Blast is shutting down its Ethereum layer-2 network because the cost of running it now exceeds the revenue it generates. Users have until 26 October 2026 to withdraw their assets to Ethereum, after which they will need to use Blast’s bridge contracts directly.
WeatherlyPayward, Kraken’s parent company, has partnered with Singapore Gulf Bank to offer selected institutional clients in Asia and the Gulf 24/7 real-time US dollar settlement. SGB will also access digital-asset liquidity through Kraken Prime, while both companies plan to expand the service to more clients and currencies.
AnaisJapan has added Russian crypto exchange Garantex to its asset-freeze list, requiring government approval for certain payments and capital transactions involving the platform.
WeatherlyMeta, TikTok and X are challenging Ofcom in court over detailed data requests made under the UK’s Online Safety Act. The companies say the requests are too broad and burdensome, while Ofcom says the data is needed to check whether the rules are protecting users, especially children.
AnaisFormer Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon warned New York City lawmakers that AI companies are moving too quickly and may not be able to keep advanced systems under control. The hearing also examined 10 proposed AI safety laws, including mandatory third-party checks, human “kill switches” and rewards for whistleblowers.
WeatherlyStrive Holdings bought 2,000 Bitcoin for about $169 million between 28 September and 2 October, taking its total holdings to 29,462 BTC. The purchase was funded mainly through SATA preferred stock and warrant exercises, as Strive continues to build its Bitcoin treasury.
AnaisZachXBT says he used $349,700 to infiltrate a Chinese network allegedly laundering over $1 billion for North Korea’s Lazarus Group. His investigation traced over $12 million in Bybit-linked funds, with Tether freezing $442,000 in USDT.
WeatherlyThe US Treasury has withdrawn two proposed rules covering self-custody wallets and crypto mixers. FinCEN said the move supports the Trump administration’s deregulatory agenda.
AnaisAbstract, the Ethereum layer-2 backed by Pudgy Penguins parent Igloo Inc., will shut down on 15 December 2026 after struggling to sustain growth despite attracting more than 400,000 users and major brands. Users must move their funds before the deadline, as Abstract says assets left on the network will become inaccessible.
AnaisCointelegraph tweeted that SEC approved iShares' Bitcoin (BTC) Spot ETF, but was confirmed to be false by BlackRock.
Aaron