Industry News

BitMEX Launches Year-End Gala Featuring a 3.5 BTC Prize Pool

BitMEX, a leading cryptocurrency derivatives exchange, has announced its Year End Gala trading competition, featuring a total prize pool of 3.5 BTC. The event, which runs from December 18, 2025, to January 16, 2026, allows fully verified traders to compete for rewards distributed across three leaderboards: Highest Trading Volume (80% of the pool for top 100 traders), Highest PnL (10% for top 100), and Highest ROI% (10% for top 100). Additionally, five Sony PlayStation 5 Pros will be awarded via a lucky draw. BitMEX emphasizes its security record, noting no history of crypto losses due to hacking, and its regular publication of Proof of Reserves and Liabilities data.

TheNewsCrypto12/18 13:21

Attacker takes over multisig minutes after creation, drains up to $40M slowly

A crypto attacker took control of a multisig wallet just minutes after its creation 44 days ago, ultimately draining up to an estimated $40 million. Blockchain analysis reveals the wallet was created by the victim on November 4th, but ownership was transferred to the attacker only six minutes later. The attacker then patiently drained and laundered the funds in stages, using Tornado Cash over several weeks. Security experts note the wallet was configured as a "1-of-1" multisig, requiring only one signature, which defeats its purpose. Possible attack vectors include malware, phishing, or poor security practices like storing keys in plaintext. The incident highlights growing security concerns, especially as new research shows AI models are already capable of autonomously finding and exploiting smart contract vulnerabilities.

cointelegraph12/18 13:14

Crypto losses near $3.4B as hackers went ‘big game hunting’

cointelegraph12/18 13:02

Five Meme Coins Soar Against the Market Trend, Which Is the Next Potential Coin?

Despite a generally bearish crypto market, five tokens have experienced significant price surges. PIPPIN, an AI Agent token, saw a dramatic rise from $0.05 to over $0.44, driven by concentrated buying and suspected insider control of up to 80% of its supply. FOLKS, the token of cross-chain DeFi protocol Folks Finance, surged nearly 24x from its low following its S2 incentive announcement, though it later fell sharply. BEAT, a Web3 AI entertainment token on BNB Chain, rapidly grew its market cap to $440 million. AIA, a decentralized AI agent token, plummeted over 90% after Binance Futures delisted its perpetual contract but rebounded 160% after a contract swap. RAVE, a music and culture DAO token, gained attention after support from Donald Trump Jr. and CZ, rising over 410% and listing on multiple exchanges. These tokens share characteristics of low initial market caps, community or insider-driven pumps, and high volatility.

Odaily星球日报12/18 12:40

Farewell to Building Castles: The Transformation Moment for Crypto VCs

The crypto VC industry is undergoing a painful but necessary transformation, marked by the collapse of once-prominent firms like Shima Capital. Its founder, Yida Gao, faced SEC charges for fraudulent fundraising and misrepresentation, leading to the fund’s shutdown. This signals a broader shift toward accountability and transparency in the sector. The era of easy profits through speculative investments and “pump-and-dump” models is ending. With declining liquidity and retail participation, many VCs face prolonged losses and difficult exits. Data shows only 2% of altcoins are in profit, highlighting severe market strain. Investors now prioritize projects with real traction and data, not just narratives. VC strategies are evolving: funding is becoming more concentrated, with larger sums flowing into fewer, later-stage deals. There’s also a growing focus on infrastructure—such as payment rails and privacy tools—rather than premature application-layer projects. Some crypto-native funds are even diversifying into AI, biotech, and other non-crypto sectors. This period of recalibration, though challenging, is pushing the industry toward sustainable growth. By building stronger foundations, the market may eventually support more resilient and valuable applications in the next cycle.

marsbit12/18 12:07

Over 100 Crypto ETPs Launching Soon but Many Won’t Survive

The cryptocurrency investment landscape is set for significant transformation with over 100 new exchange-traded products (ETPs) expected to launch. However, industry analysts predict many will not survive beyond 2027 due to insufficient investor interest and low asset accumulation. Market saturation is a key concern, with 126 filings currently awaiting SEC approval. Historical data supports these sustainability worries, as 622 ETFs closed last year, with an average lifespan of 5.4 years for those shutting down in 2023. Recent regulatory changes have accelerated approvals but also enabled more speculative products, including memecoin-related ETFs. Performance varies widely; Bitcoin ETFs attracted $57.6 billion in early 2024, while newer offerings like Solana ETFs have seen slower growth. The market's ability to support hundreds of new products competing for limited investment remains uncertain.

TheNewsCrypto12/18 11:38

Miner's Stocks Soared After Decision to Build AI Data Centers for Anthropic

RBK-crypto12/18 10:41

The On-Chain Game of Payment Giants: The Battle for a $40 Trillion Settlement Layer

The payment industry, while perceived as traditional, remains one of the earliest and most adaptable parts of the financial system to technological transformation. While the market continues to debate whether cryptocurrencies are assets, payment giants Visa and Mastercard have reached a consensus on a more fundamental issue: the need for a more efficient settlement layer that can integrate with existing payment systems, rather than requiring a complete overhaul. Their answer is stablecoins. Visa has begun integrating USDC stablecoin settlements via the Solana blockchain for U.S. banks, emphasizing standardization and productization rather than disruptive innovation. This allows for near-instant, 24/7 settlements, reducing liquidity constraints and transaction times, all while maintaining a seamless experience for end-users. Meanwhile, Mastercard is pursuing a multi-chain strategy, partnering with entities like Ripple and Gemini to build a flexible compliance layer that connects traditional finance with on-chain settlement networks. This approach prioritizes adaptability across various stablecoins and blockchain environments, particularly for cross-border and B2B payments. Both companies recognize that the real competition is not about individual stablecoin growth, but about controlling the future settlement layer—where an estimated $40 trillion in credit market activity could be redefined. The shift toward programmable settlement tools could reshape core financial processes like credit issuance and risk management. This transition is occurring quietly in the background—a technical migration that is gradual but likely irreversible. As major payment networks adopt on-chain settlement capabilities, blockchain is becoming embedded within the infrastructure of finance itself, changing the underlying logic of how value moves globally.

marsbit12/18 10:03

BitMine Goes Shopping As Ethereum Dips: $140M Buy Spotted On-Chain

In a significant on-chain move, BitMine, an Ethereum treasury company, acquired 48,049 ETH worth approximately $140.58 million from institutional trading platform FalconX. The transactions, detected by Lookonchain, occurred in two transfers (31,867 ETH and 16,182 ETH) as Ethereum’s price dipped below $3,000, suggesting a strategic “buy the dip” approach. Originally a Bitcoin miner, BitMine shifted to Ethereum accumulation under chairman Tom Lee in June and now holds nearly 4 million ETH, aiming to control 5% of the circulating supply. Currently at around 3.3%, it is the second-largest corporate crypto holder globally, though its holdings are currently at a loss. Despite BitMine’s aggressive accumulation, Ethereum’s price has declined after initial gains, highlighting that large purchases don’t guarantee sustained bullish momentum. ETH recently dropped to $2,930 after a brief recovery to $3,400 last week.

bitcoinist12/18 09:32

Bitfinex Launches Zero-Fee Trading, Leveraging Long-Term Profitability to Accelerate Global Crypto Asset Adoption

Bitfinex, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, has announced a major update to its fee structure, eliminating all trading fees for spot, margin, perpetual swaps, tokenized securities, and OTC trades for both makers and takers. The move is positioned as a long-term strategic shift, not a short-term promotion, and is made possible by the platform's sustained profitability and robust financial management since its founding in 2012. By removing fees, Bitfinex aims to set a new industry benchmark, improve market liquidity, and significantly lower the barrier to entry for users engaging with crypto assets. The exchange believes this will attract new users while rewarding existing ones, reinforcing its position as a cost-effective platform. With over 250 spot trading pairs and 60+ perpetual contracts, Bitfinex emphasizes its commitment to advancing financial freedom and accessibility through its mature technology and diverse business structure.

深潮12/18 09:25