Category: crypto

Vitalik Buterin received 6.29 million STRK tokens from an airdrop unlock, now worth $1.01 million, as a reward for supporting the Starknet project. This is the second largest holding in his crypto wallet, with most of his wealth in Ethereum. Buterin has been involved in Starknet since a seed financing round in 2018.

Polymarket CEO sparked speculation with a tweet hinting at a potential POLY token launch, possibly the biggest airdrop ever. With 1.35 million traders, it could be massive, but only a small fraction of users are highly active. The airdrop, if it happens, could result in a large token distribution to a few participants.

PayPay, Japan’s largest mobile payments platform, has acquired a 40% stake in Binance Japan to develop digital asset services in the country. This partnership allows Binance Japan users to buy and withdraw crypto through PayPay Money’s digital wallet. SoftBank, PayPay’s owner, aims to integrate cashless payments with digital assets.

Amid concerns over centralization and token control, a crypto analyst has given a clearer timeline for the Pi Network’s upgrade, with full deployment expected by late 2025 or early 2026. The upgrade includes improvements to scalability and speed, along with DeFi tools. The Pi token price has dropped, causing unrest in the community.

Citi Ventures has invested in stablecoin infrastructure company BVNK, raising its valuation to over $750 million. BVNK’s platform facilitates stablecoin transactions, attracting interest from digital and neobanks. Despite recent profitability challenges, BVNK plans to be profitable next year. Citi’s investment aligns with its goal of expanding cross-border payments capabilities.

Binance Wallet has launched Meme Rush, a platform in partnership with Four.Meme for users to participate in meme coin projects. It offers exposure to new and high-performing meme coins backed by BNB, with stages like New, Finalizing, and Migrated that lead to potential listing on Binance Alpha.

Swiss-regulated crypto bank Amina is the first to offer compliant POL staking for institutional clients, providing up to 15% in rewards through a partnership with the Polygon Foundation. This move strengthens Polygon’s position in institutional blockchain and allows qualified clients to earn rewards while securing the network.

Fight Fight Fight LLC, the company behind Donald Trump’s official memecoin, is aiming to raise $200 million to $1 billion for a new digital asset treasury firm. The initiative is focused on accumulating Trump memecoin tokens after a significant price decline and expanding Trump’s presence in the crypto ecosystem.

Canary Capital updated applications for a spot Litecoin ETF and Hedera exchange-traded funds, finalizing tickers and fees. Approval odds are high despite the SEC’s limited operations during the shutdown. Analysts see approvals as imminent, with Canary preparing for potential approval once the SEC resumes normal functions. The ETFs could mark the next phase of institutional…

SEC Chairman Paul Atkins plans to formalize an innovation exemption by late 2025 or early 2026 to provide a clear regulatory path for crypto and fintech projects. Despite a government shutdown, Atkins remains focused on finalizing the exemption to prevent brain drain of crypto developers and startups leaving the U.S. for clearer regulations.