Author: Tristan Lodenberg

The latest US labor market data showed stronger-than-expected momentum, reinforcing the resilience of the economy. Average Hourly Earnings rose 0.4% month over month, surpassing the 0.3% forecast and improving slightly from the previous 0.3% reading. The uptick in wage growth suggests continued pressure in the labor market and may influence expectations around future monetary policy decisions. Non-Farm Employment Change also exceeded projections, with 130,000 jobs added during the reporting period. Economists had anticipated a gain of 66,000, while the previous reading stood at 48,000. The stronger payroll expansion signals ongoing hiring activity despite tighter financial conditions and global economic uncertainty.…

The European Parliament has formally endorsed the European Central Bank’s (ECB) digital euro initiative, emphasizing its role in preserving monetary sovereignty and securing Europe’s payment infrastructure. The approval came through the annual ECB report, passed by 443 votes in favor, 71 against, and 117 abstentions. Amendments highlight the digital euro as essential for reducing fragmentation in retail payments and strengthening the integrity of the single market. MEPs stressed that the ECB must maintain independence from political influence to safeguard price stability and market confidence. Johan Van Overtveldt, former Belgian finance minister, noted that central bank autonomy is critical, warning that…

Malaysia’s central bank, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), has announced plans to launch three initiatives in 2026 focused on local currency stablecoins and tokenized deposits for wholesale payment use cases. The projects will be run under BNM’s Digital Asset Innovation Hub (DAIH), the country’s regulatory sandbox for crypto-related innovation. One initiative is a B2B Ringgit stablecoin settlement program led by Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia and Capital A. The other two projects focus on tokenized deposits for payments, spearheaded by Maybank and CIMB. BNM stated that the trials will help assess potential impacts on monetary and financial stability and guide policy development,…

The winner of X’s $1 million creator competition, known by the handle @beaverd, is facing allegations of profiting roughly $600,000 from Solana-based memecoin rug pulls, according to blockchain analytics firm Bubblemaps. The claims focus on a public wallet allegedly linked to the account, which was connected to the launch of the SIAS token on Pump.fun, a Solana memecoin creation platform. Bubblemaps reported that SIAS briefly reached a market capitalization of $6 million before collapsing to zero shortly after launch, with its social media presence deleted. The analysis further suggested that multiple wallets tied to the same entity may have accumulated…

A crypto-aligned super political action committee is preparing to spend $5 million to support Representative Barry Moore in his bid for the US Senate, according to a recent report. The funding will come from Defend American Jobs, an affiliate of Fairshake, one of the most prominent crypto-focused PACs in the United States. The five-week advertising campaign is expected to roll out on broadcast television and cable networks, including Fox News Channel. The ads will reportedly feature an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, positioning Moore as a candidate aligned with pro-crypto economic policies. Super PACs are permitted to raise unlimited…

A federal judge in New York has dismissed a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Bancor-affiliated entities against Uniswap, finding that the patents in question claim abstract ideas that are not eligible for protection under US law. In a Feb. 10 memorandum opinion, Judge John G. Koeltl of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York granted Uniswap’s motion to dismiss the complaint brought by Bprotocol Foundation and LocalCoin Ltd. The court concluded that the patents relate to the abstract concept of calculating cryptocurrency exchange rates, failing the Supreme Court’s two-step test for patent eligibility. Uniswap founder Hayden…

Spark has introduced two new products, Spark Prime and Spark Institutional Lending, aimed at expanding the role of onchain stablecoins in institutional credit markets. The decentralized asset allocator is positioning its lending infrastructure as a bridge between decentralized finance liquidity and traditional institutional borrowers. Spark Prime is structured as a margin-style lending platform with off-exchange settlement, powered by Spark’s internal liquidity engine. The product is designed to provide stablecoin credit without requiring institutions to directly manage DeFi infrastructure. Early partners include Edge Capital, M1 and Hardcore Labs. Initial allocations for Spark Prime stand at approximately $15 million, with gradual expansion…

Franklin Templeton has introduced an institutional off-exchange collateral program in collaboration with Binance, allowing clients to use tokenized money market fund (MMF) shares to support digital asset trading. The structure enables institutions to pledge tokenized MMF shares issued through Franklin Templeton’s Benji Technology Platform while keeping the underlying assets in regulated custody. Instead of transferring assets directly onto the exchange, the tokenized fund shares are held off-exchange by Ceffu Custody, a Dubai-regulated digital asset custodian. Their collateral value is mirrored within Binance’s trading system, enabling institutions to maintain trading positions without relinquishing control of their assets. The model is designed…

The era of explosive, high-risk gains in cryptocurrency markets could be drawing to a close as institutional investors reshape the industry, according to Galaxy CEO Mike Novogratz. Speaking at a financial conference in New York, Novogratz said the influx of more risk-averse capital signals a maturing market structure. Institutional Adoption Changing Crypto Market Returns Novogratz noted that retail traders historically entered crypto seeking outsized returns, often targeting multiples such as 8x or even 30x gains. In contrast, institutional participants are typically focused on steadier, risk-adjusted performance. This shift, he suggested, may reduce the extreme volatility that once defined the sector.…

Bitcoin slid below the $67,000 level early Wednesday as traders reacted to a more hawkish U.S. macroeconomic outlook, triggering renewed pressure across major cryptocurrencies. The world’s largest digital asset dropped 3.1% over the past 24 hours to $66,804. Ether declined 4.1% to $1,965, while XRP and BNB fell 4.3% and 4.5%, respectively. Hawkish Federal Reserve Expectations Pressure Crypto Market analysts linked the downturn to shifting expectations around U.S. monetary policy. The nomination of Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chair has been interpreted as a signal of tighter liquidity conditions and fewer potential rate cuts ahead. Traders are now closely watching…