Author: Tristan Lodenberg

U.S. fast-food chain Steak ’n Shake has added $5 million worth of Bitcoin to its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, reinforcing its commitment to integrating cryptocurrency into its financial strategy. The move brings the company’s total Bitcoin holdings to approximately $15 million, or around 167.7 BTC, based on recent market prices. The company has pledged that all customer payments made in Bitcoin will be directed straight into its reserve, linking operational performance directly to digital asset accumulation. While the precise breakdown of holdings remains undisclosed, the increase follows a previously announced $10 million allocation earlier this year. Bitcoin Adoption Linked to Sales…

San Francisco-based crypto payments infrastructure firm Mesh has raised $75 million in a Series C funding round led by Dragonfly Capital, bringing its total funding to over $200 million and valuing the company at $1 billion. The round also saw participation from Paradigm, Moderne Ventures, SBI Investment, Coinbase Ventures, and Liberty City Ventures. Stablecoin Integration and Global Expansion A notable portion of the funds was settled using stablecoins, highlighting Mesh’s focus on digital asset payments over traditional banking rails. The company plans to expand its crypto payments network across Latin America, Asia, and Europe, while also advancing its product development…

Blockchain firm Wemade has added Chainlink Labs to its Global Alliance for KRW Stablecoins (GAKS), enhancing the alliance’s oracle and data infrastructure as South Korea continues to debate stablecoin regulation. The move is aimed at building compliance-ready infrastructure for Korean won-pegged stablecoins rather than issuing tokens directly. Role of Chainlink in GAKS Under the new partnership, Chainlink will provide support for data integrity, oracle services, and infrastructure standards. Its technology is expected to enable price feeds, onchain verification, and data-driven functions commonly required by institutional-grade digital asset systems. Wemade said the focus is on standardization and giving alliance members access…

Hyperliquid derivatives exchange, surged 24% within 24 hours following a notable increase in trading activity across silver, gold, and other commodity markets. This rally highlights the growing interest in crypto-backed commodity derivatives beyond traditional cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Silver Futures Drive Volume Silver perpetual futures on Hyperliquid became the platform’s third most active market during Asia trading hours, with $1.25 billion in volume and $155 million in open interest. The surge in trading activity is significant because Hyperliquid uses trading fees to buy back HYPE tokens, reinforcing a feedback loop that supports token demand and price growth. Market Mechanics Fuel HYPE…

The XRP price currently hovering near $1.89, continues to move within a descending channel pattern, a structure that typically reflects sustained bearish control. This gradual decline suggests that sellers remain dominant, limiting upside momentum despite short-term recovery attempts. Key Support and Resistance Levels Immediate support is located around $1.81, a level that has so far helped prevent deeper losses. However, any relief rally is likely to face selling pressure near the 20-day EMA at $1.97, which has acted as a dynamic resistance. A sharp rejection from the 20-day EMA could accelerate downside momentum, potentially dragging the XRP/USDT pair toward the…

Tether has officially launched its USAT stablecoin, marking a significant step into the U.S. regulated market. Designed as a U.S. dollar-backed digital asset, USAT aims to operate fully within the federal regulatory framework providing American users with a secure and compliant stablecoin option. This launch follows the passage of the GENIUS Act, a legislative measure that formalizes the regulatory landscape for stablecoins in the United States. USAT Brings Federally Regulated Dollar-Backed Stability Unlike Tether’s flagship USDT,which is not available to U.S. customers despite a market supply of $187 billion USAT is explicitly designed for the American financial ecosystem. Anchorage Digital…

SPECTRE AI is a Web3 startup focused on AI-powered market research tools for cryptocurrency traders and investors. The project provides a suite of analytical products that include sentiment analysis, technical metrics, and on-chain data insights designed to help users make informed decisions in volatile markets. Its flagship offering is an AI-driven search engine and research platform that consolidates diverse analytical functions in one interface. Core Functionality and Tools The SPECTRE platform delivers comprehensive market research tools such as sentiment scores based on social data, on-chain activity charts, technical indicators, and trend performance pages. The platform also integrates AI-based models that…

Stablecoins pose a material threat to bank deposits, both in the United States and globally, according to new analysis from Standard Chartered. The warning comes as the US CLARITY Act, which seeks to restrict interest on stablecoin holdings, faces delays, reinforcing concerns about the impact of digital dollars on traditional banking. Deposit Outflows and Market Size Standard Chartered estimates that US bank deposits could decline by roughly one-third of the stablecoin market capitalization, which currently stands at $301.4 billion for US dollar-pegged stablecoins. The risk is tied directly to deposits, which are critical for generating net interest margin (NIM) income,…

Japan’s financial regulator has opened a public consultation until Feb. 27, 2026, seeking feedback on draft rules that define which bonds can be used as reserve assets for yen-pegged stablecoins. The proposal forms part of the implementation of the 2025 Payment Services Act, which reshaped the country’s framework for settlement and electronic payment instruments. Rules for Stablecoin Reserve Assets Under the draft standards, reserve collateral would be limited to high-credit-quality foreign bonds. Eligible bonds must meet strict rating thresholds and be issued by entities with at least 100 trillion yen in outstanding issuance, ensuring liquidity and financial stability. These assets…

In a recent interview, Tucker Carlson challenged long-time gold advocate Peter Schiff on whether Bitcoin could emerge as a new global reserve currency as confidence in the US dollar continues to erode. Schiff firmly rejected the idea, describing Bitcoin as a speculative asset with no real-world utility and warning that proposals for a US Bitcoin strategic reserve would amount to a taxpayer-funded bailout for early adopters. Schiff Criticizes Crypto and Economic Policy Schiff also criticized official inflation data, arguing that Americans are misled about the true cost of living. He blamed fiscal policy and government spending, calling recent legislation a…