Nasdaq is in discussions with regulators and market participants about implementing 24-hour, five-day-a-week trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market, with a potential launch in the second half of 2026.  Notably, the initiative aims to expand investor access, accommodate global trading demand, and modernize market operations. Addressing Global Investment Demand The move towards extended trading hours…

Authorities in the United States, Germany, and Finland have disrupted Garantex, a cryptocurrency exchange accused of facilitating money laundering for transnational criminal networks, including terrorist organizations.  The Justice Department announced the operation, which involved seizing domain names and freezing $26 million in illicit funds. https://twitter.com/DOJCrimDiv/status/1898030839201402882 Garantex Administrators Indicted A federal indictment in the Eastern District of…

Leading Layer 1 blockchain Sui has partnered with World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol inspired by former U.S. President Donald J. Trump.  The collaboration, announced on March 6, aims to explore blockchain applications and asset integration, marking a step toward expanding decentralized financial solutions. World Liberty Financial Integrates Sui Assets As part…

Metaplanet, a Japan-based publicly traded firm, has announced the acquisition of an additional 497 bitcoin (BTC) for approximately $43.9 million. The latest purchase, made at an average price of $88,448 per BTC, brings the company’s total bitcoin holdings to 2,888 BTC. Metaplanet has acquired 497 BTC for ~$43.9 million at ~$88,448 per bitcoin and has…

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has moved to dismiss its lawsuit against Cumberland DRW, a Chicago-based trading firm, over allegations of operating as an unregistered dealer in the crypto asset market.  The dismissal, agreed upon in principle on February 20, 2025, is currently pending Commission approval. "Today we signed a joint filing to…

Sygnum, a regulated digital asset banking group, has expanded its off-exchange custody platform, Sygnum Protect, to include Deribit, the world’s largest crypto derivatives exchange.  Notably, the integration allows institutional traders to access Deribit’s liquidity while maintaining custody of their assets in a regulated banking environment. The move, announced on March 5, aims to mitigate counterparty…

Plume, a blockchain network specializing in real-world asset finance (RWAfi), has announced the launch of its PayFi Vault, powered by PayPal USD (PYUSD). The PayFi Vault will be available on Nest, Plume’s flagship yield streaming product, bringing onchain payment financing solutions to a global audience. The vault will initially be backed by PYUSD, a stablecoin…

Binance has introduced the Binance Traders Boot Camp, a multi-week trading event designed to help beginner and intermediate traders enhance their skills, gain confidence, and compete for rewards. The program, running from March 4 to 31, 2025, offers a total reward pool of $1 million. Binance designed the Boot Camp in response to increasing user…

Kraken has announced that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has agreed to dismiss its lawsuit against the cryptocurrency exchange with prejudice.  The decision, which does not require Kraken to admit wrongdoing, pay penalties, or alter its business operations, marks a significant development in the ongoing debate over crypto regulation in the United States.…

February 2025 saw one of the worst months for cryptocurrency security breaches, with approximately $1.5 billion lost to exploits, hacks, and scams, according to blockchain security firm CertiK.  Notably, the most significant incident was the Bybit exchange breach, marking the largest recorded exploit since the 2022 Ronin Bridge hack, which was linked to the North…