an internet company. Soon, every company is going to be a blockchain company,” he said, predicting firms will increasingly hold tokens on balance sheets and require sophisticated onchain treasury tools.

Read more: Ethereum treasury firm SharpLink stakes $170M ETH on Linea network

Zcash recorded a 7% price decline over the past 24 hours, while broader cryptocurrency markets also slipped. However, large holders reduced their positions by approximately 38% over the past seven days, raising concerns about the cryptocurrency’s near-term prospects.

The privacy-focused cryptocurrency has increased 5.8% over the past week, but decreased over 40% month-over-month, according to CoinGecko.

Bitcoin and Ethereum experienced larger declines during the same period as the broader cryptocurrency market continued its selloff.

Exchange flow data showed net outflows on Feb. 12, indicating some purchasing activity. However, on-chain data revealed that large holders decreased their Zcash holdings by roughly 38% over seven days, with additional selling occurring in the past 24 hours. Exchange inflows increased simultaneously, suggesting coins moved from private wallets to exchanges.

Technical analysts identified a bearish flag and pole pattern forming on Zcash price charts. This formation typically appears after a sharp decline, followed by a consolidation period. When prices break down from this pattern, the resulting decline often matches the distance of the initial drop, according to technical analysis methodology. For Zcash, this measured move indicates a potential 66% decline from current levels if the pattern completes.

A four-month bearish divergence signal has also formed between October and February. During this period, Zcash prices reached a higher high while the Relative Strength Index (RSI), a momentum indicator, recorded a lower high. This divergence typically indicates weakening buying pressure despite rising prices.

The RSI continues to trend downward while prices remain near recent highs, creating a widening gap between price action and momentum indicators.

On-chain data shows the top 100 addresses control approximately 70% of the total supply. Smart money indicators remained flat with no significant accumulation detected, according to blockchain analytics.

The cryptocurrency rebounded from lows reached in early February. Technical analysts stated that a breakout above resistance levels would be required to invalidate the bearish setup, while a breakdown below key support would likely accelerate declines.

Market observers noted that the relative outperformance compared to other cryptocurrencies occurred while large holders distributed their positions, creating what analysts described as a potentially unstable foundation for current price levels.

The crypto industry’s campaign-finance arm, Fairshake, has begun rolling out its campaign strategies in its well-funded effort to pack Congress with lawmakers ready to pass friendly digital assets policy, and Democratic Representative Al Green is the first lawmaker on its hit list.

An affiliate of the Fairshake political action committee, which has begun deploying its $193 million war chest on this year’s congressional midterm elections, said it will spend $1.5 million on advertisements opposing Green’s primary campaign.

The critical Texas lawmaker has often noted potential hazards posed by cryptocurrencies to the U.S. financial system and to investors, co-sponsored a bill seeking to ban President Donald Trump from his personal crypto business interests and has voted against crypto policy legislation. That opposition earned him an “F” grade from Stand With Crypto, a group that assesses crypto support from politicians.

Green, who is among the most senior Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee that has a direct hand in crypto legislation, faces rivals in the Democratic primary for the recently redrawn Texas district he represents. Texas’ primaries come quickly next month, and longtime congressman Green would have to beat a younger Democrat, Christian Menefee, who just won a special election and took the redrawn district’s seat days ago.

“Texas voters can no longer sit by and have representation in Congress that is actively hostile towards a growing Texas crypto community,” Fairshake’s super PAC affiliate, Protect Progress, said in a statement. “We are committed to electing new members who embrace innovation, growth and wealth creation for all Americans.”

Menefee is supportive of blockchain technology, according to his campaign stance, and Stand With Crypto gives him an “A” grade.

In Green’s most recent election in 2024, his campaign spent less than $450,000 to retain his seat, which went unchallenged in the primary, and he needed even less in 2022. But he’s so far brought in more than $700,000 in this more difficult contest. Still, that’s less than half of Fairshake’s spending against him.

Fairshake also this week announced that it’ll spend $5 million to boost a pro-crypto Alabama Republican, U.S. Representative Barry Moore, in that state’s Senate primary. And the group is also backing House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill, according to a spokesman. The super PAC generally spends money on advertisements that are general political messages, not related to crypto issues, and because they’re “independent expenditures” under election law, Fairshake isn’t allowed to coordinate with campaigns.

TLDR:

• Spot bitcoin ETFs and treasuries absorbed 1.2 times new supply in 2025, reshaping demand dynamics 
• Peak-to-trough bitcoin declines now limited to 50% versus historical 70-80% drawdowns in cycles 
• Digital asset treasuries hold 1.1 million BTC valued at $89.9 billion as corporate adoption grows 
• U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve holds 325,437 BTC representing 1.6% of total bitcoin supply today
  

Bitcoin continues its transformation from speculative asset to institutional holding. The digital currency has attracted major financial players through regulated exchange-traded funds and corporate strategies.

Data shows spot bitcoin ETFs and digital asset treasuries absorbed 1.2 times new supply in 2025. This shift reflects broader acceptance among investors.

ETF Growth and Corporate Treasury Adoption Reshape Market Dynamics

Spot bitcoin ETFs reached a milestone during 2025, altering the asset’s supply-demand profile. Morgan Stanley and Vanguard expanded platforms to include bitcoin products in the fourth quarter.

Vanguard’s decision proved noteworthy given its historical exclusion of commodities. These vehicles attracted capital from advisors, institutions, and retail investors.

Corporate adoption has moved beyond early adopters into mainstream finance. According to ARK Investment Management and 21Shares analysts, “the unifying theme for the current cycle is bitcoin’s transition from an optional new monetary technology to a strategic allocation.”

Strategy, formerly MicroStrategy, has accumulated holdings representing 3.5% of total supply. Digital asset treasury companies hold more than 1.1 million BTC, valued at $89.9 billion. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 now include bitcoin-exposed companies like Coinbase and Block.

Sovereign interest materialized through the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The Trump Administration launched this reserve using seized bitcoin totaling 325,437 BTC.

This represents 1.6% of total supply valued at $25.6 billion. Texas led state-level adoption by adding bitcoin to reserves.

Regulatory developments have created clearer pathways for institutional participation. The proposed CLARITY Act would establish dual-oversight between CFTC and SEC.

This legislation provides a compliance roadmap with standardized maturity tests. The clarity reduces uncertainty that drove firms offshore.

Price Performance and Market Maturation Show Evolving Investor Behavior

Bitcoin’s relationship with gold has demonstrated patterns throughout market cycles. Gold prices surged 64.7% during 2025 while bitcoin declined 6.2%.

Historical data from 2016, 2019, and 2020 shows gold movements preceded bitcoin rallies. Spot bitcoin ETFs achieved in under two years what gold ETFs required over 15 years.

Market volatility metrics reveal a maturing asset with improved risk characteristics. Peak-to-trough declines in the current cycle have not exceeded 50%.

This compares favorably to prior cycles where drawdowns reached 70-80%. The February 2026 correction maintained this trend.

Long-term holding strategies have outperformed market timing. A hypothetical investor purchasing $1,000 at yearly peaks from 2020 through 2025 generated positive returns.

The report notes that “in 2026, bitcoin’s story is less about whether it will survive and more about its role in diversified portfolios.”

Even accounting for February corrections, this strategy produced a 29% return. Position sizing and holding periods matter more than entry timing.

Correlation analysis shows bitcoin maintains low relationships with traditional assets. Weekly returns from 2020 through 2026 show a 0.14 correlation with gold.

This low correlation enhances portfolio diversification benefits. Combined with reduced volatility, bitcoin presents a different risk-reward proposition.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins has defended the agency’s enforcement shift as lawmakers question why Justin Sun’s case was paused.

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins is facing scrutiny from lawmakers as the agency moves to reshape its cryptocurrency regulatory framework.

Democrats are questioning potential links between industry actors and President Donald Trump amid a broader decline in enforcement actions.

SEC Scrutinized Over Tron Case

During a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Democratic members zeroed in on the SEC’s decision to pause its case against Tron founder Justin Sun. Representative Maxine Waters pointed to what she described as a sweeping rollback of prior crypto enforcement actions after Trump entered the White House and new SEC leadership took over last year.

Waters referenced the regulator’s 2023 lawsuit against Sun, in which he was accused of organizing the unregistered sale of crypto securities tied to the TRX and BTT tokens and manipulating trading volumes.

Later in February 2025, the SEC asked the federal court overseeing the case to issue a stay, which paused the proceedings. Since that decision, Sun has become a major financial supporter of Trump-linked crypto ventures, purchasing billions of WLFI tokens, making him the largest backer of World Liberty Financial.

Waters also highlighted a more recent claim by his alleged former girlfriend, who publicly suggested she possesses evidence of TRX manipulation.

Atkins declined to address specifics of the case, telling lawmakers he could not comment on individual enforcement matters. He added that he would be open to further discussion in a confidential setting “to the extent the rules allow me to do that.”

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When asked whether the agency ever acts to protect investors in ways that could negatively affect Trump-affiliated businesses, he responded, “As far as what the Trump family does or not, I can’t speak to that.”

Trump’s Ties to Binance

Lawmakers also raised concerns about other high-profile litigation the SEC dropped last year, including cases against Binance, Ripple, Coinbase, Kraken, and Robinhood.

In May 2025, the financial watchdog ended its lawsuit against Binance, which it had sued in 2023 for offering unlicensed services and misrepresenting trading controls. Trump later also pardoned Zhao, while a stablecoin issued by WLF was used by an Abu Dhabi investment firm for a $2 billion investment in Binance.

“Explain to me how this happens without any enforcement action,” Representative Stephen Lynch said. “The reputational damage that the SEC is suffering right now is unbelievable. And you’re in the seat, sir. It’s your responsibility. I’m just asking for an explanation.”

The SEC Chair defended the regulator, saying it has a “robust enforcement effort” and continues to bring cases. However, data from Cornerstone Research shows that its overall legal actions fell 30% in 2025, while crypto-related cases dropped 60%.

Atkins, who became the organization’s chair in April 2025 after Gary Gensler’s departure, is known for criticizing the previous aggressive approach and framing his leadership as a move away from litigation-heavy tactics.

Israel is attempting to prosecute a reserve soldier who allegedly used military secrets to place bets on security operations via Polymarket. 

Polymarket offers a multitude of markets on various military operations, from bets on the outcome of the Ukraine/Russia war, to more specific targeted missile strikes against various countries. 

Israel’s Shin Bet security agency announced today that the soldier — who is facing court along with an alleged civilian accomplice — used “classified reports” accessed via their military role to help make bets that could threaten Israel’s national security.

The pair is charged with numerous security offences, as well as bribery and obstruction of justice. Several people were arrested, but only two have been charged so far.

A lawyer representing the soldier told Bloomberg that the indictment is “flawed,” adding that the charge of harm to national security has been dropped.

They added, however, that he’s still believed to have used confidential information without permission.

Pair might be connected to $150K Polymarket winnings on Israel-Iran strikes

It’s unknown which prediction markets the two bet on, or if they made any profits. There are suspicions, however, that they could be linked to the Polymarket account “ricosuave666.”

This account made over $150,000 betting on Israel’s strikes against Iran in 2025, and reportedly got each prediction correct across a war that lasted 12 days.

Israeli authorities then opened up an investigation into these bets. 

Previous cases involving the leaking of military secrets led to an Israeli soldier reportedly being sentenced to 27 months in jail in 2023.

The individual passed on confidential information to users on social media so that they could gain credibility and popularity online.

Web3 security firm CertiK honored for its contribution in web3 security and compliance at the 2026 SiGMA AIBC Eurasia Awards.

CertiK, the web3 security services provider, received an award for “Best Security & Compliance Solution 2026” at the SiGMA AIBC Eurasia Awards ceremony on February 10, 2026. 

The award is a recognition of the firm’s efforts in driving the crypto industry towards compliance and institutionalization. The SiGMA AIBC Eurasia Awards, jointly created by SiGMA and AIBC, is an award for the digital technology and innovation industries in the Eurasia region. It focuses on areas such as AI, blockchain, web3, and compliance security, and is well-known across the region. 

Other award winners included web3 companies, including Crypto.com, OKX Wallet, Avalanche, and Cointelegraph.

The award comes at a time when CertiK has been expanding its presence in the Middle East since the launch of its branch in Abu Dhabi in 2025. According to the firm, it has launched a localized team recruitment drive to address the demand for security services in the Middle Eastern markets. 

The company’s focus in the region has shifted to providing “institutional-level” security services. The goal of this service model is to provide banks, sovereign wealth funds, and large multinational corporations with security measures that meet traditional financial security requirements through advanced engineering capabilities and a tight defense matrix.

Since launching the branch in Abu Dhabi, CertiK has partnered with Abu Dhabi regulators, participated in roundtable discussions on the framework for virtual asset regulatory activities in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), and offers services to local regulators via its security platform Skynet Enterprise.

According to CertiK, its services assist regulators in assessing the potential impact of abnormal events on corporate entities and the broader financial ecosystem, and promote the development of security compliance and innovation in the digital economy.

Key takeaways:

• Ether exchange-traded funds saw $71 million in inflows, signaling strong institutional appetite.

• Weekly decentralized exchange volume doubled to $20 billion, narrowing the revenue gap with Solana.

Ether (ETH) price failed to sustain levels above $2,000 on Thursday, leaving traders to weigh the potential catalysts for a market turnaround. While optimism has waned since the crash to $1,745 on Friday, both exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows and ETH derivatives metrics are showing early signs of a reversal. 

Traders now question if there is enough momentum for a bounce back toward $2,400.

US-listed Ether ETFs recently broke a three-day streak of outflows, attracting $71 million in fresh capital between Monday and Tuesday. Crucially, assets under management have stabilized at $13 billion, which is sufficient to maintain institutional interest. Ether ETFs currently average over $1.65 billion in daily trading volume, a level of liquidity that enables participation by the world’s largest hedge funds.

To put Ether ETFs in perspective, the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE US)— the largest in the US energy sector — trades an average of $1.5 billion per day. That instrument tracks a combined $2 trillion market capitalization across companies such as Exxon (XOM US), Chevron (CVX US), ConocoPhillips (COP US), The Williams Companies (WMB), and Kinder Morgan (KMI US).

ETH metrics and ETF inflows signal potential market recovery

While institutional appetite for Ether ETF trading is a positive indicator, it does not guarantee that demand for ETH derivatives is inherently bullish.

On Wednesday, the annualized premium (basis rate) of ETH futures remained below the 5% neutral threshold. This lack of demand for bullish leverage has been a constant theme for the past three months. However, the indicator has stabilized at 3%, even as the ETH price hit its lowest level in nine months. These derivatives markets are displaying moderate resilience, which remains an encouraging sign for Ether investors.

Related: Denmark’s Danske Bank allows clients to buy Bitcoin and Ether ETPs

Ether’s price weakness has driven Ethereum’s Total Value Locked (TVL) to $54.2 billion, down from $71.2 billion one month prior, according to DefiLlama data. Reduced deposits in the network’s smart contracts represent a major risk, as lower chain fees diminish the native staking yield. Moreover, Ethereum’s supply burn mechanism remains dependent on excessive demand for blockchain processing. 

Despite these worsening conditions, demand for Ethereum decentralized applications (DApps) has been gradually improving throughout 2026.

Weekly decentralized exchange (DEX) volumes on the Ethereum network surged to $20 billion, up from $9.8 billion one month prior. This increased activity caused DApps revenue to reach $26.6 million in the seven days ending Feb. 8, providing a healthy indicator of ETH demand. While Solana remained the clear leader with $31.1 million in weekly DApps revenue, the gap between the two networks is narrowing.

Those monitoring Ether price performance exclusively fail to see that ETH onchain metrics and derivatives have displayed resilience, especially as inflows into Ether ETFs resumed. While it might take a couple of weeks for investors to fully regain confidence, there are strong indicators that a near-term rally toward $2,400 is possible.