Category: Analysis

NEAR Joins NVIDIA Inception Program for AI Startups, Access to Investors

Key Notes NEAR gains access to NVIDIA’s GPU resources, technical support, and potential venture capital connections through the partnership. The collaboration builds on existing integration of NVIDIA Confidential Computing within NEAR’s AI infrastructure stack. NEAR token surged 7% following the announcement, with trading volume reaching $270 million in 24 hours. NEAR AI announced it is joining NVIDIA’s Inception Program designed to foster growth of artificial intelligence startups in different stages. From NEAR’s side, joining the program strengthens its mission of developing verifiable, privacy-preserving tools for AI, according to the announcement…

Chainalysis Announces Direct KYT Integration With BVNK’s Layer1 Platform

Key Notes Enterprise clients gain integrated access to real-time transaction monitoring and compliance tools directly within their custody dashboard. North American crypto trading hit $2.3 trillion as institutional adoption and favorable regulations drove unprecedented market growth. Traditional finance giants including Citibank are strategically investing in blockchain infrastructure providers to capture digital asset opportunities. BVNK has extended its partnership with Chainalysis to integrate know-your-transaction (KYT) tools into the digital banking platform’s Layer1 self-custody infrastructure. According to a Dec. 13 press release, enterprise clients using BVNK’s Layer1 self-hosting, self-custody platform will now have…

Binance Investment Arm YZi Labs Backs Genius Terminal for Private Onchain Trading

Key Notes Former Binance Labs backs startup building decentralized trading infrastructure with CZ as advisor. The investment prioritizes alignment with vision of combining CEX sophistication and DEX privacy advantages. DEX market share has grown from 6% in 2021 to over 21% by late 2025, signaling shift in trader preferences. YZi Labs—formerly Binance Labs, Binance’s venture capital and investment arm—has announced a $10 million seed investment in Genius Terminal. Genius is described as a professional trading terminal for private, high-velocity onchain operations. According to the announcement, Binance and YZi Labs co-founder…

WalletConnect Pay Integrates Ingenico Terminals to Expand Real‑World Stablecoin Usage

Key Notes Payment giant Ingenico brings stablecoin checkout to tens of millions of terminals across retail and hospitality worldwide. WalletConnect’s 700+ wallet network and $400B yearly volume now connects to traditional point-of-sale infrastructure seamlessly. Digital currency payments will settle on-chain through Polygon, Base, Arbitrum, and Ethereum starting January 2026. Ingenico has partnered with WalletConnect Pay to enable in-store payments in stablecoins on its POS terminals. This deepens the push to bring digital currencies into mainstream retail. The move connects Ingenico’s large merchant network with WalletConnect’s multichain payment rails. Customers can…

Internet Computer (ICP) Surges 17% as Trading Volume Triples Ahead of Major Tokenomics Update

Key Notes Weekly token burn reached 18,728 ICP, marking the second-highest rate since September as deflationary pressures mounted. Trading volume surged 190% to $186.21 million while the broader crypto market added modest gains amid fearful sentiment. Technical reversal patterns emerged on five-day charts, erasing approximately three weeks of prior downward movement. Internet Computer posted a 17% gain over 24 hours, climbing to $3.70 as trading volume nearly tripled compared to the previous day. The token’s daily trading volume reached $186.21 million, up 190% from the prior session, according to data…

Polygon Acquires Coinme and Sequence for $250M

Key Notes Coinme holds federal money services registration and operates crypto kiosks at more than 50,000 retail locations, including Coinstar machines. Polygon described the strategy as a reverse of Stripe’s approach, adding regulated financial services to its existing blockchain network. Coinme faced $300,000 in California penalties and a Washington cease-and-desist order that was stayed after the company segregated customer funds. Polygon Labs POL $0.16 24h volatility: 0.8% Market cap: $1.65 B Vol. 24h: $222.57 M announced on Jan. 13 it would acquire crypto payments company Coinme and infrastructure provider Sequence…

Kazakhstan Cracks Down on Illegal Crypto Exchanges

Key Notes The frozen bank cards and shut-down exchanges laundered proceeds from drug trafficking and fraud across Kazakhstan. Authorities liquidated 15 criminal groups and shut down 29 illegal cash-out platforms with turnover exceeding $251 million. The financial sector terminated relationships with 2,000 companies and flagged 56,000 individuals for suspected money laundering. Kazakhstan’s Agency for Financial Monitoring shut down 22 unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges and blocked more than 1,100 illegal online crypto services in 2025, AFM Chairman Zhanat Elimanov reported during a Jan. 12 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Authorities also froze…

Kraken-Backed SPAC Files for Nasdaq IPO

Key Notes KRAKacquisition plans to raise $250 million through a Nasdaq-listed SPAC offering. The company will target businesses across the cryptocurrency industry. The filing supports Kraken’s broader push toward public markets. Kraken-backed SPAC KRAKacquisition Corp. has filed for a $250 million initial public offering. The move represents another effort by the crypto exchange to grow its presence in public markets through a blank-check company targeting digital asset businesses Kraken-Affiliated SPAC Targets Crypto Industry Deals KRAKacquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company backed by an affiliate of Kraken, plans to list…

MYX Finance Gains 19% After KuCoin Alpha Listing

Key Notes MYX climbed 19% to $6.43 before pulling back to $6.15 at press time. KuCoin Alpha listed MYX on January 12, expanding access to the exchange’s user base. The token remains 68% below its all-time high of $19.03 reached in September 2025. MYX Finance climbed 19% to hit $6.43 before pulling back to $6.15, where it traded at press time. The rally followed the token’s listing on KuCoin Alpha on Jan. 12. Daily trading volume climbed to $32.2 million, up 27% from the previous day, according to CoinGecko data.…

zkSync Targets Banks and Privacy for 2026

Key Notes zkSync plans to focus on real-world infrastructure to support banks and regulated institutions this year. The roadmap highlights privacy, compliance, and system reliability as core standards for adoption. New tools like Prividium, ZK Stack upgrades, and Airbender aim to support large-scale use. Ethereum ETH $3 128 24h volatility: 0.5% Market cap: $377.59 B Vol. 24h: $23.19 B Layer-2 protocol zkSync ZK $0.0360 24h volatility: 7.3% Market cap: $308.33 M Vol. 24h: $68.81 M has outlined a clear shift toward real-world infrastructure in its 2026 roadmap. Per the plans,…