The issuance followed a day of disclosures from Metaplanet, which also reported an interim loss for the first half of 2026 through June 30. The company maintained its common dividend at zero during the period.

Metaplanet BitBonds Raise About 200 Million Yen

Metaplanet Securities sold the first BitBonds through small private placements rather than a public offering. The transaction covered the company’s 21st through 24th series of unsecured ordinary bonds.

The four bond series carry annual coupon rates ranging from 4.0% to 4.3% and are scheduled to mature in roughly three years. The offerings raised about 200 million yen, equivalent to approximately $1.25 million.

The financing follows Metaplanet’s 20th series ordinary bond sale in April 2026, when the company raised $50 million with major backer EVO Fund leading the transaction. The first BitBonds tranche is available to a group including retail and corporate investors.

Under the continuing program, Metaplanet can issue additional BitBonds on different terms. The company had previously outlined plans to direct part of Japan’s $7.1 trillion in idle household cash toward Bitcoin-linked products.

Gerovich Says Bitcoin Transfer Was Routine Custody Move

The bond announcement came one day after onchain trackers flagged 3,881 BTC worth about $247 million moving from wallets associated with Metaplanet. The transfers prompted claims that the company could be preparing to sell part of its Bitcoin reserve.

Gerovich said the company transferred 5,014 BTC and denied that any sale took place.

“This was a routine custody operation. No bitcoin was sold, and our holdings remain 43,000 BTC,” Gerovich wrote on X.

He also said the transfer, valued at around $322 million, cost $8 in Bitcoin network fees.

Metaplanet conducted a similar custody rearrangement in March involving about 4,986 BTC. That transaction also did not result in a sale.

Metaplanet Holds 43,000 BTC Despite Paper Losses

Metaplanet remains the world’s third-largest corporate Bitcoin holder, according to Bitcoin Treasuries. Its 43,000 BTC sits behind Strategy’s 840,447 BTC and 514 coins below Twenty One Capital’s 43,514 BTC.

Bitcoin traded near $63,800 on August 13, below Metaplanet’s average acquisition price of about $96,191. That difference left the company with roughly $1.4 billion in unrealized losses, while the holdings remained unchanged because no Bitcoin was sold.

Metaplanet shares traded near 223 yen on August 13, gaining about 0.9% for the day while remaining down more than 43% in 2026. The company’s clarification about the Bitcoin transfer produced no visible selloff in the stock.

The post Metaplanet BitBonds Launch as Gerovich Denies Bitcoin Sale first appeared on Coinfea.

• Ether.fi announced its Summer release, with new fintech and trading products.
• The platform pivots from Web3 into a user-oriented fintech app with expanded on-chain features.
• Ether.fi will integrate xStocks and allow borrowing against tokenized assets.

Ether.fi, one of the leading crypto neobanks, has announced its Summer release, the next generation of its fintech products. According to the platform, the expansion will provide users with tools to save, earn, borrow, trade, and spend seamlessly, replacing traditional banking services.

With the upcoming Summer release, users will enjoy the capabilities of decentralized systems, going beyond the possibilities of traditional finance and not just replicating its services.

As part of its new release, ether.fi expects to tap the latest trends in on-chain trading, including tokenized stocks, metals and the most active digital assets. Ether.fi will also integrate Aave market, allowing its users to lend their assets and borrow against their portfolio as collateral.

‘With ether.fi, we’re bridging the gap between decentralized finance and everyday financial needs,’ said Mike Silagadze, CEO of Ether.fi.
“Our goal is to replace the traditional bank for most users and give them tools and benefits that were previously available only to institutions and high-net-worth individuals. That is the power of DeFi and self-custody,’ he said.’

Ether.fi has also promised new fiat rails, allowing users to not only send assets globally, but also use their named accounts when doing so. The app will also integrate over 30 new fiat currencies and include additional payment methods like CashApp, Apple Pay, and others.

Ether.fi to boost adoption with Summer release

According to the company, it is aiming to reach a broader audience with its neobank expansion. The neobank features are simple, allowing users with little knowledge about crypto access the platform.

Ether.fi has also announced that its application will make provisions that go beyond the gambling and high-risk use cases, offering users a more balanced exposure to assets with on-chain security.

This new release also arrives at a time when other on-chain services are switching to fintech, while still using their existing platform to offer a globally accessible market for any type of asset. Ether.fi is one of the leading Web3 protocols in the industry, provides services to card issuers, and partners with them to spread its consumer-facing fintech products.

As of August 2026, the platform boasts about $3.5 billion in value locked and will continue to boost its collateral value by including tokenized metals, equities, and other assets.

What will Ether.fi offer in its Summer update?

Ether.fi is planning to set a new standard with its summer update, moving forward with its goal of being a crypto neobank.

Users will enjoy the experience of a seamless fintech application, which will still provide them with the access to the existing crypto liquidity ecosystem. The app will integrate xStocks, one of the most liquid and widely adopted forms of tokenized equities in the crypto industry.

The application will also have all the benefits of self-custody, lower fees, and a rewards program for DeFi users. The services will be integrated, which means a user can borrow against the value of their portfolio at a 4% rate and use the Cash Card to send funds, spend, or buy other assets.

In addition to trading, borrowing, and lending, Ether.fi will allow its users to benefit from its programmatic ETHFI buybacks. ETHFI traded around $0.38 as of August 13, with a potential for a further increase in price due to the buybacks. A wider user base may also increase the platform’s fees. Ether.fi produces over $219M in annualized fees with over $50M in revenues. All new products revenue will contribute a share for ETHFI buybacks.

Additional benefits also include a 3% cash back on purchases with Cash card, zero top up fees on the card, and zero forex swap fees at higher membership tiers. The Summer update functionalities will be available to all new and old users immediately. However, some features, including trading on tokenized assets, may not be available to users in the USA and other regions.

The post Ether.fi launches its next-generation neobank services first appeared on Coinfea.

The product has moved ahead of Backed’s xStocks, which now holds $601.2 million after nearly a year in second place. Token Terminal data shows Ondo Finance remains the market leader with $951.8 million and a 34.4% share. The tokenized stock market is now valued at roughly $2.8 billion.

Source: Token Terminal 

Binance bStocks Expands Rapidly Through Exchange Distribution

Binance launched bStocks on June 11, and the product moved into second place within nine weeks. Its growth has outpaced a rival that had established distribution across several chains and platforms.

The gap between bStocks and xStocks shows how quickly rankings have changed. Less than $10 million currently separates the two products by market capitalization.

Distribution has played a role in bStocks’ expansion. The tokens trade inside the Binance application as standard USDT spot pairs, giving existing exchange users access.

A customer with funds held on Binance can buy tokenized Nvidia shares through the same process used to purchase SOL. This removes the need for bridging assets or completing a separate onboarding process.

Conversion Structure Supports Easier Access and Reversibility

The conversion process adds another layer of accessibility. Investors holding the underlying share through Nest Trading can convert that position into a bStock at a one-to-one ratio without paying a fee.

The same process also works in reverse. Holders can convert bStocks back into the underlying shares without locking assets in either direction.

The broader tokenized stock market has also expanded sharply. Its value stood at $569.76 million at the start of the year and has since risen to about $2.8 billion, representing growth of roughly 391%.

During the same period, xStocks grew by around 228%. Its market share declined because the total market expanded faster, while Binance captured a large portion of new issuance.

Issuance Rankings Reflect Minted Value Rather Than Trading

Ondo Finance follows a different operating model. It mints tokenized assets through external company interfaces, including Binance, rather than owning the venue where users access them.

Kraken offers a closer structural comparison because it owns Backed while also operating an exchange. That arrangement combines issuance and distribution under one organization, although Kraken’s user base is smaller.

Market capitalization by issuer measures how much tokenized stock has been minted, not how frequently those tokens trade. A token held in a wallet counts the same as one traded daily.

Binance entered the market with an existing account base and placed tokenized stocks directly inside that distribution network. Current data therefore shows rapid issuance growth, while trading activity remains a separate measure.

The post Binance bStocks Overtakes xStocks as Second-Largest Tokenized Stock Issuer first appeared on Coinfea.

Hyperliquid is currently not open to US users due to regulatory constraints. Perps are not banned outright in the United States, but they do not fit neatly under the Commodity Exchange Act, which sets the clearing, margin, and execution rules for derivatives traded on registered venues. That gap has fueled enforcement actions against both centralized and DeFi platforms offering off-exchange derivatives. Hyperliquid, while operating offshore, has been funding outreach to effect a regulation change that allows for a clear path to introduce perps in U.S. markets.

Hyperliquid pushes advocacy to launch perpetual futures in the US

According to the report, the Hyperliquid Policy Center, funded by the Hyper Foundation, has been running policy research and advocacy in Washington, D.C., with the aim of a regulated access framework for on-chain perpetual contracts and decentralized market infrastructure inside the United States. Both the CFTC and SEC “will have a big role to play in shaping some of the fastest-growing parts of crypto, such as perpetual futures and vaults, which aren’t covered by the Clarity Act,” according to Yang.

US regulators are already adjusting to accommodate perpetual-style products inside compliant structures. In May, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) approved the listing of a perpetual contract tied to the spot price of bitcoin, with plans to review perpetual contracts tied to other assets on a case-by-case basis. In June, the CFTC opened public comment on two proposed changes on 24/7 energy futures and perp contracts tied to oil, Cryptopolitan reported.

In other news, the crypto market saw a decline in perps volume in July, according to CryptoRank. Total centralized-exchange futures volume slid to $4.0 trillion in July, its lowest since December 2023 and down sharply from peaks above $10 trillion in late 2025. A similar trend was observed across the DEX perp markets. Monthly volume dropped by roughly 21% in July to $531 billion. The decline ended the two-month recovery from April, according to CryptoRank.

The post Hyperliquid lobbies regulator to launch perpetual futures in the US first appeared on Coinfea.

“Linux has been one of the most-requested platforms for the desktop app, and this launch extends ChatGPT and Codex across every major desktop operating system,” the company said. OpenAI recommended users run ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work, and Codex “where you already work and build,” alongside their projects and browser workflows on supported systems.

OpenAI makes a list of supported systems

OpenAI lists Ubuntu 24.04 and 26.04 LTS, Debian 13, and Fedora 43 and 44 as supported desktop versions. They’re the base for many downstream flavors, so OpenAI expects a wider set of derivative desktops to run the apps too. Codex was first shipped about a year ago. It was designed for writing features, answering questions about a codebase, fixing bugs, and proposing pull requests.

OpenAI’s arrival came about a month after Anthropic, which already delivered a Claude desktop app for Linux. Anthropic supports Ubuntu 22.04 or later and Debian 12 or later, which is a slightly older baseline than OpenAI’s. In May, OpenAI introduced Codex on the ChatGPT mobile app. This launch came after Anthropic had already released the feature for Claude Code, as reported by Cryptopolitan.

This desktop release brings the same rivalry to the operating system that runs most developer servers and workstations. The Linux app also helps OpenAI’s plan to bring its products together. In March, the company confirmed it was building a single desktop application that would merge ChatGPT, Codex, and its Atlas web browser. That strategy has found its paid engine in Codex. It now has over 5 million weekly active users, most of them paying, compared to a ChatGPT base of about 1 billion mostly free users.

The post OpenAI previews ChatGPT for Linux desktops first appeared on Coinfea.

Messari

Messari’s State of TRON Q2 2026 provides a comprehensive review of network activity and development during the second quarter, including fee trends, transaction and address growth, and progress across protocol governance and infrastructure, including the network’s post-quantum initiative. 

Key Insights from Messari:

• TRON’s Record Network Activity: Average daily transactions on TRON rose 8.7% QoQ from 10.9 million to 11.8 million, totaling 1.08 billion transactions in Q2 2026 and setting a new quarterly record for the third consecutive quarter. The network also printed its highest single day on record, 14.6 million transactions on June 15. Average daily active addresses climbed 11.7% QoQ from 3.2 million to 3.6 million, likewise a record. 
• Institutional and regulated access widened on multiple fronts. Securitize issued its first asset on TRON (Hamilton Lane’s tokenized HLSCOPE credit fund), OKX Europe listed MiFID-compliant TRX expiry perpetuals, CFTC-registered Bitnomial Exchange launched spot TRX tradings, BinanceUS restored TRX trading, and Grayscale placed TRX on its Q2 assets-under-consideration list.
• Post-quantum initiative (April 14, 2026): TRON announced its post-quantum upgrade program, targeting deployment of NIST-standardized signature schemes. The network activated Falcon-512 and ML-DSA-44 signatures on the Nile testnet on July 3. TRON is positioning to be the first major public blockchain with NIST-standardized post-quantum signatures on mainnet.

Read the full report from Messari here.

Nansen

Nansen’s TRON Quarterly Report: Q2 2026 examines TRON’s expanding institutional and cross-chain footprint, ongoing security milestones, and continued growth in developer and community engagement across the second quarter of 2026.

Key Insights from Nansen:

• Daily Active Addresses: TRON averaged approximately 4.4 million daily active addresses in Q2 2026, ranging from 3.1 million to 5.8 million. This represents a significant acceleration from Q1, where daily active addresses averaged 3.2 million (up 37.5% QoQ). The sustained multi-million address count supports TRON’s narrative as one of the most actively used blockchain networks globally, with usage patterns reflecting real economic activity
• RWA & Institutional Finance: Securitize deployed Hamilton Lane’s tokenized Senior Credit Opportunities Fund (HLSCOPE) on the TRON blockchain in early June, marking the first Securitize-issued asset to launch on the network. Securitize manages over $4 billion in total assets under management and partners with Apollo, BlackRock, BNY, KKR, and VanEck, making its decision to deploy on TRON a meaningful signal of institutional confidence. Securitize is the only entity licensed to operate regulated digital-securities infrastructure across both the U.S. (SEC-registered) and EU markets.
• The cross-chain infrastructure buildout was equally significant: The LI.FI and Jumper integrations, arriving back-to-back in late April, meaningfully improved TRON’s interoperability with the broader multi-chain landscape. For a network that processes the majority of global USDT flow, the ability to seamlessly bridge assets from dozens of other chains into TRON’s ecosystem reduces friction for both retail users and developers. Combined with Wormhole’s role as Securitize’s interoperability partner for HLSCOPE, TRON is increasingly connected to cross-chain liquidity rather than operating as an isolated stablecoin silo.

Read the full report from Nansen here.

TRON’s second-quarter developments point to continued growth across the network, with protocol upgrades, progress on post-quantum security, and broader institutional access across markets and asset classes. Record transaction activity, rising developer participation, and expanding institutional adoption further underscore TRON’s role as infrastructure for global stablecoin settlement and digital asset activity.

About TRON DAO

TRON DAO is a community-governed DAO dedicated to accelerating the decentralization of the internet via blockchain technology and dApps.

Founded in September 2017, the TRON blockchain has experienced significant growth since its MainNet launch in May 2018. Until recently, TRON hosted the largest circulating supply of USD Tether (USDT) stablecoin, which currently exceeds $90 billion. As of August 2026, the TRON blockchain has recorded over 398 million in total user accounts, more than 15 billion in total transactions, and over $27 billion in total value locked (TVL), based on TRONSCAN. Recognized as the global settlement layer for stablecoin transactions and everyday purchases with proven success, TRON is “Moving Trillions, Empowering Billions.”

TRONNetwork | TRONDAO | X | YouTube | Telegram | Discord | Reddit | GitHub | Medium | Forum

Media Contact

Yeweon Park

press@tron.network

The post TRON Powered $2.1T in Q2 USDT Transfers; Messari and Nansen Report Record Activity and Institutional Adoption first appeared on Coinfea.

Each transfer was valued at $100,000 or more, marking the busiest day for major transactions since March. The activity coincided with a near 5% LINK rally, adding momentum to recent bullish signals tracked by the analytics firm.

The increase placed whale behavior at the center of attention as holders watched whether LINK could extend its latest move beyond the recent trading range near $9 again.

LINK traded at $8.80 at the time of the report, gaining 1.69% during the day. Despite the move, the token has remained broadly flat over the past year. Santiment has historically linked rising whale activity with periods of stronger price movement, although the firm did not identify transaction destinations.

Chainlink Whale Transfers Signal Increased Network Activity

Santiment said transfers involving between 100,000 and 10 million LINK represented significant movement across the network. At current prices, those transactions ranged from about $880,000 to $8.8 million.

The on-chain activity emerged as LINK pushed above a descending trendline following its August 11 advance. The token climbed nearly 5% during that sess ion and approached the $9 level. Santiment viewed the combination of large transactions and stronger price action as a positive signal for holders monitoring market momentum.

Chainlink one-week price chart. Source: CoinMarketCap

Standard Chartered Sets Long-Term LINK Price Targets

Standard Chartered published a bullish outlook for Chainlink on August 10. The bank set a $200 target for LINK by the end of 2030. It also projected a $13 target for 2026 and a $41 target for 2027.

The bank based its outlook on Chainlink’s role in supporting financial assets moving onto public blockchains. Its analysis also referenced a scenario where the tokenized asset market reaches about $4 trillion by 2028.

Standard Chartered expects Chainlink to remain important as institutions expand blockchain-based financial infrastructure. The bank’s forecast reflects its view that Chainlink could serve as a key connection layer for tokenized markets.

Chainlink Adoption Grows Despite Weak Long-Term Price Performance

LINK remains about 83% below its May 2021 record price of $52.88. However, Chainlink’s network utility has continued expanding through major financial partnerships and infrastructure projects.

In June, Chainlink launched Project Pangea with 47 banks from South Korea and Europe. The project focuses on settling foreign exchange transactions in near real time.

Chainlink had previously secured arrangements with DTCC, Robinhood, and asset manager Amundi. DTCC confirmed in May that its Collateral AppChain will operate on Chainlink’s Runtime Environment.

The DTCC project is targeting a fourth-quarter 2026 launch. Despite these integrations and continued infrastructure growth, LINK has traded mostly between $8 and $10 throughout the year.

The post Chainlink Whale Activity Hits Five-Month High as LINK Eyes Breakout first appeared on Coinfea.

The activity followed months of holding about 43,000 BTC across identified wallets. One wallet now retains 36,000 BTC from Metaplanet’s tracked holdings.

Metaplanet, traded as Nasdaq MTPLF, still controls the third-largest Bitcoin treasury among digital asset treasury companies. The company has not reported any Bitcoin sales. The transfers may represent an internal move, although treasury transactions remain watched during weak market conditions.

MARA Digital Holdings sold 23,093 BTC during the first half of 2026 after abandoning its strict holding policy. The strategy also sold Bitcoin to increase cash reserves despite earlier promises never to sell. It shifted toward dynamic treasury management and sold some Bitcoin below its average purchase price. Hut8 moved 493 BTC without explaining whether the transfer was internal or sale preparation.

Metaplanet BTC Holdings Face Market Pressure

Bitcoin traded near $63,792.22 on August 12 as sentiment remained fearful and spot demand stayed weak. Metaplanet continued buying Bitcoin as recently as July, adding 2,833 BTC in its latest purchase.

Fundraising has slowed alongside its treasury expansion. MTPLF shares are down more than 43% in 2026 and traded near all-time lows of 221 Japanese yen, or about $1.40. The stock has moved sideways or lower for several months.

Metaplanet’s average Bitcoin purchase price is $96,191. A sale near current levels would produce a loss exceeding 34%. In 2026, the company had about $280 million in cash reserves and around $403 million in liabilities.

Metaplanet has written off its losses while maintaining confidence in Bitcoin’s long-term performance. The latest movement is currently considered an internal storage shift rather than capitulation. Holding spot Bitcoin remains a treasury risk because of potential quantum attacks or wallet flaws. Metaplanet uses institutional-grade storage and multisignature wallets for security.

Metaplanet Targets Japanese Household Savings

Metaplanet has slowed debt-funded Bitcoin purchases but continues seeking liquidity to extend its treasury strategy. Chief Executive Simon Gerovich suggested Japanese households may need investments protecting savings against inflation.

Gerovich wrote on X that Metaplanet aims to build financial services for retail investors, without explicitly mentioning Bitcoin.

Metaplanet completed its latest debt raise in April 2026 through its twentieth series of ordinary bonds. It raised $50 million, mostly from EVO Fund, one of its major investors.

Metaplanet Funding Activity Has Recently Slowed

The company also raised $137 million overseas through common stock and warrants in early 2026. More recently, Metaplanet has not announced new funding rounds or additional liquidity sources.

The company has not disclosed any Bitcoin sale following the wallet movements. Its remaining holdings and recent purchases continue to define its treasury position while investors monitor the transferred coins.

The post Metaplanet BTC Transfers Raise Questions Over Possible Bitcoin Sale first appeared on Coinfea.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a decree created by three bodies: the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, the National Bank of Kazakhstan, and the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), which states that private investors will owe no personal income tax on gains from digital-asset transactions for three years. Assets linked to fraud, money laundering, or unlicensed crypto services are exempted from this decree.

Kazakhstan to draft a simplified tax law by 2029

The Vice Minister of AI and Digital Development in Kazakhstan, Gizzat Baitursynov, said his department is already drafting a simplified tax regime that will be implemented after the three-year window, and is separately working to cancel tax audits covering investors’ previous three years. AIFC data show that Kazakh citizens hold roughly 1 million crypto wallets, nearly four times the 256,900 users registered on authorized local exchanges as of March.

A previous Cryptopolitan report claimed that some 95% of the country’s crypto turnover was changing hands outside the regulated market, in peer-to-peer deals or on foreign platforms. In April, the Astana Financial Services Authority named HTX, Bitget, OKX, and MEXC as unlicensed operators, Cryptopolitan reported at the time. The decree also addresses the problem that broke the first mining boom in Kazakhstan: electricity. After China banned Bitcoin mining in 2021, the country became the second-largest mining hub after the United States.

Kazakhstan ranked third globally by hash rate in 2022, but that surge overwhelmed the country’s aging grid, and three power plants in the northeast shut down in an emergency in October 2021, triggering blackouts. Miners at their peak drew an estimated 8% of national electricity output. To keep new mining off the public grid, the order allows oil and gas fields to divert associated petroleum gas that the state does not need into autonomous generators for mining. A parallel “70/30” model gives data centers and miners direct access to up to 70% of new capacity built through infrastructure upgrades.

Nurkhat Kushimov, the general manager of Binance Kazakhstan, called the tax break the decree’s most important measure and said it makes licensed jurisdictions more attractive. Bakhytzhan Kenzhebayev, who chairs Kazakhstan’s Association of Fintech, AI and Crypto Industry, said the exemption removes a key uncertainty for investors. However, he warned that loose legal definitions could invite abuse and force a reversal within a year or two. Separately, the OECD’s Global Forum said Kazakhstan is implementing the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework ahead of its first automatic exchanges of crypto tax data in 2027.

The post Kazakhstan to drive wealth to local exchanges with crypto tax exemption first appeared on Coinfea.

However, he cautioned that talks were at a very early stage. “Various options are on the table, but it is still at the discussion stage, including CBDCs (central bank digital currencies) and linkages of fast payment systems,” he said. The governor stated that the appeal was in terms of cost saving: “Cross-border payments are an area of interest for all of us, including the BRICS, because we feel there is a lot of scope for reducing cost.” CBDCs are digital forms of countries’ official currencies, issued directly by their central banks.

BRICS nations discuss new CBDC linkage plans

Creating a channel between these currencies could let payments travel more directly and with much more ease between nations. This will cut out layers of intermediaries that money usually passes through and lower what each transfer costs. The route of payment with linked CBDCs will work differently, but aim at a faster way for consumers and businesses to send money abroad through the domestic pathways they already use.

These paths are also expected to widen the reach of the Indian rupee. RBI governor Malhotra said the central bank will keep working to internationalize the rupee and to promote local currencies for trade and payments across borders. India is hosting this year’s BRICS summit, an annual gathering that brings together five countries, which include Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The RBI had previously asked the Indian government to place a CBDC-linking proposal on the summit’s agenda earlier in 2026. The country’s goal to internationalize its currency is a major reason to continue to push to link CBDCs amongst the BRICS countries.

The governor also spoke at the event about Indian banks and financial institutions and their use of AI. He asked them to catalogue every AI model already running within their institutions and to adopt AI governance policies approved by their boards.

The post BRICS discusses linking CBDCs and payment systems first appeared on Coinfea.