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KRWQ, a won-based stablecoin jointly launched by decentralized AI and blockchain developer IQ and Frax Finance, has begun purchasing South Korean government bonds custodied at Shinhan Investment & Securities. The bonds were incorporated into the stablecoin's reserves in a tokenized form through EtherFuse's Stablebond framework, marking the first time South Korean government bonds have been included in the collateral structure of a won-based stablecoin. KRWQ operates on Frax's frxUSD infrastructure and uses an on-chain financial structure similar to other tokenized government bond strategies, such as BlackRock's U.S. Treasury-backed tokenized fund BUIDL and Superstate's USTB, though it incorporates the South Korean bonds through an independent reserve system. A representative for KRWQ stated that as stablecoin payments expand, so does the demand for high-quality reserve assets. They added that including government bonds enhances the stability and reliability of the reserves, potentially creating a new pathway for global digital capital to flow into the South Korean won and government bond markets.

The Crypto Fear & Greed Index, compiled by Alternative, has risen three points from yesterday to 11, maintaining its "Extreme Fear" rating. The index measures market sentiment on a scale from 0 (Extreme Fear) to 100 (Extreme Greed). It is calculated based on volatility (25%), market volume (25%), social media (15%), surveys (15%), Bitcoin dominance (10%), and Google trends (10%).

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, has launched an official investigation into Binance's alleged violations of Iran sanctions. According to The Block, Blumenthal has demanded that Binance submit internal documents related to service usage by Iranian residents and the dismissal of compliance personnel. The move follows earlier reports from The New York Times, Fortune, and The Wall Street Journal, which stated that Binance's compliance department had found evidence that partner firms Hexa Whale and Blessed Trust had facilitated money laundering for Iran and permitted transactions with Iranian government agencies.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong stated on X that the UK's stablecoin regulation, now in its final stages, could undermine the country's competitiveness in the digital economy. He noted that the Bank of England has proposed limits on stablecoin holdings for both individuals and businesses. Armstrong emphasized that while the UK has long been a financial hub, embracing and encouraging innovation is crucial to maintaining that status, especially as other nations are moving quickly. He argued, however, that the current regulatory direction is moving in the opposite direction and will "clearly act as a factor that hinders innovation."

The European Union's financial market supervisor, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), has determined that derivatives offering cryptocurrency leverage could be subject to regulation. According to Cointelegraph, ESMA stated that derivatives linked to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, such as perpetual futures and perpetual contracts, could fall within the regulatory scope of Contracts for Difference (CFDs). The authority also requires firms to identify and manage potential conflicts of interest that may arise when offering these products. ESMA further explained that if these instruments are classified as CFDs, they could be subject to existing regulations, including leverage limits, mandatory risk warnings, and forced margin liquidations.

Online payment infrastructure firm Stripe is considering an acquisition of PayPal, Bloomberg reported. Discussions are still in the early stages. A successful deal would bring two payment giants, both of which have been expanding their stablecoin businesses, under a single entity. PayPal launched its dollar-based stablecoin, PYUSD, in 2022 through Paxos, with a market capitalization of around $4 billion. Stripe has also been growing its crypto operations. In 2024, the company acquired Bridge, a tool that helps businesses issue their own dollar-based tokens. It is also developing a payment-focused blockchain called Tempo in partnership with venture capital firm Paradigm.

Cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com donated an additional $5 million in January to MAGA Inc., a Super PAC supporting U.S. President Donald Trump, Decrypt reported. The contribution brings the company's total donations to the group over the past year to $35 million. The move was followed by favorable actions from agencies within the Trump administration. Last week, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) intervened in a Nevada lawsuit concerning sports prediction markets, submitting a brief in support of Crypto.com. This action came after CFTC Chairman Mike Selig had stated in a Senate hearing that he would respect the court's decision on the matter. Furthermore, on Feb. 24, Crypto.com received conditional approval from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to establish a national trust bank.

The three major U.S. stock indices closed higher today. - S&P 500: +0.77% - Nasdaq: +1.04% - Dow Jones: +0.76%

Haseeb Qureshi, a partner at crypto investment fund Dragonfly Capital, has refuted concerns that capital is permanently flowing from crypto to the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. In an interview with CoinDesk, he stated that he completely disagrees with this view. Qureshi argued that comparing the explosive consumer adoption of AI with crypto's growth trajectory misunderstands the nature of both technologies. He noted that less than 1% of AI service users are paying customers, whereas crypto has no free services. He pointed out that there is no free Bitcoin or Ethereum. According to Qureshi, while venture capital is moving to AI, this is a natural market flow and not a critique of crypto, whose underlying fundamentals remain strong even as market sentiment has cooled. He further explained that stablecoins, in particular, have shown steady growth regardless of price volatility, with their supply increasing by 50% annually, which he described as exponential growth. Qureshi added that volatility, from ETF-driven rallies to tariff-induced downturns, has been a feature of the crypto industry for over a decade and is neither new nor fatal. He called the idea that people would stop using stablecoins because of a price drop "absurd."

The U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned Russian company Operation Zero and its affiliates for allegedly trading hacking tools developed for use by the U.S. government. The tools were reportedly developed by a defense contractor, and an employee of that firm stole the technology and sold it to Operation Zero. The transaction was conducted with millions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency. However, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) did not disclose the cryptocurrency addresses involved in the deal.

U.S. fintech and insurance company TruStage has announced plans to issue a dollar-pegged stablecoin, TSDA, The Block reported. The company will launch the stablecoin in partnership with blockchain technology firm Block Time Financial. Under the arrangement, Block Time will support operations, including security protocols, while a TruStage affiliate will act as the issuer and manage the token's 1:1 cash reserves. TruStage works with over 93% of U.S. credit unions, providing insurance products, investment solutions, retirement plans, and other financial products.

Whale Alert reported that 250 million USDC has been minted at the USDC Treasury.

Most companies filing 13F forms sold their Bitcoin ETF holdings in the fourth quarter of last year, according to Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart. He said via X that this was an expected outcome, with asset managers and hedge funds—the largest holders—being the most significant sellers. Seyffart added that these firms sold ETF shares equivalent to approximately 25,000 BTC during the quarter.

Pro-cryptocurrency U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno said in an interview with CNBC that while he does not currently own any crypto, he would buy Bitcoin instead of gold if he had spare funds. According to Wu Blockchain, he added that although Bitcoin is volatile, investments should be viewed from a long-term perspective. Regarding claims that stablecoins threaten the U.S. dollar, Moreno argued they could significantly increase demand for U.S. Treasurys, potentially saving hundreds of billions of dollars in debt annually. He warned that if the United States fails to seize this opportunity, the center of innovation will shift elsewhere.

U.S. bank Citizens has projected that annual revenue from prediction markets has surpassed $3 billion and will reach $10 billion by 2030, CoinDesk reported. In a new report, the bank noted that trading volume in January surged by 40% compared to December. February's volume has remained at a similar level, despite expectations of a decline following the end of the American football season. The report highlighted that characteristics such as rising trading volume, a solid market structure, and early institutional investor participation are similar to the initial development stages of listed derivatives and cryptocurrencies. Citizens added that its $10 billion forecast for 2030 is a medium-term target rather than a final goal.

Binance has warned it will take legal action against the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), suing the publication for defamation over its reporting on alleged Iran sanctions violations. According to BeInCrypto, Binance Co-CEO Richard Teng stated that the company has officially objected to the report. He accused the WSJ of publishing false and misleading information that damages Binance's reputation and of failing to maintain fairness and impartiality. Teng specifically denied the allegations of violating Iran sanctions and covering up an internal investigation, demanding that the report be corrected and retracted.

MicroStrategy's (MSTR) $39 million Bitcoin purchase last week accounted for 99.2% of all BTC acquired by publicly traded companies holding the asset in their treasuries, DL News reported. According to data from BitcoinTreasuries.NET, 193 public companies currently hold Bitcoin. Besides MicroStrategy, only three other firms purchased BTC last week, acquiring a combined total of $305,000. The outlet noted that other companies appear to lack the institutional funding or cash reserves to keep pace with MicroStrategy's accumulation strategy.

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said he is starting to see similarities to the period before the 2008 financial crisis, according to the Watcher.Guru X account.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill that allows for the seizure of cryptocurrency during criminal investigations, DL News reported, citing local media. The new law amends the country's criminal code to classify cryptocurrency as a form of intangible asset. This legislation also provides a legal pathway for cooperation with overseas cryptocurrency exchanges. Russia is currently advancing several crypto-related bills, including measures to revise the taxation and regulation of Bitcoin miners.

The White House has stated that President Donald Trump will not pardon FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, according to a report from Solid Intel.

Meta spokesperson Andy Stone stated that the company is not creating its own stablecoin. He clarified that the goal is to enable individuals and businesses to make payments on its platforms using their preferred methods. This follows a previous CoinDesk report that Meta planned to relaunch its stablecoin business in the second half of this year, issuing a stablecoin through a third-party payment provider.

According to CoinNess market monitoring, BTC has risen above $64,000. BTC is trading at $64,030.43 on the Binance USDT market.

Bhutan has launched a new digital nomad visa powered by the Solana blockchain, The Crypto Basic reported. Applicants are required to deposit $10,000 worth of TER tokens into DK Bank, Bhutan's digital bank. Each TER token is valued at 0.01 grams of pure gold.

Bitcoin Standard Treasury Company (BSTR) is pursuing a listing as early as April through a SPAC merger with Cantor Equity Partners (CEPO), CoinDesk reported. BSTR plans to hold over 30,000 BTC upon listing. The company is led by Blockstream CEO Adam Back.

Online payment infrastructure firm Stripe has stated that stablecoins are becoming a core component of global payment infrastructure, no longer dependent on cryptocurrency price fluctuations. The company noted that stablecoin payment volume doubled in 2025, driven by increased use in real-world business transactions. However, Stripe explained that current blockchain technology may struggle to handle the anticipated wave of AI-driven transactions, adding that future systems might need to process millions to billions of transactions per second.