A recent report from Citizens Bank indicates that prediction markets are experiencing rapid growth, with current annualized revenue exceeding $3 billion and projected to reach $10 billion by 2030, establishing themselves as a new asset class. The report shows a continued rise in prediction market trading volume. January's volume increased by over 40% compared to December, and February maintained a similar level, despite the expected decline after the traditional sports season. Analysts believe this trend reflects the transformation of prediction markets from a niche betting tool to a mature financial market. Citizens Bank identifies increased trading volume, a more robust market structure, and initial participation from institutional investors as key drivers of this growth. Currently, some institutions are entering the market as data users and liquidity providers, laying the foundation for wider institutional adoption. Prediction markets allow traders to price and hedge risks associated with discrete events such as election results, interest rate decisions, or merger approvals. Compared to proxy tools like index futures or options, they can reduce basis risk and provide real-time probability signals. Analysts point out that the development path of prediction markets is similar to that of the early derivatives market and digital asset industry, gradually transitioning from retail investor-dominated liquidity to participation from market makers and institutional funds. Currently, representative platforms include the regulated event contract exchange Kalshi and the decentralized prediction market Polymarket, and the industry as a whole is gradually moving towards the mainstream financial system.

As artificial intelligence continues to attract significant venture capital and market attention, some industry insiders are beginning to worry whether the crypto industry has missed its "ChatGPT moment." In response, Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner of crypto investment firm Dragonfly, stated that this comparison is misleading; the crypto industry has not been replaced by AI, and the shift in capital flows is simply "a result of the normal workings of capitalism." Qureshi pointed out that AI and crypto products are fundamentally different. Currently, most AI users utilize free services, while crypto assets do not have a "free tier." He stated that approximately 80% of Americans have tried AI tools, and about 15% have held crypto assets, which already represents widespread adoption. He believes the core fundamentals of the crypto industry remain solid, especially the outstanding growth of stablecoins, whose supply continues to maintain an annual growth rate of approximately 50%. Despite a cooling market sentiment, the overall size of crypto assets remains around $2 trillion, with high technological leverage, allowing small teams to build global-scale projects. Regarding the significant shift of venture capital funds towards AI, Qureshi believes this does not signify the decline of the crypto industry, but rather a correction of the excessive financing of previous years. He stated that increasing investment during market downturns is actually a more rational strategy, and Dragonfly's recent announcement of a new $650 million fund is based on this judgment. Qureshi holds a cautious view regarding the prospects of combining AI and cryptography. He believes that it will still take several years for AI agents to truly adopt cryptography on a large scale, and AI will not be the "savior" of the crypto industry's recovery. Qureshi concluded that the crypto industry is currently facing more cyclical fluctuations than structural recessions, and market volatility is a normal part of long-term development. "There's no need to be overly pessimistic; this is not a disaster."

Avichal Garg, a partner at Electric Capital, points out that as AI agents become increasingly autonomous, developers are starting to configure them with crypto wallets, enabling the software to hold assets, pay service fees, trade tokens, and even hire other AI agents. This trend is driving crypto technology into a new phase—building financial systems for “non-human entities,” but the relevant legal framework is still significantly lagging behind. He believes that with the programmable funds, instant settlement, and global accessibility of blockchain, AI agents can not only make decisions but also independently complete transactions, thus forming software entities that can “think and execute financial activities.” Garg states that this model is similar to the emergence of the limited liability company system in the 19th century, releasing new productivity thresholds for economic activity. As the cost of participation continues to decrease, more individuals and teams worldwide can create economic value with the help of AI agents. However, the core issue remains the definition of legal liability. Since AI itself cannot be punished, there is still no clear answer as to who should bear the responsibility if an AI agent with an independent wallet participates in transactions, lending, or business activities and causes losses. This issue may become a fundamental problem that regulators must face in the future.

The White House recently reiterated that President Trump currently has no plans to pardon FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF). Despite SBF's recent frequent pronouncements on social media, seen as an attempt to garner political support, these efforts have yet to yield results. Reportedly, SBF has been posting almost daily on the X platform in recent weeks, expressing support for Trump and his economic policies while criticizing Democrats and expressing dissatisfaction with the judge presiding over his case. He has also repeatedly claimed that "FTX remains solvent," but has not yet formally requested a pardon. Media reports previously indicated that Trump had no intention of pardoning SBF, a position subsequently confirmed by a White House official, citing Trump's remarks in a January interview that he had no plans to pardon several prominent figures, including SBF. However, the White House did not specify whether future policy changes are possible. While Trump has pardoned some prominent figures in the crypto industry since taking office, analysts believe the likelihood of SBF, who donated approximately $5.2 million to the Biden campaign in 2020, receiving a pardon remains low.

Raistone, a trade finance company, has filed for liquidation after the downfall of auto parts supplier First Brands. Bloomberg posted on X that the firm had ceased its operations weeks prior to this filing. The collapse of First Brands significantly impacted Raistone, leading to its decision to liquidate. The company had been involved in providing financial solutions to various businesses, but the recent events forced it to wind down its activities. The liquidation marks the end of Raistone's operations in the trade finance sector.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note is closely linked to oil prices, according to recent analyses. Bloomberg posted on X, highlighting the correlation between these two financial indicators. As oil prices fluctuate, they can impact inflation expectations, which in turn affect bond yields. Investors are advised to monitor oil market trends to anticipate changes in Treasury yields. This relationship underscores the interconnectedness of global markets and the importance of energy prices in economic forecasting.

OpenAI has announced the appointment of Arvind KC as its new chief people officer. Bloomberg posted on X, highlighting that KC, formerly with Roblox, will be responsible for managing hiring, orientation, and employee development. This move comes as OpenAI, known for its development of ChatGPT, continues its expansion efforts.

Fintech and insurance company TruStage is piloting the issuance of its USD-denominated stablecoin, TruStage Stablecoin (TSDA). Issued by a TruStage affiliate and supported by technology and operations from Block Time Financial, TSDA will be backed 1:1 by cash reserves managed by TruStage. TruStage serves approximately 93% of U.S. credit unions, offering insurance, investment, and retirement financial products. This stablecoin project aims to provide credit unions with new payment infrastructure and explore the application scenarios of stablecoins within the traditional financial system following the implementation of the GENIUS Act.

Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart stated that, according to SEC 13F filings, institutional investors sold approximately 25,098 BTC equivalent in Bitcoin ETFs in the fourth quarter of 2025, indicating a clear trend of reducing holdings. Data shows that investment advisors and hedge funds are the main holders of Bitcoin ETFs, with Brevan Howard making the largest reduction, selling over 17,000 BTC equivalent in ETF holdings. This sell-off occurred during the period when Bitcoin's price fell from a high of over $120,000 in 2025 to below $85,000. Currently, Bitcoin's price has further fallen to approximately $64,000, and market sentiment remains in a state of extreme panic.

FBI agents reportedly encountered difficulties while processing evidence at a mass shooting scene due to the unavailability of a bureau plane. Bloomberg posted on X that the situation arose because Director Kash Patel's personal travel had left the FBI without an aircraft, forcing agents to drive through a winter storm to reach the location. The incident was brought to light by a whistleblower who informed Senate Democrats about the logistical challenges faced by the agents. This revelation has raised concerns about the allocation of resources within the FBI and the impact of personal travel on operational efficiency. The Senate is expected to review the matter further to ensure that such issues do not hinder future investigations.

A 42-year-old Sydney man has been charged over a crypto investment scam that allegedly stole A$5 million from more than 190 elderly and vulnerable Australians. Police say victims were approached on social media, directed to an online platform called NEXOpayment, and had their money moved through multiple crypto wallets in a pattern like money laundering.

A single security breach has wiped out an entire slice of the Solana ecosystem.

Crypto.com has received conditional approval from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to set up a national trust bank, allowing it to offer custody, staking, and trade settlement under federal regulation. The bank will not take deposits or issue loans, and Crypto.com must meet additional compliance and governance requirements before full authorisation.

Nearly $10 billion in stablecoins has disappeared from Binance since November, marking one of the sharpest liquidity contractions on the world’s largest crypto exchange in months — and signaling that capital may be quietly exiting the market amid ongoing volatility.

With Bitcoin prices halved and IPOs falling below their issue price, crypto exchanges need a new value narrative.

In recent months, many people have been asking Musk the same question through gritted teeth: "Why can't the United States build new power plants like China?"

The trend of media personalities opening accounts associated with altcoins has subsided, and the "holy fathers" and "holy mothers" of the crypto world have also found their own "sons."

DeepSeek may have trained its upcoming AI model using banned Nvidia Blackwell chips, which are not allowed to be sold to China. The chips are believed to be running at a DeepSeek data centre in Inner Mongolia, raising concerns the company may have bypassed US export rules.

Just yesterday, IBM's stock price fell 13.15%, marking its biggest single-day drop since 2000. Its market capitalization plummeted from $240.8 billion to approximately $208.7 billion, a loss of about $31 billion, making it the "latest victim" of the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology.

A cryptocurrency trader has accused an ex-employee of Revolut of attempting to extort him by threatening to leak sensitive Know Your Customer (KYC) data — an incident that is now under investigation by law enforcement.