Professor Of Information - BTC_CRYPTO

🚨 New Feature Alert in Pi Network Wallet! 🔥📱

💲Staking is now LIVE! ✅
🎖️Want to grow your Pi while securing the network? You can now access the “Stakes” feature directly from your Pi Wallet inside the Pi Browser app! 💼🚀

🔍 How to Access:
1️⃣ Open the Pi Browser App
2️⃣ Tap “Wallet” under Core Team Apps
3️⃣ Inside your Wallet, click on “Stakes” 🔐
Start staking your Pi and earn while supporting the Pi Ecosystem! 💜🪙

#PiNetwork #PiWallet #PiStaking #CryptoNews #Web3 #Pioneers #PiMainnet #StakePi #PiEcosystem #PiApps

ProShares Unveils First U.S. ETF That Lets You Buy The Top 20 Cryptos At Once

ProShares unveiled the first U.S.-listed exchange-traded fund (ETF) designed to target the performance of the CoinDesk 20 Index, expanding options for investors seeking broad exposure to crypto markets.

The CoinDesk 20 Crypto ETF (KRYP) is the first ETF tied to the benchmark of 20 of the largest and most liquid digital assets, ProShares said in a Wednesday email.

The index is market-capitalization weighted, subject to caps, and rebalanced quarterly, aiming to provide diversified exposure while limiting concentration in any single cryptocurrency.

“As the cryptocurrency market has matured, investors have increasingly looked beyond single-asset exposure,” CEO Michael Sapir said in a statement, describing KRYP as a way to access the broader asset class through one ticker.

The CoinDesk 20 selects assets from the top 250 by market cap, applying liquidity and exchange-listing requirements, while excluding stablecoins, memecoins, privacy tokens and various wrapped or pegged assets.

ProShares already offers one of the largest suites of crypto-linked funds in the U.S., with 13 ETFs and additional mutual fund products.

Opinion raises $20 million as prediction markets draw capital in a weak crypto market

Blockchain-based prediction-market platform Opinion said it raised $20 million in pre-Series A round, underscoring that some corners of the crypto economy can still attract sizeable funding even when broader markets are depressed.

The round included backing from Hack VC, Jump Crypto, Primitive Ventures, Decasonic and others, according to an emailed announcement on Wednesday.

Opinion operates more like Polymarket — with markets settled on-chain — than a centralized exchange such as Kalshi. “Our settlement works entirely onchain,” the Opinion team told CoinDesk via email.

The company handles about a third of all prediction-market volume globally and carries more than $130 million in open interest, it said citing Dune Analytics. Binance Research estimated total December trading volume of around $7 billion, pointing to rising demand as regulatory and political uncertainty intensified.

The firm’s rise dovetails with broader structural growth in the prediction-market industry. U.S. bank Citizens has noted that prediction markets, once niche, are evolving into a new asset class, with monthly trading volumes around $10 billion as platforms expand beyond sports into macroeconomic and policy outcomes.

The fundraise also suggests that even in a muted crypto cycle, blockchain-native infrastructure addressing real demand such as event trading continues to draw investor capital.

Opinion’s pitch is diversification. While rivals draw most activity from sports and politics, Opinion spreads trading across macro, pre-token generation events, culture and crypto, covering everything from CPI prints to geopolitical outcomes.

Founder and CEO Forrest Liu said the funding will be used to deepen the company's regional presence and expand globally ahead of the 2026 World Cup and elections.

Flare (FLR) DeFi Upgrade: 
The Flare network recently unveiled a major DeFi upgrade designed to enable XRP holders to earn yield. This specific technical enhancement aims to create new utility for XRP and drive activity to the Flare network, potentially boosting the prices of both associated tokens. 

Sui (SUI) Momentum: 
The Sui network is gaining significant institutional validation, which is a fresh catalyst for its growth. Grayscale has launched the Sui Trust, and major asset managers like Bitwise, 21Shares, and VanEck are launching SUI-related investment products. This growing institutional interest is a key driver, alongside upcoming technical upgrades like the S2 platform and a new cross-chain bridge to Ethereum, positioning SUI for potential upside.

Apro Partners With Predict.fun

Apro announced a partnership with prediction market platform predict.fun, which operates on the BNB Chain and is supported by YZi Labs. Under the collaboration, Apro will serve as one of predict.fun’s oracle data providers.

Ronin to Be Integrated With Moralis

Ronin Network announced that Ronin Wallet is now using Moralis as its primary data provider. The update improves token filtering, price reliability, and asset organization.

Velar Potential Security Issue

Stacks stated that core developers are investigating reports of a potential security issue affecting Velar. The Stacks network itself remains unaffected. Velar users were advised to temporarily avoid trading on the perpetual derivatives product while the issue related to oracle price data is being addressed.

Bitcoin Cash to Release Mainnet-Js 3.0.0

Bitcoin Cash announced the release of mainnet-js version 3.0.0. The update introduces hierarchical deterministic wallet support, improved handling of satoshi-level values, batch transaction processing, enhanced CashTokens compatibility, and improved reliability when working with Fulcrum Electrum servers.

 Event date: February 4, 2026 

Rails Launches Institutional Vaults on Stellar, XLM Surges and cools off
‎
‎The Big News 📰
‎So here's the headline grabber: Rails just launched their "Institutional-Grade Vaults" on the Stellar network! This is actually a pretty big deal because it means brokerages and fintech companies can now access crypto perpetual futures trading through Stellar's infrastructure.
‎Think of it as opening the door for bigger players to join the party 🥳
‎What makes this cool? They're using audited smart contracts to keep customer assets safe while running trades – security meets efficiency 💪
‎
‎Plus, they're planning to roll out options trading in Q2 2026. More products = more utility for XLM!
‎Price Action Vibes
‎Now let's talk about what XLM's been up to price-wise. We saw quite the rollercoaster yesterday! Starting around 0.17407, XLM pumped up to touch 0.18183 during the early morning hours (that's roughly a 4.5% spike!).
‎Currently chilling around 0.17624, the coin's finding some stability after that excitement. The volatility picked up significantly during the 2-4 AM window with trading volumes spiking classic signs of traders reacting to news or positioning themselves.
‎Bottom Line
‎The institutional infrastructure news is genuinely positive for Stellar's ecosystem growth. While the immediate price pump has cooled off a bit, this kind of development typically plays out over the longer term as adoption builds.
‎
‎* Not an investment advice.

Bitcoin traders weigh UAE stake in Trump-linked WLFI stablecoin empire

UAE security chief Sheikh Tahnoon quietly bought 49% of Trump-linked World Liberty Financial, tying its USD1 stablecoin to a $2B Binance deal and sensitive US AI chip policy.

Summary

Aryam Investment, a Sheikh Tahnoon-backed vehicle, acquired a secret 49% stake in Trump-linked World Liberty Financial for about $500 million, signed by Eric Trump.

MGX, also chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon, later used WLFI’s USD1 stablecoin to route a $2 billion investment into Binance, instantly vaulting USD1 into the top tier of dollar-pegged tokens.

The deal landed just as Washington moved to ease AI chip export curbs on the UAE, raising questions—though no proven quid pro quo—about how crypto infrastructure is now entangled with sanctions, national security and Trump-era diplomacy.

Neo founder launches NGR to drive Neo 4 research and real-world adoption

Neo founder Erik Zhang has launched Neo Global Resources to align Neo 4 research, engineering and enterprise partnerships around real-world use cases and long-term ecosystem growth.

Summary

Erik Zhang unveiled Neo Global Resources (NGR) to coordinate research, engineering and commercial collaboration as an extension of Neo’s vision for real-world utility.

NGR’s early roadmap tracks Neo 4 priorities: core protocol evolution, scalability and performance upgrades, better developer experience and infrastructure for advanced applications.

Operated by a distributed team of former and current Neo Global Development contributors, NGR will work with institutions and explore ecosystem funds while avoiding a separate public brand for now.​

Scorned lover accuses Justin Sun of fraud, tags SEC and Trump in explosive X posts

Alleged Justin Sun insider claims TRX was manipulated on Binance as SEC wash‑trade charges and WLFI’s TRON‑linked footprint raise fresh regulatory questions.

Summary

Journalist Zeng Ying, claiming close ties to Justin Sun, alleges coordinated TRX buying and selling via multiple Binance employee accounts to pump price, then dump on retail.​

Her claims surface against an SEC case accusing Sun of 600k+ TRX wash trades and unregistered offerings, deepening scrutiny of TRON’s early market structure.

TRX and WLFI prices remain relatively stable so far, but any U.S. follow‑up on Zeng’s promised evidence could pressure TRON‑linked DEFI ecosystems.

Jeffrey Epstein files reignite crypto speculation as Ripple dismisses XRP links

The Justice Department on Friday released additional documents from the Jeffrey Epstein files, and Ripple executives stress there is no evidence linking the sex offender to XRP, Stellar, or their development.

The release of new court documents tied to the sex offender once again sparked intense discussion across the cryptocurrency industry. As analysts, commentators, and journalists sift through the so-called “Epstein files,” attention has turned to whether any meaningful links exist between Epstein and major companies, including blockchain projects.

In recent days, speculation has centered on Bitcoin’s early institutional environment and tangential mentions of other networks such as Ripple (XRP and Stellar (XLM). While Epstein’s name appears in historical correspondence tied to academic and financial circles that overlapped with early crypto research, industry figures have moved quickly to separate documented facts from online conjecture.

Nowhere has this been clearer than in Ripple’s response, which categorically denies any connection between Epstein and its ecosystem.

📢 ATTENTION PIONEERS! A Reminder on Perspective 📢

​If you’ve been in the crypto space for a while, you know one thing is certain: Market Cycles.

​We see ups, and we see downs. It’s easy to be excited during a bull run, but wealth is built during the bear markets. This is the time when the "tourists" leave and the true believers stay to build.

​Why should you be bullish on Pi right now?
While others are chasing pump-and-dump schemes, the Pi Core Team is focused on Longevity and Utility. They aren't rushing; they are building a foundation that lasts.

​What should you do while the world panics?
🔹Strengthen the Network: Run your Nodes!
​🔹Support the Ecosystem: Use the Pi Browser and test out the new DApps.
🔹​Secure your Future: Check your lockup settings.

​History shows that the ones who held on when things were quiet are the ones who celebrated the loudest later. Be a Diamond Hand. 💎

​Stay focused. Stay mining. 🚀

#PiNetwork #Crypto #Web3 #Pi

Hope Of Nuclear Deal With Iran

Trump expresses hope to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, and Iran's Foreign Minister calls the talks "productive"; Trump's nomination of Brett Matsumoto to head the Bureau of Labor Statistics directly impacts the credibility of future non-farm payroll data.

U.S. Senate Passes $1.2 Trillion Spending Bill

The Senate has passed a bill providing funding for most federal government departments, but with House members only returning to Washington on Monday, a brief government shutdown remains unavoidable.

Fed Maintains Rates Unchanged, Focuses on Economic Growth and Inflation Balance

The Fed keeps benchmark rates at 3.5%-3.75%, stressing steady economic expansion and stabilizing labor market.

Key points: No clear rate cut guidance provided; Inflation remains above target, requiring ongoing monitoring; Economic data supports gradual policy adjustments.

Market impact: Aids stock market stabilization, but inflation concerns limit further easing expectations, potentially curbing upside in risk assets.

Pi Network Unblocks 2.5 Million Users for Mainnet Migration

Pi Network announced Friday that it cleared security and compliance hurdles for 2.5 million users in specific regions, allowing active miners who complete the Mainnet Checklist to transfer their Pi balances automatically. The project now has over 16 million fully migrated Pioneers, making it one of the largest identity-verified blockchains, with another 700,000 accounts soon eligible for KYC applications. Updates also include beta testing of palm print authentication for privacy-focused security and an upcoming KYC validator rewards system by late March 2026. Founded by Stanford PhDs in 2019, Pi continues addressing migration delays to scale its global community toward open mainnet access.

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan Allocates $350M for National Crypto Fund

Kazakhstan's National Bank has set aside $350 million from its reserves to create a national cryptocurrency fund.

Key Points:
→ Managed by National Investment Corporation (central bank's subsidiary)
→ Will invest through 5 crypto hedge funds - no direct crypto holdings
→ Seized crypto from 130 illegal exchanges will be added to the fund
→ Part of larger plan to build $1 billion crypto reserve by 2026

Why It Matters:
Kazakhstan controls 13-14% of global Bitcoin mining and is becoming Central Asia's crypto hub.
This is one of the first sovereign wealth strategies using institutional-grade crypto investment vehicles.