📌 Tether Q2 profit hits $1.5B as USDT supply grows

⚠️ Tether generated approximately $1.5 billion in net operating profit during the second quarter of 2026 as returns from US Treasury holdings and repo operations supported its earnings. The figures appeared in Tether’s latest reserve attestation, prepared by accounting firm BDO and released Friday. US government-backed securities continued to account for the largest portion of the company’s reserve portfolio.

🌐 Interest earned from that portfolio, along with returns from repo operations, provided the main source of Tether’s second-quarter profit. The company’s exposure to short-term US debt has made its earnings sensitive to Federal Reserve policy and changes in Treasury yields. Tether also reported that the circulating supply of USDT reached approximately $184.6 billion by the end of June. Based on the company’s figures, the token controlled more than 60% of the global stablecoin market.

🔗 Tether adjusted the composition of its reserves during the quarter by reducing secured lending and increasing its holdings of physical gold. Outstanding secured loans fell by about $2.4 billion. Tether did not provide a full breakdown of the borrowers or collateral involved in the lending reduction in the information accompanying the results.

➡️ Crypto crime has moved beyond online hacks, Chainalysis says

🌐 Chainalysis has warned that cryptocurrency crime has increasingly extended into kidnappings, home invasions and other violent incidents as criminals pursue holders who can transfer digital assets immediately under coercion. According to the blockchain analytics firm’s latest report shared with cryptonews, cybercrime still accounts for most illicit crypto activity, including an estimated $3.4 billion stolen through hacks, $17 billion lost to scams and about $820 million linked to ransomware in 2025.

⭐️ At the same time, physical attacks have become more common because crypto holders often control large amounts of wealth through self-custody wallets without the institutional safeguards associated with traditional financial assets.

📊 The report estimates that violent criminals have extracted more than $30 million from crypto holders during the first half of 2026 through successful kidnappings, hostage situations, and home invasions. If the current pace continues, 2026 would surpass the $58 million stolen during 2025, although the estimate only covers publicly reported incidents and likely understates the full scale of the problem.

🔔 SpaceX stock falls as $60B Cursor deal closes

‼️ SpaceX has completed its $60 billion stock-based acquisition of Anysphere, bringing the Cursor coding platform into its SpaceXAI business as SPCX shares fell during Friday trading. The closing came less than two months after SpaceX signed the merger agreement on June 16. Under its terms, the company valued Anysphere at an implied equity value of $60 billion and agreed to compensate its investors with SpaceX Class A common stock.

🔖 Cursor’s common and preferred shares outstanding immediately before the merger were automatically converted into rights to receive 389,289,254 SpaceX Class A shares, according to the filing.SpaceX based the exchange on the volume-weighted average closing price of its Class A shares over the seven consecutive trading days before the acquisition closed. Rather than setting one fixed share price when the agreement was signed, the structure tied the final share count to SPCX’s recent market value.

🌐 Vested Cursor restricted stock units were separately converted into rights to receive 1,752,426 SpaceX Class A shares before applicable tax deductions. Holders will receive cash instead of fractional shares where the exchange calculation does not produce a whole share. Unvested awards will remain tied to future service and vesting requirements. According to the filing, SpaceX assumed the outstanding awards and converted them into about 29,128,326 restricted stock units linked to its Class A shares.

➡️ South Korea confirms 22% crypto tax will cover private wallets, foreign exchanges

🌐 South Korea has confirmed that taxable crypto income earned through overseas exchanges and private wallets will fall under its planned 22% digital asset tax when the regime takes effect on Jan. 1, 2027. Digital Asset reported on Aug. 20, citing government responses submitted to People Power Party lawmaker Kim Sang-hoon, that the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the National Tax Service said the location or custody method of a digital asset would not determine whether income from its transfer or lending is taxable.

⭐️ Under the current framework, income from digital assets will be classified as other income, with an annual basic deduction of 2.5 million won. Income exceeding that threshold will face a 20% national tax, rising to a maximum combined rate of 22% after local income tax. The government also maintained that the tax should take effect on schedule next year, even as the People Power Party continues to call for its abolition or another delay.

⚡️ The National Tax Service said income earned by South Korean residents through the transfer or lending of digital assets would remain taxable regardless of whether the assets were held on an overseas exchange or in a private wallet. The Finance Ministry gave a similar response, saying the tax treatment does not depend on whether the income originated domestically or overseas. Transactions made through private wallets will also be treated under the same principle.

📌 Grayscale launches first Zcash ETF with direct ZEC exposure

🔖 Grayscale has launched the first exchange-traded fund offering direct exposure to Zcash, bringing the privacy-focused cryptocurrency to NYSE Arca under the ticker ZCSH. Grayscale said Tuesday that the Zcash ETF began trading as a conversion of its existing Grayscale Zcash Trust, giving investors access to ZEC through an exchange-traded product without requiring them to directly hold the cryptocurrency.

🌐 The fund carries a 2.5% annual sponsor fee. A Grayscale spokesperson said revenue collected from the fee will be directed back into the Zcash ecosystem to support network development, marketing and other initiatives tied to the cryptocurrency. Zcash, launched in 2016, allows users to make shielded transactions that can conceal transaction information through zero-knowledge proofs. The ETF itself holds ZEC while its shares trade through the traditional securities market.

🔗 Grayscale’s launch follows a regulatory process that began with plans to convert its long-running Zcash Trust into an exchange-traded product. Grayscale later submitted several amendments as it moved the registration process forward. Its fifth amended filing, submitted before the weekend ahead of Tuesday’s launch, set the annual sponsor fee at 2.5% and finalized additional terms for the fund.

⚠️ Bitcoin mining divide pushes Luke Dashjr out of OCEAN

📣 OCEAN co-founder Luke Dashjr left the Bitcoin mining pool on Aug. 29 after reaching a mutual separation agreement with its parent company, Mummolin Inc. He resigned as chairman, chief technology officer and director. OCEAN and Dashjr attributed the separation to “different visions for the future of Bitcoin mining following the recent protocol developments.” The statement did not identify the developments or explain the areas of disagreement.

📊 The wording therefore does not confirm whether a single Bitcoin protocol proposal caused the split. Dashjr has participated in public debates about transaction policies, mining decentralization and alternative Bitcoin software. Connecting the departure to any particular dispute would require further confirmation from the parties. Dashjr had already stepped back from his OCEAN responsibilities earlier in August. His permanent departure now removes him from the company’s leadership and ownership structure.

🌐 The company did not announce a replacement chairman or chief technology officer. It also provided no details about how Dashjr’s former technical responsibilities will be distributed. Dashjr plans to create a new venture called CONVOY. The joint statement said the project would continue his mission of decentralizing Bitcoin mining.

📌 Bitcoin price stalls near $82K as key resistance holds

🌐 Bitcoin price pulled back after briefly breaking above $82,000 on Sept. 4, as traders took profits following a short squeeze driven by softer Federal Reserve expectations and renewed demand for US spot Bitcoin ETFs. According to data from cryptonews, Bitcoin price traded near $81,150 at the time of writing, having failed to hold an intraday move above the $82,000 psychological level. The pullback left the asset about 1% below its local high but still well above the $80,000 mark reclaimed during the previous session.

⚠️ The rally accelerated after Bitcoin moved out of a range around $77,000–$79,000. Short sellers were forced to close leveraged positions as the price crossed $80,000, adding automatic buy orders to the market. CoinGlass data cited by market reports showed that the broader crypto market recorded more than $500 million in liquidations during the rally, with short positions accounting for most of the total. Bitcoin shorts reportedly absorbed about $415 million of those losses.

📊 Price action has since slowed near a technically important area. Galaxy Research data shared by analyst Quinten François placed Bitcoin’s 50-week moving average near $81,041, almost level with the current market price. According to François, Bitcoin has not closed a weekly candle above that moving average since November 2025. He said a move through $82,800 would also produce the first higher high of the broader downtrend and bring $90,000 back into consideration.

⚠️ Bitcoin price tests $78K as bearish divergence grows

📊 Bitcoin price slipped below $79,000 on Sep. 9 as weakening short-term momentum and liquidity clusters on both sides of the market raised the risk of a sharper move. According to data from cryptonews, Bitcoin price traded near $78,900 at the time of writing, down from an opening price of $81,271 on Sep. 4. The asset briefly fell to $78,455 during the latest daily session before buyers pushed it back toward $79,000.

⭐️ The six-day pullback followed Bitcoin’s failed attempt to extend its rally above $81,000. Price reached a local high above $82,000 earlier in the period but could not hold those gains as macro concerns and leveraged liquidations weighed on demand. Bitcoin’s broader daily structure remains constructive despite the decline. BTC is trading slightly above its 10-day simple moving average at $78,732, while the 20-day SMA is much lower at $70,242.

🌐 The 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day averages are grouped between approximately $66,700 and $70,000. Bitcoin’s position above those longer-term indicators shows that the larger recovery has not broken down, even as short-term momentum cools.

⚠️ Japan finance firms add AI translation and QR payments

📊 PayPay has added UnionPay QR payments across participating Japanese merchants while SMBC has begun deploying an OpenAI-powered interpreter to bank employees. The two companies have not announced a partnership between the products. PayPay’s expansion concerns payments made by overseas visitors, while SMBC’s application handles spoken communication between bank employees and customers.

📣 Travelers can register UnionPay cards issued in mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau within the UnionPay App. At participating PayPay merchants, they can scan or present a payment code to complete purchases through the HIVEX network. PayPay said the service can be used for purchases such as meals, accommodations and souvenirs. Prices appear in Japanese yen at the merchant, while the customer’s application calculates the amount in their home currency.

❗️ HIVEX connects domestic merchants to overseas mobile-payment services without requiring separate technical integration for every wallet. TBCASoft, which operates the platform, said UnionPay App payments became available at HIVEX-enabled PayPay locations in early September. TBCASoft described the service as reaching more than 500 million linked UnionPay card users. The figure represents cards linked across UnionPay’s issuing network, not confirmed users of PayPay merchants in Japan.

⚠️ Anthropic targets November IPO at potential $2 trillion valuation

📊 Anthropic has moved its planned initial public offering to November as investors discuss a deal that could value the Claude developer at roughly $2 trillion and raise up to $100 billion. People familiar with the preparations told the newspaper that the extra time would allow Anthropic to present third-quarter financial results to prospective investors. The company is expected to begin sharing more detailed financial information in the coming weeks, although the final timetable will depend on market conditions and investor demand.

⭐️ Under the figures being discussed, Anthropic could seek a valuation of about $2 trillion and raise up to $100 billion. A transaction of that size would rank among the largest public offerings on record, but the valuation, share count and final proceeds remain subject to change. Investor meetings are expected to test demand before Anthropic settles the terms of the proposed sale. As part of that process, prospective shareholders are likely to examine the company’s revenue growth, computing costs, customer concentration and spending required to train and operate advanced AI models.

🔗 No public registration statement has been identified for the proposed offering. Until Anthropic files offering documents, details such as the exchange, ticker, underwriting banks, and number of shares will remain unconfirmed.

📌 How will ESMA supervise crypto firms under MiCA in 2027?

📣 The European Securities and Markets Authority has set operational resilience, outsourcing and sufficient EU based operations among its main crypto supervisory priorities for 2027 as the bloc moves further into enforcement of the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation.

🌐 ESMA said in its 2027 work program published Monday that its work on MiCA will concentrate on coordinating national regulators and developing more consistent supervision of crypto asset service providers across the European Union. The program comes as the regulator moves from writing and implementing MiCA rules toward overseeing how licensed firms comply with them in practice. Chair Verena Ross described the change during a meeting of the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, saying ESMA’s MiCA work had moved “from rulemaking towards supervision and convergence.”

⭐️ Operational resilience will be one of the main areas under scrutiny as ESMA works with national competent authorities responsible for supervising CASPs. Outsourcing risks, liquidity, reverse solicitation and the classification of crypto assets are among the other areas identified for coordinated work in 2027. Supervisors will pay attention to whether firms maintain sufficient operations within the EU instead of relying heavily on functions or infrastructure based elsewhere.

⚠️ LuxDrop offers 100% deposit bonus worth up to $1,000

📣 LuxDrop is offering new users a 100% bonus on their first qualifying deposit through its Telegram promotion. Users who sign up through http://luxdrop.com/r/telegram and deposit at least $20 can receive a matching bonus of up to $1,000.

🎁 LuxDrop is an online mystery pack platform where players open packs for the chance to win real-world items and real money. Packs can contain everything from electronics and luxury goods to high-value prizes. When a player wins, they can choose to cash out the value directly or have their favorite items shipped straight to their house.

⚔️ Beyond opening mystery packs, LuxDrop features Pack Battles, LuxSpin, Mines, BlackJack and limited-time deals. Players can also climb daily, weekly and monthly leaderboards, earn XP, level up their accounts and unlock free packs and additional rewards as they play.

💎 LuxDrop also operates a VIP program for active players, featuring tier progression, dedicated VIP support, Lossback, Bonus Packs, promo codes and additional rewards. Regular promotions, giveaways and community events provide more opportunities to earn rewards beyond opening packs.

🌐 New users can access the Telegram promotion by registering at http://luxdrop.com/r/telegram and depositing at least $20. LuxDrop will match 100% of the qualifying deposit up to a maximum bonus of $1,000.

📌 Why is Stacks (STX) going up?

📣 Stacks has gained more than 100% over the past 90 days, backed by institutional Bitcoin Staking that is creating a new use for STX that could grow as more BTC enters future bonding periods. According to CoinGecko data, STX was trading around $0.38 on Oct. 6 after gaining roughly 18% over the previous week. The token had already climbed 108% in the 90 days through Sept. 27.

🌐 Those developments have given traders several Stacks specific catalysts at a time when many major altcoins have struggled to match STX’s gains. Bitcoin Staking is particularly important to the long term case because it gives institutions a way to earn BTC rewards while creating a separate use for STX. However, Bitcoin Staking alone cannot account for the entire 90 day rally on its own. Market conditions and renewed interest in the Stacks ecosystem have contributed to the price action as well. But unlike a short term price catalyst, the staking model creates a measurable link between institutional BTC participation and the amount of STX needed to support it.

➡️ The Genesis Bond has already put that relationship into practice, while Bond 2 and subsequent bonding periods will test whether it can repeat as more Bitcoin enters the program. Bitcoin Staking on Stacks allows BTC holders to earn BTC denominated rewards without changing Bitcoin’s proof of work consensus. Under Stacks’ Proof of Transfer system, miners commit BTC to compete for Stacks blocks and receive STX. The BTC committed through the process becomes the source of rewards distributed through the staking system.

🔔 Pi Network upgrade nears: Will PI price hit $0.10?

📣 Pi Network has entered a crucial week ahead of its scheduled Protocol 28 upgrade on October 16, 2026, while its native PI token continues trading near $0.08 following a prolonged market decline. Pi Network’s official node documentation confirms that Mainnet operators must upgrade their software to Protocol 28, with the rollout scheduled for October 16. The October 13 deadline for node operators comes as the network continues developing smart contract capabilities and exploring stablecoin applications.

🌐 Despite the approaching upgrade, PI has remained under selling pressure, trading at approximately $0.08042, down 7.32% over the past week. The upcoming Protocol 28 rollout is the latest stage of Pi Network’s 2026 blockchain development schedule. The project began the year with Protocol 19.6 in February, followed by versions 19.9 and 20.2 in March. Subsequent updates introduced technical improvements designed to support more advanced applications and smart contracts.

✨ Earlier in the year, Pi Network confirmed that Protocol 20 established the technical foundation for smart contracts, including applications involving subscriptions, escrow and digital assets. The team said these functions would undergo development, community review and testing before becoming available on Mainnet. The next planned release, Protocol 28, has attracted attention from Pi community members. X user Giannis Andreou stated that the upgrade was operating on Testnet, with Mainnet activation expected on October 16. He described improvements to transaction data processing and tools that allow developers to update groups of smart contracts together.

📌 Hyperliquid adds 10 HYPE rule as price falls to $78.98

🔗 Hyperliquid has introduced revised order priority rules on its testnet, including a reported 10 HYPE delegation requirement for traders seeking faster order handling through its priority fee system. In an October 18 announcement circulated through its community channels, the decentralized derivatives platform outlined changes to write priority fees following feedback from users. The proposed rules concern traders who depend on low delays when placing, modifying or canceling orders.

🔖 The announcement identifies four changes involving account settings, transaction processing and eligibility for priority fees. Hyperliquid’s existing technical documentation confirms how its priority fee system operates, although the newly reported delegation threshold has not yet appeared in the publicly accessible documentation reviewed for this report. The changes are described as live on testnet. No confirmed date has been announced for applying the revised requirements to mainnet trading.

‼️ The October 18 update introduces a minimum delegated balance of 10 HYPE for accounts seeking to use IOC and ALO priority fees, according to the announcement. IOC, short for immediate-or-cancel, refers to an order that attempts immediate execution and cancels any portion that cannot be filled. ALO, or add-liquidity-only, is used to place orders that join the order book without immediately taking available liquidity.

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