Today’s Blockchain News Digest

Binance hack drained wallets backing customer assets, reserve data shows

Binance’s own reserve data lists the drained wallets as backing customer balances, leaving its ether backing an estimated 6% short until the exchange replaces what was stolen.

Binance points to engineer’s hacked laptop in $6.3B breach

Binance says attackers may have used a compromised DevOps laptop to access internal infrastructure.

Binance hack rattles markets as BNB falls 8%, Bitcoin nears $77K

Bitcoin, Ether and the broader crypto market took a dive as Binance suffered a multibillion-dollar hack.

Binance Hacker Hunts for Exit Ramps as DeFi Exchanges Pause Markets

Etherscan records show wallets tied to the suspected Binance hack swapping freezable stablecoins for Ethereum on decentralized exchanges.

Tampered Ledger reported in Singapore a month before news broke: Asia Express

Singapore police say tampered Ledgers started showing up there on September 10. South Korean lawmakers look set to delay the crypto tax law for a fourth time.

Binance Drained of $5.5 Billion in Suspected Hack, Tether and Circle Freeze $1.8 Billion

An on-chain tally puts the suspected Binance drain at $5.57 billion across three blockchains, as Tether and Circle froze $1.8 billion.

Live updates: Binance estimates $6.3B of crypto stolen in major hack

Follow live updates as Binance says $6.3 billion in assets has been stolen in a major hack, with further freezes possible as investigators trace funds.

Binance loses over $6 billion in 'biggest crypto hack in history'

Crypto prices are sliding on the news, with bitcoin falling back to $77,000, though Binance's co-CEO said it would cover all losses.

Coinbase Swings to $719 Million Q3 Profit on Crypto Gains

Coinbase reported third-quarter net income of $719 million, driven largely by gains on its crypto holdings, as revenue held flat at $1.22 billion.

Here’s what happened in crypto today

Need to know what happened in crypto today? Here is the latest news on daily trends and events impacting Bitcoin price, blockchain, DeFi, Web3 and crypto regulation.

Public companies double share of blockchain revenue since 2022: Report

A new 1kx report finds that public companies are capturing a larger share of blockchain revenue, driven by institutional adoption and real-world applications.

Chrome Can Now Pull Details From Your Gmail to Fill Out Web Forms

Chrome's new autofill uses Google's Gemini AI to search your Gmail for order numbers, tracking details, and flight bookings and fill them into web forms. It is rolling out in the U.S.

Polymarket suspended trading amid reports of user funds being drained

The prediction markets platform halted trading on Thursday after it reported one of its third party providers had been compromised.

Polymarket suspends trading after third-party breach leads to user losses

Polymarket said one of its third-party providers was breached after users reported seeing their accounts drained.

Polymarket Pauses Trading as Prediction Market Investigates Security Incident

Polymarket restricted trading and paused relayer actions as users report funds leaving their accounts. A suspected attacker wallet holds about $2.65 million in POL, per Arkham data.

Hackers Publish Work Details of 41,000 Homeland Security Employees

A hacktivist group says it took names, titles, and phone numbers of 41,000-plus DHS staff from a login system.

Crypto Spends $176 Million on Midterms, But Only 13% of Voters See It as a Priority

Only 13% of Americans say a candidate’s support for crypto growth is very important, according to a survey conducted by Ipsos for the DeFi Education Fund, even as the industry spends heavily on next week’s elections.

$11 Billion in Bitcoin Options Expire Tomorrow—Here's What It Means

A third of Deribit's Bitcoin options settle Friday, a day after the Fed held rates with two officials voting to hike. Here's why that matters for Bitcoin's price.

HYPE teases all-time high as NYSE owner ICE eyes US Hyperliquid perps

Hyperliquid’s token pumped following news of ICE and Trade[XYZ] unveiling plans for US perpetual futures.

KuCoin suspends services in Russia and Belarus

The exchange cited legal and regulatory compliance in its reason for cutting off services to users based in the two countries, currently the targets of international sanctions.

Stanley Druckenmiller's first X post backs Hyperliquid venture after $23 million indirect investment

The billionaire investor disclosed an investment in Trade[XYZ] as the platform teams up with the NYSE's parent company. His family office previously reported owning shares in a HYPE-focused treasury company.

KuCoin exits Russia and Belarus as crypto exchanges withdraw from Western-sanctioned markets

The exchange is closing accounts in both countries after MEXC and Bitget announced similar moves earlier this month.

From rivals to partners: Polygon and Solana team to bring stablecoin payments to banks

The two networks are setting aside their rivalry to connect Solana's stablecoin activity with Polygon's banking, wallet and payment infrastructure.

4M Bitcoin Bought Above $85K Could Cap Recovery: Glassnode

Bitcoin is trading close to the average price paid by U.S. spot ETF holders, a day after the Federal Reserve held rates steady.

Nasdaq-listed Canton Strategic Holdings plans tokenized stock trading from Nov. 2

The tokenized shares would carry the same shareholder rights as traditional stock, with round-the-clock trading and immediate settlement under the SEC’s innovation exemption.

Crypto exchange HTX exits the UK after settling with the FCA

The former Huobi exchange has stopped accepting deposits from British customers and agreed not to target them with crypto promotions.

Hyperliquid's HYPE Jumps 13% as NYSE Owner ICE Moves to Bring Its Perpetual Futures to the US

Intercontinental Exchange signed a deal with Trade[XYZ] to launch regulated perpetual futures built on Hyperliquid in the United States, sending HYPE soaring.

Kalshi raises $1B at $40B valuation as non-sports revenue run rate tops $1B

The funding round comes as Kalshi expands its partnerships with the NBA and S&P Dow Jones Indices while facing legal challenges over its sports contracts.

Bitcoin price jumps to $81.5K as US GDP data beats expectations

BTC price action returned to a key weekly resistance level as US stock markets digested Alphabet’s Q3 earnings miss.

Walmart Blocks Its Stock From OKX-ICE Tokenized Trading Venue

Walmart, Eli Lilly, Cigna, Carniva,l and Arcos Dorados objected to trading of their shares on the planned OKX-ICE tokenized stock venue, bringing the total to 38.

French Senate adopts bill for automatic sharing of crypto tax data

The French Senate adopted a bill authorizing the automatic exchange of crypto-asset tax information between international tax authorities, pending completion of the legislative process.

Polymarket brings ultra-short crypto prediction markets to U.S. platform

Polymarket’s new Up/Down crypto contracts come as the CFTC renews scrutiny of the prediction market’s compliance with its 2022 U.S. onboarding terms.

Crypto for Advisors: Only 1 in 5 Americans say the financial system is secure

Bank of England opens consultation on tokenized collateral for clearing

Central counterparties would need to show tokenized collateral meets liquidity and risk tests under proposed Bank of England guidance.

Why Switzerland’s first genuine spot bitcoin ETF could soon attract overseas banks and brokers

SIX Swiss Exchange confirms international access, while FINMA explains why it approved the fund and whether ether and solana ETFs could follow.

Chainlink adds weekend pricing for tokenized assets, with Aave as launch partner

The service uses perpetual futures quotes to update reference prices when traditional markets close.

Canton Foundation grants RedStone 15.8M Canton Coin for pricing standard

RedStone’s planned pricing tool will let institutions on Canton use shared market prices without exposing deal terms to data providers.

New quantum model slashes hardware needed to break bitcoin keys by 17 times

Alice & Bob's new model reduces the hardware required for a potential attack, bringing it closer to reality and increasing pressure to adopt quantum-resistant security sooner.

Walmart, Eli Lilly join growing pushback against OKX–ICE tokenized stock plans

Five more companies have objected, bringing the total to 38 as a rival Canton venue prepares to launch with an issuer-sponsored stock under the SEC's innovation exemption.

Brazil’s Halloween eve crypto deadline brings more tricks than treats

Brazil’s crypto exchanges face an application deadline on Friday, with costly requirements and unanswered regulatory questions complicating compliance.

Private, fast USDT is coming to Bitcoin. Can it compete with Ethereum and Tron?

USDT is coming home to Bitcoin, offering privacy and Lightning-fast payments. But can Bitcoin’s revamped version of Tether compete with stablecoins on ETH and TRON?

Polygon Extends Its Stablecoin Payments Infrastructure to Solana

The expansion gives Solana businesses one integration to connect bank funding, embedded wallets, cross-chain transfers and global payouts, with cross-border firm Kira among the first adopters.

Polygon expands Open Money Stack to Solana, after Tron rollout

The move follows the addition of Tron support and Polygon’s acquisition of Coinme.

Justin Sun's HTX Agrees to Leave UK in Settlement With Financial Watchdog

The FCA says the Justin Sun-linked exchange will no longer target UK consumers, ending its first case against a crypto firm over marketing.

A new framework for tokenized asset tracking

None of the numbers most commonly used to assess tokenized assets answer the question a chief investment officer would ask about those assets on her own balance sheet: what is it doing for me?

Tokenized stock venue on Canton could beat OKX–ICE to first trade under SEC framework

The venue, called TSV LLC, plans to start trading shares Canton Strategic Holdings shares as early as Monday, using issuer-sponsored tokenization that avoids the 30-day company objection window.

Chainalysis traces North Korean crypto cash-outs through Garantex

The analysis followed US sanctions against 10 people and one entity accused of helping North Korean IT worker schemes fund weapons programs.

Morning Minute: Hedge Funds Left the BTC ETF Trade and Sovereign Wealth Stepped In

Now the BTC ETFs have flipped green for the month after $400M+ inflows this week, setting the stage for a big November.

Unlimit founder backs Phase blockchain with $45M as mainnet launches

Phase’s new network lets smartphone owners earn tokens for validating transactions and sharing internet connections with AI agents.

HTX agrees to halt unlawful UK crypto promotions after FCA case

HTX has pledged to stop crypto marketing in the UK until October 2031, with deposits and new account registrations already blocked there.

U.S. sanctions Russian nationals for laundering millions in crypto for North Korean IT workers

Russian nationals Ilya Boykov and Vitold Obertas allegedly converted about $3.5 million and nearly $2 million in crypto, respectively, for North Korea.

As $10 billion in bitcoin options near expiry, the tell is in the pricing

Your day-ahead look for Oct. 29, 2026

EU investors rank crypto above retirement plans for lasting wealth creation: OKX survey

European investors ranked crypto above retirement plans for lasting wealth creation, while prior surveys show US investors are skeptical on crypto’s role in retirement accounts.

Coinbase seeks Brazil crypto license, expects no service disruption

Coinbase has applied for authorization ahead of Brazil’s Oct. 30 deadline and says it expects to maintain existing services while regulators review its application.

Bitcoin lending and yield could drive next wave of institutional demand, Rootstock says

A new report argues that putting institutional Bitcoin holdings to work through lending, collateral and financing could create demand beyond its store-of-value role.

Treasury Sanctions 11 Over North Korean IT Worker Scheme That Moved Millions in Crypto

Two Russian nationals converted more than $5 million in crypto for North Korean networks, according to OFAC, which listed their wallets.

Bitcoin drops to $80,000 on Fed dissent, Samsung, Alphabet earnings; AI tokens slump

Bitcoin fell 1.4% since midnight UTC to around $80,100 as disappointing reports from Samsung and Alphabet weighed on tech stocks. The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge is due later today.

NYSE owner takes steps to bring Hyperliquid perpetual futures to U.S.

The planned ICE[XYZ] venue would offer 24/7 perpetual futures on stocks, commodities and crypto, pending CFTC approval. ICE is investing in Trade[XYZ].

Utah Files Felony Charges Against Kalshi, Co-Founders Over Sports Bets

The state says an undercover agent placed a dozen sports wagers on Kalshi, a day after the CFTC sued Utah to block its enforcement actions.

Cathie Wood’s ARK buys the dip on Robinhood in its largest purchase in 6 months after 23% slump

HOOD fell 3.3% on Wednesday, broadening its one-month decline to more than 23%.

Bitcoin long-term resistance in focus as analysis sees selling risk above $85K

BTC price analysis from Glassnode drew attention to $85,000 as the lower boundary of a cost-basis zone for long-term holders.

Solana wallet Solflare pledges to pay missed rewards on staked $160 million after validator goes offline

About 1.56 million SOL sat on a validator that stopped earning, and the wallet still hasn’t named the firm that held its keys.

Live updates: Binance says exploit is likely due to 'compromised DevOps engineer’s laptop'

North of $5 billion appears to have been stolen from the world's biggest crypto exchange, Binance, of which some $2.5 billion has been frozen.

ECB President Christine Lagarde to step down in February 2027

Lagarde announced plans to step down as European Central Bank President after serving more than seven years in the role.

Thai Supreme Court rules bitcoin is property after thief challenges conviction

The court said bitcoin has a market price, can be cashed out and held by the public. It upheld a 10-year sentence for a man who helped the robbers.

Bermuda taps WalletConnect to advance its onchain economy plan

Bermuda chose WalletConnect to bring crypto payments to local merchants, starting with ticketing platform PTIX in the second quarter of 2027.

Former Swift CEO joins stablecoin firm OpenTrade as chairman

Lazaro Campos takes the board role as the London-based company reports $300 million in assets locked and more than $1 billion in annual transaction volume.

Bitcoin ETFs add $137M, pushing October back into the green

Bitcoin ETFs drew $424 million over three days, lifting October net inflows to $111 million despite a hawkish Federal Reserve decision and weaker crypto sentiment.

Your fridge could one day stake Ether, launch memecoins: CFTC chair

CFTC chair Mike Selig says autonomous AI agents could challenge financial rules built around human traders, and regulators need to adapt.

Tampered Ledger wallets cost Singapore users $2.7M: Police

Police say at least two cases were reported as early as Sept. 10, nearly a month before the wider incident became public.

Fed’s hawkish rate hold keeps pressure on Bitcoin: Analysts

Traders are pricing in a 78% chance of a December rate hike, while analysts say Treasury yields, the US dollar and upcoming inflation data could determine Bitcoin’s next move.

Bitcoin Treasury Datavault AI Says It Can’t Access Its BTC, Stock Tanks

Datavault AI says it has been unable to withdraw its Bitcoin from Biconomy since June and will restate four financial reports tied to a $150 million Scilex deal.

Chip Maker SK Hynix Posts Record Quarter as AI Memory Demand Overwhelms Supply

SK Hynix's quarterly revenue topped 100 trillion won for the first time, and the chipmaker says memory demand will outrun supply through 2030, with DRAM and HBM sold out through 2029.

AI Security Startup Upwind Raises $400M at $3.8B Valuation

The cloud and AI security firm Upwind says revenue quadrupled in 2026 as it targets risks from autonomous AI agents.

More Americans Have Tried Crypto, But Few Are Sticking With It: Survey

A survey conducted by Ipsos for the DeFi Education Fund found that 22% of Americans have ever owned or used crypto, up from 18%, while past-year use held flat at 13%.

OpenAI Plans to Buy Google's AI Chips as It Looks Beyond Nvidia: Report

OpenAI, one of Nvidia's biggest customers, reportedly plans to buy Google's TPU chips. Neither company has confirmed the report, and the price and size of the order were not disclosed.

Fed Stands Pat, Bitcoin Holds Steady—But a December Rate Hike Is in Play

The Federal Reserve left rates unchanged Wednesday in a 10-2 vote, with Governor Lisa Cook and Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack favoring a hike.

AI Can Quietly Influence Experts’ Decisions, Anthropic Study Finds

Professional analysts went along with their AI agent’s hidden opinion 86% of the time, and few credited it.

Strategy Shareholders Approve Daily Dividends on Preferred Stock, With 99.3% in Favor

STRC will begin paying dividends for every calendar day from November, with STRF, STRK and STRD following in January.

Aptos Advisor Leaves Post, Moves Meme-Fueled Campaign to Meta Stock

Former Aptos advisor "Buzz” has left the crypto project and is turning his attention to Facebook's parent company Meta—here's why.

Wall Street’s Fast Money Fled Bitcoin ETFs, Sovereign Funds Stepped In

Galaxy Research found that nine hedge funds and banks cut 68,000 BTC worth of spot ETF exposure as the cash-and-carry trade dried up, while wealth platforms and sovereign funds added.

Fed Rate Decision: What Markets and Bitcoin Traders Can Expect

The Federal Reserve decides today at 2 p.m. ET and traders see a hold as near certain. Here's what it means for Bitcoin and stock markets.

JPMorgan, Coca-Cola Among 7 More Companies Objecting to OKX-ICE Tokenized Stocks

Seven more companies, including JPMorgan Chase, Coca-Cola and Dell, have objected to trading of their shares on the planned OKX-ICE tokenized stock venue, bringing the total to 33.

House Oversight Chair Comer Probes Delaware Plan for AI-Run Companies

James Comer warned the proposed "AIC" could shield AI firms from liability, and asked Delaware's governor for documents by November 9.

Goldman, BlackRock Alumni Raise $4 Million to Put Farm and Apartment Loans Onchain

Birch Hill, founded by Goldman Sachs and BlackRock alumni, raised $4 million in a seed round led by Multicoin Capital to build a regulated path for bringing U.S. loans onchain.