Author: Blockto Team

The presidential move clears the path for CZ’s possible return to Binance leadership In a dramatic turn of events for the crypto industry, U.S. President Donald Trump has officially pardoned Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the founder and former chief executive of Binance, according to reports from people familiar with the matter. The presidential pardon, reportedly signed on Wednesday, effectively clears Zhao’s criminal record stemming from his 2023 conviction for violating the Bank Secrecy Act and failing to implement sufficient Anti-Money Laundering (AML) controls at Binance. Although no official announcement has yet appeared on the White House website or in the Federal…

Quantum-ready protection and upgraded user experience lead the latest innovations from the industry’s top wallet makers Two of the world’s most trusted crypto hardware wallet makers — Ledger and Trezor — have launched their next-generation devices for 2025, offering advanced security, improved usability, and preparation for the post-quantum computing era. Paris-based Ledger introduced its Ledger Nano Gen5, while Prague-based Trezor unveiled the Trezor Safe 7, reflecting how the competition for secure self-custody solutions continues to evolve as the digital asset industry matures. Ledger drops “hardware wallet” label, unveils Nano Gen5 signer In a significant branding shift, Ledger has moved away…

Analyst sees renewed growth potential with major U.S. orders, rising self-mining footprint, and gas-to-compute expansion Canaan Inc. (NASDAQ: CAN), one of the leading global manufacturers of Bitcoin mining equipment, is showing signs of a strong rebound. According to a new research note from Benchmark, the company’s “accelerating turnaround story” is driven by growing demand for its Avalon A15 mining rigs, an expanding self-mining operation, and new strategic initiatives linking energy and computing infrastructure. Benchmark analyst Mark Palmer reaffirmed a “Buy” rating on the stock and raised his price target to $4, more than double Canaan’s current share price of around…

Venture capital giant pivots focus to emerging AI and defense industries amid changing market dynamics Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent venture capital firms, is reportedly preparing to raise around $10 billion for a series of new funds aimed at artificial intelligence and defense technology, marking a significant strategic shift away from its once-flagship focus on crypto investments. According to industry reports, the firm plans to allocate $6 billion for late-stage investments, $1.5 billion each for AI applications and AI infrastructure, and over $1 billion for a new defense and manufacturing fund. No dedicated crypto fund is…

Turkey has become the largest crypto market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, processing nearly $200 billion in annual crypto transactions, according to a new Chainalysis report. However, the blockchain analytics firm warns that this rapid growth is fueled primarily by speculative trading, not by long-term or practical adoption. Turkey Dominates MENA’s Crypto Landscape Chainalysis data shows that Turkey’s $200 billion in crypto volume far exceeds the $53 billion recorded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — the region’s second-largest market. Combined, other major players like Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Israel still trail behind Turkey’s…

Fintech giant Revolut has obtained a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license from the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), officially allowing it to offer regulated crypto services across all 30 markets in the European Economic Area (EEA). Revolut Expands Under EU MiCA Framework The approval marks a major milestone for Revolut’s crypto ambitions, giving it the regulatory clarity needed to operate under the EU’s new MiCA regime. “This authorisation enables us to deliver groundbreaking crypto products with enhanced transparency and trust for our growing customer base,” said Costas Michael, CEO of Revolut Digital Assets Europe. With over 65 million customers…

October 23, 2025 — The European Union has adopted its 19th sanctions package against Russia, introducing sweeping new restrictions targeting cryptocurrency platforms and the A7A5 ruble-backed stablecoin amid growing concerns that Moscow is using digital assets to evade financial sanctions. Announced Thursday, the measures ban Russia-based crypto payment providers and prohibit the distribution of related payment software across the EU. The sanctions also expand to include Russian energy companies, banks, and intermediaries in China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Hong Kong, and the UAE, which the EU accuses of assisting Moscow in circumventing existing restrictions. The A7A5 ruble-backed stablecoin was identified by EU…

Talks between Senate Democrats and top cryptocurrency executives grew heated on Wednesday as both sides debated the future of U.S. digital asset regulation. The closed-door meeting centered on a proposed comprehensive crypto market structure bill, which has sparked intense controversy since a draft leak earlier this month. The six-page proposal, driven by Senate Democrats, seeks to define when entities “exercise control or sufficient influence” in decentralized finance (DeFi) — a move critics say could effectively ban DeFi protocols. Lawmakers, however, insist their aim is to curb illicit finance and enhance consumer protection. “I’m really f*cking pissed about what happened last…

Market tightens around key range levels with momentum indicators signaling an imminent volatility spike. XRP is entering a decisive phase as its price continues to trade within a narrow range between $2.33 and $2.44, forming a tightening consolidation zone that often precedes a significant move. The current setup reflects a battle between short-term buyers defending support and sellers holding strong at resistance. At the time of writing, XRP/USDT was trading near $2.41, posting a modest 2% gain over the past 24 hours. However, market volatility remains subdued, suggesting that traders are waiting for confirmation before committing to new positions. The…

Binance co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has criticized economist and long-time Bitcoin critic Peter Schiff over his plan to launch a tokenized gold product, calling it a “trust me bro” asset that lacks true decentralization. CZ Pushes Back on Schiff’s Gold Token In a Thursday post on X (formerly Twitter), CZ said Schiff’s gold-backed token relies on third-party custody rather than blockchain verification. He argued that such assets contradict crypto’s core principle of trustless systems, emphasizing that “tokenized gold isn’t on-chain gold.” Schiff Doubles Down on Gold, Predicts Bitcoin’s Demise Schiff announced the upcoming gold-backed token on the ThreadGuy podcast, explaining…