Industry News

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.

Trump-Backed World Liberty Financial (WLFI) Pursues National Trust Charter

Trump-backed World Liberty Financial (WLFI) is pursuing a national trust charter to strengthen its position in the cryptocurrency sector. The move would allow its subsidiary, World Liberty Trust Company, to provide custodial services and access national payment networks under OCC supervision. This regulatory approval would facilitate the issuance and management of its USD1 stablecoin and streamline crypto conversion for customers. The company aims to join other crypto firms in accessing limited Federal Reserve payment systems, though traditional banks have raised concerns about financial stability. Following the announcement, WLFI’s native token surged by 10%. BitGo, the current custodian for USD1, reported the stablecoin surpassed $3.3 billion in its first year.

bitcoinist01/09 06:17

Trump-Backed World Liberty Financial (WLFI) Pursues National Trust Charter

bitcoinist01/09 06:17

For Builders, By Builders — Global Web3 Developers Conference 2026 Coming to Hong Kong

"Global Web3 Dev Con 2026 (GWDC) is set to take place in Hong Kong's Cyberport on February 8–9, 2026. Hosted by Web3Labs and co-hosted by Techub News, this event will serve as a major official side event to Consensus Hong Kong 2026. As the first comprehensive Web3 conference in Asia centered on developers, it embraces a "For Builders, By Builders" ethos. The conference aims to gather over 1,000 global Web3 enthusiasts and more than 200 top developers, with a goal of incubating 50+ innovative projects. GWDC will feature a dual-track format: a Main Stage for in-depth discussions on cutting-edge trends like AI × Web3, DeFi, Layer 2, and RWA, and a Hackathon Zone for three days of non-stop coding where developers can tackle real-world tasks on major public chains with guidance from top mentors. The event will also include multiple interactive zones designed to provide a full Web3 experience, offering opportunities for collaboration with industry leaders, VCs, and founders."

比推01/09 05:55

For Builders, By Builders — Global Web3 Developers Conference 2026 Coming to Hong Kong

比推01/09 05:55

MiniMax's Funding Story: 7 Rounds in 4 Years, Who is Driving China's First AI Capital Feast

MiniMax, a Chinese AI startup, has completed an IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange after raising $1.5 billion across 7 funding rounds in just 4 years. Founded in early 2022 by former SenseTime executives Yan Junjie and Yun Yeyi, the company focuses on developing multimodal and large language models with the vision of "Intelligence with everyone." Key investors include Alibaba (largest external shareholder), Hillhouse Capital (first investor and largest financial backer), and Mihoyo, among others. MiniMax’s strategy combines foundational model development with practical applications, generating revenue through three balanced segments: companion AI apps (e.g., Talkie), content generation tools (e.g., Hailuo AI), and API services. The company navigated the competitive "war of a hundred models" in China, emphasizing both technological risk-taking—such as early bets on MoE architecture and linear attention models—and capital efficiency. Its approach reflects lessons from the previous AI wave: avoid over-customized enterprise solutions and prioritize scalable consumer applications. Despite market uncertainties and intense competition from tech giants, MiniMax went public not as a finale but as a means to secure more resources for ongoing R&D and expansion. The stock surged over 78% on its first trading day, reaching an HK$89.8 billion market cap.

marsbit01/09 05:14

MiniMax's Funding Story: 7 Rounds in 4 Years, Who is Driving China's First AI Capital Feast

marsbit01/09 05:14

A Decade-Old Coin: Zcash Also Faces a Midlife Crisis

Zcash, a nearly decade-old privacy-focused cryptocurrency, faced a major crisis when its entire core development team, the Electric Coin Company (ECC), collectively resigned on January 7. The team, led by CEO Josh Swihart, left due to a governance dispute with the board of the non-profit Bootstrap organization, which oversees ECC. The conflict centered around Zashi, a privacy-first mobile wallet developed by ECC. The team wanted to privatize Zashi to attract external investment and operate as a nimble startup, but the board opposed, citing legal and compliance risks associated with converting a non-profit asset into a for-profit entity. This disagreement escalated into public accusations, with Swihart calling the board’s actions “malicious governance” and accusing them of making working conditions untenable. The board members, referred to as “ZCAM” (Zaki Manian, Christina, Alan, Michelle), were criticized—particularly Zaki, who had prior controversies in the crypto space. Following the resignation, the former ECC team announced a new venture, CashZ, and plans to launch a new wallet based on Zashi’s codebase, allowing seamless migration for existing users. The incident highlights recurring tensions in crypto between non-profit foundations and entrepreneurial development teams, especially as projects mature and face valuation pressures. Zcash’s token ZEC had surged nearly 800% in late 2025, making governance and control over key assets like Zashi increasingly contentious.

marsbit01/09 05:13

A Decade-Old Coin: Zcash Also Faces a Midlife Crisis

marsbit01/09 05:13

Zcash Developer Rift: Entire ECC Team Walks Out Of Bootstrap

The entire Electric Coin Company (ECC) team behind Zcash has left the nonprofit Bootstrap, citing a governance breakdown. ECC CEO Josh Swihart stated the team was constructively discharged by a majority faction of the board (Zaki Manian, Christina Garman, Alan Fairless, and Michelle Lai), making their work untenable. The ECC team will form a new company but will continue building on Zcash, stressing the protocol itself is unaffected. Zcash founder Zooko Wilcox reassured users the network remains secure and operational. Bootstrap's board responded that the dispute was not about Zcash's mission but about legal and fiduciary obligations as a nonprofit. They were negotiating a deal involving Zashi and argued the proposed structure introduced legal and political risks to the ecosystem. The conflict caused ZEC's price to drop by 13%.

bitcoinist01/09 04:06

Zcash Developer Rift: Entire ECC Team Walks Out Of Bootstrap

bitcoinist01/09 04:06

Morph’s $150 Million Accelerator Backs Startups Scaling Real-World Payments Onchain

Morph, an Ethereum-based settlement layer, has launched a $150 million Payment Accelerator program to support payment companies scaling real-world transaction activity onchain. The initiative addresses the accelerating demand for faster settlement and lower costs, citing over $27.6 trillion in stablecoin volume processed in 2024. The program offers grant funding, performance-based incentives, and liquidity support across stages of deployment, focusing on high-impact verticals like crypto cards, cross-border remittance, and merchant payment gateways. Eligibility requires a working MVP, a clear vertical fit, and operational readiness, with priority given to teams demonstrating existing scale or signed pilots. Participants gain access to production infrastructure, go-to-market support, and integration with Bitget's ecosystem of over 120 million users. Applications are now open.

TheNewsCrypto01/09 04:02

Morph’s $150 Million Accelerator Backs Startups Scaling Real-World Payments Onchain

TheNewsCrypto01/09 04:02

From Manus' Xiao Hong: The Crypto Interns Who Made It to the Big Leagues

The article "From Manus' Xiao Hong to Those Crypto Interns Who Made It Big" explores the early careers of several key figures in the cryptocurrency and tech industries, highlighting how their internships and early roles during Bitcoin's formative years shaped their later success. In late 2025, Meta acquired AI company Manus, founded by Xiao Hong, who was revealed to be an early Bitcoin holder. Xiao, now a Meta VP, had his first internship in 2013 at Yibit, one of China’s earliest Bitcoin media companies, founded by prominent miner Mao Shixing (aka "Shenyu"). This experience exposed him to decentralized systems and crypto ideals that later informed his work in AI. The piece also tells the story of Ge Yuesheng, a 21-year-old intern who became an early angel investor in Bitmain, providing crucial funding and resources. He eventually co-founded Matrixport and became one of the youngest crypto billionaires. Another example is Wang Hui, OKCoin’s first employee, who built its technical infrastructure from scratch. After leaving, he co-founded JEX, which was later bought by Binance. These stories underscore common themes: timing (entering crypto during its 2013–2017 "chaotic" early days), the importance of following visionary leaders, and a willingness to embrace risk and uncertainty. While these are survivor stories, they illustrate how early exposure to crypto’s foundational ideas provided a unique vector for recognizing future tech trends—from Bitcoin to AI. The article concludes by reflecting on the rapid evolution of the industry, where a decade can transform an intern into a billionaire, and emphasizes the unpredictable, high-reward nature of betting early on emerging technologies.

marsbit01/09 03:53

From Manus' Xiao Hong: The Crypto Interns Who Made It to the Big Leagues

marsbit01/09 03:53

PA Illustrated | 2026 Crypto Summit Overview: The Full Year Web3 Itinerary is Now Available

PANews has released a comprehensive 2026 crypto conference roadmap, detailing a full calendar of global Web3 summits. Key events include Consensus, TOKEN2049, EthCC, and Bitcoin-focused conferences, alongside specialized summits on RWA, AI, digital assets, and compliant finance. Covering major cities across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, this timeline is designed to help attendees plan their year. It provides a clear overview of which months are most concentrated with important industry events, enabling them to identify and prioritize top-tier conferences and key networking opportunities. A visual chart is included for easy reference, making it a valuable resource for planning travel and engagement within the Web3 sector throughout 2026.

marsbit01/09 03:46

PA Illustrated | 2026 Crypto Summit Overview: The Full Year Web3 Itinerary is Now Available

marsbit01/09 03:46

Ripple Exec Reveals What’s Coming And How It Will Drive XRP Price

Ripple executive Reece Merrick revealed key developments in the XRP ecosystem that could drive its price higher. He highlighted XRP's role as a bridge asset supporting stablecoins, real-world assets (RWAs), and institutional payments. Growing ETF momentum and corporate treasury adoption are increasing institutional participation, laying the foundation for stronger market dynamics. RippleX emphasized XRP's design for settlement and liquidity, noting its clear U.S. regulatory standing and institutional adoption, including Evernorth's $1 billion commitment. Factors like ETFs, institutional demand, and RWAs could create a supply shock and support upward price movement for XRP.

bitcoinist01/09 02:02

Ripple Exec Reveals What’s Coming And How It Will Drive XRP Price

bitcoinist01/09 02:02

Crypto Morning Brief: Zcash Development Team Resigns En Masse, Trump Says He Will Not Consider Pardoning SBF

Crypto Daily Digest: Key developments include the entire Zcash development team resigning from Electric Coin Company due to governance disagreements, forming a new company to continue their mission. Former President Trump stated he would not consider pardoning SBF and made controversial remarks about international law. Regulatory discussions between Wall Street and crypto industry representatives showed progress on market structure bills. In market news, Grayscale registered a BNB ETF, Truebit suffered a suspected $26M hack, and Optimism proposed using 50% of superchain revenue for OP buybacks. Additionally, Coinbase CEO’s stock sales were highlighted, and a Chinese court clarified that personal crypto holding/trading is generally not considered illegal operation.

marsbit01/09 01:33

Crypto Morning Brief: Zcash Development Team Resigns En Masse, Trump Says He Will Not Consider Pardoning SBF