Crypto World
Rain Trade launches its prediction market platform where anyone can create markets
The idea of prediction markets is centuries old. Informal information markets date back to early 16th-century Italy, where people speculated on who would become the next pope and circulated the odds through handwritten letters. While the technology has changed dramatically, the underlying instinct has not.
People have always looked to collective opinion as a way to understand what may happen next. But as prediction markets expand and attract attention from major technology companies such as Meta, the industry faces a new question: if these platforms are designed to reflect collective intelligence, why are so many markets still shaped by centralized teams?
Rain Trade is taking a different approach to forecasting. Rather than treating market creation as a centralized process, the platform allows anyone to launch public or private prediction markets on any topic, in any language. Users decide what deserves a market, whether it’s the game aired tonight, a political development, or even the outcome of the latest season of Love Island USA, which generated more than $20 million in trading volume on Kalshi during its first two weeks.
The launch coincides with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, during which millions of fans continually debate match outcomes, player performances, and tournament predictions. The launch campaign is backed by former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, who will serve as the face of Rain Trade’s official rollout.
Roy Shaham, CEO of Rain Protocol, the foundation on which Rain Trade is built, said the platform reflects where prediction markets are heading next: “Users want more than a list of markets chosen for them. They want the freedom to create, participate, and build communities around the events they care about. Rain Trade was designed to give them that control, turning prediction markets into something shaped by users, not just platform operators.”
That user-driven approach is central to Rain Trade’s model. Unlike traditional platforms, where markets are selected by the platform itself, Rain Trade allows users to create and share their own markets. They can keep them public or keep them private and password-protected for a specific community, group, or audience. That flexibility allows prediction markets to be shaped less by major headlines and more by the smaller conversations happening in real-time across online communities and in private chats.
To encourage participation, market creators can earn a share of the trading activity generated by the markets they launch. Whether the markets are formed around the World Cup, entertainment, politics, or in a private group chat, the idea is that the community, not a centralized team, should always be the ones to decide what is worth predicting.
Standard Chartered has become the first global systematically important bank (G-SIB) to let institutional clients mint and redeem USDC directly through its banking platform, the lender has said.
The service removes the need for eligible clients to open separate accounts with Circle, the issuer of USDC, giving them a single onboarding process for both traditional banking and stablecoin access.
Standard Chartered Brings USDC Services Into Its Banking Platform
The new service, announced on July 2, has been developed in collaboration with Circle and will let institutional clients that qualify to mint and redeem USDC through Standard Chartered’s operations in the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC). According to the bank, clients will be able to access banking, custody and digital asset services through one integrated platform while using USDC for on-chain settlement and treasury management.
Initially, the offering will be available only through the bank’s DIFC business. However, Standard Chartered said it plans to expand it to more markets once it receives regulatory approvals.
“Digital assets are becoming an increasingly important component of global financial infrastructure, and institutional clients are seeking the same levels of trust and governance that underpin traditional markets,” said Roberto Hoornweg, Standard Chartered’s chief of corporate and investment banking.
Furthermore, he noted that the launch is meant to support wider institutional participation in crypto markets through established compliance and risk management standards.
Crypto market watchers viewed the announcement as another sign that the stablecoin infrastructure is moving further into regulated finance, with Spot On Chain’s Hupzy writing on X that placing a G-SIB directly into the USDC minting process will remove a major operational hurdle for institutions that in the past relied on exchanges or over-the-counter desks to get stablecoins. According to the analyst, the arrangement has the potential to increase the use of USDC among institutions, deepening on-chain liquidity in the process.
Stablecoin Competition Growing
Standard Chartered’s announcement came just a day after the introduction of OpenUSD, a new stablecoin backed by more than 140 companies, including Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, Coinbase, Ripple, and BlackRock. The project, designed around collaborative governance and revenue sharing, has added another competitor to the race to build institutional stablecoin infrastructure.
The bank has already been expanding its presence in regulated digital assets, including in April this year, when it was among the first groups to get a Hong Kong stablecoin issuer license, allowing it to mint Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoins for cross-border payments.
The post Standard Chartered Becomes First Major Bank to Offer Direct Stablecoin Services appeared first on CryptoPotato.
Crypto World
Securitize (SECZ) takes $295M of its own tokenized stock to Solana, Avalanche amid NYSE debut
The opportunity has drawn growing interest across Wall Street. Citi projected that tokenized securities could reach $5.5 trillion by 2030, while Boston Consulting Group and Ripple estimated the market could grow to $18.9 trillion by 2033.
“We have long said that public equities are moving onchain, and there is no stronger validation of that belief than tokenizing our own public stock on day one,” CEO Carlos Domingo said in a statement.
Issuer-sponsored tokenization
Unlike many existing tokenized stock products, which are issued by third parties or offered outside the United States, Securitize said SECZ is an issuer-sponsored tokenization of the company’s own shares. Eligible U.S. investors can buy the tokenized stock through Securitize’s platform after completing identity verification and meeting securities law requirements.
The launch doubles as a showcase for Securitize’s business.
The company, founded in 2017, has spent years building tokenization infrastructure for firms including BlackRock, Apollo, KKR, Hamilton Lane and VanEck, providing issuance, transfer agency and fund administration services for blockchain-based securities.
Earlier this year, NYSE parent company Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) partnered with Securitize to develop infrastructure for tokenized equities. It also teamed up with Computershare and Continental, two of the world’s largest transfer agents, to help public firms issue their shares in token form on blockchain rails.
Key Points
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Bitget introduces U.S. stock options on its Stock+ platform for qualified users.
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Platform now supports long call and long put options on U.S.-listed equities.
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Service extends beyond tokenized equity products and private market opportunities.
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Initial rollout focuses on single-leg strategies with plans for complex structures.
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Move aligns with unprecedented U.S. options market volume in 2025.
On Thursday, Bitget announced the addition of U.S. stock options trading to its Stock+ platform for qualified users. This development represents another step in the crypto exchange’s expansion into traditional financial instruments, complementing its existing tokenized stock offerings and access to private market investments.
Platform Debuts With Basic Options Strategies
The initial launch provides qualified users with long call and long put options functionality. Users can utilize call options to gain bullish exposure on U.S. stock listings, while put options enable bearish positioning or portfolio protection strategies.
Bitget chose to begin with single-leg options purchases, a more straightforward approach compared to complex multi-leg strategies such as spreads, iron condors, or butterfly positions. The exchange indicated that sophisticated options techniques will become available as the service matures.
While the product design limits potential losses to the initial premium amount, options contracts can lose their entire value when anticipated price movements don’t materialize. Users must consider factors including expiration timing, strike price selection, and market trajectory.
Stock+ Portfolio Expands Into Listed Derivatives
Bitget integrated the options offering into Stock+, its comprehensive traditional finance product ecosystem. The platform previously provided tokenized equities and opportunities to access pre-IPO companies. With this addition, Stock+ now delivers a more comprehensive range of market instruments.
Operating from the Seychelles, the exchange has designed Stock+ to function as a connection point between cryptocurrency markets and conventional financial products. This approach consolidates stocks, digital assets, commodities, foreign exchange, market indices, and precious metals within a unified trading interface. The strategy mirrors an industry-wide trend among cryptocurrency platforms evolving into diversified asset exchanges.
According to the exchange, the product addresses demand from qualified users seeking proven equity market tools. By launching with straightforward options configurations, the platform aims to provide an accessible onboarding experience. The company connected the timing to growing appetite for exchange-traded derivatives.
Surging Derivatives Activity Drives Platform Innovation
The product debut comes after an exceptional year for U.S. options trading. American options markets handled over 15.2 billion contracts throughout 2025, translating to approximately 60 million contracts during each trading session.
Options instruments have seen expanded adoption among both retail participants and institutional traders. Market participants employ them for directional speculation, risk mitigation, volatility exploitation, premium collection, and leverage management. Consequently, trading venues increasingly view options as a key engagement and revenue driver.
Bitget confronts growing competition from rival crypto platforms diversifying beyond digital currency products. In June, Coinbase revealed intentions to broaden its options infrastructure for both equities and cryptocurrencies. Through this Stock+ enhancement, Bitget advances its position in the listed derivatives space.
Senator Elizabeth Warren is pushing to add a provision to pending Senate crypto legislation that would bar President Trump, his family, and other senior officials from profiting off the digital asset industry. The push follows a financial disclosure showing Trump's crypto ventures generated more… Read the full story at The Defiant
Key Takeaways
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LCID shares declined 7.62% to $6.13 following the release of second-quarter production data.
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The electric vehicle maker manufactured 4,774 units and handed over 3,953 vehicles in Q2.
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Alexander De Bock has been appointed as the new chief financial officer at Lucid.
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Major leadership restructuring aims to streamline operations and enhance accountability.
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Management seeks better alignment between production capacity, operational expenses, and market demand.
Shares of Lucid Group (LCID) experienced a sharp 7.62% decline, closing at $6.13, after the electric vehicle manufacturer disclosed its second-quarter manufacturing and delivery metrics. The downturn came alongside announcements of significant executive transitions, including a new chief financial officer and extensive leadership reorganization. These developments have intensified investor attention on the company’s operational effectiveness and cost management.
Second Quarter Manufacturing and Distribution Figures Released
Lucid manufactured a total of 4,774 electric vehicles throughout the quarter ending June 30, 2026. During this same timeframe, the automaker successfully delivered 3,953 units to customers. Market participants responded negatively, sending LCID shares downward at the opening bell.
The stock experienced initial selling pressure before finding some stability and staging a minor recovery later in the trading session. Nevertheless, the overall negative movement maintained downward momentum on the company’s short-term valuation. The quarterly performance data intensified questions surrounding customer demand dynamics, manufacturing planning capabilities, and distribution effectiveness.
The company maintains its strategic focus on software-integrated electric vehicles and cutting-edge automotive technology. However, Lucid remains under considerable pressure to expand production volumes while simultaneously enhancing operational efficiency. Consequently, this latest operational disclosure coincided with a comprehensive reorganization of its management team and corporate structure.
Financial Leadership Transition Marks Latest Executive Change
Lucid has announced Alexander De Bock as its next chief financial officer. De Bock comes with over twenty years of automotive financial management expertise. His previous role included serving as CFO at TI Automotive, where he led cost optimization initiatives and organizational restructuring projects.
Taoufiq Boussaid, the current CFO, will depart from Lucid following a transition period. He is expected to remain with the organization through the publication of second-quarter financial results. This transition represents another significant shift in the company’s financial leadership structure.
Lucid simultaneously revealed multiple executive appointments under the direction of CEO Silvio Napoli. Management stated these organizational modifications will simplify corporate structure and strengthen accountability mechanisms. The restructuring will reduce the number of executives reporting directly to the CEO by fifty percent.
Organizational Restructuring Aims to Accelerate Performance and Responsibility
Raja Ramana Macha has been named chief technology officer at Lucid. In this capacity, he will direct technology initiatives and engineering implementation. Macha’s professional history includes senior technology leadership positions at Eaton spanning automotive and additional industrial segments.
Billy Hayes has assumed the role of chief customer officer, taking charge of sales operations, customer service, marketing functions, and regional execution. Hugo Martinho will step into the position of chief transformation officer effective August 1. Kay Stepper will head Lucid Technologies, supervising robotaxi development, artificial intelligence, autonomous driving systems, advanced driver assistance systems, and enterprise information technology.
Lucid has additionally elevated Christian Appel to vice president of program management. Appel will coordinate platform execution and manage product portfolio alignment. These organizational changes build upon previous efforts to reduce operational complexity, synchronize manufacturing capacity with market demand, and strengthen competitive positioning.
Erik Voorhees defended the token terms behind Venice's $65 million Series A on Thursday, telling critics on X that investors could ultimately pay $131 million for 6.5 million locked VVV tokens if they exercise an attached option. The founder pushed back a day after announcing the round at a $1… Read the full story at The Defiant
Solana-based prediction market World has been flagged for “suspected phishing” by Cloudflare after the similarly-named eyeball scanning firm World Network claimed it was impersonating its brand to harvest user data.
Launched yesterday, World’s landing page now displays a large warning that claims the site “has been reported for potential phishing.”
According to World, World Network, which is best known for its data harvesting eyeball scanning orbs, went “crying to [Cloudflare]” and reported the site.
World shared an apparent email from Cloudflare on X along with a post that said, “Sorry we mogged you so badly that Cloudflare had to step in.”
In the email, a representative for World Network’s parent company, Tools for Humanity, claims it was being targeted by World’s “malicious website,” and asked for it to be taken down.
Read more: World Network’s WLD down 98% amid Altman–Musk legal battle
It claimed that World’s website “is a fraudulent phishing site using the World brand designed to harvest user credentials through a fake email notification page.”
It added, “This is a clear attempt at brand impersonation that endangers users through compromised personal information and potential financial loss.”
World jokingly responded, “the world is big enough for both of us,” signing off the post with “p.s. you’re not scanning my eyeballs freak.”
Read more: Cloudflare’s 2029 quantum sprint raises Bitcoin alarm bells
Cloudflare is a content delivery network (CDN) that allows websites to operate smoothly.
Yesterday, it announced a new monetization system called x402 that would charge incredibly low fees for Cloudflare-protected assets, such as web pages, datasets, APIs, or MCP tools.
Protos has reached out to Tools for Humanity and Cloudflare for comment and will update this piece should we hear anything back.
Got a tip? Send us an email securely via Protos Leaks. For more informed news and investigations, follow us on X, Bluesky, and Google News, or subscribe to our YouTube channel.
The ENS DAO Public Goods Working Group has been sunset after four and a half years of funding Ethereum infrastructure, working group lead Simona Pop said on X Thursday morning. The group's final term committed $450,000 in USDC and 72.5 ETH, worth roughly $123,000 at current prices, across Builder… Read the full story at The Defiant
DeFiLlama has cut all ties with DL News after unidentified buyers acquired the outlet’s website and X (Twitter) account. The analytics platform says no future posts from the brand carry its endorsement.
Core developer 0xngmi went further, warning users not to trust anything the brand publishes. DL News ended editorial operations in May 2026 before its assets changed hands.
From DeFiLlama News Arm to Sold Asset
DL News launched in 2022 as the news arm of DeFiLlama, the open-source analytics platform tracking DeFi deposits. Unlike the platform, however, the outlet was built to turn a profit.
DeFiLlama announced the break in a July 1 statement on X.
“New owners have taken over the @dlnews website and assets. We expect them to resume posting soon. They’re no longer affiliated with DefiLlama in any way. We can’t corroborate any information about outreach and no posts should be considered to be endorsed by us.”
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The relationship fractured in March 2023, when 0xngmi publicly threatened a fork over a LLAMA token plan the team opposed. The sides reconciled within days, but the newsroom operated separately for the next two years.
Director Paige Aarhus announced the closure on May 7, citing shrinking readership and AI’s damage to search traffic.
DL Research, its 2024 commercial arm, grew revenue by 270% in 2025 and crossed the seven-figure mark. The growth still failed to offset the audience collapse.
DeFiLlama, meanwhile, continues to operate as normal. It recently drew scrutiny for relisting Aster perpetual data, a sign of how closely users watch its neutrality.
Why DeFiLlama’s DL News Buyback Failed
0xngmi told users not to trust anything published under the DL News name, likely indicating the open-source analytics platform no longer endorses the publication.
Further, the core developer explained that DeFiLlama attempted to buy the assets after the shutdown but failed.
The purchase failed because the brand belonged to Llama Corp, a Dubai-based entity, not the analytics team.
“Why does being sold mean it can’t be trusted? Doesn’t automatically follow, new ownership doesn’t guarantee bad journalism,” one user challenged.
The core developer did not immediately respond to BeInCrypto’s request for comment.
The site still lists Llama Corp in its footer and displays the closure notice.
The buyers remain unidentified. But market data suggests why the brand still found one.
An April 2026 analysis of 107 crypto news sites found more than 40 with zero organic traffic. Five outlets captured 78% of search visits.
That concentration gives dormant brands residual value. AI tools also drive over 25% of referrals to US crypto media, rewarding domains with citation history.
Trust remains the open question. Research shows crypto press releases can move risky asset prices, and an inherited newsroom brand could carry similar influence.
Whether the new owners identify themselves once publishing resumes may decide how much credibility survives the transfer.
The post DefiLlama Cuts Ties With DL News After Mystery Ownership Sale appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Michael Saylor pitted Strategy (MSTR) against the Magnificent 7 (Mag 7) on July 2, branding his company the “MoST inteResting” stock on Wall Street as shares recover from last week’s lows.
The comparison rests on derivatives positioning rather than price performance. According to a chart Saylor shared, MSTR options open interest equals 71.9% of the company’s market capitalization, several times higher than any Mag 7 member.
MSTR Options Interest Dwarfs the Mag 7
Saylor’s post capitalized select letters in “MoST inteResting” to spell out the MSTR ticker. His chart put Tesla (TSLA) closest at 15.8% and Meta (META) at 10.8%, with the remaining Mag 7 members lower still. Notably, the numbers are Strategy’s own presentation and capture one snapshot in time.
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The ratio captures how traders treat the stock. With a beta of 3.54, per S&P Global data, MSTR moves like a leveraged proxy for its $64 billion Bitcoin bet. Options remain the preferred vehicle for that exposure.
MicroStrategy’s latest filing shows 847,363 Bitcoin (BTC), over 4% of the circulating supply. The company paid $64.1 billion, an average of $75,646 per coin.
However, with BTC trading near $61,760, the position is now worth about $54 billion. This comes only days after Strategy’s valuation fell below the value of its Bitcoin holdings for the first time on June 26.
July Rebound Rides a New Capital Playbook
MSTR jumped 12.5% on Monday after unveiling its capital management overhaul. It then slid 6.2% to $86.93 on Tuesday as TD Cowen cut its target to $260 from $400.
On Thursday, shares climbed more than 7%, effectively recovering above $1009 to suggest a July recovery that is still pending confirmation.
The June 29 framework set aside a $2.55 billion cash reserve, covering 17.4 months of preferred dividends and interest. It also authorized up to $1.25 billion in Bitcoin sales and $2 billion in buybacks. Company leadership cast the change as deliberate.
“Strategy is evolving from one-way capital issuance to active capital management,” Phong Le, CEO of Strategy, said in the announcement.
Meanwhile, Wall Street’s response captures the tension. Citi kept its Buy rating but slashed the price target from $260 to $136, saying the plan buys time for Bitcoin to stabilize.
TD Cowen and BTIG also kept Buy ratings while lowering targets. Separately, Rosen Law Firm opened a securities probe into Strategy.
Saylor also reiterated the $100 STRC target as the preferred stock recovers from its June 26 record low of $71.25.
Supporters read the options dominance as conviction. In contrast, critics counter that the same leverage dragged the stock from a 52-week high of $457.22 to $81.81.
Whether derivatives fervor converts into durable equity performance still hinges on Bitcoin holding above $60,000. Strategy reports earnings on July 30, the first test of the new playbook in action.
The post Michael Saylor Pits MSTR Against Mag 7: Is the July Rebound Real? appeared first on BeInCrypto.
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