The newly appointed Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Michael Selig, has signaled a major shift toward clearer federal oversight of crypto-linked prediction markets, according to a report from Clear Street analyst Owen Lau. In his first public remarks as CFTC Chair, Selig outlines a vision of closer coordination with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to unlock innovation across blockchain-based markets. Speaking at a joint SEC–CFTC Harmonization Event, Selig sa ...

Core Insights - The company has successfully developed a crypto-based betting platform, achieving a valuation of $9 billion [1] - The U.S. Justice Department has decided to halt its investigation into the company, which may positively impact its operations and market perception [1] Company Summary - Shayne Coplan is the founder behind the crypto-based betting platform, indicating strong leadership and vision in the industry [1] - The platform's growth to a $9 billion valuation highlights significant market demand and potential for further expansion [1] Industry Summary - The decision by the Justice Department to shelve its probe reflects a potentially favorable regulatory environment for crypto-based businesses, which could encourage more investment and innovation in the sector [1]

Core Viewpoint - The final legislation needed to integrate the crypto industry with mainstream finance is facing significant challenges, primarily due to a standoff between Coinbase and the US banking sector, prompting intervention from the White House [1][2]. Group 1: Legislative Developments - A meeting hosted by crypto czar David Sacks will involve banking and crypto trade groups, including Coinbase, to negotiate policy matters [2]. - The Clarity Act aims to establish a regulatory framework for crypto in the US, detailing which federal agencies oversee various segments of the crypto market, including stablecoins and decentralized finance products [3][4]. - The Senate Agriculture committee recently passed a portion of the bill with a narrow party-line vote of 12 to 11, indicating potential difficulties in gaining broader support [5]. Group 2: Industry Reactions - Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has expressed concerns over the bill's draft, particularly regarding amendments that would eliminate rewards on stablecoins, leading to his rejection of the latest version [6][7]. - Armstrong's goals at the World Economic Forum include advancing market structure legislation and collaborating with bank CEOs to find mutually beneficial solutions [7].

RT NWN (@noweazlnews)#CZBinanceChangpeng Zhao (CZ) is considered a central figure in a series of scandals that define the dark side of the crypto industry.1. The IEO Era (2017-2019): A "Pump and Dump" Scheme.Binance would secure 11-15% of a project's tokens at a minimal cost, offering the public only 6%. Post-listing, the price would be artificially inflated by 10-20 times, after which CZ and insiders would cash out at the peak. The vast majority of these projects proved unsustainable and collapsed within a ...

Core Insights - The initial optimism surrounding President Trump's deregulatory stance for the crypto industry has not materialized as expected, with financials underperforming and Bitcoin experiencing significant losses [2][3] - The approval of the first 11 spot Bitcoin exchange-traded products (ETPs) by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in January 2024 led to nearly $10 billion in inflows for Bitcoin ETPs in 2025, despite Bitcoin's poor performance [4][5] - Investors are increasingly turning to Bitcoin ETFs for exposure to the crypto market, with the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF attracting over $20 billion in assets under management [5][6] Financial Sector Performance - In 2025, the financial sector ranked second-to-last among the S&P 500's 11 sectors, achieving a gain of just over 5% [2] - Bitcoin has lost nearly 15% since its all-time high on January 25, 2025, and over 27% since its record high on October 4, 2025 [2] Bitcoin ETPs and ETFs - Bitcoin ETPs saw inflows of nearly $10 billion in 2025, driven by the SEC's approval of spot Bitcoin ETPs [4] - The Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF has a highly liquid average daily trading volume of just over 4 million shares [5] - The ProShares Bitcoin ETF and Grayscale Bitcoin Trust are criticized for not justifying their elevated expense ratios, while the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF offers a more favorable expense ratio of 0.25% [6]

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon confronted Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, accusing him of misrepresenting banks’ role in opposing parts of a major US crypto market structure bill. Key Takeaways: JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon confronted Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong at Davos over claims banks are undermining a US crypto bill. The clash centers on stablecoin rewards, with banks opposing yield while crypto firms argue bans favor traditional finance. The market struct ...

Core Insights - KRAKacquisition Corp, a SPAC associated with Kraken, successfully raised $345 million in its upsized IPO by selling 34,500,000 shares at $10 each, with an additional 4,500,000 shares sold as part of an overallotment [1][5] - The firm has not yet engaged in substantive discussions with any potential merger targets but aims to focus on companies within the digital asset ecosystem [2][3] - KRAKacquisition Corp intends to leverage Kraken's resources and expertise to identify and execute successful business combinations, although Kraken is not contractually obligated to assist [5] Company Focus - The SPAC plans to concentrate on companies developing infrastructure in the digital asset space, including payments networks, tokenization platforms, and compliance solutions [3][4] - The firm believes that the most transformative opportunities lie in the convergence of decentralized finance (DeFi) and traditional finance (TradFi) [4] Market Performance - Since its IPO, KRAKacquisition Corp's shares have remained relatively stable, trading around $10.15, reflecting a modest gain of 1.5% [5] Future Considerations - There is no immediate comment from KRAKacquisition Corp regarding how its activities may impact Kraken's own planned IPO, which follows an $800 million fundraising that valued Kraken at $20 billion [6]

The crypto market capitalization fell 6% over the past 24 hours as major assets moved sharply lower. The sell-off extended beyond digital tokens, weighing on leading crypto-focused treasury firms such as BitMine and MicroStrategy.While both companies continue to signal strong conviction through ongoing accumulation, the downturn highlights growing pressure on digital asset treasury firms. MicroStrategy Stock Slides to Nearly 16-Month Low BeInCrypto reported that macroeconomic tensions weighed on crypto m ...

A deepening dispute over tokenized stocks threatens to derail Washington’s push for comprehensive crypto regulation as industry executives split over language in the Senate Banking Committee’s portion of the landmark digital assets bill. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong called the contested section a “de facto ban” on tokenized equities earlier this month, while traditional finance stalwarts, including Ken Griffin’s Citadel Securities, argue firms should follow identical rules whether dealing in blockchain-ba ...

I remember Cathie Wood used to purchase crypto stocks every few days last year. She made sure that her portfolio reallocation always had space for the trending crypto stocks. After all, Wood is a veteran investor in the digital assets space and moved ahead undaunted by criticism. When her asset management firm, ARK Invest, revealed that it was the first public asset manager to gain Bitcoin (BTC) exposure as early as 2015, the move was met with skepticism. ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood As the crypto market ...