Hong Kong Issues First Stablecoin Issuer Licenses

Update April 10, 2026, 10 am UTC: This article has been updated to add more details from the announcement. Hong Kong has granted its first stablecoin issuer licenses, approving Anchorpoint Financial and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation under a new regulatory framework overseen by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA).  The HKMA announced the initial batch of licensees on Friday, marking the first approvals under its stablecoin regime.  Anchorpoint Financial is the stablecoin joint venture formed by Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong), Animoca Brands and Hong Kong Telecommunications. The…

VALR and Onafriq Pioneer Direct Local Currency Funding for African Crypto Users – Africa Bitcoin News

Key Takeaways: VALR and Onafriq integrated to allow mobile money funding across 43 African markets in 2026. Mobile money added $190 billion to GDP in 2023, making this Onafriq deal vital for local growth. Over 1.7 million VALR users can now access Bitcoin and tokenized gold via 1 billion mobile wallets. Expanding Financial Access Through Mobile Networks Cryptocurrency exchange VALR announced a strategic partnership with digital payments gateway Onafriq to enable African users to fund their wallets using mobile money in local currencies. By bypassing traditional banking hurdles, the collaboration…

Ethereum Price Faces 60% Odds of Drop to $1,500, Raising Market Structure Concerns

Ethereum price is trading near $2,200, down roughly 12% over the past week, as prediction market odds of a drop to $1,500 have climbed to levels that warrant structural attention. Polymarket currently prices a 56% probability of ETH touching $1,500 at some point in 2026 – a figure that has risen in tandem with a broader collapse in speculative positioning. That probability is not a price target from a research desk; it is a real-money bet from a decentralized prediction market, which gives it a different kind of weight. Source:…

Researchers Claim Bitcoin Can Be Made Quantum-Safe Without a Protocol Upgrade

StarkWare chief product officer Avihu Levy has proposed a crypto scheme that he claims would render Bitcoin transactions quantum computing-safe today – without requiring a soft fork, a hard fork, or any modification to the existing protocol. Published Thursday on GitHub, the Quantum Safe Bitcoin (QSB) proposal operates entirely within Bitcoin’s legacy script constraints and is designed to remain secure, Levy argues, even against an adversary running Shor’s algorithm on a large-scale quantum computer. The catch is substantial: each transaction would cost the sender between $75 and $150 in GPU…

I Built an AI Trading Bot With Claude AI on Ethereum – MEV Arbitrage Strategy

▶ Coinbase Website: Coinbase.com ▶ CEX Website: cex.io Smart Contract Code, Deployment Guide and Telegram: I Built an AI Trading Bot With Claude AI on Ethereum – MEV Arbitrage Strategy Timeline: 00:00 – Getting Started 00:45 – Claude & Copying Code 01:20 – Compiling and Deploying 05:00 – Funding the Contract 05:50 – Results and Withdrawal 06:42 – Final Thoughts Learn how to build your own automated arbitrage bot that leverages AI to detect profitable trading opportunities across decentralized exchanges. This step-by-step guide covers everything from smart contract deployment to…

Ripple XRP CEO Signals More Acquisitions Ahead, What Could Be Next?

Ripple XRP CEO Brad Garlinghouse has signaled that further acquisitions are planned for the second half of 2026, a disclosure that arrives after the company already closed two deals in the first quarter of a year he had publicly characterized as one focused on integration rather than expansion. The contradiction between stated strategy and actual deal flow suggests Ripple’s M&A appetite is less discretionary than management has let on. The structural implication is significant. Ripple has methodically assembled a vertically integrated financial infrastructure stack – custody, prime brokerage, treasury management,…

While Risks Remain, Compliance Advances in Latam – Crypto News Bitcoin News

Key Takeaways: TRM Labs reports stablecoins drive 95% of illicit Latam inflows, forcing VASPs to upgrade tech next. The Sinaloa Cartel laundered $103B in 2025, pushing governments to enforce upcoming AML laws. Following these reports, Latam countries are enhancing their compliance standards. TRM Labs: Regulation is Narrowing Threat Windows In Latam Crypto regulations are advancing internationally, and Latam is not an exception, even with numerous documented threats. According to TRM Labs, a blockchain intelligence firm, regulations are coming to make cryptocurrency transactions and flows more secure in the region. In…

Cathie Wood kauft ein! Coinbase, Bitcoin, S&P 500, Brent-Öl im Check

▶ Coinbase Website: Coinbase.com ▶ CEX Website: cex.io Die Hoffnung auf eine Entspannung im Nahostkonflikt sorgt für Bewegung an den Märkten – ein möglicher 15-Punkte-Plan der USA bringt erste Zuversicht. Doch wie nachhaltig ist die Erholung beim DAX rund um die 23.000 Punkte? Gleichzeitig bleibt der Ölpreis extrem volatil: Kommt jetzt die große Korrektur – oder sehen wir noch einmal steigende Preise? Wir diskutieren konkrete Trading-Ideen auf der Long- und Short-Seite. Im Kryptomarkt gab es derweil heftige Rücksetzer: Circle bricht zweistellig ein, auch Coinbase gerät unter Druck. Auslöser sind neue…

Australia’s Own Impact Analysis Undercuts Landmark Gambling Ad Crackdown as New Zealand Delays Similar Action – iGaming Bitcoin News

Key Takeaways: Australia’s OIA projects ad restrictions will cut gambling spending by AUD 62.7M, or 0.8 percent A full ban the government rejected would have reduced losses by 1.4 percent per year New Zealand’s DIA says it will monitor Australia’s reforms before pursuing similar restrictions A Sweeping Package That May Not Satisfy Any Stakeholder The Office of Impact Analysis published its 48-page assessment on April 7, nearly three years after a parliamentary inquiry led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy recommended a comprehensive ban on online gambling advertising. Prime…

Solana Price At Risk As ‘Consolidation Trap’ Emerges – $52 Next?

Amid the recent market recovery, Solana (SOL) has jumped roughly 10% from last week’s lows, reclaiming the $82 level and retesting a major resistance. However, some market observers have warned that the rally could be short-lived if the cryptocurrency doesn’t turn a key level into support in the coming days. Related Reading Solana Price In ‘Consolidation Trap’ On Thursday, Solana surged 2.5% to try to reclaim the $84 area after losing this area on Wednesday night. The altcoin has been trading between the $76-$92 levels since February, moving within the…