Author: Blockto Team

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Investment has launched a new physically backed gold ETF, introducing a tokenized class of units on Ethereum. The fund, listed under the ticker 03170 on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, gained around 9% during early Asia trading hours. The ETF closely follows the LBMA Gold Price AM, with physical bullion securely stored in designated Hong Kong vaults. Tokenized Units Bring Blockchain to Gold ETFs The fund’s tokenized units are initially issued on Ethereum and may expand to other public blockchains in the future. HSBC serves as the tokenization agent. Despite being blockchain-based, these units are not…

Ripple has taken a major step toward embedding blockchain technology into everyday corporate finance with the launch of a new enterprise treasury platform designed for large organizations managing complex cash flows. The solution blends traditional treasury management with blockchain-based settlement, aiming to modernize how companies handle liquidity, payments, and cross-border transactions. Blockchain Meets Corporate Treasury Management Built on Ripple’s acquisition of GTreasury, the platform allows treasurers to manage cash positions, payments, and liquidity within a single system while preserving existing approval structures and risk controls. By integrating stablecoin settlement rails, the platform reduces reliance on slow, multi-day banking processes and…

The number of XRP wallets holding over 1 million tokens is steadily increasing, signaling potential long-term confidence in the asset despite a modest market downturn. Crypto analytics firm Santiment highlights this trend as a positive indicator for XRP holders. Millionaire Wallets Increasing Since the start of 2026, 42 new wallets holding over 1 million XRP have re-entered the ledger, reversing the decline seen between October and December when 784 millionaire wallets were lost. While XRP’s price has dropped around 4% year-to-date, the return of large holders suggests accumulation by investors betting on long-term growth. Smart Money and Market Signals Analytical…

The United Arab Emirates has taken a significant step in regulated digital finance with the launch of USDU, a US dollar–backed stablecoin sanctioned by the UAE Central Bank. Developed by Universal Digital Intl Limited, USDU is now the first Foreign Payment Token officially registered under the UAE’s Payment Token Services Regulation (PTSR), enabling compliant digital-asset transactions across the country. USDU is backed 1:1 with U.S. dollar reserves held at reputable financial institutions, including Emirates NBD, Mbank, and Mashreq, ensuring stability and trust. The stablecoin is designed to facilitate digital-asset settlements, allowing transactions to comply with UAE regulations that mandate the…

Gold’s meteoric rise over the last 24 hours has added $1.65 trillion to its market capitalization, nearly matching Bitcoin’s $1.75 trillion total market value. The rally highlights a growing divergence between investor sentiment in precious metals and cryptocurrencies. Gold Hits New Record Levels Gold breached $5,500 per ounce, bringing its total market cap to $38.77 trillion, while silver also gained 21.5% over the past week, reaching $6.6 trillion. Analysts attribute the multi-month precious metals rally to the ongoing “debasement trade”, as investors seek safe havens amid monetary expansion and fiscal uncertainty. Bitcoin vs. Gold Performance Over the past five years,…

Bitcoin treasury firm Strive has strengthened its financial position by retiring the majority of the debt inherited from its recent acquisition of Semler Scientific, while adding 334 Bitcoin to its corporate holdings. The move follows the successful closing of a Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Preferred Stock offering, traded under the ticker SATA. Strive reported 600 million dollars in investor demand, prompting the company to increase the size of the offering from 150 million dollars to 225 million dollars. The structure of the raise allows Strive to fund Bitcoin accumulation without increasing leverage, aligning with its long-term treasury strategy. Debt…

Officials from US President Donald Trump’s administration are preparing to meet with senior executives from banks and cryptocurrency companies as discussions resume around the stalled CLARITY Act, a proposed framework for regulating digital asset markets in the United States. The meeting, expected to take place Monday, is being organized by the White House crypto council and aims to address unresolved disputes that have blocked legislative progress. Stablecoin Yield Remains Central Point of Disagreement At the center of the deadlock is whether third parties should be allowed to offer yield on dollar-pegged stablecoins. While the GENIUS Act, passed in July 2025,…

Sony has strengthened its commitment to the Soneium blockchain by adding a $13 million follow-on investment into its partnership with Startale Group, roughly one year after the network’s mainnet launch in January 2025. The funding was made through the Sony Innovation Fund and reflects confidence built on real-world network performance rather than early-stage experimentation. Mainnet Data Shapes Investment Decision Since going live, Soneium has processed approximately 524 million transactions, according to publicly available onchain data. Over the same period, comparable networks such as Avalanche and Algorand recorded lower transaction volumes. While transaction count alone does not equal adoption, it provided…

Bitcoin has remained locked near the $90,000 price level, not due to fading interest, but because of how traders are positioning risk in the derivatives market. Data shows that options activity — rather than leveraged futures — is now the primary force shaping short-term price behavior. High Bitcoin Options Volume Signals Cautious Market Bitcoin options trading volumes remain elevated, confirming that capital and participation are still strong. However, exposure is increasingly structured through options strategies instead of outright directional bets.This shift suggests that traders are prioritizing hedging and capital preservation, which naturally limits aggressive price expansion. Market exposure is concentrated…

Crypto-related fraud entered a new phase in 2025 as AI-powered scams increased by nearly 500%, signaling a shift toward highly organized and scalable criminal operations. New findings show that while total scam revenue dipped slightly year over year, the methods used by fraudsters became far more advanced, convincing, and global. AI Technology Supercharges Crypto Fraud Large language models, deepfake videos, voice cloning, and AI-generated images have significantly lowered the cost of deception. These tools allow scammers to operate seamlessly across languages and cultures, creating realistic personas that are harder for victims to detect.Importantly, even individuals familiar with scam warnings are…