Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is set to integrate stock and cryptocurrency trading directly into user feeds.

This move marks a significant escalation in Elon Musk’s bid to transform the platform into a dominant player in financial technology.

On February 14, Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, said the new functionality will allow users to execute trades immediately after discovering an asset on their timeline.

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The feature centers on “Smart Cashtags,” an evolution of the platform’s existing indexing system. Currently, users prefix ticker symbols with dollar signs—such as $BTC for Bitcoin—to create clickable links.

Under the new system, tapping these symbols will display live price charts and related posts, and offer direct trading options.

This development is the company’s latest move to reduce friction when switching between social media and brokerage applications. By bridging these functions, the update potentially accelerates how quickly retail investors can act on information

The integration is a cornerstone of Musk’s broader strategy to evolve X into an “everything app.” Notably, he has championed this concept since acquiring the company in 2022.

The vision mirrors the utility of Asian “super apps” that combine messaging, social networking, and payments.

Over the past years, X has ramped up efforts to build a financial ecosystem. The firm has laid the groundwork for peer-to-peer transfers, daily consumer payments, and now, active investing.

However, the intersection of social media hype and financial speculation poses moderation challenges.

Bier noted that while the company intends for cryptocurrency to proliferate on the platform, it remains cautious regarding user experience.

He warned that applications that create incentives for spam, raiding, or harassment will not be supported. According to him, such behavior “meaningfully degrades the experience for millions of people.”

So, as X transitions from a town square to a trading floor, the company faces the dual challenge of competing with established brokerage firms while navigating the regulatory complexities inherent in facilitating financial transactions for a global user base.

TLDR:

• Grayscale’s S-1 amendment for Sui ETF with Coinbase custody brings institutional capital access channels. 
• zkLogin technology eliminates seed phrases by enabling Google, Face ID, and phone authentication methods. 
• Object-centric architecture processes transactions simultaneously, maintaining sub-cent fees during peak usage. 
• Move programming language prevents asset duplication and deletion, eliminating common smart contract exploits.
  

The Sui blockchain has entered a new phase of development in February 2026 as institutional finance shows increased interest in the platform.

Grayscale recently amended its S-1 filing for a Sui exchange-traded fund, naming Coinbase as custodian. This development marks a shift from retail-driven speculation toward institutional infrastructure adoption.

The move signals growing recognition of Sui’s technical capabilities and regulatory compliance standards within traditional finance circles.

Institutional Capital Opens New Access Channels

The Grayscale ETF filing represents more than a routine regulatory submission. Exchange-traded funds transform digital tokens into recognized financial instruments accessible to pension funds and retirement accounts.

These institutional investors can now gain exposure without managing wallets or private keys directly. Coinbase’s role as custodian addresses security and compliance requirements that traditional finance demands.

Bitcoin ETFs previously demonstrated how institutional access drives capital inflows at scale. However, Bitcoin had already matured before ETF approval.

Sui remains in earlier development stages, meaning institutional capital entering now carries greater relative impact. Fixed supply dynamics combined with increasing demand create favorable conditions for long-term growth.

The institutional validation extends beyond price speculation. Regulatory recognition attracts enterprise developers and commercial applications.

Projects building on blockchains with clear compliance pathways face fewer legal uncertainties. This regulatory clarity reduces friction for businesses considering blockchain integration.

Capital markets now view Sui as legitimate infrastructure rather than experimental technology. The shift reflects broader industry maturation as crypto moves from speculative trading toward functional utility.

Traditional finance involvement brings stability and resources that support long-term ecosystem development.

Technical Architecture Removes Adoption Barriers

Sui addresses two critical obstacles that have prevented mainstream adoption. The platform eliminates seed phrase requirements through zkLogin technology developed by partners, including Human.tech’s Wallet-as-a-Protocol and Ika.

Users authenticate with Google accounts, Face ID, or phone numbers while maintaining full asset control. Zero-knowledge authentication verifies identity without exposing private keys to third parties.

This onboarding simplification removes the most intimidating aspect of cryptocurrency usage. Traditional wallet setup requires writing down twelve-word phrases and understanding address systems.

Sui reduces this process to familiar login methods users already trust. The technology breakthrough makes blockchain accessible without requiring technical education.

The underlying architecture also delivers performance improvements. Sui employs an object-centric model where assets exist as independent objects rather than account balances.

Tokens, NFTs, and smart contracts process simultaneously instead of sequentially. This parallel execution prevents network congestion even during high-demand periods.

Transaction fees remain under one cent with finality achieved in approximately 400 milliseconds. The Mysticeti consensus upgrade further reduced latency.

Move programming language adds security advantages by treating assets as resources that cannot be copied or accidentally deleted.

This design eliminates common exploit categories, including reentrancy attacks. The combination of usability and technical performance positions Sui for practical application deployment across finance and gaming sectors.

Figure Technology, a blockchain-based lending firm, was reportedly hit by a data breach after attackers manipulated an employee in a social-engineering scheme.

The incident allowed hackers to obtain “a limited number of files,” a company spokesperson told TechCrunch. The company said it has begun notifying affected parties and is offering free credit-monitoring services to anyone who receives a breach notice.

Details about the scope of the incident, including how many users were affected or when the intrusion was detected, were not disclosed publicly. Cointelegraph reached out to Figure for comment, but had not received a response by publication

The hacking collective ShinyHunters claimed responsibility on its dark-web leak site, alleging the company declined to pay a ransom. The group published roughly 2.5 gigabytes of data said to have been taken from Figure’s systems.

Related: ‘Hundreds’ of EVM wallets drained in mysterious attack: ZachXBT

Leaked Figure data includes names, addresses

TechCrunch reported that it reviewed samples of the leaked material, which included customers’ full names, home addresses, dates of birth and phone numbers. This information could be used for identity fraud and phishing attempts.

As Cointelegraph reported, crypto phishing attacks linked to wallet drainers dropped sharply in 2025, with total losses falling to $83.85 million, an 83% decline from nearly $494 million in 2024, according to Web3 security firm Scam Sniffer. The number of victims also fell to about 106,000, down 68% year over year across Ethereum Virtual Machine chains.

Researchers said the drop does not mean phishing has disappeared. Losses closely tracked market activity, rising during periods of heavy onchain trading and easing when markets cooled. The third quarter of 2025, during Ethereum’s strongest rally, recorded the highest losses at $31 million, with monthly totals ranging from $2.04 million in December to $12.17 million in August.

Related: Crypto hack counts fall, but supply chain attacks reshape threat landscape

Figure Technology goes public

Figure Technology went public in September last year, listing on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. The fintech firm, known for its blockchain-based lending, priced its initial public offering (IPO) at $25 per share, raising $787.5 million and achieving an initial valuation of approximately $5.3 billion to $7.6 billion.