TeraWulf, Core Scientific, Cipher Mining and IREN each lost more than 12% as hotter inflation hit AI infrastructure companies.

VanEck initially filed an S-1 registration statement for the exchange-traded fund in October last year.

Airbender Prime's real-time proving on a single GPU marks a pivotal shift towards enhancing Ethereum's scalability and security verification.

The post ZKsync’s Airbender hits real-time proving on one GPU, and Vitalik Buterin weighs in appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The incident underscores the critical need for stringent supply chain security and robust anti-tampering measures in crypto hardware distribution.

The post Ledger tells CryptoBilis buyers to stop using tampered wallets after $86 million to $93 million drain appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Eleven years in crypto is not simply an anniversary. It means navigating multiple boom-and-bust cycles, changing asset narratives, exchange failures, and the growing convergence between traditional finance and onchain markets.

At its 11-year mark, LBank reports more than 30 million registered users and $23.81 billion in daily trading volume. In an exclusive interview with Bitcoinist, Eric He, LBank’s Community Angel & Risk Management Advisor, looks beyond the next hot token to discuss a more consequential question: how an exchange can balance speed, access, security, and durable trust as the market becomes more complex.

Eric He: A ship is safest in port, but that is not what ships are built for. In favorable markets, any platform can talk about growth. The real test comes when volatility rises and confidence is fragile: can the platform keep operating reliably, and can it keep risk management ahead of volume?

Over eleven years, what users expect from an exchange has changed. Early on, the questions were simple: Is the asset available? Can I trade it? Today, users also ask whether liquidity is real, whether listings are handled with discipline, how their assets are protected, and whether the platform helps them navigate a more complicated market.

That is why we have kept evolving our product and infrastructure rather than treating an anniversary as a static milestone. This year, LBank surpassed 30 million registered users globally. To me, that is not a finish line. It represents 30 million individual choices across regions, languages, levels of experience, and risk appetites. The number that matters most is whether they choose to stay with LBank through the next market cycle.

Eric He: Aristotle wrote that excellence is not an act, but a habit. An exchange should not be just a page that brings buyers and sellers together. Across asset discovery, trade execution, and risk decisions, it should help users build better trading habits over time.

The exchange used to be mainly a gateway. Going forward, it needs to be more like disciplined trading infrastructure: responsive to crypto-native opportunities, while giving users better liquidity, better tools, and clearer risk context. For LBank, that means advancing three things at once: staying close to emerging crypto narratives, expanding access to assets connected to the real economy, and continuing to improve risk controls and trading experience.

We do not believe more features automatically create more value. The objective is to give users a coherent path. They may begin with assets they already understand, then—once they understand the rules and risks—access tokenized U.S. equities, stablecoin-related products, or other eligible asset classes. The measure of success is not whether a feature exists, but whether users genuinely use it.

Eric He: The most meaningful achievements are not isolated peaks. They are a set of indicators showing that users continue to choose the platform and that the platform itself is becoming more capable.

This year, LBank reached 30 million registered users and $23.81 billion in daily trading volume. In 2026, spot trading volume reached $16 billion, while total trading volume reached $23.81 billion. More importantly, growth is not coming from one market alone. Our monthly TradFi trading volume reached $3 billion, while LBank ranked first for stock-market depth in the relevant market data. LBank Stock market share peaked at 27.32%, and U.S. stock spot market share was reported at a 340% premium to the top-10 average.

The product data matters, too. Copy trading has reached $15 billion in capital, LBank Cash has processed more than 10 million transactions, and BK Genie has served more than 1.5 million traders. We have allocated $70 million in total rewards, with $15 million in cumulative Earn subscriptions and $55 million distributed through Token Splash and airdrops. Sixteen listed assets have delivered gains of more than 100x.

None of these figures is a value judgment by itself. Together, they should answer a more useful question: Is growth rooted in real trading demand, durable liquidity, and products that people actually use—not simply short-term incentives?

Eric He: Partnerships and distribution can create a market entry point quickly. But long-term competitiveness depends on whether users can execute high-quality trades once they arrive. We do not see tokenized equities as another category to fill on a product shelf. We see them as an upgrade to what an exchange can offer: a path between crypto and traditional assets that can operate around the clock, with real liquidity and clear risk boundaries.

LBank’s first advantage is execution quality. It is not enough for an asset to be technically tradable. In a BeInCrypto market-depth report, LBank ranked first for U.S. stock spot trading depth. For HOOD-related pairs, HOODON order-book depth was 4.42 times that of Gate, HOODX was 2.23 times Gate’s, and HOODB depth was 22.8% higher than Binance’s. That matters because it shows users can do more than see tokenized equities listed; they can trade them in a market with deeper, more actionable liquidity.

The second advantage is how these assets connect to the rest of the platform. Through initiatives involving xStocks, Ondo Finance, and bStocks, we are expanding the range of assets users can access. But we are equally focused on what follows: effective price discovery, a clear understanding of asset structure, and continuity across market hours. Tokenized equities should connect with crypto-native liquidity, trading tools, and education—not sit in an isolated tab.

Our monthly TradFi volume has reached $3 billion, which signals real demand for around-the-clock, cross-market access. But this market must be built on transparency, regional availability, asset mapping, liquidity, and clear risk disclosures. Users should understand exactly what they are trading, as well as the rights and risks involved.

Eric He: Being youth-oriented is not about using brighter colors or repackaging FOMO. It is about understanding how a new generation discovers assets, forms identity, participates in communities, and makes sense of complex financial ideas.

Crypto has never been just a price chart. For younger, culturally fluent users, a community, a character, or a shared language can be the entry point to a new narrative. That is the context for our partnership with Pudgy Penguins. It is not a simple logo collaboration. Pudgy Penguins is a cultural asset that Web3-native communities already understand. The collaboration helps make something abstract—liquidity—more tangible. Liquidity is not only a number on an order book; it can be understood, shared, and connected to a collective memory.

But culture is not a substitute for product. IP can lower the barrier to attention and participation. The exchange still has to deliver liquidity, product quality, risk disclosures, and reliable asset protection. We want younger users to enter LBank with their own interests and way of expressing themselves, rather than asking them to fit a standardized trader profile. That is the real meaning of this year’s anniversary theme, “Come As You Are”: preserve individual difference while providing every user with clear choices and the same baseline of protection.

Eric He: AI has moved beyond being another market theme. It is changing productivity, capital allocation, and how information is distributed at the same time. If leading AI companies eventually reach public markets through IPOs or other routes, users will not only be looking at an AI-themed token. They will be trying to understand different risks and opportunities generated by the same technology cycle across public equities, tokenized assets, and crypto-native networks.

That changes three capabilities an exchange needs. First, asset supply: exchanges need to support credible AI-related crypto assets and, where regulations allow, provide paths to tokenized technology exposure. But “AI” cannot become an excuse to lower listing standards. Second, user decision-making: when narratives travel faster than research, platforms should help users separate technological value, commercialization progress, liquidity, and pure sentiment rather than amplify the noise. Third, risk management: AI can improve threat detection, anomaly monitoring, anti-phishing efforts, and market surveillance. Yet AI-driven automation can also magnify errors, manipulation, and information asymmetry if governance does not keep pace.

For LBank, the work runs on two tracks. Externally, we are following the asset and cross-market trading demand created by the AI cycle, including broader technology exposure where products are available in compliant jurisdictions. Internally, we are applying AI to market intelligence, product support, and risk identification—particularly to identify unusual fund flows, account behavior, and emerging attack signals more quickly.

The boundary is clear: AI can make information more available, but it cannot make investment decisions for users. It can accelerate risk response, but it cannot replace transparent rules, human review, and accountability. The system worth building is not an “AI trader” that bets for users, but one that helps them see more clearly, trade with more discipline, and protect their assets more effectively.

Eric He: Security cannot be reduced to “trust us.” It is a system that has to work under pressure. The industry has learned that an exchange can only provide liquidity, execution, and global access when asset protection and risk governance are credible first.

At LBank, security is a platform-wide responsibility, not a single team’s task. At the infrastructure layer, we continue to strengthen cold- and hot-wallet segregation, multi-layer authorization, abnormal-behavior monitoring, real-time risk alerts, and incident-response mechanisms. On the user side, the goal is to make protection more visible at critical risk moments without creating unnecessary friction in ordinary use.

This year, we also launched the Crypto Resilience Initiative, with CertiK and SlowMist participating. The initiative is not about adding a one-off scan or borrowing credibility from a third party. It is about moving security from post-incident response toward long-term resilience through continuous monitoring, shared threat intelligence, incident-response exercises, and user security education. The objective is to improve both prevention and recovery when new attack methods or extreme market conditions emerge.

AI is an important layer in that effort. We are strengthening AI-assisted risk identification and behavioral analysis to detect suspicious fund flows, account anomalies, phishing activity, and attack signals earlier. But AI is not a magic word that can replace governance. It has to work alongside human security teams, defined response processes, and outside expertise. We do not promise “absolute security.” We are building defenses that can keep evolving and can be tested.

Eric He: I would not frame short-term price moves as a certainty. Crypto will remain volatile. Macro liquidity, rate expectations, regulation, technology cycles, and market sentiment can all change prices quickly. But if the question is whether I remain constructive on crypto’s long-term direction, the answer is yes. I am, at heart, a crypto believer.

That conviction is not based on the idea that prices only move higher. It comes from the fact that infrastructure and real demand are deepening at the same time. Stablecoins are changing cross-border settlement and onchain capital efficiency. Tokenized assets are making more real-world value accessible in flexible ways. AI is creating new productivity and data-coordination use cases. And the demand for always-on, cross-border, verifiable financial services has not disappeared.

Every pullback removes some speculation, but it also forces the industry to build stronger products, better compliance practices, and more resilient security. I see market cycles as stress tests, not tests of belief. The market can rise or fall in the short term; the longer-term direction will depend on whether the industry can turn technical advantages into real, credible, and durable user value. LBank’s role is not to call every turning point. It is to provide liquidity, tools, risk management, and access to emerging asset classes through every cycle.

Eric He: I would rather talk about discipline than specific tokens or entry points. Crypto rewards sustained learning, but it punishes people who treat emotion as a strategy.

First, understand the asset and the product you are trading—especially more complex products such as leverage, perpetual futures, and tokenized assets. Second, define what you can afford to lose before deciding your position size, not the other way around. Third, do not let social-media momentum replace research. A trend can be a useful signal to investigate, but it should not become your conclusion. Finally, set a time horizon and an exit condition before volatility forces you to rewrite your own rules.

I remain bullish on the industry, but believing in an industry is not the same as believing in every trade. A mature trader is not someone who captures every rally. It is someone who can still be in the game when they are wrong. The platform’s role is to provide transparent information, sufficient liquidity, clear risk disclosures, and reliable tools. Each investment decision should remain independent and appropriate to the user’s own circumstances; where needed, users should consult a licensed professional.

Eric He: I am cautious about end-state predictions. In an industry that is continually repriced, saying “I don’t know” is not a lack of direction. It means we do not confuse imagination with certainty. That is exactly why we need coordinates that do not shift with every short-term narrative.

First, globalization. Real globalization is not translating the same press release into twenty languages. It means that a user in a small Latin American town or on a street corner in Southeast Asia can access the same baseline of trust and liquidity.

Second, security. It is not a line in a whitepaper. It is a disciplined respect for risk. In this market, risk management must always move faster than greed.

Third, user-centricity. Complexity should stay inside our systems, while the user receives a simpler, smoother experience and more tangible protection.

Finally, what we call the super-ecosystem: connecting the asset flows of traditional finance, the raw energy of crypto, and the community value of IP so they reinforce each other rather than sit in silos. These four coordinates do not guarantee that every short-term call will be right. They help us keep our direction when the tide goes out.

Eric He: We do not want users to remember LBank only because it listed a particular hot asset or ran a single campaign. We want them to think of LBank when they enter a fast-moving market and need opportunity, useful tools, and a platform that respects risk.

If users come to see LBank as a place that understands crypto-native culture, brings a wider world of assets into a clear trading experience, and can be trusted when it matters, then the last eleven years will have meant something. An anniversary is not the finish line. It is the next page in the work of proving that.

TL;DR: Sui and Alibaba Cloud are working on an integration that would let AI agents pay for cloud services per request using stablecoins within budgets set by their owners. The collaboration was unveiled at Sui Basecamp and remains under development, with no public launch date yet.

The next stablecoin user may not be a person.

Sui and Alibaba Cloud are working on a payments model that would allow autonomous AI agents to pay for cloud resources one request at a time without asking a human to approve every transaction.

The collaboration was unveiled at Sui Basecamp in Singapore.

The concept connects Alibaba Cloud services with Sui Agent Payments, a framework in which the owner of an AI agent sets an on-chain budget and spending limits.

Once those rules are in place, the agent can make individual cloud or inference calls and settle the cost in stablecoins.

That turns the normal cloud billing model on its head.

Instead of a company receiving a monthly invoice for a pool of API and computing usage, each action can become its own programmable payment.

The user still controls the budget.

The agent controls spending inside that boundary.

That distinction is important because autonomous payments are one of the practical bottlenecks facing AI agents.

Software can already decide to call an API, order a task or request computing resources.

But if every action requires a human to enter card details or approve an invoice, the agent is not truly operating autonomously.

Stablecoins are particularly well suited to machine payments because they can move around the clock, settle programmatically and be divided into very small amounts.

Sui’s role is to provide the blockchain execution and payment logic around those transactions.

Alibaba Cloud brings the actual services an agent might need to purchase, including compute and other cloud resources.

The partnership is not a live commercial service yet.

No launch date, price schedule or first customer has been announced.

That makes it important not to confuse the demonstration with a finished product.

But the model is worth watching because it connects two technologies that have often been discussed separately.

AI agents need money.

Stablecoins need useful transactions.

A cloud service that can be purchased automatically creates a clear reason for an agent to hold and spend a digital dollar.

There are also obvious controls that need to work.

An autonomous agent with an unlimited wallet is a security nightmare.

Budget limits, permissions and transaction rules therefore become as important as the payment rail itself.

Sui Agent Payments is being designed around that idea, with owners defining the amount an agent is allowed to spend before it starts acting.

If the model eventually reaches production, the most interesting part may be how little the user thinks about blockchain.

A company gives software a budget.

The software buys the computing resources it needs.

Stablecoins settle the bill underneath.

That is much closer to infrastructure than speculation, and it may be where machine-to-machine crypto payments start to make sense.

The October 6 activation moved existing FXRP stakes automatically into pooled cover backing, pairing fee income with claim exposure and longer withdrawals.

Read the full story on CryptoSlate

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The mainnet plan calls for a live consensus replacement, with roughly 150ms finality dependent on network conditions and a coordinated validator handoff.

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Warburg Pincus CEO Jeffrey Perlman, whose private equity firm backs more than 200 portfolio companies, says investors see public markets as one concentrated, correlated bet. He argues that pushes capital toward private assets.

The pitch comes from a firm that calls the initial public offering (IPO) market structurally broken for buyout exits and has sold most recent holdings to corporate buyers.

Why Does the Warburg Pincus CEO Say Investors Want Private Assets?

Perlman spoke to CNBC after a bell-ringing ceremony at the New York Stock Exchange marking Warburg’s 60th anniversary.

Investors he meets worldwide, he said, increasingly describe public markets with one phrase.

“one large single correlated bet.”

Jeffrey Perlman, CEO of Warburg Pincus, via CNBC

Warburg’s clients, he said, want AI applied across traditional companies, not a bet on the next large language model (LLM). The firm’s largest single investment is AI implementation.

Perlman put the share of the S&P 500 held by 10 companies at about half. Yet JPMorgan data show the top 10 held about 38% in July 2026.

Citi strategist Scott Chronert, however, expects AI-driven earnings to support Citi’s 8,100 target for the S&P 500 by year-end.

Can Private Markets Offer Diversification Without Easy Exits?

Perlman said public companies are down 60% in a decade. In contrast, the number of US public firms has nearly halved since 1996, according to Harvard Law School’s corporate governance forum.

Markets expect IPO discounts of 30% to 40%, he said, and selling down stakes then takes three to four years. Most Warburg sales over the past four to five years went to strategics, meaning corporate buyers.

CNBC’s Leslie Picker asked about private markets’ software exposure. Still, Perlman said software belongs in investor portfolios, though probably not at 30% to 40%. He described Warburg’s approach as “diversification by design.”

Meanwhile, he said rates are structurally higher but not high by historical standards. He does not think higher debt costs make buyouts harder.

That leaves a structural question for investors leaving concentrated public trades. Can private markets absorb the capital if exits keep leaning on corporate buyers?

The post Warburg Pincus CEO Says Investors See Public Markets as One Big Bet appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Jim Cramer says investors are punishing bank stocks even when earnings beat estimates. Morgan Stanley (MS) fell nearly 3% on Wednesday after its revenue grew 12% and topped forecasts.

Cramer attributes the sell-off to worries about sticky inflation and climbing rates, not weak results. Goldman Sachs also beat estimates, yet it lost another 1.5% on Wednesday, CNBC reported.

Why Did a 12% Revenue Beat Fail to Lift Morgan Stanley?

Morgan Stanley’s third-quarter revenue rose to $20.3 billion from $18.2 billion a year earlier, according to its filing.

Institutional Securities, the unit combining investment banking with sales and trading, grew 18% to $10 billion.

Cramer noted that fixed income fell short of expectations, and the filing shows a 7% decline.

In contrast, wealth management revenue rose 10%, and client assets across wealth and investment management reached a record $10.5 trillion.

Still, Chief Executive Ted Pick told CNBC he is cautiously optimistic about the fourth quarter, Cramer said.

“it’s not easy to own these bank stocks right now.”

Jim Cramer, host of CNBC’s Mad Money, via CNBC

Morgan Stanley is also a lead underwriter on Anthropic’s IPO, which Cramer said is due in November.

Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Herman Chan says Anthropic IPO deal flow could lift Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs.

Does Cramer See an Iran Resolution Reviving Bank Stocks?

Cramer said a resolution to the war in Iran, even an imperfect one, could cool inflation.

In his view, that would give the Federal Reserve room to back off rate hikes.

He expects capital markets to bounce back if that happens.

Meanwhile, his Charitable Trust portfolio upgraded Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs to buy-equivalent ratings, CNBC reported.

Cramer says the group no longer trades as one, because each bank now has different characteristics.

Momei Qu, head of venture at PSP Growth, says Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan are becoming AI stocks. Their earnings do not show that link yet, she told Bloomberg.

Therefore, bank shares may keep trading on inflation and rate signals rather than on quarterly beats.

The post Jim Cramer Says Bank Stocks Are Hard to Own Despite Strong Earnings appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Standard Chartered is making it easier for its eligible clients to trade cryptocurrencies, bringing digital asset buying and selling into regular wealth management. This move shows how big financial institutions are taking cryptocurrencies more seriously, especially as wealthy investors look for new ways to diversify their portfolios.

The UAE is the first market for this launch because of its supportive regulations and growing digital-asset presence. Clients won’t need separate wallets or external trading platforms; everything happens within the bank’s system. This launch builds on Standard Chartered’s earlier crypto investment services and fits their broader plan to offer more regulated digital asset solutions.

A New Route to Cryptocurrency Trading

With this launch, eligible clients can trade Bitcoin and Ether directly through Standard Chartered’s platform. They can buy and sell both cryptocurrencies using their existing bank accounts, no need for extra wallets or relying on outside services.

At first, the service targets Professional Investor clients in the UAE. Standard Chartered got a license from VARA, the authority that oversees digital assets in the region. The bank also plans to roll out the service in other markets as demand increases.

This is a big step for banks and digital assets. By adding crypto trading to its wealth services, Standard Chartered is listening to clients who want to invest in these assets but stick with the banking processes they’re used to.

Custody and Settlement Within One Ecosystem

A key part of the service is its closed-loop model. All trading stays inside the bank’s ecosystem, so custody and settlement happen there instead of through outside wallets. This setup aims to lower risks tied to external wallets and platforms. It also streamlines everything, so clients have trading and asset safekeeping all within one system.

Standard Chartered’s Wealth and Retail Banking and Corporate and Investment Banking teams worked together with Zodia Markets, backed by SC Ventures, to create this service. By combining wealth management and institutional digital asset expertise, they make regulated crypto trading possible. This model shows that traditional banks can use their infrastructure and partner with specialists to offer crypto services while keeping everything regulated.

The UAE’s Role in Standard Chartered’s Strategy

The UAE is the first place Standard Chartered launched this service because it’s a key hub for global wealth and innovation. Rola Abu Manneh, CEO for the UAE, Middle East, and Pakistan, says the country’s focus on innovation, strong regulations, and rising role in digital assets made it the right choice. She also called the UAE one of the bank’s four global wealth hubs, highlighting its importance to Standard Chartered’s international plans.

This isn’t Standard Chartered’s first step into crypto investments. The bank already lets clients invest in cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) through its equities trading platform. Eligible clients can access crypto markets with structured products and over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives, too. The new service adds direct Bitcoin and Ether trading to what’s already available, giving clients more ways to invest in crypto with Standard Chartered.

Building a Broader Digital Asset Business

The new trading service is part of Standard Chartered’s bigger digital asset strategy, covering custody, trading, and tokenisation. The bank combines its own banking skills with partners like Zodia Markets and Libeara to deliver these services.

There’s growing demand from clients for regulated digital asset services. With crypto becoming more common in wealth management, banks are finding new ways to offer exposure, from investment products linked to digital assets to direct trading options.

Samir Subberwal, Standard Chartered’s Global Head of Wealth Solutions, Retail Products, Data and Analytics, says this launch is a big step toward making digital assets part of the bank’s core wealth offerings. His remarks highlight the bank’s aim to combine easy investment access with the security, trust, and controls clients expect from a major institution.

The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act is a proposed U.S. law that spells out how the government should regulate cryptocurrency markets. It’s meant to clarify what the SEC and CFTC must do by splitting oversight of digital assets between them. The House passed the bill in 2025. It went through the Senate Banking Committee in 2026 but stalled in the Senate this September after failing to clear a key vote.

This setback shows deep disagreement over how crypto should be monitored and what protections should accompany its growth. Crypto companies back the bill because they want clear rules. Opponents worry about how power is split between regulators, the rewards stablecoin firms offer, and potential conflicts of interest for politicians.

Who Opposed the CLARITY Act and Why?

The Senate vote made clear that lawmakers are split over what the bill means for the country. The act needed 60 votes to move forward; it got only 49 yes votes, with 50 senators voting no. All Democrats voted no, joined by four Republicans: Susan Collins (Maine), Josh Hawley (Missouri), Jerry Moran (Kansas), and Thom Tillis (North Carolina). Tillis also started a motion that could let the Senate vote on the bill again later.

For Democrats, the biggest worry was the bill’s ethics rules. They said the rules didn’t do enough to stop presidents and other officials from profiting from crypto businesses while in office. Some wondered if the Department of Justice, tasked with enforcing these rules, could really hold a president accountable.

The debate intensified after President Donald Trump disclosed that he and his family had earned $1.4 billion from their crypto ventures last year. Republicans tried adding more rules to address ethics concerns, but critics weren’t convinced the changes were strong or clear enough.

Banking groups, especially community banks, also fought against the bill. The debate focused on stablecoins and whether crypto firms should be allowed to give customers interest or similar rewards. Banks argued these incentives could pull deposits away from them while crypto companies didn’t have to follow banking regulations. Community bankers worried this would hurt their ability to lend to local businesses, farmers, and borrowers.

Crypto companies pushed back, saying their incentives were like credit card reward programs. Another concern was regulatory authority. The bill would give the CFTC more power to oversee digital assets. Critics think this shift could mean less scrutiny for crypto businesses.

Senators’ Comments and the Wider Debate

Supporters of the bill think clear rules are crucial as crypto use grows. Ryan VanGrack, Coinbase’s vice chair, said millions of Americans invest in crypto without clear oversight. He insisted regulation is needed, no matter what people feel about the technology.

Democrats wanted a dedicated CFTC office to advocate for retail crypto investors. The Clarity Act does that with the creation of the Office of the Retail Commodity Advocate.

Democrats voted no on protecting retail investors with a dedicated CFTC advocate.

— Senator Cynthia Lummis (@SenLummis) October 12, 2026

Senator Cynthia Lummis defended the bill’s protections for investors. On X, she said Democrats voted against creating a special office at the CFTC to protect retail investors. The CLARITY Act calls for an “Office of the Retail Commodity Advocate” to represent regular crypto investors within the agency.

That’s really where the debate splits: Supporters say this office proves the bill protects consumers. Opponents focus on weak ethics rules and the division of regulatory powers. Just because the bill includes consumer protection doesn’t mean lawmakers agree with everything else.

Republicans tried to address some objections by proposing limits on elected officials and their spouses issuing their own cryptocurrencies. These changes would force officials to sell off major crypto investments and give state attorneys general more authority to investigate ethics issues. Critics still aren’t sure this would stop conflicts of interest.

The bill isn’t officially dead, but with the November midterm elections coming up, getting another vote through seems harder. Any new version needs both the House and Senate to agree before it can become law.

Apia, Samoa, October 14, 2026 – The crypto market saw a notable rally in the just-concluded third quarter. It was also the quarter in which HTX turned 13. Over the past 13 years, the industry has weathered multiple bull and bear cycles, and HTX has stood alongside users worldwide throughout them. Resilience in navigating market cycles has been a defining characteristic of HTX over the past 13 years.

To mark its anniversary themed “Resilience Reveals the Future”, HTX launched the 13th-Anniversary Carnival and Trading Championship #3, among other celebratory events, in the third quarter, celebrating alongside users worldwide. Meanwhile, the platform continued to invest in TradFi, trending assets, yield products, and global compliance, delivering an outstanding quarterly performance report.

13th-Anniversary Celebrations Conclude, with Participation from Users Worldwide

On August 13, HTX kicked off its 13th-anniversary celebrations with the Anniversary Carnival. Its spot, futures, Earn and lending businesses rolled out exclusive anniversary promotions in succession, launching a celebration that lasted more than a month.

The annual trading competition Trading Championship #3 was the centerpiece of the anniversary celebrations. It attracted 45,000 registrations and generated 6.8 billion USDT in futures trading volume, making it the platform’s largest campaign of the quarter by both participation and trading volume. Meanwhile, HTX futures copy trading volume grew 21% quarter over quarter.

For spot trading, a series of 13th-anniversary campaigns, including the Individual Challenge, Trending Cryptos Margin Trading Carnival, and Points Tasks, played a key role in driving spot trading growth during the quarter. Over the three-month period, HTX launched 14 themed spot trading campaigns, attracting more than 46,000 registrations and generating over 500 million USDT in trading volume across the campaigns.

For 13 years, HTX and users worldwide have navigated one market cycle after another together. The anniversary celebrations were both a gesture of appreciation for users’ long-term support and a reflection of HTX’s determination to carry its resilience into the next 13 years.

TradFi Asset Offerings Expand as Quarterly Trading Volume More Than Doubles

In the third quarter, HTX listed 183 new futures assets, including 154 stocks and index-related assets. As of now, the platform offers 278 tradable stock assets, spanning US stocks, major global indices and ETFs, pre-IPO unicorns, and leading companies in Japan and South Korea, continuing to lead the industry in multi-market stock asset coverage.

HTX’s asset lineup focuses on four key sectors: AI hardware and semiconductor computing power, global e-commerce and internet companies, leading Asia-Pacific companies and major indices, and high-dividend blue-chip stocks. AI and semiconductor computing, leading Asia-Pacific companies, and pre-IPO unicorns were key themes throughout the quarter. Popular assets such as POLYMARKET, OURA and MOONSHOT were also listed. Eligible users can access global market opportunities through HTX without switching between platforms. This service is not available in jurisdictions subject to regulatory restrictions.

The expanded asset lineup drove rapid growth in trading volume. So far the cumulative TradFi trading volume on HTX has approached $6 billion, with $4.1 billion generated in the third quarter alone, more than doubling the cumulative total from the previous quarter.

The trading experience was upgraded alongside these developments. Stock perpetual futures feature a dividend settlement mechanism, allowing position values to adjust more continuously when an underlying stock goes ex-dividend and reducing the impact of non-trading-related price adjustments on users’ positions. TradFi asset detail pages include market data, news updates, and company profile, bringing key information together in one place. Dedicated categories for stocks, commodities and ETFs have also been added to market rankings, making it easier for users to discover assets. HTX has also upgraded its TradFi trading fee structure, bringing its net trading fees into the industry’s top tier.

HTX is also taking a longer-term view of the convergence of traditional finance and crypto markets. As real-world assets (RWAs), particularly tokenized stocks, become an increasingly important area of development in the global digital asset industry, the platform is monitoring regulatory developments and exploring regulatory frameworks and compliance pathways in preparation for future product innovation. All related products and services offered by the platform operate within the framework of applicable laws and regulations, and access restrictions are applied to users in certain jurisdictions as required.

Trending Assets Emerge as Earn and Lending Products Put Funds to Work Efficiently

In the third quarter, HTX listed new projects attracting strong market interest, several of which were first listed on the platform. Niulai was the quarter’s top-performing newly listed token, recording a peak gain of more than 500%. DOS and STONK each recorded peak gains of 240% after listing.

Earn and lending products expanded alongside new asset listings. During the quarter, HTX Earn changed the launch schedule for its new-token products from weekly updates to real-time synchronization with new listings, allowing users to access corresponding Earn products as soon as eligible popular tokens become available. Nearly 500,000 users participated in HTX Earn during the quarter, with subscription amounts totaling nearly 1 billion USDT. SVIP Flexible Earn products added BTC and ETH, expanding the options available to users with large holdings. In addition, SmartEarn introduced a trading-linked APY boost, offering a base APY of 4% upon activation and up to 9% APY for users who meet the required trading volume threshold. This further expands the yield potential for idle assets.

Margin and Convert features added 21 tradable assets, with XAUT becoming the first precious metal asset available through Convert. This further expanded the range of assets available for trading, borrowing and use as collateral. Loan interest rates are adjusted frequently in response to market conditions across more than 50 cryptocurrencies. Interest rates for large loans remain among the lower levels in the industry.

Risk management tools were also upgraded. Trailing stop orders and MMR TP/SL orders were launched successively. Stop-loss levels can automatically track market movements, giving users with large positions and high leverage greater flexibility in managing risk.

Advancing Global Compliance and Making a Major Brand Appearance at TOKEN2049

Compliance is a prerequisite for global expansion. In the third quarter, HTX made further progress on compliance initiatives in several key markets. In Dubai, the establishment of the relevant applicant entity received preliminary approval from the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), with subsequent regulatory applications and compliance reviews proceeding as planned. In Pakistan, following the formal publication of virtual asset service regulations and the launch of a licensing application process, HTX continued to advance the establishment of its local entity, its formal license application, and the development of its compliance framework, building on the No Objection Certificate (NoC) already obtained from the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA).

HTX continued to strengthen its presence in regional markets. In August, HTX Ventures participated in Conviction Vietnam, building connections with local users and Web3 ecosystem partners. As the fourth quarter began, HTX appeared at TOKEN2049, a major annual gathering for the global crypto industry. Held in Singapore from October 7–8, the event brought together projects, investment firms, developers, and industry builders from around the world. HTX Ventures exhibited at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore, engaging invited guests through brand displays and on-site interactions. Justin Sun, adviser to HTX and a core supporter of HTX DAO, attended related events and delivered a speech. He visited the HTX Ventures booth to meet with the team and other industry participants.

At Future Night, a private, invitation-only event hosted by HTX DAO during the same period, Justin Sun shared his views on industry trends via video. He noted that the crypto industry is becoming more closely connected with traditional finance. AI is changing how wealth is created, while crypto and digital finance are transforming how wealth is held and transferred. He also said that stablecoins could play a greater role in global payments and settlement, while the on-chain adoption of traditional assets such as bonds, funds and gold is likely to continue developing. The free flow of value in the digital world, he said, will be an important trend to watch over the next decade.

During the event, HTX DAO also hosted a private VIP dinner. Justin Sun met face to face with industry representatives, ecosystem contributors, and partners to exchange views on industry developments, market changes, product experiences, and future collaboration.

HTX DAO Ecosystem Expands as Q3 $HTX Burn Approaches

HTX DAO continued to support the long-term value of $HTX in the third quarter by steadily implementing its deflationary mechanism through quarterly token burns, while expanding $HTX use cases and building consensus among developers and the community. These efforts aim to lay a solid foundation for the ecosystem’s long-term development.

On July 15, HTX DAO completed its Q2 2026 $HTX token burn, valued at more than $13.6 million, bringing cumulative burns and donations to 117.79 trillion tokens. In line with its quarterly burn schedule, the Q3 $HTX token burn is scheduled to take place on October 15.

On the ecosystem front, HTX DAO focused on developers and the community. The Genesis Hackathon, co-hosted by HTX DAO and B.AI, attracted more than 200 developer teams exploring $HTX use cases, AI agent finance, on-chain asset management, and DAO tools. At Future Night, HTX DAO ambassador Molly shared that several projects developed by global university teams participating in the hackathon had advanced to further incubation stages and were exploring ways to integrate with use cases across the $HTX ecosystem.

Molly also shared that nearly 200 active volunteers were independently contributing to HTX DAO community development. In the fourth quarter, HTX DAO plans to develop regional community nodes to support members in organizing events and exchanging ideas.  She also noted that HTX, as an ecosystem participant, continues to optimize withdrawal fees, gather user feedback, and improve the app experience.

Navigating Market Cycles with Resilience, Shaping the Future Together with Users Worldwide

Thirteen years ago, HTX began as a digital asset trading platform. Today, it has grown into a comprehensive blockchain ecosystem serving users worldwide. Over the years, markets have experienced both highs and lows, and the industry landscape has evolved. Throughout these changes, HTX has remained committed to putting users first. Regardless of market conditions, improving its products and prioritizing the security of user assets remain among the platform’s top priorities.

Standing at the beginning of its 14th year, HTX will continue to navigate market cycles with resilience and build the future together with users worldwide.

About HTX

Founded in 2013, HTX has evolved from a virtual asset exchange into a comprehensive ecosystem of blockchain businesses that span digital asset trading, derivatives, research, investments, incubation, and other businesses.

Guided by its vision to “Achieve Financial Freedom for 8 Billion People Worldwide,” HTX works to make the digital asset space more accessible to a broader audience. The platform continues to develop its products and services in response to user needs and an evolving industry landscape. 

To learn more about HTX, please visit https://www.htx.net.in/ or HTX Square , and follow HTX on X, Telegram, and Discord. For further inquiries, please contact glo-media@htx-inc.com.

Geneva, Switzerland, October 12, 2026 — TRON DAO, the community-governed DAO dedicated to accelerating the decentralization of the internet through blockchain technology and decentralized applications (dApps), today highlighted key findings from its State of TRON Q3 2026 ecosystem report. The report examines network activity, stablecoin settlement, liquidity, tokenomics, developer activity, decentralization, and protocol governance during the third quarter of 2026.

TRON surpassed $30 trillion in cumulative transaction volume in Q3 2026, marking another milestone for a network used as infrastructure for stablecoin settlement and digital-asset transfers. At the same time, stablecoin supply and total value locked continued to expand, while the network’s active-address base grew and transaction activity remained broadly steady.

Key Insights

• In Q3, TRON surpassed $30 trillion in cumulative transaction volume. Stablecoin settlement reached $2.21 trillion in the Q3 reporting period, with average daily volume rising 3.9% from Q2 to $24.05 billion.
• Canary Capital launched the Canary Staked TRX ETF (TRXS) on September 9, 2026. TRXS gives investors exposure to the spot price of TRX—the native utility and governance token of the TRON blockchain network—alongside passive net staking rewards reflected directly in the fund’s daily net asset value. TRON DAO’s team rang the Cboe Closing Bell in Chicago on September 29 to celebrate its launch.

• TRON expanded its ecosystem collaborations in Q3 2026, adding institutional custody and staking, new trading venues, and digital dollar products through Anchorage Digital, Bitnomial, Backpack, Ethena, and Ducat. Payment, wallet, cross-chain, and developer integrations also broadened access and strengthened the infrastructure for payment, treasury, and DeFi applications. 
• Stablecoin supply and Total Value Locked continued to expand. USDT and USDD supply reached $93.88 billion, up 5.5% from Q2, while TVL including staking hit $28.21 billion and TVL excluding staking (DeFi TVL) hit $13.05 billion
• The active-address base widened while transaction frequency held steady. Average rolling monthly active addresses increased 9.8% to 18 million. 
• Network fee generation moderated. Fees totaled $701.4 million during Q3, averaging $7.62 million per day, down 4.0% from Q2. The average daily transaction fee fell from $0.668 to $0.643. 

TRON’s ecosystem continued to broaden in Q3, with new integrations spanning institutional services, trading, stablecoins, payments, wallets, and developer infrastructure. Anchorage Digital added TRX staking and TRC-20 custody, while Bitnomial and Backpack expanded access to TRX markets. Ethena brought USDe and sUSDe to TRON, and Ducat connected its Bitcoin-backed financial infrastructure to the network’s stablecoin ecosystem.

The quarter also brought new capabilities for users and developers. MoonPay introduced gasless transactions through Trust Wallet, removing the need to hold TRX for network fees, while Bitcoin.com Wallet added native support for TRX and USDT-TRC20. MetaMask connectivity expanded across B.AI, SUN.io, JustLend DAO, and BitTorrent, while Fireblocks Flow added support for payments from TRON wallets. Eco and STON.fi expanded cross-chain stablecoin connectivity, and KiiChain linked TRON assets with its 24/7 foreign-exchange and payment infrastructure. For developers, Privy expanded wallet, transaction, and policy-management capabilities, while OpenZeppelin brought its smart contract libraries and security tooling to the network. Together, these integrations strengthened the infrastructure available for payments, treasury management, and DeFi applications on TRON.

TRON’s third-quarter developments underscore continued growth in stablecoin settlement, liquidity, network activity, and ecosystem infrastructure, reflecting sustained demand for its financial infrastructure. With these trends strengthening, TRON enters Q4 with an increasingly established role in global stablecoin settlement and digital asset activity.

Read the full report from TRON here.

About TRON DAO

TRON DAO is a community-governed DAO dedicated to accelerating the decentralization of the internet via blockchain technology and dApps.

Founded in September 2017, the TRON blockchain has experienced significant growth since its MainNet launch in May 2018. Today, TRON hosts the largest circulating supply of USD Tether (USDT) stablecoin, which currently exceeds $94 billion. As of October 2026, the TRON blockchain has recorded over 408 million in total user accounts, more than 15 billion in total transactions, and over $28 billion in total value locked (TVL), based on TRONSCAN. Recognized as the global settlement layer for stablecoin transactions and everyday purchases with proven success, TRON is “Moving Trillions, Empowering Billions.”

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Media Contact

Yeweon Park

press@tron.network