Morgan Stanley's Bitcoin ETF Could Attract $160 Billion, Says Strategy CEO

IREN completed a refinancing with a $2.3 billion convertible senior-note offering and a $544.3 million repurchase of existing notes. The new issuance includes $1 billion of 0.25% notes due 2032 and $1 billion of 1% notes due 2033, among others.

Standard Chartered has revised its Bitcoin price targets, lowering the 2025 forecast to $100,000 from $200,000. The bank attributes the downgrade to decreased demand expectations and a slower pace of institutional adoption, particularly in ETFs.

The Comptroller of the Currency defended over $2 trillion in digital custodial activity, warning against efforts to block national trust banks from engaging in crypto custody. Gould refuted claims that approving crypto custody services would break with OCC precedent, citing decades of nonfiduciary custody activities.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has granted licensing and custody exemptions for stablecoins and wrapped tokens to promote innovation in the digital assets sector. This relief includes allowing intermediaries to distribute eligible tokens without separate licenses and hold digital assets in omnibus accounts.

Metaplanet CEO Simon Gerovich raised the question of whether Strategy (MSTR) will list a perpetual preferred equity in Japan during the Bitcoin MENA conference. Gerovich aims to introduce two new instruments, "Mercury" and "Mars," into Japan's perpetual preferred market, highlighting the potential for higher yields compared to traditional Japanese investments.

Circle Internet Group has obtained a license from Abu Dhabi's financial regulator, allowing it to operate as a regulated Money Services Provider in the region. Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, a regional veteran from Visa, will lead the company's operations in the Middle East and North Africa, following the UAE's clear regulatory pathways for digital finance.

Evan Tangeman is the latest to plead guilty in a RICO-style crypto theft ring that stole $263 million in Bitcoin from a D.C. victim and more from others across the U.S. The Justice Department revealed his involvement in a racketeering conspiracy known as the “Social Engineering Enterprise.”

A San Jose widow lost nearly $1 million in a crypto scam after being manipulated by a fraudster she met online. The scam drained her retirement savings and put her at risk of losing her home, a common tactic in long-form pig-butchering schemes.

HashKey Holdings Limited has filed for its initial public offering to become Hong Kong's first publicly-listed crypto exchange, offering 240.57 million shares globally. The company aims to create a digital asset ecosystem tailored for retail investors, institutional clients, and stakeholders.

Tether recently invested in Generative Bionics, a humanoid robotics startup, to aid in industrial testing and facility construction for planned 2026 deployments. The company aims to merge humanoid robotics with artificial intelligence, expanding human potential.