Crypto derivatives were not built for just speculation. In traditional finance, derivatives exist to hedge risk. Farmers lock in crop prices. Corporations manage exposure to commodities or currencies. In crypto, that original purpose was largely lost. For years, derivatives in digital asset markets were dominated by retail traders using leverage to amplify short term bets. According to Charles d’Haussy, CEO at DyDx, that balance has now shifted. In an interview with TheStreet Roundtable, d’Haussy said 20 ...

TORONTO, Feb. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - DeFi Technologies Inc. (the "Company" or "DeFi Technologies") (Nasdaq: DEFT) (CBOE CA: DEFI) (GR: R9B), a financial technology company bridging the gap between traditional capital markets and decentralized finance ("DeFi"), today announced the appointment of Philippe Lucet as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of DeFi Technologies. Mr. Lucet currently serves as General Counsel of Valour, DeFi Technologies' wholly owned subsidiary and a leading issuer of exchange tr ...

Circle Internet Group (CRCL) shares are inching further up on Thursday as investors continue to cheer its strong Q4 print, featuring a more than 400% year-over-year growth in adjusted EBITDA. Still, a senior Seaport Global analyst, Jeff Cantwell, believes this crypto-focused fintech firm will push meaningfully higher from here through the remainder of 2026. Cantwell’s bullish call on Circle stock is particularly significant given it’s already trading up some 75% versus its year-to-date low in early Febru ...

XRP Ledger recorded multiple breakthrough metrics in February. These figures reflect Ripple’s effectiveness in attracting attention and accelerating adoption on its underlying blockchain. However, XRP’s price remained stuck below $1.4 during the final week of February, despite several positive signals that predicted an upcoming recovery. Activity on XRP Ledger Increased in February After Upgrades Data from XRPscan shows that the number of successful payments on the XRP Ledger has continuously increased ...

Solana-based DeFi projects Step Finance, SolanaFloor and Remora Markets will be winding down operations, according to a Tuesday tweet by Step. “Following the hack at the end of January we explored every possible path forward, including financing and acquisition opportunities. Unfortunately, we were unable to secure a viable outcome and have made the difficult decision to end all operations effective immediately,” the project said. “We are working on a buyback for STEP holders based on a snapshot prior t ...

Road Town, British Virgin Islands--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2026) - LBank Exchange is pleased to announce the listing of KPFREE (KF). Trading for the KF/USDT pair will be open at 10:00 UTC on February 25, 2026.KPFREE (KF) listing bannerTo view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8831/284790_d5be0aa2644799cb_001full.jpgUsers will be able to access the trading pair at: https://www.lbank.com/trade/kf_usdtAbout KPFREE (KF)KPFREE is a Real World Asset fo ...

Step Finance, the decentralized finance (DeFi) dashboard once described as the “front page of Solana,” has announced it will wind down all operations following a $26 million hack earlier this year. In a statement posted on X on Feb. 23, the team behind Step Finance, SolanaFloor, and Remora Markets said it had explored “every possible path forward, including financing and acquisition opportunities,” but ultimately failed to secure a viable outcome. The team added that buyback and redemption plans are now ...

BOCA RATON, FL, Feb. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DeFi Development Corp. (Nasdaq: DFDV) (the “Company”), the first public company with a treasury strategy built to accumulate and compound Solana (“SOL”), today announced the publication of its latest research piece, "SOL and the Digital City: A New Way to Value Layer 1 Tokens," introducing a valuation framework for SOL that departs from traditional revenue multiples, DCFs, and the monetary equation of exchange. The essay argues that conventional valuation to ...

Core Insights - The altcoin market is evolving, with a focus on serious financial infrastructure rather than speculative assets, as over 50% of tokens listed since 2021 have disappeared, leaving those that support real economic activity [1] Settlement Layers: Blockchain Platforms - Ethereum remains the leading settlement layer for decentralized finance (DeFi) and tokenized assets, hosting significant funds and over $168 billion in DeFi applications [1] - Solana offers high transaction speeds at low costs, making it suitable for payments and consumer applications, complementing Ethereum's capabilities [1] - BNB Chain, supported by Binance, focuses on accessibility and low fees, with a smaller validator set allowing for faster transaction finality [1] US Dollars on Chain: The Stablecoin Engine - Stablecoin supply exceeded $300 billion in 2025, a nearly 50% increase, with annual transaction volumes reaching $33 trillion, a 72% year-on-year growth [1] - Stablecoins provide structural demand in emerging markets, serving as a hedge against local currency depreciation and facilitating cheaper remittances [1] - The issuer landscape is diversifying, with Tether's USDT and Circle's USDC leading, while PayPal's PYUSD grew over 600% to $3.6 billion in 2025 [1] Importance for Client Portfolios - Investment vehicles like the CoinShares Altcoins ETF (DIME) reflect the economic activity of these networks, emphasizing transaction volume, fee revenue, user growth, institutional adoption, and developer activity as key metrics for evaluating altcoins [1]

Key Takeaways XRP network activity surges but concentration concerns remain. A new Arizona bill has added institutional recognition. XRP’s price is tracking broader crypto declines. XRP is approaching a key milestone, even as its price continues to slide. Network data shows daily transactions climbing sharply, while Arizona lawmakers move forward with legislation that would allow the state to hold the token in a digital asset reserve. The developments have fueled speculation among traders over w ...