SEC Staff Guidance on Liquid Staking Leaves Regulatory Questions Unresolved
The SEC Division of Corporation Finance’s new staff statement clarifies that liquid staking activities and receipt tokens do not inherently constitute securities offerings. Key legal issues around taxation and complex product structures remain unaddressed, leaving ambiguity for market participants.
🔎 Coin Research — Zora Protocol (ZORA) — 08 August 2025
New weekly coin research for Zora Protocol (ZORA). — Score: 7.00/10 TL;DR: Zora is an on-chain NFT marketplace infrastructure and content tokenization protocol, leveraging a Layer 2 network for low fees and high throughput to empower c
Winklevoss Twins Invest in Trump-Family Bitcoin Mining Venture
Gemini co-founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss have reportedly invested in American Bitcoin, a mining company co-founded by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. The undisclosed investment marks another financial tie between the Winklevoss twins and the Trump family’s crypto interests.
SEC-Ripple Enforcement Action Ends After Joint Appeal Withdrawal
The SEC and Ripple Labs have jointly filed to dismiss both the regulator’s appeal and Ripple’s cross-appeal in the Second Circuit, concluding the enforcement action over XRP. The settlement preserves the prior judgment and ends one of crypto’s marquee legal battles.
Roman Storm’s Early Passion for Code Leads to Guilty Verdict
Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash, was convicted of conspiring to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business in a New York federal court. Jury hung on money laundering and sanctions evasion charges, which prosecutors may retry in a new trial.
Ripple to acquire stablecoin platform Rail for $200 million
Ripple will buy cross-border stablecoin payments company Rail for $200 million, pending regulatory approval and expected to close in Q4 2025. The deal aims to enhance stablecoin payment solutions with virtual accounts and automated back-office processes.
DOT Gains as Much as 4% in Strong Bullish Breakout
Polkadot’s DOT token rose up to 4% in a 24-hour period ending at 15:00 UTC on August 7, climbing from $3.65 to $3.80. The breakout occurred on triple-average volume, driven by institutional buying, with key support and resistance levels forming at $3.68 and $3.80.
NYDFS Fines Paxos $26.5M for Compliance Failures Tied to BUSD
The New York Department of Financial Services imposed a $26.5 million penalty on Paxos Trust Company for anti-money laundering and due diligence deficiencies linked to its past partnership with Binance on BUSD. Paxos will invest an additional $22 million to upgrade its compliance program.
SharpLink Raises $200M to Expand Ethereum Treasury to $2B
SharpLink Gaming completed a $200 million direct offering at $19.50 per share with four institutional investors. Proceeds will fund additional ETH purchases to boost the company’s holdings above $2 billion, making it one of the largest corporate ETH treasuries.
ProShares Debuts Ultra CRCL ETF for Twice Daily Exposure to Circle
ProShares launched the first 2x leveraged ETF tracking Circle Internet Group stock, offering twice the daily return of CRCL without margin borrowing. The fund began trading on the NYSE Arca on August 6, following CRCL’s 134% post-IPO surge.
ATOM Surges 3% as Cosmos Ecosystem Gains dYdX Integration
ATOM price rose 3.40% from $4.26 to $4.41 between August 6 15:00 and August 7 14:00 UTC, driven by high trading volume. The rally followed Coinbase’s launch of native dYdX integration on the Cosmos network. Broader market rotation favored decentralized platforms amid geopolitical tensions.
XRP Pushes Through $3 as Ripple-SEC Appeal Decision Looms
XRP climbed above $3 after breaking through multiple resistance levels, driven by high-volume buying on Korean exchanges. The price surge coincides with an upcoming SEC hearing on Ripple’s appeal withdrawal, while SBI Holdings filed for a Bitcoin-XRP ETF, signaling growing institutional interest.
Bitcoin Steadies as Short-Term Holder Profit-Taking Slows
On-chain indicators show a retreat in Bitcoin profit-taking by short-term holders after recent rallies, pointing to potential price stabilization. Key metrics such as the spent output profit ratio have moderated, reflecting a drop in liquidations and growing confidence among market participants.
Marex Becomes 'First' Clearing Firm to Use JPMorgan’s Kinexys Blockchain For Settlements
Marex has partnered with Brevan Howard Digital to deploy JPMorgan’s permissioned Kinexys blockchain platform for client settlements. The integration enables 24/7 programmable payments, reduces settlement risk, time, and cost, and signals growing TradFi interest in blockchain infrastructure.
Ethereum Treasury Companies Surpass Spot ETH ETF Inflows, Standard Chartered Reports
Standard Chartered Bank data shows corporate Ethereum treasury holdings have grown by 1.6% of circulating supply since June, matching the pace of U.S. spot ETH ETF purchases. Treasury companies benefit from staking yields and DeFi access, making them more attractive to institutional investors than ETFs.
Hong Kong’s New Stablecoin Law Faces Industry Pushback Over Stringent KYC
Hong Kong's stablecoin ordinance, effective August 1, mandates verification of every stablecoin holder’s identity. Industry participants warned strict KYC rules could deter global users and hinder the city's bid to become a digital finance hub, arguing it undermines stablecoin efficiency and privacy benefits.
Trump to Sign Executive Order Allowing Crypto in 401(k) Plans
President Donald Trump will sign an order directing federal agencies to consider allowing private equity, real estate, cryptocurrency and other alternative assets in 401(k) retirement plans. The move aims to give defined contribution plans access to $12 trillion in assets but has drawn criticism over potential risks to savers’ portfolios.
Bitcoin Holds Above $114,500 as Institutional Inflows Return
Bitcoin steadied above $114,500 after investment products saw renewed inflows, lifting institutional sentiment. Ethereum and major altcoins also recorded gains. Analysts highlighted key liquidity zones and forecast a potential rally if critical resistance levels are breached.
Bitcoin Rises on Improved Risk Appetite After Tariffs Take Effect
Bitcoin climbed 0.8% to $115,003 amid reduced market uncertainty following the implementation of U.S. reciprocal tariffs. Broader crypto markets also saw gains, led by Ethereum, Solana and XRP, as correlated tech stocks rallied. The move is attributed to renewed inflows and a more positive risk tone in equity markets.
HashFlare Founders Want No More Jail Time as US Asks for 10 Years
HashFlare co-founders Sergei Potapenko and Ivan Turõgin seek time served for wire fraud after admitting to a $577 million mining contract Ponzi scheme, while prosecutors request 10 years’ imprisonment. Sentencing memo highlights $300 million victim losses and emphasizes deterrence.
Bitcoin, Ether, XRP Price Bump Pushes Market Sentiment to ‘Greed’
The Crypto Fear & Greed Index rose to 62, returning to “Greed” as major cryptocurrencies saw gains. Bitcoin gained 1%, Ether rallied over 2%, and XRP added 2.14% in 24 hours. Analysts cite the uptick as a sign of near-term market stability and potential bullish breakout.
Crypto Memes — 2025-08-07
😂 Best crypto memes today — BTC swings, altcoin drama, and trader jokes. Laugh & share the top picks for 2025-08-07. 🚀
With South Korea’s CBDC Plans Dead, KakaoBank Joins Stablecoin Gold Rush
KakaoBank is exploring entry into South Korea’s stablecoin sector following the halt of the central bank’s CBDC pilot. Bank plans include roles in issuance and custody, leveraging compliance expertise from prior crypto projects. Initiative aligns with new legislation enabling private stablecoin issuance.
Weaponized Trading Bots Drain $1M From Crypto Users via AI-Generated YouTube Scam
Over $1 million has been siphoned from users through malicious smart contracts posing as MEV trading bots, according to SentinelLABS. Campaign used AI-generated YouTube videos and obfuscated Solidity code to deceive victims. SentinelLABS warns against deploying free bots from social media and stresses thorough code review.
Crypto Digest — 07 August 2025
📢 Read the daily digest for 2025-08-07: 📰 top news, 📊 analytics and 🌍 events of the day in one place. Stay up to date with what s important!
Circle co-founder to create ‘AI-native’ bank after $18M raise
Sean Neville, co-founder of Circle, announced the launch of Catena Labs with $18 million in funding led by a16z Crypto to build the first fully regulated AI-native financial institution. The platform will leverage stablecoins for AI agent transactions, integrate an open-source Agent Commerce Kit for identity verification, and employ AI-specific risk and compliance controls.
Parataxis to go public in $640M SPAC merger with Silverbox
Parataxis Holdings, an institutional digital asset manager, announced a merger with SilverBox Corp IV to raise up to $640 million for a NYSE-listed Bitcoin treasury company. The deal delivers $240 million to Parataxis, including $31 million earmarked for immediate Bitcoin purchases and a $400 million equity line of credit for future BTC accumulation.
IREN Ltd Mines More Bitcoin Than MARA in July, Shares Soar Over 11%
IREN Ltd reported mining 728 BTC in July, surpassing MARA’s 703 BTC despite 14% lower hashrate. Shares rose 11.4%, lifting market cap to $4.11 billion and marking second-highest valuation among public miners.
🔎 Coin Research — Vine (VNE) — 07 August 2025
New weekly coin research for Vine (VNE). — Score: 7.00/10 TL;DR: Build a decentralized Layer 0 blockchain with semantic world state enabling a true metaverse.
Polkadot DOT Rises 4% on Institutional Buying Surge
Polkadot’s DOT rose by as much as 4 % amid increased institutional buying and corporate treasury allocations driven by regulatory clarity. Bifrost secured over 81 % of DOT’s liquid staking token market, boosting total value locked by more than $90 million.
Parataxis Holdings to Go Public via $400M SPAC Merger
Parataxis Holdings confirmed a SPAC merger with SilverBox Corp IV to go public at a $400M valuation. The firm has raised $31M for bitcoin purchases ahead of listing and will expand into South Korea through a rebrand of Bridge Biotherapeutics.
Standard Chartered Flags ETH Treasury Stocks Over ETFs as Better Buys
Standard Chartered research shows Ethereum treasury companies and ETH ETF holders each purchased 1.6% of circulating ETH since June, normalizing NAV multiples and enhancing appeal. Analyst Geoff Kendrick argues treasury stocks offer regulatory arbitrage and similar price exposure with lower ETF import risks, recommending treasury plays over spot ETH ETFs.
Solana’s Seeker Mobile Crypto Phone Begins Global Shipments
Solana Mobile’s Seeker smartphone, designed for crypto-native usage, began shipping after pre-orders exceeded 150,000 units across 50 countries. The device improves battery life and usability over its Saga predecessor, targeting weekly on-chain transactors. The Seeker delivers mobile-first wallet integration and sub-second transaction speeds on the Solana network.
Babylon Launches Trustless Bitcoin Vaults Using BitVM3 Framework
Babylon introduced trustless Bitcoin vaults leveraging the new BitVM3 framework to enable BTC holders to deposit without intermediaries. The system uses off-chain computing and zero-knowledge proofs, aiming to facilitate BTC collateral in DeFi applications and native staking rewards. The white paper details on-chain vault security and programmable withdrawal conditions.
China Warns Iris Scanning Crypto Project Over National Security Risks
China’s Ministry of State Security warned of national security risks from foreign companies offering cryptocurrency incentives for iris scans, citing potential biometric data misuse abroad. The advisory appears directed at Worldcoin’s iris-based identity network amid regulatory actions in multiple countries. Concerns include data transfer to foreign entities and surveillance vulnerabilities.
BONK Memecoin Slides 4% as Intraday Volatility Tops 50%
Solana-based memecoin BONK dropped 3.9% to $0.00002383 over 24 hours and swung 50.3% intraday between $0.00002486 and $0.00002360. A late-session 0.53% rebound stemmed from institutional short covering.
ICP Price Dips 2.4% Before Bouncing Off $5 Support Level
Internet Computer (ICP) retreated 2.4% to $5.08 over 24 hours but recovered 3.2% from intraday lows of $4.97 to $5.13. Volume surged 56% above average at 05:00 UTC, indicating buyer interest at key support.
Standard Chartered Flags Ethereum Treasury Stocks Over ETFs
Standard Chartered analyst recommends ether treasury companies as more attractive than ETH spot ETFs, citing normalized NAV multiples and similar supply exposure. Treasury firms and ETFs each hold about 1.6% of circulating ether.
Bakkt Acquires 30% Stake in Japan’s Marusho Hotta to Expand Into Asia
Bakkt signed an agreement to purchase a 30% interest in Tokyo-listed Marusho Hotta, becoming its largest shareholder and securing the bitcoin.jp brand. The deal positions Bakkt for growth in Asian crypto markets under new leadership.
Roman Storm Convicted for Operating Unlicensed Crypto Mixer Business
A Manhattan jury found Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm guilty of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. Verdict leaves money laundering and sanctions charges unresolved, pending possible retrial. Storm remains free on bail pending sentencing.
Base Says Sequencer Failure Caused Block Production Halt of 33 Minutes
Block production on Coinbase’s Base network was halted for 33 minutes due to a sequencer failover that did not recover automatically after on-chain congestion. Engineers manually intervened to restore operations, and Base plans infrastructure changes and enhanced test coverage to ensure backup sequencers are fully provisioned prior to failover events.
SBI Files for Bitcoin–XRP ETF in Japan, Pushing Dual Crypto Exposure Into Regulated Markets
SBI Holdings filed for a dual-asset ‘Crypto-Assets ETF’ in Japan, offering simultaneous exposure to bitcoin and XRP in a single product. The filing, disclosed in its Q2 2025 earnings report, represents Japan’s first potential institutional product bundling XRP with bitcoin. SBI also proposed a Digital Gold Crypto ETF combining gold ETFs with gold-backed cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin ETFs Bleed Millions for 4th Straight Day as U.S. Stagflation Fears Weigh on BTC and Stocks
Investors withdrew $196 million from U.S.-listed bitcoin ETFs for a fourth consecutive day amid stagflation concerns after weak U.S. ISM services PMI data. Ether ETFs attracted $73.22 million in inflows. Market declines in tech stocks and cryptocurrencies followed the release of pressing economic indicators.
China Warns Worldcoin-Style Iris Scanning a National Security Threat
China’s Ministry of State Security issued an advisory warning foreign firms against incentivizing iris scans with cryptocurrency, citing risks of privacy violations and national security breaches. The advisory, referencing projects like Worldcoin, highlighted concerns over biometric data transfers abroad and potential misuse for surveillance or deepfake operations.
Nomura-Backed Laser Digital Wins Regulatory Nod for Crypto Derivatives in Dubai
Laser Digital obtained approval under Dubai VARA’s pilot framework to offer regulated over-the-counter crypto derivative options, becoming the first entity to secure such a license. The firm will initially provide medium-dated options under ISDA agreements targeting major tokens. The license highlights Dubai’s growing appeal as a crypto-friendly jurisdiction.
Base Outage: Sequencer Failover Left Network Offline for 33 Minutes
Coinbase’s Base network experienced a 33-minute outage after a sequencer failover attempted under congestion. The backup sequencer was not fully provisioned, requiring manual intervention to restore block production. Base plans infrastructure changes to prevent similar incidents.
Pendle Launches Boros Platform for Betting on BTC and ETH Funding Rates
Pendle launched Boros on Arbitrum, allowing speculation on Bitcoin and Ether funding rates through Yield Units. The platform caps open interest at $10 million and supports up to 1.2× leverage. Planned expansions include additional token listings and liquidity integrations.
SBI Files for Dual Bitcoin and XRP ETF in Japan’s Regulated Markets
SBI Holdings filed for a dual-asset ‘Crypto-Assets ETF’ in Japan to track Bitcoin and XRP simultaneously. A separate Digital Gold Crypto ETF would blend gold ETFs with gold-backed tokens. Approval is pending, which would mark Japan’s first XRP-inclusive institutional product.
Laser Digital Gains First VARA License for OTC Crypto Derivatives in Dubai
Nomura’s Laser Digital secured the first VARA pilot framework license to offer OTC crypto derivative services in Dubai. The license covers medium-dated options on major tokens under ISDA agreements. Dubai’s crypto-friendly regulations continue to lure global firms.
Bitcoin ETFs Suffer Fourth Consecutive Day of Outflows Amid Stagflation Concerns
U.S.-listed bitcoin ETFs saw net outflows of $196 million over four consecutive days. Ether ETFs attracted $73.22 million in inflows after SEC staking guidance. Stagflation fears from U.S. services PMI pressured risk assets.
Goldman Sachs and BNY Mellon Launch Tokenized Money Market Funds
Goldman Sachs and BNY Mellon announced a joint initiative to tokenize money market fund shares on a regulated blockchain. The program enables institutional investors to create and redeem digital tokens representing traditional MMF units in real time. The project follows regulatory approvals and aims to streamline settlement and compliance.
Binance CEO Files Motion to Dismiss $1.76B FTX Clawback Lawsuit
Changpeng Zhao filed a motion in a U.S. court seeking dismissal of a $1.76 billion clawback lawsuit filed by the FTX bankruptcy estate. The filing argues that the complaint fails to allege necessary legal elements for preferential or fraudulent transfers. The dispute stems from FTX’s collapse in November 2022.
Ripple and BDACS Launch Institutional XRP Custody Service in South Korea
BDACS has commenced regulated custody support for XRP in South Korea following a February partnership with Ripple. The service provides institutional clients with compliant storage and management of XRP and RLUSD, aligning with Korea’s Financial Services Commission roadmap to expand institutional crypto participation.
Asia Briefing: Architect Launches Institutional-Grade Crypto Credit Ratings Service
Architect has introduced the first institutional-grade credit rating platform built for crypto, addressing the absence of a trusted risk assessment intermediary. The service leverages blockchain-based data to evaluate creditworthiness of miners and DePIN projects, aiming to unlock new financing channels in digital assets.
Binance to Launch USDⓈ-Margined ALL Composite Index Perpetual Contract with 75x Leverage
Binance Futures will introduce a new USDⓈ-M perpetual contract tracking an ALL composite index of USDT-quoted contracts, excluding select instruments. The contract offers up to 75× leverage and rebalances daily at 08:00 UTC. The launch is scheduled for 2025-08-06T09:00 UTC to enable broader market participation in a diversified index structure.
SEC’s Peirce Defends Transaction Privacy Ahead of Tornado Cash Verdict
SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce issued a staff statement arguing that certain on-chain transaction privacy measures do not inherently violate securities laws. Her comments aim to clarify regulatory expectations as the Tornado Cash court case concludes.
Trump to Order Probe of Crypto, Political Debanking Claims: WSJ
According to the Wall Street Journal, former President Trump will direct a federal investigation into allegations of political debanking and discrimination against crypto businesses. The probe aims to assess whether banks improperly targeted clients based on political or industry affiliations.
Philippines SEC Cracks Down on Unregistered Crypto Exchanges
The Philippines SEC issued warnings to multiple unregistered crypto platforms, including OKX, Bybit, KuCoin, and Kraken. The regulator cited non-compliance with local licensing requirements and imposed cease-and-desist orders pending formal registration or withdrawal from the market.
CrediX Recovers $4.5 M in Crypto After Exploit Negotiation
CrediX successfully negotiated with attackers to recover approximately $4.5 million in digital assets following an exploit. The recovery underscores the growing use of off-chain negotiations and white-hat recovery strategies to mitigate losses from smart contract vulnerabilities.
🔎 Coin Research — Cycle Network (CYC) — 06 August 2025
New weekly coin research for Cycle Network (CYC). — Score: 7.00/10 TL;DR: A trustless omnichain interoperability protocol abstracting global state across multiple blockchains.