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Privacy-by-Design Makes Blockchain Work: The Japan APPI Case

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Privacy-by-Design Makes Blockchain Work: The Japan APPI Case

Japan’s blockchain endeavours have taken on a more practical tone over the past couple of years, with major institutions now assessing where the technology genuinely fits into day‑to‑day financial and industrial workflows.

Some of the clearest signals are coming from the banking sector. In late 2025, the Japanese government confirmed its support for a project led by the country’s three largest banks to issue stablecoins for payments and settlement, under the oversight of the Financial Services Agency.

It’s a revealing direction. The work is centred on moving money and settling trades, not chasing volatility. That caution comes from experience.

Large Japanese institutions rarely move until they’ve weighed the operational and reputational implications, and blockchain still raises uncomfortable questions on both sides. It offers traceability and clean audit trails, but it also surfaces information in ways many organisations have never had to manage before.

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This lands very differently inside a large organisation. On a public chain, transaction details are visible by default, and impossible to contain once they’re recorded. For teams used to controlling how information moves, and who sees what, that challenges long-standing expectations around confidentiality, trust and responsible data handling.

There’s a reason that kind of exposure makes people uneasy. It changes how risk is assessed and whether projects move forward at all.

The Cost of Transparency

Privacy sits at the centre of Japan’s digital strategy, and it draws a clear line around how far institutions are willing to go with blockchain. That sensitivity becomes hard to ignore once projects move beyond pilots and start brushing up against real operations.

On public blockchains, very little stays isolated. A payment here, a settlement there; before long, patterns begin to emerge. Volumes, timing and counterparties can quickly reveal more than the original transaction was meant to convey.

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That way of working feels unfamiliar to many Japanese institutions. Banks are used to drawing clear lines between internal data, counterparty information and regulatory disclosure. Manufacturers and logistics firms draw similar lines around supply chains, pricing and sourcing. Public ledgers have a habit of ignoring those lines.

You see it when teams start digging into the data. Traceability and clean audit trails sound great, until someone realises how much of it is visible and how easily it can be analysed. Information that would normally stay inside a business is suddenly far more exposed. And that discomfort is not just cultural; there are strict compliance reasons behind it.

Why Privacy Carries Real Weight in Japan

Anyone building or operating digital systems quickly runs into the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI), Japan’s data protection regime overseen by the Personal Information Protection Commission. It isn’t treated as a box-ticking exercise. It’s the framework organisations use to decide what data can move, where it can go and who remains accountable once it does. 

Act amendments approved in 2020 and fully implemented from 2022, tightened expectations around breach reporting, individual rights and cross-border data handling. Once personal data leaves an internal system, organisations are expected to account for who can see it, how long it remains available and under what conditions it can be shared again.

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Those changes pulled Japan much closer to GDPR-style expectations around accountability and data control. That alignment matters for blockchain. Rules designed around deletion rights, correction and purpose limitation sit comfortably with traditional databases, but they sit far less easily alongside immutable records and shared ledgers.

Once data is written on-chain, it is permanently recorded and replicated across multiple participants. That makes limiting access, correcting mistakes or reversing disclosure difficult later on. For teams used to accounting for every hand-off, that takes some getting used to.

The challenge also extends beyond domestic projects. Many blockchain applications operate across Asia-Pacific, where data protection rules vary. For compliance teams, that reality forces architectural decisions much earlier. What goes on-chain, and what stays off it, can determine whether a project ever clears internal review.

Where Builders Get Stuck

If you talk to teams building blockchain systems for institutions, the same issue comes up again and again. Most networks push them toward extremes. Either everything is visible by default, or almost everything is sealed off. There isn’t much middle ground.

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That might be workable in early tests but it becomes far harder once regulators, auditors and risk teams get involved. Fully transparent systems expose more than most organisations are comfortable sharing. Fully private systems can make audits and reporting harder to support. 

Teams respond by pushing sensitive logic off-chain or into permissioned environments that feel safer. Extra controls get bolted on. Disclosures are handled as one-offs. Compliance is demonstrated manually when someone asks for it. Over time, logic ends up split between public chains, off-chain databases and closed networks, which slows deployment and makes oversight harder.

You can see the effect in adoption. Consumer use moves ahead. Institutional deployments move more cautiously, even where the interest is clearly there. The promise is obvious, but the foundations still feel underprepared for sustained scrutiny.

Designing for Proof, Not Exposure

This is where the conversation needs to change. Institutions are not trying to publish private or sensitive data. They are trying to demonstrate that certain conditions were met: that a rule was followed, that consent was captured, that access made sense at the time. Looked at this way, the challenge becomes operational rather than philosophical.

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You don’t need to put the underlying data out in the open to do that. What matters is having a reliable way to prove those conditions hold.

That’s why selective disclosure and zero-knowledge techniques are appearing in architectures aimed at real-world deployment. They make it possible to demonstrate compliance, eligibility or adherence to policy without dragging entire transaction histories or user records into the open. What gets shared is the conclusion, not every step that led to it. New blockchains like Midnight present such solutions to the industry and various sectors exploring blockchain integration.

For teams used to managing risk, that feels like common sense. Disclosure becomes deliberate. Audits stop feeling like a guessing game. The risk of oversharing drops away. Data protection stops being something to fix later and starts shaping decisions much earlier.

If blockchain is going to move beyond pilots and proofs of concept, that change matters. Systems designed this way don’t ask institutions to rethink how accountability works. They fit into existing expectations instead of fighting them.

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Why This Matters Beyond Web3

That approach carries particular weight in markets like Japan, where data handling is taken seriously, and regulatory enforcement leaves little room for ambiguity when expectations are missed. Architectures that make disclosure explicit and limited sit far more comfortably alongside APPI’s emphasis on accountability and purpose limitation. They also travel better across borders, where privacy rules may differ but scrutiny rarely eases.

The implications extend well beyond blockchain. AI systems, data-driven platforms and cross-border digital services face the same pressure as they scale. As the volume of data grows, maintaining trust without losing control becomes harder. Ways of proving compliance without oversharing will matter across the digital economy, not just in Web3.

Japan isn’t trying to slow blockchain down. It’s pushing it to grow up.

Privacy-by-design forces harder choices earlier, but it also clears a path through regulation, risk and trust that institutions can actually walk. For institutions, that’s what adoption looks like in practice. And if blockchain is going to move from promise to something organisations rely on in highly regulated markets, this is the direction it needs to travel.

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Jupiter (JUP) price bounces amid key Chainlink integration: is $0.30 next?

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Trader checking XRP's growth
Trader checking XRP's growth
  • Jupiter (JUP) price hovered near $0.17 amid a 6% intraday gain.
  • The bounce coincided with Bitcoin’s spike to above $70,000.
  • The move was also supported by a key Chainlink integration.

JUP, the governance token of Jupiter, has bounced off recent lows as top cryptocurrencies record intraday gains.

The DEX protocol’s token traded around $0.17 on Tuesday, with 24-hour gains of nearly 6% pushing it above a key support level.

Jupiter Exchange taps Chainlink for prediction markets

JUP’s uptick coincided with the DEX platform’s strategic adoption of Chainlink technology to power its newly launched prediction markets.

Jupiter Exchange, recognised as the largest DEX aggregator on the Solana blockchain, has integrated Chainlink’s advanced oracle solutions to underpin its innovative prediction markets.

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These markets, now live with 5-minute and 15-minute settlement options, cover major assets including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Solana (SOL).

By leveraging Chainlink Data Streams, Jupiter ensures sub-second price feeds directly from premium exchange sources.

It minimises latency and mitigates risks like front-running or oracle manipulation that plague traditional DeFi platforms.

Jupiter users can now speculate on short-term price movements with heightened accuracy.

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Market participants view this integration as a catalyst for increased trading volume, with Chainlink’s secure, low-latency oracles enhancing user confidence.

The move could attract liquidity providers seeking reliable settlement mechanisms and help shine a spotlight on Jupiter’s potential and thus on JUP.

It’s only in many Jupiter milestones that have seen the exchange token become a top 100 cryptocurrency by market capitalisation.

Jupiter price analysis

The JUP token has navigated a downward channel since plummeting from above $0.70 in April 2025.

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A broader weakness across crypto means that at the current price, the token’s value is down by more than 60% over the past year.

Despite this bearish outlook, the token has bounced decisively from the channel’s lower boundary.

Bulls are looking to stabilise above $0.17, and a flip in sentiment could catalyse further gains amid a breakout scenario.

Technical indicators on the daily chart highlight this picture.

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Jupiter JUP Price Chart
Jupiter price chart by TradingView

As can be seen above, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) has recovered from oversold conditions and hovers above the neutral line.

The indicator boasts a bullish divergence and signals a potential strengthening of the upward momentum.

However, the MACD suggests a bearish reversal.

If buyers hold the sway, more gains could push prices towards the immediate overhead resistance zone around $0.20–$0.22.

A breakout could see bulls test the supply wall around $0.30.

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However, a rejection at current levels risks a retest of $0.15.

The support level might act as a demand reload zone and result in fresh consolidation before another bullish move.

If not, the price could drop to $0.100.

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DOJ Pushes for Retrial of Tornado Cash Developer Roman Storm

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DOJ Pushes for Retrial of Tornado Cash Developer Roman Storm


US prosecutors want a retrial for Roman Storm after a jury deadlocked on money laundering and sanctions charges.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has asked that Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm be put on trial anew on charges of money laundering and sanctions violations.

Last year, a jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the two counts after a four-week hearing in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) presided over by U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla.

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Storm Faces Retrial in 2026

The same jury convicted Storm of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money laundering operation, but hit a deadlock on the more serious charges. Now, as Storm revealed in an update on social media, prosecutors have asked Judge Failla to schedule a retrial in October 2026 to try to settle the unresolved points. He questioned the move, stating,

“The government’s response? Try again to make writing code a crime.”

The Tornado Cash case, along with that of Samourai Wallet co-founders Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill, has long been a point of contention in the crypto community, with many viewing it as a direct attack on developers who build privacy-preserving technology.

According to supporters, open-source coders should not be held responsible for how others use their technology. But on the other hand, regulators claim that the mixing service knowingly took part in large-scale money laundering and sanctions evasion.

In his X post, Storm pointed to what he sees as contradictions in the government’s approach. He believes that the DOJ’s request was made despite there being a more favorable policy climate for the crypto industry in the U.S.

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The developer specifically mentioned a statement by U.S. President Donald Trump declaring that the “war on crypto is over” and a memo from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, in which he said that the DOJ is “not a digital assets regulator” and would not target crypto mixers for the actions of their end users.

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Storm’s post also referenced the U.S. Treasury’s decision to lift sanctions on Tornado Cash, as well as a recent report to Congress under the GENIUS Act that acknowledged lawful crypto users can rely on mixers for financial privacy.

40-Year Prison Sentence

The 36-year-old now faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted on the two undecided conspiracy counts and a sentence of up to 5 years from his previous ruling.

“The 2 counts = up to 40 years in federal prison. For writing open-source code. For a protocol I don’t control. For transactions I never touched,” he wrote.

He also believes that the prosecutors are simply pushing for a different outcome in the case.

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The post concluded with him appealing for financial support and a vow to keep fighting for freedom and the rights of other developers. Storm has called on anyone who values financial privacy or believes that writing code is a form of speech to contribute, emphasizing that “this is the moment.”

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Top Ethereum Price Predictions as Analyst Claims ETH Is Back in the Discount Zone

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Top Ethereum Price Predictions as Analyst Claims ETH Is Back in the Discount Zone


Modest increase, major bull run, or new pullback: what’s next for ETH?

Despite the turbulence over the past few weeks caused by geopolitical tension and other factors, Ethereum (ETH) managed to stabilize above $2,000.

Multiple industry participants expect the asset to post substantial gains in the near future, with some suggesting that the current levels provide a great buying opportunity.

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New ATH in the Making?

The cryptocurrency market, which has been on a rollercoaster lately, experienced a significant revival today (March 10) after US President Donald Trump claimed the war with Iran “is very complete, pretty much.” ETH followed the green wave and is currently trading around $2,070, up 3% on a daily basis.

According to the popular market observer who goes by the moniker Merlijn The Trader on X, the second-largest cryptocurrency has returned to “the discount zone.” He believes the ongoing structure mirrors that of 2023, which was followed by a bull run.

In his view, holding the crucial $2,000 mark could lead to a major rally to almost $10,000, whereas losing it would mean that “the discount zone extends lower.”

For his part, X user James argued that ETH’s performance is similar to NVIDIA “before it melted faces.” That said, he expects the digital asset to follow the footsteps of the AI giant and explode to a new all-time high in the coming years.

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Satoshi Flipper is also bullish, albeit making a more modest prediction. The trader thinks that a potential resolution to the military conflict between the USA (supported by Israel) and Iran could drive ETH to $2,500.

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Certain on-chain indicators support the optimistic scenario. Some X users, for instance, revealed that whales continue to accumulate ETH: a development that reduces the number of tokens available on the open market and could trigger a rally (should demand remain constant or head north). The actions of large investors are also closely monitored by smaller players, who may follow suit and inject fresh capital into the ecosystem.

It is worth noting that Tom Lee’s BitMine is a notable whale that plays a main role in the buying spree. Most recently, the company purchased almost 61,000 ETH for approximately $123 million, thus increasing its total holdings to 4,535,563 coins.

Another Downtrend on the Horizon?

Contrary to the bullish predictions observed above, some analysts and traders expect ETH to head south soon. X user Crypto Tony said they await a potential rejection at around $2,060 “to short this down again.”

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For his part, Ted predicted that ETH could soar to $2,400 if reclaiming the $2,150 level. After that, though, he sees “a decent chance” that the asset would dump toward new lows.

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Ethereum price flashes an alarming pattern as ETF outflows rise

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ethereum price

Ethereum price has gone nowhere since February 7 this year. While this could be a sign of bottoming, it has formed an alarming chart pattern, signaling a potential crash.

Summary

  • Ethereum price has formed a bearish flag pattern on the daily chart.
  • Spot ETH ETFs have shed millions of assets this month.
  • The coin may have a strong bearish breakout in the near term.

Ethereum (ETH) price was trading at $2,065 today, March 10, as it rose for the second consecutive day. Despite this rise, it has remained inside the support and resistance levels at $1,843 and $2,143.

The ongoing consolidation has coincided with the waning demand for its exchange-traded funds. SoSoValue data shows that these funds have shed assets in the last three consecutive days. They shed $51 million in assets on Monday after losing $83 million and $90 million in the previous two trading days.

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Ethereum ETFs have lost over $37 million in assets this month, and is in the fifth consecutive month in the red. As a result, the cumulative net inflow has dropped from nearly $15 billion to $11.58 billion. 

Ethereum has diverged from Bitcoin, whose ETFs have added over $735 milion in inflows this month. Solana ETFs have added $21 million in assets, while Chainlink funds have gained $4.8 billion.

On the positive side, Ethereum’s fundamentals are still strong. For example, data shows that its stablecoin supply has jumped to over $166 billion, while its transaction volume in the last 30 days jumped to over $1.1 trillion. It is also the market leader in the real-world asset tokenization industry by far.

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Ethereum price technical analysis 

ethereum price
ETH price chart | Source: crypto.news

ETH price could be at risk of a big drop in the near term. The daily chart shows that it has formed a horizontal channel in the last 30 days. This channel formed after it dropped sharply. As a result, it has formed a bearish flag pattern, a popular continuation pattern. 

The coin has remains below all moving averages and the Supertrend indicator. Therefore, the most likely outcome is where it resumes the downtrend, potentially to the lower side of the flag at $1,843. A drop below that level will point to more downside, potentially to the psychological level at $1,500.

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Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) Stock Gains as Revenue Surges 30% Driven by AI Chip Demand

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TSM Stock Card

Key Takeaways

  • Taiwan Semiconductor disclosed NT$718.91 billion in combined revenue for January and February 2026, representing approximately 30% year-over-year growth.
  • Revenue for February specifically totaled NT$317.66 billion — a sequential decline of 20.8% from January but a 22.2% increase versus the prior year.
  • Sustained demand for AI chips from major customers including Apple, Nvidia, and AMD is fueling the revenue expansion.
  • TSMC’s board greenlit a quarterly dividend of NT$6.0 per share and authorized approximately $45 billion in capital investments.
  • Management indicated no significant operational disruption expected from geopolitical tensions involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM) launched 2026 with impressive momentum, posting robust two-month revenue figures powered by sustained artificial intelligence infrastructure investments from its largest customers.


TSM Stock Card
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, TSM

The semiconductor giant disclosed that its combined revenue for the first two months of 2026 reached NT$718.91 billion — representing approximately 30% growth versus the corresponding period in 2025. These figures underscore the company’s dominant position in advanced chip manufacturing.

For February alone, TSMC recorded NT$317.66 billion in revenue. While this represents a sequential decrease of roughly 21% compared to January, it marks a solid 22.2% gain when measured against February of the previous year.

The sequential pullback from January to February follows typical seasonal patterns. January frequently captures higher revenue due to order timing dynamics, making the year-over-year metric the more significant indicator for market watchers.

TSM stock advanced approximately 1% during early Tuesday session activity after the financial disclosure, while key customers Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) also posted gains — climbing 1.53% and 1.21% respectively. Apple (AAPL) shares increased 0.51%.

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The revenue expansion underscores ongoing robust demand for cutting-edge semiconductors deployed in artificial intelligence servers and data center infrastructure. As the manufacturing partner for technology industry heavyweights, TSMC continues to see consistent order flows.

Dividend Distribution and Capital Investment Plans

During February, TSMC’s board of directors approved a quarterly cash dividend of NT$6.0 per share — a decision that reflects management’s confidence in the company’s strong financial health.

Additionally, the board authorized capital expenditure totaling approximately $45 billion. These funds will support fabrication facility construction, capacity expansion, and technology upgrades spanning advanced front-end processes, specialty and mature technologies, plus advanced packaging solutions.

TSMC also designated roughly NT$1.2 billion for its Arizona-based subsidiary, which is actively expanding domestic chip production capabilities in the United States.

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This magnitude of capital investment aligns with TSMC’s long-standing guidance regarding the financial resources required to meet escalating AI chip demand.

Geopolitical Landscape Assessment

TSMC proactively addressed geopolitical risk factors, stating it does not anticipate any material operational disruption stemming from current tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

Company leadership emphasized ongoing monitoring of the evolving situation. TSMC’s primary manufacturing operations are concentrated in Taiwan, which presents distinct geopolitical considerations independent of Middle Eastern developments.

Presently, executives appear confident that production and operations remain stable and unaffected.

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TSMC has scheduled its complete first-quarter 2026 earnings release for April, when investors will scrutinize detailed guidance on order pipelines and pricing dynamics across the company’s most advanced manufacturing nodes.

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One Analyst Calls XRP Extremely Oversold, Another Plans to Short It

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XRP Weekly RSI. Source: ERGAG Crypto on X


The bearish analyst outlined at which price levels he wants to short XRP.

The weekly RSI levels for XRP have declined to their most oversold territory since at least 2022, said popular market commentator EGRAG CRYPTO, adding that this might be a proper entry zone.

While their chart reviews the broader XRP picture, another analyst weighed in on the asset’s daily gains today, noting that he wants to short it only after it reaches a certain level.

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Most Oversold in History?

Known for his detailed and mostly bullish analysis on several large cryptocurrencies, but with the main focus on XRP, EGRAR’s latest chart on the cross-border token indicated that the asset is “entering the most oversold region” in its history right now.

They explained that when XRP has plunged to such RSI levels, it has historically bottomed, as was the case in 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020, and 2022. This means that the token has not seen such oversold numbers in four years.

However, EGRAR disclosed that although XRP has indeed reached a macro bottom at similar levels, it does not mean that “the exact bottom prints immediately,” but it’s entering its final phase, which looks like this:

  • Final liquidity sweep
  • Sideways accumulation
  • Gradual reversal

“This is why many experienced investors start accumulating in this region instead of trying to perfectly time the bottom,” they added before asking: “When XRP weekly RSI is in the most oversold zone in its entire history… is this the worst time to buy? Or, one of the best times to start accumulating?”

XRP Weekly RSI. Source: ERGAG Crypto on X
XRP Weekly RSI. Source: EGRAG Crypto on X

Or, Maybe Short XRP?

While EGRAG’s analysis focuses on XRP’s macro picture, Crypto Tony weighed in on the asset’s most recent price performance and whether he sees a potential for a trend reversal in the short-term. The token dumped to $1.21 last week, rebounded to $1.55, where it was rejected, and has remained within a tighter range between $1.34 and $1.48 since then.

It jumped to $1.42 earlier today, and Crypto Tony saw an upcoming opportunity to short the upper boundary of this range at $1.47-$1.48. However, XRP was rejected for now and remains around $1.40 as of press time, which is a level that the bulls “need to flip into support,” and they haven’t done it decisively yet.

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Starknet Introduces Privacy Framework for ERC-20 Tokens

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Starknet Introduces Privacy Framework for ERC-20 Tokens

Starknet has launched the STRK20 token standard, aimed at integrating privacy features into ERC-20 tokens on its platform. This development emphasizes the growing trend of privacy in blockchain transactions.

Starknet has unveiled the STRK20 token framework, a new initiative designed to enhance the privacy of Ethereum’s ERC-20 tokens on its platform. According to a blog post from the Layer 2 today, March 10, this development addresses ongoing privacy concerns for token issuers, users, and regulators.

The new framework makes it possible for any ERC-20 token on Starknet to have native privacy, with transactions backed by zero-knowledge proofs.

The mechanism works by letting users transact within the Starknet Privacy Pool, by depositing ERC-20 tokens to the pool, transacting within it, and then withdrawing at any time. Starknet said in the blog post that it’s launching the framework today with both swaps and staking available via Ekubo.

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“Privacy on its own is not enough. For it to matter, it has to work where finance actually happens: in swaps, in staking, in the protocols that make DeFi run,” Starknet’s post reads.

As a Layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum, Starknet utilizes zk-rollups to improve scalability and reduce transaction costs. The introduction of STRK20 aligns with the broader industry trend of incorporating privacy features into blockchain transactions.

This article was generated with the assistance of AI workflows.

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Will Chainlink price reclaim $10 amid volatility squeeze?

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Chainlink price enters a volatility squeeze  —  can bulls flip $10 resistance into support? - 1

Chainlink price is tightening near $9 as volatility drops, with traders watching whether bulls can push LINK above the key $10 resistance level.

Summary

  • Chainlink is trading at $8.94, moving within a tight weekly range between $8.52 and $9.55.
  • Derivatives data shows futures volume falling while open interest holds steady, suggesting traders are keeping positions open during the consolidation.
  • Technical indicators point to a volatility squeeze, with the $10 level acting as the key breakout zone.

At press time, Chainlink (LINK) was priced at $8.94, up 1.2% in the past 24 hours. Over the past week, the token moved between $8.52 and $9.55 as price action settled after the steep drop earlier this year.

Chainlink is still down about 42% over the past year, though the latest rebound has helped narrow the monthly decline to around 0.8%.

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Trading activity eased during the recent sideways move. Daily volume came in at $494 million, a 7% drop from the previous session. Lower volume often appears when the market pauses and traders wait for the next clear move.

CoinGlass data shows only small changes in derivatives markets. Futures volume slipped, while open interest edged up 0.07% to $369.57 million. When price moves sideways and open interest barely changes, it usually means many traders are holding their positions instead of opening new ones.

Network growth continues in 2026

In early 2026, Chainlink has strengthened its place in the blockchain infrastructure market. A March 2 partnership set up a $5 billion cbBTC bridge to the Monad network, connecting the two systems. Another deal with Abu Dhabi’s ADI Foundation will explore tokenization projects in the Middle East.

Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol already links more than 75 blockchains, and more connections are being added to move data and assets between them.

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Projects such as Injective EVM, Monad, and Perennial have adopted the system, while 11 additional chains, including ADI Chain, Arc, and Base, were recently added.

Traditional finance firms are also experimenting with Chainlink’s infrastructure. Institutions including SWIFT, UBS, and the Bank of England have worked with the network on tokenization pilots tied to the Canton Network, which targets as much as $8 trillion in real-world assets.

Chainlink currently controls about 64% of the oracle market, with over $41 billion in total value secured. The network has secured more than $100 billion in assets and processed roughly $27.3 trillion in total value executed by late 2025.

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Institutional interest has increased as well. Even during more periods of outflows in the cryptocurrency market, Grayscale’s LINK ETF,  launched in December 2025,  reported consistent weekly inflows.

Chainlink has earned SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certifications, which are often required by institutional partners. To make the token more useful, the network is running a $644 million buyback program and working with S&P Global to evaluate stablecoins on-chain.

Chainlink price technical analysis

Chainlink is entering a period of low volatility, known as a volatility squeeze, when price movement tightens before a bigger move. The Bollinger Bands are narrowing, showing that volatility is decreasing.

LINK is trading near the middle band, indicating short-term momentum is neutral.

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Chainlink price enters a volatility squeeze  —  can bulls flip $10 resistance into support? - 1
Chainlink daily chart. Credit: crypto.news

Traders are focusing on $10, which has acted as resistance in recent attempts to move higher. A daily close above $10 could signal a breakout, potentially turning this level into support and opening the way toward $11 to $12.

On the downside, $8.8 to $9.0 is the main support zone. If the price falls below $8.8, the $8.2 to $8.0 range may be tested.

Momentum indicators suggest the market is stabilizing. The relative strength index is around 45–50, meaning selling pressure has eased, but buyers have not yet gained control.

If LINK moves above $10, targets could include $10.8, $11.5, and $12. If it fails to break $10, the token may remain in its current range.

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Nvidia (NVDA) Stock Secures Strategic Partnership With Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines

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Nexo Partners with Bakkt for US Crypto Exchange and Yield Programs

Key Highlights

  • Nvidia has injected capital into Thinking Machines Lab, the artificial intelligence venture led by ex-OpenAI CTO Mira Murati (investment amount undisclosed)
  • A strategic multi-year collaboration between the companies was revealed on Tuesday
  • Thinking Machines plans to implement a minimum of one gigawatt worth of Nvidia’s Vera Rubin infrastructure
  • The rollout is scheduled to begin in early next year
  • Following a $2B capital raise in July 2025, Thinking Machines achieved a $10B valuation

Nvidia has taken an equity position in Thinking Machines Lab while establishing a comprehensive multi-year strategic alliance with the AI company. The partnership details emerged Tuesday morning.

Neither organization revealed the precise dollar amount of Nvidia’s equity stake.

Under the terms of this collaboration, Thinking Machines will integrate a minimum of one gigawatt of Nvidia’s cutting-edge Vera Rubin infrastructure. This computing power will fuel the company’s advanced model development efforts and platform operations.

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According to Thinking Machines, the Vera Rubin systems are slated to go live early in the coming year.

Mira Murati established Thinking Machines Lab after her tenure as Chief Technology Officer at OpenAI. The company’s mission centers on delivering scalable, customizable artificial intelligence solutions for corporate clients, academic institutions, and scientific organizations.

In a prepared statement, Jensen Huang, who founded and leads Nvidia as CEO, commented: “Thinking Machines has assembled an exceptional team dedicated to pushing AI boundaries forward. We’re excited to collaborate with Thinking Machines as they pursue their compelling vision for AI’s evolution.”

Murati offered this response: “NVIDIA’s innovations form the bedrock of our entire industry. This collaboration enhances our ability to develop AI systems that users can customize and truly own.”

A $10 Billion Valuation

This partnership doesn’t mark Nvidia’s initial engagement with Thinking Machines. The chipmaker participated in the startup’s $2B financing round during July 2025, which established the company’s valuation at $10B.

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Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) spearheaded that funding round, with additional backing from Nvidia, AMD, ServiceNow, and Cisco Systems.

Tuesday’s disclosure elevates the connection beyond simple investment to a comprehensive strategic partnership framework.

The agreement encompasses collaborative development of training and inference infrastructure optimized explicitly for Nvidia’s chip architectures.

Vera Rubin Takes Center Stage

Nvidia’s Vera Rubin platform represents the company’s latest-generation GPU infrastructure, and this agreement positions a gigawatt-scale implementation as a cornerstone element.

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A gigawatt represents significant energy allocation — highlighting the massive scale required for cutting-edge AI model development today.

According to Thinking Machines, the Vera Rubin computing infrastructure will serve as the backbone for developing AI systems that users can tailor and engage with hands-on.

The collaboration aims to broaden accessibility to advanced AI capabilities and open-source models throughout enterprise and academic environments.

Nvidia maintains investment positions across numerous AI ventures and continues strengthening industry relationships through semiconductor supply contracts combined with ownership stakes.

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The Thinking Machines agreement represents another addition to this portfolio, distinguished by its gigawatt-level hardware deployment obligation.

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Crypto World

Trust Wallet Adds Real-Time Scam Address Checks for Crypto Users

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Trust Wallet has rolled out a proactive defense against address poisoning, introducing an automated screening feature that checks destination addresses against a live database of known scam and lookalike wallets. The noncustodial wallet provider said the protection will run in the background as users initiate transfers, aiming to thwart attempts to misdirect funds to illicit addresses. The rollout covers 32 Ethereum Virtual Machine-compatible chains at launch, including Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, Polygon, Optimism, Arbitrum, Avalanche and Base, with the team signaling plans to expand over time. The move comes as the ecosystem contends with increasingly sophisticated phishing attempts that rely on users copying and pasting addresses from their transaction history.

Trust Wallet described address poisoning as among the crypto space’s fastest-growing threats, citing figures that place the total number of attacks at over 225 million and losses nearing $500 million to date. In address poisoning scams, perpetrators typically send a harmless, small amount to a target to establish a history, then capitalize on users who replicate addresses from their own transaction history, inadvertently sending larger sums to the attacker’s wallet. The new screening mechanism seeks to disrupt this attack chain by preventing outbound transfers to detected poison addresses before they are executed.

Beyond automated checks, the broader industry has been pushing for preemptive safeguards across wallets. Notably, several wallets already employ transaction-filtering tools designed to curb malicious transfers—for instance, Rabby Wallet, Zengo Wallet and Phantom Wallet have each introduced similar layers of screening to reduce exposure to scam addresses. The emphasis on preventative controls mirrors growing calls for a more defensive stance from the wallet ecosystem, especially as attackers increasingly rely on social engineering and lookalikes that mimic legitimate counterparts.

The topic has taken on renewed urgency in light of high-profile incident data. In December 2025, a single USDt (USDT) transfer tied to a poisoning scheme underscored the potential scale of losses, prompting calls from industry figures for more robust wallet-level defenses. Analysts and security researchers have long argued that users should not copy addresses from transaction histories, a practice that continues to contribute to successful exploits. Security firm Hacken has highlighted the importance of circumventing copy-paste habits as part of a multi-layered defense strategy.

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Security researchers have pointed to the conflicts between convenience and protection in wallet design. The push for stricter verification aligns with expectations that wallets should act as the first line of defense—filtering out poison addresses and preventing users from inadvertently participating in scams. Some commentators have called for wallets to proactively block any receiving address that appears on a known poison list, a stance that aligns with broader calls for universal adoption of blockchain-querying checks at the point of interaction.

In parallel, discussions around address poisoning—both the technical mechanisms and the user-behavior patterns it exploits—continue to evolve. The episode underlines why exchanges, wallets and service providers alike must invest in robust address-checking capabilities, while users remain urged to verify recipient addresses through independent channels and avoid relying solely on transaction histories when copying addresses from trusted sources. As the ecosystem expands, the balance between user experience and security will remain a focal point for developers and regulators alike.

Why it matters

The introduction of address-poisoning protection marks a meaningful step in reducing on-chain losses and encouraging safer transaction practices across major EVM networks. For users, the feature represents a real-time safety net that can prevent inadvertent transfers to illicit wallets if a recipient address matches a known scam pattern or closely resembles a legitimate one. For builders and wallet providers, it sets a benchmark for proactive risk management and cross-wallet collaboration on threat intelligence, potentially reducing the volume of successful attacks that rely on social engineering and address lookalikes.

From a market perspective, the development reinforces the idea that security enhancements are increasingly becoming a differentiator among wallet ecosystems. As hackers refine their techniques, the emphasis shifts from purely cosmetic features to verifiable protections that can be audited and verified by users and independent researchers. The industry’s collective response—combining automated screening, user education and responsible disclosure—could contribute to a more resilient infrastructure over time, even as the crypto landscape remains sensitive to regulatory signals and macro risk sentiment.

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For investors and users, this shift underscores the importance of risk management in wallet selection and usage. While no single protection can eliminate all threats, multi-layered defenses—complemented by best practices such as avoiding address copy-paste from transaction histories—can materially reduce exposure to address-poisoning schemes. The broader narrative is one of maturation: as wallets adopt more rigorous checks, the friction between speed and security may gradually tilt toward safer, more reliable user experiences.

What to watch next

  • Expansion of the poisoned-address database to cover additional chains beyond the initial 32 EVM-compatible networks, with a timeline for rollout on non-EVM platforms.
  • Independent audits or third-party attestations validating the accuracy and speed of the destination-address screening feature.
  • Adoption metrics across wallets that implement similar protections, including user feedback and impact on attempted phishing campaigns.
  • Updates from Trust Wallet or partner security teams regarding any zero-day findings or refinements to the poisoning-detection database.

Sources & verification

  • Trust Wallet official announcement: address poisoning protection and rollout details.
  • On-chain data and public logs illustrating address-poisoning incidents (e.g., notable large transfers cited in December 2025).
  • Binance Square commentary by Changpeng Zhao advocating universal poison-address checks across wallets.
  • Security research from Hacken’s Extractor team on best practices not to copy addresses from history.
  • Industry coverage of Rabby, Zengo, and Phantom Wallets’ transaction-filtering approaches.

Trust Wallet rolls out address poisoning protection across 32 EVM chains

Trust Wallet has introduced a proactive defense against address poisoning by adding a destination-address screening feature that checks outgoing transfers against a live database of known scam and lookalike wallets. The aim is to stop users from accidentally sending funds to illicit addresses before the transaction is confirmed. The company emphasized that the protection operates automatically, running in real time as a user initiates a transfer. The initial scope includes 32 EVM-compatible networks, with Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) at the forefront, along with BNB Smart Chain, Polygon, Optimism, Arbitrum, Avalanche and Base. The firm noted that address-poisoning attacks have emerged as a fast-growing threat within crypto markets, and it cited figures indicating more than 225 million attacks and roughly $500 million in confirmed losses to date.

Address poisoning, a form of phishing, exploits the habit of users copying and pasting addresses from transaction histories—a behavior that can enable attackers to divert funds to malicious wallets. By cross-referencing recipient addresses with a database of poison addresses, Trust Wallet’s system can halt transactions before they leave a user’s control. This approach aligns with broader industry moves toward preemptive risk controls, particularly as scammers increasingly rely on social engineering and ambiguous address representations to mislead victims.

Industry observers point to complementary protections already available across wallets. Rabby Wallet, Zengo Wallet and Phantom Wallet have implemented early-warning systems or blacklist-based checks aimed at stopping transfers to flagged addresses. The emphasis on prevention reflects a broader trend toward user-centric security features that do not rely solely on post-incident recovery. In tandem with these protections, security researchers and users alike continue to advocate for best practices, such as avoiding direct copying of addresses from transaction histories and verifying recipients through independent channels.

The December 2025 incident involving a USDt (USDT) transfer underscored the ongoing risk, drawing attention to the need for wallet-level defenses that can catch poisoned addresses before funds move. Industry voices have stressed that wallets should not display or reproduce harmful transactions in the first place, a stance echoed by prominent figures who argue for a universal, automated filter at the point of interaction. While no solution is flawless, the convergence of automated screening, user education and cross-wallet sharing of threat-intelligence signals a maturing security posture across the crypto ecosystem.

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As the rollout unfolds, the crypto community will be watching for how well these protections scale across networks and how quickly users adapt to new prompts or warnings when initiating transfers. The goal is a safer user experience that preserves the speed and convenience that attract new participants, while delivering meaningful guardrails against one of the space’s oldest and most persistent attack vectors. In a rapidly evolving threat landscape, Trust Wallet’s move signals a continued push toward stronger, more transparent security practices that could shape wallet design choices for years to come.

Risk & affiliate notice: Crypto assets are volatile and capital is at risk. This article may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

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