Flash News

TREE NEWS reports: US stocks closed higher, with the Dow up 0.85%, the Nasdaq up 0.29% and the S&P 500 up 0.49%. Among crypto-linked names, Coinbase (COIN) rose 5.90% and Circle (CRCL) gained 5.34%, while MARA fell 3.32%. Amazon (AMZN) added 3.20%, Block (XYZ) rose 2.93% and Intel (INTC) dropped 2.31%.

TREE NEWS update: THORChain technical co-founder Chad Barraford said Tether temporarily froze the network’s USDT vaults and then unfroze them without explanation. Barraford, who also goes by the pseudonym Pluto, disclosed the incident publicly. Tether has not commented on the freeze.

TREE NEWS reports: Former FTX COO Constance Wang said Netflix’s trailer for “The Altruists” made her “physically throw up,” arguing the series misrepresents FTX’s collapse and turns it into a love story. Wang, who served as the exchange’s chief operating officer, made the remarks in response to the streaming giant’s upcoming dramatization of the FTX saga.

TREE NEWS update: NEAR Protocol is weighing a draft plan that would lower its maximum annual token issuance from 2.5% to 1.6%, cutting both dilution and staking rewards. The proposal comes as NEAR has gained 83% over four weeks, outpacing bitcoin and ether. No timeline for a vote or implementation was given.

TREE NEWS update: Sen. Richard Blumenthal is pressing Cantor Fitzgerald to open its records on its business with Tether and on how much Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s family has earned from the deal. The request targets the Wall Street firm’s ties to the stablecoin issuer and the profits flowing to the Lutnick family.

TREE NEWS update: Eldorado Gold’s Skouries mine has been designated a strategic project under the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act, the company said. The designation places the Greek gold and copper project within the EU framework aimed at securing domestic supply of critical raw materials. No further details were disclosed.

TREE NEWS update: Blockchain.com has filed for designated contract market and futures commission merchant licenses in the US, which would allow the crypto platform to operate its own regulated event-contract venue rather than relying on overseas partners. The application covers prediction markets and crypto derivatives. No timeline for a decision was given.

TREE NEWS update: Fintech unicorn OPay has secured a $185 million placement from Standard Bank, the company’s backers include Japan’s SoftBank Group. The deal was disclosed without further terms. OPay operates in digital payments and financial services.

TREE NEWS reports: Bitcoin rebounded after falling to around $80,000, capping a rough week for the largest cryptocurrency. Traders are now placing increasingly high odds that BTC slips further before October ends, betting the bounce does not mark a bottom.

TREE NEWS reports: The suspected hacker behind the Ledger reseller CryptoBillis exploit has moved 430.2 ETH, worth about $1.07 million, into Tornado Cash via four wallets. After Tether froze related funds, the hacker is converting USDT to USDD through SUN.io and USDD’s PSM, with some funds sent to a Binance hot wallet. The Arkham-flagged address still holds roughly $70.6 million, including 11,406 ETH, 213.37 BTC, 13.65 million USDD and 10.91 million USDT.

TREE NEWS update: Ledger is investigating user fund losses linked to Southeast Asian reseller CryptoBilis, the hardware wallet maker warned. Separately, researchers estimate between $72 million and $86 million in suspected crypto thefts connected to the matter. Ledger advised users to review their exposure and flagged the reseller as the focus of the probe.

TREE NEWS reports: Hardware wallet maker Ledger has warned that it is investigating user fund losses tied to Southeast Asia reseller CryptoBilis. Separately, researchers estimate suspected cryptocurrency theft linked to the matter at between $72 million and $86 million. Ledger is advising users to check their exposure and has identified the reseller as the focus of the investigation.

TREE NEWS update: Coinbase said Canadian customers will see delays on deposits and withdrawals made through Interac after the payment network suffered an outage. The exchange did not say when service would return to normal. Interac is the main interbank payment rail used for Canadian dollar transfers in and out of Coinbase accounts.

TREE NEWS update: Starknet said it is “actively considering” becoming its own layer-1 blockchain, a move the Ethereum layer-2 network says would make it the first fully quantum-resistant network by 2027. The token jumped 20% on the announcement. No timeline beyond the 2027 quantum-resistance target was given.

TREE NEWS update: Telegram has rolled out a Money wallet feature that supports Gram transfers and collectibles. The Money section appears after an incoming transfer, the separate service formerly known as Wallet. No further details on rollout scope or supported regions were given.

TREE NEWS reports: Blockchain.com has applied for two licenses with the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission as it pursues entry into prediction markets, CNBC reported. The crypto company’s filing comes as courts weigh several cases involving prediction market platforms. No details on the specific license types or a timeline for the CFTC’s review were disclosed.

TREE NEWS update: DWF Labs-linked firms have sued BitGo in London’s High Court for $141 million, alleging the custodian sold discounted Falcon Finance and ESPORTS tokens about two months before their lock-up expired. The early sales, the claimants say, cratered the value of their remaining holdings. The case is now before the High Court in London.

TREE NEWS update: Blockchain.com has applied to the CFTC for Designated Contract Market and Futures Commission Merchant licenses, which would let it offer US prediction markets and crypto derivatives trading. The application comes ahead of a planned $500 million IPO.

TREE NEWS update: Ostium has proposed giving hacked liquidity providers equity stakes as part of a Stage 2 compensation plan. The plan pairs a pro-rata claim on recovered funds and half of Ostium’s opening fees with an optional equity allocation priced at the company’s next round. The percentages remain unset, and holders have until Oct. 30 to elect.

TREE NEWS reports: Affluent investors are buying crypto faster than their financial advisers are recommending it, leaving a gap between client demand and adviser conviction. OKX attracted new funding, and Strategy shifted more capital toward preferred stock buybacks.