Category: crypto

The CFTC is proposing to remove a 13-year-old requirement for order books on certain swap transactions on SEFs. This change would give SEFs more flexibility in allocating resources and would align with market practices. Public comments are open for 30 days after the proposal is published in the Federal Register.

Two Binance employees detained in the UAE were cleared and released after being questioned about third-party fund flows. The UAE authorities did not disclose any formal charges, and Binance is cooperating with police authorities to develop clearer procedures for similar inquiries. The employees were not targets of the investigation.

HMRC sent 81,172 tax warnings to crypto investors in 2025/26, up from 64,982 the previous year. The agency treats crypto transactions as taxable disposals. UK service providers must report customer details under the Cryptoasset Reporting Framework. Unpaid tax can result in penalties. Taxpayers can correct unpaid liabilities voluntarily through HMRC.

Binance launched Binance Agent OS and its Model Context Protocol Server on Aug. 20, allowing AI applications to access market data and trading functions. The MCP Server supports various trading products, while the platform aims to streamline developer connections to Binance APIs and services. Users can authorize compatible applications without storing API keys locally.

Upbit, a South Korean cryptocurrency exchange, will add Bitcoin and Tether trading pairs for Biconomy, Bubblemaps, Nillion, and ETHGas on August 21. Trading was delayed by three hours from 13:00 KST to 16:00 KST. Deposits must be made using specified networks, and initial orders will have restrictions. Market reactions to previous listings have been mixed.

Binance founder Zhao suggests tokenization for countries to raise capital and attract foreign investments by offering digital assets to global investors. He supports issuing tokenized assets across multiple blockchains despite liquidity fragmentation, emphasizing the need for compliance with securities laws. CZ’s comments reflect industry views, not formal initiatives.

On August 21, MANTRA Chain halted its network to investigate an unidentified incident, freezing transactions and preventing assets from moving across the Layer 1 blockchain. The team is working with external partners to determine the cause and has not reported any compromised assets. Exchanges have paused deposits and withdrawals.

Capital.com plans to introduce spot cryptocurrency services in the UAE through its affiliate, Capital Vault, which received a virtual asset license from the UAE Capital Market Authority. The service will allow UAE customers to buy and hold actual crypto assets through the Capital.com application, different from CFDs. Launch details are pending.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 63% of Americans believe it is inappropriate for President Trump and his family to earn money from cryptocurrency while in office. Republicans were more likely to find the profits appropriate, while Democrats were more likely to see them as inappropriate. Trump reported over $1.4 billion in crypto income in 2025.

Public Bitcoin miners collectively spent $5.11 billion on capital assets in the first half of 2026, with only $341.2 million in artificial intelligence and high performance computing revenue. The spending-to-revenue ratio was fifteen-to-one, showing significant infrastructure investments before newer operations reach full commercial capacity. BlocksBridge Consulting analyzed the data.