Crypto World
Roundhill’s Election-Event Contract ETFs Could Be Groundbreaking
Roundhill Investments, a US-based ETF issuer, has moved to bring six exchange-traded funds tied to event contracts that bet on the outcome of the 2028 US presidential election. The filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission describes ETFs that would use a specialized derivative known as event contracts to speculate on political results. If approved, the products could broaden access to prediction-market-style exposure within a traditional exchange-traded wrapper, a development that ETF observers characterized as potentially groundbreaking. The six funds cover presidential, Senate, and House outcomes across both major parties: Roundhill Democratic President ETF, Roundhill Republican President ETF, Roundhill Democratic Senate ETF, Roundhill Republican Senate ETF, Roundhill Democratic House ETF, and Roundhill Republican House ETF. The filing also flags that regulators continue to weigh how such instruments should be classified and regulated.
The prospect of an ETF-based route into event contracts has drawn commentary from industry observers. ETF analyst Eric Balchunas noted in a post that, if the SEC were to approve the lineup, the impact could be “potentially groundbreaking.” He argued that the ETF structure could unlock a broader set of prediction-market applications that are more accessible to a wide range of investors than raw prediction markets on bespoke platforms. The filing itself describes the objective of the fund tied to the winning election outcome as capital-focused, while cautioning that the other five funds face materially higher risk where investors could see substantial losses.
The Roundhill filing explicitly describes the structure as investing in, or gaining exposure to, a class of instruments known as event contracts. The approach would apply to the presidential outcomes as well as to control of the Senate and the House, spanning both major parties. In the filing, Roundhill underscores that while the fund aiming to capture the ultimate election result seeks capital appreciation, the remaining five ETFs could lose “almost all” of their value, depending on how market events unfold and how the contracts converge on settlement. The document warns that a rapid convergence between opposing event outcomes could trigger sharp NAV movements, a phenomenon described as highly atypical for conventional ETFs.
The regulatory dimension is front and center. The filing notes that US rules governing event contracts are evolving, and any future classification changes or “restrictions” could affect the funds. The document also flags the possibility that policymakers may limit, suspend, modify, or even prohibit certain political outcome contracts, should concerns around investor protection or market integrity intensify. Investors who are uncomfortable with regulatory uncertainty are urged to avoid purchasing shares. The discussion highlights the broader tension between liquidity, innovation, and consumer safeguards in the growing ecosystem of prediction-market-style financial products.
The debate around prediction markets has gained momentum alongside regulatory signals from US authorities. In early February, reports indicated the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) had moved to withdraw a Biden-administration proposal seeking to ban sports and political prediction markets, a sign that a more permissive stance could be emerging for certain forms of event-driven contracts. The regulatory arc remains a key variable shaping how Roundhill’s six ETFs would perform in practice, particularly if classification or restriction decisions shift in coming months. The evolving framework raises questions about how these funds would be priced, settled, and taxed, and whether they would attract meaningful liquidity given the novel nature of the underlying contracts.
Industry observers note that the intersection of traditional equity markets and prediction markets could mark a broader shift in how investors access political risk and price uncertainty. The Roundhill filing arrives as the so-called prediction-market conversation grows more nuanced, with debates about whether such markets should focus on hedging price-exposure risk or remain oriented toward speculative bets on short-term political outcomes. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has weighed in on the topic, arguing that prediction markets, if left to their current trajectory, risk over-convergence on short-horizon bets and price swings that are detached from longer-term value creation. In a widely cited post, he called for shifting toward marketplaces that hedge price exposure for consumers, a stance that aligns with ongoing discussions about consumer protection in digital markets. Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) has become a focal point in these debates as developers and investors consider how to align incentives with real-world utility. For context, Buterin’s remarks have been echoed in discussions around hedging mechanisms and risk controls in prediction-market ecosystems.
The broader conversation around event contracts and their perceived suitability for mainstream investors continues to evolve. The Roundhill proposal sits at a moment when traditional asset managers are experimenting with derivative-like structures to capture political risk, while regulators voice caution about liquidity, reliability, and the integrity of price discovery. The SEC’s review process for these six ETFs will hinge on whether event contracts can offer transparent settlement, robust risk disclosures, and a structure that can scale liquidity to support a diversified investor base. The filing’s emphasis on the potential for significant NAV volatility in the five riskier funds underscores the need for clear risk management frameworks and investor education as these products progress through the regulatory pipeline. For readers, the main takeaway is that the integration of event contracts into an ETF wrapper could represent a notable pivot in how political risk is monetized, even as the regulatory environment remains a decisive constraint on immediate execution.
As the market watches for ongoing developments, the Roundhill filing serves as a litmus test for whether prediction-market-style derivatives can be reconciled with the governance and investor protections that underpin traditional ETFs. While the six-fund lineup targets different political outcomes, the core insight for investors is the relative risk asymmetry: one fund may pursue capital appreciation from the ultimate election result, while the other five grapple with convergence events that can push net asset value sharply in either direction. The path to approval remains uncharted, and the regulatory equation—balancing innovation with safeguards—will likely dictate the pace and shape of any eventual launch. In the meantime, the discourse surrounding prediction markets enters a more formal, regulated phase, with the potential to broaden access to politically linked derivatives for a broader cohort of investors while inviting heightened scrutiny from policymakers and market participants alike.
Why it matters
The Roundhill filing matters because it tests whether prediction-market concepts can be packaged into the familiar ETF format. If approved, it could provide a regulated, transparent avenue for investors to engage with political risk using a market-based mechanism that has historically lived outside mainstream asset management. By packaging six distinct event contracts into a single lineup, the fund family aims to offer diversified exposure to different branches of government, potentially enabling portfolios to hedge or express views on the political calendar without stepping outside established exchange-traded infrastructure.
For the broader crypto and digital-asset discourse, the development signals a continuing convergence between traditional finance instruments and more experimental market ideas. The emergence of ETF-based event contracts could feed into ongoing debates about how to design markets that are resilient, accessible, and protective of ordinary investors while still enabling innovative risk transfer. The attention from figures like Balchunas and the ongoing commentary from prominent crypto thinkers, including Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin, underscores the cross-pollination between traditional ETFs and decentralized finance conversations about hedging, price discovery, and consumer protection. As policymakers refine regulatory guidance, proponents argue that a regulated ETF wrapper could deliver improved transparency, settlement mechanics, and liquidity compared with niche, permissioned prediction platforms.
For participants in the prediction-market space, Roundhill’s approach may set a precedent for how event-driven instruments could be evaluated by mainstream markets. Stakeholders will be watching whether the funds can attract sufficient liquidity, how settlement will be determined, and how sensitive the NAV will be to shifting political narratives and polling trajectories. The tension between potential liquidity gains and risk of rapid NAV swings will be central to any future discussions about the viability of these vehicles in a volatile political landscape.
What to watch next
- SEC decisions on the Roundhill ETF filings and the final product terms, including eligibility criteria and settlement procedures.
- Any regulatory updates or guidance on event contracts, including potential reclassifications or restrictions that could affect the funds.
- Regulatory commentary from the CFTC or other bodies regarding prediction markets and related derivatives.
- Market liquidity and investor demand for election-related ETFs as the 2028 cycle progresses.
Sources & verification
- Roundhill’s filing with the SEC detailing six election-event ETFs, including the six fund names and their objectives: SEC filing.
- Eric Balchunas’s remarks about potential impact if approved: X post.
- Regulatory discussions around prediction markets and CFTC coverage, including referenced coverage on the Biden-era proposal status: CFTC stance.
- Vitalik Buterin’s comments on prediction markets and hedging, including his X post: X post, and a related piece on hedging: Buterin hedging discussion.
Crypto World
Top reasons why the Pi Network price has surged by 50%
Pi Network price has staged a strong recovery this month, moving up by 50% from its lowest level this year, making it one of the best-performing cryptocurrencies in the industry.
Summary
- Pi Network price has gone parabolic in the past few days.
- The token’s rally has coincided with the broader crypto market rally.
- Pi Coin’s rally has coincided with the broad crypto market rally.
Pi Coin (PI) token rose to a high of $0.1945, its highest level since January 20th. It has risen in the last four consecutive days, outperforming other cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Pi Network token jumped as investors waited for key upgrades, which will start today, February 15. More upgrades will continue in the coming weeks or months as the developers work towards increasing its decentralization. The upgrades are part of its movement from version 19 to 22 of the Stellar network.
Pi Network price has also jumped as investors anticipate the upcoming first-year anniversary of its mainnet launch, which happened on February 20th last year.
Additionally, data shows that the coin’s demand has jumped in the past few days. Data compiled by CoinMarketCap shows that the 24-hour volume jumped to over $52 million, much higher than the recent daily average of below $10 million.
Most importantly, there are signs that the network will receive a big listing later this year. For example, Kraken, a top American exchange, has hinted that it will launch it soon. It has added it on its roadmap page, raising the possibility of a listing.
Kraken will become the first major exchange that has listed the token since its mainnet launch last year. It will make it available to other American investors as the company has millions of customers.
Pi Coin price is also doing well because of the ongoing crypto market rally, which started on Friday after the US released the latest consumer inflation report. The report revealed that the headline CPI fell to 2.4% in January and is slowly moving towards the 2% target.
Pi Network price technical analysis

The daily timeframe chart shows that the Pi Network price bottomed at $0.1300 this month and has rebounded in the past few days. It has rebounded to a high of $0.1965, its highest level since January 19.
The token has jumped above the key resistance level at $0.1522, its lowest level on October 10 last year. It formed a double-bottom pattern at that level. It also rebounded after becoming oversold.
The coin has now formed a three white soldiers pattern, which is made up of three consecutive bullish candles. It has moved above the 50-day Exponential Moving Average, a sign that bulls are in control.
Therefore, the most likely scenario is where the token continues rising as bulls target the key resistance level at $0.2166, its highest swing in December last year. A move above that level will point to more gains, potentially to the psychological level at $0.2500.
The risk, however, that the ongoing rebound could be a dead-cat bounce, where an asset in a freefall rebounds and then resumes the downtrend.
Crypto World
Vitalik Buterin Proposes Hedging-Based Transformation for Prediction Markets
TLDR:
- Buterin warns prediction markets prioritize short-term betting over meaningful information discovery value
- Current platforms rely on naive traders with poor judgment, creating incentives for exploitative practices
- Hedging applications allow users to reduce risk exposure without extracting value from uninformed participants
- Personalized AI-driven prediction market baskets could replace traditional stablecoins and fiat currencies
Prediction markets face a critical juncture as Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin expresses growing concerns about their current trajectory.
The platforms have achieved commercial success with substantial trading volumes. However, they increasingly focus on short-term cryptocurrency bets and sports wagering.
Buterin argues this shift toward immediate gratification undermines the technology’s potential for societal benefit. The current model prioritizes revenue over meaningful information discovery.
Buterin recently outlined an alternative vision centered on hedging applications that could reshape decentralized finance.
Current Market Dynamics and Sustainability Concerns
Prediction markets currently operate with two primary participant types. Smart traders provide market intelligence and generate profits through informed positions.
The counterparty must inevitably absorb losses to maintain market function. This structure creates fundamental questions about long-term viability.
Buterin identifies three categories of loss-absorbing participants in his analysis. Naive traders bet on incorrect outcomes based on flawed reasoning.
Information buyers fund automated market makers to extract valuable data. Hedgers accept negative expected value to reduce overall risk exposure.
The present ecosystem relies heavily on naive traders with poor judgment. Buterin acknowledges no inherent moral failing in this dynamic.
Nevertheless, he warns this dependency creates perverse incentives for platform operators. Companies feel pressure to attract and retain traders with weak analytical skills.
This approach pushes platforms toward what Buterin describes as activities with short-term appeal but lacking meaningful value. Teams justify these choices as survival tactics during challenging market conditions.
The business model rewards cultivating communities that embrace poor decision-making. Market participants chase dopamine-driven activities rather than meaningful information discovery.
Hedging Applications and Decentralized Stability Solutions
Buterin proposes hedging as a sustainable alternative for prediction market growth. The concept extends beyond traditional insurance into personalized risk management.
A biotech shareholder could bet against favorable political outcomes to balance portfolio exposure. This strategy reduces volatility without requiring zero-sum extraction from uninformed traders.
The most ambitious application targets stablecoin architecture itself. Current stablecoins depend on fiat-backed reserves that compromise decentralization principles.
Users seek price stability to meet future financial obligations. Different individuals face varying expense profiles across goods and services.
Buterin envisions eliminating traditional currency through prediction markets on diverse spending categories. Users would hold personalized baskets of market shares representing their expected expenses.
Local artificial intelligence systems would analyze individual spending patterns. The technology would recommend appropriate hedging positions for each user’s circumstances.
This framework requires markets denominated in productive assets like interest-bearing instruments or wrapped equities. Non-yielding currencies carry excessive opportunity costs that negate hedging benefits.
Both market sides achieve satisfaction when participants pursue genuine risk management. In his message, Buterin urges the industry to “build the next generation of finance, not corposlop.” Sophisticated capital flows naturally toward sustainable economic structures rather than exploitative models.
Crypto World
Ethereum Whales Seem Confused, Where Is Price Heading?
Ethereum price remains under pressure after a recent decline that stalled recovery momentum. ETH trades at $2,087 and has reclaimed the $2,000 level, but is failing to build sustained upside.
The challenge facing Ethereum is not just resistance levels, but indecision among key holder cohorts.
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Ethereum Whales Sell… Then Buy Again
Whales and long-term holders represent two of the most influential cohorts in any cryptocurrency market. In Ethereum’s case, both groups are sending mixed signals. This lack of alignment is contributing to prolonged sideways price action.
Addresses holding between 100,000 and 1 million ETH sold approximately 1.3 million ETH between February 9 and February 12. That selling equates to roughly $2.7 billion in value. However, the same cohort purchased 1.25 million ETH within the following 48 hours.
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The rapid reversal represented nearly $2.6 billion in buying during the same week. Such large-scale back-and-forth activity creates liquidity without directional bias. As a result, the Ethereum price remains range-bound rather than trending decisively upward or downward.
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Ethereum LTHs Accumulated… But They Are Now Selling
The HODLer net position change metric reinforces this indecision. This indicator tracks movements of long-term holder balances. Since late December 2025, long-term holders had been steadily accumulating ETH.
At the beginning of February, that trend shifted. Long-term holders reduced buying activity and began modest distribution. While the selling pressure has not been aggressive, it signals growing uncertainty among investors, typically associated with strong conviction.
Mixed whale activity, combined with cautious long-term holders, limits bullish momentum. Without sustained accumulation from these cohorts, the Ethereum price faces difficulty breaking above major resistance levels.
ETH Price Is Stuck Around $2,000
Ethereum trades at $2,087 and has successfully reclaimed the $2,000 threshold. The next major resistance sits at $2,241. A move toward that level requires a clear bullish bias from dominant holder groups.
Given the current absence of decisive accumulation, consolidation remains the most probable scenario. Ethereum may continue hovering near $2,000 while defending the $1,902 support level. Sideways momentum could persist until directional conviction emerges.
If whales and long-term holders shift back toward accumulation, Ethereum could break above $2,241. A sustained rally may extend toward $2,395 and potentially test $2,500. Clearing $2,500 would invalidate the bearish thesis and confirm a stronger recovery trend.
Crypto World
UAE Accumulates $900M in Bitcoin as $736M Shorts Liquidated
TLDR:
- UAE reportedly holds over $900 million in Bitcoin during recent market weakness.
- $736 million in Bitcoin shorts were liquidated in a single trading move.
- The event marked the largest short squeeze since September 2024.
- Crowded bearish positioning created rapid forced buying pressure.
Bitcoin markets shifted sharply as fresh capital and forced liquidations changed positioning across exchanges. The United Arab Emirates now holds over $900 million worth of Bitcoin, while roughly $736 million in short positions were liquidated in a single move.
UAE Expands Bitcoin Holdings as Market Reprices Risk
A post by Vivek Sen stated that the UAE now owns over $900 million worth of Bitcoin. The post framed the purchase as oil capital moving into digital assets during market weakness.
The timing of the reported accumulation aligns with broader volatility in crypto markets. Bitcoin had faced sustained pressure as derivatives traders leaned bearish. However, sovereign-level exposure signals continued institutional interest despite short-term uncertainty.
The UAE’s reported holdings reflect a growing trend among capital-rich regions seeking digital asset exposure. While price action remained constrained, accumulation during dips often indicates long-term positioning rather than short-term speculation.
Moreover, this development comes as global liquidity conditions fluctuate. Therefore, sovereign participation adds a structural layer to market demand. It also reinforces Bitcoin’s position as a macro-sensitive asset.
Although the tweet did not provide acquisition timelines, the reported figure places the UAE among notable state-level holders. As a result, market participants are watching closely for further confirmation or expansion of such holdings.
$736M Short Liquidation Triggers Forced Buying
CryptosRus reported that $736 million in Bitcoin shorts were liquidated in one move. The post described it as the largest short liquidation event since September 20, 2024, when liquidations reached about $773 million.
Notably, the price move that triggered the liquidations was not extreme. This suggests bearish positioning had become crowded across derivatives markets. Funding rates had skewed toward shorts, indicating traders were leaning heavily against price recovery.
When short positions are liquidated, exchanges automatically buy back Bitcoin to close those trades. This creates forced demand, often pushing prices higher in a reflexive cycle. As more shorts close, upward pressure can accelerate quickly.
According to the post, derivatives traders had weighed on price while spot demand remained muted. However, once liquidity shifts, crowded positions tend to unwind rapidly. That dynamic can change short-term momentum within hours.
The latest liquidation wave highlights the sensitivity of Bitcoin to positioning imbalances. Even moderate spot demand can amplify price moves when derivatives exposure becomes stretched.
Together, sovereign accumulation and forced short covering have altered the near-term market structure. While volatility persists, positioning data now reflects a market recalibrating after heavy bearish exposure.
Crypto World
X to Launch Smart Cashtags for Crypto and Stock Trading in Timelines
TLDR:
- Smart Cashtags will allow users to tap $BTC or $AAPL for live charts and trading access.
- The feature connects with Elon Musk’s broader plan for X Money integration.
- X Money is in internal beta, with external testing expected soon.
- X reports 600 million monthly users and targets one billion daily active users.
X is preparing to integrate crypto and stock trading directly into user timelines through a feature called Smart Cashtags.
The update will allow users to tap ticker symbols like $BTC or $AAPL to view live charts and execute trades within the platform.
Smart Cashtags Bring Markets Into the Social Feed
X’s Head of Product, Nikita Bier, introduced Smart Cashtags as a tool designed to turn ticker symbols into interactive gateways.
When users tap a cashtag such as $BTC or $AAPL, they will see real-time price charts. The feature will also offer an option to trade directly from the timeline.
This integration aligns social interaction with market activity inside a single interface. Instead of switching between trading apps and social feeds, users will access market data in place. As a result, discussions around crypto and equities may connect more closely with live pricing information.
The feature is part of a broader financial expansion under the X Money initiative. X Money is currently in internal beta testing. External testing is expected to begin soon. The company aims to create a unified system for payments and trading within the app.
Crypto users view the move as a potential onboarding channel. With reported monthly users near 600 million, exposure to in-feed trading tools could expand market participation.
At the same time, some users have raised concerns about account suspensions and the reliability of payouts on the platform.
Musk Sets Vision for Daily Financial Engagement
In a recent post shared by Mario Nawfal, Elon Musk outlined a broader ambition for the platform. Musk stated that while monthly users average around 600 million, more than one billion people have the X app installed. He said many users only open the app during major global events.
Musk explained that expanding services such as communications, Grok, and X Money will encourage daily use. He described a goal where users could manage much of their digital life within the app. He added that he expects daily active users to exceed one billion over time.
The addition of Smart Cashtags supports this strategy by embedding financial tools directly into conversations. Market tracking and trading would become part of everyday interactions. As more services roll out, X is positioning itself as a combined social and financial platform.
The rollout remains in development, and further details are expected as testing progresses.
Crypto World
Solana Weekly Chart Signals Key Accumulation Zone as Fractal Pattern Reappears
TLDR:
- Solana has corrected 77% from its $295 peak, mirroring past cycle retracement patterns.
- The $31–$48 zone aligns with 0.5 and 0.618 Fibonacci levels and FVG demand.
- A breakdown below $31 may expose deeper retracement toward the $17 region.
- Fractal comparison projects long-term targets between $500 and $1,000 if the cycle repeats.
Solana’s weekly chart shows a deep retracement from its all-time high, with price now trading near critical Fibonacci levels.
Market observers are watching the $30–$50 range as a possible accumulation zone ahead of the next cycle.
Fractal Structure and Historical Price Cycles
The weekly SOL/USDT perpetual chart on Binance tracks two major bull cycles followed by sharp corrections. The first cycle saw Solana rally from $1.07 to about $260 between 2020 and 2021. That move represented a gain of more than 24,000%.
After that surge, the price corrected nearly 97% to around $7.78. The second cycle followed a similar pattern. Solana climbed from $7.78 to roughly $295, recording a gain near 3,700%. It then entered another prolonged correction phase.
Crypto market analyst Crypto Patel shared a fractal comparison on X, noting the current 77% decline from the all-time high. The post compared the present structure to the previous cycle’s deep retracement.
The tweet stressed that past fractals do not guarantee future results and urged traders to manage risk.
At the time of analysis, SOL trades near $83. The chart shows that previous parabolic advances followed extended consolidation phases. This repeating structure forms the basis of the current long-term outlook.
Fibonacci Levels and Accumulation Zone in Focus
The chart shows key Fibonacci retracement levels based on the recent high of $295. The 0.382 level stands at $73.66, while the 0.5 level is near $47.96. The 0.618 level sits around $31.22, aligning with a strong area of demand.
A Fair Value Gap zone is identified between $31 and $48. This range overlaps with the 0.5 and 0.618 retracement levels. Traders often view such a confluence as a potential accumulation region during corrective phases.
If price holds above the 0.618 level, consolidation within this band may continue. However, a break below $31 could open the path toward the 0.786 retracement near $16.95. That level represents a deeper correction scenario.
The projected path on the chart outlines a possible rebound toward $100 and $150 in the medium term. Over a longer horizon, the fractal comparison points to potential targets between $500 and $1,000. These projections rely on historical cycle behavior rather than guarantees.
For now, market participants are tracking whether Solana stabilizes within the $30–$50 range. The coming weekly closes may determine whether the current structure transitions into a base for the next upward cycle.
Crypto World
Nasdaq Falls for Fifth Week in a Row
Nasdaq Falls for Fifth Week in a Row
Crypto World
Roundhill’s US Election Event Contract ETFs ‘Potentially Groundbreaking’
US-based ETF issuer Roundhill Investments has filed with the US securities regulator to launch six exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tied to event contracts on the outcome of the 2028 US presidential election.
ETF analyst Eric Balchunas said in an X post on Saturday that, if approved, the ETF products would be “potentially groundbreaking.”
“Opens up huge door to all kinds of stuff,” Balchunas said, adding that prediction market applications are easy to sign up to, but ETFs are “just that much easier.”
Roundhill Investments filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday to launch six ETF products that allow investors to speculate on the outcome of the 2028 US presidential election.
“In seeking to achieve its investment objective, the Fund invests in, or seeks exposure to, a unique type of derivative instrument known as an event contract,“ the filing said.
The ETFs include the Roundhill Democratic President ETF, the Roundhill Republican President ETF, the Roundhill Democratic Senate ETF, the Roundhill Republican Senate ETF, the Roundhill Democratic House ETF, and the Roundhill Republican House ETF.
Roundhill Investments warns investors of the risks
The filing said the objective of the ETF tied to the winning election outcome is to deliver “capital appreciation,” but warned the other five ETFs could lose almost all their value.

“This convergence will result in a sudden and substantial increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s NAV, which is highly unique among other investment products,” the filing said.
The filing also warned investors that US regulations on event contracts are “evolving,” and any change in how event contracts are classified or “restricted” may affect the fund.
“Political outcome event contracts have been the subject of heightened regulatory scrutiny and debate, and regulators may conclude that some or all of such contracts should be limited, suspended, modified, or prohibited,” the filing said, adding that investors uncomfortable with regulatory uncertainty should avoid purchasing shares.
CFTC leans towards a favorable stance on prediction markets
On Feb. 5, Cointelegraph reported that the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission had withdrawn a Biden administration-era proposal to ban sports and political prediction markets, which are among the most popular event contracts today.
Related: Trump Media files for two new crypto ETFs tied to Bitcoin, Ether, Cronos
Meanwhile, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said he is starting to “worry” about the direction of prediction markets and suggested they shift to marketplaces that hedge against price-exposure risk for consumers.
Prediction markets are “over-converging” to “unhealthy” products that are focused on short-term price betting and speculative behavior as opposed to long-term building, Buterin said in an X post.
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Crypto World
BlackRock Joins DeFi as Institutional Crypto Push Accelerates
BlackRock has taken a formal step into decentralized finance by listing its tokenized U.S. Treasury fund on Uniswap, signaling a measured pivot toward on-chain trading of real-world assets. The USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) is being tokenized with the help of Securitize and will be tradable on a public decentralized exchange, a first for the asset manager in DeFi. This collaboration sits within a broader backdrop of continued institutional exploration of crypto rails even as traditional markets wrestle with ETF flows and shifting sentiment. In parallel, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) posted modest weekly gains of about 2.5% but failed to clear key psychological levels, pressured by a pattern of ETF inflows and subsequent outflows that underscored the fragility of near-term upside in a risk-off environment.
Bitcoin ETFs started the week with some inflows but quickly surrendered ground, registering net outflows of $276 million on Wednesday and $410 million on Thursday, according to data from market trackers. Ether ETFs displayed a similar pattern, with two light days of inflows followed by $129 million and $113 million of outflows on the same two days. The net effect was a market that, while buoyed by a perceived liquidity boost from tokenized assets, remained sensitive to shifting flows and investor appetite for risk-sensitive exposure. The weekly price action did not decisively break above crucial levels, leaving traders weighing the significance of macro liquidity versus on-chain adoption momentum.
Against this backdrop, BlackRock’s move into DeFi stands out as a milestone for institutional participation. The BUIDL fund is described as a tokenized version of a money-market approach to Treasuries, issued across multiple blockchains, including Ethereum, Solana, BNB Chain, Aptos and Avalanche. The asset manager’s public-facing rationale centers on providing transparent, on-chain access to highly liquid, U.S. Treasury–backed instruments for institutions that favor self-custody and programmable settlement. The collaboration is being driven by Securitize, a tokenization platform that previously partnered with BlackRock on the BUIDL launch, and the Uniswap deployment aligns with the exchange’s mission to expand institutional liquidity into DeFi.
Initial trading is described as selective, with eligibility limited to certain institutional investors and market makers before broader access is opened. The official rollout underscores a broader trend: institutions are increasingly testing the on-chain infrastructure that underpins tokenized real-world assets as counterparties seek improved settlement speed, on-chain custody options, and transparent governance. In the wake of this development, industry observers noted that BlackRock’s involvement could set a precedent for other asset managers exploring tokenized securities and on-chain liquidity solutions.
The BUIDL fund is reported to hold more than $2.18 billion in total assets, according to RWA.xyz, and its cross-chain issuance has brought it to multiple networks, including Ethereum, Solana, BNB Chain, Aptos and Avalanche. That breadth matters because it signals an on-ramp for real-world assets to traverse different ecosystems—potentially expanding liquidity across layers and enabling more nuanced risk and yield profiles for institutional participants. In December, BUIDL reached a milestone of surpassing $100 million in cumulative distributions from its Treasury holdings, reflecting the ongoing interest in tokenized treasury income streams and the potential for on-chain yield to complement traditional fixed-income exposure.
Beyond the specific instrument, the broader DeFi landscape remains mired in a tension between innovation and regulatory scrutiny. In a separate development this week, a New York federal court dismissed a Bancor-affiliated patent suit against Uniswap, ruling that the asserted patents described abstract ideas related to calculating on-chain exchange rates and did not meet the standards for patent eligibility. While the dismissal was without prejudice, the ruling represented a procedural win for Uniswap and illustrated the ongoing IP and legal risk environment that surrounds major DeFi protocols. The court’s decision does not end the dispute, but it does provide a window for Uniswap to continue operating while the case can be refined in future filings.
On the crypto market’s more tactical front, Binance completed the conversion of $1 billion in Bitcoin into its SAFU emergency fund, adding another tranche of BTC to its reserve. The exchange disclosed that the SAFU wallet now holds 15,000 Bitcoin, valued at just over $1 billion, acquired at an average cost basis of about $67,000 per coin. Binance had announced the move earlier in the month, stating it would rebalance the fund if volatility pushed its value below a defined threshold. The decision to anchor the SAFU reserve in Bitcoin reinforces the ongoing narrative of BTC as a long-term store of value within the ecosystem’s risk-management framework.
Meanwhile, voices within the blockchain community continued to draw lines around what constitutes “real” DeFi. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin argued that DeFi’s true value lies in rethinking risk allocation and governance, rather than chasing yield on centralized assets. He cautioned that yield-centric strategies tied to fiat-backed stablecoins can obscure issuer risk and counterparty exposure, a reminder that the sector’s risk dynamics remain a central theme as institutions seek scalable, on-chain alternatives to traditional finance.
The broader DeFi market activity remained resilient in its own right, with data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showing a majority of the top 100 cryptocurrencies finishing the week in the green. Among standout performers, the Pippin (CRYPTO: PIPPIN) token surged as the week’s top gainer in the broader ranks, followed by the Humanity Protocol (CRYPTO: H), which posted notable gains. The week’s digest also highlighted continuing interest around tokenized assets and on-chain credit vehicles, even as volatility persisted and risk sentiment remained tepid.
In short, a week marked by a landmark institutional move into DeFi coexisted with ongoing market frictions—ETF outflows, macro caution and a series of regulatory and IP questions that continue to shape the pace and scope of blockchain-enabled finance. The juxtaposition underscores a sector attempting to bridge the gap between traditional liquidity channels and the new, programmable infrastructure driving tokenized real-world assets across multiple chains.
Hayden Adams
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Why it matters
The listing of BlackRock’s BUIDL on Uniswap marks a watershed for institutional access to tokenized real-world assets. It demonstrates a willingness among large asset managers to experiment with DeFi infrastructure not merely as a speculative overlay but as a potential avenue for compliant, on-chain trading of regulated securities. If the model proves scalable and cost-efficient, more traditional asset managers could follow, accelerating the normalization of tokenized fixed income within institutional portfolios and potentially expanding liquidity pools for tokenized securities on public exchanges.
From a market dynamics perspective, the week’s ETF flow patterns reaffirm that short-term price action remains highly sensitive to inflows and outflows. While BTC and ETH posted modest gains, the absence of a sustained breakout suggests that the macro backdrop—comprising liquidity conditions, risk appetite, and regulatory signals—continues to constrain upside despite positive structural developments in DeFi adoption. The Bancor-Uniswap ruling also underscores that the legal framework governing DeFi protocols remains unsettled, with patent arguments still in flux and ongoing debates about what constitutes innovation versus abstract idea protection.
For on-chain participants and developers, the Binances SAFU move reinforces the idea that reserve designs are evolving under pressure to balance security, liquidity, and risk management. The repeated emphasis on Bitcoin as a reserve asset signals confidence in BTC as a durable anchor for risk-averse users and institutions seeking transparent, auditable reserves in a rapidly changing landscape. In parallel, Vitalik Buterin’s call for a clearer definition of DeFi’s core value proposition keeps attention on risk-sharing mechanisms and the governance of on-chain ecosystems, moving the debate beyond yield optimization toward sustainable, systemic risk management.
What to watch next
- Broader rollout of BUIDL to additional institutional clients and potential cross-chain expansions in the coming weeks.
- Further tokenization of real-world assets and the adoption trajectory of Securitize’s platform across more issuers.
- Resolution or further filings in remaining IP and patent matters related to DeFi protocols, shaping protocol-level risk profiles.
- Continued monitoring of ETF and on-chain liquidity flows to gauge whether institutional demand for tokenized assets translates into sustained price action.
- Regulatory signals and macro liquidity shifts that could either reinforce or dampen the case for tokenized fixed income and DeFi-enabled settlement rails.
Sources & verification
- Uniswap-Labs and Securitize collaboration to unlock liquidity options for BlackRock’s BUIDL — Business Wire
- BlackRock’s BUIDL tokenization milestone and Uniswap collaboration — Fortune
- Bitcoin ETF and Ether ETF flow data — Farside Investors
- BUIDL asset data and cross-chain issuance — RWA.xyz
- Bear-market inflection point discussion and Kaiko Research notes
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