US regulators signal growing acceptance of prediction markets and event-based trading The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission has issued a no-action letter to Bitnomial, clearing regulatory hurdles for the crypto derivatives exchange to offer event contracts and prediction markets. The decision reflects a broader shift in regulatory posture as US authorities grow more comfortable with blockchain-enabled financial products, particularly in an election-driven trading environment. The no-action letter relieves Bitnomial from certain asset swap reporting requirements that are impractical for high-frequency platforms like prediction markets, where tens of thousands of contracts can trade daily. In exchange, Bitnomial must maintain transparent, public-facing…
Author: Bitxjournal Team
JPM Coin expansion targets multichain institutional payments and FX settlement JPMorgan is accelerating its blockchain strategy with plans to build regulated, interoperable digital money capable of moving across multiple blockchain networks. The initiative centers on expanding JPM Coin, the bank’s U.S. dollar deposit token, as institutional demand grows for faster, always-on settlement infrastructure. JPMorgan plans to extend JPM Coin beyond its current deployment on Ethereum layer-2 Base to additional networks, including the privacy-focused Canton Network. The goal is to enable near-instant payments and settlement across interconnected blockchain environments while maintaining regulatory oversight and strict access controls. JPM Coin represents U.S.…
BofA upgrade highlights Coinbase strategy to bring the financial system onchain Coinbase has received its second “buy” rating in a single week, as Bank of America upgraded the stock and projected significant upside. The move reflects growing confidence in Coinbase’s expanding business model, which now extends well beyond crypto trading into building core infrastructure for an onchain financial system. Bank of America lifted Coinbase from neutral to buy, citing the company’s evolution into an “everything exchange.” The bank highlighted Coinbase’s push into tokenized real-world assets, including stocks and exchange-traded funds, as well as its expansion into prediction markets. These initiatives…
Sanctioned entities increasingly use cryptocurrency to bypass financial restrictions Global sanctions imposed on nation-states and organizations have pushed illicit cryptocurrency activity to record levels in 2025, as sanctioned actors increasingly turn to blockchain networks to move value outside traditional financial systems. New data shows that sanctions, rather than cybercrime alone, are now the dominant driver of illicit crypto flows. Illicit crypto addresses received at least $154 billion in 2025, marking a 162% year-over-year increase from $59 billion in 2024. This surge was primarily driven by sanctioned entities, reflecting a shift in how nation-states engage with crypto infrastructure to evade restrictions.…
OP buyback plan aims to link token value directly to network performance Optimism has introduced a proposal that could significantly reshape the economics of the OP token, aiming to more closely align its value with real network activity. The plan would allocate a substantial portion of Superchain fee revenue toward systematic OP buybacks, marking a shift away from the token’s historically limited governance-only role. Under the proposal, 50% of all Superchain revenue would be used for monthly OP token buybacks, with repurchased tokens returned to the treasury. These tokens could later be burned or redistributed as staking rewards, depending on…
New Zcash wallet aims to restore cypherpunk values and accelerate scaling Zcash developers who recently departed the Electric Coin Company have announced plans to launch a new wallet called cashZ, signaling a renewed push toward cypherpunk principles and faster development. The announcement came less than 24 hours after the team’s public exit, underscoring their intention to remain fully committed to the Zcash ecosystem. ” said former ECC CEO Josh Swihart late on Thursday; The upcoming cashZ wallet is built on the same codebase as the existing Zashi wallet, allowing users to migrate seamlessly. The developers confirmed that the wallet will be released…
Bitcoin adoption in international settlement and central bank reserves drives long-term outlook Bitcoin could reach $2.9 million by 2050 as it evolves into a settlement layer for global trade and a strategic reserve asset for central banks, according to projections from asset management analysts. The forecast positions Bitcoin not as a short-term speculative asset, but as a long-duration hedge against monetary instability and sovereign debt risk. The projection assumes Bitcoin will settle 5–10% of international trade and 5% of domestic trade by mid-century, supported by a 15% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR). Under this model, Bitcoin would function alongside major…
Ethereum layer-1 positioned as foundational operating system for decentralized finance and identity Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has described Ethereum as the “Linux of blockchain,” arguing that the network plays a foundational role similar to the open-source operating system, but for transferring value, managing risk, and coordinating activity on the internet. The comparison underscores Ethereum’s long-term vision as a decentralized, neutral base layer supporting a wide range of applications. According to Buterin, both Ethereum and Linux are open-source systems that enable highly customized implementations without sacrificing decentralization. Linux allows developers to build tailored operating systems, while Ethereum enables customization through its…
Monero price surge highlights stability amid Zcash developer turmoil Monero has reclaimed its position as the leading privacy-focused cryptocurrency by market capitalization, as internal upheaval at Zcash undermines investor confidence. The shift follows months of changing sentiment within the privacy coin sector, where governance stability and development continuity are becoming decisive factors for market leadership. Monero (XMR) has climbed back toward its all-time high near $490, trading around $460 after a steady multi-week rally. This rebound marks a sharp reversal from mid-to-late 2025, when Monero lagged as attention shifted to rival privacy assets. Despite earlier concerns over mining centralization and…
Blockchain intelligence reveals record illicit activity fueled by geopolitical networks and professionalized laundering infrastructure Illicit cryptocurrency activity reached an unprecedented $154 billion in 2025, marking a 162% increase from the revised $57.2 billion total for 2024, according to blockchain intelligence data. Despite representing less than 1% of all crypto transaction volume, this growth highlights the increasing professionalization of onchain criminal infrastructure and the growing role of state-linked actors in bypassing sanctions and financial restrictions. Stablecoins Dominate Illicit Transactions Stablecoins accounted for 84% of all illicit transaction volume in 2025, reflecting their low volatility and cross-border transferability. Criminal networks leveraged full-stack…