Today's news tips:
Gold fluctuated sharply in the early trading, barely holding 4000 before returning to 4100
OpenAI launches new browser ChatGPT Atlas, now available on macOS
ETHShanghai 2025 Hackathon Main Track Winners Announced
Kadena announced the suspension of operations, and its KDA plummeted by nearly 60%.
Aerodrome to Launch “Aero Launch” to Promote Base Ecosystem Permissionless Token Issuance
Macro
According to the Russian newspaper Izvestia, the Russian Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of the Russian Federation have reached an agreement to allow the use of cryptocurrencies for payments in foreign trade. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov announced the news on October 21st. Following a strategic meeting on "Improving Economic Efficiency and Ensuring a Fair Business Environment," Siluanov stated, "We believe that this sector should be legalized and its activities regulated by law. Therefore, we will work with the Federal Financial Monitoring Service of Russia and other regulatory bodies to ensure and restore order in this area." Siluanov emphasized that the use of cryptocurrencies for settlements is crucial, as cryptocurrencies can be used not only for payments but also for transferring money abroad. Therefore, Siluanov stated that strengthening regulatory control will be crucial as this market becomes legalized.
According to Bloomberg, industrial giant Siemens and digital asset market maker B2C2 have begun using JPMorgan Chase's blockchain-based foreign exchange payment platform. The service supports 24/7 cross-border foreign exchange transactions in US dollars, British pounds, and euros, with near-instant settlement. This significantly improves transaction efficiency compared to traditional foreign exchange transfers, which are limited to business days and can take several days.
Hong Kong's first Solana exchange-traded fund, the "Huaxia Solana ETF," has been approved.
According to the Hong Kong Economic Journal, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has officially approved the first Solana (SOL) spot ETF, issued by China Asset Management (Hong Kong). This marks the third approved cryptocurrency spot ETF after Bitcoin and Ethereum, and the first of its kind in Asia. The ETF (ticker: 03460) is expected to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on October 27th. It will feature both a RMB counter (83460) and a USD counter (9460). Each trading unit is 100 units, with a minimum investment of approximately US$100. Its virtual asset trading platform is OSL Exchange, with a management fee of 0.99% and an annual recurring expense ratio of approximately 1.99%.
Standard Chartered Hong Kong to launch virtual asset ETF trading services in November
According to Hong Kong media outlet Ming Pao, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) recently conducted a survey under the HKMA's "Digital HKD+" initiative, finding that three-quarters of high-end clients are interested in digital assets, and nearly 80% of respondents intend to participate in digital asset investment activities within the next 12 months. Ho Man-chun, Head of Wealth Solutions at Standard Chartered Hong Kong, stated that the bank will launch trading services for virtual asset ETFs in November, allowing clients to participate in these emerging investments through the Standard Chartered platform, further diversifying their asset allocation and financial management options.
Gold fluctuated sharply in the early trading, barely holding 4000 before returning to 4100
Spot gold experienced a sharp drop in early trading on Wednesday, after falling by more than $120 to approach the $4,000 mark, before bottoming out and rebounding, recently rising to the $4,100 mark.
According to Bloomberg, Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd. recently rejected at least five companies' attempts to convert to digital asset treasuries (DATs), restricting large liquidity holdings under "cash company" regulations. India's Bombay Stock Exchange rejected Jetking Infotrain's share placement and listing application. Australia's ASX required companies converting to digital asset treasuries to adopt an ETF approach and limit cash holdings to 50% or more. Japan is a regional outlier: the Japan Exchange Group allows listed companies to disclose Bitcoin purchases, but MSCI has proposed removing DATs holding at least 50% of crypto assets from its global indexes, potentially impacting companies like Metaplanet. Bitcoin has risen 18% this year, while DAT stock prices have generally retreated since the summer.
AI
Google to provide tens of billions of dollars in cloud computing power to Anthropic
According to Bloomberg, Anthropic is in talks with Alphabet's Google about a "multi-billion dollar" cloud computing services agreement to provide computing power for AI training and inference. The two companies already collaborate, and Google has invested approximately $3 billion in the company. Negotiations are in the early stages, and details are subject to change. Google's stock rose approximately 3.5% after hours, while Amazon's fell approximately 2%.
OpenAI launches new browser ChatGPT Atlas, now available on macOS
OpenAI has announced the launch of its new browser, "ChatGPT Atlas," which allows users to understand web pages, provide input suggestions, manage tabs, and complete tasks faster while browsing in an "agent mode" directly in the sidebar. Atlas is rolling out today on macOS for Free, Plus, Pro, and Go users, with a Business preview available. It will be coming soon to Windows, iOS, and Android.
Viewpoint
At the ETHShanghai 2025 main forum, Tomasz Stanczak, Co-Executive Director of the Ethereum Foundation, stated that ERC-8004 and EIP-2 are key cornerstones of Ethereum's AI agent economy. ERC-8004, as an agent functionality standard, covers identity, reputation, and claim verification; EIP-2 defines standards for inter-agent payments. These emerging standards have already garnered attention from some major institutions and are expected to significantly enhance agent functionality and payment efficiency. He noted that Ethereum will become increasingly permissionless in the future, allowing AI agents to participate in the local economy and complete payments by establishing reputation, reducing reliance on the traditional financial system while avoiding the risks of centralized control. However, payment reliability and system integration remain challenges, and more infrastructure solutions are expected to be implemented in the next one to two years. Furthermore, the Ethereum Foundation, through its decentralized team, promotes standard development and supports the developer community, with a particular focus on AI and agents. He also encouraged Chinese developers to join the community and collaborate to promote technological innovation.
At the ETHShanghai 2025 main forum, Hsiao-Wei Wang, Co-Executive Director of the Ethereum Foundation, delivered a speech titled "Mass Adoption of Ethereum: Bridging the Chasm." She outlined Ethereum's vision for mass adoption, encompassing autonomous asset control, global settlement capabilities, and everyday utility. Wang highlighted three key challenges facing Ethereum: scalability and cost, user experience, and the trust gap. Regarding scalability, Ethereum is adopting a Layer 1 ✖️ Layer 2 strategy, enabling efficient and low-cost transactions through Layer 2 Rollups. Key upgrades include Dencun (EIP-4844), Pectra, and Fusaka. Regarding user experience, proposals such as ERC-4337 have introduced smart accounts, supporting features like social recovery wallets and gas payments. She emphasized that Ethereum's ultimate goal is to become invisible and become a natural part of people's lives, like the internet, achieving true mass adoption.
At the ETHShanghai 2025 main forum, Wanxiang Blockchain Chairman Xiao Feng stated that Ethereum, as a representative of application-based blockchains, has captured 60%-70% of the application market share thanks to its first-mover advantage and continuous optimization, making it difficult to replace. He believes that other blockchain projects need to prove their differentiated value rather than attempt to challenge Ethereum. Furthermore, Xiao Feng emphasized that the development of DeFi must balance Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements. He suggested using Zero-Knowledge Identity (ZK ID) to confirm users' accredited investor status, thereby enabling secure transactions globally and promoting decentralized finance to better serve the global financial system.
At the ETHShanghai 2025 main forum, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin engaged in a conversation with Wanxiang Blockchain Chairman Xiao Feng on AI, prediction markets, and ZK ID. Vitalik stated that prediction markets are becoming a new information medium, exemplified by the success of Polymarket during the US election. Prediction markets rapidly reflect reality through price signals, and their integration with AI will enable even more intelligent predictive applications. He also noted that blockchains define the rules, allowing AI agents to participate and explore new areas through autonomous token issuance and application governance. However, security remains a key concern, including the risk of hackers. Vitalik further highlighted the potential of ZK ID (zero-knowledge identity), which can distinguish between real people and bots while preserving privacy, facilitating the development of low-risk areas such as DeFi.
Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po stated at the APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting on October 21 that blockchain technology and artificial intelligence are driving the rapid development of digital financial services, not only improving efficiency and reducing costs but also promoting inclusive finance. Financial innovation should serve the real economy, and public-private partnerships can foster more inclusive financial services. Regulators, in addition to fulfilling their supervisory responsibilities, should also encourage innovation and promote market development. As digital assets and artificial intelligence become increasingly widely used in financial services, economies should prioritize the responsible and sustainable nature of such innovations, including taking into account investor interests and financial stability. Chan Mo-po stated that Hong Kong actively participates in cross-border cooperation and policy dialogue on digital finance and is willing to deepen collaboration with regional partners in related areas.
Project News
According to an official announcement, Binance Alpha has updated its points system: if a user's daily balance reaches 0, their trading volume points and task points will also be reset to zero. The new rules are effective immediately.
Binance Alpha will list Turtle (TURTLE) at 9:00 PM today, with an airdrop threshold of 220 points.
Binance Alpha will officially list Turtle (TURTLE), with Alpha trading set to begin at 21:00 (UTC+8) on October 22, 2025. After trading begins, users holding at least 220 Binance Alpha Points will be eligible to claim an airdrop of 200 TURTLE tokens. This will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The minimum score will automatically decrease by 15 points every hour while the promotion is ongoing. Please note that claiming the airdrop will cost 15 Binance Alpha Points. Users must confirm their claim within 24 hours on the Alpha promotion page; otherwise, they will forfeit the airdrop.
Binance Alpha to List APRO (AT) on October 24th
According to the official announcement, Binance Alpha will list APRO (AT) on October 24th. Eligible users can claim the airdrop using Binance Alpha Points on the Alpha event page after trading opens.
Binance Alpha and Futures will list Orochi (ON)
Orochi (ON) will be listed on Binance Alpha and Binance Futures on October 24, 2025.
ETHShanghai 2025 Hackathon Main Track Winners Announced
The winners of the ETHShanghai 2025 Hackathon's main track were officially announced at the main forum. First prize went to Yield Market (DeFi x Infra track), receiving a $2,000 prize. Second prize went to VRF using EIP 2537 (Chain for Good track) and Wandfi (DeFi x Infra track), each receiving $1,500. Third prize went to Ponymarket (DeFi x Infra track) and Foxhole (AI x ETH track), each receiving $1,000. These winning teams showcased their latest innovations in DeFi, AI, and infrastructure, injecting new vitality into the Ethereum ecosystem.
Upbit to List Clearpool (CPOOL) and Open Trading Pairs for KRW, BTC, and USDT
South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Upbit announced today that it will add support for Clearpool (CPOOL) trading, opening three trading pairs: KRW, BTC, and USDT.
Aerodrome to Launch “Aero Launch” to Promote Base Ecosystem Permissionless Token Issuance
Aerodrome announced the upcoming launch of "Aero Launch" and the introduction of "Aero Ignition," a mechanism to support community-based token issuance on Base. Projects can pre-inject token supply, with community voting directing emissions to the pool. Emissions continue to flow in after launch and are priced by the market. This initiative supports deep liquidity, increases initial allocations, and retains more project holders. The company announced that any token can permissionlessly create a pool, with all first-day trading fees going to limited partners. It also supports demonstrating locked-in liquidity and pool discovery.
World adds Polymarket Mini App, supports WLD/USDC
The digital identity project World (formerly Worldcoin) has added a Polymarket Mini App, accessible directly within the app. This integration allows users to participate in prediction markets using Worldcoin (WLD) or USDC held in their wallets. To fund their Polymarket balance, users can convert supported assets to USD through Daimo, a third-party exchange. Prior to this, the World Mini App reached 100 million downloads and 1.5 billion opens. World noted that Polymarket services are only available in licensed countries and are subject to their terms and restrictions.
Kadena announced the suspension of operations, and its KDA plummeted by nearly 60%.
According to The Block, the organization behind the public blockchain project Kadena has begun liquidation and ceased all operations and maintenance effective immediately due to unfavorable market conditions. Its PoW chain will continue to operate until miners and maintainers withdraw. KDA is currently trading at approximately $0.092, down over 59% in a single day and a significant drop from its 2021 high of $27. The team stated that approximately 566 million KDA will be distributed as mining rewards until 2139. Kadena was founded in 2019 by Stuart Popejoy and William Martino and has raised approximately $15 million in funding.
Important data
According to Ember, an investor/institution allocated 1 million $SOL has sold HYPE for SOL for three consecutive days. Within four hours today, the investor sold 675,000 HYPE for 23.44 million USDC, and then cross-chained to Solana to purchase 126,900 SOL. Over the past three days, the investor has sold a total of 1.817 million HYPE for 65.43 million USDC, at an average price of approximately $36. They also purchased 350,000 SOL at an average price of $186.5. They currently hold 743,000 HYPE (valued at approximately $26.12 million) and expect to continue selling HYPE for SOL.
"1011short" continues to sell Bitcoin and has transferred more than 5,252 BTC to multiple exchanges
According to Lookonchain, a whale known as "BitcoinOG (1011short)" has been selling Bitcoin since the market crash on October 11th, transferring a total of 5,252 BTC, valued at approximately $588 million, to exchanges including Binance, Coinbase, and Hyperliquid. Meanwhile, his short position on Hyperliquid has increased to 2,100 BTC, worth approximately $228 million.
According to SoSoValue, on October 21st, US Eastern Time, Bitcoin spot ETFs saw a total net inflow of $477 million, with all twelve ETFs experiencing no net outflows. BlackRock's IBIT saw a net inflow of $211 million, bringing its total net inflow to $65.092 billion. ARKB, jointly issued by Ark Invest and 21Shares, saw a net inflow of $163 million, bringing its total net inflow to $2.219 billion. As of now, the total net asset value of Bitcoin spot ETFs stands at $151.578 billion, with cumulative net inflows of $61.975 billion, representing approximately 6.86% of Bitcoin's total market capitalization.
According to SoSoValue data, Ethereum spot ETFs saw a total net inflow of $142 million on October 21st, Eastern Time, with no net outflow across all nine ETFs. Fidelity's FETH saw a net inflow of $59.0737 million, bringing its total net inflow to $2.817 billion; BlackRock's ETHA saw a net inflow of $42.458 million, bringing its total net inflow to $14.167 billion. As of now, the total net asset value of Ethereum spot ETFs has reached $27.168 billion, with a cumulative net inflow of $14.593 billion, representing approximately 5.69% of Ethereum's total market capitalization.
The Ethereum Foundation transferred 160,000 ETH to its internal 0xc06 wallet
According to Embers monitoring, the Ethereum Foundation transferred 160,000 ETH (approximately $654 million) from its main wallet to the 0xc06 wallet approximately seven hours ago, and no further activity has been taken. Over the past four months, the Foundation has made several large transfers from the 0xc06 wallet: 7,000 ETH to the nonprofit development organization Argot Collective, 10,000 ETH sold over-the-counter to SharpLink, and 10,000 ETH transferred to Kraken for sale.
Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas tweeted that there are currently 155 crypto ETP applications tracking 35 different digital assets. This number may increase to 200 in the next 12 months.
Financing/Acquisition
Keycard announced the early access launch of its identity and access management (IAM) platform for AI agents and the completion of a $38 million Series A funding round. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz, Acrew Capital, and Boldstart Ventures, with participation from Mantis VC, Tapestry Ventures, Essence Ventures, Exceptional Capital, Modern Technical Fund, Vermillion Cliffs Ventures, and several angel investors. Keycard claims to replace traditional long-term credentials with federatable, revocable "ephemeral identity-binding tokens," supporting delegation chains and task-level policy enforcement across applications and multiple agents, and providing a full-chain audit log for traceability.
DraftKings acquires CFTC-licensed prediction market exchange Railbird
According to Bloomberg, DraftKings announced the acquisition of Railbird Technologies, an exchange regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), to expand into prediction markets and event contracts trading. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Following the announcement, DraftKings' stock price rose as much as 8.3% after hours.
BitcoinOS Closes $10 Million Funding Round to Expand Institutional BTCFi Features
According to CoinDesk, BitcoinOS has secured $10 million in funding to expand its institutional-grade Bitcoin financial tools and developer protocols. The round was led by Greenfield Capital, with participation from FalconX, DNA Fund, Bitcoin Frontier Fund, and a group of angel investors including Anchorage Digital CEO Nathan McCauley and Spartan Group's Leeor Groen. BitcoinOS plans to use the funds to scale its developer and institutional infrastructure, including Grail Pro, a BTC yield protocol currently in pilot with custodians. The project also supports trustless cross-chain bridging between other blockchain networks, such as Ethereum and Cardano.
According to Chainwire, TBook, a StableFi layer project serving the digital workforce, has received a strategic investment from the Sui Foundation, bringing its total funding to $5 million. This round also saw participation from HT Capital, KuCoin Ventures, Vista Labs, Bonfire Union, and founder angel investors from top Web3 projects. The funding will accelerate the rollout of TBook's infrastructure, including instant stablecoin payments, a real-world asset (RWA) distribution vault, and identity-linked settlement channels. TBook is described as a StableFi layer project purpose-built for the digital workforce. Its modular, cross-chain infrastructure combines verifiable credentials with stablecoins and RWA distribution, bringing programmable finance to billions of creators, freelancers, and AI agents.
YZi Labs leads $25 million strategic financing for Sign
According to Blockworks, YZi Labs led a $25.5 million strategic funding round in Sign, with participation from IDG Capital. Sign CEO Xin Yan stated that Sign is committed to building digital infrastructure and plans to use the funds to expand its technical team. The funds will also be used to expand various partnerships aimed at advancing sovereign blockchain infrastructure. In January of this year, Sign secured $16 million in funding from YZi Labs. In total, Sign has raised over $55 million across three rounds of funding, including seed, Series A, and strategic funding.
Tether makes strategic investment in crypto payments startup Kotani Pay
Tether has officially announced a strategic investment in Kotani Pay, a crypto payments startup focused on providing access and withdrawal infrastructure connecting Web3 users with local payment channels in Africa. This investment aims to help individuals and businesses in Africa more easily access digital assets and lower barriers to entry into the global financial system.
Feynman Point Asset Management launches $300 million cryptocurrency hedge fund
According to Forbes, Joe Naggar, a former partner at Steven Tananbaum's GoldenTree Asset Management, is launching an independently managed hedge fund with $300 million under management, marking his team's official separation from Republic, the cryptocurrency-focused investment firm. Naggar and his team, previously operating under the name Republic Digital, will now operate independently as Feynman Point Asset Management, an investment firm focused on the digital asset market and cutting-edge technologies. Despite several transformations, the fund has continued to perform well. According to Feynman Point Asset Management, backers, including the $600 million Swiss fund L1D and New York Blockchain Investment Group, have achieved an annualized net return of over 42% since its inception in 2022. Successful trades include purchasing Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) at a 40% discount to the underlying asset, an early investment in the high-performing decentralized exchange Hyperliquid, and an equity investment in Ripple.
Printr, the cross-chain Memecoin Launchpad platform, has raised $4.5 million in funding.
According to The Block, Printr, the first project incubated and supported by Bybit Venture Studio, has secured $4.5 million in funding as the startup prepares to officially launch its chain-abstract token Launchpad platform. $2.5 million of this funding came from a pre-seed round backed by Axelar, Sui Foundation, Flow Blockchain, Draper Dragon, and Bitscale Capital, while an additional $2 million came from an extended seed round led by Mantle EcoFund, Mirana Ventures, L1D, Sfermion, Flowdesk, and prominent angel investors. Printr is reportedly built on cross-chain communication protocols like Axelar and LayerZero, enabling users to simultaneously issue Meme tokens on multiple blockchains, including Base, BNB Chain, Ethereum, Mantle, and Solana. The project aims to address liquidity fragmentation and help token creators access a diverse crypto ecosystem.
Growler Mining, Argo Blockchain's largest lender, plans to acquire an 87.5% stake in the company.
According to Cointelegraph, Growler Mining, the largest lender to the troubled crypto mining company Argo Blockchain, is taking over the company through a debt-for-equity swap. Under the plan, existing shareholders will retain only a small stake in the company. A restructuring plan filed under UK Companies Act shows that Growler will convert $7.5 million in secured loans into equity and provide additional financing in exchange for an 87.5% stake in the reorganized Argo. Meanwhile, holders of $40 million in unsecured bonds will receive a 10% stake, leaving existing shareholders with only 2.5%. The transaction is part of a court-supervised restructuring plan called "Project Triumph," aimed at avoiding bankruptcy and maintaining its Nasdaq listing. Argo has warned that without a balance sheet restructuring, it will face bankruptcy due to cash flow and balance sheet issues. Furthermore, Argo will delist from the London Stock Exchange, ending its six-year UK listing. Subject to meeting regulatory requirements, its shares will continue to trade on Nasdaq, shifting its capital markets focus fully to the US. Affected by aging equipment and high energy consumption, Argo's daily Bitcoin production has dropped sharply from nearly 6 in 2022 to less than 2 in 2024, and its profitability has declined significantly.
Coinbase acquires cryptocurrency investment platform ECHO for $375 million
According to the Wall Street Journal, Coinbase executives revealed that the company has reached a deal worth approximately $375 million to acquire the Echo platform, which allows crypto companies to quickly raise funds directly on the blockchain. This acquisition is Coinbase's eighth deal so far this year, and Coinbase is actively pursuing acquisitions, capitalizing on the positive momentum generated by US cryptocurrency policy.
Institutional holdings
German listed company Aifinyo reveals it holds €3 million worth of Bitcoin
Aifinyo, a German-listed Bitcoin finance company, announced that it currently holds Bitcoin worth 3 million euros, and future profits and capital increases will be used to purchase more Bitcoin.
CEA Industries reveals its BNB holdings surpass 500,000, with total investment reaching $435 million
According to Globenewswire, Nasdaq-listed CEA Industries disclosed that it currently holds a total of 500,000 BNB tokens, with an average acquisition cost of approximately $870 per BNB, totaling $435 million. As of October 20, its BNB holdings were valued at $546.8 million. In addition, the company holds approximately $50 million in unencumbered cash and cash equivalents, bringing its total cryptocurrency and cash holdings to $596.8 million.
SharpLink disclosed an increase of 19,271 ETH, bringing its total holdings to 859,853
According to official news, Ethereum treasury company SharpLink disclosed that as of October 19, 2025, SharpLink purchased 19,271 ETH at an average price of US$3,892, bringing its total Ethereum holdings to 859,853, worth US$3.5 billion.
