Day: 19 January 2026

QuickBreakdown Bitcoin seven-day average hashrate hits 993 EH/s, lowest since mid-September 2025. Decline of 15% from recent peak; miners pivot to AI amid power competition. Network security holds steady despite a drop, with no immediate risks flagged. ​ Bitcoin’s network hashrate has fallen to its lowest level since September 2025, ...

Quick Breakdown  Hong Kong’s crypto industry supports CARF but wants softer penalties and clearer safeguards. Firms warn that uncapped fines and director liability could raise compliance risks. The debate comes as Hong Kong balances crypto hub ambitions with global tax rules.   Hong Kong’s crypto industry is urging the government ...

Quick Breakdown  $63M in Tornado Cash deposits has been linked to the January 10 $282M wallet exploit. 686 BTC was bridged to Ethereum, converted to ETH, and split before entering mixers. Experts say fund recovery is nearly impossible once assets pass through Tornado Cash.   Roughly $63 million in crypto ...

Quick Breakdown  Aster launched a new on-chain buyback reserve using up to 40% of daily platform fees. Combined with Stage 5, buybacks can now absorb up to 80% of protocol revenue. The framework is positioned as a long-term, transparent demand driver for ASTER.   Aster has rolled out a new ...

Quick Breakdown K33 has launched a crypto-backed lending service in the Nordic region, allowing clients to borrow USDC against Bitcoin and Ether collateral. The initiative leverages K33’s corporate Bitcoin treasury to generate yield and provide liquidity without requiring clients to sell their digital assets. The initial rollout is limited to ...

Quick Breakdown  India wants BRICS nations to link their CBDCs to ease cross-border trade and tourism payments. The proposal could debut at the 2026 BRICS summit, pending government approval. Stablecoin risks, trade imbalances, and technical standards remain major challenges.   India’s central bank is pushing a new idea that could ...

Quick Breakdown  Bitcoin led digital asset fund inflows with $1.55B, marking the strongest weekly total since October 2025. Ethereum, Solana, and select altcoins recorded continued inflows despite late-week market uncertainty. Blockchain equities also gained traction, drawing $72.6M as investor interest broadened beyond tokens.   Digital asset investment products recorded robust ...

Quick Breakdown  Bybit enables XAUT (Tether Gold) deposits and withdrawals on Mantle, expanding on-chain access to tokenized gold. The integration supports Mantle’s real-world asset strategy, offering lower fees and faster settlement for gold-backed crypto assets. The move highlights growing demand for on-chain exposure to stable, asset-backed instruments amid market uncertainty. ...

Quick Breakdown  Vitalik says today’s DAOs are broken and need better governance design. He calls for privacy, smarter coordination, and limited AI support. Goal: stronger on-chain systems beyond simple token voting.   Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has renewed his call for better-designed decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), arguing that the crypto ...

Quick Breakdown  $102M laundered via crypto: South Korean authorities dismantled a multi-year laundering scheme involving nearly 150 billion won. Sophisticated evasion tactics: Funds were masked as trade, education, and medical expenses and routed through multiple countries. Stronger oversight underway: Seoul is tightening crypto transfer rules amid a surge in suspicious ...