Month: January 2026

Ukraine Blocks Polymarket, Labels Platform for Offering Unlicensed Gambling

admin

Ukraine has blocked access to the prediction market platform Polymarket, classifying its activities as unlicensed gambling under national law. The decision was issued by the National Commission for the Regulation of Electronic Communications (NCEC) on Dec. 10, 2025, under Resolution No. 695. The ruling requires internet service providers to restrict access to online resources that organize, conduct or facilitate gambling without a valid license. As part of the enforcement, the domain polymarket.com has been added to Ukraine’s public register of blocked websites, effectively cutting off local access to the platform,…

Bitcoin (BTC) Challenges $92K Again, Monero (XMR) Charts New ATH: Market Watch

admin

MYX and IP are also on the rise. Bitcoin’s price tapped a 6-day peak earlier today when it jumped past $92,500 briefly before it slipped back down to $92,000. Most larger-cap altcoins have marked minor gains over the past day, with ETH reclaiming $3,100 and BNB tapping $910. XMR has stolen the show once again, surging to yet another all-time high. BTC Aims at $92K The primary cryptocurrency began the previous business week with a strong rally that built on the weekend gains. At the time, BTC had already…

Kraken Backs SPAC Filing For US Crypto Infrastructure IPO

admin

Major US cryptocurrency exchange Kraken is backing a new special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that plans to go public through a Kraken-affiliated sponsor. KrakAcquisition, a new blank check company backed by Kraken, Tribe Capital and Natural Capital, on Monday filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to raise up to $250 million in an initial public offering (IPO). Incorporated in July 2025 as a Cayman Islands exempted company, KrakAcquisition plans to offer 25 million units at $10 each and expects to apply to list the units on the Nasdaq…

Monero (XMR) Hits Fresh Records But Experts Warn Against FOMO Entries

admin

While Zcash once led attention, interest has rotated back to Monero as privacy becomes strategically valuable. Monero (XMR) has been moving sharply higher and has managed to draw fresh attention from traders even as much of the wider crypto market continues to struggle for direction. Its new all-time high has been predictably met with high crowd FOMO. XMR Steals the Show Several privacy-focused cryptocurrencies have performed well over the past three months. Monero now appears to be leading the sector as other rivals slip into the background. According to…

Nigeria Uses Tax IDs to Trace Crypto Activity Without Onchain Monitoring

admin

Nigeria is rolling out a new approach to cryptocurrency oversight that relies on tax and identity systems rather than blockchain surveillance, as part of a sweeping reform of its tax regime. Under its newly implemented tax reforms, crypto service providers are required to link transactions to the Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) and, where applicable, National Identification Numbers (NINs).  The framework, which took effect on Jan. 1, is embedded in the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA) 2025 and marked one of the country’s most sweeping tax overhauls.  By requiring identity disclosure…

Italy’s CONSOB Warns Finfluencers on ESMA Crypto Risk Rules

admin

Italy’s securities regulator, the Commissione Nazionale per le Societa e la Borsa (CONSOB), has amplified a new factsheet from the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), warning social media finance influencers, or “finfluencers,” that European Union rules on investment recommendations and advertising apply fully to crypto and “get rich quick” content. In a Monday communication, CONSOB highlighted the ESMA’s finfluencers document, published on Thursday, which warns creators that “promoting a financial product or service isn’t like promoting shoes or watches.” Pushing contracts for difference (CFDs), forex, futures, certain crowdfunding products,…

Solana Policy Institute Urges SEC Protect DeFi Developers From Regulations

admin

Update (Jan. 13, 2026, 9.45 a.m. UTC): This article was updated to clarify the legal status and jurisdictions of recent cases involving Tornado Cash developers. The Solana Policy Institute, a nonprofit focused on blockchain policy, urged the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to clearly distinguish between centralized crypto exchanges and non-custodial decentralized finance (DeFi) software, arguing that developers who publish open-source code should not be regulated as market intermediaries. In a Friday letter to the agency, the institute said developing and deploying non-custodial smart-contract software is fundamentally different from…

Are Whales Behind Bitcoin’s Slide?

admin

Bitcoin whales have sold 220K BTC in a year as key metrics remain low, with analysts projecting a potential cycle bottom by late 2026. Recent data shows that large Bitcoin holders are reducing their positions. Addresses holding between 1,000 and 10,000 coins have offloaded a total of 220,000 BTC over the last 12 months. This is the fastest drop in holdings by this group since early 2023. Similar behavior in past cycles came before market peaks. Whale Holdings Show Steep Decline According to CryptoQuant, wallets with 1K–10K BTC saw…

Thailand Targets ‘Grey Money’ With Unified Gold and Crypto Oversight

admin

Thailand has launched a campaign against so-called “grey money,” tightening oversight across physical gold markets and digital assets as part of an effort to close money laundering loopholes, according to local reports. The push, reportedly ordered by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, brings traditionally separate asset classes under a single framework that combats illicit finance.  Local media outlet The Nation reported that the initiative targets areas that have been exploited by criminal networks to move and store value outside of the banking system. This includes gold bars, online gold platforms and…

New Senate Crypto Draft Allows Activity-Based Stablecoin Rewards

admin

A new US Senate CLARITY Act draft allows crypto companies to offer activity-based rewards to stablecoin users. The proposal, titled the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, reveals that certain rewards and incentives tied to the use of stablecoins would be permitted. Still, the provision notes that offering rewards does not cause a stablecoin to be treated as a security or a bank-like product. “Families and small businesses benefit from clear rules of the road,” Senate Banking Chair Tim Scott, who released the amended draft, said in a statement shared with…