News linked to both this project and an event.
According to The Block, crypto infrastructure provider Zerohash Europe has obtained an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from the Dutch Central Bank (DNB), becoming the first company to hold both a European MiCAR license and EMI authorization. Zerohash previously secured its MiCAR license in October 2025; this dual licensing enables it to legally provide crypto-asset services and process traditional electronic money flows across the European Economic Area (EEA), and to directly serve institutional clients such as banks, brokers, fintech firms, and payment platforms. The company is already collaborating with partners including Interactive Brokers Europe and has applied to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust bank charter. Additionally, Zerohash is reportedly seeking $250 million in funding at a $1.5 billion valuation.
Odaily. Bernstein stated in its latest research report that the newly reached compromise on stablecoin yields under the U.S. CLARITY Act is structurally beneficial for Circle and the USDC ecosystem.The report notes that the current version of the bill prohibits stablecoin issuers from paying interest to passive holders that is "economically equivalent" to bank deposits, but allows reward mechanisms tied to actual transaction, payment, and usage activities to continue. Bernstein believes this means Circle's current model, which relies on partners like Coinbase to provide USDC reward programs, will gain regulatory recognition, while also limiting the industry's ability to compete for market share through high yields.Bernstein points out that the bill effectively reinforces the positioning of stablecoins as "payment tools" rather than "deposit substitutes," helping to protect Circle's current business model that relies on reserve income. The firm maintains an "Outperform" rating for Circle with a $190 target price.Data shows that the total global supply of dollar-pegged stablecoins has surpassed $300 billion, with USDT and USDC collectively accounting for approximately 97% of the market share. Bernstein notes that USDC's share in on-chain payments and wallet transfers is steadily increasing, and its share of payments in the AI Agent payment protocol x402 has exceeded 99%.Additionally, Bernstein mentioned that Circle's ARC chain has cumulatively completed 244 million testnet transactions. The ARC token pre-sale previously raised $222 million, with investors including a16z crypto, Apollo Funds, ARK Invest, and BlackRock.However, the report also points out that the CLARITY Act still needs to complete multiple legislative procedures before it takes effect, including a 60-vote threshold in the full Senate and coordination with the House version. Polymarket currently estimates its probability of passage by 2026 at approximately 62%. (The Block)
Sharplink CEO Joseph Chalom stated that Ethereum treasury companies are gradually deviating from the model of Strategy and Michael Saylor, focusing more on staking yields and a clean balance sheet rather than relying on complex financing structures.Chalom believes that Ethereum treasury companies can generate returns directly by holding ETH, thus eliminating the need for excessive leverage. He also indicated that only a few Ethereum treasury companies will be able to survive through market downturns.Furthermore, citing BlackRock CEO Larry Fink's previous views, he described Ethereum as a "tokenized toll road" and pointed out that the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq's push for 24-hour trading plans, DTCC's exploration of tokenized collateral, and Bullish's acquisition of Equiniti will all further drive tokenized assets into the traditional financial system.Chalom expects that as stablecoins, tokenized assets, DeFi, and AI applications continue to expand, Ethereum will gradually forge a different development path from Bitcoin in the future. (The Block)
According to The Block, the T3 Financial Crime Unit (T3 FCU), jointly established by Tether, TRON, and TRM Labs, announced that since its founding in 2024, it has frozen over $450 million worth of illicit crypto assets globally. In 2025, the unit’s interception of illicit proceeds increased by 43.9% year-on-year, covering 23 jurisdictions including the United States, Spain, and Germany, and has been recognized by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as “a critical resource for global law enforcement agencies.” The T3 FCU has participated in investigations across multiple crime categories, including exchange hacks, North Korea–related activities, terrorist financing, and violent crimes, and assisted Brazil’s Federal Police in freezing over $5.989 billion in assets—including 4.3 million USDT.
According to The Block, Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise, noted that three enterprise-grade blockchains—Arc (by Circle), Canton Network, and Tempo (by Stripe)—have collectively raised over $1 billion in funding recently. All three funding rounds occurred after the signing of the GENIUS Act in July 2025. Hougan believes this legislation broke a prior regulatory stalemate that had discouraged institutional capital from entering the space. Hougan identified three key signals: First, all three blockchains prioritize native privacy-preserving transactions as a core design feature, addressing institutions’ need for transaction confidentiality. Second, the implementation of the GENIUS Act has significantly reduced regulatory uncertainty; the next critical variable is the pending Clarity Act, from which stablecoins and tokenization infrastructure stand to benefit. Third, these blockchains are backed by top-tier institutions—including Goldman Sachs, Citadel, BlackRock, Stripe, and Visa—marking a stark contrast to Ethereum and Solana, which emerged from grassroots origins. Hougan stated that his firm’s capital remains primarily allocated to native crypto projects, and he believes these emerging enterprise chains will raise the overall competitive bar and attract additional capital inflows.
Odaily Odaily reports, stablecoin yield infrastructure project Osero announced the completion of a $13.5 million funding round, led by Sky Ecosystem, with co-leading from Plasma. Participating investors include RedStone, The Rollup, Kairos Research, as well as several crypto institutions and industry executives such as Joe Flanagan and Lorenzo Romagnoli. Osero was co-incubated by Stablewatch and Soter Labs, a governance and operations institution associated with the Sky Ecosystem. The project focuses on building savings and yield infrastructure around the Sky stablecoin system USDS and its yield-bearing asset sUSDS. It is reported that the funding round was initiated in December 2024 and completed in March 2026, utilizing a SAFT structure for issuance. The valuation was not disclosed. (The Block)
Bernstein has reiterated its "Outperform" rating on Figure Technology Solutions (FIGR) and maintained a price target of $67, implying approximately 72% upside from the current share price of $38.97.Figure posted strong Q1 2026 results: loan origination volume reached $2.9 billion, up 113% year-over-year; adjusted revenue was $167 million, surpassing market expectations by 6% and up 92% year-over-year; adjusted EBITDA was $82.7 million, with a margin of approximately 50%, slightly above market consensus. However, GAAP diluted EPS was $0.18, missing expectations by about 9%, primarily impacted by $26 million in stock-based compensation expenses.Bernstein analysts believe this performance should reshape market perception of Figure, viewing it not as a traditional credit company, but as a "tokenization-driven capital markets platform." Core profitability stems from network fees and operational leverage from scaling, and the valuation framework remains based on 25x 2027 EBITDA. Additionally, the tokenization ecosystem continues to expand: the yield-bearing security token YLDS reached $598 million (up 80% quarter-over-quarter); the stock lending product balance stood at $368 million (up 79%); and the small business loan segment contributed $60 million in revenue.Figure's current share price remains not far from its 2025 IPO offering price of $36, but still significantly below its all-time high of $78. (The Block)
According to The Block, research and brokerage firm Bernstein has maintained its “Outperform” rating on Circle Internet Group (CRCL), with a target price of $190—representing approximately 44% upside from Monday’s closing price of $131.76. Analysts led by Gautam Chhugani noted that Circle’s $222 million ARC token presale—completed at a fully diluted valuation of $3 billion—provides the company with near-term cushioning against a 11% sequential decline in reserve income driven by weakening interest rates.
稳定币基础设施初创公司 Boundary Labs 宣布完成 200 万美元 Pre-Seed 轮融资，Galaxy Ventures 领投，First Block Capital、BlackWood 等机构参投，该公司计划于 2026 年夏季在以太坊主网上线机构级稳定币 USBD 及质押版本 sUSBD。据介绍，USBD 将支持每日链上披露储备状态、净资产价值（NAV）以及协议运行数据，并采用超额抵押与 Delta Neutral（市场中性）对冲策略，以降低市场波动与方向性风险。Boundary 强调，其协议不会使用递归杠杆，并要求所有收益来源保持 Delta Neutral 结构。（The Block）
Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), led by Michael Saylor, has been accelerating its Bitcoin acquisitions this year. JPMorgan analysts stated that if the current pace continues, the company's total Bitcoin purchases for the year could reach approximately $30 billion. So far this year, Strategy has added 145,834 Bitcoin to its holdings, valued at around $11 billion. Analysis indicates that a significant portion of the company's purchases occurred when Bitcoin was below its average cost of roughly $75,000, reflecting a more "opportunistic" allocation strategy.At the current rate, Strategy's total Bitcoin purchases in 2026 could significantly exceed the approximately $22 billion levels seen in 2024 and 2025. Analysts noted that the company has re-accelerated its buying since April, suggesting its strategy is becoming more dependent on market conditions and financing availability. Meanwhile, Strategy's stock continues to trade at a premium of approximately 26% to its net asset value (NAV), providing favorable conditions for the company to continue purchasing Bitcoin through equity and debt financing. The company currently holds approximately 818,334 BTC, with a total value exceeding $65 billion. (The Block)
investment bank TD Cowen on Thursday raised its price target for Strategy (MSTR) to $395 from $385, believing the market underestimates the capital efficiency of the company’s bitcoin accumulation strategy following its increased issuance of STRC perpetual preferred stock. Analysts Lance Vitanza and Jonnathan Navarrete indicated that the new target still implies over 110% upside from Strategy’s Wednesday closing price of $186.82.The analysis notes that Strategy is gradually reducing common equity financing and increasingly relying on STRC perpetual preferred stock, which yields 11.5%, to fund bitcoin purchases. STRC is also a core component of Michael Saylor’s “42/42 plan,” which aims to raise $42 billion each through equity and fixed-income instruments over three years.TD Cowen believes the market underestimates the effect of the STRC structure on boosting “BTC Yield,” a metric measuring the company’s growth in bitcoin holdings per fully diluted share. The report raised its BTC Yield forecast for Strategy’s fiscal 2026 to 18.2% from 16.7%, and for 2027 to 9.6% from 5.4%. Additionally, analysts argue that concerns about Strategy being a “perpetual dilution machine” are exaggerated. The company’s annual preferred stock dividend payments, currently around $1.5 billion, represent only about 2.2% of the value of its 818,334 BTC reserve.In TD Cowen’s base case scenario, bitcoin is expected to reach $140,000 by the end of 2026. In a bull case, bitcoin could rise to $175,000, with Strategy potentially purchasing over $5 billion in bitcoin per quarter. (The Block)
According to The Block, South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with SSI Digital (SSID), the blockchain subsidiary of Vietnam’s largest securities firm, SSI. Under the MOU, the two parties will jointly establish and operate a digital asset exchange in Vietnam, covering areas including wallet and custody systems, security risk management, regulatory compliance, and product development. The agreement was signed in March this year and officially announced today. Bithumb stated that, subject to approval by local regulatory authorities, it may make a strategic investment in SSID’s cryptocurrency exchange project.
According to The Block, a16z crypto—the cryptocurrency division of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz—has completed fundraising for its fifth fund at $2.2 billion. This fund is smaller than its record-breaking fourth fund, which raised $4.5 billion in 2022. Paul Cafiero, Communications Partner at a16z crypto, stated that the firm intentionally returned to a smaller fund size because “a shorter fundraising cycle enables us to keep pace with the rapidly evolving crypto landscape.” Prior a16z crypto funds included: the $2.2 billion third fund in 2021, the $515 million second fund in 2020, and the $350 million first fund in 2018.
According to The Block, Payward, Kraken’s parent company, has announced the completion of its acquisition of Chicago-based crypto-native exchange Bitnomial, thereby obtaining a full suite of U.S. derivatives licenses from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), including Futures Commission Merchant (FCM), Designated Contract Market (DCM), and Derivatives Clearing Organization (DCO) licenses. Payward stated that it will first launch spot margin trading on Kraken, followed by perpetual contracts and options products, all available to eligible U.S. customers. This acquisition will also provide partners—including banks, brokers, and payment service providers—with a channel to offer U.S. derivatives to their end customers. Bitnomial will operate independently under Payward while retaining its existing licenses and regulatory framework. The transaction’s value is reported to be up to $550 million, comprising cash and stock, implying a valuation for Payward of approximately $20 billion; however, the final terms have not been disclosed.
Odaily Strategy founder Michael Saylor posted on X yesterday stating that the company will suspend its routine weekly Bitcoin purchase plan this week, marking the second time this year it has paused weekly accumulation.To date, Strategy holds a total of 818,334 BTC, representing approximately 3.9% of Bitcoin's total supply. Data from Saylortracker shows that as Bitcoin staged a strong rebound today, breaking through the $80,000 mark, the total market value of BTC held by Strategy has returned to above $65 billion, currently standing at $65.74 billion. The average cost price is $75,537, with an unrealized profit of $3.926 billion.Strategy is expected to announce its Q1 earnings on Tuesday, with the market anticipating a loss per share of $18.98, higher than the loss of $16.38 per share in the same period last year. Its ongoing coin purchases are primarily financed through stock (MSTR) and perpetual preferred stock. Among these, the high-dividend product STRC (annualized yield approximately 11.5%) has raised concerns among some analysts regarding structural risks, though others argue that this model can convert yield demands into long-term Bitcoin exposure. (The Block)
market分歧 has widened regarding Strategy's financing model of continuously accumulating Bitcoin through its preferred stock STRC. Benchmark analyst Mark Palmer stated in his latest report that the interpretation of the STRC model as a "circular financing or Ponzi structure" is a "serious misreading" and emphasized that the mechanism is an "intentionally designed and sustainable capital framework," with the core logic being to convert market demand for yield into long-term Bitcoin exposure.According to an SEC 8-K filing, Strategy raised approximately $3.5 billion in the first three weeks of April, with over 85% coming from STRC issuance. Subsequently, it made three consecutive purchases within the following three weeks, acquiring a total of 51,364 Bitcoins worth approximately $3.9 billion. Strategy's total Bitcoin holdings have now increased to 818,334 BTC, with a market value of around $62.5 billion, and it has recently returned to an unrealized profit of about $700 million.Benchmark believes that this structure does not rely on continuous issuance to sustain itself and could even sell a portion of its Bitcoin to pay preferred stock dividends if necessary. However, significant market skepticism remains, with some arguing that selling financed assets to pay dividends could be perceived as a risk signal, potentially triggering broader market pressure. (The Block)
Exponent Finance, a Solana-based yield trading platform, announced the completion of a $5 million seed funding round. The round was led by Multicoin Capital, with participation from Solana Ventures, RockawayX, L1D, Prelude, and Theia Blockchain, along with several key figures from the Solana ecosystem as angel investors. The round was initiated in May last year and closed in August, bringing Exponent's total funding to $7.1 million. Exponent stated that the funds will be used to expand its yield trading platform and upgrade it into a more comprehensive on-chain yield infrastructure, covering active yield management needs within the Solana ecosystem. (The Block)
: Solana ecosystem multi-signature protocol Squads announced the completion of an $18 million strategic funding round, led by Solana Ventures, with participation from Coinbase Ventures, Haun Ventures, L1D, and others. Its total cumulative funding has now reached $42.9 million. According to reports, Squads' stablecoin payment platform Altitude allows enterprises to conduct 24/7 global payment settlements in stablecoins through self-custodial wallets, and connects to the global payment network via its compliance and risk control system. (The Block)
According to The Block, Squads, a multi-signature protocol in the Solana ecosystem, has announced the completion of an $18 million strategic funding round led by Solana Ventures, with participation from Coinbase Ventures, Haun Ventures, L1D, and others. This round is an equity financing, bringing Squads’ total funding to $42.9 million. Squads will use the funds from this round to expand its stablecoin-based corporate finance platform, Altitude.
According to The Block, Nuva Digital has completed a $5.2 million seed funding round, led by Morgan Creek Digital with participation from Ulu Ventures. The round was closed in a single tranche and marks the company’s first external funding. Nuva Digital was jointly incubated by Animoca Brands and Nuva Labs (formerly Provenance Blockchain Labs) and is building Nuva Finance, a real-world asset (RWA) yield platform. The financing structure consists of a priced equity seed round accompanied by token purchase warrants; the valuation was not disclosed.