Binance continues EU onboarding despite missing MiCA licensing deadline: report

Binance has continued opening and verifying new European customer accounts more than seven weeks after the European Union‘s July 1 MiCA licensing deadline, despite remaining absent from the bloc’s register of authorized crypto providers.  SummaryBinance is still opening and verifying some new EU accounts more than seven weeks after the July 1 MiCA deadline.Tests across several European countries found no warning that Binance lacked MiCA authorization, while crypto deposits remained available on active accounts.Binance is absent from ESMAs register of authorized providers and says it is pursuing approval through another EU member state.ESMA had instructed unauthorized providers to stop onboarding new EU customers and implement their wind down plans by July 1.  According to a Sandmark report shared with crypto.news, tests across several EU countries found that new users could still complete Binances registration and identity verification process after the deadline, with two accounts fully verified and able to receive crypto deposits.  The tests covered connections in Austria, France, Germany, Spain and Belgium, using both standard internet connections and virtual private networks. None displayed a warning telling applicants that Binance lacked authorization under the Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation.  One account, created on Aug. 19 using a European identity document and residential address, was verified

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Fidelity names 6 risks to cryptos AI agent thesis

Fidelity Digital Assets identified six risks that could weaken the investment case connecting artificial intelligence agents with public blockchains.  SummaryFidelity identified six risks that could prevent AI agents from creating value for public blockchains.Closed technology and fintech platforms may offer agents better performance, costs, distribution and compliance certainty.Payments could increase blockchain activity while directing more economic value toward stablecoin issuers and services.AI can accelerate software development while making vulnerabilities cheaper for attackers to discover and exploit.Trading generated forty nine times more Ethereum revenue per dollar than payments across 180 days.  Senior research analyst Max Wadington published the report on Aug. 19. Fidelity said AI could accelerate blockchain development and create demand for programmable financial infrastructure. However, increased agent activity may not produce lasting value for blockchain networks or their native tokens.  The six risks cover limited value from increased software production, weaker technical differentiation, competition from closed systems, low value capture from payments, growing security threats and regulatory constraints.  You might also like:  Fidelity plans Ethereum staking for $898M FETH fund  Fidelity presented them as possible outcomes rather than forecasts. The reports central question is not simply whether AI agents will use blockchains. It is whether networks and applications can capture meaningful economic value from that

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Crypto Just Triggered $3.5 Billion in Liquidations, Is the Rally Real?

Bitcoin traded near $77,500 on Aug. 21, 2026, after rising nearly 8% at one point the previous day, reaching around $78,000 and breaking a months-long consolidation range. The move was Bitcoins largest single-day gain since March. The Kobeissi Letter data cited in that report showed total crypto liquidations of $3.5 billion, with short positions accounting for more than $3 billion.  BREAKING: Crypto markets officially post their 7th largest liquidation event in history, with $3.5 billion in levered positions liquidated in 24 hours.  In 24 hours, crypto markets added +$280 billion in market cap.  Thats +$12 billion in market cap per hour for 24 hours…  The rebound reflected a combination of regulatory expectations, macro liquidity operations and leveraged short covering, according to the report. As prices turned upward, forced buying to cover short positions amplified the upward momentum.  DISCOVER: Best Meme Coins to Buy in 2026  Bitcoin it is not a final vote on the bill.  EXPLORE: Best Crypto Presales to Buy for August  Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and

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Bitcoin rally sends Upbit trading volume up 273% to $1.84 billion

Trading activity on South Korea‘s two largest crypto exchanges has jumped sharply, with Upbit volume rising 273% to about $1.84 billion as Bitcoin’s latest rally pulls local traders back toward digital assets.  SummaryUpbits 24 hour trading volume surged 273% to about $1.84 billion, its highest level since mid March.XRP led trading on both Upbit and Bithumb as activity increased across South Koreas two largest crypto exchanges.Bithumbs daily volume climbed 132.9% to about $934.9 million during the crypto market rebound.Presto Research said Korean investors could send more capital into crypto if the current rally holds.  According to CoinGecko data on Aug. 21, Upbit recorded its highest daily trading volume since mid-March, while XRP accounted for $418.9 million of transactions and ranked ahead of Bitcoin, USDT and Ether on the exchange.  Bithumb recorded a similar increase, with 24-hour volume climbing 132.9% to about $934.9 million. XRP also ranked as the most-traded cryptocurrency on South Koreas second-largest exchange.  The pickup follows months of weaker activity across South Korea‘s crypto market, where investors spent much of 2026 favoring domestic equities as the KOSPI reached record levels. Bitcoin’s latest rebound, however, has begun pulling some of that attention back toward crypto.  Upbit volume rebounds after months of weak Korean crypto

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CZ Wants Countries to Tokenize Assets, But Theres A Catch

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) said tokenization could help countries raise money and attract foreign investment, while acknowledging that putting assets on multiple blockchains could fragment liquidity.   His comments come as the tokenization market continues to expand, with the total value of distributed assets now at $38.40 billion.  Sponsored  Sponsored  CZ Pushes For Global Tokenization  Zhao framed tokenization as a funding tool for states. In a Thursday post, he named foreign direct investment (FDI) as one benefit, asking which country or company would not want to sell tokenized stocks globally.  “Tokenization is one of the best ways for countries to ‘raise money,’ or attract FDI (Foreign Direct Investment),” he said.  Zhao advises Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan on digital asset policy. He made a similar pitch to governments in June.  The market he describes keeps expanding. Distributed asset value across tokenized real-world assets reached $38.40 billion, up 2.16% in 30 days, according to RWA.xyz.  Holders grew far faster than value. The count rose 79.74% to 2,379,918. However, the represented asset value declined 4.66% to $342.63 billion.  Follow us on X to get the latest news as it happens  Sponsored  Sponsored  The Fragmentation Problem  CZ said he supports tokenization across all blockchains. He also added that a multi-chain approach can fragment liquidity.  Financial market infrastructure firms have

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Binance Opens the Door to AI Agents That Can Trade Crypto for You

In briefBinance launched Binance Agent OS, a developer platform bundling its APIs, wallet hub, x402 payment layer and a skills marketplace.Once authorized, agents can read market data, check balances and trade across spot, margin, convert and futures.The move joins a crowded race to wire AI agents into crypto.  Binance is letting AI agents trade on its platform, launching a developer system on Wednesday that connects tools like ChatGPT and Claude directly to the exchanges markets, wallets and trading functions.  The worlds largest crypto exchange unveiled Binance Agent OS, a platform bundling its APIs, an agent-focused wallet hub, its x402 payment layer and a skills marketplace under one roof.  Myriad: XRP next price move? Click to make your prediction.  At the center is a new Binance MCP Server, built on the Model Context Protocol, an open standard that gives compatible AI applications a uniform way to plug into external tools without users having to juggle API keys locally. Binance listed Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, and VS Code among the agents that can connect.  Once linked and granted permission, an agent can pull live market data, check balances, and place trades across spot, margin, convert and futures products. Crucially, Binance walled off the riskiest capabilities. Agents operate only

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Crypto generated about 1% of Webulls record $198M Q2 revenue

Webull said Wednesday that cryptocurrency trading accounted for $2.25 million, or a little over 1% of the platforms record $198 million revenue for the second quarter of 2026.  Revenue for the period was up 51% year-over-year, according to online brokerage and digital trading platforms Wednesday earnings release.  Thats as equity and options trading generated $112 million of the quarterly income, or about 56% of the total $198 million.  “For the first time, probably in the last nine months, I am starting to see the clouds start to part in the crypto business, and that is a very positive thing,” Webull president and director Anthony Michael Denier said during a Wednesday earnings call. He added that the company was in the process of gradually rolling out crypto deposit and withdrawal capabilities.  Online brokerage Robinhood also posted record quarterly results on July 30, but its crypto transaction revenue fell 38% to $100 million, from about $160 million a year earlier.  Cointelegraph has approached Webull for more details about its cryptocurrency trading revenue compared to previous quarters.  The platform‘s quarterly revenue came in slightly above Wall Street consensus of $194.5 million, according to analyst estimates compiled by Yahoo Finance. Webull’s stock price rose 8.9% on Wednesday and was up

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Strategy Bitcoin treasury hits breakeven point as BTC price passes $77K

Bitcoin (BTC) hit $77,000 on Friday as business intelligence company Strategys corporate treasury returned to profit.  Key points:Bitcoin reaches its highest level since May 26 as it revisits $77,000.Price returns above the cost basis for Strategys BTC corporate treasury at $75,385.Around 11% of the BTC supply constitutes a new band of support below $68,000.  Strategy out of the red with Bitcoin at highest since May  Data from TradingView showed new local highs above $77,400 prior to the weeks final Wall Street open.  BTC/USD one-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView  Now up around 20% in 48 hours, BTC/USD saw little by way of consolidation as it reclaimed a key level for Strategy, the world‘s largest corporate Bitcoin treasury company. Data from monitoring resource BitcoinTreasuries puts the cost basis for Strategy’s holdings of 840,447 BTC at $75,385, currently with a year-to-date gain of approximately $450 million.  Strategy Bitcoin treasury cost basis data. Source: BitcoinTreasuries  As Cointelegraph reported, between Aug. 3 and Aug. 9, Strategy opted to sell a small portion of its treasury worth 1,690 BTC to repurchase 1.15 million shares of its STRC preferred stock for $108.6 million. The move represented the companys fourth Bitcoin sale of 2026.  Concerns over the long-term viability of the companys Bitcoin investment thesis accompanied the

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Hungary scraps crypto trading penalties of up to eight years in prison

Hungary has repealed its mandatory crypto conversion validation system and removed two related criminal offenses that exposed users and service providers to prison terms of up to eight years.  The Hungarian Parliament passed Act XXXVIII of 2026 on the Repeal of Certain Statutory Provisions Concerning Crypto-Asset Conversion Services, removing a national validation requirement that had applied to crypto-to-fiat and crypto-to-crypto conversions.  Approved by Parliament on July 31 and effective from Aug. 7, the legislation removes the validation process and associated criminal penalties after the rules created a separate compliance requirement for crypto businesses operating in Hungary.  Under the previous system, covered crypto conversions had to pass through an authorized validation provider. Transactions completed without the required validation could qualify as unauthorized crypto transactions under Hungarys criminal law.  András Gaál, an associate at law firm Schoenherr, said converting crypto assets without prior validation had constituted an unauthorized crypto transaction under Act C of 2012 on the Criminal Code.  Hungary removes crypto offenses tied to validation  Alongside the validation requirement, Parliament has removed two criminal offenses introduced under the previous framework.  The first offense, called “Abuse of crypto assets,” applied when a person exchanged crypto assets of significant value for money or other crypto assets through an unauthorized crypto-asset

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USDT trail helps uphold prison term in Hong Kong trafficking case

A Hong Kong appeals court has upheld a 56-month prison term for Ma Zhihao after investigators linked ransom payments from a human trafficking operation to a crypto exchange account registered in his name.  Caixin reported on Aug. 20 that the Hong Kong Court of Appeal rejected Mas request for a reduced sentence, leaving intact the punishment imposed over his role in a scheme that lured victims to Southeast Asia with fake job offers before some were confined and forced into scam operations.  Blockchain transaction records became a key part of the prosecution after Hong Kong police traced a ransom paid by the family of one victim. Investigators found that roughly 9,527 Tether (USDT) had been transferred to a cryptocurrency wallet specified by the criminals.  Police then tracked 8,127 USDT from the ransom to an exchange account opened using Ma‘s real name and Hong Kong identity documents, according to Caixin. The funds were converted into roughly HK$63,000 and sent to Ma’s personal HSBC bank account.  The Court of Appeal said the transaction trail supported the finding that Ma had participated in the scheme and received proceeds from it. Judges also said his punishment would have been substantially heavier had the District Court not been restricted

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