Bittrex Seeks Refund of $24 Million Penalty After SEC's Shift on Crypto Regulations

Ethereum's "strawmap" outlines seven hard forks over the next four years, aiming for faster blocks, near-instant finality, quantum-resistant cryptography, and native privacy. The plan includes a shift to a one-round BFT algorithm called Minimmit for improved finality guarantees.

ETHZilla, now rebranded as Forum Markets, will shift focus from crypto to tokenized real-world assets, following a decline in stock value due to reduced crypto holdings. The company's shares peaked in August 2025 but have since dropped significantly.

The recent rally in Bitcoin has sparked discussions about the impact of Wall Street market makers on spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds, with speculation linking the price surge to a lawsuit involving Jane Street. Analysts emphasize the complexity of market mechanics behind spot Bitcoin ETFs, highlighting the role of authorized participants in meeting demand without direct spot market transactions.

Nvidia's fourth-quarter revenue surged 73% to $68.1 billion, driven by data-center demand, with net income nearly doubling to $43.0 billion. The company's strong performance lifted semiconductor shares and supported a rebound in equity markets.

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other major cryptocurrencies are surging, causing significant losses for traders betting against their prices. Over $400 million in short positions have been liquidated in the last 24 hours, with Bitcoin leading the list at $200 million.

Nicholas Hammer has resigned as CEO of Blockfills, with Joseph Perry now serving as interim CEO. The company faced losses of $75 million, leading to the suspension of client deposits and withdrawals. Blockfills is seeking a buyer after urging clients to withdraw assets before halting transactions.

According to Goldman Sachs Research, big money is betting against crypto equities like Strategy (MSTR) and Coinbase (COIN), with MSTR facing potential Bitcoin sales due to its declining shares. Shorting MSTR has been a popular trade, an analyst told Decrypt, with some traders misinterpreting the firm's business model.

Tether is investing $200 million in online marketplace Whop to enhance stablecoin payments, valuing the startup at $1.6 billion. Whop's digital marketplace has 18.4 million users, with a monthly transaction volume growth of 25%.

The UK's Financial Conduct Authority has chosen four crypto firms, including Revolut, to participate in a stablecoin regulatory sandbox. These companies will test stablecoin-related products without facing regulatory repercussions, helping shape the UK's stablecoin rules later this year.

WebN Group, the blockchain incubator supported by Alan Howard, is shutting down after backing various digital startups. The incubator also received funding from Nomura's crypto partnership. Despite this closure, Howard's interest in digital assets remains unaffected.