Crypto Morning Brief: OpenAI Secures $110 Billion Investment, Morgan Stanley Plans to Offer Bitcoin Custody, Trading, Yield, and Lending Services

marsbitPublished on 2026-02-28Last updated on 2026-02-28

Abstract

This crypto market digest covers major developments from February 27, 2025. Key highlights include OpenAI securing a $110 billion investment at a $730 billion valuation, with contributions from Amazon, Nvidia, and SoftBank. Morgan Stanley announced plans to offer Bitcoin custody, trading, yield, and lending services, developing the technology in-house. Barclays is also exploring a blockchain platform for payments, potentially involving stablecoins and tokenized deposits. In corporate news, Block revealed plans to cut over 4,000 jobs, nearly half its workforce, citing AI-driven efficiency gains. Trump Media reduced its Bitcoin holdings from 11,542 to 9,542 BTC after using 2,000 as collateral. Marathon Digital (MARA) reported a $1.7 billion Q4 net loss but is pivoting to AI and digital infrastructure. Figure announced strong earnings and a $200 million stock buyback. ZKsync will shut down its Lite network by May 2026, and Vitalik Buterin outlined a roadmap to protect Ethereum from quantum computing threats. A Polymarket analysis suggested insider trading in a market related to an investigation, with significant profits concentrated in a few addresses.

Author: Deep Tide TechFlow

Yesterday's Market Dynamics

Analyst: 8 of the Top 10 Profitable Polymarket Addresses Betting on "ZachXBT Investigation Event" May Be Insider Addresses

According to monitoring by crypto analyst defioasis.eth(@defioasis), in the betting on the "ZachXBT Insider Investigation Event" on Polymarket, over 3,630 Polymarket addresses bet on "Axiom", with 56.2% of addresses achieving positive profits.

The analyst stated that 8 of the top 10 large-profit addresses could be considered insider addresses, collectively profiting over $1.2 million. These addresses had very few or even only one market transaction.

Among them, address predictorxyz(0x1d9af60c), address 0x054ec2f, and address 0xe56526b profited $411,600, $354,000, and $144,000 respectively, all having traded only in this single market. Additionally, 47 addresses profited between $10,000 and $100,000, with a total profit of $1.34 million. Meanwhile, 2 addresses lost over $100,000, and 50 addresses lost between $10,000 and $100,000.

Trump Media Pledges 2,000 Bitcoin as Collateral to Counterparty, Book Holdings Drop to 9,542 BTC

Arkham analyst Emmett Gallic stated that according to Trump Media's latest 10K financial report, the company has pledged 2,000 Bitcoin as collateral to a counterparty, reducing its Bitcoin holdings from 11,542 to 9,542 BTC. As the counterparty has full autonomy to rehypothecate these assets, Trump Media has removed this portion of Bitcoin from its balance sheet.

Block Plans to Cut Over 4,000 Employees, Nearly Half Its Workforce, Betting on AI for Improvement

According to Cointelegraph, financial services and digital payment company Block, co-founded by Twitter's Jack Dorsey, will cut over 4,000 employees, nearly half its workforce. Jack Dorsey stated this move is related to the rapid development of AI. In a public letter, Dorsey said that the creation and use of AI tools, combined with a smaller, flatter team structure, is enabling a new way of working that fundamentally changes what it means to build and operate a company, and this trend is accelerating rapidly. He chose to act immediately rather than conduct gradual layoffs, believing multiple rounds of layoffs damage morale, focus, and the trust of customers and shareholders. Affected employees will receive 20 weeks' pay, an additional week's pay for each year of service, 6 months of health insurance, company equipment, and a $5,000 transition grant.

ZKsync to Shut Down ZKsync Lite on May 4, 2026

According to The Block, ZKsync officially announced that it will officially stop ZKsync Lite block production on May 4, 2026, permanently freezing the network's final state. As Ethereum's first zero-knowledge rollup, ZKsync Lite, launched in June 2020, primarily supports token transfers, atomic swaps, and NFT minting, but does not include smart contract functionality.

The official stated that this shutdown will not affect other ZKsync products like Era or chains built on the ZK Stack framework. Users are advised to withdraw assets before the deadline for a more convenient experience, but unwithdrawn funds will remain fully claimable after the deadline.

Vitalik Proposes Ethereum Roadmap to Counter Quantum Computing Threats, Covering 4 Areas Including Validator Signatures and Ethereum's Data Availability System

According to Coindesk, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin proposed a roadmap to protect the blockchain from the long-term risks of quantum computing. This move follows the Ethereum Foundation's establishment of a dedicated post-quantum research team.

Buterin pointed out four key vulnerable areas on platform X: validator signatures, Ethereum's data availability system, everyday wallet signatures, and zero-knowledge proofs used by applications and Layer 2 networks.

The roadmap includes replacing the BLS digital signatures currently used by validators with "hash-based" signatures to resist quantum attacks; updating Ethereum's KZG commitment mechanism for checking and storing transaction data; making wallets more flexible through the planned EIP-8141 upgrade, allowing accounts to switch to quantum-resistant signature types; and utilizing "proof aggregation" technology to bundle multiple signatures and proofs into a single combined proof to maintain cost-effectiveness.

Morgan Stanley Plans to Offer Bitcoin Custody, Trading, Yield, and Lending Services

According to Decrypt, Amy Oldenburg, Head of Digital Asset Strategy at Wall Street giant Morgan Stanley, stated that the bank "absolutely" plans to offer Bitcoin custody and trading services to clients and is developing the related technology in-house.

Oldenburg confirmed at the "Enterprise Bitcoin" conference by Strategy that yield and lending services are also a natural part of its cryptocurrency roadmap. She emphasized that Morgan Stanley needs to build these capabilities internally, rather than just leasing technology, to ensure reliable service for clients.

As a financial institution managing nearly $9 trillion in assets, Morgan Stanley has previously taken several cryptocurrency-related initiatives. Last September, the company confirmed it would offer Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana trading services through the E*Trade app. In January this year, Morgan Stanley filed an S-1 registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an Ethereum ETF.

Barclays Bank Considers Building Blockchain Platform, May Launch Stablecoin and Tokenized Deposits

According to Bloomberg citing informed sources, Barclays Bank is consulting technology suppliers about creating a blockchain platform to handle processes like payments, exploring the application of digital asset technology in banking services. Barclays Bank has sent a Request for Information (RFI) to potential technology suppliers to assess how to build new products, with possible applications including stablecoins and tokenized deposits. The bank plans to select a supplier as early as April this year.

Figure Releases Full-Year 2025 and Q4 Earnings, Announces $200 Million Stock Buyback Plan

Blockchain asset trading platform Figure Technology Solutions (Nasdaq: FIGR) today announced its full-year 2025 and fourth-quarter financial results. For full-year 2025, the company's consumer loan market transaction volume reached $8.4 billion, a 63% year-over-year increase; net revenue increased 49% year-over-year to $507 million; net profit reached $134 million, a significant 574% year-over-year increase; net profit margin improved to 26.5%, an increase of 21 percentage points year-over-year; adjusted EBITDA increased 148% year-over-year to $251 million.

Fourth-quarter performance was also strong, with consumer loan market transaction volume reaching $2.7 billion, a 131% year-over-year increase; net revenue increased 91% year-over-year; net profit reached $15 million, a 156% year-over-year increase.

The company's board also approved a stock repurchase plan totaling $200 million, effective until February 27, 2027. The Figure Connect platform performed exceptionally well, with Q4 transaction volume reaching $1.5 billion, accounting for 54% of the total consumer loan market volume.

MARA's Q4 2025 Earnings Report Shows $1.7 Billion Loss, Simultaneously Announces Partnership with Starwood to Develop AI Business

MARA released its Q4 2025 earnings report, showing revenue decreased 6% year-over-year to $202.3 million, with a net loss of $1.7 billion, primarily affected by the drop in Bitcoin price. The company simultaneously announced a strategic partnership with Starwood Digital Ventures to develop AI and high-performance computing infrastructure. As of the end of 2025, MARA held 53,822 Bitcoin (worth approximately $4.7 billion), with energy hash rate increasing 25% year-over-year to 66.4 EH/s. The company stated it will continue its transition from a pure Bitcoin mining business to an energy and digital infrastructure company and plans to expand its business globally.

Paradigm Expands Investment Scope to AI and Frontier Technology, Plans to Raise Up to $1.5 Billion

According to WSJ, crypto venture capital firm Paradigm is expanding its investment scope to include artificial intelligence, robotics, and other frontier technologies. The firm plans to raise up to $1.5 billion for a new fund under this broader investment strategy.

OpenAI Announces $110 Billion New Investment at a $730 Billion Valuation

OpenAI announced it has secured $110 billion in new investment at a valuation of $730 billion. Amazon stated it will invest $50 billion in OpenAI. OpenAI's financing includes $30 billion from NVIDIA (NVDA.O) and $30 billion from SoftBank.

Market Dynamics

Recommended Reading

Anthropic's Identity Crisis: Seventy-Two Hours

This article explores the multiple contradictions within AI company Anthropic during its identity crisis, and its complex relationships with the Pentagon, competitors, and investors. It details Anthropic's dilemmas regarding its AI safety commitments, data theft allegations, and cooperation with the military, and analyzes changes in its business model and industry positioning.

When Block Lays Off Half the Company: No Villains in the AI Unemployment Wave

This article discusses the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the job market and the resulting economic and social issues. By analyzing layoff cases from multiple companies, it reveals the potential "human intelligence replacement spiral" that may result from the widespread application of AI technology and points out the profound impact of this trend on future society.

Former Twitter Co-founder's Sincere Layoff Letter: AI Can Do Your Job, You Can Go

This article discusses the event of Block company conducting large-scale layoffs due to the application of AI technology. CEO Jack Dorsey bluntly stated that AI tools can already replace many employees' jobs and emphasized that one-time layoffs are more efficient than gradual ones. The article also analyzes the market reaction behind the layoffs and their impact on corporate culture and employee sentiment, while comparing this phenomenon to similar cases at other tech companies.

February 27 Market Summary: Nvidia's "Perfect" Earnings Cold-Shouldered, Tech Stock Plunge Drags Down Market

This article describes how Nvidia's excellent performance was cold-shouldered by the market, and a tech stock plunge dragged down the broader market; the cryptocurrency market saw increased volatility, with Bitcoin and Ethereum options nearing expiration, leading to a strong wait-and-see sentiment; gold experienced a technical correction, silver fell significantly affected by the economic cycle; upcoming US PPI data may affect Fed rate cut expectations; geopolitical tensions persist, creating a seesaw effect between the cryptocurrency market and US stocks.

Was the 10 PM Bitcoin Crash Jane Street Suppressing the Price? Data Points in Another Direction

This article explores the controversy surrounding Jane Street in the Bitcoin market and price discovery in the era of spot Bitcoin ETFs. It analyzes on-chain data, ETF structure, and options holdings, pointing out that the real issue lies in the opacity of the ETF market, making it difficult for ordinary investors to understand market operations. Simultaneously, the article refutes rumors about Jane Street suppressing Bitcoin, suggesting market fluctuations stem more from the repricing of macro risk assets and thin liquidity.

Related Questions

QWhat is the total amount of new investment that OpenAI received and at what valuation?

AOpenAI received $1,100 billion in new investment at a valuation of $7,300 billion.

QWhat new Bitcoin-related services does Morgan Stanley plan to offer its clients?

AMorgan Stanley plans to offer Bitcoin custody, trading, yield, and lending services to its clients.

QHow many Bitcoins did Trump Media remove from its balance sheet and why?

ATrump Media removed 2,000 Bitcoins from its balance sheet because it provided them as collateral to a counterparty, which has full discretion to re-hypothecate the assets.

QWhat was the primary reason given by Jack Dorsey for Block's decision to lay off nearly half of its workforce?

AJack Dorsey stated that the layoffs were related to the rapid development of AI, which enables a new way of working with smaller, flatter teams.

QWhat is the deadline for users to withdraw their assets from ZKsync Lite before it is shut down?

AThe deadline for users to withdraw assets from ZKsync Lite is May 4, 2026, when the network will permanently freeze its final state.

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What is $BITCOIN

DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN): A Comprehensive Analysis Introduction to DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) is a blockchain-based project operating on the Solana network, which aims to combine the characteristics of traditional precious metals with the innovation of decentralized technologies. While it shares a name with Bitcoin, often referred to as “digital gold” due to its perception as a store of value, DIGITAL GOLD is a separate token designed to create a unique ecosystem within the Web3 landscape. Its goal is to position itself as a viable alternative digital asset, although specifics regarding its applications and functionalities are still developing. What is DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN)? DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) is a cryptocurrency token explicitly designed for use on the Solana blockchain. In contrast to Bitcoin, which provides a widely recognized value storage role, this token appears to focus on broader applications and characteristics. Notable aspects include: Blockchain Infrastructure: The token is built on the Solana blockchain, known for its capacity to handle high-speed and low-cost transactions. Supply Dynamics: DIGITAL GOLD has a maximum supply capped at 100 quadrillion tokens (100P $BITCOIN), although details regarding its circulating supply are currently undisclosed. Utility: While precise functionalities are not explicitly outlined, there are indications that the token could be utilized for various applications, potentially involving decentralized applications (dApps) or asset tokenization strategies. Who is the Creator of DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN)? At present, the identity of the creators and development team behind DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) remains unknown. This situation is typical among many innovative projects within the blockchain space, particularly those aligning with decentralized finance and meme coin phenomena. While such anonymity may foster a community-driven culture, it intensifies concerns about governance and accountability. Who are the Investors of DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN)? The available information indicates that DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) does not have any known institutional backers or prominent venture capital investments. The project seems to operate on a peer-to-peer model focused on community support and adoption rather than traditional funding routes. Its activity and liquidity are primarily situated on decentralized exchanges (DEXs), such as PumpSwap, rather than established centralized trading platforms, further highlighting its grassroots approach. How DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) Works The operational mechanics of DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) can be elaborated on based on its blockchain design and network attributes: Consensus Mechanism: By leveraging Solana’s unique proof-of-history (PoH) combined with a proof-of-stake (PoS) model, the project ensures efficient transaction validation contributing to the network's high performance. Tokenomics: While specific deflationary mechanisms have not been extensively detailed, the vast maximum token supply implies that it may cater to microtransactions or niche use cases that are still to be defined. Interoperability: There exists the potential for integration with Solana’s broader ecosystem, including various decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms. However, the details regarding specific integrations remain unspecified. Timeline of Key Events Here is a timeline that highlights significant milestones concerning DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN): 2023: The initial deployment of the token occurs on the Solana blockchain, marked by its contract address. 2024: DIGITAL GOLD gains visibility as it becomes available for trading on decentralized exchanges like PumpSwap, allowing users to trade it against SOL. 2025: The project witnesses sporadic trading activity and potential interest in community-led engagements, although no noteworthy partnerships or technical advancements have been documented as of yet. Critical Analysis Strengths Scalability: The underlying Solana infrastructure supports high transaction volumes, which could enhance the utility of $BITCOIN in various transaction scenarios. Accessibility: The potential low trading price per token could attract retail investors, facilitating wider participation due to fractional ownership opportunities. Risks Lack of Transparency: The absence of publicly known backers, developers, or an audit process may yield skepticism regarding the project's sustainability and trustworthiness. Market Volatility: The trading activity is heavily reliant on speculative behavior, which can result in significant price volatility and uncertainty for investors. Conclusion DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) emerges as an intriguing yet ambiguous project within the rapidly evolving Solana ecosystem. While it attempts to leverage the “digital gold” narrative, its departure from Bitcoin's established role as a store of value underscores the need for a clearer differentiation of its intended utility and governance structure. Future acceptance and adoption will likely depend on addressing the current opacity and defining its operational and economic strategies more explicitly. Note: This report encompasses synthesised information available as of October 2023, and developments may have transpired beyond the research period.

363 Total ViewsPublished 2025.05.13Updated 2025.05.13

What is $BITCOIN

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