Day: January 2, 2026

Privacy Among Digital Euro’s ‘Hardest Political Tradeoffs’

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Trade-offs between local institutions are expected to shape the digital euro’s final form, as debates continue over holding limits and privacy features. The EU Council recently announced that it is backing the European Central Bank’s digital euro design, which includes both online and offline functions. According to Apostolos Thomadakis, head of the financial markets and institutions unit at the European Policy Studies think tank, “cash-like privacy” with anti-money laundering rules is among the digital euro’s “hardest political tradeoffs.” He told Cointelegraph that he expects the European lawmakers and the ECB…

What Major Exchanges Like OKX Are Planning for 2026

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The cryptocurrency industry is growing under tighter rules, as large exchanges shape their next cycle around licenses and products built to withstand regulatory scrutiny. Instead of chasing explosive growth through speculative listings and high-leverage trading, the focus for 2026 is shifting toward sturdier foundations, such as tighter fiat ramps, compliant derivatives in more jurisdictions and building out stablecoin and tokenization rails. Cointelegraph spoke with Haider Rafique, global managing partner at OKX, to unpack how major exchanges are preparing for the year ahead.  OKX signals ambition to dominate licensed onshore crypto…

Bitcoin’s $150K Target Looks Unlikely As Polymarket Odds Sink To 23%

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Prediction markets and analyst desks are sending different signals about Bitcoin’s near-term path. Traders on Polymarket appear cautious, while some big-name firms keep calling for big gains in 2026. Related Reading Market Odds And Trader Caution According to Polymarket prices, Bitcoin has just a 23% chance of reaching $150,000 before 2027. The odds are higher at lower targets: 47% for $120,000, 35% for $130,000 and 29% for $140,000. Traders are most comfortable with $100,000, which carries about an 80% chance. That spread shows bettors are pricing risk tightly as the…

The Top 5 Busiest Blockchains of 2025

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Onchain analytics firm Nansen ranked Solana, BNB Chain, Base, Tron and NEAR Protocol as the busiest blockchains in 2025. Solana led the pack with 23.01 billion transactions, while BNB Chain followed with 3.89 billion. Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 Base handled 3.29 billion for third, as Tron trailed with 3.22 billion and NEAR came in fifth with 1.89 billion. Even as 2025 was marked by institutional adoption, retail-focused use cases continued to dominate transaction volumes, particularly on blockchains with low fees and high throughput. Top five blockchains by activity in 2025. Source:…

PEPE Soars 23% as Market Cap Hits Two-Week High

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Memecoins like Pepe (PEPE), Bonk (BONK), and Dogecoin (DOGE) were among the best-performing cryptocurrencies on Friday, posting significant gains as the market geared up for 2026.  Key takeaways: Memecoin market cap surged 8% to $39.45 billion, a two-week high, signalling strong demand.  PEPE led gains with 23.6%, BONK +10%, DOGE +8%; fueled by influencer hype and bold 2026 predictions. Spike in memecoin open interest over the last 24 hours reflects growing bullish bets. Memecoin market cap adds $3 billion The latest rise in memecoin prices has seen the total market…

Bitcoin, Ethereum set for 20% flat tax under Japan’s 2026 crypto overhaul

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Japan’s 2026 tax reform will cut crypto rates to 20%, enable XRP and other crypto ETFs, and let traders carry losses forward three years. Summary Japan will tax specified crypto assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum at a flat 20% from 2026, aligning them with stocks and investment trusts.​ New rules allow three-year loss carryforwards and pave the way for XRP and additional crypto ETFs under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act.​ Officials expect lower taxes and clearer oversight to draw investors, lift trading volumes, and support Japan’s regulated digital asset…

Russia Cracks Down on Illegal Miners, India Pushes CBDCs

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Russia’s Ministry of Justice has proposed new fines for unregistered cryptocurrency miners. This comes after the finance minister raised concerns about the rise in unauthorized mining activities. A draft bill proposed by the ministry would impose a fine of 1.5 million rubles (about $19,000) and up to two years in a labor colony. Illegal mining involving “outsized profits” could see a maximum of five years in prison, 480 hours of forced labor and a fine of up to 2.5 million rubles. Unregistered miners are a growing problem in Russia, where…

Bitfinex Heist Figure Freed Early, Cites Trump-Era Law

Key Notes Ilya Lichtenstein, who laundered almost 120,000 Bitcoin from the 2016 Bitfinex hack, has been released from prison. He attributed his early release to the First Step Act, a bipartisan bill signed by President Trump in 2018. Lichtenstein was originally sentenced to five years and his wife Heather Morgan received 18 months. Ilya Lichtenstein, the hacker behind the 2016 Bitfinex breach that saw 119,754 Bitcoin BTC $89 405 24h volatility: 1.8% Market cap: $1.79 T Vol. 24h: $30.65 B stolen, has been released from prison. Lichtenstein attributed his early…

Mining New Gold Pockets! New Gold Mine Drift Uncovered! Episode 16 Season 3

▶ Coinbase Website: Coinbase.com ▶ CEX Website: cex.io In this episode, we tackle an exciting new project: the Martin Drift, an exploratory tunnel abandoned by miners over a century ago. This vein system is just 150 feet from the blacksmith shop, offering an amazing opportunity if it proves to be paying ore. The Challenges Begin: Our first task is mucking out the 40-foot drift—a monumental mess of old rail, pipe, and waste. While clearing, we discover mineralized sulfides that get our hopes soaring! The vein is 3.5 feet wide, and…