Author: Tristan Lodenberg

The latest US economic figures show mixed but inflation sensitive signals for financial markets. Monthly GDP expanded by 0.2%, beating the 0.1% forecast and improving from the previous 0.0% reading. The stronger-than-expected growth suggests steady economic momentum. Meanwhile, Core Producer Price Index (PPI) rose 0.8% month-over-month, significantly above the 0.3% forecast and higher than the prior 0.7%. Headline PPI also increased 0.5%, exceeding expectations of 0.3% and matching the previous 0.5% print. Elevated producer prices indicate persistent inflationary pressure in the supply chain. Impact on US Dollar and Gold Prices Stronger GDP growth combined with hotter-than-expected inflation data typically supports…

Shares of Figure Technology Solutions drew renewed analyst support after the company reported a sharp rise in fourth-quarter profitability. The firm posted $159.9 million in net revenue for Q4 2025, landing within previously guided expectations. Net income climbed 156% year over year to $15.1 million, compared with $5.9 million in the same period a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA reached $81.3 million, representing a 52% margin. Loan marketplace volume totaled $2.7 billion for the quarter, up 8% sequentially despite typical seasonal softness. Analysts at Bernstein maintained an outperform rating and a $72 price target, noting that recent share price weakness contrasts…

A federal judge in New York has ruled that Binance can’t compel a group of US investors to resolve pre-2019 claims through private arbitration, allowing the proposed class action to proceed in open court. Judge Andrew Carter Jr. of the Southern District of New York determined that users who traded on Binance.com before Feb. 20, 2019 were not bound by an arbitration clause introduced in updated terms of service that year. The court found there was insufficient evidence that customers received clear notice of the revised agreement, which added arbitration and class action waiver provisions absent from the 2017 version.…

Shares of Circle briefly topped $90 following a strong Q4 report, extending post earnings gains driven by expanding revenue streams beyond traditional reserve income. Analysts at Bernstein reiterated an outperform rating with a $190 price target, citing “clear divergence from crypto” as Circle’s revenue and adjusted EBITDA exceeded expectations. Transaction revenue strengthened, supported by Circle’s super validator role on the Canton blockchain network and an increase in USDC held directly on Circle’s platform to 17% of total supply, up from 14% the prior quarter. Circle projects USDC circulation to grow 40% annually, with other revenue sources potentially reaching $170 million…

A prediction market on Polymarket has sparked controversy after blockchain data revealed that a small group of wallets placed highly profitable bets before an investigation’s findings became public. The market, which generated roughly $40 million in trading volume, allowed users to wager on which crypto firm would be named in an exposé by on-chain investigator ZachXBT. When the report identified Axiom as the subject, several wallets that had heavily backed Axiom shares saw outsized returns. Lookchain reported that at least 12 wallets collectively earned more than $1 million. One address accumulated nearly 477,000 shares at an average price of $0.14,…

US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange traded funds have attracted more than $1.02 billion in net inflows over three consecutive trading sessions, signaling renewed investor confidence despite recent price weakness. Data from SoSoValue shows the strongest single-day intake during the stretch reached $506.5 million. The rebound follows a prolonged period of withdrawals after Bitcoin’s record high in October. Since that peak, total outflows have reached approximately $6.5 billion. However, analysts note that this figure remains modest compared with the roughly $55 billion that has entered the spot Bitcoin ETF category since January 2024. BlackRock IBIT Leads Bitcoin ETF Recovery The turnaround was…

Nasdaq listed Bitcoin miner TeraWulf reported full year 2025 revenue of $168.5 million, marking a 20.3% increase from the previous year. The results reflect early contributions from its expanding high-performance computing (HPC) operations, which generated $16.9 million in leasing revenue during the year. Despite top line growth, the company’s financial losses widened significantly. Net loss surged to $661.4 million in 2025, compared with $72.4 million in 2024. The firm also recorded a non GAAP adjusted EBITDA loss of $23.1 million. Fourth-quarter digital asset revenue declined to $26.1 million from $43.4 million in the prior quarter, largely due to lower Bitcoin…

Australia’s crypto sector is entering a new phase of maturity, marked by steady user growth and improving regulatory clarity. Industry leaders speaking at the XRP Australia 2026 in Sydney pointed to stronger engagement between policymakers and digital asset businesses as a sign of progress. Executives from Coinbase noted that government bodies, including Treasury and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, have deepened their technical understanding of blockchain and digital assets. This regulatory upskilling has helped create a more constructive policy environment. Institutional exposure is also widening. Australia launched its first spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund in June 2024, followed by an…

SBI Holdings has announced plans to launch a Japanese yen denominated stablecoin, JPYSC, in the second quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approval. The initiative is being developed in partnership with Startale Group and is positioned as Japan’s first trust bank-backed stablecoin. Issuance of JPYSC will be managed by SBI Shinsei Trust Bank, aligning the project with Japan’s digital asset regulations. Distribution is expected to be led by SBI VC Trade, the group’s crypto exchange arm, while Startale will oversee the technical infrastructure. Japan Stablecoin Regulation and Institutional Adoption The partners say the trust based framework is designed to strengthen governance,…

Vitalik Buterin has outlined a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen Ethereum against future quantum computing threats, identifying four key areas of vulnerability: validator signatures, data storage, user accounts and zero-knowledge proofs. As concerns grow that advanced quantum computers could eventually compromise traditional cryptographic systems, Buterin emphasized the need for long-term structural upgrades. One proposal involves replacing Ethereum’s current BLS consensus signatures with quantum-safe, hash-based alternatives. Selecting the appropriate hash function is critical, as it could define the network’s security foundation for decades. Upgrading Signatures, Data Storage and Proof Systems Ethereum’s existing data storage mechanism relies on KZG commitments. The proposed shift…