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.

Disney's Olaf Robot Goes Viral, Trump Postpones Visit to China...

Here is a summary of the key discussions from crypto KOLs on X over the past 24 hours: **Disney's Olaf Robot Steals the Show at GTC:** A highly advanced, animatronic Snowman Olaf from Disney became a major talking point at the conference. Users noted its "humanized interaction" capabilities, powered by the Jetson AGX Thor chip, which allows for real-time multi-modal reasoning and complex motion training. This was seen as a significant milestone for AI scaling laws entering the physical world. Some pointed out that the on-stage dialogue was pre-recorded and that a similar robot has existed for years. **Trump Postpones Visit to China:** Former President Donald Trump's decision to delay a planned trip to China was widely discussed. Commentators characterized the move as typical of his unpredictable, "随心所欲" (whimsical) nature. Some speculated he might be "operating a prediction market," with one user quipping, "The first rule of winning: never go where you lose." **Yi Lihua Announces New Fund:** Crypto investor Yi Lihua announced he is preparing a new fund platform. The community response was mixed and skeptical. Replies ranged from praising his good attitude to accusations of market manipulation, suggesting his public statements are often contrary to his actual actions, such as secretly shorting the market or encouraging others to "lift the sedan chair" for his exit. **KOLs on Passive Income:** Several key opinion leaders shared their views and strategies for generating passive income, though specific details of these discussions were not elaborated in the provided text.

比推03/19 00:31

Disney's Olaf Robot Goes Viral, Trump Postpones Visit to China...

比推03/19 00:31

FTX to distribute $2.2B to creditors as repayments near completion

FTX will distribute approximately $2.2 billion to creditors on March 31, 2026, in its fourth repayment round under Chapter 11. Several creditor classes will reach full or near-full recovery, including U.S. customer claims at 100% and convenience claims at 120%. Creditors must complete KYC, tax documentation, and onboarding with approved partners like BitGo or Kraken to receive payments. Preferred equity holders will receive their first payouts on May 29, 2026. This marks significant progress in FTX's recovery, contrasting initial loss expectations after its 2022 collapse, and may impact market liquidity depending on how recipients deploy the funds.

ambcrypto03/18 18:02

FTX to distribute $2.2B to creditors as repayments near completion

ambcrypto03/18 18:02

Crypto Isn’t A Cult: Why Vanity Fair’s ‘True Believers’ Piece Misses The Point

A recent Vanity Fair article portrays the crypto community as a cult of "true believers," depicting participants as naive, decadent, and out-of-touch zealots clinging to a failed dream. The piece uses dramatic photography and mocking captions—such as "the most expensive religion in the world"—to caricature industry figures as extravagant and unserious. The crypto community has pushed back strongly, arguing the article focuses on stereotypical "degenerate" personalities rather than the developers and contributors building real technological infrastructure and value. Critics note that legacy media often ignores the serious, technical side of crypto in favor of sensationalist narratives. Despite the article’s claim that crypto is dead, Bitcoin continues to trade at high values, underscoring the resilience and ongoing activity within the ecosystem. The response highlights a demand for more serious and nuanced coverage of the space.

bitcoinist03/18 17:32

Crypto Isn’t A Cult: Why Vanity Fair’s ‘True Believers’ Piece Misses The Point

bitcoinist03/18 17:32

XRP Holders More Educated Than Bitcoiners? Bank Of International Settlements Report Shares Revelation

A Bank of International Settlements (BIS) report from 2021, as highlighted by crypto analyst Cool Breeze, suggests that XRP holders are more educated and wealthier than the average cryptocurrency investor. The report ranked XRP and Ethereum holders as the most educated, while Litecoin holders were considered the least educated, with Bitcoin investors falling in the middle. It also noted that crypto holders generally have higher household incomes, with Ethereum, Stellar, and XRP investors being the wealthiest. The report emphasized that long-term ownership plays a key role in these findings, and XRP holders, in particular, have shown strong loyalty—even during Ripple’s lengthy legal battle with the SEC. Recent on-chain data from Santiment shows that the number of XRP holders has grown to over 7.7 million, a record high since the network’s launch. The XRP Ledger also saw a spike in activity, with active addresses reaching a five-week high. Despite criticism from some community members, XRP’s performance has remained relatively strong. At the time of writing, XRP is trading around $1.52.

bitcoinist03/18 17:31

XRP Holders More Educated Than Bitcoiners? Bank Of International Settlements Report Shares Revelation

bitcoinist03/18 17:31

Vitalik Says New Ethereum Rule Could Cut Confirmations To 12 Seconds

Vitalik Buterin has endorsed a new "fast confirmation rule" (FCR) for Ethereum, which could reduce confirmation times to about 12 seconds. This change provides a strong guarantee that a block will not be reverted, assuming a supermajority of honest validators and network latency under ~3 seconds. While not full economic finality, it offers significant security for many use cases like exchanges, bridges, and Layer-2 systems. The rule, proposed by researcher Julian Ma, cuts deposit times from Ethereum mainnet to L2s and exchanges by 80-98%, drastically improving user experience and operational efficiency. FCR relies on counting attestations rather than block depth, making it faster and provably secure under specific conditions. It can be implemented without a hard fork and includes a fallback to finality if network conditions worsen.

bitcoinist03/18 16:02

Vitalik Says New Ethereum Rule Could Cut Confirmations To 12 Seconds

bitcoinist03/18 16:02

S&P 500 perpetual launches on Hyperliquid, bringing 24/7 equity exposure on-chain

A new S&P 500 perpetual contract has launched exclusively on-chain on Hyperliquid, developed through a collaboration between S&P Dow Jones Indices and trade.xyz. This product provides 24/7/365 exposure to the benchmark equity index, a significant shift from traditional market hours. It uses official S&P index data to maintain price alignment and operates as a crypto-native derivative, not direct ownership of the underlying stocks. The launch is supported by Hyperliquid's substantial growth, with its Total Value Locked (TVL) reaching approximately $4.7 billion, establishing a foundation for complex traditional finance products on-chain. This move challenges conventional market structure by offering global, continuous access to major financial benchmarks.

ambcrypto03/18 16:02

S&P 500 perpetual launches on Hyperliquid, bringing 24/7 equity exposure on-chain

ambcrypto03/18 16:02

Crypto Tycoons Grace the Cover of 'Vanity Fair', Only to Face Widespread Ridicule Online

Crypto industry leaders, including Cathie Wood (ARK Invest), Olaf Carlson-Wee (Polychain), and Michael Novogratz (Galaxy Digital), were featured in a *Vanity Fair* cover story titled “Crypto’s True Believers Want to Be Taken Seriously.” However, the article and its accompanying photos were widely mocked across social media. Rather than portraying the figures as serious innovators, the publication depicted them as eccentric and out-of-touch billionaires—highlighting their interests in extraterrestrial life, extreme survivalism, and going barefoot in public. Critics within the crypto community accused *Vanity Fair* of intentional ridicule, pointing to unflattering photo compositions and dismissive writing that reinforced negative stereotypes. The piece has sparked debate about the crypto industry’s relationship with mainstream media. Some, like Noelle Acheson, acknowledged the awkward portrayal but suggested it reflects how the industry is perceived externally. Others, including Jinelle D’Lima of Nozomi, argued that seeking validation from traditional gateways like *Vanity Fair* contradicts crypto’s original anti-establishment ethos. The incident underscores a cultural disconnect: despite the industry’s financial influence and political lobbying, it remains marginalized in mainstream cultural narratives. The backlash serves as a reminder that crypto’s real strength lies in its technology and decentralized values—not in mainstream approval.

比推03/18 15:00

Crypto Tycoons Grace the Cover of 'Vanity Fair', Only to Face Widespread Ridicule Online

比推03/18 15:00

Why March 31 Is An Important Date For XRP Holders In Japan

March 31, 2026, is a key date for XRP holders in Japan as SBI ARUHI, the country's largest mortgage lender under SBI Group, introduces a new shareholder benefit program distributing XRP rewards. Shareholders listed in the registry by that date are eligible, with rewards based on share quantity and holding period. Those holding 100-999 shares receive 500 yen worth of XRP, while larger shareholders (1,000+ shares) get 500 yen for holdings under a year or 1,000 yen for over a year. The initiative aims to reward investors, strengthen long-term relationships, and promote awareness of blockchain and digital assets. Recipients must open an account with SBI VC Trade to claim rewards, with a detailed guide to be provided by mid-June. This move highlights the growing integration of cryptocurrency into Japan's finance sector and SBI Group's established ties with XRP.

bitcoinist03/18 14:31

Why March 31 Is An Important Date For XRP Holders In Japan

bitcoinist03/18 14:31

Bitrefill Cyberattack Exposes 18,500 Records, Lazarus Group Suspected

Bitrefill, a cryptocurrency payment platform, was targeted by a cyberattack attributed to the North Korea-linked Lazarus Group on March 1, 2026. The breach, which began with a compromised employee laptop, exposed approximately 18,500 customer purchase records, including email addresses, crypto payment addresses, and IP data. The attackers primarily focused on moving funds from hot wallets and exploiting the gift card system, rather than stealing full customer data. Bitrefill quickly detected the unusual activity, shut down systems to prevent further damage, and has committed to covering all losses with its own funds. The company has since enhanced security measures, including stronger access controls and improved monitoring, and confirmed that most services are back to normal. This was Bitrefill's first major security breach in over a decade.

TheNewsCrypto03/18 13:44

Bitrefill Cyberattack Exposes 18,500 Records, Lazarus Group Suspected

TheNewsCrypto03/18 13:44

Spot Ethereum ETFs See $138M Inflows as Institutional Demand Rises

Spot Ethereum ETFs recorded significant net inflows of $138.2 million in a single day, marking their highest since February 25. BlackRock’s ETHA led with $81.7 million, followed by its Staked ETH ETF (ETHB) with $67.2 million. Grayscale’s funds also attracted inflows of $15.4 million and $9.4 million, though Fidelity’s FETH saw outflows of $35.4 million. This extends the products’ inflow streak to six consecutive days, totaling over $385 million. Ethereum ETFs have now entered a fourth positive week with around $440 million in total inflows, driven by rising institutional interest amid macroeconomic uncertainty. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price hovers around $2,328 as markets await the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, widely expected to remain unchanged.

TheNewsCrypto03/18 12:48

Spot Ethereum ETFs See $138M Inflows as Institutional Demand Rises