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HSC Asset Management Conference Comes to Hong Kong: Connecting Capital, Founders and Global Finance
The HSC Asset Management Conference is coming to Hong Kong, one of the world’s leading financial hubs where East meets West and institutional capital converges with emerging technologies.
Designed as a high-efficiency environment for fundraising, networking and deal-making, HSC connects global funds, family offices and institutional investors with high-growth founders and real business opportunities across Web3 and emerging technologies.
This one-day conference will bring together institutional investors, venture capital funds, family offices, global asset managers and ecosystem leaders, alongside founders building in Web3, AI, RWA tokenization, DeFi, PayFi, fintech and infrastructure.
Confirmed speakers include founders and senior executives from leading global companies and investment firms such as Offchain Labs, Animoca Brands, Maelstrom, Franklin Templeton, World Liberty Financial, Maximum Frequency Ventures, EY, and other organizations shaping the next financial cycle.
HSC Hong Kong 2026 unites capital allocators, founders and decision-makers from institutional finance, Web2 and Web3 funds, and family offices, with a focused agenda around the most relevant themes driving long-term value creation: AI, DeFi, RWA, PayFi and financial infrastructure.
The conference will take place on February 12, 2026, at Hopewell Hotel Hong Kong, and will feature an exclusive VIP Lounge designed for high-value, private conversations between founders and investors away from the main audience.
Join the HSC Asset Management Conference in Hong Kong and explore the future of global finance alongside industry leaders and capital decision-makers. Registration is now open.
https://luma.com/hack_hong_kong
For media inquiries, please contact: E-mail: daria@mpost.io
Telegram: dgvrlchik
Designed as a high-efficiency environment for fundraising, networking and deal-making, HSC connects global funds, family offices and institutional investors with high-growth founders and real business opportunities across Web3 and emerging technologies.
This one-day conference will bring together institutional investors, venture capital funds, family offices, global asset managers and ecosystem leaders, alongside founders building in Web3, AI, RWA tokenization, DeFi, PayFi, fintech and infrastructure.
Confirmed speakers include founders and senior executives from leading global companies and investment firms such as Offchain Labs, Animoca Brands, Maelstrom, Franklin Templeton, World Liberty Financial, Maximum Frequency Ventures, EY, and other organizations shaping the next financial cycle.
HSC Hong Kong 2026 unites capital allocators, founders and decision-makers from institutional finance, Web2 and Web3 funds, and family offices, with a focused agenda around the most relevant themes driving long-term value creation: AI, DeFi, RWA, PayFi and financial infrastructure.
The conference will take place on February 12, 2026, at Hopewell Hotel Hong Kong, and will feature an exclusive VIP Lounge designed for high-value, private conversations between founders and investors away from the main audience.
Join the HSC Asset Management Conference in Hong Kong and explore the future of global finance alongside industry leaders and capital decision-makers. Registration is now open.
https://luma.com/hack_hong_kong
For media inquiries, please contact: E-mail: daria@mpost.io
Telegram: dgvrlchik
HSC Asset Management Conference Comes to Hong Kong: Connecting Capital, Founders and Global Finance
The HSC Asset Management Conference is coming to Hong Kong, one of the world’s leading financial hubs where East meets West and institutional capital converges with emerging technologies.
Designed as a high-efficiency environment for fundraising, networking and deal-making, HSC connects global funds, family offices and institutional investors with high-growth founders and real business opportunities across Web3 and emerging technologies.
This one-day conference will bring together institutional investors, venture capital funds, family offices, global asset managers and ecosystem leaders, alongside founders building in Web3, AI, RWA tokenization, DeFi, PayFi, fintech and infrastructure.
Confirmed speakers include founders and senior executives from leading global companies and investment firms such as Offchain Labs, Animoca Brands, Maelstrom, Franklin Templeton, World Liberty Financial, Maximum Frequency Ventures, EY, and other organizations shaping the next financial cycle.
HSC Hong Kong 2026 unites capital allocators, founders and decision-makers from institutional finance, Web2 and Web3 funds, and family offices, with a focused agenda around the most relevant themes driving long-term value creation: AI, DeFi, RWA, PayFi and financial infrastructure.
The conference will take place on February 12, 2026, at Hopewell Hotel Hong Kong, and will feature an exclusive VIP Lounge designed for high-value, private conversations between founders and investors away from the main audience.
Join the HSC Asset Management Conference in Hong Kong and explore the future of global finance alongside industry leaders and capital decision-makers. Registration is now open.
https://luma.com/hack_hong_kong
For media inquiries, please contact:
E-mail: daria@mpost.io
Telegram: dgvrlchik
Designed as a high-efficiency environment for fundraising, networking and deal-making, HSC connects global funds, family offices and institutional investors with high-growth founders and real business opportunities across Web3 and emerging technologies.
This one-day conference will bring together institutional investors, venture capital funds, family offices, global asset managers and ecosystem leaders, alongside founders building in Web3, AI, RWA tokenization, DeFi, PayFi, fintech and infrastructure.
Confirmed speakers include founders and senior executives from leading global companies and investment firms such as Offchain Labs, Animoca Brands, Maelstrom, Franklin Templeton, World Liberty Financial, Maximum Frequency Ventures, EY, and other organizations shaping the next financial cycle.
HSC Hong Kong 2026 unites capital allocators, founders and decision-makers from institutional finance, Web2 and Web3 funds, and family offices, with a focused agenda around the most relevant themes driving long-term value creation: AI, DeFi, RWA, PayFi and financial infrastructure.
The conference will take place on February 12, 2026, at Hopewell Hotel Hong Kong, and will feature an exclusive VIP Lounge designed for high-value, private conversations between founders and investors away from the main audience.
Join the HSC Asset Management Conference in Hong Kong and explore the future of global finance alongside industry leaders and capital decision-makers. Registration is now open.
https://luma.com/hack_hong_kong
For media inquiries, please contact:
E-mail: daria@mpost.io
Telegram: dgvrlchik
Iran’s Central Bank Linked to $507M USDT Purchases — Elliptic
Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic says it has identified a wallet network linked to the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) that was used to acquire at least $507 million worth of cryptoassets — primarily USDT, Tether’s U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin.
The findings, published in a new Elliptic report, suggest the Iranian state may have relied on stablecoins to circumvent international sanctions, facilitate trade flows outside the traditional banking system, and potentially support the rial, which experienced sharp devaluation during the same period.
It indicates a sophisticated strategy to bypass the global banking system.
From Currency Crisis to Stablecoins: Why Iran May Have Turned to USDT
Elliptic links the surge in CBI-associated USDT holdings to a period of extreme economic stress in Iran. According to the report, the rial lost roughly half of its value in just eight months, reaching record lows against the U.S. dollar — creating pressure for authorities to find alternative tools for market intervention.
Because Iran is restricted from accessing SWIFT and the global banking system, Elliptic argues the central bank likely used stablecoins as a substitute for traditional FX operations — effectively buying rials with USDT through domestic rails that would normally rely on official reserves.
The bulk of acquisitions appears to have taken place in spring 2025, based on leaked documents describing purchases of USDT in April and May 2025. Elliptic says these leads allowed researchers to map a broader wallet infrastructure tied to systematic accumulation.
Nobitex, Bridges, and the Post-Hack Shift in Flows
The report states that, until early June 2025, most of the USDT linked to the central bank was routed to Nobitex, Iran’s largest crypto exchange, where users can store USDT, exchange it for other cryptoassets, or sell it for Iranian rials. Elliptic notes that after early June, flows increasingly moved away from Nobitex and toward a cross-chain bridge, marking a shift to infrastructure that could enable more opaque routing across networks.
The change coincided with a major Nobitex security incident: an Israel-linked hacking group attacked the exchange in mid-June 2025, reportedly aiming to disrupt the IRGC’s alleged use of the platform. Elliptic has previously reported the Nobitex hack, and international outlets also covered the breach as politically motivated rather than purely profit-driven.
Elliptic added that blockchain transparency still allows investigators and compliance actors to identify suspicious flows — suggesting that, while stablecoins can help bypass parts of the traditional financial system, on-chain trails can still be tracked and potentially frozen or blocked.
The findings, published in a new Elliptic report, suggest the Iranian state may have relied on stablecoins to circumvent international sanctions, facilitate trade flows outside the traditional banking system, and potentially support the rial, which experienced sharp devaluation during the same period.
It indicates a sophisticated strategy to bypass the global banking system.
From Currency Crisis to Stablecoins: Why Iran May Have Turned to USDT
Elliptic links the surge in CBI-associated USDT holdings to a period of extreme economic stress in Iran. According to the report, the rial lost roughly half of its value in just eight months, reaching record lows against the U.S. dollar — creating pressure for authorities to find alternative tools for market intervention.
Because Iran is restricted from accessing SWIFT and the global banking system, Elliptic argues the central bank likely used stablecoins as a substitute for traditional FX operations — effectively buying rials with USDT through domestic rails that would normally rely on official reserves.
The bulk of acquisitions appears to have taken place in spring 2025, based on leaked documents describing purchases of USDT in April and May 2025. Elliptic says these leads allowed researchers to map a broader wallet infrastructure tied to systematic accumulation.
Nobitex, Bridges, and the Post-Hack Shift in Flows
The report states that, until early June 2025, most of the USDT linked to the central bank was routed to Nobitex, Iran’s largest crypto exchange, where users can store USDT, exchange it for other cryptoassets, or sell it for Iranian rials. Elliptic notes that after early June, flows increasingly moved away from Nobitex and toward a cross-chain bridge, marking a shift to infrastructure that could enable more opaque routing across networks.
The change coincided with a major Nobitex security incident: an Israel-linked hacking group attacked the exchange in mid-June 2025, reportedly aiming to disrupt the IRGC’s alleged use of the platform. Elliptic has previously reported the Nobitex hack, and international outlets also covered the breach as politically motivated rather than purely profit-driven.
Elliptic added that blockchain transparency still allows investigators and compliance actors to identify suspicious flows — suggesting that, while stablecoins can help bypass parts of the traditional financial system, on-chain trails can still be tracked and potentially frozen or blocked.
Iran’s Central Bank Linked to $507M USDT Purchases — Elliptic
Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic says it has identified a wallet network linked to the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) that was used to acquire at least $507 million worth of cryptoassets — primarily USDT, Tether’s U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin.
The findings, published in a new Elliptic report, suggest the Iranian state may have relied on stablecoins to circumvent international sanctions, facilitate trade flows outside the traditional banking system, and potentially support the rial, which experienced sharp devaluation during the same period.
It indicates a sophisticated strategy to bypass the global banking system.
From Currency Crisis to Stablecoins: Why Iran May Have Turned to USDT
Elliptic links the surge in CBI-associated USDT holdings to a period of extreme economic stress in Iran. According to the report, the rial lost roughly half of its value in just eight months, reaching record lows against the U.S. dollar — creating pressure for authorities to find alternative tools for market intervention.
Because Iran is restricted from accessing SWIFT and the global banking system, Elliptic argues the central bank likely used stablecoins as a substitute for traditional FX operations — effectively buying rials with USDT through domestic rails that would normally rely on official reserves.
The bulk of acquisitions appears to have taken place in spring 2025, based on leaked documents describing purchases of USDT in April and May 2025. Elliptic says these leads allowed researchers to map a broader wallet infrastructure tied to systematic accumulation.
Nobitex, Bridges, and the Post-Hack Shift in Flows
The report states that, until early June 2025, most of the USDT linked to the central bank was routed to Nobitex, Iran’s largest crypto exchange, where users can store USDT, exchange it for other cryptoassets, or sell it for Iranian rials.
Elliptic notes that after early June, flows increasingly moved away from Nobitex and toward a cross-chain bridge, marking a shift to infrastructure that could enable more opaque routing across networks.
The change coincided with a major Nobitex security incident: an Israel-linked hacking group attacked the exchange in mid-June 2025, reportedly aiming to disrupt the IRGC’s alleged use of the platform. Elliptic has previously reported the Nobitex hack, and international outlets also covered the breach as politically motivated rather than purely profit-driven.
Elliptic added that blockchain transparency still allows investigators and compliance actors to identify suspicious flows — suggesting that, while stablecoins can help bypass parts of the traditional financial system, on-chain trails can still be tracked and potentially frozen or blocked.
The findings, published in a new Elliptic report, suggest the Iranian state may have relied on stablecoins to circumvent international sanctions, facilitate trade flows outside the traditional banking system, and potentially support the rial, which experienced sharp devaluation during the same period.
It indicates a sophisticated strategy to bypass the global banking system.
From Currency Crisis to Stablecoins: Why Iran May Have Turned to USDT
Elliptic links the surge in CBI-associated USDT holdings to a period of extreme economic stress in Iran. According to the report, the rial lost roughly half of its value in just eight months, reaching record lows against the U.S. dollar — creating pressure for authorities to find alternative tools for market intervention.
Because Iran is restricted from accessing SWIFT and the global banking system, Elliptic argues the central bank likely used stablecoins as a substitute for traditional FX operations — effectively buying rials with USDT through domestic rails that would normally rely on official reserves.
The bulk of acquisitions appears to have taken place in spring 2025, based on leaked documents describing purchases of USDT in April and May 2025. Elliptic says these leads allowed researchers to map a broader wallet infrastructure tied to systematic accumulation.
Nobitex, Bridges, and the Post-Hack Shift in Flows
The report states that, until early June 2025, most of the USDT linked to the central bank was routed to Nobitex, Iran’s largest crypto exchange, where users can store USDT, exchange it for other cryptoassets, or sell it for Iranian rials.
Elliptic notes that after early June, flows increasingly moved away from Nobitex and toward a cross-chain bridge, marking a shift to infrastructure that could enable more opaque routing across networks.
The change coincided with a major Nobitex security incident: an Israel-linked hacking group attacked the exchange in mid-June 2025, reportedly aiming to disrupt the IRGC’s alleged use of the platform. Elliptic has previously reported the Nobitex hack, and international outlets also covered the breach as politically motivated rather than purely profit-driven.
Elliptic added that blockchain transparency still allows investigators and compliance actors to identify suspicious flows — suggesting that, while stablecoins can help bypass parts of the traditional financial system, on-chain trails can still be tracked and potentially frozen or blocked.
Saga Hacked for $7M, Network Halted to Contain Damage
Layer-1 blockchain protocol Saga has temporarily halted its SagaEVM environment after a smart contract exploit resulted in nearly $7 million in assets being bridged out to Ethereum, the team said in a late-night update on X.
According to Saga, the incident was contained to a specific chainlet, while the broader Saga ecosystem remains operational.
We’re working with partners on remediation and will publish a post-mortem once findings are fully validated. $7M of USDC was bridged out and converted to ETH.
Saga confirmed that SagaEVM was paused at block height 6,593,800, citing a “confirmed exploit” on the SagaEVM chainlet. The protocol added that mitigation is in progress and further updates will be shared once details are verified.
What Happened: Network Halted to Contain Further Damage
Saga said the decision to pause SagaEVM was made “out of an abundance of caution” as engineering and security teams investigate the incident and validate the full scope of potential impact. The team outlined four priorities guiding the response process:
– prevent further harm by keeping SagaEVM paused,
– validate exposure using archive data and execution traces,
– harden affected components before restarting the chain,
– communicate only confirmed facts.
Saga acknowledged that the pause is disruptive but emphasized that community safety was the main reason behind the shutdown.
Scope of Impact: SagaEVM Chainlet Affected, Mainnet Still Running
Saga stated the security incident impacted:
– SagaEVM chainlet
– Colt and Mustang
Notably, the protocol said the following were not affected:
– Saga SSC mainnet (remains operational)
– Saga protocol consensus
– Validator security
– Other Saga chainlets
On-chain tracking indicates the attacker moved close to $7M worth of USDC, yUSD, ETH, and tBTC to Ethereum mainnet.
Rising Exploit Fatigue Across DeFi
The incident adds to growing user concerns around recurring DeFi smart contract exploits, following a year marked by frequent vulnerabilities and liquidity drains. While Saga insists its underlying infrastructure remains intact, the exploit highlights the ongoing security pressure faced by multi-environment blockchain architectures — especially those relying on bridging and app-specific execution layers.
Saga is expected to publish a full post-mortem after remediation is completed and findings are fully validated.
According to Saga, the incident was contained to a specific chainlet, while the broader Saga ecosystem remains operational.
We’re working with partners on remediation and will publish a post-mortem once findings are fully validated. $7M of USDC was bridged out and converted to ETH.
Saga confirmed that SagaEVM was paused at block height 6,593,800, citing a “confirmed exploit” on the SagaEVM chainlet. The protocol added that mitigation is in progress and further updates will be shared once details are verified.
What Happened: Network Halted to Contain Further Damage
Saga said the decision to pause SagaEVM was made “out of an abundance of caution” as engineering and security teams investigate the incident and validate the full scope of potential impact. The team outlined four priorities guiding the response process:
– prevent further harm by keeping SagaEVM paused,
– validate exposure using archive data and execution traces,
– harden affected components before restarting the chain,
– communicate only confirmed facts.
Saga acknowledged that the pause is disruptive but emphasized that community safety was the main reason behind the shutdown.
Scope of Impact: SagaEVM Chainlet Affected, Mainnet Still Running
Saga stated the security incident impacted:
– SagaEVM chainlet
– Colt and Mustang
Notably, the protocol said the following were not affected:
– Saga SSC mainnet (remains operational)
– Saga protocol consensus
– Validator security
– Other Saga chainlets
On-chain tracking indicates the attacker moved close to $7M worth of USDC, yUSD, ETH, and tBTC to Ethereum mainnet.
Rising Exploit Fatigue Across DeFi
The incident adds to growing user concerns around recurring DeFi smart contract exploits, following a year marked by frequent vulnerabilities and liquidity drains. While Saga insists its underlying infrastructure remains intact, the exploit highlights the ongoing security pressure faced by multi-environment blockchain architectures — especially those relying on bridging and app-specific execution layers.
Saga is expected to publish a full post-mortem after remediation is completed and findings are fully validated.
Saga Hacked for $7M, Network Halted to Contain Damage
Layer-1 blockchain protocol Saga has temporarily halted its SagaEVM environment after a smart contract exploit resulted in nearly $7 million in assets being bridged out to Ethereum, the team said in a late-night update on X.
According to Saga, the incident was contained to a specific chainlet, while the broader Saga ecosystem remains operational.
We’re working with partners on remediation and will publish a post-mortem once findings are fully validated. $7M of USDC was bridged out and converted to ETH.
Saga confirmed that SagaEVM was paused at block height 6,593,800, citing a “confirmed exploit” on the SagaEVM chainlet. The protocol added that mitigation is in progress and further updates will be shared once details are verified.
What Happened: Network Halted to Contain Further Damage
Saga said the decision to pause SagaEVM was made “out of an abundance of caution” as engineering and security teams investigate the incident and validate the full scope of potential impact. The team outlined four priorities guiding the response process: – prevent further harm by keeping SagaEVM paused, – validate exposure using archive data and execution traces, – harden affected components before restarting the chain, – communicate only confirmed facts.
Saga acknowledged that the pause is disruptive but emphasized that community safety was the main reason behind the shutdown.
Scope of Impact: SagaEVM Chainlet Affected, Mainnet Still Running
Saga stated the security incident impacted: – SagaEVM chainlet – Colt and Mustang
Notably, the protocol said the following were not affected:
– Saga SSC mainnet (remains operational) – Saga protocol consensus – Validator security – Other Saga chainlets
On-chain tracking indicates the attacker moved close to $7M worth of USDC, yUSD, ETH, and tBTC to Ethereum mainnet.
Rising Exploit Fatigue Across DeFi
The incident adds to growing user concerns around recurring DeFi smart contract exploits, following a year marked by frequent vulnerabilities and liquidity drains. While Saga insists its underlying infrastructure remains intact, the exploit highlights the ongoing security pressure faced by multi-environment blockchain architectures — especially those relying on bridging and app-specific execution layers.
Saga is expected to publish a full post-mortem after remediation is completed and findings are fully validated.
According to Saga, the incident was contained to a specific chainlet, while the broader Saga ecosystem remains operational.
We’re working with partners on remediation and will publish a post-mortem once findings are fully validated. $7M of USDC was bridged out and converted to ETH.
Saga confirmed that SagaEVM was paused at block height 6,593,800, citing a “confirmed exploit” on the SagaEVM chainlet. The protocol added that mitigation is in progress and further updates will be shared once details are verified.
What Happened: Network Halted to Contain Further Damage
Saga said the decision to pause SagaEVM was made “out of an abundance of caution” as engineering and security teams investigate the incident and validate the full scope of potential impact. The team outlined four priorities guiding the response process: – prevent further harm by keeping SagaEVM paused, – validate exposure using archive data and execution traces, – harden affected components before restarting the chain, – communicate only confirmed facts.
Saga acknowledged that the pause is disruptive but emphasized that community safety was the main reason behind the shutdown.
Scope of Impact: SagaEVM Chainlet Affected, Mainnet Still Running
Saga stated the security incident impacted: – SagaEVM chainlet – Colt and Mustang
Notably, the protocol said the following were not affected:
– Saga SSC mainnet (remains operational) – Saga protocol consensus – Validator security – Other Saga chainlets
On-chain tracking indicates the attacker moved close to $7M worth of USDC, yUSD, ETH, and tBTC to Ethereum mainnet.
Rising Exploit Fatigue Across DeFi
The incident adds to growing user concerns around recurring DeFi smart contract exploits, following a year marked by frequent vulnerabilities and liquidity drains. While Saga insists its underlying infrastructure remains intact, the exploit highlights the ongoing security pressure faced by multi-environment blockchain architectures — especially those relying on bridging and app-specific execution layers.
Saga is expected to publish a full post-mortem after remediation is completed and findings are fully validated.
Institutional Crypto Expansion: BitGo IPO, Tokenized Bitcoin Yield, RLUSD Listing & Global Adoption
NEWS DIGEST – 22.01.2026
What happened: Major financial institutions including BlackRock, J.P. Morgan, and Mastercard gathered in London for the annual London Digital Assets Forum — a key event on institutional crypto adoption, regulation and infrastructure collaboration.
Why it matters: High-profile participation signals that traditional finance is increasingly embracing digital assets as more than just speculative instruments. Institutional dialogue on custody, tokenization and compliance frameworks could accelerate regulated product development globally.
⸻
2) BitGo IPO — first major crypto public listing of 2026
What happened: Custody and infrastructure provider BitGo went public on the NYSE with a valuation near $2.1 billion, marking the first major crypto-related IPO of the year.
Why it matters: A high-valuation IPO in crypto infrastructure reflects growing investor confidence in foundational tech — especially in custody, security and regulated services. This could encourage other crypto firms to pursue public markets.
⸻
3) Nomura-backed tokenized Bitcoin yield fund launches
What happened: Japanese bank–backed Laser Digital introduced a tokenized Bitcoin yield-bearing fund, designed to deliver BTC performance plus yield — a hybrid instrument aiming to compete with traditional fixed-income products.
Why it matters: Tokenized yield products blend decentralized and conventional finance, offering institutional and retail investors alternative ways to gain exposure to Bitcoin while earning returns. This broadens crypto’s appeal as a diversified asset class.
⸻
4) Binance lists Ripple USD (RLUSD), expands XRP ecosystem trading
What happened: Binance added Ripple USD (RLUSD) trading pairs (RLUSD/USDT & RLUSD/USDC) and announced upcoming support for the XRP Ledger, which aims to boost RLUSD liquidity and network activity.
Why it matters: Expanding stablecoin offerings tied to the XRP ecosystem, combined with growing XRP ETF narratives this year, strengthens demand channels across institutions and retail markets — possibly aiding XRPL adoption.
What happened: Major financial institutions including BlackRock, J.P. Morgan, and Mastercard gathered in London for the annual London Digital Assets Forum — a key event on institutional crypto adoption, regulation and infrastructure collaboration.
Why it matters: High-profile participation signals that traditional finance is increasingly embracing digital assets as more than just speculative instruments. Institutional dialogue on custody, tokenization and compliance frameworks could accelerate regulated product development globally.
⸻
2) BitGo IPO — first major crypto public listing of 2026
What happened: Custody and infrastructure provider BitGo went public on the NYSE with a valuation near $2.1 billion, marking the first major crypto-related IPO of the year.
Why it matters: A high-valuation IPO in crypto infrastructure reflects growing investor confidence in foundational tech — especially in custody, security and regulated services. This could encourage other crypto firms to pursue public markets.
⸻
3) Nomura-backed tokenized Bitcoin yield fund launches
What happened: Japanese bank–backed Laser Digital introduced a tokenized Bitcoin yield-bearing fund, designed to deliver BTC performance plus yield — a hybrid instrument aiming to compete with traditional fixed-income products.
Why it matters: Tokenized yield products blend decentralized and conventional finance, offering institutional and retail investors alternative ways to gain exposure to Bitcoin while earning returns. This broadens crypto’s appeal as a diversified asset class.
⸻
4) Binance lists Ripple USD (RLUSD), expands XRP ecosystem trading
What happened: Binance added Ripple USD (RLUSD) trading pairs (RLUSD/USDT & RLUSD/USDC) and announced upcoming support for the XRP Ledger, which aims to boost RLUSD liquidity and network activity.
Why it matters: Expanding stablecoin offerings tied to the XRP ecosystem, combined with growing XRP ETF narratives this year, strengthens demand channels across institutions and retail markets — possibly aiding XRPL adoption.
Institutional Crypto Expansion: BitGo IPO, Tokenized Bitcoin Yield, RLUSD Listing & Global Adoption
NEWS DIGEST – 22.01.2026
1) Global institutional adoption in focus at London Digital Assets Forum
What happened: Major financial institutions including BlackRock, J.P. Morgan, and Mastercard gathered in London for the annual London Digital Assets Forum — a key event on institutional crypto adoption, regulation and infrastructure collaboration.
Why it matters: High-profile participation signals that traditional finance is increasingly embracing digital assets as more than just speculative instruments. Institutional dialogue on custody, tokenization and compliance frameworks could accelerate regulated product development globally.
⸻
2) BitGo IPO — first major crypto public listing of 2026
What happened: Custody and infrastructure provider BitGo went public on the NYSE with a valuation near $2.1 billion, marking the first major crypto-related IPO of the year.
Why it matters: A high-valuation IPO in crypto infrastructure reflects growing investor confidence in foundational tech — especially in custody, security and regulated services. This could encourage other crypto firms to pursue public markets.
⸻
3) Nomura-backed tokenized Bitcoin yield fund launches
What happened: Japanese bank–backed Laser Digital introduced a tokenized Bitcoin yield-bearing fund, designed to deliver BTC performance plus yield — a hybrid instrument aiming to compete with traditional fixed-income products.
Why it matters: Tokenized yield products blend decentralized and conventional finance, offering institutional and retail investors alternative ways to gain exposure to Bitcoin while earning returns. This broadens crypto’s appeal as a diversified asset class.
⸻
4) Binance lists Ripple USD (RLUSD), expands XRP ecosystem trading
What happened: Binance added Ripple USD (RLUSD) trading pairs (RLUSD/USDT & RLUSD/USDC) and announced upcoming support for the XRP Ledger, which aims to boost RLUSD liquidity and network activity.
Why it matters: Expanding stablecoin offerings tied to the XRP ecosystem, combined with growing XRP ETF narratives this year, strengthens demand channels across institutions and retail markets — possibly aiding XRPL adoption.
1) Global institutional adoption in focus at London Digital Assets Forum
What happened: Major financial institutions including BlackRock, J.P. Morgan, and Mastercard gathered in London for the annual London Digital Assets Forum — a key event on institutional crypto adoption, regulation and infrastructure collaboration.
Why it matters: High-profile participation signals that traditional finance is increasingly embracing digital assets as more than just speculative instruments. Institutional dialogue on custody, tokenization and compliance frameworks could accelerate regulated product development globally.
⸻
2) BitGo IPO — first major crypto public listing of 2026
What happened: Custody and infrastructure provider BitGo went public on the NYSE with a valuation near $2.1 billion, marking the first major crypto-related IPO of the year.
Why it matters: A high-valuation IPO in crypto infrastructure reflects growing investor confidence in foundational tech — especially in custody, security and regulated services. This could encourage other crypto firms to pursue public markets.
⸻
3) Nomura-backed tokenized Bitcoin yield fund launches
What happened: Japanese bank–backed Laser Digital introduced a tokenized Bitcoin yield-bearing fund, designed to deliver BTC performance plus yield — a hybrid instrument aiming to compete with traditional fixed-income products.
Why it matters: Tokenized yield products blend decentralized and conventional finance, offering institutional and retail investors alternative ways to gain exposure to Bitcoin while earning returns. This broadens crypto’s appeal as a diversified asset class.
⸻
4) Binance lists Ripple USD (RLUSD), expands XRP ecosystem trading
What happened: Binance added Ripple USD (RLUSD) trading pairs (RLUSD/USDT & RLUSD/USDC) and announced upcoming support for the XRP Ledger, which aims to boost RLUSD liquidity and network activity.
Why it matters: Expanding stablecoin offerings tied to the XRP ecosystem, combined with growing XRP ETF narratives this year, strengthens demand channels across institutions and retail markets — possibly aiding XRPL adoption.
Donald Trump delivered a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos
Donald Trump delivered a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Key points:
Congress is working on regulating the structure of the cryptocurrency market (the CLARITY Act).
Trump declared that the U.S. has defeated inflation and achieved the fastest economic turnaround in the country’s history. The economy is growing faster than IMF forecasts. U.S. manufacturing is expanding, and the trade deficit is shrinking due to tariffs.
The United States sees itself as the engine of the global economy: U.S. growth equals global growth. Europe, he said, is moving in the wrong direction.
The U.S. is strengthening its energy policy, including cooperation with Venezuela on oil, with the goal of reducing gasoline prices to below $2 per gallon.
The launch of nuclear reactors has been approved, and nuclear energy was described as safe.
In the field of artificial intelligence, the U.S. is ahead of China.
The U.S. is imposing tariffs to protect its economy.
Greenland is described as a key strategic location that currently lacks adequate protection. The U.S. wants to purchase Greenland.
Donald Trump stated that he is in talks with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, emphasizing that all parties are interested in reaching agreements.
Congress is working on regulating the structure of the cryptocurrency market (the CLARITY Act).
Trump declared that the U.S. has defeated inflation and achieved the fastest economic turnaround in the country’s history. The economy is growing faster than IMF forecasts. U.S. manufacturing is expanding, and the trade deficit is shrinking due to tariffs.
The United States sees itself as the engine of the global economy: U.S. growth equals global growth. Europe, he said, is moving in the wrong direction.
The U.S. is strengthening its energy policy, including cooperation with Venezuela on oil, with the goal of reducing gasoline prices to below $2 per gallon.
The launch of nuclear reactors has been approved, and nuclear energy was described as safe.
In the field of artificial intelligence, the U.S. is ahead of China.
The U.S. is imposing tariffs to protect its economy.
Greenland is described as a key strategic location that currently lacks adequate protection. The U.S. wants to purchase Greenland.
Donald Trump stated that he is in talks with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, emphasizing that all parties are interested in reaching agreements.
Donald Trump Delivered a Speech At the World Economic Forum in Davos
Donald Trump delivered a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Key points:
Congress is working on regulating the structure of the cryptocurrency market (the CLARITY Act).
Trump declared that the U.S. has defeated inflation and achieved the fastest economic turnaround in the country’s history. The economy is growing faster than IMF forecasts. U.S. manufacturing is expanding, and the trade deficit is shrinking due to tariffs.
The United States sees itself as the engine of the global economy: U.S. growth equals global growth. Europe, he said, is moving in the wrong direction.
The U.S. is strengthening its energy policy, including cooperation with Venezuela on oil, with the goal of reducing gasoline prices to below $2 per gallon.
The launch of nuclear reactors has been approved, and nuclear energy was described as safe.
In the field of artificial intelligence, the U.S. is ahead of China.
The U.S. is imposing tariffs to protect its economy.
Greenland is described as a key strategic location that currently lacks adequate protection. The U.S. wants to purchase Greenland.
Donald Trump stated that he is in talks with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, emphasizing that all parties are interested in reaching agreements.
Congress is working on regulating the structure of the cryptocurrency market (the CLARITY Act).
Trump declared that the U.S. has defeated inflation and achieved the fastest economic turnaround in the country’s history. The economy is growing faster than IMF forecasts. U.S. manufacturing is expanding, and the trade deficit is shrinking due to tariffs.
The United States sees itself as the engine of the global economy: U.S. growth equals global growth. Europe, he said, is moving in the wrong direction.
The U.S. is strengthening its energy policy, including cooperation with Venezuela on oil, with the goal of reducing gasoline prices to below $2 per gallon.
The launch of nuclear reactors has been approved, and nuclear energy was described as safe.
In the field of artificial intelligence, the U.S. is ahead of China.
The U.S. is imposing tariffs to protect its economy.
Greenland is described as a key strategic location that currently lacks adequate protection. The U.S. wants to purchase Greenland.
Donald Trump stated that he is in talks with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, emphasizing that all parties are interested in reaching agreements.
Trump Media to Launch Digital Token for DJT Shareholders on Feb. 2
Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) has announced February 2, 2026 as the record date for its upcoming digital token initiative. Shareholders who hold at least one whole share of DJT stock as of that date will be eligible to receive digital tokens and related incentives, according to a company announcement reported by Street Insider.
The initiative marks Trump Media’s latest step into blockchain-based shareholder engagement, following earlier signals that the company was exploring tokenized rewards tied to its ecosystem.
Eligibility Depends on Shareholder Status and Broker Reporting
According to the company, eligibility will be limited to ultimate beneficial owners and registered holders of DJT shares on the record date. Trump Media stated it will work with brokerage participants to collect shareholder information, but warned that certain designations—specifically objecting beneficial owner (OBO) status—could delay or prevent timely data sharing.
As a result, the company advised shareholders to confirm their status with their brokers or consider direct registration of shares to ensure inclusion in the token allocation process.
Crypto.com to Handle Token Minting and Custody
Following the February 2 record date, Trump Media plans to partner with Crypto.com to mint the digital tokens, record them on the blockchain, and custody the assets ahead of distribution. The company said additional details regarding allocation mechanics and timelines will be released at a later stage.
Trump Media also reiterated that the digital tokens will not represent equity ownership, will not be transferable, and cannot be exchanged for cash. Only shareholders holding DJT shares outright—as opposed to stock borrowers—will qualify.
As previously disclosed, the company expects to roll out periodic rewards throughout the year for eligible shareholders. These may include discounts or benefits linked to Trump Media products such as Truth Social, Truth+, and Truth Predict.
Trump Media CEO and Chairman Devin Nunes said:
“We look forward to leveraging Crypto.com’s blockchain technology consistent with Securities and Exchange Commission guidance to benefit our shareholders and promote transparency, including by obtaining a clear picture of bona fide beneficial ownership as of the record date.”
Trump Media & Technology Group is a U.S.-based media and technology company headquartered in Sarasota, Florida. It operates the Truth Social platform and is majority-owned by the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust.
The initiative marks Trump Media’s latest step into blockchain-based shareholder engagement, following earlier signals that the company was exploring tokenized rewards tied to its ecosystem.
Eligibility Depends on Shareholder Status and Broker Reporting
According to the company, eligibility will be limited to ultimate beneficial owners and registered holders of DJT shares on the record date. Trump Media stated it will work with brokerage participants to collect shareholder information, but warned that certain designations—specifically objecting beneficial owner (OBO) status—could delay or prevent timely data sharing.
As a result, the company advised shareholders to confirm their status with their brokers or consider direct registration of shares to ensure inclusion in the token allocation process.
Crypto.com to Handle Token Minting and Custody
Following the February 2 record date, Trump Media plans to partner with Crypto.com to mint the digital tokens, record them on the blockchain, and custody the assets ahead of distribution. The company said additional details regarding allocation mechanics and timelines will be released at a later stage.
Trump Media also reiterated that the digital tokens will not represent equity ownership, will not be transferable, and cannot be exchanged for cash. Only shareholders holding DJT shares outright—as opposed to stock borrowers—will qualify.
As previously disclosed, the company expects to roll out periodic rewards throughout the year for eligible shareholders. These may include discounts or benefits linked to Trump Media products such as Truth Social, Truth+, and Truth Predict.
Trump Media CEO and Chairman Devin Nunes said:
“We look forward to leveraging Crypto.com’s blockchain technology consistent with Securities and Exchange Commission guidance to benefit our shareholders and promote transparency, including by obtaining a clear picture of bona fide beneficial ownership as of the record date.”
Trump Media & Technology Group is a U.S.-based media and technology company headquartered in Sarasota, Florida. It operates the Truth Social platform and is majority-owned by the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust.
Trump Media to Launch Digital Token for DJT Shareholders on Feb. 2
Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) has announced February 2, 2026 as the record date for its upcoming digital token initiative. Shareholders who hold at least one whole share of DJT stock as of that date will be eligible to receive digital tokens and related incentives, according to a company announcement reported by Street Insider.
The initiative marks Trump Media’s latest step into blockchain-based shareholder engagement, following earlier signals that the company was exploring tokenized rewards tied to its ecosystem.
Eligibility Depends on Shareholder Status and Broker Reporting
According to the company, eligibility will be limited to ultimate beneficial owners and registered holders of DJT shares on the record date. Trump Media stated it will work with brokerage participants to collect shareholder information, but warned that certain designations—specifically objecting beneficial owner (OBO) status—could delay or prevent timely data sharing.
As a result, the company advised shareholders to confirm their status with their brokers or consider direct registration of shares to ensure inclusion in the token allocation process.
Crypto.com to Handle Token Minting and Custody
Following the February 2 record date, Trump Media plans to partner with Crypto.com to mint the digital tokens, record them on the blockchain, and custody the assets ahead of distribution. The company said additional details regarding allocation mechanics and timelines will be released at a later stage.
Trump Media also reiterated that the digital tokens will not represent equity ownership, will not be transferable, and cannot be exchanged for cash. Only shareholders holding DJT shares outright—as opposed to stock borrowers—will qualify.
As previously disclosed, the company expects to roll out periodic rewards throughout the year for eligible shareholders. These may include discounts or benefits linked to Trump Media products such as Truth Social, Truth+, and Truth Predict.
Trump Media CEO and Chairman Devin Nunes said:
“We look forward to leveraging Crypto.com’s blockchain technology consistent with Securities and Exchange Commission guidance to benefit our shareholders and promote transparency, including by obtaining a clear picture of bona fide beneficial ownership as of the record date.”
Trump Media & Technology Group is a U.S.-based media and technology company headquartered in Sarasota, Florida. It operates the Truth Social platform and is majority-owned by the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust.
The initiative marks Trump Media’s latest step into blockchain-based shareholder engagement, following earlier signals that the company was exploring tokenized rewards tied to its ecosystem.
Eligibility Depends on Shareholder Status and Broker Reporting
According to the company, eligibility will be limited to ultimate beneficial owners and registered holders of DJT shares on the record date. Trump Media stated it will work with brokerage participants to collect shareholder information, but warned that certain designations—specifically objecting beneficial owner (OBO) status—could delay or prevent timely data sharing.
As a result, the company advised shareholders to confirm their status with their brokers or consider direct registration of shares to ensure inclusion in the token allocation process.
Crypto.com to Handle Token Minting and Custody
Following the February 2 record date, Trump Media plans to partner with Crypto.com to mint the digital tokens, record them on the blockchain, and custody the assets ahead of distribution. The company said additional details regarding allocation mechanics and timelines will be released at a later stage.
Trump Media also reiterated that the digital tokens will not represent equity ownership, will not be transferable, and cannot be exchanged for cash. Only shareholders holding DJT shares outright—as opposed to stock borrowers—will qualify.
As previously disclosed, the company expects to roll out periodic rewards throughout the year for eligible shareholders. These may include discounts or benefits linked to Trump Media products such as Truth Social, Truth+, and Truth Predict.
Trump Media CEO and Chairman Devin Nunes said:
“We look forward to leveraging Crypto.com’s blockchain technology consistent with Securities and Exchange Commission guidance to benefit our shareholders and promote transparency, including by obtaining a clear picture of bona fide beneficial ownership as of the record date.”
Trump Media & Technology Group is a U.S.-based media and technology company headquartered in Sarasota, Florida. It operates the Truth Social platform and is majority-owned by the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust.
Global Financial Institutions Gather in London as UK Crypto Reporting Rules Take Effect
Представители BlackRock, JP Morgan, Mastercard и политики собрались на третьем ежегодном лондонском форуме по цифровым активам, чтобы оценить развитие институциональной сети в мире в рамках новой британской криптоструктурной политики.
Великобритания, Великобритания – После вступления в силу новой системы криптоактивов (CARF) HMRC 1 января мировые финансовые институты, политика и руководители финансовых компаний соберутся на 3-м ежегодном лондонском лондонском форуме по цифровым активам (DAF3), чтобы оценить, насколько ясно регулируют развитие цифровых активов в Великобритании.
«В 2025 году Лондон сохранит свои позиции финансового центра, сократив отставание от лидера Нью-Йорка всего до одного пункта в Глобальном индексе финансовых центров », — заявила Виктория Гаго , соучредитель DAF. « Благодаря своей истории как Центра финансовых инноваций и развивающейся нормативно-правовой среды Лондон создает благодатную почву для процветания климата в традиционных финансах. DAF3 станет ведущей площадкой для развития межсекторального партнерства, которая будет способствовать дальнейшему развитию международного сотрудничества в 2026 году».
В этом году, несмотря на стремительный рост институционального замедления экономики, DAF3 пройдет в течение двух дней и заключит сессию, посвященную политике и регулированию, токенизации, DeFi и тому подобному, как институциональные инвесторы осваивают пространство цифровых активов. Эксперты области собираются в Лондоне, чтобы обсудить перспективы на предстоящий год.
В числе спикеров мероприятия: Нихил Шарма из BlackRock; Эмма Ловетт из JP Morgan; Пол Уортингтон из Stripe; Доротея Исенбург из Mastercard; Тим Грант из Deus X Capital и Стани Кулечов из Aave.
Возобновившийся рост лондонского рынка распространяется не только на традиционные рынки, но и на цифровые активы. В 2025 году индекс FTSE превзошёл S&P , а Великобритания укрепила свои позиции в ведущем Европейском центре цифровых активов, на её долю приходится более региональных экспертов по мере развития, а уровень развития криптовалюты достигает 24% взрослого населения .
В недавнем отчете Barclays Bank 2026 год был назван «годом жесткого регулирования», поскольку цифровые активы принимаются под юрисдикцией традиционных финансовых учреждений, и начиная с 1 января этого года британские налоговые резиденты должны будут декларировать свои доходы от криптовалюты в качестве прироста капитала. Эта стандартизация открывает путь к усилению институциональной поддержки цифровых активов, и Управление по финансовому регулированию и надзору (FCA) заявило о своем намерении открыть регуляторную песочницу для использования денежных средств в стейблкоинах.
Сделки, ориентированные на корпоративные и институциональные модели, составляют более 70% инвестиций в цифровые активы в Великобритании. Эта тенденция сохраняется, поскольку институциональные инвесторы готовы воспользоваться преимуществами регуляторной определенности и регуляторной песочницы, что имеет место в сфере финтех-компаний. Трансатлантическая целевая группа по рынкам будущего также обещает более глубокую интеграцию между рынками капитала США и Великобритании, а также первый раунд ее рекомендаций по управлению в марте.
Помимо контента, Форум цифровых активов задуман как форум для руководителей высшего звена, ориентированный на практические результаты. В дополнение к основным дискуссиям на главной сцене мероприятие включает в себя помещения для небольших, целенаправленных сессий, две комнаты для индивидуальных встреч, а также отдельное пространство для пресс-брифингов и интервью со СМИ.
Повестка дня, подбор оборудования и форм разработан таким образом, чтобы позволить руководителям высшего звена проводить стратегии, развивать партнерские отношения и продвигать инициативы в доверительной среде, где интересы организации стоят на первом месте.
Билеты и информация доступны по адресу: www.eblockchainconvention.com/digital-assets-forum/
— КОНЕЦ —
О форуме «Цифровые активы»:
Для получения дополнительной информации и регистрации на DAF посетите официальный сайт Digital Assets Forum .
Европейская конгресс-конвенция, организованная в 2018 году в Барселоне и выступающая организатором Форума цифровых активов, быстро стала лидером проведения-мероприятия в Европе. Она выбирает профессионалов отрасли, инновационные стартапы и ведущих экспертов в области технологий. Мероприятие обеспечивает платформу для обмена опытом, развития сотрудничества и изучения возможностей использования криптовалют, криптовалют и цифровых активов.
Для получения аккредитации для прессы: ссылка для регистрации.
Контакт для СМИ: Эндрю Викерсон | andrew@yapglobal.com
Великобритания, Великобритания – После вступления в силу новой системы криптоактивов (CARF) HMRC 1 января мировые финансовые институты, политика и руководители финансовых компаний соберутся на 3-м ежегодном лондонском лондонском форуме по цифровым активам (DAF3), чтобы оценить, насколько ясно регулируют развитие цифровых активов в Великобритании.
«В 2025 году Лондон сохранит свои позиции финансового центра, сократив отставание от лидера Нью-Йорка всего до одного пункта в Глобальном индексе финансовых центров », — заявила Виктория Гаго , соучредитель DAF. « Благодаря своей истории как Центра финансовых инноваций и развивающейся нормативно-правовой среды Лондон создает благодатную почву для процветания климата в традиционных финансах. DAF3 станет ведущей площадкой для развития межсекторального партнерства, которая будет способствовать дальнейшему развитию международного сотрудничества в 2026 году».
В этом году, несмотря на стремительный рост институционального замедления экономики, DAF3 пройдет в течение двух дней и заключит сессию, посвященную политике и регулированию, токенизации, DeFi и тому подобному, как институциональные инвесторы осваивают пространство цифровых активов. Эксперты области собираются в Лондоне, чтобы обсудить перспективы на предстоящий год.
В числе спикеров мероприятия: Нихил Шарма из BlackRock; Эмма Ловетт из JP Morgan; Пол Уортингтон из Stripe; Доротея Исенбург из Mastercard; Тим Грант из Deus X Capital и Стани Кулечов из Aave.
Возобновившийся рост лондонского рынка распространяется не только на традиционные рынки, но и на цифровые активы. В 2025 году индекс FTSE превзошёл S&P , а Великобритания укрепила свои позиции в ведущем Европейском центре цифровых активов, на её долю приходится более региональных экспертов по мере развития, а уровень развития криптовалюты достигает 24% взрослого населения .
В недавнем отчете Barclays Bank 2026 год был назван «годом жесткого регулирования», поскольку цифровые активы принимаются под юрисдикцией традиционных финансовых учреждений, и начиная с 1 января этого года британские налоговые резиденты должны будут декларировать свои доходы от криптовалюты в качестве прироста капитала. Эта стандартизация открывает путь к усилению институциональной поддержки цифровых активов, и Управление по финансовому регулированию и надзору (FCA) заявило о своем намерении открыть регуляторную песочницу для использования денежных средств в стейблкоинах.
Сделки, ориентированные на корпоративные и институциональные модели, составляют более 70% инвестиций в цифровые активы в Великобритании. Эта тенденция сохраняется, поскольку институциональные инвесторы готовы воспользоваться преимуществами регуляторной определенности и регуляторной песочницы, что имеет место в сфере финтех-компаний. Трансатлантическая целевая группа по рынкам будущего также обещает более глубокую интеграцию между рынками капитала США и Великобритании, а также первый раунд ее рекомендаций по управлению в марте.
Помимо контента, Форум цифровых активов задуман как форум для руководителей высшего звена, ориентированный на практические результаты. В дополнение к основным дискуссиям на главной сцене мероприятие включает в себя помещения для небольших, целенаправленных сессий, две комнаты для индивидуальных встреч, а также отдельное пространство для пресс-брифингов и интервью со СМИ.
Повестка дня, подбор оборудования и форм разработан таким образом, чтобы позволить руководителям высшего звена проводить стратегии, развивать партнерские отношения и продвигать инициативы в доверительной среде, где интересы организации стоят на первом месте.
Билеты и информация доступны по адресу: www.eblockchainconvention.com/digital-assets-forum/
— КОНЕЦ —
О форуме «Цифровые активы»:
Для получения дополнительной информации и регистрации на DAF посетите официальный сайт Digital Assets Forum .
Европейская конгресс-конвенция, организованная в 2018 году в Барселоне и выступающая организатором Форума цифровых активов, быстро стала лидером проведения-мероприятия в Европе. Она выбирает профессионалов отрасли, инновационные стартапы и ведущих экспертов в области технологий. Мероприятие обеспечивает платформу для обмена опытом, развития сотрудничества и изучения возможностей использования криптовалют, криптовалют и цифровых активов.
Для получения аккредитации для прессы: ссылка для регистрации.
Контакт для СМИ: Эндрю Викерсон | andrew@yapglobal.com
Sergey Maslov on Why 90% Lose Money on Exchanges — and How to Survive Crypto in the Long Run
Today we’re joined by Sergey Maslov — a crypto expert and tech professional with over 20 years of experience in IT and 8 years in the crypto industry. Sergey previously worked at Binance and has collaborated with multiple projects as a CTO, technical lead, and consultant.
In this interview, we discuss the real side of crypto — the part that rarely makes it into people’s feeds: how centralized exchange infrastructure actually works, why flash crashes and liquidation cascades happen, what ADL is, and which habits help you avoid chasing “lucky x’s” — and instead survive and grow in crypto over the long term.
— Sergey, hi! You didn’t enter crypto through trading — you came from the technical side. How did you end up at Binance, and how did your journey in crypto begin?
My first entry into crypto was through mining — I tried mining at home on GPUs back when it was still possible and profitable. What’s important is that I didn’t get into it “by accident”: like many people, I was brought in by the hype. The hype made me want to understand how blockchain works and how you can make money with it. Back then, you could earn quite a lot, especially on ETH-compatible coins.
Later I realized that you can’t go far with mining alone: profitability was dropping, while people around me were making more money through trading and arbitrage. That pushed me to dive deeper into blockchains, bridges, and DeFi, and then I got heavily involved in ICOs — I invested almost everything I had earned from mining. That was when I first faced a scam — not an instant one, but a “long scam,” where a project feeds you promises for months while doing absolutely nothing.
I joined Binance specifically as a tech specialist: they found me themselves through GitHub. They invited me to talk about mobile development. I had strong experience — over 8 years of iOS development. I went through a series of technical interviews and joined the team.
And when I first joined, Binance was completely different in scale: there was one shared employee chat with about 1,300 people. By the time I left three years later, the company had grown so much that the chat was dissolved — and the total number of employees had reached roughly 7,000–8,000.
— What exactly was your job at Binance? What did you do day to day, and which projects or systems would you highlight as the most significant? What were the main challenges?
The hardest part for me at the beginning was the Chinese/Asian corporate culture: people were prone to overtime, and communication was often indirect and unfamiliar. To adapt faster, I even hired an English tutor who had lived in China for years — he helped me understand the cultural mindset and how to communicate properly with Chinese colleagues, including how to interpret expectations.
As for the work itself: Binance was growing extremely fast, and I watched approaches and processes evolve in real time. My division handled everything related to the Fiat direction — fiat on-ramps and off-ramps: card top-ups, card payouts, and payment operations globally. We worked across regions and integrated local payment providers.
One of the key areas was the helpdesk/support track, where we handled real user cases at the intersection of fiat and crypto — for example, when a payment got stuck: money had left a bank account (say, in Brazil), but crypto hadn’t arrived yet. The job was to identify where exactly the failure happened, where the funds were “stuck,” and how to complete the transaction correctly end-to-end.
— You understand the internal mechanics of centralized exchanges — how their systems work, risk modules, liquidations. Honestly: can an average person earn steadily on a CEX, or is it a game where the exchange and big players are always one step ahead?
It is possible to earn steadily on a CEX, but it’s rare. The exchange and large players are always closer to the infrastructure, and the details of the matching engine and risk modules are kept private specifically to prevent abuse. Statistically, most traders lose money. So success in trading isn’t “x100” — it’s risk management and math, where your wins outweigh your losses over time.
— Sergey, as a CTO: what would you recommend to regular users — CEX or DEX? In terms of security, risks, and convenience.
This is exactly the right question. As a tech person, I’ve seen many systems — both built by “the best minds” and by average teams. In practice, everything breaks: from known vulnerabilities to 0-days and very specific attack scenarios. For example, Bybit was hacked a year ago — it was a targeted attack involving insiders and a very specific exploit path. So the conclusion is simple: there is no perfectly safe solution today. The right approach is diversification (don’t keep everything in one place, try different solutions, and don’t rely on “perfect security”).
At the same time, convenience has improved dramatically: modern products have become much more user-friendly, UI is being standardized, and new features (futures, grid bots, etc.) can be understood in just minutes thanks to strong product and design work.
The correct approach is diversification — don’t keep everything in one place, use different tools, and don’t expect “ideal security.”
— Let’s talk about the flash crash on October 11, 2025 — which many people называют one of the harshest. You wrote that it could have looked like a targeted economic attack on exchange architecture. Why do you think so? What signals in market behavior/exchanges/liquidations support it? And what truly changed in the market after October 11?
Binance has long become a central player — many exchanges and protocols effectively use it as their primary price source (a kind of “oracle” with unlimited trust). So if someone can move the price on Binance, it pulls the entire market with it and triggers a chain reaction of liquidations.
Futures and derivatives amplified the effect: when market makers step aside and liquidity drops, a sharp move turns into an avalanche — liquidations push the price even further, which causes even more liquidations. Unlike traditional markets, crypto historically lacked proper “circuit breakers” like trading halts.
After October 11, many people experienced (and many learned about) ADL (Auto Deleveraging) for the first time: an exchange can forcibly close positions — even profitable ones — to cover obligations. As a result, the market started thinking more about diversification and infrastructure risks, rather than simply “guessing the price.”
— What are three skills/habits a person needs to avoid becoming a victim of the market and infrastructure (exchanges, wallets, bridges) — and actually win long-term?
If someone came to crypto “for x’s” but truly wants to win long-term, they need three things:
1) DYOR / do your own research Don’t enter based on blind faith in influencers and hype. Start with your own analysis, test with a small amount, observe market behavior, collect pros and cons — and only then increase exposure.
2) Diversification The most common mistake is keeping everything in one place. Crypto gives you the ability to diversify across platforms (CEX/DEX), protocols, blockchains, and even wallets (hot/cold). This drastically reduces infrastructure risks.
3) Security and discipline You need to stay alert: understand hacks and attack patterns, social engineering schemes, use different wallets for different purposes, maintain basic hygiene (2FA, seed phrase safety, limits, separate devices/accounts).
The most practical tip that really reduces risk is to separate storage and activity. Large sums should stay on cold wallets, while daily activity should be done through separate hot wallets. And a portion of funds can be distributed across different centralized platforms.
The key strategy is diversifying storage and financial management: don’t keep everything in one place and don’t use the same wallet for everything.
— Do you personally invest? What assets do you hold?
I invest — and I’m very bad at it. I don’t have BTC: it was stolen, so I hate it and I don’t touch it. I have ETH and exchange coins.
I believe CEX tokens will grow, because this is infrastructure — exchanges are accountable for their product with their reputation. In the future, exchange tokens could effectively become similar to equities. Investing in CEX today is like investing in exchanges in the 1990s during the boom.
I also believe in DEX coins, but only if they’re not overheated. These are infrastructure leaders — they’re not going anywhere.
— Beyond the media side, do you continue working with projects? In what capacity now — CTO, consultant, advisor, or tech lead? What exactly do you help teams with?
Over the last few years, I’ve mainly worked as a CTO/technical lead. In parallel, I’ve worked as an advisor, consulting around 30 projects in DeFi and CeFi.
Usually I help teams with key technical and product decisions: choosing architecture, choosing the blockchain and tech stack, how to “stitch together” components properly, which solutions are the industry gold standard — and which ones are just hype and not worth the time.
I also often support go-to-market: how to build the launch properly, user flow / user stories, and what helps a product reach users faster. And one more thing — I always emphasize ethics and standards: what I believe is acceptable in a product and in how teams treat users.
— Final question: if you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to stay in crypto long-term — not to “catch x’s,” but to survive and grow over the years — what would it be?
I’ll give a perhaps unusual piece of advice: if you want to stay in crypto for the long run, don’t focus on “x’s.” Focus on what value you can bring to the world and to people — and build your crypto career around that.
The crypto industry constantly needs strong professionals:
— developers to build systems and protocols, — designers to create great UX/UI, — marketers and content creators to explain complex things and bring users in.
When you find your role and fill real gaps in the industry, you stay, you grow, and you earn in the long run. That’s the most reliable path.
In this interview, we discuss the real side of crypto — the part that rarely makes it into people’s feeds: how centralized exchange infrastructure actually works, why flash crashes and liquidation cascades happen, what ADL is, and which habits help you avoid chasing “lucky x’s” — and instead survive and grow in crypto over the long term.
— Sergey, hi! You didn’t enter crypto through trading — you came from the technical side. How did you end up at Binance, and how did your journey in crypto begin?
My first entry into crypto was through mining — I tried mining at home on GPUs back when it was still possible and profitable. What’s important is that I didn’t get into it “by accident”: like many people, I was brought in by the hype. The hype made me want to understand how blockchain works and how you can make money with it. Back then, you could earn quite a lot, especially on ETH-compatible coins.
Later I realized that you can’t go far with mining alone: profitability was dropping, while people around me were making more money through trading and arbitrage. That pushed me to dive deeper into blockchains, bridges, and DeFi, and then I got heavily involved in ICOs — I invested almost everything I had earned from mining. That was when I first faced a scam — not an instant one, but a “long scam,” where a project feeds you promises for months while doing absolutely nothing.
I joined Binance specifically as a tech specialist: they found me themselves through GitHub. They invited me to talk about mobile development. I had strong experience — over 8 years of iOS development. I went through a series of technical interviews and joined the team.
And when I first joined, Binance was completely different in scale: there was one shared employee chat with about 1,300 people. By the time I left three years later, the company had grown so much that the chat was dissolved — and the total number of employees had reached roughly 7,000–8,000.
— What exactly was your job at Binance? What did you do day to day, and which projects or systems would you highlight as the most significant? What were the main challenges?
The hardest part for me at the beginning was the Chinese/Asian corporate culture: people were prone to overtime, and communication was often indirect and unfamiliar. To adapt faster, I even hired an English tutor who had lived in China for years — he helped me understand the cultural mindset and how to communicate properly with Chinese colleagues, including how to interpret expectations.
As for the work itself: Binance was growing extremely fast, and I watched approaches and processes evolve in real time. My division handled everything related to the Fiat direction — fiat on-ramps and off-ramps: card top-ups, card payouts, and payment operations globally. We worked across regions and integrated local payment providers.
One of the key areas was the helpdesk/support track, where we handled real user cases at the intersection of fiat and crypto — for example, when a payment got stuck: money had left a bank account (say, in Brazil), but crypto hadn’t arrived yet. The job was to identify where exactly the failure happened, where the funds were “stuck,” and how to complete the transaction correctly end-to-end.
— You understand the internal mechanics of centralized exchanges — how their systems work, risk modules, liquidations. Honestly: can an average person earn steadily on a CEX, or is it a game where the exchange and big players are always one step ahead?
It is possible to earn steadily on a CEX, but it’s rare. The exchange and large players are always closer to the infrastructure, and the details of the matching engine and risk modules are kept private specifically to prevent abuse. Statistically, most traders lose money. So success in trading isn’t “x100” — it’s risk management and math, where your wins outweigh your losses over time.
— Sergey, as a CTO: what would you recommend to regular users — CEX or DEX? In terms of security, risks, and convenience.
This is exactly the right question. As a tech person, I’ve seen many systems — both built by “the best minds” and by average teams. In practice, everything breaks: from known vulnerabilities to 0-days and very specific attack scenarios. For example, Bybit was hacked a year ago — it was a targeted attack involving insiders and a very specific exploit path. So the conclusion is simple: there is no perfectly safe solution today. The right approach is diversification (don’t keep everything in one place, try different solutions, and don’t rely on “perfect security”).
At the same time, convenience has improved dramatically: modern products have become much more user-friendly, UI is being standardized, and new features (futures, grid bots, etc.) can be understood in just minutes thanks to strong product and design work.
The correct approach is diversification — don’t keep everything in one place, use different tools, and don’t expect “ideal security.”
— Let’s talk about the flash crash on October 11, 2025 — which many people называют one of the harshest. You wrote that it could have looked like a targeted economic attack on exchange architecture. Why do you think so? What signals in market behavior/exchanges/liquidations support it? And what truly changed in the market after October 11?
Binance has long become a central player — many exchanges and protocols effectively use it as their primary price source (a kind of “oracle” with unlimited trust). So if someone can move the price on Binance, it pulls the entire market with it and triggers a chain reaction of liquidations.
Futures and derivatives amplified the effect: when market makers step aside and liquidity drops, a sharp move turns into an avalanche — liquidations push the price even further, which causes even more liquidations. Unlike traditional markets, crypto historically lacked proper “circuit breakers” like trading halts.
After October 11, many people experienced (and many learned about) ADL (Auto Deleveraging) for the first time: an exchange can forcibly close positions — even profitable ones — to cover obligations. As a result, the market started thinking more about diversification and infrastructure risks, rather than simply “guessing the price.”
— What are three skills/habits a person needs to avoid becoming a victim of the market and infrastructure (exchanges, wallets, bridges) — and actually win long-term?
If someone came to crypto “for x’s” but truly wants to win long-term, they need three things:
1) DYOR / do your own research Don’t enter based on blind faith in influencers and hype. Start with your own analysis, test with a small amount, observe market behavior, collect pros and cons — and only then increase exposure.
2) Diversification The most common mistake is keeping everything in one place. Crypto gives you the ability to diversify across platforms (CEX/DEX), protocols, blockchains, and even wallets (hot/cold). This drastically reduces infrastructure risks.
3) Security and discipline You need to stay alert: understand hacks and attack patterns, social engineering schemes, use different wallets for different purposes, maintain basic hygiene (2FA, seed phrase safety, limits, separate devices/accounts).
The most practical tip that really reduces risk is to separate storage and activity. Large sums should stay on cold wallets, while daily activity should be done through separate hot wallets. And a portion of funds can be distributed across different centralized platforms.
The key strategy is diversifying storage and financial management: don’t keep everything in one place and don’t use the same wallet for everything.
— Do you personally invest? What assets do you hold?
I invest — and I’m very bad at it. I don’t have BTC: it was stolen, so I hate it and I don’t touch it. I have ETH and exchange coins.
I believe CEX tokens will grow, because this is infrastructure — exchanges are accountable for their product with their reputation. In the future, exchange tokens could effectively become similar to equities. Investing in CEX today is like investing in exchanges in the 1990s during the boom.
I also believe in DEX coins, but only if they’re not overheated. These are infrastructure leaders — they’re not going anywhere.
— Beyond the media side, do you continue working with projects? In what capacity now — CTO, consultant, advisor, or tech lead? What exactly do you help teams with?
Over the last few years, I’ve mainly worked as a CTO/technical lead. In parallel, I’ve worked as an advisor, consulting around 30 projects in DeFi and CeFi.
Usually I help teams with key technical and product decisions: choosing architecture, choosing the blockchain and tech stack, how to “stitch together” components properly, which solutions are the industry gold standard — and which ones are just hype and not worth the time.
I also often support go-to-market: how to build the launch properly, user flow / user stories, and what helps a product reach users faster. And one more thing — I always emphasize ethics and standards: what I believe is acceptable in a product and in how teams treat users.
— Final question: if you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to stay in crypto long-term — not to “catch x’s,” but to survive and grow over the years — what would it be?
I’ll give a perhaps unusual piece of advice: if you want to stay in crypto for the long run, don’t focus on “x’s.” Focus on what value you can bring to the world and to people — and build your crypto career around that.
The crypto industry constantly needs strong professionals:
— developers to build systems and protocols, — designers to create great UX/UI, — marketers and content creators to explain complex things and bring users in.
When you find your role and fill real gaps in the industry, you stay, you grow, and you earn in the long run. That’s the most reliable path.
Makina Protocol Exploited for $4.13M, Team Activates Security Mode
Makina Protocol has been exploited for approximately 1,299 ETH ($4.13 million), according to onchain security analysts.
Blockchain security firm PeckShield reported that the attacker was front-run by an MEV builder address. The stolen funds are currently held across two wallets with ~$3.3M and ~$880K on each.
Makina confirmed the incident on X and stated the exploit appears limited in scope.
“At this stage, the issue appears to be isolated to DUSD LP positions on Curve. There is currently no indication that other assets or deployments are affected,” the team said.
The protocol added that nderlying assets held in the Machines remain unaffected. As a precaution, Makina said it has activated security mode across all Machines while the team continues to assess the situation.
Recommended action
Makina urged liquidity providers to take immediate precautionary steps:
“We strongly advise LPs in the DUSD Curve pool to remove their liquidity.”
The team said its immediate focus is determining the full scope of the incident and the appropriate next steps for affected users and LPs, with further updates expected once the review is completed.
What is Makina Protocol?
Makina positions itself as a non-custodial DeFi execution layer, offering users exposure to advanced onchain strategies with built-in risk controls. The protocol highlights several key features:
– Risk management tools aimed at limiting concentration risk – An execution engine supporting AI agents for complex DeFi strategies – Atomic execution mechanisms designed to enable instant position unwinds during emergencies – Makina has not yet disclosed a detailed post-mortem, and the attacker’s next moves remain unknown.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Blockchain security firm PeckShield reported that the attacker was front-run by an MEV builder address. The stolen funds are currently held across two wallets with ~$3.3M and ~$880K on each.
Makina confirmed the incident on X and stated the exploit appears limited in scope.
“At this stage, the issue appears to be isolated to DUSD LP positions on Curve. There is currently no indication that other assets or deployments are affected,” the team said.
The protocol added that nderlying assets held in the Machines remain unaffected. As a precaution, Makina said it has activated security mode across all Machines while the team continues to assess the situation.
Recommended action
Makina urged liquidity providers to take immediate precautionary steps:
“We strongly advise LPs in the DUSD Curve pool to remove their liquidity.”
The team said its immediate focus is determining the full scope of the incident and the appropriate next steps for affected users and LPs, with further updates expected once the review is completed.
What is Makina Protocol?
Makina positions itself as a non-custodial DeFi execution layer, offering users exposure to advanced onchain strategies with built-in risk controls. The protocol highlights several key features:
– Risk management tools aimed at limiting concentration risk – An execution engine supporting AI agents for complex DeFi strategies – Atomic execution mechanisms designed to enable instant position unwinds during emergencies – Makina has not yet disclosed a detailed post-mortem, and the attacker’s next moves remain unknown.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Makina Protocol Exploited for $4.13M, Team Activates Security Mode
Makina Protocol has been exploited for approximately 1,299 ETH ($4.13 million), according to onchain security analysts.
Blockchain security firm PeckShield reported that the attacker was front-run by an MEV builder address. The stolen funds are currently held across two wallets with ~$3.3M and ~$880K on each.
Makina confirmed the incident on X and stated the exploit appears limited in scope.
“At this stage, the issue appears to be isolated to DUSD LP positions on Curve. There is currently no indication that other assets or deployments are affected,” the team said.
The protocol added that nderlying assets held in the Machines remain unaffected.
As a precaution, Makina said it has activated security mode across all Machines while the team continues to assess the situation.
Recommended action
Makina urged liquidity providers to take immediate precautionary steps:
“We strongly advise LPs in the DUSD Curve pool to remove their liquidity.”
The team said its immediate focus is determining the full scope of the incident and the appropriate next steps for affected users and LPs, with further updates expected once the review is completed.
What is Makina Protocol?
Makina positions itself as a non-custodial DeFi execution layer, offering users exposure to advanced onchain strategies with built-in risk controls. The protocol highlights several key features:
– Risk management tools aimed at limiting concentration risk
– An execution engine supporting AI agents for complex DeFi strategies
– Atomic execution mechanisms designed to enable instant position unwinds during emergencies
– Makina has not yet disclosed a detailed post-mortem, and the attacker’s next moves remain unknown.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Blockchain security firm PeckShield reported that the attacker was front-run by an MEV builder address. The stolen funds are currently held across two wallets with ~$3.3M and ~$880K on each.
Makina confirmed the incident on X and stated the exploit appears limited in scope.
“At this stage, the issue appears to be isolated to DUSD LP positions on Curve. There is currently no indication that other assets or deployments are affected,” the team said.
The protocol added that nderlying assets held in the Machines remain unaffected.
As a precaution, Makina said it has activated security mode across all Machines while the team continues to assess the situation.
Recommended action
Makina urged liquidity providers to take immediate precautionary steps:
“We strongly advise LPs in the DUSD Curve pool to remove their liquidity.”
The team said its immediate focus is determining the full scope of the incident and the appropriate next steps for affected users and LPs, with further updates expected once the review is completed.
What is Makina Protocol?
Makina positions itself as a non-custodial DeFi execution layer, offering users exposure to advanced onchain strategies with built-in risk controls. The protocol highlights several key features:
– Risk management tools aimed at limiting concentration risk
– An execution engine supporting AI agents for complex DeFi strategies
– Atomic execution mechanisms designed to enable instant position unwinds during emergencies
– Makina has not yet disclosed a detailed post-mortem, and the attacker’s next moves remain unknown.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Sergey Maslov on Why 90% Lose Money on Exchanges — and How to Survive Crypto in the Long Run
Today we’re joined by Sergey Maslov — a crypto expert and tech professional with over 20 years of experience in IT and 8 years in the crypto industry. Sergey previously worked at Binance and has collaborated with multiple projects as a CTO, technical lead, and consultant.
In this interview, we discuss the real side of crypto — the part that rarely makes it into people’s feeds: how centralized exchange infrastructure actually works, why flash crashes and liquidation cascades happen, what ADL is, and which habits help you avoid chasing “lucky x’s” — and instead survive and grow in crypto over the long term.
— Sergey, hi!
You didn’t enter crypto through trading — you came from the technical side. How did you end up at Binance, and how did your journey in crypto begin?
My first entry into crypto was through mining — I tried mining at home on GPUs back when it was still possible and profitable. What’s important is that I didn’t get into it “by accident”: like many people, I was brought in by the hype. The hype made me want to understand how blockchain works and how you can make money with it. Back then, you could earn quite a lot, especially on ETH-compatible coins.
Later I realized that you can’t go far with mining alone: profitability was dropping, while people around me were making more money through trading and arbitrage. That pushed me to dive deeper into blockchains, bridges, and DeFi, and then I got heavily involved in ICOs — I invested almost everything I had earned from mining. That was when I first faced a scam — not an instant one, but a “long scam,” where a project feeds you promises for months while doing absolutely nothing.
I joined Binance specifically as a tech specialist: they found me themselves through GitHub. They invited me to talk about mobile development. I had strong experience — over 8 years of iOS development. I went through a series of technical interviews and joined the team.
And when I first joined, Binance was completely different in scale: there was one shared employee chat with about 1,300 people. By the time I left three years later, the company had grown so much that the chat was dissolved — and the total number of employees had reached roughly 7,000–8,000.
— What exactly was your job at Binance? What did you do day to day, and which projects or systems would you highlight as the most significant? What were the main challenges?
The hardest part for me at the beginning was the Chinese/Asian corporate culture: people were prone to overtime, and communication was often indirect and unfamiliar. To adapt faster, I even hired an English tutor who had lived in China for years — he helped me understand the cultural mindset and how to communicate properly with Chinese colleagues, including how to interpret expectations.
As for the work itself: Binance was growing extremely fast, and I watched approaches and processes evolve in real time. My division handled everything related to the Fiat direction — fiat on-ramps and off-ramps: card top-ups, card payouts, and payment operations globally. We worked across regions and integrated local payment providers.
One of the key areas was the helpdesk/support track, where we handled real user cases at the intersection of fiat and crypto — for example, when a payment got stuck: money had left a bank account (say, in Brazil), but crypto hadn’t arrived yet. The job was to identify where exactly the failure happened, where the funds were “stuck,” and how to complete the transaction correctly end-to-end.
— You understand the internal mechanics of centralized exchanges — how their systems work, risk modules, liquidations. Honestly: can an average person earn steadily on a CEX, or is it a game where the exchange and big players are always one step ahead?
It is possible to earn steadily on a CEX, but it’s rare. The exchange and large players are always closer to the infrastructure, and the details of the matching engine and risk modules are kept private specifically to prevent abuse.
Statistically, most traders lose money. So success in trading isn’t “x100” — it’s risk management and math, where your wins outweigh your losses over time.
— Sergey, as a CTO: what would you recommend to regular users — CEX or DEX? In terms of security, risks, and convenience.
This is exactly the right question. As a tech person, I’ve seen many systems — both built by “the best minds” and by average teams. In practice, everything breaks: from known vulnerabilities to 0-days and very specific attack scenarios. For example, Bybit was hacked a year ago — it was a targeted attack involving insiders and a very specific exploit path.
So the conclusion is simple: there is no perfectly safe solution today. The right approach is diversification (don’t keep everything in one place, try different solutions, and don’t rely on “perfect security”).
At the same time, convenience has improved dramatically: modern products have become much more user-friendly, UI is being standardized, and new features (futures, grid bots, etc.) can be understood in just minutes thanks to strong product and design work.
The correct approach is diversification — don’t keep everything in one place, use different tools, and don’t expect “ideal security.”
— Let’s talk about the flash crash on October 11, 2025 — which many people называют one of the harshest. You wrote that it could have looked like a targeted economic attack on exchange architecture. Why do you think so? What signals in market behavior/exchanges/liquidations support it? And what truly changed in the market after October 11?
Binance has long become a central player — many exchanges and protocols effectively use it as their primary price source (a kind of “oracle” with unlimited trust). So if someone can move the price on Binance, it pulls the entire market with it and triggers a chain reaction of liquidations.
Futures and derivatives amplified the effect: when market makers step aside and liquidity drops, a sharp move turns into an avalanche — liquidations push the price even further, which causes even more liquidations. Unlike traditional markets, crypto historically lacked proper “circuit breakers” like trading halts.
After October 11, many people experienced (and many learned about) ADL (Auto Deleveraging) for the first time: an exchange can forcibly close positions — even profitable ones — to cover obligations. As a result, the market started thinking more about diversification and infrastructure risks, rather than simply “guessing the price.”
— What are three skills/habits a person needs to avoid becoming a victim of the market and infrastructure (exchanges, wallets, bridges) — and actually win long-term?
If someone came to crypto “for x’s” but truly wants to win long-term, they need three things:
1) DYOR / do your own research
Don’t enter based on blind faith in influencers and hype. Start with your own analysis, test with a small amount, observe market behavior, collect pros and cons — and only then increase exposure.
2) Diversification
The most common mistake is keeping everything in one place. Crypto gives you the ability to diversify across platforms (CEX/DEX), protocols, blockchains, and even wallets (hot/cold). This drastically reduces infrastructure risks.
3) Security and discipline
You need to stay alert: understand hacks and attack patterns, social engineering schemes, use different wallets for different purposes, maintain basic hygiene (2FA, seed phrase safety, limits, separate devices/accounts).
The most practical tip that really reduces risk is to separate storage and activity. Large sums should stay on cold wallets, while daily activity should be done through separate hot wallets. And a portion of funds can be distributed across different centralized platforms.
The key strategy is diversifying storage and financial management: don’t keep everything in one place and don’t use the same wallet for everything.
— Do you personally invest? What assets do you hold?
I invest — and I’m very bad at it. I don’t have BTC: it was stolen, so I hate it and I don’t touch it. I have ETH and exchange coins.
I believe CEX tokens will grow, because this is infrastructure — exchanges are accountable for their product with their reputation. In the future, exchange tokens could effectively become similar to equities. Investing in CEX today is like investing in exchanges in the 1990s during the boom.
I also believe in DEX coins, but only if they’re not overheated. These are infrastructure leaders — they’re not going anywhere.
— Beyond the media side, do you continue working with projects? In what capacity now — CTO, consultant, advisor, or tech lead? What exactly do you help teams with?
Over the last few years, I’ve mainly worked as a CTO/technical lead. In parallel, I’ve worked as an advisor, consulting around 30 projects in DeFi and CeFi.
Usually I help teams with key technical and product decisions: choosing architecture, choosing the blockchain and tech stack, how to “stitch together” components properly, which solutions are the industry gold standard — and which ones are just hype and not worth the time.
I also often support go-to-market: how to build the launch properly, user flow / user stories, and what helps a product reach users faster. And one more thing — I always emphasize ethics and standards: what I believe is acceptable in a product and in how teams treat users.
— Final question: if you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to stay in crypto long-term — not to “catch x’s,” but to survive and grow over the years — what would it be?
I’ll give a perhaps unusual piece of advice: if you want to stay in crypto for the long run, don’t focus on “x’s.” Focus on what value you can bring to the world and to people — and build your crypto career around that.
The crypto industry constantly needs strong professionals:
— developers to build systems and protocols,
— designers to create great UX/UI,
— marketers and content creators to explain complex things and bring users in.
When you find your role and fill real gaps in the industry, you stay, you grow, and you earn in the long run. That’s the most reliable path.
In this interview, we discuss the real side of crypto — the part that rarely makes it into people’s feeds: how centralized exchange infrastructure actually works, why flash crashes and liquidation cascades happen, what ADL is, and which habits help you avoid chasing “lucky x’s” — and instead survive and grow in crypto over the long term.
— Sergey, hi!
You didn’t enter crypto through trading — you came from the technical side. How did you end up at Binance, and how did your journey in crypto begin?
My first entry into crypto was through mining — I tried mining at home on GPUs back when it was still possible and profitable. What’s important is that I didn’t get into it “by accident”: like many people, I was brought in by the hype. The hype made me want to understand how blockchain works and how you can make money with it. Back then, you could earn quite a lot, especially on ETH-compatible coins.
Later I realized that you can’t go far with mining alone: profitability was dropping, while people around me were making more money through trading and arbitrage. That pushed me to dive deeper into blockchains, bridges, and DeFi, and then I got heavily involved in ICOs — I invested almost everything I had earned from mining. That was when I first faced a scam — not an instant one, but a “long scam,” where a project feeds you promises for months while doing absolutely nothing.
I joined Binance specifically as a tech specialist: they found me themselves through GitHub. They invited me to talk about mobile development. I had strong experience — over 8 years of iOS development. I went through a series of technical interviews and joined the team.
And when I first joined, Binance was completely different in scale: there was one shared employee chat with about 1,300 people. By the time I left three years later, the company had grown so much that the chat was dissolved — and the total number of employees had reached roughly 7,000–8,000.
— What exactly was your job at Binance? What did you do day to day, and which projects or systems would you highlight as the most significant? What were the main challenges?
The hardest part for me at the beginning was the Chinese/Asian corporate culture: people were prone to overtime, and communication was often indirect and unfamiliar. To adapt faster, I even hired an English tutor who had lived in China for years — he helped me understand the cultural mindset and how to communicate properly with Chinese colleagues, including how to interpret expectations.
As for the work itself: Binance was growing extremely fast, and I watched approaches and processes evolve in real time. My division handled everything related to the Fiat direction — fiat on-ramps and off-ramps: card top-ups, card payouts, and payment operations globally. We worked across regions and integrated local payment providers.
One of the key areas was the helpdesk/support track, where we handled real user cases at the intersection of fiat and crypto — for example, when a payment got stuck: money had left a bank account (say, in Brazil), but crypto hadn’t arrived yet. The job was to identify where exactly the failure happened, where the funds were “stuck,” and how to complete the transaction correctly end-to-end.
— You understand the internal mechanics of centralized exchanges — how their systems work, risk modules, liquidations. Honestly: can an average person earn steadily on a CEX, or is it a game where the exchange and big players are always one step ahead?
It is possible to earn steadily on a CEX, but it’s rare. The exchange and large players are always closer to the infrastructure, and the details of the matching engine and risk modules are kept private specifically to prevent abuse.
Statistically, most traders lose money. So success in trading isn’t “x100” — it’s risk management and math, where your wins outweigh your losses over time.
— Sergey, as a CTO: what would you recommend to regular users — CEX or DEX? In terms of security, risks, and convenience.
This is exactly the right question. As a tech person, I’ve seen many systems — both built by “the best minds” and by average teams. In practice, everything breaks: from known vulnerabilities to 0-days and very specific attack scenarios. For example, Bybit was hacked a year ago — it was a targeted attack involving insiders and a very specific exploit path.
So the conclusion is simple: there is no perfectly safe solution today. The right approach is diversification (don’t keep everything in one place, try different solutions, and don’t rely on “perfect security”).
At the same time, convenience has improved dramatically: modern products have become much more user-friendly, UI is being standardized, and new features (futures, grid bots, etc.) can be understood in just minutes thanks to strong product and design work.
The correct approach is diversification — don’t keep everything in one place, use different tools, and don’t expect “ideal security.”
— Let’s talk about the flash crash on October 11, 2025 — which many people называют one of the harshest. You wrote that it could have looked like a targeted economic attack on exchange architecture. Why do you think so? What signals in market behavior/exchanges/liquidations support it? And what truly changed in the market after October 11?
Binance has long become a central player — many exchanges and protocols effectively use it as their primary price source (a kind of “oracle” with unlimited trust). So if someone can move the price on Binance, it pulls the entire market with it and triggers a chain reaction of liquidations.
Futures and derivatives amplified the effect: when market makers step aside and liquidity drops, a sharp move turns into an avalanche — liquidations push the price even further, which causes even more liquidations. Unlike traditional markets, crypto historically lacked proper “circuit breakers” like trading halts.
After October 11, many people experienced (and many learned about) ADL (Auto Deleveraging) for the first time: an exchange can forcibly close positions — even profitable ones — to cover obligations. As a result, the market started thinking more about diversification and infrastructure risks, rather than simply “guessing the price.”
— What are three skills/habits a person needs to avoid becoming a victim of the market and infrastructure (exchanges, wallets, bridges) — and actually win long-term?
If someone came to crypto “for x’s” but truly wants to win long-term, they need three things:
1) DYOR / do your own research
Don’t enter based on blind faith in influencers and hype. Start with your own analysis, test with a small amount, observe market behavior, collect pros and cons — and only then increase exposure.
2) Diversification
The most common mistake is keeping everything in one place. Crypto gives you the ability to diversify across platforms (CEX/DEX), protocols, blockchains, and even wallets (hot/cold). This drastically reduces infrastructure risks.
3) Security and discipline
You need to stay alert: understand hacks and attack patterns, social engineering schemes, use different wallets for different purposes, maintain basic hygiene (2FA, seed phrase safety, limits, separate devices/accounts).
The most practical tip that really reduces risk is to separate storage and activity. Large sums should stay on cold wallets, while daily activity should be done through separate hot wallets. And a portion of funds can be distributed across different centralized platforms.
The key strategy is diversifying storage and financial management: don’t keep everything in one place and don’t use the same wallet for everything.
— Do you personally invest? What assets do you hold?
I invest — and I’m very bad at it. I don’t have BTC: it was stolen, so I hate it and I don’t touch it. I have ETH and exchange coins.
I believe CEX tokens will grow, because this is infrastructure — exchanges are accountable for their product with their reputation. In the future, exchange tokens could effectively become similar to equities. Investing in CEX today is like investing in exchanges in the 1990s during the boom.
I also believe in DEX coins, but only if they’re not overheated. These are infrastructure leaders — they’re not going anywhere.
— Beyond the media side, do you continue working with projects? In what capacity now — CTO, consultant, advisor, or tech lead? What exactly do you help teams with?
Over the last few years, I’ve mainly worked as a CTO/technical lead. In parallel, I’ve worked as an advisor, consulting around 30 projects in DeFi and CeFi.
Usually I help teams with key technical and product decisions: choosing architecture, choosing the blockchain and tech stack, how to “stitch together” components properly, which solutions are the industry gold standard — and which ones are just hype and not worth the time.
I also often support go-to-market: how to build the launch properly, user flow / user stories, and what helps a product reach users faster. And one more thing — I always emphasize ethics and standards: what I believe is acceptable in a product and in how teams treat users.
— Final question: if you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to stay in crypto long-term — not to “catch x’s,” but to survive and grow over the years — what would it be?
I’ll give a perhaps unusual piece of advice: if you want to stay in crypto for the long run, don’t focus on “x’s.” Focus on what value you can bring to the world and to people — and build your crypto career around that.
The crypto industry constantly needs strong professionals:
— developers to build systems and protocols,
— designers to create great UX/UI,
— marketers and content creators to explain complex things and bring users in.
When you find your role and fill real gaps in the industry, you stay, you grow, and you earn in the long run. That’s the most reliable path.
Finunion Expands Crypto Payments Into B2B Invoicing
Finunion has launched a B2B platform that allows companies to accept cryptocurrency payments using invoices. The product is already live, according to the company.
Crypto payments are widely discussed in business, but their use in B2B billing remains limited. Most activity still focuses on individual transactions rather than recurring or invoice-based payments. This has been a common issue for subscription-based companies and service providers.
Finunion’s platform is aimed at businesses that issue invoices to clients. This includes companies that bill on a recurring basis. The platform allows merchants to create invoices inside a web-based interface.
Invoices can be created for one-time payments or set up as recurring. Once an invoice is issued, the system generates a payment link. This link is sent to the client. The client opens the link and pays the invoice in cryptocurrency on a hosted payment page.
The company says no additional integrations are required to use the platform.
Payments are credited to the merchant’s crypto balance. Invoice status and transaction history are shown in the same interface. Businesses can see which invoices have been paid and which remain outstanding.
Recurring invoicing is included as part of the platform. Finunion says this feature was developed for SaaS companies and other businesses that rely on regular billing cycles. Payment history and invoice status can be reviewed at any time.
The platform also supports withdrawals to euro-denominated bank accounts. This allows merchants to convert crypto payments into fiat if needed. According to Finunion, this reflects how many businesses operate today.
Vladyslav Savchenko, the founder of Finunion, says the platform was built following requests from businesses that were already accepting crypto but lacked suitable B2B tools. The focus was on invoicing and payment tracking rather than additional features.
Finunion describes the product as a practical solution for B2B crypto payments. It is positioned as an operational tool rather than a consumer payments product.
The launch comes as crypto infrastructure providers continue to develop tools aimed at business use cases. Adoption of crypto in B2B payments remains uneven, but there is ongoing demand for simpler billing and payment systems.
Finunion’s platform applies crypto payments to existing invoicing processes rather than introducing new workflows.
Crypto payments are widely discussed in business, but their use in B2B billing remains limited. Most activity still focuses on individual transactions rather than recurring or invoice-based payments. This has been a common issue for subscription-based companies and service providers.
Finunion’s platform is aimed at businesses that issue invoices to clients. This includes companies that bill on a recurring basis. The platform allows merchants to create invoices inside a web-based interface.
Invoices can be created for one-time payments or set up as recurring. Once an invoice is issued, the system generates a payment link. This link is sent to the client. The client opens the link and pays the invoice in cryptocurrency on a hosted payment page.
The company says no additional integrations are required to use the platform.
Payments are credited to the merchant’s crypto balance. Invoice status and transaction history are shown in the same interface. Businesses can see which invoices have been paid and which remain outstanding.
Recurring invoicing is included as part of the platform. Finunion says this feature was developed for SaaS companies and other businesses that rely on regular billing cycles. Payment history and invoice status can be reviewed at any time.
The platform also supports withdrawals to euro-denominated bank accounts. This allows merchants to convert crypto payments into fiat if needed. According to Finunion, this reflects how many businesses operate today.
Vladyslav Savchenko, the founder of Finunion, says the platform was built following requests from businesses that were already accepting crypto but lacked suitable B2B tools. The focus was on invoicing and payment tracking rather than additional features.
Finunion describes the product as a practical solution for B2B crypto payments. It is positioned as an operational tool rather than a consumer payments product.
The launch comes as crypto infrastructure providers continue to develop tools aimed at business use cases. Adoption of crypto in B2B payments remains uneven, but there is ongoing demand for simpler billing and payment systems.
Finunion’s platform applies crypto payments to existing invoicing processes rather than introducing new workflows.
Finunion Expands Crypto Payments Into B2B Invoicing
Finunion has launched a B2B platform that allows companies to accept cryptocurrency payments using invoices. The product is already live, according to the company.
Crypto payments are widely discussed in business, but their use in B2B billing remains limited. Most activity still focuses on individual transactions rather than recurring or invoice-based payments. This has been a common issue for subscription-based companies and service providers.
Finunion’s platform is aimed at businesses that issue invoices to clients. This includes companies that bill on a recurring basis. The platform allows merchants to create invoices inside a web-based interface.
Invoices can be created for one-time payments or set up as recurring. Once an invoice is issued, the system generates a payment link. This link is sent to the client. The client opens the link and pays the invoice in cryptocurrency on a hosted payment page.
The company says no additional integrations are required to use the platform.
Payments are credited to the merchant’s crypto balance. Invoice status and transaction history are shown in the same interface. Businesses can see which invoices have been paid and which remain outstanding.
Recurring invoicing is included as part of the platform. Finunion says this feature was developed for SaaS companies and other businesses that rely on regular billing cycles. Payment history and invoice status can be reviewed at any time.
The platform also supports withdrawals to euro-denominated bank accounts. This allows merchants to convert crypto payments into fiat if needed. According to Finunion, this reflects how many businesses operate today.
Vladyslav Savchenko, the founder of Finunion, says the platform was built following requests from businesses that were already accepting crypto but lacked suitable B2B tools. The focus was on invoicing and payment tracking rather than additional features.
Finunion describes the product as a practical solution for B2B crypto payments. It is positioned as an operational tool rather than a consumer payments product.
The launch comes as crypto infrastructure providers continue to develop tools aimed at business use cases. Adoption of crypto in B2B payments remains uneven, but there is ongoing demand for simpler billing and payment systems.
Finunion’s platform applies crypto payments to existing invoicing processes rather than introducing new workflows.
Crypto payments are widely discussed in business, but their use in B2B billing remains limited. Most activity still focuses on individual transactions rather than recurring or invoice-based payments. This has been a common issue for subscription-based companies and service providers.
Finunion’s platform is aimed at businesses that issue invoices to clients. This includes companies that bill on a recurring basis. The platform allows merchants to create invoices inside a web-based interface.
Invoices can be created for one-time payments or set up as recurring. Once an invoice is issued, the system generates a payment link. This link is sent to the client. The client opens the link and pays the invoice in cryptocurrency on a hosted payment page.
The company says no additional integrations are required to use the platform.
Payments are credited to the merchant’s crypto balance. Invoice status and transaction history are shown in the same interface. Businesses can see which invoices have been paid and which remain outstanding.
Recurring invoicing is included as part of the platform. Finunion says this feature was developed for SaaS companies and other businesses that rely on regular billing cycles. Payment history and invoice status can be reviewed at any time.
The platform also supports withdrawals to euro-denominated bank accounts. This allows merchants to convert crypto payments into fiat if needed. According to Finunion, this reflects how many businesses operate today.
Vladyslav Savchenko, the founder of Finunion, says the platform was built following requests from businesses that were already accepting crypto but lacked suitable B2B tools. The focus was on invoicing and payment tracking rather than additional features.
Finunion describes the product as a practical solution for B2B crypto payments. It is positioned as an operational tool rather than a consumer payments product.
The launch comes as crypto infrastructure providers continue to develop tools aimed at business use cases. Adoption of crypto in B2B payments remains uneven, but there is ongoing demand for simpler billing and payment systems.
Finunion’s platform applies crypto payments to existing invoicing processes rather than introducing new workflows.
Bitcoin & Ethereum Rally, XRP ETF Inflows, Ethereum 2026 Outlook, U.S. Crypto Regulation Delay
Bitcoin & Ethereum ignite first major 2026 rally — institutional capital floods in What happened: After a period of range-bound trade, Bitcoin surged above $97,000, while Ethereum approached $3,400, sparking nearly $700 million in short liquidations and broad market participation. Strong inflows — about $1.2 billion into crypto ETFs — helped fuel the momentum as traders reacted to eased U.S. core inflation and growing rate-cut expectations. Why it matters: Breaking key resistance around $95,000 signals renewed bullish sentiment and can pull more capital into crypto markets early in the year. Higher Bitcoin and ETH prices often trigger leverage re-entries and broader alpha search across altcoins. Source: XT Blog — Bitcoin & Ethereum major 2026 rally (+ETFs/+short liquidations).
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XRP ETF inflows top $1.37 billion — institutional demand shifts narrative What happened: According to 247WallSt, cumulative XRP ETF inflows have now exceeded $1.37 billion — the strongest sustained institutional demand among major crypto ETFs so far in 2026. Why it matters: This contrasts with recent BTC/ETH ETF outflows and highlights that capital is selectively rotating into diversified and alt-focused investment products. A strong inflow narrative helps underpin XRP’s price and its emerging narrative as an institutional play. Source: 247WallSt — XRP ETF inflows hit $1.37B.
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Ethereum bullish forecasts intensify — could ETH outperform BTC in 2026 What happened: Analysts from Standard Chartered see 2026 as “the year of Ethereum”, highlighting network adoption, DeFi growth, stablecoins, RWAs and ETF optimism as key drivers. Price targets suggest a potential move toward much higher levels versus Bitcoin, underlined by growing ecosystem demand. Why it matters: If Ethereum outperforms Bitcoin, it may signal a broader shift in capital allocation strategies — particularly for institutional players seeking diversified exposure across digital assets. Growing adoption of ETH-based products may reinforce this trend. Source: Standard Chartered Ethereum outlook report.
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U.S. crypto regulation bill hits delays — market pricing in uncertainty What happened: The U.S. Senate Banking Committee postponed the markup of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, a major crypto regulation bill. This delay comes amid political pushback and a détente from Coinbase on certain provisions; related legislative sessions are being rescheduled. Why it matters: Regulatory clarity remains a huge catalyst (or headwind) for institutional capital flows. Postponement of a unified regulatory framework often leads to short-term volatility as traders and institutions recalibrate expectations. Source: Equiti — U.S. regulatory setback and market reaction.
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XRP ETF inflows top $1.37 billion — institutional demand shifts narrative What happened: According to 247WallSt, cumulative XRP ETF inflows have now exceeded $1.37 billion — the strongest sustained institutional demand among major crypto ETFs so far in 2026. Why it matters: This contrasts with recent BTC/ETH ETF outflows and highlights that capital is selectively rotating into diversified and alt-focused investment products. A strong inflow narrative helps underpin XRP’s price and its emerging narrative as an institutional play. Source: 247WallSt — XRP ETF inflows hit $1.37B.
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Ethereum bullish forecasts intensify — could ETH outperform BTC in 2026 What happened: Analysts from Standard Chartered see 2026 as “the year of Ethereum”, highlighting network adoption, DeFi growth, stablecoins, RWAs and ETF optimism as key drivers. Price targets suggest a potential move toward much higher levels versus Bitcoin, underlined by growing ecosystem demand. Why it matters: If Ethereum outperforms Bitcoin, it may signal a broader shift in capital allocation strategies — particularly for institutional players seeking diversified exposure across digital assets. Growing adoption of ETH-based products may reinforce this trend. Source: Standard Chartered Ethereum outlook report.
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U.S. crypto regulation bill hits delays — market pricing in uncertainty What happened: The U.S. Senate Banking Committee postponed the markup of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, a major crypto regulation bill. This delay comes amid political pushback and a détente from Coinbase on certain provisions; related legislative sessions are being rescheduled. Why it matters: Regulatory clarity remains a huge catalyst (or headwind) for institutional capital flows. Postponement of a unified regulatory framework often leads to short-term volatility as traders and institutions recalibrate expectations. Source: Equiti — U.S. regulatory setback and market reaction.
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