Getting informed

Crypto aims to become a means of payment like any other. In the eurozone, it is still far from it. In a large survey conducted by the European Central Bank (ECB), it is noted that, even in the case of sector development followed by the entry into force of the MiCA regulation, crypto payments remain marginal at the merchant level. Consumers are still attached to traditional payment channels while businesses show reluctance to take the plunge. This gap persists between the ambitions of the crypto industry and actual usage. Will European regulation be enough to shift the lines?

Ethereum begins sorting for Hegotá, its expected upgrade in 2027. As of August 16, 66 proposals remained in competition. FOCIL has already secured its place, while three other EIPs could provide privacy applications with tools directly integrated into the protocol.

The 21 million bitcoin cap is back in the debate. Developer Peter Todd advocates for a permanent issuance to continue remunerating miners after 2140. Adam Back does not want it. The Blockstream boss sees in this argument a way to rally users to a dangerous modification of Bitcoin rules. No change is currently being prepared.

Apple changes its strategy in China. No more third-party models: the American giant has trained its own AI, supported by Alibaba, to equip all Apple devices intended for the Chinese market.

Bitcoin at 1 million dollars before 2030 makes part of the market dream. However, behind this spectacular projection, one question arises: does the global liquidity really allow to absorb such a surge? A fundamental analysis puts this scenario into perspective and confronts market ambitions with macroeconomic constraints. For investors, the debate also touches on leverage, market expectations, and the actual place bitcoin can occupy in institutional portfolios.

The crypto market is going through a new phase of tension, as prices remain under pressure for several weeks. In this context, Katie Stockton, founder of Fairlead Strategies, identifies technical signals that could indicate a trend change. According to her analysis, bitcoin now shows a long-term oversold situation on two indicators monitored by her firm. This combination is rare and remains under watch. It could signal the approach of a major bottom, rather than a simple temporary rebound.

What if bitcoin forced us to rethink what we call "money"? On August 15, Michael Saylor reignited the debate with his essay "What Is Money?" For the Executive Chairman of Strategy, bitcoin transcends the status of a speculative asset, as it constitutes an infrastructure designed to preserve and transfer capital. This vision directly contrasts algorithmic scarcity, fiat currency, and gold, while finding a practical expression in his company's treasury strategy. A thesis that could change how investors evaluate money, capital, and their preservation.

Strategy thought it had won the battle in January. Seven months later, MSCI returns with a different method that could lead to the same result: the removal of the largest listed holder of bitcoin from several global indices. This time, the word "crypto" almost disappears from the framework. In its place, five financial ratios intended to identify companies whose value depends more on accumulated assets than on traditional operating activity. And in MSCI's simulation, Strategy falls directly into the net.

The American crypto industry is now invited to the heart of power. Donald Trump is set to convene key figures from this ecosystem, prediction markets, and artificial intelligence at the White House. This meeting highlights the growing attention Washington is paying to these strategic sectors. Behind this meeting also lies the future direction of American policy towards these assets. Who will attend this meeting and what decisions might result?

Binance reveals Gen Z is shifting toward ETFs and stepping back from leverage and high-risk trading.

The decline in prices would not be enough to stop bitcoin adoption. This is the finding presented on August 12 by Zach Pandl, research director at Grayscale. According to him, several trends far exceed the movements of a market cycle. Public deficits, the rise of blockchain in finance, and the evolution of generational portfolios could thus support demand in the medium and long term. This analysis does not predict an automatic price increase but highlights structural factors capable of continuing their progress despite instability.

OpenAI is losing its leaders in cascade as it approaches a public offering that could value the company at $1 trillion. The hemorrhage occurs as its rival Anthropic has just surpassed OpenAI in annualized revenues.

Reddit will join the S&P 500 on August 18. The operation could force index funds to buy about 16.7 million RDDT shares to replicate the new index composition. This is almost three normal trading days concentrated around a single rebalancing. The stock has already jumped more than 11% after the announcement.

Nigel Farage has just regained his Clacton parliamentary seat with 63% of the votes. His return to Parliament also reignites an investigation suspended since his resignation in July. The British standards commissioner is interested in several million dollars in donations and benefits received from two men linked to crypto.

The crypto derivatives market could cross a new regulatory milestone. Nasdaq has submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission a proposal aimed at simplifying the listing of options linked to crypto ETFs. The text mainly seeks to set common criteria for funds exposed to digital commodities. This approach comes as U.S. regulations remain in flux. This approach comes as U.S. regulations remain in full development.

Binance cuts ties with 16 crypto players. Since August 14, 2026, the giant no longer processes their transactions in order to comply with international sanctions related to the war in Ukraine and anti-money laundering requirements. Among the targeted platforms is HTX (formerly Huobi), a global heavyweight in the sector. Under European and American regulatory pressure, Binance now prioritizes compliance over interconnection between exchanges. This decision reveals how sanctions and regulation are beginning to reshape relations between major crypto platforms.

Donald Trump opens the door to a new form of response against foreign criminal networks. In a memo signed on August 12, 2026, the American president authorizes certain licensed private companies to participate in cyber operations under federal supervision. Crypto scam networks are among the targets, but the precise rules of these interventions are still to be written.

Bank Leumi teams up with Galaxy Digital to launch Bitcoin, Ether and Solana trading in its app by 2027.

Is Wall Street taking advantage of crypto volatility to advance its pieces? In the second quarter of 2026, JPMorgan significantly increased its exposure to bitcoin and Ethereum, while reconnecting with XRP. The bank's latest regulatory filings reveal $355.7 million invested in BlackRock's IBIT Bitcoin ETF, as well as a 338% increase in its position on the Ethereum ETHA ETF. This move contrasts with recent capital outflows recorded by spot Bitcoin ETFs and reveals a striking gap between short-term turbulence and institutional choices.

France faces a new leak of sensitive data. A hacker claims to have extracted information concerning nearly 678,000 taxpayers following fraudulent access to the DGFiP system. Bercy confirms the intrusion and data exfiltration, but not this number yet. Individuals and professionals are among the potential victims.

Solana prepares SIMD-0553: a fee change that could reduce the crypto validators' revenue. All the details here!

KPMG has just confirmed what Tether has been promising for years: a complete audit, not just a simple attestation. The result is a 6.8 billion dollar reserve surplus with an unqualified opinion to boot. But a detail that Paolo Ardoino does not highlight somewhat cools the enthusiasm.

Trezor has just warned 13,689 clients after a data leak at one of its logistics providers. Names, emails, phone numbers, and delivery addresses were exposed according to the affected users. Wallets were not hacked and no private keys leaked. Good news for cryptos. A bit less so for personal data.

The quantum threat pushes Ethereum to reconsider its cryptographic choices. Poseidon, long considered as a hash function suitable for zero-knowledge proofs and the post-quantum era, has just been discarded by the network's researchers. Behind this change lies much more than an algorithm choice. Thus, Ethereum is revising the cryptographic foundations of its future architecture. A new approach now promises better performance, enhanced auditability, and safer integration. It remains to understand why Poseidon lost the race, what gains its replacement offers, and at what pace this transition could reach the network.

Bitcoin open-source development enters a new phase of oversight. A volunteer red team now uses several Chinese AI models to track flaws in hundreds of projects linked to its ecosystem. The Kimi K3 model, designed by the startup Moonshot AI, plays an important role in this operation. Researchers combine automated analysis capabilities and human expertise to identify risks, then discreetly warn the developers concerned before any detailed technical publication in the crypto ecosystem.

In France, the crypto threat no longer stops at the screens. In the Somme, a young couple suffered three home invasions for cryptos they claim never owned. The origin of this nightmare: compromised personal data, exploited by criminals convinced they would find a crypto wallet at their victims' homes. Recruitment of executors, violence, extortion: the case reveals how a digital leak can lead to a physical attack. After the verdict from the Amiens court, the couple now considers a radical decision: selling their house to flee.

For Andre Cronje, a large part of what the industry continues to call "DeFi" is no longer really so. The founder of Flying Tulip prefers to speak of "on-chain finance" when companies, teams or committees retain intervention power over protocols. What really remains of the promise of decentralization?

Metaplanet borrows at 4% to buy more Bitcoin, but its 43,000 BTC stash is underwater. Unsecured debt? Japan's hottest new craze.