The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is signaling a major regulatory shift for prediction markets, according to a Bloomberg report published earlier today. Newly appointed CFTC Chair Michael Selig confirmed that the agency is moving forward with plans to establish a clearer regulatory framework for prediction markets, withdrawing its controversial 2024 proposal that sought to ban political and sports-related event contracts. The commission has also reportedly canceled a 2025 staff advisory that warned platforms against offering sports-related prediction products. Speaking at a...

Concerns over another U.S. government shutdown have eased following new developments in the Senate, after President Donald Trump signaled support for a bipartisan funding agreement reached with Democratic lawmakers. The deal aims to keep the federal government funded and avoid another disruptive shutdown, though some uncertainty remains as negotiations continue. According to reports, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumers office confirmed that lawmakers had agreed on a bipartisan funding framework designed to prevent the government from closing again. A key feature of the agreement is that funding...

The crypto market experienced a sharp and sudden sell-off over the past 24 hours, triggering massive liquidations as overleveraged positions were forcibly closed across major exchanges. According to CoinGlass data, total liquidations reached approximately $1.68 billion, impacting around 267,370 traders in one of the most aggressive deleveraging events in recent weeks. Long positions accounted for the overwhelming majority of the damage, with roughly $1.56 billion, or nearly 93% of all liquidations, coming from bullish bets. In contrast, short liquidations totaled just $118 million,...

Bitcoin volatility spiked sharply during Thursdays aggressive market sell-off as traders rushed to hedge downside risk, pushing options prices higher and signaling growing uncertainty across crypto and traditional markets. Deribits Bitcoin Volatility Index (DVOL), often compared to Wall Streets VIX, climbed rapidly from around 37 to above 44, reflecting increased expectations for price swings over the next 30 days based on options market data. A rising DVOL indicates that traders are paying a premium for protection, making options more expensive and highlighting elevated fear levels. Options...

XRP came under heavy selling pressure as a broad-based cryptocurrency market downturn triggered a sharp wave of long liquidations, pushing the token decisively below a key technical support level before tentative buying interest emerged. The move unfolded against a backdrop of bitcoin-led weakness, which weighed on higher-beta altcoins and intensified downside momentum across derivatives markets. During the session, XRP price dropped roughly 6.7%, sliding from around $1.88 to near $1.75. The selloff accelerated once support near $1.79 failed, a level closely watched by traders. As that floor...

Indonesias crypto industry is facing a growing paradox: while the number of crypto users has surged past 20 million, most licensed domestic exchanges remain unprofitable. According to data from Indonesias Financial Services Authority (OJK), around 72% of licensed crypto exchanges were still losing money as of the end of 2025, highlighting deep structural challenges in the market. OJK figures show that total crypto transaction value in Indonesia fell to IDR 482.23 trillion (around $30 billion) in 2025, down sharply from IDR 650 trillion in 2024. Regulators attribute this decline not to falling...

SWIFT has announced a new global payments scheme aimed at making cross-border transfers for consumers and small businesses as fast, transparent, and predictable as domestic payments. Revealed on January 29, the initiative is scheduled to roll out in phases starting in 2026, with a minimum viable product expected in the first half of the year. More than 40 banks are already participating in shaping the framework, signaling strong early industry support. At first glance, the announcement may seem like a routine upgrade to payments infrastructure. In reality, it represents a strategic shift by...

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that he will reveal his choice for the next Federal Reserve chair as early as next week, intensifying pressure on current chair Jerome Powell and reigniting debates over interest rate policy. The announcement came during a recent cabinet meeting and was echoed by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who confirmed that a decision on Powells successor is imminent. Trump once again criticized Powell for refusing to cut interest rates, arguing that the Federal Reserve should lower rates by two to three percentage points immediately. According to the...

The CLARITY Act reached a significant milestone after the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee approved its portion of the broader crypto market structure legislation during a markup session held today. The committee passed the Digital Commodity Intermediaries Act, a key component of the CLARITY Act, by a narrow party-line vote of 12 to 11. All Republican members voted in favor, while Democrats opposed the bill, highlighting ongoing partisan divisions over cryptocurrency regulation in the United States. This development marks the first formal step in the Senates effort to advance comprehensive...

El Salvador has once again made headlines in global finance after its central bank confirmed the purchase of $50 million worth of gold, reinforcing the countrys unconventional yet closely watched economic strategy. The announcement, shared Thursday via an official post on X, revealed that the Central American nation acquired 9,298 troy ounces of gold, increasing its total gold reserves to 67,403 ounces. At current market prices, El Salvadors gold holdings are now valued at approximately $360 million. The move underscores El Salvadors efforts to diversify its national reserves at a time of...