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‘Crypto speed’: Why CZ thinks Pakistan could outrun the world in five years

Changpeng Zhao (CZ), founder of Binance, believes Pakistan is positioned to become a global crypto leader within five years. His visit coincides with major regulatory advancements, including the establishment of PVARA and the issuance of No Objection Certificates. CZ argues that Pakistan’s rapidly growing young crypto user base and recent reforms enable it to leapfrog outdated financial systems. He challenges conventional views on capital flight, stating that economic growth and openness attract more investment than restrictive controls. CZ also highlights that regulators can implement tools like transaction limits and KYC in crypto to ensure security without hindering innovation. His personal adoption of crypto for daily use underscores a shift toward a code-based financial system. Recent initiatives, such as plans for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, signal Pakistan’s serious commitment to becoming a crypto-forward economy. The country’s structural shift toward blockchain challenges traditional economic models and may redefine capital flow and state-backed digital assets.

ambcrypto12/31 23:03

‘Crypto speed’: Why CZ thinks Pakistan could outrun the world in five years

ambcrypto12/31 23:03

24 Predictions for Crypto and AI in 2026

The author, Benedic, founder of Meridian, presents 24 predictions for 2026 as a public commitment to test his judgment. He will delete the article if more than 6 predictions are proven wrong upon review next year. He discloses holdings in some mentioned assets and expresses interest in angel investment. Key predictions are categorized: **Mainstream Assets:** Quantum computing will challenge Bitcoin; Ethereum's relevance and price will decline; Solana will lead in synthetic assets and retain retail users; Monad will succeed as a Layer 1; Binance new coins will underperform stocks. **Application Layer:** Hyperliquid will gain market share in perpetuals, but overall growth slows; prediction markets won't expand beyond sports/politics; on-chain tokenized crypto options will hit $10B volume; Base will abandon SocialFi. **Infrastructure:** Robinhood's L2 will stagnate; Base will drop its L2 focus; privacy middleware integrated with embedded wallets will gain popularity; Coinbase or Stripe will solve fiat on-ramps for stablecoins. **Solana Ecosystem:** Protocol-integrated block building will advance; routing aggregators and DEXs/market makers will vertically integrate; tokenized stocks will scale significantly outside the US. **AI (Crypto):** AI assistants will become default in apps, a key differentiator; AI-written smart contracts will lower development barriers, spurring mechanism design innovation; ChatGPT will become more modular with a popular crypto plugin. **AI (Non-Crypto):** Anthropic will surpass OpenAI in revenue and valuation; Google's Gemini Flash will lead in non-coding tasks; enterprise AI competition will intensify; Meta will launch a top-downloaded AI app; a new paradigm beyond LLMs with tools may disrupt startups.

比推12/31 21:20

24 Predictions for Crypto and AI in 2026

比推12/31 21:20

From AAVE to HYPE: Bitwise bets on altcoins with 11 crypto ETF filings

Digital asset manager Bitwise has filed with the SEC for 11 new spot altcoin ETFs, targeting assets including AAVE, HYPE, UNI, and NEAR. The proposed ETFs will follow a 60/40 investment strategy, with the majority allocated to direct asset exposure and the remainder to derivatives. This move comes after the 2025 approval of several other altcoin ETFs, such as those for SOL, XRP, and DOGE. Despite significant institutional inflows exceeding $1 billion in some cases—like XRP and SOL ETFs—the prices of the underlying assets have remained subdued, showing a disconnect between ETF demand and market performance. Analysts suggest that while 2026 may be a pivotal year for crypto ETFs, the sector risks becoming overcrowded, potentially leading to a market shakeout.

ambcrypto12/31 19:04

From AAVE to HYPE: Bitwise bets on altcoins with 11 crypto ETF filings

ambcrypto12/31 19:04

Grayscale bets on ‘decentralized AI’ with first-ever Bittensor ETF filing

Grayscale has filed with the SEC to convert its Grayscale Bittensor Trust into the first-ever spot ETF for Bittensor's TAO token. If approved, this ETF would provide institutional investors with exposure to TAO through a U.S. exchange. The filing follows Bittensor halving event in December 2025, which reduced daily token emissions, creating a supply shock that immediately boosted TAO's price above $220. Grayscale aims to establish decentralized AI as a formal investment category in traditional finance. The proposed ETF would use Coinbase as prime broker and offer both in-kind and cash creation mechanisms, though staking is not currently permitted. This move is part of Grayscale's broader expansion strategy, which also includes refining offerings for other cryptocurrencies. The SEC's decision, expected in mid-2026, will be a key determinant for TAO's future institutional adoption.

ambcrypto12/31 15:03

Grayscale bets on ‘decentralized AI’ with first-ever Bittensor ETF filing

ambcrypto12/31 15:03

The Future Of Tech: How Blockchain AI And Will Converge By Late 2026

In a recent article, Sandeep Nailwal, co-founder of Polygon, predicts a major convergence of blockchain, AI, and payment technologies by late 2026 that could "reshape the internet completely." In this vision, AI acts as the decision-maker, blockchain ensures transparency and verifies decisions, and payment systems enable instant value transfer. This integration aims to address AI's opacity by using blockchain as a public, secure ledger and zero-knowledge proofs to maintain privacy. Nailwal also highlights the shift toward proof-based systems, the efficiency of digital currencies for cross-border payments, and the future role of digital wallets in identity and asset management. He concludes that this seamless, trust-integrated convergence will redefine digital experiences, making the internet function more efficiently and reliably.

bitcoinist12/31 12:37

The Future Of Tech: How Blockchain AI And Will Converge By Late 2026

bitcoinist12/31 12:37

Airdrop of $675 Million Sparks Distribution Controversy, Lighter Faces User Retention Post-Token Launch

Lighter, a zk-rollup-based perpetual DEX, airdropped $675 million worth of LIT tokens to early users on December 30, sparking mixed reactions. While the airdrop was generous—25% of total supply with no lock-up—some users felt rewards were only on par with fees paid. Tokenomics drew criticism, with 50% allocated to the team and investors (3-year linear unlock), raising concerns over community dilution and sell pressure. Founded by ex-Citadel quant Vladimir Novakovski, Lighter raised $68 million at a $1.5 billion valuation, backed by investors like Founders Fund and Robinhood. Its tech stack features a high-performance CLOB model with custom ZK circuits, enabling 15,000+ TPS, sub-10ms latency, and verifiable trustlessness. Key innovations include zero trading fees for retail users, universal cross-margin support using L1 yield-bearing assets as collateral, and isolated risk pools. However, Lighter faces challenges: an unusually high OI/volume ratio (~0.2) suggests wash trading, and system outages have raised stability concerns. Post-airdrop, retaining organic users and sustaining revenue—currently ~$200k daily—will be critical as it competes in the crowded Perp DEX space.

marsbit12/31 10:11

Airdrop of $675 Million Sparks Distribution Controversy, Lighter Faces User Retention Post-Token Launch

marsbit12/31 10:11

Crypto Hack Losses Jump 46% in 2025: SlowMist Report

In 2025, crypto hack losses surged by 46% to $2.935 billion compared to $2.013 billion in 2024, despite a significant drop in the number of incidents from 410 to 200. The DeFi sector remained the most targeted, with 126 security incidents resulting in $649 million in losses. A major hack on centralized exchange Bybit alone accounted for $1.46 billion of the total $1.809 billion lost in CEX breaches. Phishing attacks became more sophisticated and harder to detect. Notably, $387 million of the stolen funds were recovered or frozen across 18 incidents.

TheNewsCrypto12/31 09:24

Crypto Hack Losses Jump 46% in 2025: SlowMist Report

TheNewsCrypto12/31 09:24

KuCoin 2025 Annual Review Highlights Trust, Compliance, and Security-First Growth

KuCoin's 2025 Annual Review, titled "A Renewed Brand. A Year Built on Trust," highlights a transformative year focused on compliance, security, and sustainable growth. The exchange strengthened its commitment to regulatory alignment and user protection, achieving key milestones including a $2 billion Trust Project and four major security certifications (SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 27701, CCSS). Operational performance remained strong, with average futures trading volume reaching $6.47 billion daily (up 30% YoY) and spot volume at $4.76 billion (up 55% YoY), ranking KuCoin among the top global exchanges. The platform also maintained 36 consecutive months of Proof of Reserves verification. Regulatory progress included AUSTRAC registration in Australia, a MiCA license in Europe via KuCoin EU, and an application to Turkey’s Capital Markets Board. Product innovations featured AI-driven tools like KuCoin Feed and KIA, alongside user experience upgrades such as KuCoin App 4.0. CEO BC Wong emphasized that compliance and security are foundational to KuCoin’s long-term strategy.

TheNewsCrypto12/31 08:29

KuCoin 2025 Annual Review Highlights Trust, Compliance, and Security-First Growth

TheNewsCrypto12/31 08:29

Bitwise Expands Crypto ETF Lineup with Filing for 11 Strategy Funds

Bitwise Asset Management has filed with the SEC for 11 new crypto strategy ETFs, seeking to track a range of altcoins including Aave, NEAR, Uniswap, and others. Each fund plans to invest up to 60% of its assets directly in the underlying cryptocurrency, with the remainder allocated to related exchange-traded products and derivatives like futures and swaps. This move aligns with a broader market shift toward altcoin ETFs, as products like XRP and Solana ETFs see growing interest amid outflows from Bitcoin and Ethereum funds. Separately, Bitwise's CIO predicts a strong performance for Bitcoin in 2026, with lower volatility and potential new all-time highs.

TheNewsCrypto12/31 08:26

Bitwise Expands Crypto ETF Lineup with Filing for 11 Strategy Funds

TheNewsCrypto12/31 08:26

On-Chain Migration of Precious Metal Assets: WEEX Expands Tokenized Gold and Silver Trading Layout Amid Rising RWA Narrative

Amidst global financial market volatility driven by high interest rates and geopolitical uncertainties, gold and silver are gaining renewed attention as stable value assets. This cycle, however, extends beyond traditional finance into the crypto market through the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA). Precious metals tokenization, exemplified by projects like PAX Gold (PAXG), Tether Gold (XAUt), and silver ETF token SLVON, enables 24/7 trading on blockchain. This shift enhances price discovery, liquidity, and accessibility while maintaining 1:1 backing with physical assets. WEEX Exchange has expanded its offerings to include spot and合约 trading for these tokenized metals, positioning itself as a neutral infrastructure provider focused on robust risk management and continuous trading capabilities. The platform emphasizes that RWA integration requires mature technical and operational frameworks to support all-hour markets. Beyond precious metals, this trend signals a broader move toward diversified RWA adoption, with future expansion likely to include more asset types. The focus is shifting from mere on-chain representation to trading depth, liquidity quality, and risk control—key factors in the evolving crypto-traditional finance bridge.

marsbit12/31 08:02