Russia has banned crypto exchange WhiteBIT and its parent company from operating in the country, accusing them of helping fund Ukraine’s military and moving money out of Russia through illegal schemes. WhiteBIT says it already blocked Russian users in 2022 and views the ban as confirmation of its pro-Ukraine stance.
JoyJapan plans to delay Bitcoin ETF approval until 2028 to align with new crypto tax rules, but industry leaders say this is too slow. SBI Global Asset Management’s CEO warned the delay could leave Japan behind other countries in digital asset adoption.
WeatherlyMajor League Soccer has signed a multi-year partnership with Polymarket, making it the league’s exclusive prediction market partner across MLS, the All-Star Game, MLS Cup and Leagues Cup in the U.S. The deal will bring real-time prediction data into MLS digital platforms to boost fan engagement, with safeguards in place to protect match integrity.
AnaisTether increased its gold exposure by about 27 tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2025, bringing its buying pace closer to that of major central banks as it expanded reserves backing its stablecoins. The move came as gold prices hit record highs above US$5,000 per ounce, driven by strong demand from investors, central banks and retail buyers.
WeatherlyHang Seng is launching a new gold ETF on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange with both regular shares and tokenized units on blockchain. The fund holds physical gold in Hong Kong and aims to attract both traditional and crypto investors.
AnaisStandard Chartered says U.S. banks could lose more than $500 billion in deposits to dollar-backed stablecoins by the end of 2028, with regional banks most at risk. The shift is driven by faster, easier stablecoin payments and growing demand for yield, which is pulling money away from traditional bank accounts.
AnaisArizona lawmakers advanced two bills to exempt cryptocurrencies from property taxes, with one proposing a constitutional amendment for voter approval in November. The measures aim to clarify crypto taxation despite previous vetoes from Governor Katie Hobbs.
WeatherlyBitcoin and major cryptocurrencies fell sharply as investors shifted money into gold and silver, which hit record highs during market uncertainty. Dogecoin co-founder Billy Markus mocked the move with a meme, highlighting how many traders mistimed the switch.
AnaisTikTok settled a lawsuit with a 19-year-old who claimed the app caused addiction and mental health issues, just hours before her trial was set to start in Los Angeles. Snap also settled earlier, while cases against Meta and YouTube will continue.
WeatherlyOKX has launched OKX Pay and OKX Card in Europe, allowing users to spend stablecoins at Mastercard merchants and access DeFi and tokenised assets where regulations allow. The services operate under EU rules with mandatory KYC checks, combining everyday payments with regulated crypto use.
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