President Donald Trump has granted a full pardon to Changpeng Zhao, the convicted founder of crypto exchange Binance.

The move follows months of lobbying by Zhao and allies who argued his prosecution was politically motivated. Sources said Zhao had also explored partnerships to bolster the Trump family’s own crypto ventures.

Trump signed the pardon on Wednesday, according to the Wall Street Journal, marking one of his most controversial decisions since returning to the White House. 

Advisers said he had recently expressed sympathy for Zhao, describing the Binance founder’s case as part of a broader “war on cryptocurrency” waged by the previous…

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Bitcoin is trading around $109,000, holding in what analysts at QCP Capital call a “narrow-range equilibrium” ahead of Friday’s U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) release — one of the few data points unaffected by the ongoing U.S. government shutdown.

QCP described the CPI as a “singular anchor” for policy expectations, with a soft 0.2% increase potentially boosting risk assets and improving liquidity sentiment. Until then, markets remain frozen in place, caught between cautious optimism and profit-taking.

Bitcoin has drifted lower since hitting a record high above $126,000 on Oct. 6, shedding momentum as traders digest mixed macro signals. 

“The bull run is over,” warned…

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Bitcoin Magazine

Ledger Nano Gen5 Debuts Affordable Hardware Security for AI-Driven Digital Identities

Ledger, the most popular cryptocurrency hardware wallet company and one of the oldest in the industry, just announced its latest, most advanced security device, the Ledger Nano Gen5. Taking the capabilities of previous Ledger devices to the next level, the Gen5 also reaches a surprisingly low price compared to its predecessors. 

Ledger has sold over “8 million devices in 165 countries, across over 10 languages, more than 100 financial institutions and commercial brands,” according to a press release shared with Bitcoin Magazine. The company claims “over 20% of the world’s…

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After nearly seven years since the Lightning Network brought faster payments to Bitcoin, a new technology is pushing the world’s strongest digital asset into its next phase.

Ark Labs has launched the public beta of Arkade, a much-anticipated Layer 2 protocol built directly on Bitcoin.

The project makes Bitcoin faster, programmable and capable of supporting complex financial tools like lending, trading and even stablecoins – all without changing Bitcoin’s core, or sacrificing its security.

Bitcoin is the most secure blockchain in the world with a hashrate that no other network matches, but it was never built for programmable finance.

Its base layer…

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Hyperliquid Strategies has filed an S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to raise up to $1 billion through a public offering of 160 million shares. The company, advised by Chardan Capital Markets, plans to use the funds to strengthen its crypto treasury and expand its holdings of HYPE tokens within the Hyperliquid ecosystem.

Formed through a pending merger between Sonnet BioTherapeutics and Rorschach I LLC, the new entity aims to operate as a crypto-focused treasury company. The merger, announced in July, is expected to close later this year, with the combined firm set to trade on Nasdaq under a new ticker. Leadership includes Bob Diamond, former Barclays CEO, as Chairman, and David Schamis as CEO.

Proceeds will support staking of HYPE tokens and other DeFi-related activities. Hyperliquid, a decentralized perpetual futures exchange, has already processed over $1.5 trillion in trading volume since 2023, with HYPE tokens rising 11.53% to $38.98 in the last 24 hours.

Filing

Moon Inc. (HKEX: 1723) has raised about US$8.8 million to launch a Bitcoin prepaid card in Thailand and South Korea, with plans to expand across Asia. The company, a leader in prepaid connectivity and digital asset solutions, confirmed the successful HK$65.5 million fundraising earlier today.

The round was supported by a consortium of Bitcoin miners and investors through the issuance of new shares and convertible notes, according to a note shared with Bitcoin Magazine. 

“The successful completion of this private placement marks another critical milestone in Moon Inc.’s growth, and we are grateful for the confidence our new and existing investors have shown in our long-term…

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Bitcoin price is hovering in the mid $107,000’s range as analysts from both VanEck and Standard Chartered see more upside.

Geoffrey Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s global head of digital assets research, sees a near-term dip in bitcoin price below $100,000 as “inevitable” due to factors like renewed U.S.–China trade tensions. 

However, Kenrick views any bitcoin price pullback as likely short-lived and a buying opportunity. 

Kendrick highlights gold-to-Bitcoin flows as a key indicator, noting that recent rotations — selling gold to buy Bitcoin — could signal stabilization and mark a bottom. 

Despite the volatility, Kendrick remains bullish, maintaining his…

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Wall Street has unequivocally arrived. The long awaited phase shift is here. We have discussed for years what this time period and shift will be like, many cheering it on in anticipation of the economic implications and shockwave it would cause in terms of liquidity and price movement. 

In the last few years it has undeniably come to dominate the narrative, shaping dialogue and focus across the entire ecosystem. Where before large communities of people would spring up around technological innovations, or philosophical schools of thought on how Bitcoin can positively shape the direction of the world in a time of tumultuous change and metaphorical ground shifting out from under us,…

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