Author: Blockto Team

Axelar Network Remains Independent as Interoperability Talent Joins Circle Stablecoin issuer Circle has reached an agreement to acquire the Interop Labs team and its proprietary intellectual property, strengthening its push into crosschain infrastructure while leaving the Axelar Network fully independent. The transaction, expected to close in early 2026, brings a key interoperability engineering group into Circle’s infrastructure business without affecting Axelar’s community governance or token. Interop Labs is the original developer behind the Axelar Network, a decentralized interoperability protocol enabling secure crosschain messaging and asset transfers across multiple blockchains. Under the agreement, Axelar’s open-source development will continue under another contributor,…

Crypto Regulation Sparks Debate Over Surveillance and User Rights US securities regulators are reexamining long-standing approaches to financial surveillance as cryptocurrency adoption expands. During a recent roundtable hosted by the SEC’s crypto task force, officials and industry representatives discussed how digital assets are reshaping the balance between investor protection and financial privacy. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce said that crypto is “helping to nudge a reassessment” of financial privacy, arguing that existing surveillance frameworks are overdue for review. She highlighted that public blockchains simultaneously increase transparency while creating demand for stronger privacy-preserving tools, particularly as peer-to-peer transactions reduce reliance on traditional…

Yen Stablecoin Framework Aims to Support Tokenized Assets and Global Settlement Japan’s financial sector is moving closer to a regulated digital currency era as SBI Holdings and Startale Group plan to launch a yen-denominated stablecoin in 2026 under a newly established regulatory framework. The initiative is structured through a memorandum of understanding that places licensed financial institutions at the core of issuance and circulation. The proposed stablecoin will be issued and redeemed by Shinsei Trust & Banking, a subsidiary of SBI Shinsei Bank, while SBI VC Trade will support distribution and circulation. The project is designed to comply fully with…

Potential Pardon Raises Fresh Debate Over Crypto Privacy and Software Liability US President Donald Trump has indicated he will review the case of Samourai Wallet co-founder Keonne Rodriguez, opening the door to a possible presidential pardon following the developer’s recent conviction. When questioned publicly, Trump stated he had “heard about it” and would “look into” the matter, without committing to a specific outcome. Rodriguez and fellow Samourai Wallet co-founder William Lonergan Hill were sentenced in November to five and four years in prison, respectively. The convictions stem from their involvement in operating a cryptocurrency mixing protocol, with prosecutors alleging the…

Corporate Bitcoin Accumulation Continues Despite Market Volatility Corporate demand for Bitcoin remains resilient as American Bitcoin has surpassed ProCap Financial in total treasury holdings, even amid ongoing price volatility and declining proxy stocks. Backed by Eric Trump, American Bitcoin has accumulated more than 1,000 BTC since early December, bringing its total reserves to 5,044 bitcoin, valued at approximately $443 million. ProCap Financial, founded by Anthony Pompliano, now holds around 5,000 BTC, placing it just behind American Bitcoin in the corporate treasury rankings. While ProCap has continued to increase its holdings, it has slipped to 22nd place among publicly listed Bitcoin-holding…

Rise of Pig Butchering Scams Targets Crypto Investors A Bitcoin investor recently lost his entire retirement fund after falling victim to an AI-fueled romance scam, highlighting the growing threat of emotionally manipulative cryptocurrency schemes. The investor sent nearly $90,000 in Bitcoin to a scammer posing as a wealthy trader and romantic partner, despite repeated warnings from financial advisors. Unlike traditional hacks, pig butchering scams rely on trust and emotional manipulation, encouraging victims to willingly transfer funds. In this case, the scammer used AI-generated images and promises of romance to convince the investor to send both cryptocurrency and even a plane…

Investors Urged Caution as Meme Token Gains Attention A new celebrity-backed memecoin featuring rapper Soulja Boy has drawn scrutiny from the crypto community amid rug pull concerns. Blockchain investigator ZachXBT warned traders to exercise caution after Jesse Pollak, co-founder of the Base network, shared a public receipt showing a $1,500 investment in the token. ZachXBT highlighted Soulja Boy’s history with tokens like RapDoge, Orion, The Life Token, Flokinomics, and SafeMars, many of which were abandoned or involved in rug pulls. In crypto terms, a rug pull occurs when developers exit a project, taking investors’ funds, often shortly after launch. The…

Strategy Bitcoin Holdings Rise to 671,268 BTC After Latest Acquisition Bitcoin treasury firm Strategy has strengthened its long-term accumulation strategy with the purchase of 10,645 bitcoin for approximately $980 million, pushing its total holdings to 671,268 BTC. The acquisition was made at an average price of $92,098 per bitcoin during the period between Dec. 8 and Dec. 14, according to a recent regulatory filing. The company’s Bitcoin treasury is now valued at roughly $60 billion, with a total acquisition cost of about $50.3 billion, including fees and expenses. This gives Strategy exposure to more than 3% of Bitcoin’s fixed 21…

Bitcoin Technical Analysis Shows Bearish Momentum With Critical Support in Focus Bitcoin price declined sharply to the $86,000 level, extending its recent pullback as selling pressure intensified across the market. The move places immediate attention on the $84,000 support zone, which is now emerging as a decisive level for short-term price direction. The latest price action reflects a broader bearish market structure, with Bitcoin failing to reclaim prior resistance levels near $90,000–$92,000. price remains below key supply zones, indicating that buyers are struggling to regain control. Repeated rejections from overhead resistance suggest continued weakness unless demand strengthens decisively. Technically, the…

XRP Faces Strong Resistance Despite Elevated Trading Activity XRP is once again testing trader patience as the price fails to establish a sustained move above the psychologically important $2.00 level. The repeated rejection highlights a growing imbalance between bullish expectations and persistent selling pressure placing XRP at a near term inflection point. Price action shows that XRP has now failed three consecutive attempts to clear the $2.00 resistance zone. Each rejection has been accompanied by elevated trading volume, signaling that sellers are actively defending this level. The most recent pullback occurred just below $2.01 reinforcing the importance of this price…