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Tracks company news, strategic changes, funding activities, and personnel adjustments across the blockchain and crypto industries, delivering a full-spectrum industry overview for our users.

Crypto Firm Entropy Calls It Quits, Plans Full Investor Refunds

Entropy, a crypto startup focused on decentralized custody and automation tools, is shutting down after four years. The company, backed by investors like Andreessen Horowitz and Coinbase Ventures, failed to achieve the growth and scalable business model required by its backers. CEO Tux Pacific announced the decision to wind down operations and return approximately $25–$27 million to investors. Despite multiple pivots and product changes, Entropy struggled to gain sufficient customer traction and revenue. The refund process will be handled formally, making this a relatively clean shutdown compared to other crypto failures. The founder may transition to a new field like medical research.

bitcoinist4m ago

Crypto Firm Entropy Calls It Quits, Plans Full Investor Refunds

bitcoinist4m ago

From Fragmented Components to the Super Layer

In recent developments within the decentralized social space, Farcaster and Lens have both undergone significant strategic transitions, highlighting a broader shift toward platformization and operational specialization. Farcaster’s co-founder announced that Neynar, a major infrastructure provider and client, will acquire the protocol. This move reflects a growing consensus that long-term sustainability depends less on protocol-level iteration and more on professionalized infrastructure and execution. Neynar has abstracted away the complexity of running hubs and provides APIs that allow developers to focus on product development rather than protocol mechanics. Similarly, Lens announced that Mask Network will take over as the protocol’s next “steward,” shifting focus from infrastructure to consumer-facing products. Both Lens and Aave emphasized that the transition involves no change in ownership or governance—only a reallocation of responsibility toward productization and user experience. These cases illustrate that as protocols mature into platforms, the key challenge is no longer adding features, but clearly defining roles and optimizing the full operational stack—infrastructure, tooling, and distribution. The trend points toward the emergence of “super layers,” where tightly integrated technical and operational capabilities become essential to compete at scale. The movement signals that Web3 is entering an era of mature ecosystem competition, where independent teams and clear operational division are critical.

marsbit54m ago

From Fragmented Components to the Super Layer

marsbit54m ago

Crypto Morning Brief: Hong Kong Plans to Expand Gold Storage Capacity, Binance to Launch Tesla Stock Perpetual Contracts

Crypto Morning Brief: Hong Kong plans to expand gold storage capacity to over 2,000 tons within three years, aiming to become a globally trusted gold storage hub. In other news, Binance will launch a Tesla stock perpetual contract with up to 5x leverage on January 28. Market-wise, spot gold surged over 2%, breaking $5,100 per ounce. Trump announced increased tariffs on South Korean goods, raising rates from 15% to 25%. Hong Kong’s digital bank Mox Bank received regulatory approval to upgrade its license, allowing Bitcoin and Ethereum trading. BlackRock filed with the SEC to launch a Bitcoin yield ETF, aiming to generate income through call options. Security issues emerged: Aperture Finance and SwapNet suffered exploits resulting in ~$17M in losses due to unaudited smart contracts. SlowMist warned of exposed Clawdbot gateways risking API keys and private chats. Additionally, Hong Kong’s SFC flagged "Ju.com" as a suspicious crypto platform, and blockchain infra firm Zerohash is in talks for a $250M funding round at a $1.5B valuation. NEO’s co-founder publicly called for Da Hongfei to resign amid internal disputes.

marsbit1h ago

Crypto Morning Brief: Hong Kong Plans to Expand Gold Storage Capacity, Binance to Launch Tesla Stock Perpetual Contracts

marsbit1h ago

Bitwise tests institutional appetite for non-custodial DeFi yield with Morpho vault launch

Bitwise Asset Management launched non-custodial yield vaults on Morpho on January 26, marking its first direct participation in DeFi strategy curation. The vaults target up to 6% annualised yield through overcollateralised lending pools, with Bitwise managing strategy while users retain asset control. This structure avoids custody and reduces regulatory exposure, addressing key institutional concerns. However, risks include variable yields, smart-contract vulnerabilities, and market-dependent liquidation mechanisms. Bitwise has not disclosed vault size or whether access is limited to institutional investors. The launch tests whether professionally curated non-custodial DeFi products can attract sustained institutional interest.

ambcrypto5h ago

Bitwise tests institutional appetite for non-custodial DeFi yield with Morpho vault launch

ambcrypto5h ago

Carbon Assets Sold Out in Ten Minutes: Is China's First Carbon Credit Digital Asset a Breakthrough or a Bubble?

China's first carbon credit-linked digital asset, issued by Greenland FinTech, sold out in just ten minutes. Priced at 88 RMB per unit, the offering was tied to verified emission reductions from a hotel energy-saving project. Each digital unit represented one ton of CO₂ equivalent, providing holders with a claim on real-world carbon assets. The product’s appeal lay in its hybrid design: it combined investment attributes with consumable benefits. Purchasers could trade the asset on a regulated digital platform and redeem carbon credits through an environmental exchange. Additionally, buyers received membership benefits, including hotel discounts and vouchers, lowering the barrier for public participation. While the launch demonstrated strong market interest and a viable model for democratizing carbon markets, it also raised questions about scalability, dependence on consumer incentives, and underlying risks such as carbon price volatility and regulatory uncertainty. The event marks an important experiment in blending green finance with digital assets but highlights the need for sustainable, transparent, and scalable structures in future RWA (real-world asset) tokenization efforts.

marsbit13h ago

Carbon Assets Sold Out in Ten Minutes: Is China's First Carbon Credit Digital Asset a Breakthrough or a Bubble?

marsbit13h ago

HSK Officially Launches on Kraken with USD and EUR Trading Pairs

HSK, the native token of the HashKey ecosystem, was officially listed on the major cryptocurrency exchange Kraken on January 26, 2026, at 13:00 UTC. The listing includes the HSK/USD and HSK/EUR spot trading pairs, marking a significant expansion into global USD and EUR-based liquidity systems. This move provides traders, particularly in compliant European and American markets, with more direct and transparent trading channels while enhancing HSK's global liquidity structure. The listing follows a strategic partnership between HashKey and Kraken, aimed at fostering ecosystem collaboration, product integration, and market expansion. Both parties are committed to advancing the integration of traditional finance and digital assets, as well as accelerating institutional-grade asset tokenization in the Asia-Pacific region. HSK is utilized across various core functions within the HashKey ecosystem, including trading fee discounts, exclusive token purchase privileges, and node validation. It also serves as the native and gas token on HashKey Chain. HSK is already available on multiple centralized exchanges, such as HashKey Global, HTX, KuCoin, Gate.io, MEXC, and BingX. Kraken, one of the world’s oldest and most security- and compliance-focused crypto exchanges, is a key gateway for institutional and professional traders in Europe and North America. The listing reflects Kraken's recognition of HSK’s technical stability, transparency, and market foundation. It also strengthens HSK’s global network across Asia, Europe, and North America, attracting more international users to enrich its community ecosystem.

marsbit13h ago

HSK Officially Launches on Kraken with USD and EUR Trading Pairs

marsbit13h ago

MEXC Expands RWA Offering With Zero-Fee GOLD & SILVER Futures

MEXC, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, has expanded its Real-World Asset (RWA) offerings by launching zero-fee perpetual futures for gold and silver. This move enhances its multi-asset trading ecosystem, which includes cryptocurrencies, U.S. equities, and forex. The new products address traditional barriers like high fees and limited trading hours, offering 24/7 trading with up to 100x leverage. The gold futures are available as XAUT (backed by Tether Gold) and PAXG (backed by Paxos), both representing physical bullion. Silver futures (XAG) track real-time spot prices. This initiative aims to provide seamless, efficient exposure to precious metals, allowing investors to capitalize on market movements and diversify their portfolios within a unified platform.

TheNewsCrypto15h ago

MEXC Expands RWA Offering With Zero-Fee GOLD & SILVER Futures

TheNewsCrypto15h ago

Side Events May Be Drastically Reduced by Over 80%, Is ETHDenver's Glory Fading?

ETHDenver, a major annual Ethereum-focused developer conference, is showing significant signs of decline ahead of its 2026 event. Side events have dropped by approximately 85%, from 668 in 2025 to just 56 this year, reflecting a broader cooling-off in the crypto industry. The event, once known for its community-driven, grassroots hacker ethos, has faced criticism for becoming overly commercialized. In recent years, attendees have reported a shift toward a corporate expo atmosphere, with heavy sponsor presence and brand promotions diluting its original technical and open-source spirit. Additionally, the conference's focus on Ethereum has blurred, as it increasingly included projects and sponsors from outside the Ethereum ecosystem. This has led to concerns about the event losing its core identity, despite organizers' claims that most content remains Ethereum-related. Broader industry trends have also played a role. High expectations for supportive crypto policies under the new U.S. administration have not materialized into substantial market recovery or regulatory clarity, dampening enthusiasm. Furthermore, the 2026 event coincides with the Lunar New Year, limiting participation from Asian communities. Despite these challenges, ETHDenver 2026 continues to emphasize builders and community. The reduction in side events may lead to a more focused experience, though it raises questions about the event’s ability to sustain engagement in a post-bubble market.

marsbit15h ago

Side Events May Be Drastically Reduced by Over 80%, Is ETHDenver's Glory Fading?

marsbit15h ago

SwapNet Exploit Drains $17M, Exposes DeFi Approval Risks

A significant security breach occurred at DEX aggregator SwapNet, resulting in a loss of approximately $16.8 million. The exploit was first identified by security firm PeckShield. The attacker swapped $10.5 million in USDC for Ether on Base network and bridged the funds to Ethereum. The vulnerability stemmed from users disabling the "One-Time Approval" feature designed to restrict token permissions. By doing so, they inadvertently granted direct and persistent approvals to underlying contracts, including SwapNet’s router, which the attacker exploited. Matcha Meta, the meta-DEX aggregator through which SwapNet was accessed, clarified that the issue did not originate from its core system but from this user configuration choice. SwapNet paused its contracts to mitigate further damage and investigate the incident. Users were urged to revoke approvals granted outside the One-Time Approval framework, especially for SwapNet’s router. The event underscores a critical DeFi trade-off: one-time approvals enhance security but add friction, while unlimited approvals improve usability but create persistent risk if a platform is compromised. This incident is part of a broader pattern of exploits targeting unverified code and standing approvals, highlighting ongoing risks in DeFi’s interconnected ecosystem. SwapNet has not yet released a technical post-mortem or confirmed user compensation.

TheNewsCrypto16h ago

SwapNet Exploit Drains $17M, Exposes DeFi Approval Risks

TheNewsCrypto16h ago

South Korea’s Coinone Explores Sale of Chairman’s Stake

South Korea's third-largest cryptocurrency exchange, Coinone, is exploring the sale of a stake held by its chairman and largest shareholder, Cha Myung-hoon. According to a report, the potential sale involves Cha's 53.4% stake, which includes his personal holdings and shares owned by his company, The One Group. Coinone is in preliminary discussions with overseas exchanges and local financial institutions regarding equity investments, though no specific decisions have been made. The report also suggests shares from the second-largest shareholder, gaming firm Com2uS, may be included. This move follows financial pressures at Coinone, which reported recent losses and a decreased book value. U.S.-based Coinbase may be involved in the sale, with officials scheduled to visit South Korea for meetings. The discussions remain preliminary, and no deal has been finalized.

TheNewsCrypto18h ago

South Korea’s Coinone Explores Sale of Chairman’s Stake

TheNewsCrypto18h ago

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