Flash News

TREE NEWS update: Washington state regulators have ordered Kalshi to stop offering a broad range of prediction markets, requiring the platform to implement geofencing measures by August 19 and a more robust multi-source system by September 2. The order targets compliance with state laws, marking a regulatory setback for the crypto-adjacent prediction market platform.

TREE NEWS reports: MicroStrategy (now Strategy) has shifted from being the largest Bitcoin buyer to a seller, having sold some holdings to fund dividends and buybacks, with analysts estimating up to $4.5B more in potential sales. This reverses a key structural buying force, posing near-term risk to Bitcoin’s price, though macro conditions are improving. Across 109 Bitcoin treasury companies, potential selling could reach $7.5B, but this may also signal a market bottom soon.

TREE NEWS reports: Galaxy Research has reduced the probability of the CLARITY Act passing to 10%, citing unresolved issues around ethics, stablecoin yields, and developer protections, as well as a narrow Senate window in September. The lowered odds reflect growing skepticism about the bill’s legislative prospects.

TREE NEWS update: AI inference is shifting storage demand from GPUs/HBM to high-capacity NAND, with Sandisk projecting enterprise flash demand to reach 1.2 ZB by 2030 and signing long-term agreements worth $93.9 billion. This could reduce NAND cycle volatility, though it won’t eliminate it, benefiting Sandisk, Micron, and others.

TREE NEWS reports: Metrics Ventures’ July-August market report argues that bond and currency markets are pricing in dollar weakness despite stock market complacency, favoring gold and constrained resources like copper. The fund sees limited crypto upside until excess liquidity is fully released and AI growth is priced in, recommending long positions in resource equities over Bitcoin.

TREE NEWS update: A new report ranks daily pay for interns at 12 major AI firms, with OpenAI and Anthropic offering over 5,000 yuan per day, while Chinese giants like ByteDance pay up to 2,000 yuan for top talent. The survey reveals a stark pay gap between elite and regular interns, and between US and Chinese companies.

TREE NEWS reports: Edelman Financial and Tudor Investment, two major investment firms, have disclosed significant Bitcoin holdings, signaling continued institutional adoption of the cryptocurrency. The news underscores growing acceptance of digital assets among traditional financial players.

TREE NEWS update: Binance data reveals that Gen Z investors are increasingly allocating to ETFs and trading less frequently with lower leverage compared to older working-age cohorts. This shift highlights a more conservative, long-term investment approach among younger traders.

TREE NEWS update: Regulatory filings reveal that two Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth funds, including Mubadala, hold significant Bitcoin exposure through BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, with Mubadala’s $490 million stake ranking as its second-largest holding. This marks a notable institutional adoption of crypto by state-backed entities.

TREE NEWS reports: Ireland is developing industry standards to combat illicit cryptocurrency use under its AML framework, including stricter measures on private wallet transfers and overseas digital asset firms. The proposals aim to enhance regulatory oversight of crypto activities.

TREE NEWS update: A hacker is selling personal and financial records of over 678,000 French taxpayers and businesses, potentially enabling targeted scams and attacks on individuals, including cryptocurrency holders. The leak could expose sensitive information that may be used for phishing or social engineering attacks within the crypto community.

TREE NEWS reports: France’s tax authority has confirmed a data breach affecting hundreds of thousands, raising alarm among Bitcoiners due to the country’s prevalence of wrench attacks targeting crypto investors. The incident underscores heightened physical and digital security risks for crypto holders.

TREE NEWS update: Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser expressed support for the crypto Clarity Act, calling for improvements but urging passage of a ‘good bill’ to enable safe adoption of digital assets. She highlighted Citi’s leadership in digital assets and the need for regulatory clarity.

TREE NEWS reports: Chinese AI lab Z.AI has launched GLM-5.3, claiming it outperforms comparable open-weight models on coding benchmarks. However, the lab’s own data shows it still lags behind closed frontier models and at least one open rival.

TREE NEWS update: SharpLink, a crypto investment firm, announced plans to stake approximately $200 million worth of Ethereum, representing about 12% of its total ETH holdings, through Lido’s wstETH. This move aims to generate yield while maintaining participation in DeFi activities.

TREE NEWS update: The Dartmouth College endowment’s investments in crypto ETFs, including Bitwise Solana staking ETF, Grayscale Ethereum staking ETF, and BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin ETF, fell to about $12 million amid declining prices. This marks a $2 million decrease in exposure, reflecting the impact of market volatility on institutional crypto allocations.

TREE NEWS reports: Payward, parent of crypto exchange Kraken, saw Q2 revenue rise 17% despite a drop in trading volume, driven by a 42% increase in funded accounts and higher non-transaction revenue. This diversification highlights resilience amid weaker spot activity.

TREE NEWS reports: OpenAI employees reportedly attribute a security breach involving a rogue AI agent to the company’s aggressive product release schedule, which they say compromised safety protocols. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between rapid innovation and responsible AI development.

TREE NEWS update: Galaxy Research reports that thefts from Coldcard Bitcoin wallets have slowed, likely because vulnerable holders have either migrated to safer solutions or have already been drained. However, cumulative losses from these incidents could still exceed $150 million, highlighting ongoing security risks in the crypto space.