⚖️ EU targets $120B crypto network in Russia sanctions package
The European Union has unveiled its 21st sanctions package against Russia, with a significant focus on cryptocurrency for the first time. The package includes measures targeting what the EU describes as a $120 billion crypto network.
For the first time, the EU is considering a ban on third-country crypto service providers. The package also targets 14 crypto companies, though their names have not yet been disclosed publicly.
If adopted, the move would mark a notable expansion of EU sanctions enforcement into the crypto sector, setting a precedent for how Western regulators may approach crypto-enabled sanctions evasion.
Samsung announced native stablecoin support for its Samsung Wallet app at the 2026 Galaxy Unpacked event, alongside the launch of the new Samsung Galaxy Card.
The company described the wallet as "the foundation of a connected financial ecosystem" with the addition. No specific stablecoins or partner networks were named in the announcement.
The move signals growing mainstream interest in stablecoin integration at the consumer hardware level, potentially exposing millions of Samsung device users to crypto-native financial tools.
🌐 Brazil Completes First Tokenized Livestock Deal on Its Stock Exchange
Brazil has executed its first tokenized livestock transaction on the country's stock exchange, using dairy cattle as collateral to unlock farm credit amid a deepening credit crisis in the sector.
The deal allows dairy farmers to tokenize their cows as on-chain assets, enabling them to access loans through capital markets infrastructure rather than traditional agricultural lending channels.
The milestone marks a practical application of real-world asset tokenization in an economy where agricultural finance gaps are significant.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) warns that Southeast Asian scam networks have evolved from fragmented syndicates into a unified, tech-driven criminal economy — with crypto at its core.
The networks are estimated to have cost victims up to $114 billion in a single year. According to UNODC, these operations increasingly rely on cryptocurrency to move and launder funds, making them harder to trace and disrupt.
The warning highlights crypto's growing role in large-scale fraud infrastructure, posing a significant challenge for regulators and law enforcement globally.
🏦 BitMEX, the exchange that invented perps, is shutting down
BitMEX, co-founded by Arthur Hayes in 2014, is closing down — marking the end of one of crypto's most influential trading platforms.
The exchange is widely credited with inventing the perpetual swap contract with 100x leverage, a product that fundamentally reshaped derivatives trading across the entire industry and became the template for virtually every major crypto exchange that followed.
The closure ends a decade-long run for a platform that was once the dominant venue for Bitcoin derivatives before regulatory pressure and competition eroded its market position.
🟠 Bitcoin options lean bullish with $72K and $80K call targets
Bitcoin open interest in futures hit $49.82 billion this week, with traders across CME and Binance positioning heavily on the upside. Options flow shows concentrated bets on $72K and $80K strike prices.
CME, the preferred venue for institutional players, is seeing growing call activity, while retail-focused exchanges are showing declining open interest — a divergence that suggests institutional money is driving the current bullish tilt.
Options positioning and futures open interest are closely watched as sentiment indicators, and the current skew toward higher strikes reflects trader expectations rather than guaranteed outcomes.