Blockchain & Digital Assets

February 21, 2026 @ 1:23 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Figure Technology Solutions (Nasdaq: FIGR) has suffered a significant data breach that exposed the personal details of approximately 967,000 customer accounts. The incident, which came to light in mid-February 2026, stemmed from a targeted social engineering attack rather than a technical vulnerability, highlighting ongoing challenges… Read More

February 21, 2026 @ 1:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In a recent appearance on Fox Business’s “Mornings with Maria,” Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse expressed relatively high confidence that landmark U.S. cryptocurrency legislation known as the CLARITY Act could clear Congress as early as April 2026. Garlinghouse placed the probability at approximately 80 percent, underscoring… Read More

February 21, 2026 @ 10:26 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

This week, Midnight Foundation announced that Blockdaemon and Shielded Technologies have signed on as federated node operators for the Midnight Network, “the fourth-generation blockchain bringing rational privacy to Web3.” The additions bring the network to four, joining previously announced partners Google Cloud and NASDAQ listed… Read More

February 20, 2026 @ 6:42 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Gemini Space Station Inc. (NASDAQ: GEMI), the cryptocurrency exchange founded by twin brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, is navigating a turbulent period marked by strategic retreats, workforce reductions, and significant leadership changes. These developments have contributed to sharp declines in its publicly traded stock, which… Read More

February 20, 2026 @ 6:37 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

A global study released this week by BVNK suggests that stablecoins are increasingly mainstream. BVNK’s Stablecoin Utility Report surveyed more than 4,600 early adopters and crypto-natives in 15 countries. The study was carried out by YouGov in partnership with Coinbase and Artemis. Crypto-natives and early… Read More

February 20, 2026 @ 6:32 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

Web3 minds were focused on tokenized RWAs, stablecoins, Bitcoin and AI this week. Tokenized RWA interest surging “The steady growth that we’ve seen in tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), even as the wider crypto market cap has plummeted by $1 trillion, is one of the clearest… Read More

February 20, 2026 @ 1:46 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

As part of the ongoing effort focused on integrating digital assets into the traditional banking system, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is advancing rules that would expand the scope of national trust bank charters. This move, highlighted in recent regulatory updates,… Read More

February 20, 2026 @ 12:00 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Mexican drug cartels, long reliant on bulky cash piles from fentanyl and other narcotics sales, are rapidly pivoting to digital assets for cleaning their illicit profits. A Bloomberg Businessweek investigation reveals how a decentralized, gig-economy-powered network has emerged to handle these transactions, leaving US and… Read More

February 20, 2026 @ 11:43 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Crypto lending platform Ledn has completed the inaugural securitization of Bitcoin-collateralized loans into asset-backed securities (ABS). The deal, valued at $188 million, represents a significant step in legitimizing crypto credit products within mainstream debt markets and opens new avenues for liquidity in the digital asset… Read More

February 20, 2026 @ 11:38 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a revelation that underscores the fusion of artificial intelligence with geopolitics, the Pentagon reportedly employed Anthropic’s Claude AI model during its military operation to apprehend former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife last month. According to The Wall Street Journal, the action—codenamed Operation… Read More

February 20, 2026 @ 10:16 am By JD Alois  |  

Yesterday, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Division of Trading and Markets, updated an FAQ on “crypto asset activities.” The SEC is working through changing rules to accommodate digital assets and the ongoing transition to tokenization and more. After four years of active subversion during… Read More

February 19, 2026 @ 11:07 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Peter Van Valkenburgh, Executive Director of Coin Center, highlighted a decisive shift in congressional debates over digital asset market structure. After months of negotiations on technical matters—including how to classify tokens, handle yield on stablecoins, and divide oversight between federal agencies—the discussion in the Senate… Read More

February 19, 2026 @ 10:07 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Modern Treasury has unveiled Payments, a payment service provider (PSP) that unifies fiat and stablecoin transactions under a single API. Announced recently this month, the platform promises to eliminate the fragmentation that has long plagued teams building money-movement features into their products. For years, developers… Read More

February 19, 2026 @ 9:06 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockchain infrastructure firm Eco recently spotlighted compelling on-chain data from Dune Analytics, revealing explosive growth in USDC activity. Across 49 queried networks, monthly USDC transactions jumped from 31 million in July 2024 to 613 million by January 2026—a 20-fold increase in just 18 months for… Read More

February 19, 2026 @ 8:04 pm By JD Alois  |  

The House Committee on Financial Services has updated its forthcoming hearings for the coming weeks, and several are of interest to the Fintech sector. Top of the list is a hearing entitled, “Tokenization and the Future of Securities: Modernizing Our Capital Markets.” As capital markets… Read More

February 19, 2026 @ 7:42 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ: HOOD) CEO Vlad Tenev shared key updates on February 19, 2026, revealing that the company’s new blockchain initiative has already processed four million transactions during its opening week on testnet. This adoption highlights strong early momentum as developers dive into building applications… Read More

February 19, 2026 @ 7:39 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The year 2025 stands out as a pivotal moment in the enforcement of sanctions within the cryptocurrency sector, according to insights from blockchain analytics firm Elliptic. This period witnessed unprecedented actions by authorities, underscoring the growing intersection of digital assets with global security concerns. From… Read More

February 19, 2026 @ 7:38 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Figure Technology Solutions (Nasdaq: FIGR) has closed pricing for FGRD, the world’s first public equity security to be issued, listed, traded, and settled entirely on blockchain infrastructure. Announced on February 18, 2026, this development signals a profound shift away from centuries-old market structures toward a… Read More

February 19, 2026 @ 7:36 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In an advancement for tokenized real-world assets, World Liberty Financial (WLFI) has announced its collaboration with Securitize and DarGlobal to tokenize loan revenue interests in the Trump International Hotel & Resort, Maldives. This initiative, revealed on February 18, 2026, at the World Liberty Forum held… Read More

February 19, 2026 @ 7:35 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Cryptocurrency platform Kraken recently made several announcements including a significant acquisition, the release of its latest Proof of Reserves report, and strong endorsement from U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis highlighting its contributions to Wyoming’s economy. These developments underscore Kraken’s ongoing efforts to expand its services, reinforce… Read More