Hungary Ditches Crypto Checks as First MiCA License Granted

Crypto exchange Gemini has just launched its public prediction market volume API, democratizing access to valuable data and unlocking new possibilities for developers and innovators within the crypto ecosystem. This initiative marks a significant milestone in the transparency and accessibility of predictive market data.

With this tool, developers can now build innovative applications based on prediction volumes, potentially driving broader market participation and fueling a new wave of crypto solutions. The move positions Gemini as a leader in data infrastructure, as the cryptocurrency sector continues to evolve toward greater adoption and practical utility.

Senator Tom Cotton has publicly backed Trump's strikes on Iran, calling its leaders terrorists while crypto markets bleed $80 billion. The escalating geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran are sending shockwaves through digital assets, with investors fleeing mass amid uncertainty about future economic sanctions and implications for crypto compliance. The crypto market's reaction reflects the growing role of digital assets as barometers of global instability, with analysts warning that expanded economic sanctions could significantly complicate crypto exchange and wallet operations, requiring more robust compliance systems while the debate over Bitcoin's status as a safe-haven asset during geopolitical crises is being put to the test.

A shareholder rebellion representing 90% of ownership has forced a public company to liquidate its entire Bitcoin treasury at a crushing loss of £39,984 per coin. The approved liquidation and delisting represents one of the largest corporate Bitcoin divestments in recent memory, highlighting the growing tensions between traditional corporate governance and cryptocurrency holdings. This development comes amid a period of market uncertainty where companies are reassessing their cryptocurrency strategies. While the liquidation was approved quickly by shareholders, it still requires court approval and payment processing to be finalized. The case serves as a cautionary tale for other companies with Bitcoin exposure, underscoring the governance risks and the critical need for clear communication with shareholders regarding crypto asset strategies.

Russian official Andrey Svintsov, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, has issued an urgent warning to citizens to cease purchasing Gram cryptocurrency and halt all financial transactions on Telegram. The recommendation comes as Telegram founder Pavel Durov faces legal charges, creating uncertainty about the future of the token and its use within the messaging ecosystem. This directive represents a significant blow to Telegram's blockchain ambitions and could affect thousands of users who have already invested in the platform. With Russian authorities increasing oversight on cryptocurrencies, the Durov case may set an important precedent for token regulation on global communication platforms.

IBM has achieved what it calls 'Trusted Quantum Advantage,' marking a significant milestone in quantum computing that brings the theoretical threat to Bitcoin's cryptographic security closer to reality. The tech giant's latest quantum machines are now powerful enough to challenge the cryptographic foundations that protect blockchain networks, including Bitcoin's SHA-256 and elliptic curve cryptography. This development underscores the urgent need for the cryptocurrency industry to accelerate quantum-resistant cryptography research. While current quantum computers still lack the capacity to break Bitcoin's encryption, IBM's progress highlights the existential threat looming on the horizon. The Bitcoin community has been aware of this potential vulnerability for years, with researchers already exploring post-quantum cryptographic solutions, but IBM's latest breakthrough suggests the timeline for practical quantum attacks may be shorter than previously anticipated.

Twenty-eight global banking giants, including JPMorgan, Citi, and UBS, successfully moved real money across borders using blockchain-based settlement in a live pilot program coordinated by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) valued at $1 million. This milestone marks a significant advancement in traditional finance's adoption of digital assets, demonstrating the viability of blockchain-based settlement solutions to reduce costs and accelerate cross-border transactions. The BIS pilot signals a potential transformation of the global financial system, where tokenized money could emerge as an efficient alternative to traditional payment networks.