Author: Tristan Lodenberg

Ethereum has fallen roughly 20% in February, briefly slipping below the key $2,000 psychological level. Despite the pullback, onchain metrics indicate steady long term accumulation. More than 2.5 million ETH flowed into accumulation addresses during the month, lifting total holdings to 26.7 million ETH, up from 22 million at the start of 2026. Network activity is also expanding. Weekly transactions reached 17.3 million, while median fees dropped to $0.008 a dramatic decline compared to fee spikes above $25 during the 2021 peak cycle. Over 30% of ETH’s circulating supply, approximately 37.2 million coins, is now staked, tightening liquid supply conditions.…

Raees and Ameer Cajee, the co-founders of the collapsed crypto platform Africrypt, have reportedly returned to South Africa years after the platform’s downfall. Investigators tracking the so called “Bitcoin Brothers” found them residing inside the gated Zimbali Estate in KwaZulu Natal, with additional sightings in Umhlanga and Johannesburg, according to a TV investigation aired by “Carte Blanche.” Attempts to approach the property were reportedly blocked by private security. Legal Challenges Persist for Investors Investors who suffered losses from Africrypt continue to face difficulties in serving legal papers to the Cajees. One lawyer representing a client with an estimated $50 million…

Strategy has purchased 2,486 additional BTC for roughly $168.4 million, bringing its total holdings to 717,131 bitcoins. The acquisitions made between February 9 and 16 at an average price of $67,710 per bitcoin, were funded through the sale of the company’s Class A common stock (MSTR) and perpetual preferred stock (STRC). Strategy’s total investment in bitcoin now stands at approximately $54.5 billion, with an average cost of $76,027 per bitcoin. While this represents over 3.4% of Bitcoin’s 21 million hard cap, the firm’s current mark-to-market losses are around $5.7 billion. Funding Through Stock Issuances and Preferred Equity The recent purchases…

Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki has vetoed a second bill designed to align national crypto regulations with the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), intensifying uncertainty for domestic digital asset firms ahead of a key transition deadline. The rejected legislation, known as Bill 2064, aimed to implement MiCA standards into Polish law. A similar proposal, Bill 1424, was vetoed in December. Without an adopted framework, Poland has yet to designate a competent supervisory authority, a gap recently highlighted by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF). The regulator warned that the MiCA transition period ends on July 1, 2026. Regulatory Asymmetry…

The TON Foundation has entered a strategic partnership with Banxa, a subsidiary of OSL Group, to accelerate stablecoin payment adoption among small and medium sized enterprises across the Asia Pacific region. The collaboration enables businesses to leverage The Open Network blockchain for faster settlement and more efficient cross border transfers. By combining Banxa’s global fiat-to-crypto on- and off-ramp network with TON’s blockchain infrastructure, the initiative supports business to business (B2B), consumer to business (C2B), and international payment flows. The integration is designed to simplify how merchants access digital asset payments while remaining compliant in multiple jurisdictions where Banxa maintains licensed…

Polygon has recorded higher daily transaction fees than Ethereum for the first time, reflecting a surge in user activity tied largely to prediction market platform Polymarket. Token Terminal data shows Polygon generated $407,100 in daily fees on Friday, compared with Ethereum’s $211,700. While the gap narrowed the following day $303,000 for Polygon versus $285,000 for Ethereum the brief flip marks a notable shift in network demand. Polymarket Activity Fuels Layer-2 Expansion Analysts attribute the spike to heavy trading on Polymarket, which runs on Polygon. Over the past week, the platform accounted for more than $1 million in fees on the…

Activity on Monero has remained above pre-2022 levels, even after several major exchanges removed or restricted the privacy-focused cryptocurrency. Research from TRM Labs indicates transaction volumes in 2024 and 2025 did not decline significantly, suggesting sustained demand despite compliance-driven delistings. In 2024, platforms including Binance and Kraken phased out Monero trading pairs. Regulatory pressure intensified when authorities in Dubai prohibited privacy coins such as Monero and Zcash on licensed venues within the Dubai International Financial Centre. While Bitcoin continues to dominate ransom payments, darknet marketplaces are increasingly shifting toward Monero. Nearly 48% of newly launched darknet markets in 2025 reportedly…

Decentralized lending protocol ZeroLend has confirmed it will cease operations, pointing to declining liquidity and reduced activity across several blockchains it supports. Founder “Ryker” said the protocol is no longer sustainable, noting that multiple networks have become inactive or significantly less liquid. ZeroLend primarily operated on Ethereum layer-2 ecosystems linked to Ethereum. However, falling user participation and shrinking capital flows have eroded revenue opportunities. According to DefiLlama data, the protocol’s total value locked dropped from nearly $359 million at its peak in November 2024 to approximately $6.6 million. Illiquid Chains and Oracle Withdrawals Strain DeFi Model Ryker said some oracle…

SBI Holdings has signed a letter of intent to acquire a controlling stake in Singapore based crypto exchange Coinhako. The proposed deal would see SBI inject fresh capital and purchase shares from existing investors, potentially making Coinhako a consolidated subsidiary pending regulatory approval. The transaction will be executed through SBI’s wholly owned unit SBI Ventures Asset. Financial details and final ownership percentages have not been disclosed, and the agreement remains nonbinding while terms are negotiated. Licensed Singapore Platform Strengthens Regional Strategy Coinhako operates through Hako Technology, a Major Payment Institution licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. The group also…

A recent survey of 4,658 crypto users across 15 countries, commissioned by BVNK and conducted by YouGov, found that 39% of respondents receive part of their income in stablecoins, while 27% use them for daily payments. The study highlights that lower fees and faster cross-border transfers are key drivers for adoption, especially in emerging markets. Survey participants reported holding an average of $200 in stablecoins globally, rising to around $1,000 in high-income economies. Respondents using stablecoins for income stated that the assets make up roughly 35% of their annual earnings. Cross-border transfers using stablecoins offered about 40% in fee savings…