South Korea’s digital-focused bank KBank has filed a series of trademark applications linked to stablecoin wallet services, signaling a deeper push into digital assets ahead of its anticipated initial public offering. Public records from the Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service show that the bank submitted 13 trademark filings covering names such as KSC Wallet, KSTA Wallet, Kstable Wallet, and Kbank SC Wallet. The applications span multiple categories, including software for stablecoin and cryptocurrency transactions, digital asset custody, NFT-related services, and broader financial operations. Taken together, the filings suggest KBank is preparing a multifunctional wallet platform that could support payments,…
Author: Blockto Team
Payward, the parent company behind the Kraken, reported strong financial performance in 2025, posting a 33% increase in adjusted annual revenue. The growth was driven by higher trading activity, expanding customer accounts, and contributions from recent acquisitions, as the company continues to refine its long-term corporate strategy ahead of a potential public listing. Full-Year Financial Performance Adjusted revenue for the year reached $2.2 billion, with total transaction volume climbing 34% to $2 trillion. Nearly half of total revenue came from trading activity, while the remainder was generated through non-trading services such as custody solutions, payments, and financing products. Adjusted EBITDA…
A large-scale diamond tokenization initiative in the United Arab Emirates has surpassed $280 million in on-chain value, marking one of the most significant real-world asset deployments in the region to date. The project involves the digitization of certified polished diamonds held in Dubai, with token issuance linked directly to physical inventory secured through institutional custody infrastructure. More than AED 1 billion worth of diamonds have already been recorded on a blockchain network, demonstrating early traction for tokenized commodities within a regulated financial hub. The initiative is designed to improve settlement efficiency and enhance traceability across the diamond supply chain. Custody…
MetaMask, a leading self-custodial cryptocurrency wallet, has introduced access to tokenized US stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and commodities through a new integration with Ondo Global Markets. The rollout marks a significant step in blending traditional financial assets with decentralized blockchain infrastructure, targeting eligible non-US users on the Ethereum network. Tokenized US Stocks and ETFs on Ethereum Through this launch, users can access more than 200 tokenized representations of US equities, ETFs, and commodities such as gold and silver. These assets are available via Ondo Global Markets (GM) tokens, which are designed to mirror the value of their underlying instruments on…
The Avalanche Policy Coalition has announced the formation of a new advisory council aimed at shaping how cryptocurrency regulation develops across major global jurisdictions. The move comes as governments accelerate efforts to define legal frameworks for digital assets, intermediaries, and online access. Advisory Council Priorities for 2026 The newly unveiled council will focus on three main policy areas in 2026: how digital tokens are classified under law, how intermediaries within blockchain ecosystems should be defined, and how access to the open internet can be protected. The initiative is intended to align policy efforts across the Avalanche ecosystem while engaging with…
On February 3, on-chain monitoring data showed that a well-known Bitcoin whale, often referred to as the “Ultimate Shorter,” closed part of its BTC short position within a six-hour window, securing approximately $2.32 million in realized profit. The portion closed represented a position size of roughly $5.46 million, continuing a pattern of systematic profit-taking rather than a full exit. Since November, this address has executed at least five similar reductions near local market lows. Instead of covering its entire exposure, the strategy has focused on trimming positions while maintaining downside exposure, with take-profit levels repeatedly placed around the $76,200 price…
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI is expanding into digital asset research by recruiting a crypto market specialist to help train its AI systems. The move reflects growing interest in combining artificial intelligence with real-world crypto trading data, as markets become more complex, data-driven, and globally interconnected. xAI Crypto Expert Role Focuses on Real Trading Behavior According to the job listing xAI is seeking a Finance Expert – Crypto to guide its models in understanding onchain analytics, token economics, and market structure. The role centers on how professional traders interpret blockchain data, manage risk, and operate in fast-moving, 24/7 crypto…
The crypto market has been experiencing a prolonged downturn since early 2025, and while recent institutional activity has softened headline losses, underlying conditions point to a deep market cycle that may now be closer to recovery than further decline. Crypto Winter Began Earlier Than Many Realized According to Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan, the current downturn should be viewed as a full-scale crypto winter rather than a short-term correction. While Bitcoin reached an all-time high in October 2025, Hougan argues that broader market weakness actually began around January 2025. That weakness was partially concealed by steady inflows into spot…
Newly released emails from the US Department of Justice suggest that Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender, gained early exposure to the cryptocurrency sector through venture investments, including a reported multimillion-dollar stake in Coinbase during its early growth phase. Epstein’s Reported Coinbase Investment in 2014 According to the disclosed documents, an entity linked to Epstein may have invested approximately $3.25 million into Coinbase in 2014. The emails indicate the purchase of 195,910 Series C shares at a time when the crypto exchange was valued at roughly $400 million. The investment was reportedly structured through intermediary entities, and…
Spot cryptocurrency trading volumes have dropped sharply, falling to their lowest levels seen in 2024. Aggregate spot volumes across major exchanges declined from roughly $2 trillion in October to about $1 trillion by the end of January, reflecting a clear slowdown in investor participation and overall market demand. Bitcoin’s price performance has mirrored this trend. The asset is trading more than 35% below its October peak, as reduced liquidity and heightened risk aversion continue to weigh on market activity. Analysts note that a significant liquidation event in October accelerated the pullback, triggering a sustained contraction in spot demand. CryptoQuant analyst…