Crypto

HEX token plunges 30% as reports surface of founder Richard Schueler's arrest in Istanbul

The HEX cryptocurrency lost nearly a third of its value on Thursday after local media reported that founder Richard Schueler, known as Richard Heart, was detained by authorities in Istanbul. The token's market capitalization fell to about $340 million, erasing roughly $160 million in value.

Bitget, Liquid exploits push Q3 crypto hacks toward $1.2B

Cryptocurrency hacks surged to $1.18 billion across 107 recorded incidents in the third quarter of 2026, driven largely by attacks on exchanges Bitget and Liquid, according to a new report from blockchain security firm Hacken.

ASIC Unveils Proposed Crypto Exchange Rules With A$14 Million Capital Floor

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has released a consultation package that would impose new operating standards on cryptocurrency exchanges, including a requirement to hold net tangible assets of at least A$14 million. The proposals implement the Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Act 2026 ahead of its enforcement in April 2027 and cover customer asset protections, conflict-of-interest controls, and token listing obligations. ASIC is seeking feedback until November 27.

15 Oct 2026· 3 sources

Bitcoin mining pool Binance Pool to shut down as hashrate falls 65%

Binance Pool, a bitcoin mining pool that once handled about 2.3% of the network's computing power, is shutting down after its hashrate fell roughly 65%, from 26 EH/s in December to about 9 EH/s. Its remaining miners must choose another provider before a November 10 cutoff, according to CoinDesk.

VanEck withdraws application for Lido staked Ether ETF

Asset manager VanEck has withdrawn its application for a proposed Lido staked Ether exchange-traded fund (ETF), according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

Polygon completes Coinme acquisition, gains US payments licenses

Polygon Labs has completed its acquisition of crypto cash-exchange firm Coinme, giving its stablecoin payments platform regulated money transmission coverage across 48 US states, the company said Wednesday.

FBI and Brooklyn DA Dismantle Crypto Fraud Network Targeting Russian Speakers

The Brooklyn District Attorney's Office and the FBI have dismantled the online infrastructure of a multinational cryptocurrency fraud ring that preyed on Russian-speaking Americans, seizing 112 servers and shutting down 241 websites. Prosecutors say the network stole tens of millions of dollars from victims before attempting to defraud them again with phony asset recovery offers.

14 Oct 2026· 4 sources

Bitcoin slides below $82,000 as hot core inflation doubles odds of October Fed hike

Bitcoin fell below $82,000 on Wednesday, touching an intraday low of roughly $81,500, after US core inflation for September came in hotter than expected and revived expectations of another Federal Reserve rate hike. CoinGlass data showed more than $100 million in leveraged positions were liquidated within an hour of the inflation report, with total liquidations exceeding $220 million over 24 hours.

14 Oct 2026· 4 sources

Kraken parent Payward to acquire EU bank in first for crypto industry

Payward, the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, has agreed to acquire Saldo Bank, a European Union-licensed bank, marking the first time a crypto firm has bought a regulated bank in the bloc. The deal, subject to regulatory approval and expected to close in 2027, will allow Payward to offer EU customers interest-bearing deposits, loans, card services and euro payments.

Hex Founder Richard Heart Detained in Istanbul on Interpol Red Notice; $4 Million and 64 Watches Seized

Richard Heart, the founder of the Hex cryptocurrency and PulseChain, was detained with his wife in Istanbul on Wednesday in a joint operation by Turkish police and the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), acting on an Interpol Red Notice requested by Finland, according to Turkish media.

14 Oct 2026· 4 sources

U.K. Sanctions Cryptomus, Accusing Crypto Platform of Being Major Money Laundering Hub for Russian Cybercrime

The United Kingdom has imposed economic sanctions on the cryptocurrency platform Cryptomus and related services for acting as a major conduit for payments linked to ransomware, narcotics, darknet markets, fraud and cybercrime and for helping Russia circumvent existing financial restrictions.

Bitcoin Retreats From $84,000 Spike as Traders Eye US Inflation Data

Bitcoin briefly touched $84,000 early Wednesday before falling back to around $83,200, as traders await US inflation data and corporate earnings that could set the tone for risk assets.

S&P 500 options drive most volume on Hyperliquid-based exchange Hypercall

Hypercall, a derivatives exchange built on the Hyperliquid crypto platform, says most of its $640 million in trading volume since June has come from S&P 500 options, according to a CoinDesk report.

British software engineer sues BitMEX for return of 324.8 Bitcoin over unlicensed trading

A British software engineer is suing the operator of crypto derivatives exchange BitMEX for the return of 324.8 Bitcoin, worth about £20.4 million on October 1, alleging the exchange conducted regulated activities in the UK without authorisation from the Financial Conduct Authority.

Ledger reviews supply chain policies after $93M hardware wallet tampering attack

Ledger is reviewing its sales policies and anti-tampering protections after a supply chain attack in which unauthorized hardware implants were discovered inside its crypto hardware wallets, enabling the theft of $93 million in cryptocurrency. The company confirmed the review on October 13 following the so-called 'Cryptobilis incident,' first noticed on October 9 when hundreds of wallets were drained simultaneously across multiple blockchain networks.

Ripple Integrates Stripe-Owned Wallets Into XRP Ledger as AI Payments Surpass 14 Million

Ripple has added Stripe-owned wallets to the XRP Ledger, a move that will allow software agents to pay for online services using XRP and the RLUSD stablecoin. The announcement comes as the firm reports that AI-related payments on the network have passed 14 million transactions, though the true economic value of those transactions has not been disclosed.

Coinbase publishes detailed quantum-proof roadmap for Bitcoin

Coinbase, which custodies roughly 5% of all Bitcoin, has published a detailed technical proposal urging Bitcoin developers to begin migrating to quantum-resistant cryptography immediately, warning that consensus changes and the migration itself could take years and cannot wait until a quantum threat materializes.

14 Oct 2026· 2 sources

South Korea blocks 27 crypto exchange websites, raising withdrawal fears

South Korea has ordered the blocking of domestic access to 27 crypto websites, including KuCoin and MEXC, extending its crackdown on unregistered foreign operators and raising concerns about existing customers' ability to withdraw their funds.

Solana Locks In Alpenglow Upgrade for October 21, Targeting Near-Instant Finality

Solana has set October 21 for Alpenglow, a major upgrade that replaces its core consensus mechanism and aims to reduce transaction finality from roughly 12.8 seconds to about 150 milliseconds. The switch, tied to epoch 1064 expected to begin around 15:00 UTC, will also eliminate vote transactions from blocks, sharply lowering reported TPS figures without affecting real activity.

14 Oct 2026· 2 sources

Metaplanet raises $329 million in convertible bonds to refinance Bitcoin-backed loans and buy back shares

Metaplanet, the Japanese Bitcoin treasury company, has announced plans to issue about $329 million (¥52 billion) in zero-coupon convertible bonds, using the proceeds to repay Bitcoin-collateralised loans and fund share buybacks. The move comes after the company's stock declined 90% from its peak and its borrowing against Bitcoin holdings exceeded internal risk limits.

BitMEX sued for £20m over alleged mis-selling of crypto derivatives in UK

A cryptocurrency exchange founded by billionaire Reform UK donor Ben Delo is being sued for £20m over claims it mis-sold derivative products to UK investors without regulatory approval. Software engineer Lewis Barber alleges BitMEX offered crypto derivatives in the UK despite not being authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), making the contracts void under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

14 Oct 2026· 2 sources

BNY and Citadel Securities complete first tokenized Treasury repo on major triparty platform

BNY and Citadel Securities have completed the first tokenized U.S. Treasury repo workflow on a major triparty platform, a milestone in Wall Street's push to use blockchain technology for faster and more efficient settlement and financing.

ASIC moves to close crypto derivatives loophole after retail traders lose A$458 million

Australia's corporate regulator has proposed closing a regulatory gap that allows some cryptocurrency-settled derivatives to bypass existing leverage limits, after finding that 68 per cent of retail clients trading contracts for difference (CFDs) lost money in the 2023-24 financial year, with combined losses exceeding A$458 million.

Strive's $280M Bitcoin Buy Delivers Just 1.72% Per-Share Gain as Dilution Eats Most of the Benefit

Strive, the Nasdaq-listed Bitcoin treasury company, disclosed its largest Bitcoin purchase since January — roughly $280 million worth — but the headline figure masks a modest 1.72% increase in Bitcoin per common share, as a concurrent rise in effective common shares diluted much of the benefit.

UK crypto trader says nearly $800,000 stolen at knifepoint in 'wrench attack'

A crypto trader in the United Kingdom has claimed that masked intruders stole nearly $800,000 in cryptocurrency at knifepoint. CoinDesk reported the account on October 13 amid concerns that so-called wrench attacks, a form of physical extortion targeting crypto holders, are proliferating in the country.

Crypto exchange MNX launches pre-IPO futures for AI companies OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek

A new crypto exchange called MNX has begun offering pre-IPO futures contracts tied to the valuations of major private AI companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic and DeepSeek, positioning itself against established rivals OKX and BitGet.

Federated Hermes to Launch Onchain Fund Shares in Tokenization Push

Federated Hermes, the Pittsburgh-based asset manager with $911 billion in assets, is teaming up with digital securities firm Prometheum to create blockchain-based share classes of its funds, marking one of the largest traditional asset managers to move into onchain fund distribution. The initiative would allow investors to hold tokenized fund shares through conventional brokerage accounts, bridging the gap between digital assets and mainstream finance.

Stacks' STX Token Rises 50% in Four Weeks

STX, the native token of the Stacks Bitcoin layer-2 network, has risen roughly 50% over the past four weeks, according to CoinDesk's Oct. 13 market briefing.

Russia authorises Sberbank to trade cryptocurrencies ahead of December launch

Russia's central bank has granted Sberbank, the country's largest lender, permission to trade cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ether and Tether USDt, with a planned launch in December. The Bank of Russia updated its register on Tuesday to list 10 authorised crypto exchange operators and six digital custodians, up from four and five respectively a week earlier.

UK High Court Rules Chinese Law Governs Claims to Seized $5B Bitcoin Haul

The UK government's chances of keeping a 61,000 Bitcoin haul worth about $5 billion seized from convicted fraudster Zhimin Qian have improved, after the High Court in London ruled that Chinese law applies to victims' claims to the coins. Lawyers for the victims, who had hoped English law would help them recover their losses, plan to appeal.

13 Oct 2026· 4 sources

Binance to shut down crypto mining pool services in November

Binance has announced it will discontinue its mining pool, Binance Pool, and related services on Nov. 10, 2026, ending a service that has been running for over six years. The exchange is urging miners to move to alternative pools before the shutdown.

Asian chip rout triggers $800 million in crypto liquidations

A rout in Asian chip stocks wiped out about $800 million in leveraged cryptocurrency positions over 24 hours, with 86% of the liquidations hitting bullish traders, CoinDesk reported.

Blur, once the largest Ethereum NFT marketplace, to shut down after volumes fall 99%

Blur, once the largest marketplace for NFTs on Ethereum, will close its website on Nov. 12 after monthly trading volumes collapsed from about $1.43 billion at its 2023 peak to under $7 million, a decline of roughly 99%. The shutdown comes ten days after sister project Blast announced it was closing too.

South Korea blocks 27 unregistered crypto exchange websites, including KuCoin, MEXC and BitMart

South Korean authorities have approved measures to block domestic access to 27 websites operated by unregistered crypto exchanges and other virtual asset service providers, including KuCoin, MEXC, Phemex and Bitrue, in a move that regulators say is aimed at protecting investors from potential losses.

FSB warns $300 billion stablecoin market faces cross-border bank run risk

The Financial Stability Board has warned that stablecoins could face redemption crises during market stress even when fully backed, because reserve assets held across borders may become inaccessible exactly when holders demand their money back. The warning, in an Oct. 12 report, lands days before G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meet on Oct. 15.

Standard Chartered launches custody for Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin

Standard Chartered has launched custody services for Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin at its Dubai International Financial Center branch, part of a broader plan to allow institutional clients to use the token as collateral for trading without transferring the underlying assets.

Proposed US accounting rules could make stablecoins cash equivalents, Tempo report says

A report from Stripe-backed blockchain firm Tempo argues that a proposed overhaul of US accounting standards could clear a major hurdle for corporate stablecoin use by allowing qualifying tokens to be classified as cash equivalents on company balance sheets.

XRP Ledger fixes decade-old counterfeiting bug in payment engine

Developers of the XRP Ledger have disclosed and patched a critical vulnerability in the network's payment engine that could have let an attacker create counterfeit XRP. The integer overflow flaw sat dormant in the code for roughly a decade before a researcher reported it through the XRPL bug bounty program in September.

EU ministers agree to move oversight of major crypto firms to central watchdog

EU finance ministers have agreed to shift supervision of the bloc's largest crypto companies to a central watchdog, in a move designed to close a loophole in the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) that allows firms licensed in one member state to serve customers across all 27 EU countries under home-country oversight alone.

Global Financial Watchdog Urges Cross-Border Crisis Planning for Stablecoins

The global financial watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), has called on countries to improve cross-border information sharing and develop contingency plans for stablecoin failures. A report published on October 12 warns that stablecoins jointly issued by multiple companies could trap reserves in one jurisdiction while redemption demands hit another, creating a dangerous gap in crisis response.

South Korea's Jeonbuk Bank Launches First Bitcoin-Backed Loans

Jeonbuk Bank has become the first traditional bank in South Korea to offer loans backed by bitcoin, a move that brings crypto collateral into the mainstream banking system. The bank ran its own stress tests to assess bitcoin's resilience during sharp price drops and chose the cryptocurrency based on its deep liquidity, the bank said.

SWI raises €800 million to convert former FTX-backed bitcoin miner into AI infrastructure

SWI Group has raised €800 million to accelerate its conversion of former FTX-backed bitcoin miner Genesis Digital Assets into AI and high-performance computing infrastructure, the Amsterdam-listed company announced Oct. 12.

12 Oct 2026· 2 sources

Researchers detail Ledger wallet implants as traced losses reach $93M

Independent researchers have documented three generations of hardware implants in Ledger Nano X wallets that can intercept recovery phrases and transmit them over cellular networks, as investigators trace up to US$93 million in suspected crypto thefts linked to devices sold by Southeast Asian reseller CryptoBilis.

12 Oct 2026· 4 sources

XRP Ledger defends emergency patch for bug that could mint unlimited XRP

XRP Ledger developers have defended an emergency security patch that fixed a bug capable of creating XRP beyond the network's fixed supply, saying the usual two-week validator vote would have left the network exposed to attackers.

Supreme Court pressed to settle legality of prediction markets

The U.S. Supreme Court has not yet indicated whether it will hear cases over the legality of prediction markets, even as several amicus briefs, an interim final rule and a new rule proposal have piled up in the dispute, according to CoinDesk's State of Crypto newsletter.

11 Oct 2026

IMF sees demand for tokenized stocks but warns market is volatile and illiquid

The International Monetary Fund has found genuine demand for tokenized stocks, with investors using blockchain-based shares for smaller and after-hours trades, but it warns the market remains volatile and illiquid.

11 Oct 2026