Cryptopolitan

As 2026 gets closer, the focus is slowly shifting. Many investors are no longer chasing short-term moves. Instead, they are asking a more important question. Which cryptocurrencies still have room to grow before the next cycle matures? This is often when familiar names are re-evaluated and newer projects begin to stand out. Some are already showing early strength, even while prices remain low.

That is why conversations around the best crypto to buy now are starting to include both established leaders and one new altcoin that has already climbed 250% while staying under $0.1.

Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum remains the backbone of much of the cryptocurrency market. Its ecosystem supports DeFi, NFTs, and a wide range of applications. With a massive market cap, ETH is often seen as a core holding rather than a high-growth play. Early investors benefited from strong moves when Ethereum was still building its foundation.

Today, Ethereum faces a different challenge. Price action has repeatedly slowed near the $3,000 level. Many market commentators see this area as a major resistance zone. Breaking and holding above it has proven difficult without broad market momentum.

This does not mean Ethereum lacks value. It means its growth profile has changed. At its current size, even strong adoption often translates into more gradual price movement. For investors looking for the next big cryptocurrency with higher upside potential, ETH’s role is increasingly about stability rather than acceleration.

Shiba Inu (SHIB)

Shiba Inu tells a different story. SHIB was one of the most talked-about crypto coins during its early surge. Early holders saw dramatic gains as attention poured in and price moved rapidly from near-zero levels.

Now, SHIB faces its own resistance. Price action has struggled around the $0.00001 level. Market commentators often point out that SHIB’s large circulating supply makes sustained upward movement more difficult without renewed interest on a massive scale.

While Shiba Inu still has a loyal community, its growth relies heavily on sentiment rather than utility. For many investors, that creates uncertainty when thinking about long-term positioning. This is why some are starting to shift focus toward projects with clearer use cases.

Mutuum Finance (MUTM)

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is a new DeFi crypto focused on decentralized lending and borrowing. Unlike meme-driven projects, its value proposition is tied directly to utility. Users will be able to supply assets, earn yield, and borrow against collateral in a system designed to adjust rates based on real usage.

The presale began in early 2025 and has progressed steadily. The current token price is $0.035, and the project has already raised $19.45M. Participation has grown to 18,650 holders, with 825M tokens sold so far.

Out of a fixed 4B total supply, 45.5% is allocated to the presale, equal to roughly 1.82B tokens. Phase 6 is now over 99% allocated, which means supply at the current price is nearly exhausted. Since Phase 1, the token has already climbed 250%, yet it remains well under $0.1. For those tracking crypto prices today and asking which crypto to buy now for long-term growth, this combination of low price and strong traction is drawing attention.

MUTM vs SHIB 

Analysts often compare opportunities using practical examples. Consider a $500 investment. A $500 position in SHIB today depends largely on renewed hype to deliver strong returns. Given its large supply and established valuation, even optimistic scenarios tend to point toward more modest growth unless market conditions shift dramatically.

A $500 position in MUTM at $0.035 offers a different profile. The official launch price is set at $0.06, which already represents a clear step up from current levels. Some analysts believe that if adoption develops as expected, MUTM could see 200% to 300% growth after launch.

In more bullish scenarios tied to usage and exchange visibility, projections show even higher outcomes over time. This is not about guarantees. It is about structure. SHIB relies on sentiment. MUTM relies on a working protocol and demand tied to usage.

V1 Launch and Security as Key Differentiators

One reason analysts view Mutuum Finance as a stronger long-term contender is its development roadmap. According to official statements shared on X, V1 of the lending and borrowing protocol is planned for the Sepolia testnet in Q4 2025. Core features include liquidity pools, mtTokens, debt tokens, and an automated liquidator bot. Initial supported assets will be ETH and USDT.

Security has also been addressed early. Mutuum Finance has completed a CertiK audit with a 90/100 token scan score. An independent audit with Halborn Security is currently underway, reviewing finalized contracts. A $50k bug bounty has been launched to identify code vulnerabilities.

As 2026 approaches, the question of what is the best cryptocurrency to invest in depends on goals. Ethereum offers scale and stability. Shiba Inu offers community and familiarity. Mutuum Finance offers early-stage exposure with a focus on real utility.

For investors looking at the potential best crypto to buy now with an eye on growth rather than hype, this new altcoin under $0.1 is increasingly part of the conversation. With Phase 6 nearly complete and V1 on the horizon, Mutuum Finance is entering a stage where early traction and future potential begin to align.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://www.mutuum.com

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

WazirX founder and CEO Nischal Shetty has confirmed that the Indian crypto exchange’s dispute with Binance has escalated to formal litigation. This has raised concerns among investors of WazirX who worry about its future. 

During a recent interview he had with TheStreet Roundtable host Mehab Qureshi, Shetty revealed that the long-running ownership dispute between WazirX and Binance has moved into litigation.

“End of the day, I think it’s now gone into a stage of litigation,” he reportedly claimed.

Ownership dispute between WazirX and Binance

During the conversation, Shetty reiterated that WazirX was sold around late 2019-early 2020, following a public announcement at the time.

However, what followed were conflicting claims, which saw both sides publicly disputing ownership of the platform. Binance denied holding any stake in WazirX. However, the Indian exchange claimed to have all the legal documents proving otherwise, which is how the ownership dispute began.

As things stand, Shetty claims the dispute is at a “he said, she said” stage, which makes the outcome of the litigation much more important.

When Shetty was asked whether Binance reached out to WazirX following the hack that shook the platform in July 2024, Shetty declined to comment, claiming the matter is under sub-judice.

This is the latest development regarding the case, whose origins can be traced to the year 2019, after the crypto company announced that Binance had acquired it.

What did Shetty say about custody dispute with Liminal?

During his talk with TheStreet Roundtable host Mehab Qureshi, Shetty also addressed its dispute with Liminal, a digital asset custody and wallet infrastructure platform designed to help institutions, crypto exchanges, and digital asset businesses securely manage and store cryptocurrencies and tokenized assets.

After the initial shock of the July 2024 hack that rocked WazirX by targeting its multi-signature wallet and resulting in a loss of over $230 million, the exchange blamed Liminal, claiming it was linked to Liminal’s multi-signature wallet infrastructure. It also pledged to migrate all remaining assets to a new multi-signature wallet, promising full transparency by publishing a list of all new wallets post-migration.

Things got interesting when Liminal issued a counter-statement on October 22, 2024, denying responsibility for the breach. It claimed that 75 days after the hack, WazirX still held more than $175 million in assets on its platform, with roughly $50 million still under WazirX’s control via Liminal’s infrastructure.

While in a conversation with TheStreet Roundtable host Mehab Qureshi, Shetty confirmed that the exchange had indeed been using Liminal’s software for custody infrastructure, but WazirX itself was always the primary point of contact for users.

Shetty claims the exchange used Liminal’s technology for multi-key security with address whitelisting, ensuring that transactions could only be approved for preapproved wallets.

“This was done so that even if all the devices of our team members got compromised, there’s a third party that would do the final check before authorizing a transaction,” he said.

WazirX has claimed the cyberattack occurred through an external website used for fund management, not its own servers or hot wallets.

“The cyber attack was not on the infrastructure, like the service of WazirX,” Shetty said. “It was a website that we were using for managing these funds, and through that website, the cyber attack happened”.

According to him, the exchange had limited visibility into what happened “behind the scenes of a different website” and is awaiting further details from Liminal.

“We only know our part. We have three laptops that were interacting with our website. Now we don’t know anything beyond that,” Shetty stated.

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Global M&A activity jumped nearly 50% in 2025, reaching $4.5 trillion, based on data from the London Stock Exchange Group. It’s the highest annual total since 2021, when the pandemic frenzy pushed deals past $5 trillion.

Companies across media, rail, and industrials locked in 68 separate transactions worth $10 billion or more each. That’s the biggest number of megadeals ever recorded.

Companies jumped on cheap financing, strong markets, and lighter U.S. rules under President Donald Trump to close deals that would’ve been impossible under tighter oversight. Investment banks didn’t waste the opportunity either, collecting $135 billion in fees this year, just shy of their all-time record. Over half of that came from deals involving U.S. companies, totaling $2.3 trillion, the biggest share since 1998.

“I haven’t seen large-scale M&A like this in a decade,” said Tony Kim, co-president of Centerview Partners. “These are deals which are really transforming industries. Scaled M&A requires a lot of important ingredients in the mix to succeed, and we seem to have all of those elements today.”

Netflix, Union Pacific lead record megadeals across sectors

The year’s two biggest M&A deals came out of entertainment and transport. Netflix and Paramount are both fighting to acquire Warner Bros Discovery, while Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern are joining up to create a $250 billion railroad empire.

These giant tie-ups mirror 2021’s headline deals, like WarnerMedia merging with Discovery and Canadian Pacific’s $31 billion purchase of Kansas City Southern.

Regulatory changes helped fuel the new wave of consolidation. Trump’s second term in the White House delivered weaker enforcement, and that opened the door for companies to get bolder.

“What we see with corporate clients is a willingness to take on regulatory risk for transactions that are strategic,” said Andrew Nussbaum, co-chair of the executive committee at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. “They see a willingness of the regulators to engage in constructive dialogue.”

That momentum hit a wall in early April when Trump slapped sweeping new tariffs, dubbed ‘liberation day’, across multiple trade fronts. But it didn’t take long for dealmaking to get back on track. The second half of 2025 ended with two straight quarters of over $1 trillion in M&A, a feat not seen since 2019. “Our momentum built post the recovery from liberation day and has just continued to build since then,” said Daniel Mendelow, U.S. investment banking co-head at Evercore. “There’s a lot of pent-up interest in M&A.”

Smaller transactions didn’t see the same surge. The overall number of deals actually dropped by 7%, hitting the lowest level since 2016. While the dollar volume climbed, fewer deals were getting done overall.

Private equity dealmaking rises slower with fewer exits

Private equity trailed behind public company activity. The sector saw just a 25% rise, hitting $889 billion in total deals. Companies struggled to sell assets, but a few high-profile buyouts kept the lights on. The biggest was the $55 billion takeover of Electronic Arts, led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, with help from Silver Lake and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.

“The general narrative is that sponsors are not active, but there were some large take-private transactions,” said Anu Aiyengar, global head of advisory and M&A at JPMorgan Chase. She added that even with markets hitting all-time highs, there were still mispriced assets being snapped up, thanks to financing coming in from all sides.

There were signs of life in the IPO market, too. Companies like Medline and Verisure went public, giving private equity shops another path for exit.

“Over the next couple of years there’s room for more activity, and we certainly feel the sponsor wave in particular is only just gaining momentum,” said Andre Kelleners, co-head of European investment banking at Goldman Sachs.

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Analysts have highlighted significant dilution concerns for Michael Saylor’s Strategy, stemming from its aggressive funding strategies to acquire more cryptocurrency. 

While its playbook has created many copycats, Strategy has been under a lot of scrutiny over its long-term positioning and financial health.

Why’s the MSTR stock down?

According to recent CryptoQuant reports, analysts believe Strategy selling $700M in stock last week has triggered dilution and continued downside pressure. The stock is currently down 70% from its all-time high (ATH) and is reportedly still bleeding as supply hits the market.

The shares are down about 55% over the past 12 months and 36% year-to-date, compared with a 3.6% drop in Bitcoin this year. Strategy’s market value has also fallen to around $45 billion while its BTC holdings are worth around $60 billion.

“Balance sheet leverage comes at a cost,” one analyst wrote.

Aside from the sell pressure on its stock, another factor affecting Strategy’s stock is the company’s use of at-the-market (ATM) equity offerings and convertible debt to finance its Bitcoin purchases.

The model has seen the company rake in over $900 million from ATM sales to buy additional Bitcoins.

Basic shares outstanding are up approximately 20% year-to-date as of December 2025, and analysts continue to warn that tighter capital markets could exacerbate dilution if the company continues issuing shares or debt.

The recent $1 billion Bitcoin buy, funded partially via equity and debt, has also contributed to the stock’s underperformance, as there were brief periods when the company’s market value fell below the value of the company’s Bitcoin holdings, which highlights investor fears over leverage and future share issuances.

Will MSCI remove Strategy and co?

Strategy started out as a software company, MicroStrategy, but pivoted to Bitcoin investing in 2020. It was included last December under the Nasdaq’s technology sub-category, a decision questioned by some market-watchers who argued ‌that the pioneering business model aligns more closely with an investment fund.

Earlier this month, there was speculation about Nasdaq removing Strategy from the Nasdaq100, with analysts like Mike O’Rourke, chief market strategist at JonesTrading, arguing that Strategy was included on a technicality and that this was a “perfect opportunity for Nasdaq to correct last year’s mistake.”

The removal could have led to passive fund outflows of about $1.6 billion, according to estimates by Kaasha ⁠Saini, head of index strategy at Jefferies; however, the company was not removed.

Global index provider MSCI has also flagged worries about the ​presence of digital asset treasury companies in its benchmarks. It is due to decide in January ​on whether to exclude Strategy and similar companies, but Saylor is bullish in his hopes of a favorable outcome.

Earlier this month, he said Strategy was engaging with MSCI, but that if it was excluded, it wouldn’t matter. Some believe his confidence stems from the market value, which is still relatively high, but that could change, given recent volatility.

Despite Saylor’s confidence, if MSCI does exclude Strategy, it will be an uphill climb, cauterizing the outflows from spooked investors. The decision will also trigger a ripple effect globally that will affect over 200 DATs, discouraging new entrants and pressuring existing ones to pivot, spin off holdings, or limit allocations to avoid penalties.

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Market shifts rarely happen all at once. They usually begin when familiar leaders pause and quieter contenders start gaining traction. That is the pattern many observers are noticing right now. As Solana trades under a key level, attention is gradually moving toward a $0.035 new cryptocurrency that is approaching full allocation. For those asking what crypto to buy now while large caps lose momentum, this contrast is becoming more visible by the week. The comparison between Solana and this emerging DeFi crypto highlights how different stages of growth can shape future price potential.

Solana (SOL)

Solana remains one of the most recognized cryptocurrencies in the market. Its ecosystem expanded rapidly during its early growth phase, delivering strong returns for early participants. SOL moved from relatively low levels to well above $200 at its peak, securing a place among top cryptocurrencies by market cap.

Today, Solana faces a different reality. With a large valuation and wide distribution, price movement has slowed. The $150 level has acted as a resistance zone, where rallies often lose strength. Market commentators suggest that at this size, another explosive move would require massive capital inflows.

Some analysts believe that while Solana can still grow, expectations need to be realistic. In a conservative scenario, projections show SOL struggling to deliver more than moderate gains in the near term unless broader market conditions shift dramatically. This is not a failure of the project, but a natural result of scale. For investors focused on crypto investing with higher upside potential, this is often the moment they begin exploring earlier-stage opportunities.

Mutuum Finance (MUTM)

That search has brought Mutuum Finance (MUTM) into focus. Mutuum Finance is a DeFi crypto designed around decentralized lending and borrowing. The protocol allows users to supply assets, earn yield, and borrow against collateral in a system that adjusts rates based on real usage.

The presale for Mutuum Finance began in early 2025 and has shown steady demand. The current token price is $0.035, and Phase 6 of the presale is now over 99% allocated. So far, the project has raised $19.45M, attracted 18,650 holders, and sold 825M tokens.

From a total supply of 4B tokens, 45.5% is allocated to the presale, equal to about 1.82B tokens. These figures point to consistent participation rather than sudden bursts of interest, which many market commentators view as a healthier signal. For those tracking crypto prices today and evaluating new cryptocurrency projects, this level of traction before launch often matters.

Contrasting Price Outlooks for SOL and MUTM

The difference between Solana and Mutuum Finance becomes clearer when comparing potential price paths. For SOL, its size creates limits. Even in a bullish scenario, analysts often point to resistance near $150 as a major hurdle. With a high market cap, another early-cycle style surge appears less likely in the near term. Some projections suggest SOL could remain range-bound unless new catalysts emerge across the broader ecosystem.

Mutuum Finance sits at the opposite end of the spectrum. At $0.035, the token is still in its presale phase, with an official launch price set at $0.06. Some analysts believe that simply moving from the current level to launch represents meaningful upside. Early investor sentiment indicates that a 250% to 350% increase after launch is considered achievable if adoption unfolds as planned.

In more optimistic scenarios, projections show even stronger outcomes over longer time frames. Analysts modeling usage growth, exchange visibility, and supply dynamics have outlined paths that point to 500% or higher growth as the protocol matures. These are not guarantees, but structured models based on timing and execution. This contrast explains why some investors see MUTM as offering asymmetrical potential compared to established assets like SOL.

Security Signals and Community Engagement

Trust and activity often matter as much as price. Mutuum Finance has completed a CertiK audit with a 90/100 token scan score, adding a layer of confidence as development progresses. An independent audit with Halborn Security is also underway, reviewing finalized lending and borrowing contracts.

The project has also introduced a $50k bug bounty focused on identifying code vulnerabilities. Market commentators suggest that proactive security measures often attract more serious capital, especially from participants accustomed to higher standards.

Community engagement is another factor. A 24-hour leaderboard rewards the top daily contributor with $500 in MUTM, keeping activity high as the presale nears completion. This steady participation helps maintain visibility during a critical phase.

Why Whale Allocations Matter at This Stage

Whale allocations often increase during moments when supply tightens and milestones approach. With Phase 6 nearly sold out and Phase 7 ahead, some larger participants appear to be positioning early.

Whales typically look for three things. Limited supply at current prices. Clear development milestones. And growing attention without excessive noise. Mutuum Finance currently checks all three boxes, according to several market commentators.

Solana, by contrast, does not face the same supply dynamics. Its circulating supply is already well distributed, and price movement depends more on long-term ecosystem growth than near-term transitions.

The Bigger Picture

Solana’s current position reflects maturity rather than early expansion. Mutuum Finance represents the opposite. A project still building, still attracting new holders, and still priced at $0.035 as allocation tightens.

For investors asking which crypto to buy today with an eye on long-term growth, this comparison highlights why attention is shifting. As SOL slows under $150, this new DeFi crypto is entering a stage where early demand, limited supply, and upcoming milestones begin to intersect.

With Phase 6 approaching full allocation, Mutuum Finance is moving into the part of its story where early positioning often becomes more difficult to find.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://www.mutuum.com

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

Russia has once again postponed the launch of its Soyuz-5 rocket, this time due to the need for additional testing. 

Russia’s rocket program, despite being positioned as a competitor to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has faced several challenges, leading to years of delays.

What is the launch of the Soyuz-5 rocket delayed?

Roscosmos, Russia’s state space corporation, announced that Russia and Kazakhstan have delayed the first launch of the Soyuz-5 rocket, a potential competitor to SpaceX’s commercial space operations, due to the need for additional testing of its onboard systems and ground equipment.

The Soyuz-5 was scheduled to lift off before the end of 2024 from the newly constructed Baiterek complex at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. But now, a new launch date will be determined after all necessary tests are completed and program participants finalize coordination.

The Baiterek project is a joint venture between Russia and Kazakhstan, which makes use of the facilities at Baikonur and has served as a primary launch site for the Russian space program for decades.

The Soyuz-5 program encountered initial setbacks when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, resulting in international sanctions. These sanctions restricted access to certain technologies and components critical for space systems development.

Russia then launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, resulting in even more sanctions from Western nations.

These restrictions have affected not only the rocket’s development timeline but also hindered Russia’s space industry’s capacity to maintain its technological advancement.

What other problems is Russia’s space program experiencing?

In late November, a launch pad at Baikonur sustained damage during a rocket launch carrying crew members to the International Space Station. The incident temporarily halted crewed flights from that facility, and Roscosmos announced that the repairs will be completed by the end of February 2026, a one-year postponement from the initial February 2025 schedule.

On November 27, the program suffered its most substantial challenge during the launch of the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft to the ISS. A service module fairing malfunctioned, prompting Roscosmos to suspend all crewed launches.

The suspension affects Russia’s commitments to the International Space Station and represents a critical blow to the country’s reputation as a reliable partner in human spaceflight.

Additionally, a Proton-M launch vehicle that was scheduled for December 15 from Baikonur did not take place. The Proton-M series has been a workhorse for Russian commercial and government satellite launches.

Despite these setbacks, on December 25, a Soyuz 2.1a launch vehicle successfully lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, and another Soyuz launch is planned for December 28 from the Vostochny Cosmodrome.

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China moved to block fresh money from its only pure silver fund after a violent surge pushed prices far beyond the value of the metal it holds.

According to PBOC officials, UBS SDIC Silver Futures Fund LOF will stop accepting new subscriptions for its Class C shares from Monday.

The decision was announced on Friday after repeated risk warnings failed to slow demand driven by social media trading. The manager said the gains were no longer stable and warned that losses could hit fast if prices turn.

The move comes as China faces an intense rush into precious metals near year-end. Silver, gold, and platinum have all pushed toward record levels. Retail traders in China have poured into listed funds as limited local options funnel money into a small number of products.

The silver fund’s market price surged to more than 60% above the value of its underlying assets, which are silver futures traded on the Shanghai Futures Exchange. The fund manager said this level exposed buyers to sharp downside risk.

Retail trading and online guides fuel extreme premiums

China is the world’s largest consumer of silver, but the metal has long been treated as an industrial input rather than an investment. That view changed this year as silver prices jumped about 150% on global markets.

Social media amplified the move. Posts on Xiaohongshu, also known as Rednote, circulated step-by-step guides showing traders how to exploit price gaps between the fund’s exchange-traded units and its over-the-counter shares.

Money flooded in. For three straight sessions, the fund hit its 10% daily limit. On Thursday, UBS SDIC Fund Management Co. cut the maximum Class C subscription to 100 yuan from 500 yuan, or roughly $14.26. The fund then fell by the same daily limit.

Even after the drop, the premium stayed elevated. It slid to 44%, still far above the 7% level recorded at the start of December. On Friday, the manager announced the full closure of Class C subscriptions and also lowered the cap on Class A shares to 100 yuan, effective Monday.

The firm said earlier measures failed to cool demand and described the price action as “unsustainable.”

China has seen similar bursts of speculative trading in listed open-ended funds, known as LOFs, which trade like stocks but can also be subscribed to directly through fund companies.

Tight supply and global policy pressure drive silver higher

The silver fund is not alone. Several LOFs surged earlier this week as metals prices climbed. The UBS SDIC silver fund has gained 187% this year, compared with about 145% for Shanghai-listed silver futures.

That gap narrowed sharply after Wednesday as restrictions took effect. China continues to play a major role as retail money hunts trends with few domestic channels.

As you probably know, gold has dominated 2025 as investors and central banks sought protection under the economic approach of US President Donald Trump, who returned to the White House this year.

Silver followed, supported by both investment demand and supply pressure. By early December, silver was up 100%, while gold had risen 60%. Investors bought both metals to hedge against inflation, currency weakness, and political stress.

Unlike gold, silver also feeds directly into manufacturing. It is used in electronics, renewable energy equipment, and other industrial products.

Inventories sit near record lows, raising the risk of shortages that could hit multiple sectors. Demand typically changes with factory output, interest rates, and energy policy. When growth picks up, industrial buyers push prices higher. When downturn fears rise, investors step in.

Liquidity adds risk. The silver market is far smaller than gold. Daily turnover is thinner, and stocks are tighter. Silver held in London is valued at just under $50 billion, while gold stored there is worth about $1.2 trillion.

Around $700 billion of that gold is held by central banks in the Bank of England and can be lent during stress. No such backstop exists for silver. China now sits at the center of that imbalance as retail demand meets limited supply.

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Former Samsung Electronics staff have been charged with leaking the company’s advanced technology and manufacturing processes to China’s ChangXin Memory Technologies.

Samsung and other affected companies have recorded estimated losses of tens of trillions of won due to the technology theft.

ChangXin Memory Technologies steals tech from Samsung

South Korean authorities have charged 10 individuals with stealing and transferring critical semiconductor manufacturing technology to Chinese chipmaker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT).

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office announced that of the 10 individuals indicted, five suspects remain detained in custody and five were released on bail. The indictments involve violations of South Korea’s industrial technology protection law.

Prosecutors revealed that a former Samsung researcher preparing to join CXMT painstakingly transcribed hundreds of manufacturing process steps for the company’s 1.6 trillion won technology by hand before leaving the company.

These handwritten notes contained extremely detailed information about the specifications for the equipment, production sequencing, and yield optimization techniques. CXMT later used these notes to reconstruct Samsung’s manufacturing processes at its own facilities.

South Korea opened eight technology leak cases in the first half of 2025 alone, with five of those cases involving China as the recipient of stolen information.

The legal consequences for technology theft have been relatively lenient, but South Korea revised its prevention laws earlier in 2024 to impose harsher prison terms and increased fines for violators.

What did CXMT do with the stolen technology?

CXMT adapted and validated the stolen data to work with its own equipment and successfully achieved the production of its own 10-nanometer DRAM in 2023. Due to this theft, CXMT became the first Chinese chipmaker to produce such advanced node chips.

Prosecutors found that CXMT also obtained additional DRAM technology from SK Hynix through an unnamed supplier.

Earlier this year in May, an SK Hynix employee surnamed Kim received a five-year prison sentence plus a 30 million won fine for leaking advanced chip packaging and CMOS image sensor technology to Huawei’s HiSilicon division.

Kim allegedly photographed approximately 11,000 pages of technical documents and removed confidentiality markings before sharing the sensitive information.

In a separate 2024 case, authorities picked up a Chinese national at a Korean airport attempting to leave the country after printing over 3,000 pages of semiconductor defect analysis data before joining Huawei. The suspect had been with SK Hynix since 2013.

Prosecutors explained that CXMT used the illegally obtained manufacturing processes from Samsung to come up with its own high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, which is a hot commodity for customers building AI accelerators and graphics processing units used for machine learning and data center operations.

South Korean authorities estimate that the financial damage to companies like Samsung Electronics, when things like potential lost market and research and development costs are considered, amounts to at least tens of trillions of won.

At the time the technology was stolen, Samsung was the only company to have successfully commercialized 10-nanometer DRAM production.

Last month, CXMT unveiled its latest generation of DRAM products, known as DDR5. Cryptopolitan reported that the company is pursuing a Shanghai stock exchange listing with a targeted valuation of $42 billion.

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Oracle’s Larry El owned 2025 for reasons that had nothing to do with calm execution or clean wins. The year opened with expectations that Elon Musk would dominate tech headlines again. That did not happen.

By December, Oracle’s chairman had touched almost every major business story tied to Washington, AI spending, media deals, and volatile markets.

The 81-year-old Larry [naturally] stayed close to the White House as Donald Trump returned as president. Oracle explored taking a stake in TikTok as part of a plan tied to Trump’s effort to keep the app operating in the US.

At the same time, Oracle stock turned into a daily scoreboard for Ellison’s wealth, swinging hard as investors chased and then questioned the company’s AI ambitions.

Oracle builds Stargate and locks in OpenAI as its biggest client

January set the tone. On Jan. 21, one day after Trump’s inauguration, Trump stood at the White House with Larry, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, and SoftBank head Masa Son.

The group announced Stargate, a $500 billion plan to build AI data centers across the US. The announcement included claims of 100,000 jobs and massive long-term investment. Some analysts doubted the numbers from the start.

Oracle moved fast anyway. The company began a large-scale buildout of AI-focused data centers. The spending pushed Oracle’s cash flow negative for the first time since the early 1990s. That reversal stood out because Larry had skipped the cloud boom years earlier. In 2025, he leaned into AI instead of watching from the sidelines.

By summer, Oracle landed its biggest deal yet. OpenAI agreed to rent roughly $300 billion worth of computing power from Oracle. The contract positioned OpenAI as Oracle’s largest customer.

In September, Oracle disclosed how large the commitment really was. Investors reacted immediately. Oracle shares jumped almost 36 percent on Sept. 10, the third sharpest rally since the company’s 1986 IPO. The stock hit an intraday record of $345.72.

That single day added $89 billion to Larry’s net worth, lifting it to $388 billion. Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index recorded it as the largest one-day wealth increase ever. For a brief moment, he passed Musk as the richest person alive.

Zachary Lountzis, vice president at Lountzis Asset Management, in an interview, said they are extremely bullish on ORCL. In his words:-

“Our philosophy is that we’re OK with short-term overvaluation if the economics of the business have not changed, and that was the case with Oracle. We didn’t feel the economics of the business changed with all the largely positive news that came out. And I think what we’ve seen from $340 down to $180 is actually a very healthy correction.”

Stock collapse, leadership changes, and pressure on cash follow

The surge in wealth overlapped with a media deal at home. In August, David Ellison, Larry’s son, closed Skydance Media’s takeover of Paramount. The acquisition relied heavily on funding from Ellison Senior, tying Hollywood control to Oracle’s chairman during the same year his tech bets peaked.

Then the slide began. About three months ago, Oracle appointed Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia as co-chief executives, replacing Safra Catz. The timing was rough.

Oracle shares have fallen about 30 percent this quarter. With only days left, the decline is tracking toward the company’s worst quarterly drop since the 2001 dot-com crash.

Two weeks before the leadership handoff, Oracle reported a 359 percent revenue backlog tied largely to the OpenAI agreement.

The deal validated Oracle’s AI push even as the company remained outside Gartner’s top five cloud infrastructure providers for 2024. Oracle still trails Amazon, Microsoft, and Google in market share, despite customers that include Meta, Uber, and Elon Musk’s xAI.

Wells Fargo analyst Michael Turrin initiated coverage this month with a buy equivalent and a $280 target. He said Oracle could change how the market views the business if it delivers on OpenAI.

“They’re kind of shifting away from more of a value oriented business to a more growth oriented business,” Michael said.

Today, Larry ranks as the world’s fifth richest person with just under $250 billion. Most of that wealth sits in Oracle stock. If he were required to provide the full $40.4 billion backstop tied to the OpenAI deal, cash access remains unclear. Meeting that obligation could force him to sell shares or pledge more stock, extending the risk into 2026.

The most interesting price discussions usually start before the crowd notices. When analysts begin modeling large upside scenarios while a token is still priced under $0.04, it often signals that timing, structure, and demand are lining up. As Phase 6 crosses the 99% mark, this $0.035 new altcoin is entering that zone. For investors asking what crypto to buy now before the next cycle gains pace, this setup is drawing growing attention. At the center of these models is Mutuum Finance, a DeFi crypto that has been building quietly while its presale advances step by step.

Lending Mechanics and Presale Demand Are Intersecting

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is developing around two lending models that work together. Peer to contract lending allows users to supply assets into liquidity pools and earn yield. Interest rates adjust based on utilization, which helps balance supply and demand. When liquidity is high, borrowing becomes cheaper. When liquidity tightens, rates rise and attract more deposits.

Peer to peer lending offers another layer. Borrowers can take loans directly against collateral under defined rules. Loan to value ratios are set based on asset risk. Lower volatility assets can support higher LTV levels, while more volatile tokens are capped lower. If collateral value drops too far, liquidations occur to protect the system. This structure is familiar to analysts who follow DeFi closely.

Alongside these mechanics, presale demand has continued to build. The current token price is $0.035, and Phase 6 is now over 99% allocated. Mutuum Finance has raised $19.45M, attracted 18,650 holders, and sold 825M tokens so far. Out of a fixed 4B total supply, 45.5% is allocated to the presale, equal to roughly 1.82B tokens.

The price has already moved from $0.01 in Phase 1 to $0.035 today, marking a 250% increase during the presale period alone. The official launch price is set at $0.06, which shapes many of the current price discussions.

V1 Launch Progress and Analyst Price Outlook

Development milestones are another reason analysts are paying attention. According to official statements shared on X, V1 of the Mutuum Finance lending and borrowing protocol is planned for the Sepolia testnet in Q4 2025. Core components include liquidity pools, mtTokens, debt tokens, and an automated liquidator bot. Initial supported assets will be ETH and USDT.

Security has also been addressed early. Mutuum Finance has completed a CertiK audit with a 90/100 token scan score. In addition, an independent audit with Halborn Security is currently in progress, reviewing finalized contracts. A $50k bug bounty has been allocated specifically for code vulnerabilities.

Some analysts believe that having a live beta close to launch can significantly affect visibility. Market commentators suggest that projects launching with working infrastructure often attract exchange interest more quickly. In a bullish scenario, projections show that this visibility could help the token move beyond the $0.06 launch price, supporting a 200% to 300% increase from current levels shortly after launch.

mtTokens and Oracle Infrastructure

mtTokens are central to how Mutuum Finance links usage to value. When users supply assets, they receive mtTokens that increase in value as interest accrues. The yield is automatic and reflected directly in the token balance. For example, supplying $12,000 worth of USDC into a pool earning 8% APY would gradually increase the value of the mtTokens held.

Another key element is the buy-and-distribute model. A portion of protocol fees is used to purchase MUTM on the open market. Those tokens are then redistributed to users who stake mtTokens in the safety module. Some analysts believe this creates sustained buying pressure over time, since higher platform usage leads directly to more token purchases.

Reliable pricing is supported through robust oracle infrastructure. The protocol design anticipates decentralized price feeds such as Chainlink, along with fallback and aggregated sources. Accurate pricing is essential for collateral valuation and liquidations, especially during volatile periods.

In a bullish scenario, analysts model that combining yield generation, fee-driven token buying, and reliable oracle data could support a 500% to 700% increase over a longer time frame if adoption grows steadily.

Why Analysts Compare MUTM to Early Aave

One comparison that continues to surface is with early Aave. Before Aave became a large-cap DeFi name, it focused on core lending functionality, clear risk parameters, and gradual adoption. It did not rely on short-term narratives. Analysts often point out that Mutuum Finance is following a similar path.

The protocol is centered on making capital productive through lending and borrowing. It uses utilization-based rates, defined LTV limits, and liquidation incentives that protect solvency. These are the same building blocks that helped earlier DeFi leaders scale responsibly.

What Mutuum Finance is trying to build is not a one-feature platform. It aims to create a full lending environment where users can earn yield, borrow efficiently, and interact with a stablecoin backed by multiple assets in the future. This broader vision is why some market commentators believe the project has room to grow beyond its initial launch phase.

Why the 700% Scenario Is Being Discussed

The 700% scenario referenced by analysts is not framed as a guarantee. It is a model based on several factors aligning. A current price of $0.035. A launch price of $0.06. A presale phase nearing completion. A V1 protocol going live. A token model that links usage to buying activity.

Early investor sentiment indicates that when these elements converge, price discovery can accelerate. Analysts who accurately tracked early DeFi growth cycles often look for these same patterns. That is why Mutuum Finance is increasingly mentioned in discussions about the best cryptocurrency to invest in today among new altcoins.

As Phase 6 crosses 99%, Mutuum Finance is entering a transition point. Presale supply is tightening, development milestones are approaching, and analysts are actively modeling upside scenarios. As long as execution continues as outlined, many believe this could be one of the DeFi crypto stories that unfolds over the next cycle rather than peaking before it begins.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://www.mutuum.com

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

Bitcoin has dropped 30% from its high this year, and that drop is doing something useful for a change; giving people a shot at trimming their tax bills. It’s ugly in price, but pretty helpful if you’re sitting on stock profits.

With the S&P 500 rallying by 18% year-to-date while Bitcoin is down about 5%, investors who own assets in both are now dumping their crypto losses to cancel out equity gains.

Tom Geoghegan, who runs Beacon Hill Private Wealth in New Jersey, said:

“Tax-loss harvesting in crypto is being treated as part of the overall tax strategy, especially in a year of strong equity market performance, rather than as a standalone tactic.”

Crypto investors sell and rebuy fast without IRS limits

Tax-loss harvesting works like this: sell an asset that’s gone down, claim the loss, and use it to cut your tax bill. You can wipe out capital gains dollar-for-dollar, and if the losses are bigger than the gains, you can also cut up to $3,000 from your regular income, while rolling over any leftover into next year.

For stocks, the IRS wash-sale rule says you can’t buy the same stock back within 31 days or you lose the deduction.

But with crypto, the IRS sees Bitcoin as property, not a security, so if you sell it and then buy it back right away, no problem.

“You can sell that Bitcoin, buy it on that same day, and it doesn’t trigger that limitation,” said Robert Persichitte, a CPA and financial planner at Delagify Financial near Denver.

Will Cong, a finance professor at Cornell, said timing matters this year. If someone bought Bitcoin during the autumn peak and held on, they’re now deep in the red. “A 30% decline from an autumn peak tends to create precisely that situation for more recent entrants, which historically amplifies year-end selling pressure,” Cong told Bloomberg.

Final weeks of 2025 show rise in deliberate crypto tax strategies

Because there’s no 31-day wait rule in crypto, people are doing the sell-and-rebuy move all in one go. Cong said, “The lack of a wash-sale constraint makes the ‘harvest-and-rebuy’ trade easier to execute immediately, and that tends to concentrate activity around the most tax-salient dates.” In simple terms? The selling happens fast and near the deadline.

And this isn’t just a bunch of traders winging it. Geoghegan said clients are thinking about Bitcoin more seriously. They’re using crypto losses to offset stock or private investment gains.

“In some cases, clients are harvesting losses and re-establishing exposure quickly; in others, they’re using harvested losses to offset realized gains elsewhere, such as equities or private investments,” he said. It’s no longer just about crypto. It’s part of a bigger tax plan now.

But the future might get trickier. Cong said crypto didn’t really show the typical “January effect” until after the IRS cracked down in 2018. And by 2026, the crackdown will go further. Brokers and exchanges will have to file a new form, 1099-DA, reporting crypto sale proceeds to the IRS for the first time.

This, of course, raises the stakes. “More volatility makes this more important to consider,” said Persichitte. “If you can harvest that loss with very little restriction or consequences, it makes the loss a lot more palatable.”

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Cybercriminals are using artificial intelligence to pull off more elaborate schemes. They’re targeting everything from retirement savings to corporate secrets with methods that keep getting harder to spot.

The same technology that tailors advertisements to online shoppers is now being used by bad actors to gather personal details and launch custom scams fast. Really fast.

Major AI companies like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google report that criminals are tapping into their platforms to orchestrate complex phishing operations, develop harmful software, and execute various digital attacks. Security specialists warn that criminals are also producing fake audio and video clips of company leaders to trick employees into giving up sensitive information.

Businesses and government offices may soon face swarms of AI-powered systems that can spot weaknesses in computer networks and then plan and carry out attacks with almost no human help.

The technology is changing how criminals operate online. Alice Marwick heads research at Data & Society, an independent technology research organization. She told the Wall Street Journal that the biggest shift involves size and reach. “The real change is scope and scale. Scams are bigger, more targeted, more convincing.”

Brian Singer is a doctoral student at Carnegie Mellon University. He studies how large language models are used in cyberattacks and defenses. His estimate? Half to three-quarters of worldwide spam and phishing messages now come from AI systems.

The attacks themselves have gotten more believable. AI systems trained on company communications can produce thousands of messages that sound natural and match a company’s style. They copy how executives write. They mention recent news found in public records.

The technology also helps overseas scammers hide language mistakes that used to make their attempts obvious. Criminals can impersonate victims through fake videos and copied voices. They use the same fake identity to target several people at once.

John Hultquist is chief analyst at Google Threat Intelligence Group. He describes the main shift as “credibility at scale.”

Bad actors are also getting better at picking targets. They use AI to look through social media and find people dealing with major life difficulties. Divorce, family deaths, losing a job, and situations that might make someone more vulnerable to romance tricks, investment fraud, or fake job offers.

Dark web markets lower entry barrier

The barrier to entry for cybercrime has dropped. Underground markets now sell or rent AI tools for criminal work for as little as $90 each month. Nicolas Christin leads Carnegie Mellon’s software and societal systems department.

He said that these platforms come with different pricing levels and customer help. “Developers sell subscriptions to attack platforms with tiered pricing and customer support.”

These services go by names like WormGPT, FraudGPT, and DarkGPT. They can create harmful software and phishing campaigns. Some even include teaching materials on hacking techniques.

Margaret Cunningham is vice president of security and AI strategy at Darktrace, a security company. She says it’s simple. “You don’t need to know how to code, just where to find the tool.”

There’s a recent development called vibe-coding or vibe-hacking. It could let aspiring criminals use AI to make their own malicious programs rather than purchasing them from underground sources. Anthropic disclosed earlier this year that it had stopped several attempts to use its Claude AI for creating ransomware by “criminals with few technical skills.”

Criminal operations themselves are changing. Cybercrime has worked like a business marketplace for years now, according to experts. A typical ransomware operation involved different groups. Access brokers who broke into company networks and sold entry. Intrusion teams who moved through systems stealing data. And ransomware-as-a-service providers who released the malware, handled negotiations, and divided the money.

Speed and automation reshape criminal networks

AI has increased the speed, size, and availability of this system. Work previously done by people with technical knowledge can now run automatically. This lets these groups operate with fewer people, less risk, and higher profits. “Think of it as the next layer of industrialization. AI increases throughput without requiring more skilled labor,” Christin explains.

Can AI launch attacks completely on its own? Not quite yet. Experts compare the situation to the push for fully self-driving vehicles. The first 95% has been achieved. But the final part that would let a car drive anywhere, anytime by itself remains out of reach.

Researchers are testing AI’s hacking abilities in lab environments. A team at Carnegie Mellon, supported by Anthropic, recreated the famous Equifax data breach using AI earlier this year. Singer led the work at Carnegie Mellon’s CyLab Security and Privacy Institute. He calls it “a big leap.”

Criminals exploit AI for harmful purposes. But AI companies say the same tools can help organizations strengthen their digital defenses.

Anthropic and OpenAI are building AI systems that can continuously examine software code to locate weaknesses that criminals might exploit. People still must approve any fixes though. A recent AI program developed by Stanford researchers performed better than some human testers when searching for security problems in a network.

Even AI won’t stop all breaches. That’s why organizations must focus on creating tough networks that keep working during attacks, Hultquist says.

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The dollar is having a rough end to 2025, and traders aren’t hiding it. According to Bloomberg, the DXY Index dropped 0.8% this week, putting it on pace for the worst weekly loss since June.

The dollar is also about to wrap up the year with an 8% decline, its biggest drop since 2017, and it’s sitting at its lowest level since September.

With the UK markets shut on Friday and trading activity muted by the holidays, investors are now focused on a batch of U.S. economic data coming in January. The December jobs report and inflation readings are the ones everyone’s waiting for.

The Fed just cut borrowing costs for the third straight time this year last month. What happens next depends entirely on whether that data comes in hot or cold. Right now, markets are leaning toward more cuts.

Currency traders bet against the dollar as liquidity dries up

The dollar’s slide this week was helped by rising appetite for risk-sensitive currencies like the Australian dollar and Norwegian krone, which both outperformed.

Over in the bond market, the dollar’s pain has been Treasuries’ gain. 10-year yields dropped about three basis points to 4.12%, staying in a tight range but pointing to steady buying. Traders have nearly priced in a 90% chance that the Fed won’t touch rates at the next meeting. But markets still expect at least two more quarter-point cuts by year-end, one by mid-year, and another before 2026 kicks in.

While the dollar floundered, stocks stayed in party mode. The S&P 500 hit a new all-time high on Friday. The Dow and Nasdaq were also hovering around weekly gains of more than 1%. It’s the fourth winning week out of the last five for the S&P, even though trading volumes were light coming off the Christmas holiday.

Wednesday’s session was already a record-breaker, with the S&P notching new intraday and closing highs. U.S. markets were closed on Thursday, but traders returned Friday still riding the momentum.

Investors are deep into what’s known as the Santa Claus rally, that quiet year-end stretch that historically lifts stocks. Since 1950, the S&P 500 has averaged a 1.3% gain during this seven-day window, based on Stock Trader’s Almanac data.

Tom Hainlin, national investment strategist at U.S. Bank Asset Management, said, “People are taking profits here and there, or buying on lows, but there’s not a lot of information. You’re not getting corporate profit results. You’re not getting a lot of economic data, so it’s probably just more technicals and positioning heading into here.”

Tom also pointed to a change in what’s driving the market, which is tech stocks weren’t behind the latest gains, instead, it was financials and industrials.

“That just gives more confidence heading into 2026 that it’s not just tech here and everybody behind them,” Tom said. “It’s the market benefiting from the tax bill that was signed in July, the rate cuts that came in the fourth quarter of this year. Heading into 2026, those are some tailwinds.”

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The market has gone on a comfortable delay. Bitcoin has erased its recent peak. Ethereum is also grappling with regaining grounds. Memes coins formerly dominating the headlines are declining. When such occurs, attention is not lost. It shifts. Capital is leaking out to projects that are as yet young, as yet in construction, and as yet off the radar. That is beginning to change in Q4 2025, and one DeFi altcoin is already beginning to emerge. 

The Sudden Interest of Investors in Mutuum Finance (MUTM)

The latter is Mutuum Finance (MUTM). At a time when most crypto coins have been trading in straight lines, Mutuum Finance is receiving interest due to what it is creating, as opposed to short-term price action.

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is developing a loaning and borrowing protocol aimed at maintaining capital on the chain. Users will be able to place the assets to earn or borrow against collateral in a system that would adjust rates according to actual demand. This construction is important at times of puzzles in the market. It puts capital in motion instead of laying it down.

The story also involves timing. As stated on X, official statements, V1 of the Mutuum Finance lending and borrowing protocol is scheduled to run on Sepolia testnet in Q4 2025. Its liquidity pools, mtTokens, debt tokens, and an automated liquidator bot are its core features, and the first assets are ETH and USDT. To a large number of traders, the product timeline represents putting money on something with confidence when crypto prices at large are stalled.

Protocol Growth Since Early 2025

The data on participation surrounding Mutuum Finance has been made more difficult to disregard. The project has raised $19.45M and has 18,650 holders. Such numbers are important since they indicate consistent participation whether on a large scale or not only a few individuals in the early stages who backed the company.

This actually is a confidence sign to the market commentators. It implies that interest is being maintained in the long term as opposed to sudden spurts. When the index of crypto fear and greed are at their ups and downs, consistent partaking could speak more than the favored price.

To anyone who is a crypto investment tracking analyst, these metrics indicate that attention is on Mutuum Finance because the company is in a period where investors are increasingly demanding when it comes to depositing assets in any particular entity.

Price Flow, Price Movement and Token Structure

The MUTM has a current selling price of $0.035 and is in presale Phase 6 currently which is more than 99% assigned. The maximum quantity of supply is 4B tokens. Out of this, 45.5% is assigned to early distribution which amounts to approximately 1.82B tokens. There are 825M tokens that have been sold so far.

The outstanding fact has been the trend of price. MUTM started at $0.01 and has increased step by step to where it is at present, and this is a 250% growth. The initial launch price will be determined as $0.06 which poses expectations as we move to the next level.

The movement of prices has been documented in an orderly manner rather than the jumps. Analysts are known to point out that such a development may make the volatility after launch less volatile since less people will be sitting on stark gains.

Infrastructure and Security 

Development has been building alongside security. Mutuum Finance has undergone a CertiK audit with a score of 90/100 scan of a token. Meanwhile, Halborn Security is also conducting an independent review, which analyzes final lending and borrowing agreements. There is also a $50k bug bounty that is active to promote the finding of any existing code issues.

These layers are important to a lending protocol. Collateral, liquidations and user funds management need the trust in the code. Early security investment is also seen by analysts as an expectation by a project to last, rather than launch hype.

Infrastructure plans indicate this point of view. Mutuum Finance plans to make use of decentralized oracle feeds like Chainlink, although fallback sources will be used in order to achieve stable pricing. The roadmap also includes the development of stablecoins so that the borrowers can use various kinds of collateral. Aligning the L2 would minimize fee charges and enhance speed, which is essential in use of active DeFi.

Looking Forward Q1 2026

Urgently, as Phase 6 tight ends. Allocation is almost at 100% and market commentators have reported a recent six figure increase in whale interest. Bigger purchasers tend to seek occasions of restricted provision and milestones being near.

Activity is further maintained by a 24-hour leaderboard that will give the best daily depositor $500 in MUTM, which will ensure continued participation. The use of card payments has also reduced friction by new entrants, which will help increase participation at the critical stages.

When considering 2026 (Q1), analysts are noticing that Mutuum Finance is setting itself, at a time when such an event is uncommon. Its product roadmap, security model and supply forces are in line as much of the wider market turns activated.

To investors who want to know which crypto to buy today or what is the best altcoin now to position in the long-term, this DeFi token with the price of $0.035 is entering the discussion. With the long way to go at Q4 2025 and the focus still being on a shift, Mutuum Finance is coming out as one of the newly developed cryptocurrencies that could define where the next cycle will start.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://www.mutuum.com

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

Moments like this tend to arrive before the wider market reacts. Activity builds quietly, timelines tighten, and signals start to stack up. For those asking what crypto to buy now while attention is still divided, this is often where early positioning takes shape. A new DeFi coin priced at $0.035 is now entering that window, with momentum pointing toward a transition rather than a pause. Behind that movement is Mutuum Finance, a project that has been advancing step by step instead of chasing headlines.

What Mutuum Finance Is Building and Why It Matters

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is building a decentralized lending and borrowing protocol designed to make on-chain capital more productive. The idea is simple in concept, but powerful in execution. Users can supply assets to earn yield, while borrowers access liquidity by posting collateral. Rates adjust based on real usage rather than fixed incentives.

For example, a user supplying assets into the protocol receives mtTokens that represent their position. As interest accrues across the system, the value of those mtTokens increases automatically. This makes yield transparent and easy to track without complex actions.

According to official statements shared on X, V1 of the Mutuum Finance lending and borrowing protocol is planned for the Sepolia testnet in Q4 2025. Core components include liquidity pools, mtTokens, debt tokens, and an automated liquidator bot. Initial assets will include ETH and USDT.

Security has also been a focus from the start. An independent audit is currently in progress with Halborn Security, reviewing finalized lending and borrowing contracts. For analysts tracking DeFi crypto development, this level of preparation before launch often signals long-term intent rather than short-term noise.

Funding and Investors

Momentum around Mutuum Finance is backed by participation, not just interest. So far, the project has raised $19.45M and attracted 18,650 investors. That scale of involvement matters because it reflects broad engagement rather than reliance on a small group.

The token began its early stages at $0.01 and now trades at $0.035, marking a 250% increase over time. This kind of progression suggests steady demand rather than sudden spikes. For those watching crypto prices today, gradual growth is often viewed as a healthier signal than sharp jumps followed by pullbacks.

Many market commentators suggest that when a new cryptocurrency shows this type of price development before broader exposure, it often points to underlying confidence rather than short-term trading.

Allocation and Community Activity

Mutuum Finance has a fixed total supply of 4B tokens. Of that amount, 45.5% is allocated for early distribution, which equals roughly 1.82B tokens. To date, 825M tokens have already been sold.

What this means in practical terms is that available supply at current levels is becoming limited. As allocation tightens, new participants are competing for a smaller remaining portion. This dynamic often influences price discovery once a project transitions into its next stage.

Community engagement adds another layer. A 24-hour leaderboard rewards the top daily contributor with $500 in MUTM, keeping participation active and visible. This type of structure encourages ongoing involvement rather than one-time interest.

The team has also focused on simplifying access. While details continue to develop, easier payment options are part of the broader effort to reduce friction for new users entering the ecosystem. Analysts often point out that smoother access can support wider adoption over time.

Audits and Long-Term Structure

Security remains one of the strongest signals around Mutuum Finance. The project has completed a CertiK audit with a 90/100 token scan score, which provides an additional layer of confidence. Alongside the ongoing Halborn Security review, this creates a multi-layered approach to risk management.

Beyond lending, Mutuum Finance is planning a stablecoin backed by multiple assets. This design allows borrowers to use diverse collateral rather than relying on a single token. By spreading risk, the system can remain more resilient during market swings.

Accurate pricing is handled through robust oracle infrastructure. The protocol design anticipates decentralized data feeds such as Chainlink, along with fallback sources. Reliable pricing is critical for lending systems, especially when liquidations depend on real-time values.

Some analysts believe that combining lending, a stablecoin, and strong oracle support places Mutuum Finance in a category closer to infrastructure-focused DeFi projects rather than short-lived trends.

Why Phase 6 Timing Is Drawing Attention

Phase 6 is now closing out rapidly, with allocation nearing completion. Recent activity includes a $100k whale allocation, which many market commentators view as a signal of growing confidence among larger participants.

Whales often look for moments when supply tightens and milestones approach. A closing phase combined with an upcoming V1 launch fits that pattern. Larger allocations at this stage suggest that some participants are positioning ahead of broader visibility.

When people ask what is the potential best cryptocurrency to invest in right now, the answer often depends on timing as much as fundamentals. Mutuum Finance brings both into focus. A working lending protocol in development, strong funding, active community engagement, and multiple security layers all point toward a project built for longevity.

With Phase 6 closing out and activity accelerating, this $0.035 new DeFi coin is entering a moment where early positioning becomes harder to find. For those tracking the potential best crypto to buy now ahead of 2026, Mutuum Finance is increasingly difficult to overlook.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://www.mutuum.com

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

The largest Russian financial institution by assets, Sberbank, has just started lending against domestically mined cryptocurrency as collateral.

The move comes well ahead of the planned adoption of new legislation expected to comprehensively regulate crypto transactions in Russia next year.

Sberbank pilots crypto-backed lending in Russia

Russia’s top lender, Sberbank, has granted a loan backed by cryptocurrency for the first time since Moscow started legalizing the market.

The corporate loan provided to Intelion has been secured with coins minted by the Russian mining giant, Sber announced Friday.

In a press release published on its website, and quoted by the business news publications RBC and Vedomosti, the bank unveiled:

“Sberbank issued a pilot loan to a cryptocurrency miner, Intelion Data JSC. The collateral was digital currency mined by the miner.”

The banking giant further highlighted that it used its own storage solution, called Rutoken, to safely deposit the cryptocurrency during the loan period.

Intelion Data Systems is one of the largest mining operators in Russia, which also supplies hardware and provides hosting services at its big data centers.

It is the country’s second-largest mining firm, in terms of both capacity and revenue, after Bitriver. Together, the two control more than half of the Russian mining market.

In a statement released by Sberbank, the Deputy Chairman of its Management Board, Anatoly Popov, noted:

“The pilot transaction allowed us to test mechanisms for working with digital collateral, which could form the basis for future regulation. We believe this product will be relevant not only for cryptocurrency miners, but also for companies that own crypto assets.”

Crypto-secured loans may soon become common

Popov’s comments come only a day after Russian media quoted excerpts from an interview on the same matter that he recently gave to the official TASS news agency. In the latter, the executive unveiled that Sberbank is exploring the possibility of offering fiat loans backed by cryptocurrency holdings, as reported by Cryptopolitan.

He also indicated that the majority state-owned bank is prepared to support efforts by the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) to adopt proper rules for the country’s crypto space, elaborating:

“Cryptocurrency market regulation in Russia is still in its infancy, and we are ready to participate in developing relevant solutions and creating the infrastructure to launch such services, together with the regulator.”

Earlier this week, the monetary authority in Moscow published the main points of a new concept for complete regulation of the Russian crypto market.

Moving beyond its overly conservative stance on decentralized digital assets such as Bitcoin, the CBR now suggests legalizing crypto investment and trading outside the current experimental legal regime.

Besides qualified investors, non-professional, retail investors will also be granted legal access to cryptocurrencies and their derivatives.

Draft legislative amendments implementing the central bank’s latest proposals have already been submitted for government review, and lawmakers are expected to adopt them by July 1, 2026.

Mining recognized as an industry with growing weight

Russia regulated crypto mining through dedicated legislation, which went into force in 2024, but most of those involved in the sector are yet to come out of the shadows.

Both companies and individual entrepreneurs are allowed to mint digital coins, provided they register with the Federal Tax Service (FNS).

However, less than a third of mining enterprises have done that so far, prompting suggestions to offer an amnesty for miners, who have also been accused of illegally importing hardware.

Meanwhile, the industry has been growing at a fast pace. A recent report revealed that the number of Russian crypto farms approaches 200,000, despite restrictions imposed in several regions to deal with power shortages caused by their activities.

Nevertheless, its growing importance for Russia’s sanctioned economy was recently acknowledged both by the Bank of Russia and a representative of President Putin’s administration.

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The largest shifts within the crypto do not often begin with the headline. They start with timing. A project starts aligning its product, its user base and dynamic in its supply long before the rest of the market is paying any attention to this. And that is the stage most of the initial investors think we are entering at the moment. In the year 2026, a single altcoin at $0.035 of price is a whimpering competition that is being negotiated as a long-term candidate. What is becoming clear is not due to noise, but the pieces are beginning to fall together.

What Mutuum Finance (MUTM) Is Building

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is a DeFi crypto that is centered on decentralized lending and borrowing. The protocol is developing to be based on two but collaborating markets.

In the peer to contract market, the users deposit assets in common liquidity pools. They in turn are awarded with mtTokens which symbolize their standing. These mtTokens will increase in value as time goes by due to interest accruing. 

As an example, a user who deposits the value of $5,000 in ETH in a pool with a 6% annual percentage yield (APY) would see his/her mtTokens gain value continuously without any direct intervention. This renders earning yield an easy and predictable task.

This is in addition to the peer to peer market. In this case, lenders issue loans directly upon security of their assets, at specified terms. Market conditions vary the borrow rates and loan to value allowance is determined depending on the asset risk. In case collateral value declines excessive, liquidations are made to ensure the safeguard of liquidity and maintain the liquidity of the system. This is a structure that enables risky borrowing.

Growth and Investors

The involvement has increased with the development. Mutuum Finance has already gathered $19.45M and is already counted by 18,650 holders. This amount of participation is important as it reveals the demand has been distributed on a broader base and not focused interest.

On X, it is reported that V1 of the Mutuum Finance lending and borrowing protocol will go to the Sepolia testnet in Q4 2025. It consists of liquidity pools, mtTokens, debt tokens, and an automated liquidator bot, featuring the initial assets of ETH and USDT.

To analysts who follow the trend of crypto investment, a working version is frequently a landmark to spot around the time of its actual launch. It transforms a project into implementation.

Value Progression 

The present price of MUTM token is $0.035 and the project is in presale Phase 6 which is almost over. The total MUTM supply is limited to 4B tokens. Out of this, 45.5% of this is set to the presale and this amounts to 1.82B tokens. Up to now, 825M tokens are already sold.

Since the beginning, there has been evident progression in the token. At stage 1, participants were introduced at $0.01. That is a 250% improvement at the current price. On an initial launch price of $0.06 of those first participants, MUTM is 500% growth pegged.

The price increments have been made in phases. The next step is expected to increase the price of the tokens by nearly 20 %, that is why timing is a crucial issue to many early investors. It is usually risky and rewarding to get in prior to phase shifts. Other commentators view this organised advancement as more healthy than abrupt leaps of other upcoming cryptocurrency initiatives.

Risk management, Audits and Security

Security has been dealt with extensively. Mutuum Finance has passed a CertiK audit receiving a score of 90/100 on a token scan, which is a preliminary evaluation of the integrity of the token. Not only that, an independent audit that involves Halborn security is ongoing and the reviewed finalized lending and borrowing contracts are being examined line by line.

Moreover, a 50k bug bounty is also introduced as a way of motivating the uncovering of any form of vulnerability. It has been pointed out by market commentators that such an overlapping approach is a positive indication of long-term thinking, particularly when applied to DeFi crypto protocols that handle user funds. Well-defined security systems will draw in new users once it has been launched, and this can affect adoption and eventually affect crypto prices.

Growing Urgency Ahead of 2026

During the Phase 6 transition, investor urgency is increasing. A 24 hour leaderboard facilitates the activity and rewards the most active contributor with $500 in MUTM to maintain the interest levels. This has also reduced the barrier of participation considering the fact that card payments are becoming readily available hence access is easy to new users.

Discussion of 1000% move must be put into perspective. No outcome is guaranteed. However, pre-investment indications show that there are a number of things that long-term growth rates are typically possessed by Mutuum Finance. A well spelled out product, increasing involvement, set supply levels and pre-launch execution.

Currently, MUTM is turning into a part of the discussion of what is the potential best cryptocurrency to invest in today to realize a 2026 horizon. At $0.035, in the middle of milestones that are yet to be reached and stages moving swiftly, this altcoin is entering a phase where first mover advantage could be more important than subsequent validation.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://www.mutuum.com

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

Aave’s founder and CEO Stani Kulechov has taken to X to announce the conclusion of a tumultuous DAO voting, which exposed the friction between the entity known as Aave Labs and $AAVE token holders. 

Kulechov has also denied allegations that he influenced the outcome despite his flagged on-chain moves just before the voting ended. 

What did Kulechov say about the recent Aave DAO vote? 

According to Kulechov, the recent DAO vote raised important questions about the relationship between Aave Labs and $AAVE token holders, calling it a “productive discussion that’s essential for the long-term health of Aave.”

He acknowledged that the voting was hectic and that there was “debate and disagreement,” but he brushed them off as features of decentralized governance.

“I want to state clearly,” he wrote. “I am committed to making the economic alignment between Aave Labs and $AAVE token holders more clear. We haven’t done a great job explaining this and will do so going forward.”

He went on to talk about how the DAO has earned $140M this year, more than the past three years combined. Kulechov also reminded that $AAVE token holders have control over the treasury, a fact that got lost amid the chaos. 

“In the future, we’ll be more explicit about how products built by Aave Labs create value for the DAO and $AAVE token holders,” he wrote before going on to address his recent $15 million purchase of $AAVE. 

“These tokens were not used to vote on the recent proposal and that was never my intention,” Kulechov claimed. “This is my life’s work, and I am putting my own capital behind my conviction.”

The statement implies that his purchase was just him supporting the Aave ecosystem as a whole. However, critics on X as well as community members of his ecosystem are unconvinced. The skepticism is mainly due to the timing to the purchase, which happened during a period when the DAO and Aave Labs were locked in a voting war. 

On Wednesday, Robert Mullins, a decentralized finance (DeFi) strategist and liquidity specialist, argued that the purchase was made to increase Kulechov’s “voting power in anticipation to vote for a proposal directly against the token holders best interests.” 

He called it a “clear example of tokens not being equipped to adequately disincentivize governance attacks.”

His sentiments were echoed by prominent crypto user Sisyphus, who claimed that Kulechov might have sold “millions of dollars” worth of Aave tokens between 2021 and 2025, questioning the economic rationale behind the move.

Why Aave DAO and Aave Labs disagree

The proposal that started what many are now calling a civil war within the Aave ecosystem surfaced mid-December and sought to transfer control of critical Aave brand assets, including the aave.com domain, social media handles, trademarks, GitHub repositories, and naming rights, from Aave Labs to Aave DAO and token holders. 

It was authored by former Aave Labs CTO Ernesto Boado, who argued it would better align incentives with token holders, who currently bear the economic risk, and prevent potential overreach by the Labs entity.

However, backlash followed after the proposal was escalated to a snapshot vote despite ongoing debate. Several stakeholders voiced their displeasure, and Boado, the proposal’s author, admitted the vote escalated without his consent, breaking community trust.

The vote, touted as a temperature check, ultimately ended in a win for Aave Labs, with 55% of participants voting no, while a mere 3.5% voted yes and 41% chose to abstain. 

Whether or not this outcome reflects the true desire of the participants is debatable since, as Samuel McCulloch of USD.ai pointed out, voting power is concentrated in the hands of a small group of large holders. 

Snapshot data from the Aave DAO reportedly shows that the top three voters alone control more than 58% of the entire vote, with the top voter holding 27.06% of the voting power, while the second-largest voter, aci.eth, controls 18.53%. 

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In a statement posted on X, Solstice stated that the underlying net asset value and custodied assets backing USX remained entirely unaffected and maintained collateralization above 100%.

Data flagged by on-chain analytics platforms show that Solstice Finance’s USX, the Solana-based synthetic stablecoin, suffered a depeg that took it down to $0.10, which is a major deviation from the $1 it is meant to maintain.

However, that incident did not last long, as Solstice pumped liquidity interventions into it, bringing it up to $0.94.

According to blockchain security firm PeckShieldAlert, the volatility came as a result of a liquidity drain on secondary markets rather than any underlying collateral problems.

Solstic insists collateral intact but trading venues dried up

“The Solstice team can confirm the underlying NAV and the custodied assets backing USX on the Solstice side remain entirely unaffected,” the company said, adding that they “have requested an immediate and additional third-party attestation report that the team will post once available.”

The announcement stated that the incident was purely a secondary market liquidity issue that both the Solstice team and their market makers are addressing immediately.

“We will continue to inject liquidity into the secondary markets to ensure stability. 1:1 redemptions in the primary market remain fully available,” the Solstice team wrote on X.

The distinction between primary and secondary markets is crucial to understand what happened to Solstice’s USX. Primary markets allow users to mint or redeem stablecoins directly with the issuer at face value, while secondary markets involve trading on decentralized and centralized exchanges where prices are set by supply and demand and can deviate during liquidity crunches.

When exit liquidity evaporated on Solana-based trading venues, sell orders amplified price movements far beyond what would occur in deeper markets.

Where’s the price now?

As of the time of writing, USX was priced at $0.998 according to CoinMarketCap data.

USX was launched in September with backing from digital asset investment firm Deus X Capital and support from Galaxy Digital, MEV Capital, and Bitcoin Suisse.

The Solana-native synthetic stablecoin was designed to deliver yield through delta-neutral strategies while maintaining full collateralization in USDC and USDT. At launch, the protocol secured over $160 million in total value locked (TVL), which now sits at over $317 million.

Solstice TVL chart. Source: DeFiLlama.

USX adds to past stablecoin stress events

The USX depeg isn’t the first to hit the stablecoin market, and the probabilities that it would be the last are slim.

From TerraUSD crashing as a result of fraud from the founder in 2022 to the March 2023 USDC depeg following Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse, there have been incidents in the market that have greatly impacted the market.

Although none is similar to USX in terms of what led to the depegging event and also the scale of users.

Ethena’s synthetic stablecoin, USDe, which is the third-largest stablecoin in terms of market capitalization, also experienced a major depeg incident on Binance in early October. This happened during the flash market crash that hit the market after President Trump mentioned that he was going to impose new tariffs on China.

Binance later cleared the air, stating that the depeg incident that affected the USDe came from their own end and did not stem from the issuer.

Solstice has said that it would publish the additional third-party attestation report once completed, though the firm did not specify a timeline. It has also published an update on what happened, alongside a Q&A, as it tries to assuage the fears of its users.

In that post, it stated, “We are actively working with internal and external parties to deepen secondary market liquidity to reduce the impact of large withdrawals in the future.“

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