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Project Overview
August (previously, Fractal) is building web3 infrastructure allowing all on-chain financial assets to interact with and collateralize against each other via a universal margin account – starting with existing crypto assets and expanding to real world assets.
PhotonPay Completes $40 Million Series C Funding, Led by Blockchain Capital
Odaily Report: PhotonPay has announced the completion of a $40 million Series C funding round, led by Blockchain Capital, with new investor SBI Group participating, and IDG Capital, GL Ventures, and Lightspeed Faction also joining. The project is a Hong Kong-based fintech company dedicated to developing a stablecoin-centric financial operating system, offering multi-asset wallets, global card issuance, and local clearing services, while advancing a financial execution layer for AI agents. As of August 2026, PhotonPay's annualized transaction volume reached $65 billion, and it has obtained 34 payment and financial licenses or authorizations across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, serving more than 200,000 enterprise clients with operations covering over 200 countries and regions.
Bloomberg: Nscale will still proceed with its IPO as planned, targeting a $30 billion valuation
As reported by Bloomberg, AI data center developer Nscale, which has transitioned from a Bitcoin mining company, will proceed with its planned IPO on schedule, targeting a $30 billion valuation. However, Nscale's listing comes amid strain in the AI infrastructure sector. While the company claims to have secured $103 billion in contracts, it has only delivered 55 megawatts of capacity as of August 2026, compared to a potential contract demand requiring 10 gigawatts. Additionally, Nscale's data center projects face delays, safety violations, and operational challenges, with Microsoft recently withdrawing from one of its data center projects in the UK.
Bank of America warns market risk aversion could persist through mid-November, with three major risks still unresolved.
Bank of America strategist Michael Hartnett stated in his latest client report that current global market risk-aversion sentiment may persist until mid-November. Until uncertainties regarding AI financing risks, pressure in the French bond market, and the US midterm elections are alleviated, the bank remains tactically cautious toward risk assets. On the liquidity front, although investors are beginning to shift toward defensive positioning, tech stock holdings remain crowded. EPFR Global data shows that tech equity funds recorded the largest capital inflows since July over the past week, and BofA’s October fund manager survey also indicates that global investors’ allocation to tech stocks has reached its highest level since August 2020. Hartnett noted that if credit spreads related to AI super cloud vendors peak, it could serve as an important signal of improved risk appetite.
OpenAI Nears Completion of Up to $30 Billion Funding Round, Pre-Money Valuation Reaches $1.25 Trillion
According to CNBC, OpenAI is nearing the completion of a financing round of up to $30 billion, with a pre-money valuation of $1.25 trillion, excluding funds raised in this round. Insiders said this round is led by investors from the UAE and Coatue, and has been positioned as an "opportunistic" transitional financing ahead of an IPO. On Thursday, OpenAI told investors that it aims to secure executed documents before next weekend, although the final financing amount is still being finalized. Meanwhile, OpenAI is negotiating a commercial agreement to obtain more compute capacity from the UAE. In February, the company told investors that its goal is to invest approximately $600 billion cumulatively in compute infrastructure by 2030. OpenAI filed a draft prospectus with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on a confidential basis in June, but has not yet disclosed a listing date. Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar stated in August that the company "will become a publicly traded company in 2027," while CEO Sam Altman remarked in September that it would not be wise to go public at this time.
Gate Releases Q3 2026 Report: Derivatives Trading Volume Ranks Among Global Top 3, Stock and ETF Coverage Reaches 12,800+
Odaily — Gate has released its "Q3 2026 Report," showing continued growth in its trading business and a significant expansion of its multi-asset trading product matrix in Q3 2026. According to CoinDesk data, Gate's derivatives trading volume reached $396 billion in September, up 38.2% quarter-over-quarter, ranking among the global top three centralized derivatives exchanges with market share rising to 10.1%. Over the same period, spot trading volume reached $48.8 billion, up 21.9% quarter-over-quarter, while its RWA perpetual contract market share reached 9.1%, ranking third globally.On the TradFi side, Gate's stock and ETF coverage increased to over 12,800 instruments, spanning U.S., Hong Kong, Korean, and Japanese equities, providing users with a rich selection of global asset allocation options. Its tokenized stock business gStocks continued to expand its tradable instruments, with monthly trading volume exceeding 2.5 billion USDT in August, and its comprehensive competitiveness in stock spot trading ranking among the global top two. Gate ETF quarterly trading volume approached 60 billion USDT, with ETF trading pairs supported by the platform increasing to 424; options quarterly trading volume grew 23.8% quarter-over-quarter, and the number of new trading users rose 52.1%, as U.S. stock options continue to broaden traditional financial asset trading scenarios. The launch of stock copy trading further connects stock and ETF trading across multiple markets, enriching the ways users can participate in global financial markets.From crypto asset trading to global stocks, ETFs, CFDs, and multi-asset derivatives, Gate continues to broaden its product coverage and trading scenarios, driving the accelerated integration of digital assets and traditional financial markets while refining its one-stop multi-asset trading service system.
US SEC Token Safe Harbor Proposal Warned of Lacking Regulatory Certainty, Exchanges Fear Future Liability
Odaily reports: Crypto wallet backup company Vault12 submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday, stating that the SEC's proposed token safe harbor framework fails to adequately address centralized exchanges' listing concerns, and trading platforms still worry they may face retroactive challenges from the SEC regarding the legal status of tokens in the future.Vault12 raised $17.45 million from 38 investors in 2018 through a future token agreement. Its issued Vault Guardian Token (VGT) has not yet been listed on any centralized exchange. The project has fulfilled or formally abandoned all commitments in its white paper, but exchanges it previously approached still require confirmation that the SEC will not determine in the future that VGT remains subject to the original investment contract.The SEC's "Regulation Crypto Assets" proposal introduced in August this year aims to provide exemptions for token fundraising and allow eligible projects to terminate the association between tokens and original investment contracts through a safe harbor mechanism. Vault12 recommends adding a 60-day objection period; if the SEC does not raise objections within the deadline, qualifying filings should have final effect on the agency, except in cases of fraud or material misrepresentation. (CoinDesk)
South Africa’s Crypto Economy Grows 52% Over the Past Year to $39.3 Billion; Cross-Border Regulatory Draft May Be Revised
According to BeInCrypto, Chainalysis data shows that over the year ending June 2026, the South African crypto economy expanded by 52% to $39.3 billion, with increases across all tracked activity categories. Commercial payments, including those from South African merchants and P2P traders, reached $8.34 billion, outpacing institutional activity ($1.29 billion in inflows); stablecoin inflows through Sub-Saharan African P2P channels totaled $14.6 billion, on par with Bitcoin. A draft regulatory framework for crypto asset management released by the South African Treasury and Reserve Bank (SARB) on August 3 would stipulate that individuals may only transfer crypto assets abroad through authorized local service providers within existing foreign exchange limits, while businesses are prohibited from cross-border transfers of crypto assets. As of March 31, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) had issued licenses to 310 crypto asset service providers, though these entities must still secure separate authorization from the SARB. On October 21, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana stated that after receiving thousands of public submissions, the Treasury will aim to release a revised second draft, with no timeline currently announced.
PhotonPay Completes $40 Million Series C Funding, Led by Blockchain Capital
Odaily Report: PhotonPay has announced the completion of a $40 million Series C funding round, led by Blockchain Capital, with new investor SBI Group participating, and IDG Capital, GL Ventures, and Lightspeed Faction also joining. The project is a Hong Kong-based fintech company dedicated to developing a stablecoin-centric financial operating system, offering multi-asset wallets, global card issuance, and local clearing services, while advancing a financial execution layer for AI agents. As of August 2026, PhotonPay's annualized transaction volume reached $65 billion, and it has obtained 34 payment and financial licenses or authorizations across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, serving more than 200,000 enterprise clients with operations covering over 200 countries and regions.
Australian Regulator: Polymarket Already Blocked, No Prediction Market Operator Has Applied for a License
Odaily reports: Sarah Court, Chair of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), said at a parliamentary hearing on Thursday that the agency has not yet received any applications from prediction market operators. She noted that such platforms may face gambling regulation in Australia rather than financial market regulation, and that any operating license application would face strict scrutiny.Court said that the trading mechanism of prediction markets is similar to binary options, which Australia has already banned, featuring an all-or-nothing outcome, and that the underlying assets are often unrelated to investments or financial markets. She also noted that although Australian users can directly access relevant overseas platforms, they are not protected by local financial regulation and have difficulty obtaining measures such as dispute resolution and client fund protection.In August of this year, the Australian Communications and Media Authority required internet service providers to block the Polymarket website and classified it as an illegal online gambling site. (Bloomberg)
USAT is independently issued by Anchorage, GENIUS Act approval process not yet initiated
Odaily reports: USAT is independently issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, N.A., with Tether providing technology and supporting branding, strategy, and distribution. Anchorage's disclosure states that Tether is not the issuer of USAT and has no obligation to redeem or guarantee the token; USAT and USDT are different products with different issuers and legal arrangements.Anchorage's terms only allow approved customers to directly mint or redeem USAT, while other holders typically need to trade through exchanges or the secondary market. Its August 31, 2026 reserve report shows approximately 175.7 million redeemable USAT in circulation, corresponding to approximately $176.4 million in reserve assets.The GENIUS Act took effect on July 18, 2025, with its main issuance framework set to be implemented on January 18, 2027. The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) published the main implementing rules on October 21, 2026; as of October 27, the OCC had not yet initiated the application process, and public materials do not indicate that USAT has obtained issuance approval under the Act. (Bitcoin.com News)
Central Bank of Ireland fines Coinbase Ireland €3.25 million
According to Bitcoin.com News, the Central Bank of Ireland announced on October 22 a fine of €3.252618 million against Coinbase Ireland Limited for violating the client fund protection and outsourcing requirements under Ireland's Electronic Money Regulations 2011. Coinbase acknowledged the violations, with regulators stating the breaches occurred between November 1, 2020, and August 19, 2025, and a settlement was reached on October 21. The case involves Coinbase Ireland's role as an electronic money institution, specifically covering fiat and e-money used by customers to purchase crypto assets, and should not be described as a MiCA custody enforcement action.
UK Receives Over 10,000 Complaints About Cryptocurrency Bank Transfer Restrictions in 90 Days, HSBC-Linked Banks Top the List
Odaily reports: According to a report by cryptocurrency advocacy group Stand With Crypto (SWC), between May and August of this year, UK consumers submitted 10,092 complaints through its online tool regarding banks restricting cryptocurrency purchases, involving 9,800 users and covering all 650 parliamentary constituencies in the UK. Among them, Lloyds Banking Group (including Halifax and Bank of Scotland) received 2,297 complaints, accounting for approximately 23% of the total; Barclays and NatWest Group received 1,569 and 1,278 complaints respectively.The report notes that although the UK government is committed to establishing a comprehensive crypto asset regulatory framework to attract relevant businesses, bank transfer restrictions may still hinder consumers from using compliant trading platforms. Citing research from the UK Crypto Asset Business Council, SWC stated that over the past 12 months, approximately 40% of transfers to cryptocurrency exchanges registered with the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) were blocked or delayed. (CoinDesk)
Analyst: Binance Hack Shakes Market, Fear and Greed Index Drops to Lowest Since August
Odaily report: Crypto analyst Darkfost posted that market sentiment deteriorated noticeably within a single day, with the Fear and Greed Index falling from 51 (neutral) to 30 (fear), the lowest level since mid-August. Over the same period, Bitcoin dropped about 4% to 5% within 24 hours, briefly touching a six-week low near $76,500; Ethereum fell below $2,200, and total liquidations across the market exceeded $1.6 billion in the past 24 hours.Darkfost noted that historically, periods of market pessimism often correspond to accumulation opportunities, but the current index reading of 30 only represents fear and has not yet entered the extreme fear zone below 25, suggesting market sentiment may remain under pressure. In addition, this round of decline was partly triggered by Binance's $6.3 billion hack incident and did not stem entirely from a clear deterioration in market fundamentals.
South Africa’s Crypto Economy Grows 52% Over the Past Year to $39.3 Billion; Cross-Border Regulatory Draft May Be Revised
According to BeInCrypto, Chainalysis data shows that over the year ending June 2026, the South African crypto economy expanded by 52% to $39.3 billion, with increases across all tracked activity categories. Commercial payments, including those from South African merchants and P2P traders, reached $8.34 billion, outpacing institutional activity ($1.29 billion in inflows); stablecoin inflows through Sub-Saharan African P2P channels totaled $14.6 billion, on par with Bitcoin. A draft regulatory framework for crypto asset management released by the South African Treasury and Reserve Bank (SARB) on August 3 would stipulate that individuals may only transfer crypto assets abroad through authorized local service providers within existing foreign exchange limits, while businesses are prohibited from cross-border transfers of crypto assets. As of March 31, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) had issued licenses to 310 crypto asset service providers, though these entities must still secure separate authorization from the SARB. On October 21, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana stated that after receiving thousands of public submissions, the Treasury will aim to release a revised second draft, with no timeline currently announced.
Glassnode: Bitcoin Selling Pressure Continues to Ease, Fed Decision May Trigger the Next Rally
Glassnode's latest report indicates Bitcoin's one-month realized volatility has dropped to approximately 25%, falling back to summer 2023 levels; since August, the realized losses triggered by each round of decline have continued to narrow, suggesting that selling pressure has eased somewhat. Glassnode believes that Bitcoin is currently in a range-bound state characterized by weak demand and limited selling pressure, with the market focused on the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision on October 28. If the daily close reclaims the $85,000 level, it could serve as an initial signal for a further rebound; if it breaks below the active investors' average cost of approximately $77,900, attention should be paid to short-term holder cost support near $75,800.Market data shows that Bitcoin has fallen back below the $84,000–$85,000 range, which has capped price gains four times this year. Inflows into U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have cooled notably, with net inflows of only about $67 million over the past two weeks; major buy-order support on Binance's spot order book has also shifted down to the $78,000–$79,000 range, amounting to approximately $42 million.
After a one-year hiatus, a whale transferred 1.45 trillion PEPE again, with remaining holdings showing unrealized gains of approximately $5.106 million
Odaily reports: According to monitoring by Ai Yi, a PEPE whale transferred tokens again after a one-year hiatus, moving 1.45 trillion PEPE to another address. This whale accumulated a position of 4.03 trillion PEPE between May 2023 and August 2024, at an average cost of approximately $0.000001185 per token. Its remaining holdings currently show unrealized gains of approximately $5.106 million, with unrealized gains once reaching $32.77 million at the end of 2024.
An ETH whale holding for nearly four years appears to have liquidated its position, depositing 3,084 ETH into Binance, with an estimated profit of $928,000
Odaily reports: According to on-chain analyst Ai Yi's monitoring, address 0xbf8…808d5 deposited 3,084 ETH worth approximately $7.17 million into Binance 5 minutes ago, seemingly liquidating its position. This address accumulated its holdings in batches between November 2022 and February 2026, and had previously been depositing ETH into Lido for staking yield. Based on currently disclosed data, this operation is estimated to yield a profit of approximately $928,000. The address's last sell-off occurred between August and November 2025, when ETH was priced between $3,847 and $4,532.
UXLINK Hacker Goes Long on 30,300 ETH, Position Value $70.25 Million, Unrealized Profit $5.62 Million
Odaily Report: According to monitoring by on-chain analyst Ember, a hacker who stole approximately $40 million in assets from UXLINK last year opened a long position of 30,300 ETH on Hyperliquid at a price of $2,134, with a position value of $70.25 million and current unrealized profit of $5.62 million. The funding source address for the ETH long position has a direct fund intersection with a known UXLINK hacker address: one month ago, both addresses consolidated their remaining ETH Gas to the same wallet on the same day. In early August, after consolidating 11.54 million USDC from multiple channels, the hacker began trading ETH on Hyperliquid, opening positions 6 times in total, with 5 profitable trades and total profits of $5.71 million.
Analyst: Binance Hack Shakes Market, Fear and Greed Index Drops to Lowest Since August
Odaily report: Crypto analyst Darkfost posted that market sentiment deteriorated noticeably within a single day, with the Fear and Greed Index falling from 51 (neutral) to 30 (fear), the lowest level since mid-August. Over the same period, Bitcoin dropped about 4% to 5% within 24 hours, briefly touching a six-week low near $76,500; Ethereum fell below $2,200, and total liquidations across the market exceeded $1.6 billion in the past 24 hours.Darkfost noted that historically, periods of market pessimism often correspond to accumulation opportunities, but the current index reading of 30 only represents fear and has not yet entered the extreme fear zone below 25, suggesting market sentiment may remain under pressure. In addition, this round of decline was partly triggered by Binance's $6.3 billion hack incident and did not stem entirely from a clear deterioration in market fundamentals.
Israel extradites to the U.S. the suspect accused of stealing $2.8 million in Nomad crypto assets.
U.S. prosecutors allege that on August 1, 2022, Brock exploited a vulnerability in the Nomad verification mechanism to withdraw approximately $2.8 million worth of tokens without locking corresponding assets. He subsequently exchanged them for other cryptocurrencies and transferred them across multiple wallets to obscure the source of funds. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California indicted him on eight counts in August 2023, involving computer fraud, conversion of stolen property, and money laundering, and filed an extradition request in December 2024. Brock was arrested in May 2025 at Ben Gurion Airport while preparing to travel to Russia. Shortly before his arrest, he had changed his surname to Block and obtained a new passport.
UXLINK Hacker Goes Long on 30,300 ETH, Position Value $70.25 Million, Unrealized Profit $5.62 Million
Odaily Report: According to monitoring by on-chain analyst Ember, a hacker who stole approximately $40 million in assets from UXLINK last year opened a long position of 30,300 ETH on Hyperliquid at a price of $2,134, with a position value of $70.25 million and current unrealized profit of $5.62 million. The funding source address for the ETH long position has a direct fund intersection with a known UXLINK hacker address: one month ago, both addresses consolidated their remaining ETH Gas to the same wallet on the same day. In early August, after consolidating 11.54 million USDC from multiple channels, the hacker began trading ETH on Hyperliquid, opening positions 6 times in total, with 5 profitable trades and total profits of $5.71 million.
Interpol's Africa Cybercrime Operation Recovers Over $105 Million in Illicit Funds, Seizes More Than 2,000 Crypto Mining Rigs
The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) reported that Operation Serengeti III was conducted across 21 countries from June 29 to August 31, 2026, resulting in the arrest of 1,462 suspects, the takedown of 10,909 malicious websites, and the seizure of over $105 million in illicit funds. Investigations also confirmed that 65,929 victims were targeted by cybercrime syndicates, with associated losses exceeding $385 million. The operation primarily targeted cyber fraud, ransomware, business email compromise, online scams, and digital extortion. In specific cases, Ugandan police dismantled two transnational fraud rings and arrested 365 foreign nationals; Angolan authorities shut down two illegal cryptocurrency mining farms, arresting nine individuals and confiscating more than 2,000 mining rigs; and another case in Nigeria involved over $2.4 million in suspected illicit proceeds, a significant portion of which was laundered through cryptocurrency transactions.
Bitcoin Core Adjusts Security Vulnerability Disclosure Policy, Vulnerabilities Easily Found by AI to Be Fixed Promptly
Bitcoin Core has adjusted its security vulnerability disclosure policy, defining easily discoverable vulnerabilities as those that can be found through simple large language model prompts, and will release fixes as soon as possible across all major versions still under maintenance, while publishing security advisories.Bitcoin Core developer Antoine Poinsot stated that in the past, vulnerabilities were typically kept confidential during a longer disclosure embargo period to allow users to upgrade, but large language models have lowered the threshold for rediscovering certain vulnerabilities, limiting the protective value of delayed fixes.Low-severity vulnerabilities will be disclosed two weeks after the major version containing the fix is released; medium- and high-severity vulnerabilities will be disclosed two weeks after the affected version reaches end of life, typically about one year after the fix enters a new version. Critical vulnerabilities are not subject to the standard policy and will be handled through ad hoc procedures.In August, the volunteer organization Bitcoin Red Team reported nearly 5,000 potential issues across 390 projects, with about one-fifth having been reproduced at the time. Core Lightning developers that same month asked node operators to upgrade or take nodes offline, and delayed disclosure of technical details for two weeks. (Cointelegraph)
PHP Foundation acknowledges "structural failure" led to delayed critical vulnerability fixes, with multiple government websites going offline as a precaution.
According to Cointelegraph, the PHP Foundation admitted that a critical security vulnerability discovered as early as 2024 has yet to be patched due to flawed decision-making processes and understaffing within the security team, calling the delay a structural failure. The vulnerability could allow unauthenticated attackers to remotely execute code on affected servers. On August 11, security firm Calif and OpenAI independently reported the same issue, with Calif also demonstrating unconditional remote code execution, prompting the matter to be elevated to the highest security priority. PHP released emergency patches for two related critical vulnerabilities on Wednesday. Around the time of the patch release, government websites or services in the Netherlands, Finland, France, Germany, and Australia were temporarily taken offline, with the Netherlands shutting down its digital identity service. The Wikimedia Foundation also took some supporting services offline, causing disruptions to certain Wikipedia features. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called on website operators to install the patches as soon as possible. In the crypto sector, monitoring by SlowMist's MistEye service found that out of 1,488 evaluated domains, 793 showed direct PHP fingerprints. Cardano governance organization Intersect temporarily took its member portal offline. Both Coinbase and BitGo stated that their platforms were unaffected. Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao advised users to exercise extreme caution when visiting websites over the next few days. PHP security team
South Africa’s Crypto Economy Grows 52% Over the Past Year to $39.3 Billion; Cross-Border Regulatory Draft May Be Revised
According to BeInCrypto, Chainalysis data shows that over the year ending June 2026, the South African crypto economy expanded by 52% to $39.3 billion, with increases across all tracked activity categories. Commercial payments, including those from South African merchants and P2P traders, reached $8.34 billion, outpacing institutional activity ($1.29 billion in inflows); stablecoin inflows through Sub-Saharan African P2P channels totaled $14.6 billion, on par with Bitcoin. A draft regulatory framework for crypto asset management released by the South African Treasury and Reserve Bank (SARB) on August 3 would stipulate that individuals may only transfer crypto assets abroad through authorized local service providers within existing foreign exchange limits, while businesses are prohibited from cross-border transfers of crypto assets. As of March 31, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) had issued licenses to 310 crypto asset service providers, though these entities must still secure separate authorization from the SARB. On October 21, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana stated that after receiving thousands of public submissions, the Treasury will aim to release a revised second draft, with no timeline currently announced.
Dubai drives urban governance transformation with data and AI, ranking second globally in the BCG Smart City Index.
According to Fortune, the Dubai government agency Digital Dubai is driving government transformation by integrating cross-departmental data and AI. In April this year, the agency launched an AI Integration Matrix framework, leveraging it to guide the deployment of over 100 AI systems to reduce redundancy. Its Dubai Population Now platform integrates multi-source data from sectors including residency, transportation, and healthcare to estimate the population in real time. By the end of 2025, Dubai’s resident population stood at 4.58 million, with an average daytime peak of 6.39 million; this surplus of 1.81 million people accounts for approximately 40% of the resident population. In August, Dubai ranked second out of 61 cities in the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Smart Cities Index, taking the top spot for the adoption of AI technologies and smart city solutions. The Dubai government has also stated that AI-driven governance initiatives are expected to drive over 10 billion dirhams (approximately $2.72 billion) in GDP growth within two years of implementation.
USAT is independently issued by Anchorage, GENIUS Act approval process not yet initiated
Odaily reports: USAT is independently issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, N.A., with Tether providing technology and supporting branding, strategy, and distribution. Anchorage's disclosure states that Tether is not the issuer of USAT and has no obligation to redeem or guarantee the token; USAT and USDT are different products with different issuers and legal arrangements.Anchorage's terms only allow approved customers to directly mint or redeem USAT, while other holders typically need to trade through exchanges or the secondary market. Its August 31, 2026 reserve report shows approximately 175.7 million redeemable USAT in circulation, corresponding to approximately $176.4 million in reserve assets.The GENIUS Act took effect on July 18, 2025, with its main issuance framework set to be implemented on January 18, 2027. The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) published the main implementing rules on October 21, 2026; as of October 27, the OCC had not yet initiated the application process, and public materials do not indicate that USAT has obtained issuance approval under the Act. (Bitcoin.com News)
Bitcoin Core Adjusts Security Vulnerability Disclosure Policy, Vulnerabilities Easily Found by AI to Be Fixed Promptly
Bitcoin Core has adjusted its security vulnerability disclosure policy, defining easily discoverable vulnerabilities as those that can be found through simple large language model prompts, and will release fixes as soon as possible across all major versions still under maintenance, while publishing security advisories.Bitcoin Core developer Antoine Poinsot stated that in the past, vulnerabilities were typically kept confidential during a longer disclosure embargo period to allow users to upgrade, but large language models have lowered the threshold for rediscovering certain vulnerabilities, limiting the protective value of delayed fixes.Low-severity vulnerabilities will be disclosed two weeks after the major version containing the fix is released; medium- and high-severity vulnerabilities will be disclosed two weeks after the affected version reaches end of life, typically about one year after the fix enters a new version. Critical vulnerabilities are not subject to the standard policy and will be handled through ad hoc procedures.In August, the volunteer organization Bitcoin Red Team reported nearly 5,000 potential issues across 390 projects, with about one-fifth having been reproduced at the time. Core Lightning developers that same month asked node operators to upgrade or take nodes offline, and delayed disclosure of technical details for two weeks. (Cointelegraph)
Gate Releases Q3 2026 Report: Derivatives Trading Volume Ranks Among Global Top 3, Stock and ETF Coverage Reaches 12,800+
Odaily — Gate has released its "Q3 2026 Report," showing continued growth in its trading business and a significant expansion of its multi-asset trading product matrix in Q3 2026. According to CoinDesk data, Gate's derivatives trading volume reached $396 billion in September, up 38.2% quarter-over-quarter, ranking among the global top three centralized derivatives exchanges with market share rising to 10.1%. Over the same period, spot trading volume reached $48.8 billion, up 21.9% quarter-over-quarter, while its RWA perpetual contract market share reached 9.1%, ranking third globally.On the TradFi side, Gate's stock and ETF coverage increased to over 12,800 instruments, spanning U.S., Hong Kong, Korean, and Japanese equities, providing users with a rich selection of global asset allocation options. Its tokenized stock business gStocks continued to expand its tradable instruments, with monthly trading volume exceeding 2.5 billion USDT in August, and its comprehensive competitiveness in stock spot trading ranking among the global top two. Gate ETF quarterly trading volume approached 60 billion USDT, with ETF trading pairs supported by the platform increasing to 424; options quarterly trading volume grew 23.8% quarter-over-quarter, and the number of new trading users rose 52.1%, as U.S. stock options continue to broaden traditional financial asset trading scenarios. The launch of stock copy trading further connects stock and ETF trading across multiple markets, enriching the ways users can participate in global financial markets.From crypto asset trading to global stocks, ETFs, CFDs, and multi-asset derivatives, Gate continues to broaden its product coverage and trading scenarios, driving the accelerated integration of digital assets and traditional financial markets while refining its one-stop multi-asset trading service system.
PHP Foundation acknowledges "structural failure" led to delayed critical vulnerability fixes, with multiple government websites going offline as a precaution.
According to Cointelegraph, the PHP Foundation admitted that a critical security vulnerability discovered as early as 2024 has yet to be patched due to flawed decision-making processes and understaffing within the security team, calling the delay a structural failure. The vulnerability could allow unauthenticated attackers to remotely execute code on affected servers. On August 11, security firm Calif and OpenAI independently reported the same issue, with Calif also demonstrating unconditional remote code execution, prompting the matter to be elevated to the highest security priority. PHP released emergency patches for two related critical vulnerabilities on Wednesday. Around the time of the patch release, government websites or services in the Netherlands, Finland, France, Germany, and Australia were temporarily taken offline, with the Netherlands shutting down its digital identity service. The Wikimedia Foundation also took some supporting services offline, causing disruptions to certain Wikipedia features. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called on website operators to install the patches as soon as possible. In the crypto sector, monitoring by SlowMist's MistEye service found that out of 1,488 evaluated domains, 793 showed direct PHP fingerprints. Cardano governance organization Intersect temporarily took its member portal offline. Both Coinbase and BitGo stated that their platforms were unaffected. Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao advised users to exercise extreme caution when visiting websites over the next few days. PHP security team
Related news
Analyst: Binance Hack Shakes Market, Fear and Greed Index Drops to Lowest Since August
Odaily report: Crypto analyst Darkfost posted that market sentiment deteriorated noticeably within a single day, with the Fear and Greed Index falling from 51 (neutral) to 30 (fear), the lowest level since mid-August. Over the same period, Bitcoin dropped about 4% to 5% within 24 hours, briefly touching a six-week low near $76,500; Ethereum fell below $2,200, and total liquidations across the market exceeded $1.6 billion in the past 24 hours.Darkfost noted that historically, periods of market pessimism often correspond to accumulation opportunities, but the current index reading of 30 only represents fear and has not yet entered the extreme fear zone below 25, suggesting market sentiment may remain under pressure. In addition, this round of decline was partly triggered by Binance's $6.3 billion hack incident and did not stem entirely from a clear deterioration in market fundamentals.
Israel extradites to the U.S. the suspect accused of stealing $2.8 million in Nomad crypto assets.
U.S. prosecutors allege that on August 1, 2022, Brock exploited a vulnerability in the Nomad verification mechanism to withdraw approximately $2.8 million worth of tokens without locking corresponding assets. He subsequently exchanged them for other cryptocurrencies and transferred them across multiple wallets to obscure the source of funds. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California indicted him on eight counts in August 2023, involving computer fraud, conversion of stolen property, and money laundering, and filed an extradition request in December 2024. Brock was arrested in May 2025 at Ben Gurion Airport while preparing to travel to Russia. Shortly before his arrest, he had changed his surname to Block and obtained a new passport.
South Africa’s Crypto Economy Grows 52% Over the Past Year to $39.3 Billion; Cross-Border Regulatory Draft May Be Revised
According to BeInCrypto, Chainalysis data shows that over the year ending June 2026, the South African crypto economy expanded by 52% to $39.3 billion, with increases across all tracked activity categories. Commercial payments, including those from South African merchants and P2P traders, reached $8.34 billion, outpacing institutional activity ($1.29 billion in inflows); stablecoin inflows through Sub-Saharan African P2P channels totaled $14.6 billion, on par with Bitcoin. A draft regulatory framework for crypto asset management released by the South African Treasury and Reserve Bank (SARB) on August 3 would stipulate that individuals may only transfer crypto assets abroad through authorized local service providers within existing foreign exchange limits, while businesses are prohibited from cross-border transfers of crypto assets. As of March 31, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) had issued licenses to 310 crypto asset service providers, though these entities must still secure separate authorization from the SARB. On October 21, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana stated that after receiving thousands of public submissions, the Treasury will aim to release a revised second draft, with no timeline currently announced.
Trezor Warns That Safe 5 Devices Sold by CryptoBilis May Have Hardware Implants
Trezor stated that its security team received a responsible disclosure report alleging that a Trezor Safe 5 purchased from Southeast Asia's official distributor CryptoBilis had a hardware trojan implanted inside. The device was purchased through Tokopedia in August 2026. The report claims that an extra circuit board equipped with a cellular module and antenna was found between the motherboard and the screen, capable of reading the screen display contents and exfiltrating them via mobile network when the device is powered on. Trezor has not yet received the physical device for laboratory verification, but based on the customer's description and video communication, it considers the report credible and has issued a warning in advance. Trezor stated that no users have reported losses so far, and advised users who purchased devices through CryptoBilis starting March 2026 to migrate their assets to wallets using newly generated seed phrases as soon as possible, and under no circumstances should they enter existing seed phrases on suspicious devices. Affected users can contact the official team to request a replacement device or voucher. Trezor removed CryptoBilis from its official distributor list on October 9.
PhotonPay Completes $40 Million Series C Funding, Led by Blockchain Capital
Odaily Report: PhotonPay has announced the completion of a $40 million Series C funding round, led by Blockchain Capital, with new investor SBI Group participating, and IDG Capital, GL Ventures, and Lightspeed Faction also joining. The project is a Hong Kong-based fintech company dedicated to developing a stablecoin-centric financial operating system, offering multi-asset wallets, global card issuance, and local clearing services, while advancing a financial execution layer for AI agents. As of August 2026, PhotonPay's annualized transaction volume reached $65 billion, and it has obtained 34 payment and financial licenses or authorizations across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, serving more than 200,000 enterprise clients with operations covering over 200 countries and regions.
Australian Regulator: Polymarket Already Blocked, No Prediction Market Operator Has Applied for a License
Odaily reports: Sarah Court, Chair of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), said at a parliamentary hearing on Thursday that the agency has not yet received any applications from prediction market operators. She noted that such platforms may face gambling regulation in Australia rather than financial market regulation, and that any operating license application would face strict scrutiny.Court said that the trading mechanism of prediction markets is similar to binary options, which Australia has already banned, featuring an all-or-nothing outcome, and that the underlying assets are often unrelated to investments or financial markets. She also noted that although Australian users can directly access relevant overseas platforms, they are not protected by local financial regulation and have difficulty obtaining measures such as dispute resolution and client fund protection.In August of this year, the Australian Communications and Media Authority required internet service providers to block the Polymarket website and classified it as an illegal online gambling site. (Bloomberg)