Kalshi faces a lawsuit in a New York federal court over claims the prediction markets platform is using flight data and a trademark without permission to run bets on airline cancellations.

FlightAware, which operates the world’s largest flight-tracking platform, filed the suit in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York on Monday, seeking damages and an injunction against further use of its data and logo.

Kalshi started offering bets on nationwide and local flight cancellations on July 14, the same day it submitted its regulatory filing to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to list such event contracts. The contracts allow users to bet on the percentage of scheduled flights that would be canceled during a specific period.

FlightAware alleges Kalshi had agreed to terms barring commercial use of its data, including through a fee AeroApi account that a Kalshi employee registered for in 2022.

Kalshi responded to FlightAware’s cease-and-desist letter, denying “it violated FlightAware’s license or infringed the FlightAware mark and asserted that its references to FlightAware constituted nominative fair use.”

Bitcoin slipped 2% to about $64,200 on Monday, dragged down less by any single catalyst than by the corporations that once championed it turning their attention to AI, says Alex Kuptsikevich, chief market analyst at FxPro.

The wider market fell 2% to $2.18 trillion, with roughly ten coins falling for every one that rose.

The names doing the pivoting are the ones that gave crypto institutional cover, holders led by Strategy and miners like MARA, which spent the past two years rebranding themselves around AI data centers.

Institutional money is now selling bitcoin to build liquidity or rotate into that trade, Kuptsikevich said, and with corporate enthusiasm draining, the risk is that BTC position liquidation accelerates over the coming weeks.

Corporations joined crypto when it flattered their image, the reverse of the stock market, where retail usually arrives last and takes the losses. As those companies leave, Kuptsikevich argues, they hand crypto back to the retail base that built it, returning bitcoin to its ideological roots even if the exit stings on the way out.

Bitcoin is sitting just above its 50-day moving average, which has traded nearly flat for three weeks, a standoff between sellers distributing and buyers absorbing. Watch whether that line holds.

A Dubai-based maritime tokenization platform, Shipfinex, has teamed up with Abu Dhabi blockchain network ADI Chain to test how vessel-linked assets could be represented and financed on-chain. The partners say they are tokenizing a pipeline of roughly 35 vessels valued at about $500 million, aiming to create additional funding options for shipowners.

The concept centers on placing the vessels into separate special-purpose vehicles (SPVs). Tokens would then be issued to reflect economic exposure to each ship—potentially structured as vessel-backed credit, charter-related income, or other rights tied to the underlying assets. ADI Chain is expected to handle the distribution and settlement layer, with primary allocations and distributions planned to use stablecoins denominated in UAE dirham, US dollars, and other currencies.

Key takeaways

• Shipfinex and ADI Chain are piloting tokenization of a vessel pipeline worth about $500 million across around 35 ships.
• The structure uses separate SPVs per vessel, with tokens representing ship-specific economic interests such as credit or charter income.
• ADI Chain will provide the stablecoin-oriented distribution and settlement infrastructure for the pilot.
• The project is still in an operational readiness stage, with no Maritime Asset Tokens publicly issued yet and the regulated issuance route still being finalized.
• The announcement aligns with broader growth forecasts for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), including Standard Chartered’s estimate that the sector could reach $4 trillion by end-2028.

How the pilot is structured: SPVs and ship-linked tokens

Tokenizing shipping assets is notoriously complex, largely because the industry is fragmented and ship-level cash flows can vary widely depending on charter terms, routes, and financing arrangements. Shipfinex’s approach, as described in the announcement, attempts to translate that complexity into a modular on-chain wrapper: each vessel is moved into its own SPV, and tokens are intended to map to the economics of that specific vehicle.

That could matter for investors and lenders because it potentially enables more granular exposure than traditional fund structures—at least in theory—letting market participants choose how they want to participate in a given ship’s revenue stream or credit profile. The partners have also framed the tokens as potentially representing vessel-backed credit, charter-linked income, or other interests, suggesting room for multiple payoff designs depending on the underlying deal economics.

Stablecoin settlement: why ADI Chain’s role matters

ADI Chain, based in Abu Dhabi, is described as the partner providing distribution and settlement infrastructure. The planned use of currency-denominated stablecoins—specifically UAE dirham- and US dollar-linked assets, plus additional denominations—signals that the settlement model is being built to reduce friction in cross-currency payments, which is a common challenge in international shipping finance.

For market participants, stablecoin settlement can also influence how quickly transactions clear and how tokenized positions can be serviced operationally. Even so, the project’s success will likely depend on the operational details of issuance, custody, and investor onboarding, especially given the regulatory process the partners say remains unfinished.

Still in a pilot: issuance route not finalized

While the partnership outlines a significant vessel pipeline, it is important that the project is not yet live in terms of publicly issued tokens. The arrangement is described as being in a pilot and operational-readiness phase. The partners state that Maritime Asset Tokens have not been publicly issued and that the regulated issuance pathway is still being finalized.

This staging matters because tokenization efforts in RWAs can fail at different points: legal structuring, regulatory approvals, or the practical ability to support ongoing distributions and compliance. By highlighting that the regulated issuance route is still under development, Shipfinex and ADI Chain appear to be treating the first phase as a test of readiness rather than an immediate launch of investable tokens.

Investors watching similar initiatives may therefore want to track what changes next—particularly whether the pilot culminates in a formally approved issuance structure, and how ongoing payments tied to charter activity or credit terms are operationalized.

RWA tokenization momentum: from shipping to broader forecasts

The shipping pilot comes as tokenized RWAs continue to attract attention across traditional finance and crypto-native infrastructure. RWA.xyz data cited in the report indicates that assets tracked on its platform totaled about $38.1 billion as of Aug. 9. Within that figure, US Treasury debt accounts for roughly $16.2 billion and commodities about $4.9 billion.

Standard Chartered’s outlook also points to continued expansion. In a report released Monday, the bank forecast that tokenized RWAs could reach $4 trillion by the end of 2028, according to Geoff Kendrick, the global head of digital asset research at the bank. The scale of that projection suggests that the market is expected to grow beyond early niches—though it also underlines the difference between long-term forecasts and near-term, pilot-stage delivery.

In shipping specifically, the scale remains small relative to the total addressable market. The announcement cites Clarksons Research data valuing the world fleet and orderbook at about $2.1 trillion at the start of 2026. Compared with that estimate, the $500 million vessel pipeline represents a limited slice—meaning this pilot is likely best viewed as a proof-of-process and market test rather than a near-term transformation of shipping finance.

Still, even incremental moves can be significant in RWAs if they demonstrate repeatable mechanics: asset segregation, token-to-cashflow mapping, stablecoin-based settlement, and the ability to maintain compliance over time. That is precisely where pilots tend to earn or lose momentum.

For readers, the key next indicators to watch are whether Shipfinex and ADI Chain progress from operational readiness to a clearly defined regulated issuance route, and how they handle the practicalities of ongoing distributions tied to ship-level economics—especially once any tokens transition from closed testing to broader market participation.

eToro has outlined a new step in its push to broaden beyond crypto by announcing plans to acquire US online brokerage TradeZero. The deal is positioned as part of the company’s expansion strategy in the United States, with closing expected in the first half of 2026.

In parallel with the acquisition announcement, eToro’s second-quarter update showed crypto trading and revenues under pressure. The company reported $1.59 billion in total revenue for the quarter, with crypto assets contributing $1.34 billion—down roughly 30% from $1.9 billion in the prior-year comparable quarter. While crypto revenue fell, eToro also reported $1.35 billion in crypto-related cost of revenue and $19.7 million in net income from crypto assets, alongside $53.4 million in total net income.

Key takeaways

• eToro plans to acquire TradeZero to accelerate its US expansion, targeting closing in the first half of 2026.
• In Q2, crypto remained the largest revenue stream for eToro at $1.34 billion, but it fell about 30% year over year.
• Crypto net income was positive at $19.7 million for the quarter, even as overall crypto trades and invested amounts declined sharply in July.
• The company reported strong cross-asset engagement: many users who traded commodities later traded equities and then crypto on eToro.
• TradeZero reportedly generated about $80 million in revenue over the last 12 months ended June 30, 2026, with 81% gross margins.

Why eToro wants TradeZero in its US strategy

The acquisition of TradeZero is framed by eToro as a practical move to become a broader multi-asset platform in the United States. The focus on US brokerage capabilities comes as the firm works to deepen trading relationships across asset classes, rather than relying solely on digital-asset activity.

eToro also previously signaled similar intent in crypto infrastructure: in April, it announced plans to acquire self-custodial wallet provider Zengo. Taken together, the company’s approach appears to combine more traditional brokerage reach (through TradeZero) with continuing investment in crypto custody and user access (through Zengo).

Crypto performance remains the swing factor

Despite the company’s ongoing multi-asset push, crypto continues to dominate the revenue mix. In its second-quarter report, eToro said total revenue came in at $1.59 billion, down from $2 billion in the comparable 2025 period. Of that amount, $1.34 billion was revenue from crypto assets, which the company said was about 30% lower than $1.9 billion in Q2 2025.

eToro reported $1.35 billion in crypto-related cost of revenue and $19.7 million in net income from crypto assets. Total net income for the quarter was $53.4 million, indicating that losses or reductions in crypto activity did not fully translate into an overall earnings collapse—though the numbers highlight how sensitive the business remains to the direction of crypto volumes and fees.

The broader trading picture also weakened after the quarter. According to eToro’s disclosures, total cryptocurrency trades on the platform fell to 1.4 million in July, representing a 73% year-on-year decline. The invested amount was down 50% over the same period, reinforcing that reduced trading activity has been affecting both the number of transactions and the size of positions.

Cross-asset engagement and the commodities-to-crypto funnel

Alongside crypto-specific declines, eToro highlighted user behavior that could support its multi-asset thesis. In commentary attributed to its financial leadership, the company said that more than 60% of users who traded commodities during Q4 2025 to Q1 2026 later traded equities in Q2 2026. It added that nearly nine in ten of those users have also traded crypto on eToro.

This matters because it suggests eToro is attempting to build a funnel where initial engagement in one asset category can lead to additional trading across other categories. If TradeZero helps expand access to US equities and other traditional brokerage products, eToro may be betting that increased equity trading will feed back into crypto usage—offsetting parts of the volatility in digital-asset demand.

eToro also reported that equities and commodities-related trading generated $141 million in net income for the platform, providing another anchor outside crypto revenue even as crypto volumes cooled.

Deal economics: TradeZero’s margins and expected earnings impact

From the perspective of deal structure, eToro provided figures intended to show that TradeZero could strengthen the business rather than dilute it. The company stated that TradeZero generated about $80 million of revenue with 81% gross margins in the last 12 months ended June 30, 2026.

Looking ahead, eToro said it expects the acquisition to be accretive to adjusted earnings per share in the first year after closing. Closing is expected in the first half of 2026, meaning the earliest period for the claimed benefit would likely follow shortly thereafter.

Market reaction to the announcement appeared cautious. eToro’s Nasdaq-traded shares were down more than 5% in pre-market activity on Tuesday, with the move expected to extend Monday’s decline according to Yahoo Finance data for ETOR.

What to watch next

Investors and users will likely focus on whether the TradeZero acquisition helps stabilize revenues as crypto volumes fluctuate, and on whether eToro can translate its reported cross-asset engagement into sustained trading activity in the US. In the meantime, July’s sharp drop in crypto trades and invested amounts remains a key signal for how quickly digital-asset performance can change the company’s quarterly outlook.

The Coldcard hack is testing crypto investigators’ ability to measure losses from self-custody wallets, where victim reports are critical to establishing the scale of the theft.

Blockchain analytics platform CryptoQuant currently puts confirmed losses at 1,432 Bitcoin, while other analysts have traced substantially more funds to the attack.

Galaxy Research and blockchain intelligence company TRM Labs both say their analysis points to a higher toll, while distinguishing between losses directly confirmed by victims and funds attributed to the attack through onchain patterns.

That makes self-custody attacks difficult to quantify: Unlike an exchange hack, there is no complete list of affected accounts, leaving investigators to build estimates rather than pin down a definitive toll.

Galaxy traces losses beyond victim reports

Galaxy’s Alex Thorn told Cointelegraph the platform’s earlier estimate of as much as 1,816 BTC was a potential figure rather than a confirmed loss total.

As of Tuesday, Galaxy put its high-confidence minimum at 1,730 Bitcoin, with Thorn saying the figure could still increase as more victim reports corroborate attack patterns.

Source: Galaxy Research

“We have directly confirmed 450+ BTC directly from victim reports, but their reports have helped identify other, as-yet-unknown victims in more than 730 total BTC,” Thorn said. Galaxy uses those reports to corroborate broader attack patterns, while withholding funds it suspects but cannot yet sufficiently verify. “We are still withholding many more BTC we suspect but for which we lack sufficient corroboration,” Thorn said.

Related: Coldcard hackers transfer 64 BTC and 200 ETH to cryptocurrency mixers

TRM Labs said its independent tracing lands in the same range as Galaxy, while its recent analysis estimated that attackers drained about 1,816 BTC from more than 5,200 addresses across four waves. “Investigators should expect the estimate to keep moving upward before it stabilizes,” TRM’s global head of policy Ari Redbord told Cointelegraph.

CryptoQuant takes a stricter approach

CryptoQuant’s head of research, Julio Moreno, told Cointelegraph that the company starts with public reports from victims, including wallet addresses or transaction IDs, and then checks those reports against known onchain patterns from the attack.

That approach puts CryptoQuant’s confirmed tally at 1,432 BTC, which Moreno described as a floor that could rise if more victims publicly disclose their hacked addresses.

Source: CryptoQuant

Moreno said CryptoQuant is cautious about identifying victims solely from onchain patterns because doing so could produce false positives and inflate the estimate.

“Because the stolen Bitcoin belonged to individuals and not to a centralized entity, like an exchange, we can only confirm what each victim publicly discloses,” he said.

Hard number to pin down

Moreno emphasized the total will remain an estimate because investigators can only confirm what victims disclose. He said:

“Knowing the total BTC stolen is difficult, and it will always be an estimation.”

Chainalysis told Cointelegraph it has not conducted an independent tally of the losses, while blockchain investigator ZachXBT publicly said he has no plans to monitor or trace the incident.

Magazine: Do the Coldcard attacks mean all hardware wallets are now insecure?