DeFi platforms like Hyperliquid are demonstrating that decentralized exchanges can rival centralized venues in execution speed and transparency, according to Delphi Digital.

The cryptocurrency options market is expanding rapidly as institutional investors increasingly rely on instruments that allow them to define risk when managing large digital asset positions.

According to the crypto research firm Delphi Digital, trading activity in crypto derivatives has accelerated significantly. In fact, volumes on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange are currently running about 46% above the pace recorded during the exchange’s previous record year.

Crypto Options Market Expands

Delphi Digital said this growth indicates rising institutional participation, as funds and asset managers prefer options contracts because they allow investors to hedge large exposures while limiting downside risk to the premium paid. The firm noted that the move toward defined-risk instruments became more evident in mid-2025, when aggregate open interest in Bitcoin options reached $65 billion and exceeded Bitcoin futures open interest for the first time.

While futures are commonly used to gain leveraged exposure, options allow traders to cap potential losses on large positions, such as a $500 million Bitcoin allocation, while maintaining upside exposure. Delphi Digital explained that most of the current options activity is concentrated on a small number of centralized venues. For several years, the primary platform for crypto options trading has been Deribit, which gained additional institutional backing after being acquired in 2025 by Coinbase in a deal valued at $2.9 billion.

At the same time, options linked to the spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund issued by BlackRock under the ticker IBIT introduced a new source of activity from traditional financial market participants after launching in late 2024. In addition to the rapid growth of centralized platforms, Delphi Digital said decentralized derivatives markets have also expanded, as their market share increased from about 2% to more than 10% over the past two years.

The firm pointed to the success of the decentralized trading platform Hyperliquid in demonstrating that decentralized exchanges can achieve performance levels similar to centralized venues in terms of execution speed and transparency.

However, it said that on-chain options trading has not yet experienced the same level of adoption. Among decentralized options platforms, Delphi Digital identified Derive as the largest protocol currently operating in the sector, which reported more than $700 million in notional options volume over the past 30 days. The platform originally launched as Lyra in 2021 and later rebuilt its infrastructure in 2023 using a gasless central limit order book on its own OP Stack layer-2 network, which allowed market makers to quote directly on the order book and enabled traders to execute transactions without paying gas fees.

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Another project developing similar capabilities is Kyan Exchange, which is currently operating in beta on the Arbitrum network and is preparing for a mainnet launch.

The research firm said demand for options is also tied to the growth of structured financial products used by asset managers, which rely on derivatives to generate yield while maintaining defined risk profiles. It pointed to income-focused strategies such as covered-call products used in traditional markets and noted that derivative income funds collectively manage more than $100 billion in assets.

Regulation Side of Things

Delphi Digital added that the regulatory environment surrounding crypto derivatives may also be beginning to change, citing a joint statement issued in September 2025 by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) that enabled spot crypto asset trading on regulated exchanges.

Meanwhile, the Clarity Act bill, which aims to create clear regulations that should help promote cryptocurrency adoption, has hit an impasse. But if the legislation ultimately moves forward, it would represent a significant milestone for the industry.

The Dubai edition of Token2049 has been postponed until 2027 after organizers cited safety concerns linked to rising geopolitical tensions due to the Iran-Isreal-US war. The decision follows the cancellation of another major industry gathering, the TON Gateway event, which had also been scheduled to take place in Dubai.

Token2049 Dubai event postponed to 2027

In a statement posted on X, organizers of Token2049 said the event would not take place this year and would instead return in April 2027. “In collaboration with our partners and stakeholders, and in light of the ongoing uncertainty in the region and its impact on safety, international travel, and logistics, Token2049 Dubai will be postponed to 21–22 April 2027,” the event organizers wrote in an announcement.

The announcement came a day after TON revealed it would completely cancel its Gateway conference in the city. The Telegram-linked project indicated that while the planned gathering would not proceed, the team hopes to introduce an alternative format later this year.

For participants who had already purchased passes to Token2049 Dubai, organizers said tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled event in 2027.

Attendees may also choose to transfer their passes to the Singapore edition of the conference scheduled to take place later this year. Pricing for the Dubai event had ranged widely depending on ticket tier. Early bird access began at $699, while standard passes reached $1,499.

Premium packages offering VIP perks such as exclusive lounges and priority access were listed at $5,999 on the conference’s ticketing page, which remains active on the website. It remains unclear whether participants who prefer not to attend the future event will be eligible for refunds. Organizers have not yet clarified that policy publicly.

The statement from Token2049 also addressed attendees who had already arranged travel to Dubai for the conference, which had originally been planned for April 29–30. Organizers advised participants to contact airlines and hotels directly to adjust their bookings where possible.

“We know this is disappointing news for many of you who have already made plans, and we don’t take that lightly,” the organizers wrote on the conference website. “Preparations for the event were progressing strongly. However, ensuring the global crypto industry can gather safely, and at the scale and quality that define Token2049, remains our top priority,” they added.

Before the postponement, the Dubai conference had been expected to feature prominent figures from across the digital asset industry, including Shayne Coplan, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, and Jeremy Allaire.

Meanwhile, attendees of the canceled TON Gateway event have been informed that ticket refunds will be processed within approximately two weeks. Organizers said further details about a replacement event format may be announced later in the year.

As the conflict involving Iran drags on and global energy supplies risk prolonged disruption, most financial assets are likely to behave like risk assets, according to Bloomberg Intelligence strategist Mike McGlone in a recent interview with Cointelegraph.

Despite major price swings across commodities, stock market volatility has remained relatively low, a divergence McGlone considers unsustainable. Historically, such imbalances tend to resolve through increased volatility in equities — often during broader market corrections.

That unusual volatility dynamic is also showing up in gold, a market traditionally viewed as a safe haven.

“Right now, 180-day volatility on gold is almost 2.5 times that of the S&P 500,” McGlone said. “So it’s no longer a store of value.”

In the interview, McGlone also discusses why Bitcoin (BTC) and the broader crypto market may be acting as a leading indicator for global risk assets. With the Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index already significantly down from its peak, he argues that crypto could be signaling a potential downturn in traditional markets.

The macro backdrop, he suggests, increasingly resembles past periods of stress, including the lead-up to the 2008 financial crisis, when energy prices spiked before sharply reversing during a global economic slowdown.

McGlone also shares his outlook on oil prices, interest rates, and the role of US Treasuries, which he still views as one of the few assets that could benefit if volatility rises and economic growth slows.

Could the current oil shock trigger a broader market correction? And what does it mean for Bitcoin, stocks, and the global economy?

Watch the full interview with Mike McGlone to hear his full macro outlook and market predictions.

A selloff in both Wall Street and crypto markets hasn’t slowed Circle’s relentless rise. The stablecoin issuer’s stock has more than doubled since early February, with Bernstein analysts expecting further gains as stablecoins continue expanding beyond crypto’s more speculative use cases.

The technology is already moving deeper into traditional finance. UK insurance giant Aon recently piloted stablecoin payments for insurance premiums with Coinbase and Paxos, a move that could make cross-border premium payments faster and more efficient.

Elsewhere, Bitcoin (BTC) miner Canaan is taking a contrarian approach to treasury management, increasing its BTC holdings even as many competitors sell. And in traditional finance, Wells Fargo has filed a trademark for crypto-related services, suggesting large banks are still quietly preparing for deeper involvement in digital assets.

Circle stock surges on stablecoin tailwinds

Shares of stablecoin issuer Circle are rallying sharply in 2026 as Wall Street warms to the long-term growth story behind digital dollars. Analysts at Bernstein recently reiterated an “Outperform” rating on the stock, setting a $190 price target — roughly 60% above current levels.

Circle’s stock price has already more than doubled since early February and is up roughly 49% year-to-date, outperforming both the S&P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index during the same period.

Bernstein’s bullish outlook hinges on accelerating stablecoin adoption across payments, financial infrastructure and onchain settlement. As the issuer of USDC (USDC), the world’s second-largest US dollar-pegged stablecoin, Circle is increasingly viewed as a key beneficiary of the industry’s push into mainstream finance.

Canaan boosts Bitcoin reserves while other miners sell

Bitcoin miner Canaan is expanding its BTC treasury amid a market downturn, while many rival public mining companies are reducing their holdings.

The company mined 86 BTC in February, increasing its total Bitcoin holdings to 1,793 BTC. Canaan also reported holding 3,952 Ether (ETH), bringing its total crypto reserves to record levels.

The accumulation trend stands in contrast to much of the mining sector. Several publicly traded miners have sold significant portions of their Bitcoin reserves over the past several months as tighter margins and post-halving economics put pressure on balance sheets.

Canaan, meanwhile, continues to expand its mining footprint, including operations in Texas — one of the largest mining hubs in the United States.

Aon pilots stablecoin payments for insurance premiums

Global insurance broker Aon is exploring the use of stablecoins to settle insurance premiums, working with crypto companies Paxos and Coinbase on the initiative.

The goal is to streamline cross-border payments, which often involve multiple banks, currency conversions and settlement delays. Stablecoins could allow insurers and clients to move funds more quickly while reducing costs and processing time.

For the insurance industry, faster settlement could simplify premium collection, improve cash flow management and reduce the administrative work tied to international payments. It may also make it easier to handle large cross-border policies and reinsurance transactions.

The pilot reflects a broader trend of stablecoins use expanding beyond crypto trading into real-world financial use cases, particularly in areas where global payments remain slow and expensive.

Wells Fargo files trademark for crypto services 

US banking giant Wells Fargo has filed a US trademark application for “WFUSD,” signaling potential plans to expand deeper into crypto services.

The filing covers a range of blockchain-related offerings, including crypto trading, payments, digital wallet services and software for staking and custody. It also references financial services built on distributed ledger technology.

The trademark is significant because Wells Fargo is the fourth-largest US bank, with about $1.95 trillion in assets as of Q3 2025, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Trademark filings don’t necessarily guarantee a product launch, but they often indicate areas companies are exploring. In this case, the scope suggests Wells Fargo may be evaluating crypto-based payments or a tokenized dollar product under the WFUSD name.

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