Author: James Wilson

Bitcoin mining’s annualized electricity demand rose to about 190 terawatt-hours in December 2025, up 38% from 138 the in June 2024, according to preliminary research reported by theEnergyMag. Summary Bitcoin mining electricity use rose 38% to 190 TWh between June 2024 and December 2025. Hydropower became mining’s largest energy source as low-carbon power reached 59.4% of the reported mix. Only 10% of surveyed miners had already allocated power to AI or accelerated computing services. Alexander Neumueller of the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance presented the figures at the Energy Investors Forum in Dallas. Cambridge expects to publish the second edition…

Strategy says its current capital structure could withstand a prolonged Bitcoin decline while continuing to fund interest payments and preferred stock dividends.  Summary Strategy says its current structure can fund obligations through 5.8 years of steady Bitcoin declines. Company data shows a $3.225 billion cash reserve supporting preferred dividends and debt interest payments. The stress test uses Strategy’s internal BTC Rating rather than an independent credit agency assessment. In a July 24 post on X, the company said Bitcoin could fall 11.4% each year for 5.8 consecutive years without pushing its company-defined BTC Rating below 1.0x. At today’s capital structure,…

Europe’s crypto market has moved beyond the race to secure a Markets in Crypto-Assets licence.  Summary MiCA’s transition ended July 1, leaving unlicensed firms to exit, sell, or transfer European clients. U.K. crypto firms face FCA authorisation, prudential controls, governance rules, and client-asset safeguards from 2027. Banks already hold compliance systems and networks, making partnerships or acquisitions cheaper than greenfield builds. The next test is whether authorised firms can afford the staff, capital and controls required to keep operating under the European Union’s full rulebook. The cost pressure may push smaller crypto companies towards mergers, sales or bank partnerships. The…

KB Kookmin Bank will launch a blockchain-based cross-border payment service for import and export companies in August 2026. Summary KB Kookmin will initially launch Kinexys-based U.S. dollar payments across ten countries during August 2026. The service links blockchain settlement with SWIFT while supporting corporate transfers beyond normal banking hours. KB becomes South Korea’s first financial institution using Kinexys for corporate import and export payments. The South Korean lender will use Kinexys by J.P. Morgan to support U.S. dollar payments across 10 countries. The service will connect Kinexys with existing SWIFT payment rails. It will support near-real-time transfers and foreign exchange…

Cardano co-founder Charles Hoskinson has warned that Bitcoin could lose its position as the largest cryptocurrency if its governance system cannot organise a response to quantum computing. Summary Hoskinson says Bitcoin could lose leadership if governance cannot coordinate a timely quantum-security upgrade successfully. Bitcoin developers are already discussing post-quantum migration plans, including BIP 361 and new signature designs. Cardano’s onchain governance lets ADA holders vote on upgrades, but coordination disputes have also emerged. He made the comments during an interview with The Starting Block published on July 24. Hoskinson described Bitcoin as “frozen in time” because major changes require wide agreement…

Institutional trading platform LMAX Group is working with Morgan Stanley and KBW, Stifel’s investment banking arm, to review a possible sale or public listing. Summary LMAX reviews a sale, SPAC merger, or listing that could value it at $5 billion. Morgan Stanley and KBW are advising LMAX, while Nasdaq ranks as its preferred listing venue. Ripple’s $150 million financing and Omnia exchange launch support LMAX’s push into institutional digital markets. People familiar with the private discussions told CoinDesk that a transaction could value the London-based company at up to $5 billion. The options include a full sale, a special purpose…

The Bitcoin Policy Institute has joined the U.S. State Department’s Freedom Tech Excellence Program as a founding partner. Summary Bitcoin Policy Institute staff will support temporary State Department assignments focused on digital freedom worldwide. Palantir, Anduril, and a human-rights foundation joined BPI as founding partners in the new programme. FTEP covers online expression, privacy tools, digital surveillance, scams, and responsible artificial intelligence governance standards. The programme will place private-sector specialists inside the department for limited assignments tied to digital freedom and freedom of expression. Palantir Technologies, Anduril Industries and the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation are the other founding partners.…

BitMart has started a phased shutdown of its global cryptocurrency exchange after reviewing its operating conditions, market environment, and future strategy.  Summary BitMart stopped new registrations, deposits, and orders before ending all trading services on August 26. BMX lost about 63% in 24 hours as traders reacted to the exchange’s shutdown announcement. Withdrawals remain available, but BitMart advised users to submit requests before August 26’s recommended deadline. According to the official shutdown notice, the exchange stopped new registrations, cryptocurrency and fiat deposits, and new spot orders from 01:30 UTC on July 26. Futures accounts entered reduce-only mode, while copy trading,…

The world’s largest stablecoin issuer pays roughly $2.9 billion a year in fees to blockchains it does not control. Its answer was to back two competing chains at once: Plasma, the $373 million DeFi-flavored bet, and Stable, the enterprise rail where USDT is the gas. One issuer, two armies, one enemy named Tron, and a strategy that makes sense only when you see whose problem it solves. Summary Tether’s ecosystem has seeded two purpose-built USDT chains that compete directly with each other: Plasma, live since September with a $373 million token sale, a paymaster model, and roughly $551 million in…

While the market watched the token, the company spent $4 billion assembling what it was never granted: custody, prime brokerage, corporate treasury, and payment rails, acquisition by acquisition. This is the audit of what the money bought, what it earns, and the uncomfortable question the empire answers about XRP. Summary Between 2023 and 2025, Ripple spent roughly $4 billion on acquisitions: Metaco ($250 million, custody technology), Standard Custody (a New York trust license), Hidden Road ($1.25 billion, prime brokerage), Rail (stablecoin payments), GTreasury (about $1 billion, corporate treasury software), and Palisade (XRP custody). The pieces assemble into a recognizable shape:…