Chinese AI company DeepSeek is rapidly expanding in Africa, Russia, Belarus, and other markets using low-cost, open-source models backed by government subsidies. Microsoft warns that U.S. tech firms risk falling behind as their paid, controlled AI systems struggle to compete on price and accessibility.

Just weeks after leaving office, Eric Adams unveiled a New York–themed memecoin pitched as a social good. On-chain data now suggests a chaotic — and controversial — debut.

According to Cointelegraph, the Solana Policy Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on blockchain policy, has called on the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to make a clear distinction between centralized cryptocurrency exchanges and non-custodial decentralized finance (DeFi) software. The institute argues that developers of DeFi applications should not be regulated as intermediaries, emphasizing that creating and publishing non-custodial code is fundamentally different from controlling or intermediating the underlying funds. The institute's letter, sent on Friday, highlights the inappropriateness of applying Exchange Act 3b-16 to developers of non-custodial protocols. This act is typically relevant to exchange operators who custody assets, control execution flow, and act as intermediaries. The letter states, "Transactions that take place via a smart contract protocol are not the regulatory equivalent of trading on an exchange or ATS and should not be treated as such." The Solana Policy Institute is urging the SEC to provide guidance on differentiating between non-custodial software tools and exchanges with brokers. Additionally, the institute recommends amending Act 3b-16 to exclude open-source code from the "exchange" definition and adopting a custody-and-control-based framework to distinguish between intermediated and disintermediated blockchain activities. The letter further warns that treating DeFi code in the same manner as centralized trading platforms could discourage innovation and push activities offshore to unregulated channels, thereby reducing the competitiveness of the United States. To safeguard DeFi developers and maintain onshore activity, the SEC should establish "clear, durable lines between software tools and actual intermediaries that exercise custody, discretion, or control over funds or transactions," the letter suggests. The issue of developer liability has gained significant attention in recent years, especially following criminal cases involving developers of non-custodial protocols, such as Tornado Cash co-founders Roman Storm and Alexey Pertsev, who were found guilty of operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business despite their protocol being non-custodial and never controlling user funds. In a related development, U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis and Ron Wyden have introduced legislation aimed at protecting blockchain developers who do not directly handle user funds, exempting them from money transmitter regulations. The Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act seeks to clarify that writing software or maintaining networks should not trigger federal or state money-transfer requirements, which have been a growing concern for developers. "Blockchain developers who have simply written code and maintain open-source infrastructure have lived under threat of being classified as money transmitters for far too long," Lummis stated, adding that the bill aims to provide developers with more clarity for building the "future of digital finance without fear of prosecution." Meanwhile, the US Senate Agriculture Committee has postponed its markup of the crypto market structure bill until late January, with Chairman John Boozman noting the need for additional time to secure broader bipartisan support. Boozman emphasized that advancing a bill with cross-party backing remains the priority, citing "meaningful progress" and "constructive discussions" as part of the ongoing efforts.

Castle Labs stated on the X platform that Polygon has generated over $1.7 million in protocol fee revenue since the beginning of the year and has burned over 12.5 million POL tokens, worth over $1.5 million. The main reason for the revenue increase is Polymarket's introduction of fees for its 15-minute prediction market. In the past 24 hours, Polymarket contributed over $100,000 in fees to Polygon.

The Solana Policy Institute urged the SEC to distinguish non-custodial DeFi code from exchanges, warning current rules could chill innovation. source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/solana-policy-institute-sec-defi-developer-protections?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound

a16z is transforming into a more ambitious organization—a full-stack coordination engine that encompasses both technological and political realities.

null source: https://x.com/solidintel_x/status/2011004251665736134

Former NYC Mayor Eric Adams launched NYC Token, which crashed 80 percent within 30 minutes. Blockchain analysts document liquidity withdrawal. The article Former mayor Eric Adams launches NYC token: 80 percent crash within 30 minutes was first published on Crypto Valley Journal. source: https://cryptovalleyjournal.com/hot-topics/news/former-mayor-eric-adams-launches-nyc-token-80-percent-crash-within-30-minutes/?utm_campaign=rss_reader&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=feed_source&utm_content=Former+mayor+Eric+Adams+launches+NYC+token%3A+80+percent+crash+within+30+minutes

According to Odaily, a trader on the Polymarket platform has incurred losses totaling $2.36 million over the past eight days. The trader executed 53 predictions during this period, achieving profits in 25 instances and losses in 28, resulting in a success rate of 47.2%. The majority of the trader's activities were focused on sports markets, where profitable trades yielded returns ranging from 60% to 150%, while losing trades resulted in the loss of the entire principal.

The Digital Asset Exchange Alliance (DAXA) of South Korea has strongly opposed the government’s proposal to limit crypto ownership on domestic exchanges. source: https://www.cryptopolitan.com/south-korean-crypto-exchanges-group/

Lookonchain reported on its X platform that a Polymarket trader lost $2.36 million in eight days. This trader made 53 predictions over the past eight days, with 25 profitable and 28 losing, resulting in a win rate of 47.2%. Their trading was primarily concentrated in the sports market, with winning trades typically yielding returns between 60% and 150%, while losing trades resulted in the loss of all their capital.

null source: https://x.com/lookonchain/status/2011002765959667929

US-based cryptocurrency exchange MSX (msx.com) announced today a change to its RWA spot trading fee structure, effective immediately. The new fee structure changes the previous "two-way fee" to a "one-way fee." Specifically, the fee for buying remains at 0.3%, while the fee for selling is reduced to 0%. This means that users will experience a substantial 50% reduction in overall transaction costs when completing a full "buy + sell" trading cycle. This fee policy is now in effect across the entire MSX platform, covering all listed RWA spot trading pairs.

The official acceptance of digital currency payments by the Iranian Ministry of Defense's export center (Mindex) marks a strategic shift for Iran, transforming it from a "small-scale tax haven" to a national-level "military payment layer."

Since the beginning of 2026, the commodity bull market led by gold and silver has intensified, sweeping the market with an even more surging upward trend.

Cryptocurrency, the crypto market, the future of cryptocurrency from a global perspective. Golden Finance: All valuable assets will eventually be on-chain.

Machi Big Brother reopened a $34 million leveraged Ethereum long on Hyperliquid with less than $2 million in collateral, and the trade quickly moved into a loss.

Licensed companies in DIFC now bear responsibility for approving crypto tokens, reshaping the regulatory landscape for privacy-focused assets.

Monero (XMR) hit a new all-time high of $645.47, a 43.8% increase in 7 days.

The state’s cease-and-desist order challenges blockchain-based platforms