🔥 The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has announced that, for the first time in history, spot cryptocurrency products will begin trading on U.S. federally regulated futures exchanges.
🪙 This means that spot crypto — not just futures or derivatives — is now available for trading in a federally regulated environment.
💡 The initiative includes the Bitnomial exchange, which holds the status of a Designated Contract Market (DCM) under the CFTC, and with it new trading opportunities are launching.
📢 According to Acting CFTC Chair Caroline D. Pham, this is a “historic step” toward creating a safe, regulated market for digital assets.
💭 The CFTC statement notes that the new trading framework is intended to ensure a balance between innovation and the protection of market participants — both retail and institutional.
📰 Kraken and Deutsche Börse Announce New Partnership
📢 Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken and European financial giant Deutsche Börse Group have announced a new strategic collaboration. The partnership is aimed at expanding the interaction between the cryptocurrency sector and traditional financial markets.
🌐 Under the agreement, the companies plan to develop infrastructure solutions that will allow financial institutions to offer their clients access to digital asset services. One of the key areas of cooperation will be the use of Kraken’s technologies to create services offered under the brands of third-party financial companies.
🪙 Deutsche Börse’s platforms, including Eurex, may gain the ability to introduce new products based on digital assets. This will give financial institutions simplified access to cryptocurrency operations through the group’s existing trading ecosystem.
💡 Both parties emphasize that the goal of the partnership is to advance standards for working with digital assets, improve service quality, and create more convenient conditions for institutional market participants.
🚨 Ban on Crypto Donations in Politics: What’s Happening
💰 Reform UK became the first political party in the United Kingdom to start accepting donations in cryptocurrency. However, the UK government is now discussing a legislative initiative that proposes banning political donations made in crypto, arguing that such transactions are too difficult to verify and lack transparency.
💡 Why the Government Sees This as a Problem According to officials, cryptocurrency donations may come from abroad or from anonymous sources, which poses risks to election integrity. The difficulty of tracing the origin of funds through crypto wallets complicates the process of verifying donors’ legitimacy.
🧠 How This Could Affect Politics and Parties If the ban is approved, political parties will no longer be able to receive donations in cryptocurrency. This may weaken the financial capabilities of parties that relied on crypto-based contributions — such as Reform UK.
✅ Status of the Initiative The ban is being considered as part of the upcoming Elections Bill, though it has not yet been formally adopted. Some government representatives note technical hurdles — they are not certain they can include the necessary changes in the next draft of the bill in time.
🚀 Vanguard Opens Access to Crypto ETFs for Its Clients
The investment company Vanguard officially granted its clients access to trade exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and mutual funds linked to cryptocurrencies. Users can now purchase funds focused on Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana. This decision marks a turning point for the company: previously, Vanguard maintained a strict stance against any products related to digital assets and blocked trading of crypto ETFs on its platform. Access is limited to third-party funds. Vanguard is not launching its own cryptocurrency products. The company also continues to exclude funds associated with high-risk assets and meme tokens. Company representatives confirmed that the decision is part of an update to its product policy and reflects growing client interest in digital assets. Trading restrictions remain minimal and comply with standard ETF regulations. Crypto fund trading is now available to Vanguard clients in all regions where the company offers brokerage services.
🚨 Yearn Finance Hack: Protocol Loses Around $9 Million
The decentralized protocol Yearn Finance experienced a major security incident. An unknown attacker exploited one of the liquidity pools associated with yETH, resulting in the loss of user funds. The total damage is estimated at approximately $9 million.
❗ How the Hack Happened
According to the project team, the attack targeted the smart contract of the yETH pool. The attacker took advantage of a vulnerability in the pool’s transaction-processing mechanism, which allowed them to withdraw funds stored in the vault. The Yearn Finance team promptly suspended the affected contract and halted further operations to prevent additional losses. Other pools and protocol functions remained operational.
⚡ Team’s Response
Yearn Finance developers confirmed the incident and reported that they are investigating the technical details together with security specialists. The team also announced plans to conduct a full code review and publish a detailed report once the investigation is complete. Users were advised to temporarily refrain from interacting with the affected pools until official updates are released.
💡 Impact on the Community and Market
News of the hack quickly spread through the crypto community and became one of the day’s major topics. The incident sparked discussions within the DeFi sector and increased caution among holders of tokens associated with the protocol.
🚨 Bitcoin ETFs Become BlackRock’s Largest Revenue Source: Company Updates Financial Metrics
💰 BlackRock has reported that its Bitcoin-based exchange-traded funds have become the company’s largest source of revenue among all ETF products. During the latest reporting period, crypto-related funds generated the highest inflow of capital from investors, surpassing the firm’s traditional investment products.
🚀 According to the company, the assets under management in its Bitcoin ETFs continue to grow. BlackRock’s revenue structure has shifted due to strong institutional demand for cryptocurrency exposure, which has increased the share of fees generated by these funds.
🪙 The company also confirmed further expansion of its digital-asset product line. New instruments focused on the crypto-investment segment are being considered as part of an updated strategy that reflects rising demand for blockchain-based products.
👛 The report noted that investment flows into Bitcoin funds exceeded contributions to BlackRock’s older and more traditional ETFs, which previously held leading positions within the company’s portfolio.
The President of Turkmenistan has signed a law officially allowing cryptocurrency mining and trading in the country.
Under the law, citizens and companies will be able to mine, hold, and exchange digital assets. All mining operations and cryptocurrency exchanges must be registered with the Central Bank of Turkmenistan and operate under a license.
The law requires mandatory customer identification (KYC) and compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) regulations. Anonymous cryptocurrency activities are prohibited.
The use of cryptocurrencies as an official means of payment is not provided for under the law. Digital assets are recognized as civil rights objects but are not considered money or securities.
⚡ Circle and Mastercard Prepare USDC Integration Into Global Payment Systems
🌐 Circle and Mastercard are preparing to launch a system that will allow settlements using the USDC stablecoin within global payment networks.
🪙 With this new setup, businesses — merchants and financial institutions — will be able to accept traditional fiat payments while receiving funds in USDC.
💳 These settlements will be available 24/7, without dependence on traditional banking cut-off times or costly correspondent-banking processes.
👛 Recipients can either store USDC in a digital wallet or, where local banking channels allow, convert it into local currency.
💡 The first “corridors” planned for the launch include countries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa — regions where access to stable international settlement layers through traditional banking may be limited.
🔴 Upbit Confirms Hack and Loss of $36 Million in Crypto Assets
The major South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Upbit has officially reported unauthorized access to its hot wallet on the Solana network. The incident resulted in the withdrawal of digital assets totaling approximately $36 million. The exchange released a statement detailing what happened and the actions taken immediately after detecting unusual activity.
👀 What Happened
The incident was linked to Upbit’s hot wallet, which the exchange uses for real-time operations. According to the company, unknown individuals withdrew several assets, including BONK, Jito (JTO), USDC, and others. The movement of funds was recorded on the Solana blockchain. The exchange promptly suspended deposits and withdrawals for the affected assets. An internal investigation began, during which specialists reviewed transaction logs and identified the full scope of the incident.
✅ Measures Taken
Upbit reported that:
- the hot wallet was switched into a secure mode;
- remaining funds were moved to cold wallets;
- user services are being gradually restored;
- the exchange is cooperating with law-enforcement agencies and external security experts.
The company also stated that customer assets are protected and that Upbit will take responsibility for covering the losses.
❗ Impact on Platform Operations
Operations involving several Solana-based cryptocurrencies were temporarily restricted. Upbit clarified that services are being restored gradually as technical checks are completed. Users are advised to monitor updates on official channels. This incident is one of the largest in terms of loss amount for the platform in recent years and has drawn attention to the security of hot wallets.
🪙 Texas Invests $10 Million in Bitcoin — First U.S. State to Do So Officially
Texas has become the first U.S. state to officially invest funds in Bitcoin. On November 20, the state purchased Bitcoin (BTC) worth $10 million at a price of approximately $87,000. This step comes after more than a year and a half of legislative preparation to create a strategic Bitcoin reserve. Currently, the purchase was made through the BlackRock IBIT exchange-traded fund, while a competition is ongoing to select the infrastructure for independently storing the assets.
🪙 BitMine Buys $205M in Ethereum, Accumulates 3.63M ETH
- BitMine has purchased $205 million worth of Ethereum.
- As a result, the company now holds 3.63 million ETH.
- According to the report, this represents approximately 3% of all issued Ethereum.
- Additionally, BitMine holds $800 million in fiat currency on its balance sheet.
- Data from Happycoin.club indicates the company aims to accumulate up to 5% of all Ethereum, according to CEO Tom Lee.
- Despite the recent drop in ETH price, BitMine has reported an unrealized gain of 3%, as it purchased coins at an average price of $2,840, while the current price is approximately $2,925.
💰 BlackRock Transfers Hundreds of Millions in BTC and ETH
BlackRock has executed a major transfer of digital assets, moving cryptocurrency to Coinbase Prime. According to available data, the latest transactions amount to approximately $478 million.
BlackRock transferred around 3,064 BTC and 64,707 ETH to Coinbase Prime.
This transfer follows a similar move made the previous day, when the company also sent a large amount of cryptocurrency to Coinbase Prime.
Earlier, BlackRock had already made several transfers of hundreds of millions of dollars in BTC and ETH to Coinbase Prime — including a transaction worth $244 million.
Another significant transfer was also reported: $243.6 million in Bitcoin ETF and Ethereum, recorded by Lookonchain on Coinbase Prime.
🤑 Hobby Miner Wins $265,000 by Mining a Bitcoin Block With a Single Old ASIC
On Friday, a solo miner with extremely low hash power — only 6 TH/s — successfully mined a full Bitcoin block. He received 3.146 BTC plus transaction fees, worth nearly $265,000.
According to Con Kolivas, the creator of CKpool, the miner’s chance of solving a block on any given day was just 1 in 180 million.
This miner controlled only 0.0000007% of Bitcoin’s total network hash rate, which recently reached a record 855.7 EH/s.
The block he mined became the 308th block found through CKpool since the pool’s software launched in 2014, and the first one discovered in roughly three months.
CKpool allows miners to perform solo mining while relying on the pool’s infrastructure: if a miner finds a block, they keep the full reward (minus a 2% fee).
🔴 Cryptocurrency Linked to Nigel Farage Donor Used to Fund Russian Military Operations
British investigators have reported that a cryptocurrency connected to a donor of politician Nigel Farage was used to bypass sanctions and finance Russian military operations.
According to the investigation, funds were transferred using the stablecoin Tether (USDT) through a digital asset network. Authorities noted that the scheme allowed large sums of money to move without direct involvement of banks.
At the center of attention is British businessman Christopher Harborne, who previously funded political initiatives associated with Nigel Farage. Officials have not yet commented on potential criminal consequences for those involved in the scheme.
The investigation is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge in the coming weeks.
🚨 New Hampshire to Issue Municipal Bonds Backed by Bitcoin
New Hampshire has become the first U.S. state to approve the issuance of municipal bonds secured by cryptocurrency. The total issuance will amount to $100 million, with Bitcoin serving as collateral.
According to local authorities, the decision aims to attract new investors and utilize digital assets in government financing. The bonds are expected to be available for purchase through the state’s official channels.
State officials emphasize that the bond issuance will not affect the budget, and the Bitcoin used as collateral will be stored in secure digital wallets.
The project is set to begin in the coming months, with other U.S. states closely monitoring the experiment to assess the potential use of cryptocurrency in municipal finance.
📰 Basel Committee says global rules for banks holding crypto need to be revised
The Chair of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, Erik Thedéen, stated that the current global rules for banks that hold crypto assets on their balance sheets need to be revised. According to him, the approach created several years ago no longer reflects current market conditions. Thedéen noted that when the standards were originally developed, the focus was mainly on Bitcoin and other highly volatile crypto assets. Today, stablecoins play a much more significant role, which requires a reassessment of the regulatory framework. He emphasized that capital requirements for banks should be updated, as some provisions may be excessively strict. Thedéen also said that the Basel Committee is considering alternative approaches to assessing the risks of different types of digital assets. He pointed out that some countries — including the United States and the United Kingdom — are not rushing to fully adopt the previously proposed standards. The Committee plans to continue working on updates to align regulatory requirements with the current state of the crypto market.
💳 Mastercard Partners with Polygon for New Cryptocurrency Transfer System
Mastercard has announced a collaboration with blockchain platform Polygon to develop a new cryptocurrency transfer system. The new technology will allow users to replace complex crypto wallet addresses with convenient and human-readable usernames.
In a press release, Mastercard introduced the Crypto Credential technology, which standardizes blockchain address verification and creates readable pseudonyms for verified users. Mercuryo, a company providing cryptocurrency payment APIs, will handle identity verification and issuance of these pseudonyms, allowing users to link unique names to their self-custody wallets.
The system functions similarly to familiar payment applications, where transfers are made using a username rather than a bank account. Each user will be assigned a unique name linked to their wallets.
Additionally, users will be able to create credential tokens on Polygon, which will confirm wallet ownership and facilitate transaction routing between applications.
📰 Singapore Exchange to Launch Perpetual Futures for Bitcoin and Ethereum
💭 The Singapore Exchange (SGX) announced the launch of new derivative products based on leading cryptocurrencies. These products include perpetual futures for Bitcoin and Ethereum, which will become available for trading on November 24 through SGX Group’s derivatives division.
🪙 The new contracts will be tied to the iEdge CoinDesk indices, ensuring transparent pricing and reliable market data sources. SGX stated that the initiative aims to expand its digital asset product lineup and provide market participants with more flexible tools for risk management and trading strategies.
💰 Perpetual futures allow traders to gain exposure to crypto assets without an expiration date, making them popular among professional market participants. The exchange emphasized that the instruments are designed in accordance with regulatory standards and are primarily targeted at institutional investors.
💡 The launch of these derivatives highlights the continued development of cryptocurrency infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region and strengthens Singapore’s position as one of the key hubs for digital asset trading.
🚨 Japan may significantly change its cryptocurrency regulations: the Financial Services Agency (FSA) plans to reclassify around 105 crypto assets, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, as “financial products.”
✅ Key points:
- Reclassification of cryptocurrencies The FSA intends to categorize cryptocurrencies as financial products, allowing them to be regulated under the laws that apply to securities and other financial instruments.
- Tax reform The proposal also includes reducing the tax rate on crypto profits: instead of the current “miscellaneous income” category, where the tax rate can reach 55%, gains from crypto trading would be taxed at a flat rate of about 20%, similar to stock taxation.
- New insider trading rules The FSA plans to introduce rules prohibiting insider trading in the crypto sector. This would ban individuals connected to exchanges or token issuers from trading while having access to important undisclosed information — for example, upcoming listing dates or financial details of token issuers.
- Criteria for selecting crypto assets When forming the list of 105 assets, the FSA evaluated factors such as project transparency, issuer reputation, technological stability, and volatility.
- Role of the self-regulatory organization The Japan Virtual Currency Exchange Association (JVCEA) already maintains a “green list” of tokens — it includes BTC, ETH, and other major assets.