15.08.2026
18:06
The launch of cryptocurrency banking operations in Russia is inevitably accompanied by inflated spreads—this is the price for a new market, risks, and infrastructure. However, as my analysis of market dynamics shows, maintaining a markup of 5–7% or higher in a competitive field is simply unrealistic. Ultimately, the price for the client is determined not by the bank's greed, but by the cost of liquidity and the user's willingness to pay for a regulated framework...
Competition will bring down banking spreads on cryptocurrency in Russia
The launch of cryptocurrency banking operations in Russia is inevitably accompanied by inflated spreads—this is the price for a new market, risks, and infrastructure. However, as my analysis of market dynamics shows, maintaining a markup of 5–7% or higher in a competitive field is simply unrealistic. Ultimately, the price for the client is determined not by the bank's greed, but by the cost of liquidity and the user's willingness to pay for a regulated framework...
18:05
A large-scale campaign against Coldcard hardware wallet owners has resulted in a confirmed theft of at least 1,778.84 BTC, equivalent to $112.7 million. Based on my data, this is not a one-off action but a systematic exploitation of a vulnerability affecting thousands of addresses. Notably, no new successful hacks have been recorded after August 6, which points to a possible exhaustion of "easy pickings" or to actions taken by the victims themselves...
The biggest blow to self-custody: the Coldcard hack resulted in the loss of 1778 BTC and market panic
A large-scale campaign against Coldcard hardware wallet owners has resulted in a confirmed theft of at least 1,778.84 BTC, equivalent to $112.7 million. Based on my data, this is not a one-off action but a systematic exploitation of a vulnerability affecting thousands of addresses. Notably, no new successful hacks have been recorded after August 6, which points to a possible exhaustion of "easy pickings" or to actions taken by the victims themselves...
18:03
Ireland's Ministry of Finance has presented its first national strategy to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, which directly impacts the crypto industry. This is not just a formal document—it is a signal to the market that the "Emerald Isle" intends to become one of the strictest regulatory regimes in the EU.
The key blow targets private wallets. The strategy introduces enhanced checks for transfers from non-custodial addresses, effectively blurring the line between anonymity and financial control...
Ireland tightens the rules of the game: new AML strategy hits privacy and gambling
Ireland's Ministry of Finance has presented its first national strategy to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, which directly impacts the crypto industry. This is not just a formal document—it is a signal to the market that the "Emerald Isle" intends to become one of the strictest regulatory regimes in the EU.The key blow targets private wallets. The strategy introduces enhanced checks for transfers from non-custodial addresses, effectively blurring the line between anonymity and financial control...
18:02
Riot Platforms, one of the leading players in the bitcoin mining sector, is making a decisive move toward high-performance computing. The company has closed a deal to secure project debt financing of up to $573 million. The funds will be directed toward purchasing equipment and developing a 191 MW data center, which will be located on the site of the miner's existing campus in Rockdale, Texas.
The financing was arranged with Morgan Stanley acting as administrative agent for the lender syndicate...
Riot Platforms raises $573 million to build an AI campus in Texas: a bet on diversification
Riot Platforms, one of the leading players in the bitcoin mining sector, is making a decisive move toward high-performance computing. The company has closed a deal to secure project debt financing of up to $573 million. The funds will be directed toward purchasing equipment and developing a 191 MW data center, which will be located on the site of the miner's existing campus in Rockdale, Texas.The financing was arranged with Morgan Stanley acting as administrative agent for the lender syndicate...
18:01
Analysts at Galaxy Digital have significantly lowered their assessment of the probability of the CLARITY Act passing through the U.S. Senate in 2026 — it now stands at just 10%. This sharp decline compared to previous expectations reflects the growing complexities in the legislative process, which I have been closely monitoring over the past few months.
Key obstacles remain unresolved political contradictions that are stalling the bill's progress...
Galaxy Digital has revised its forecast: the odds of the CLARITY Act in the Senate have dropped to 10%.
Analysts at Galaxy Digital have significantly lowered their assessment of the probability of the CLARITY Act passing through the U.S. Senate in 2026 — it now stands at just 10%. This sharp decline compared to previous expectations reflects the growing complexities in the legislative process, which I have been closely monitoring over the past few months.Key obstacles remain unresolved political contradictions that are stalling the bill's progress...
18:00
The financial mainstream is once again making the same mistake it did a decade ago. Co-founder and CEO of Etherealize, Vivek Raman, sharply criticized the new wave of Wall Street enthusiasm for closed blockchain networks with restricted access, calling this trend nothing less than a "race to the bottom."
In my deep conviction, this is an extremely accurate formulation. Consortium networks, which major banks and corporations are actively promoting today, represent a step backward to the isolated systems that distributed ledger technology was originally meant to move away from...
Wall Street's closed blockchains — a 'race to the bottom': Etherealize head condemns consortium networks to failure
The financial mainstream is once again making the same mistake it did a decade ago. Co-founder and CEO of Etherealize, Vivek Raman, sharply criticized the new wave of Wall Street enthusiasm for closed blockchain networks with restricted access, calling this trend nothing less than a "race to the bottom."In my deep conviction, this is an extremely accurate formulation. Consortium networks, which major banks and corporations are actively promoting today, represent a step backward to the isolated systems that distributed ledger technology was originally meant to move away from...
17:57
Withdrawing funds from crypto exchanges: key aspects, fees, and security strategies
The withdrawal operation is the final and critically important stage of any trader's interaction with a cryptocurrency platform. The safety of your capital and the effectiveness of your entire trading strategy depend on how competently and securely you approach this process. In my practice, I highlight several fundamental aspects that must be considered when transferring digital assets to external wallets or into fiat money...
17:55
How to top up your balance on a crypto exchange: a detailed guide
Account top-up is the first and, perhaps, the most important operation for any trader who has decided to enter the crypto market. Without a clear understanding of the mechanics of this process, it is impossible to talk about competent capital management and cost minimization. In this material, I will break down the key methods of depositing funds, their features, and the pitfalls that both beginners and experienced investors encounter...
17:54
HTX founder Justin Sun stated that the restrictions imposed by Binance on his exchange apply exclusively to users in the United Kingdom and the European Union. However, Binance's official notice does not specify any particular country, raising questions about the scope of the block.
This statement came on Friday evening—just a few hours after Binance announced adding HTX to its blacklist. Sun emphasized that he had already held talks with Binance representatives and that the restrictions are targeted in nature...
Justin Sun on HTX blocking on Binance: restrictions will only affect the EU and the UK.
HTX founder Justin Sun stated that the restrictions imposed by Binance on his exchange apply exclusively to users in the United Kingdom and the European Union. However, Binance's official notice does not specify any particular country, raising questions about the scope of the block.This statement came on Friday evening—just a few hours after Binance announced adding HTX to its blacklist. Sun emphasized that he had already held talks with Binance representatives and that the restrictions are targeted in nature...
17:51
Transferring $200 abroad costs on average 6.4% of the amount, while a bank transfer costs almost 15%. At the same time, the payment message itself reaches the recipient bank in ten minutes. This is evidenced by data from digital economist Ravil Akhtyamov, who analyzed the real cost and speed of cross-border transactions.
The rest of the time and almost all the money goes to what happens after delivery...
Crypto reform in Russia: two payment circuits instead of one — the new reality of the market
Transferring $200 abroad costs on average 6.4% of the amount, while a bank transfer costs almost 15%. At the same time, the payment message itself reaches the recipient bank in ten minutes. This is evidenced by data from digital economist Ravil Akhtyamov, who analyzed the real cost and speed of cross-border transactions.The rest of the time and almost all the money goes to what happens after delivery...
17:49
In Russia, a window has been opened for advertising crypto services: what is allowed and what remains prohibited
The Russian digital assets market is taking another cautious step toward legalization. The new law for the first time permits advertising of services offered by licensed cryptocurrency market participants, yet direct promotion of the coins themselves — bitcoin, Ethereum, and others — remains strictly prohibited. This is an important signal that changes the rules of the game for many players, but it does not lift previous restrictions...
17:48
The annual threshold of 300,000 rubles for purchasing cryptocurrency, set by the Central Bank, is not an absolute ceiling for an investor, but rather a guideline for each individual counterparty. The key nuance that many overlook: the restriction applies not to the total amount of a client's transactions, but personally to each bank, broker, or exchange. This opens up a perfectly legal opportunity to distribute transactions across multiple platforms...
The Central Bank limit of 300,000 rubles: a legal strategy for distributing transactions for large investors
The annual threshold of 300,000 rubles for purchasing cryptocurrency, set by the Central Bank, is not an absolute ceiling for an investor, but rather a guideline for each individual counterparty. The key nuance that many overlook: the restriction applies not to the total amount of a client's transactions, but personally to each bank, broker, or exchange. This opens up a perfectly legal opportunity to distribute transactions across multiple platforms...
17:47
The launch of cryptocurrency banking operations in Russia will be marked by inflated spreads, but market competition will quickly correct this situation. No player will be able to sustain a markup of 5–7% or higher in an open market.
The key factor that will determine the price for the client is not so much the bank's appetite for profit, but rather the objective cost of liquidity, the willingness of the audience itself to overpay for a regulated framework, and the difference compared to traditional fiat transfer channels...
Banking spreads on cryptocurrency in Russia: why high fees won't last long
The launch of cryptocurrency banking operations in Russia will be marked by inflated spreads, but market competition will quickly correct this situation. No player will be able to sustain a markup of 5–7% or higher in an open market.The key factor that will determine the price for the client is not so much the bank's appetite for profit, but rather the objective cost of liquidity, the willingness of the audience itself to overpay for a regulated framework, and the difference compared to traditional fiat transfer channels...
17:45
A large-scale attack on Coldcard hardware wallets resulted in the loss of at least 1,778.84 BTC, equivalent to $112.7 million. According to my data, the last confirmed hacking incident dates back to August 6, and no new incidents have been recorded since that date.
Anatomy of the Attack: The Root of the Problem in Entropy Generation During the investigation, I managed to establish contact with 190 affected users, which allowed me to confirm the theft of funds from more than 8,600 addresses...
The largest theft from hardware wallets: 1700+ BTC leaked due to a fatal Coldcard error
A large-scale attack on Coldcard hardware wallets resulted in the loss of at least 1,778.84 BTC, equivalent to $112.7 million. According to my data, the last confirmed hacking incident dates back to August 6, and no new incidents have been recorded since that date.Anatomy of the Attack: The Root of the Problem in Entropy Generation During the investigation, I managed to establish contact with 190 affected users, which allowed me to confirm the theft of funds from more than 8,600 addresses...
17:44
Ireland's Ministry of Finance has presented the first comprehensive document in the country's history aimed at combating money laundering and terrorist financing in the cryptocurrency sector. This is not just a formality, but a signal to the entire market: the regulator intends to radically overhaul the rules of the game for digital assets.
The key blow falls on private (non-custodial) wallets...
Ireland tightens the rules: the first national AML strategy will hit private wallets and gambling
Ireland's Ministry of Finance has presented the first comprehensive document in the country's history aimed at combating money laundering and terrorist financing in the cryptocurrency sector. This is not just a formality, but a signal to the entire market: the regulator intends to radically overhaul the rules of the game for digital assets.The key blow falls on private (non-custodial) wallets...
17:42
Riot Platforms, one of the leading players in the bitcoin mining sector, has taken a decisive step toward expanding its business beyond cryptocurrency extraction. The company has closed a deal to secure project debt financing of up to $573 million. The funds will be directed toward purchasing high-tech equipment and developing a 191 MW data center for artificial intelligence, which will be located on the site of Riot's existing campus in Rockdale, Texas...
Riot Platforms raises $573 million to build an AI campus in Texas: a bet on diversification
Riot Platforms, one of the leading players in the bitcoin mining sector, has taken a decisive step toward expanding its business beyond cryptocurrency extraction. The company has closed a deal to secure project debt financing of up to $573 million. The funds will be directed toward purchasing high-tech equipment and developing a 191 MW data center for artificial intelligence, which will be located on the site of Riot's existing campus in Rockdale, Texas...
17:41
Analysts at Galaxy Digital have revised their forecast regarding the fate of the CLARITY Act, a bill designed to bring clarity to the regulation of the U.S. cryptocurrency market. The current estimate of its approval by the Senate in 2026 has been lowered to 10%, reflecting growing uncertainty and political tension surrounding the initiative.
Key obstacles remain unresolved disputes over several fundamental aspects...
Galaxy Digital has sharply lowered the odds of the CLARITY Act: only a 10% chance of passage in 2026.
Analysts at Galaxy Digital have revised their forecast regarding the fate of the CLARITY Act, a bill designed to bring clarity to the regulation of the U.S. cryptocurrency market. The current estimate of its approval by the Senate in 2026 has been lowered to 10%, reflecting growing uncertainty and political tension surrounding the initiative.Key obstacles remain unresolved disputes over several fundamental aspects...
17:40
Recently, a troubling trend has emerged on Wall Street: major financial institutions are increasingly turning to closed blockchain networks with restricted access. However, in my firm conviction, this path leads to a dead end. Vivek Raman, co-founder and CEO of Etherealize, a company focused on integrating Ethereum into traditional finance, has harshly criticized this practice, calling it nothing less than a "race to the bottom...
Wall Street's closed blockchains are a "race to the bottom": Etherealize's head explains why isolation is destroying the industry
Recently, a troubling trend has emerged on Wall Street: major financial institutions are increasingly turning to closed blockchain networks with restricted access. However, in my firm conviction, this path leads to a dead end. Vivek Raman, co-founder and CEO of Etherealize, a company focused on integrating Ethereum into traditional finance, has harshly criticized this practice, calling it nothing less than a "race to the bottom...
17:36
Withdrawal: How to safely and efficiently manage liquidity in cryptocurrency
The issue of withdrawing funds is one of the key aspects of managing digital assets, requiring not only technical literacy from the investor but also strategic thinking. In my practice, I have repeatedly observed how even experienced traders lose a significant portion of their profits at the deal finalization stage, neglecting basic rules of security and optimization.
Main channels and their features Today, there are three main ways to withdraw capital from the crypto ecosystem: through centralized exchanges, decentralized protocols, and P2P platforms...
Main channels and their features Today, there are three main ways to withdraw capital from the crypto ecosystem: through centralized exchanges, decentralized protocols, and P2P platforms...
17:35
How to properly top up a cryptocurrency exchange balance: instructions for an investor
Liquidity management is the foundation of successful trading on the crypto market. How quickly and safely you can deposit funds into your exchange account determines the efficiency of your trades and the safety of your capital. In this material, I will break down the key aspects of the balance top-up process that every trader must know.
Main methods of depositing funds Today, leading platforms offer several channels for deposits: bank transfers (SEPA, SWIFT), bank card transactions, as well as transfers of digital assets from external wallets...
Main methods of depositing funds Today, leading platforms offer several channels for deposits: bank transfers (SEPA, SWIFT), bank card transactions, as well as transfers of digital assets from external wallets...
17:33
HTX founder Justin Sun rushed to reassure exchange users, stating that the restrictions imposed by Binance are purely regional in nature and apply exclusively to clients from the United Kingdom and the European Union. However, Binance's own official notice lacks such geographic specificity.
This statement came on Friday evening—just a few hours after it became known that HTX had been added to Binance's "blacklist...
Sun refutes the global nature of Binance restrictions: HTX blacklist affected only the EU and Britain
HTX founder Justin Sun rushed to reassure exchange users, stating that the restrictions imposed by Binance are purely regional in nature and apply exclusively to clients from the United Kingdom and the European Union. However, Binance's own official notice lacks such geographic specificity.This statement came on Friday evening—just a few hours after it became known that HTX had been added to Binance's "blacklist...
17:32
Digital ruble and crypto: Russia is building two isolated payment circuits
Russia is officially entering a new era of digital finance, and its approach is strikingly different from what we see in the West. Instead of a single hybrid solution, Moscow is betting on creating two parallel and strictly separated payment systems: a public one, based on the digital ruble, and a private one, for cryptocurrency settlements. This is not just a technical nuance, but a fundamental architectural choice that will determine the market's development for years to come...
17:30
Russia opens the door for advertising crypto services: what does this mean for the market
Russian legislation is making a targeted but significant maneuver in the sphere of digital assets. The new law for the first time permits advertising of services by licensed crypto market participants, but promoting cryptocurrency itself as an investment tool remains prohibited. This is not a revolution, but rather a careful expansion of previously closed territory.
A Fine Line: What Is Allowed and What Is Not The key point is that the legislator draws a clear boundary between advertising the digital currency itself and advertising the services of legal players...
A Fine Line: What Is Allowed and What Is Not The key point is that the legislator draws a clear boundary between advertising the digital currency itself and advertising the services of legal players...
17:28
The Central Bank's limit of 300,000 rubles: how an investor can legally increase the volume of cryptocurrency purchases
The introduction by the Central Bank of an annual threshold of 300,000 rubles for the purchase of cryptocurrency by non-qualified investors has raised many questions. However, upon detailed analysis of the regulatory framework, a significant nuance emerges: the restriction applies not to the investor's total transaction volume, but to each specific contract with an individual intermediary. This opens up a legal opportunity to distribute transactions among several financial institutions...
17:27
The Russian market for bank cryptocurrency operations is just beginning to take shape, and the first steps of players will be accompanied by inflated spreads. However, as an analysis of market dynamics shows, maintaining a margin of 5–7% or higher over the long term will not be possible. Competition will inevitably adjust prices, and this process is already embedded in the logic of the sector's development...
Banking spreads on cryptocurrency in Russia: why high fees are doomed to disappear
The Russian market for bank cryptocurrency operations is just beginning to take shape, and the first steps of players will be accompanied by inflated spreads. However, as an analysis of market dynamics shows, maintaining a margin of 5–7% or higher over the long term will not be possible. Competition will inevitably adjust prices, and this process is already embedded in the logic of the sector's development...
17:25
A large-scale campaign against owners of Coldcard hardware wallets has resulted in losses of at least 1,778.84 BTC — about $112.7 million at the current exchange rate. Based on the latest data, the wave of hacks has subsided: no new confirmed incidents have been recorded after August 6, but this does not diminish the severity of what happened.
Timeline of the attack: how the "impregnable" wallets were hacked My analysis shows that the attack began no later than the morning of July 30, 2026...
Largest theft from hardware wallets: Coldcard attack cost BTC holders $112 million
A large-scale campaign against owners of Coldcard hardware wallets has resulted in losses of at least 1,778.84 BTC — about $112.7 million at the current exchange rate. Based on the latest data, the wave of hacks has subsided: no new confirmed incidents have been recorded after August 6, but this does not diminish the severity of what happened.Timeline of the attack: how the "impregnable" wallets were hacked My analysis shows that the attack began no later than the morning of July 30, 2026...
17:24
Ireland's Ministry of Finance has presented its first comprehensive plan to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, and this is not just a formality. The document marks a systemic shift in the regulator's approach to digital assets, which will now be assessed not as a niche tool, but as a full-fledged element of the financial system requiring strict oversight.
The key blow is aimed at private crypto wallets...
Ireland tightens the rules of the game: new AML strategy hits private wallets and gambling
Ireland's Ministry of Finance has presented its first comprehensive plan to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, and this is not just a formality. The document marks a systemic shift in the regulator's approach to digital assets, which will now be assessed not as a niche tool, but as a full-fledged element of the financial system requiring strict oversight.The key blow is aimed at private crypto wallets...
17:22
Riot Platforms, one of the leading players in the bitcoin mining sector, has completed an important stage of its transformation into an infrastructure operator for high-performance computing. The company has secured project debt financing of up to $573 million, which will be directed toward purchasing equipment and developing a 191 MW artificial intelligence data center on its campus in Rockdale, Texas...
Riot Platforms secured $573 million to build an AI campus in Texas: a strategic move in the race for computing power.
Riot Platforms, one of the leading players in the bitcoin mining sector, has completed an important stage of its transformation into an infrastructure operator for high-performance computing. The company has secured project debt financing of up to $573 million, which will be directed toward purchasing equipment and developing a 191 MW artificial intelligence data center on its campus in Rockdale, Texas...
17:21
Galaxy Digital has sharply lowered its forecast for the adoption of the CLARITY Act, with chances now estimated at only 10%.
Galaxy Digital analysts have revised their forecast regarding the fate of the CLARITY Act in the U.S. Senate, lowering the probability of its passage in 2026 to 10%. This is a significant drop from previous estimates, reflecting growing uncertainty surrounding the legislative initiative aimed at bringing clarity to digital asset regulation.
Key obstacles remain unresolved political disagreements that continue to stall the document's progress...
Key obstacles remain unresolved political disagreements that continue to stall the document's progress...
17:20
Vivek Raman, co-founder and CEO of Etherealize, has sharply criticized the growing trend on Wall Street — the fascination with closed blockchains with restricted access. In his view, consortium networks are a step backward that fragments liquidity and returns us to the isolated systems that distributed ledger technology was supposed to leave behind once and for all.
Raman calls this new wave of projects nothing less than a "race to the bottom...
Wall Street's closed blockchains — a "race to the bottom": Etherealize CEO raises the alarm
Vivek Raman, co-founder and CEO of Etherealize, has sharply criticized the growing trend on Wall Street — the fascination with closed blockchains with restricted access. In his view, consortium networks are a step backward that fragments liquidity and returns us to the isolated systems that distributed ledger technology was supposed to leave behind once and for all.Raman calls this new wave of projects nothing less than a "race to the bottom...