A new Columbia University study reveals that much of Polymarket’s explosive growth may have been fueled by wash trading, raising doubts about the authenticity of activity in blockchain-based prediction markets. A recent study from Columbia University has raised serious concerns about the integrity of trading activity on Polymarket, one of the world’s largest decentralized prediction platforms. The 80-page report, titled “Network-Based Detection of Wash-Trading,” found that up to 60% of Polymarket’s total trading volume during mid-2024 may have been artificially generated through wash trading — a form of manipulation where traders buy and sell the same asset to simulate demand.…
Author: Blockto Team
Crypto-related equities tumbled as macroeconomic jitters, government shutdown fears, and fallout from October’s $19 billion liquidation event weighed heavily on investor confidence. It has been a brutal week for crypto-linked stocks, with major firms including Coinbase, Block Inc., and Robinhood posting steep declines as broader market volatility and lingering fallout from October’s $19 billion crypto liquidation dragged the sector lower. According to Google Finance data, shares of these companies have dropped between 11% and 14%, erasing recent gains and exposing the fragile sentiment surrounding digital asset equities. Earnings Fail to Sustain Momentum Despite reporting stronger-than-expected Q3 results, Coinbase (COIN) failed…
The BitMEX co-founder’s endorsement adds fuel to Zcash’s explosive rally, which has surged over 400% in the past month amid renewed demand for privacy-focused cryptocurrencies. Hayes Backs Zcash After 400% Price Surge Arthur Hayes, co-founder of crypto derivatives giant BitMEX, revealed that Zcash (ZEC) has become the second-largest holding in his family office MaelstromFund, surpassed only by Bitcoin (BTC). “Due to the rapid ascent in price, ZEC is now the 2nd largest LIQUID holding in MaelstromFund portfolio behind BTC,” Hayes wrote in an X post on Friday. The disclosure comes as ZEC skyrocketed from $137 to above $730 over the…
The decentralized exchange offers a multimillion-dollar bounty as it warns the hacker behind the massive exploit of onchain, technical, and legal consequences. The Balancer DAO, governing one of the largest decentralized exchanges, has issued a final onchain message to the hacker responsible for stealing over $100 million in crypto assets. The decentralized organization warned that unless the funds are returned by the deadline, it will pursue the culprit using every available “technical, onchain, and legal measure.” The $100 Million Balancer Exploit Earlier this week, Balancer confirmed that its V2 Composable Stable Pools were exploited, resulting in the loss of more…
After three weeks of deliberation, a New York jury was deadlocked on whether two MIT-educated brothers committed fraud and money laundering in a complex Ethereum MEV exploit. A high-profile crypto fraud trial involving alleged Ethereum MEV bot manipulation has ended in a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision. The case, centered around Anton and James Peraire-Bueno, revolved around accusations that the brothers executed a $25 million exploit using blockchain trading bots — a case that could set a major precedent for how courts interpret maximal extractable value (MEV) strategies. Jury Deadlocked After Three-Week Trial After a three-week…
Rapid price surge may lead to a “blow-off top” as experts urge caution amid Bitcoin’s volatile climb past $100,000. While many crypto investors dream of seeing Bitcoin (BTC) soar to $250,000, some analysts warn that such a move could backfire. According to macro strategist Mel Mattison, a rapid surge to that level could trigger a massive sell-off, causing sharp market instability rather than sustainable growth. Analyst Warns of ‘Blow-Off Top’ Scenario Speaking in a recent interview, Mel Mattison cautioned that a sudden rally in Bitcoin and traditional equities could spell trouble for the broader financial market. “One of the worst…
ARK Invest increases exposure to Ether-holding firm BitMine as Tesla shares drop 3.6% following approval of Elon Musk’s $1 trillion pay package. Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest has expanded its position in BitMine, an Ether-focused treasury firm led by investor Tom Lee, while reducing its long-standing stake in Tesla. The move reflects a strategic rebalancing by one of the most closely watched innovation-focused investment managers amid shifting market conditions and evolving sentiment toward crypto-linked equities. ARK Invest Boosts BitMine Exposure According to ARK’s daily trading disclosure filed on Friday, the firm purchased 48,454 shares of BitMine, valued at approximately $2 million,…
The crypto treasury firm moves ahead with a €608.8 million preferred stock sale to expand Bitcoin holdings amid credit downgrades and revenue declines. Strategy, a major corporate Bitcoin treasury company, is pressing forward with its plan to expand BTC reserves despite a turbulent market and declining revenues. The firm announced the pricing of its Series A Perpetual Stream Preferred Stock (STRE), a euro-denominated issuance designed to fund further Bitcoin accumulation and strengthen its balance sheet. New STRE Offering Targets Over €600 Million in Funding According to the company’s statement, the new STRE shares will be priced at €80 ($92.50) per…
After educating over 27,000 Salvadoran students, the Bitcoin nonprofit is closing its local office to focus on training global educators and supporting community-led initiatives. My First Bitcoin, a pioneering Bitcoin education initiative launched in El Salvador, has announced the end of its local operations and partnership with the Ministry of Education, shifting its focus toward global Bitcoin education. The move marks a new chapter for the organization, which aims to empower educators worldwide through open-source learning tools and digital training programs. From Local Classrooms to Global Outreach Founded in 2021 by American activist and journalist John Dennehy, the nonprofit taught…
Despite October’s $20 billion crypto crash, Bitcoin ETFs saw limited outflows — suggesting internal market forces are driving the sell-off. The recent Bitcoin market downturn, which erased nearly 20% of BTC’s value in October, has left investors searching for culprits. While many pointed fingers at Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), new data shows that ETFs are not the main source of selling pressure. Instead, analysts argue that long-term Bitcoin holders and whales have been the ones offloading their assets during the crash. ETF Outflows Remain Modest Amid Market Chaos According to Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas, total outflows from Bitcoin ETFs…