DerivaDEX Debuts Regulated DAO-Governed Decentralized Exchange in Bermuda

DerivaDEX has officially commenced derivatives trading in Bermuda as the first decentralized exchange governed by a DAO to receive a formal regulatory license. DerivaDEX officially opened its decentralized derivatives platform in Hamilton, Bermuda, on February 17, 2026, following approval from the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA). The exchange utilizes a Decentralized Autonomous Organization ( DAO) governance … Read more

Payward Acquires Magna to Expand Kraken Token Lifecycle Infrastructure Services

Payward, the parent company of Kraken, has acquired token management platform Magna to integrate comprehensive vesting and distribution tools into its financial suite. Payward announced the acquisition of Magna on February 18, 2026, marking its sixth major deal within the past year. Magna remains a standalone platform under the Kraken umbrella, providing crypto-native teams with … Read more

OpenAI and Paradigm Launch EVMbench to Measure AI Smart Contract Security

OpenAI and Paradigm have introduced EVMbench, a new benchmarking framework designed to evaluate the ability of AI agents to detect, patch, and exploit blockchain vulnerabilities. OpenAI and Paradigm officially launched EVMbench to address security risks in smart contracts that secure over $100 billion in crypto assets. The benchmark utilizes 120 curated vulnerabilities from 40 professional … Read more

Hyperliquid Policy Center Launches to Advance Decentralized Finance Infrastructure in Washington

The Hyperliquid Policy Center officially debuts as an independent advocacy organization to promote regulated blockchain-based financial systems within the United States. The Hyperliquid Policy Center (HPC), a new research and advocacy group, officially launches in Washington, D.C., on February 18, 2026. Led by Chief Executive Officer Jake Chervinsky, the organization focuses on educating American lawmakers … Read more

TRM Labs Reveals Concentrated Illicit Networks as Stablecoins Exceed $1 Trillion Monthly Volume

TRM Labs finds stablecoin volumes topped $1 trillion monthly in 2025 and illicit flows are highly concentrated. TRM Labs published an analysis showing stablecoin activity repeatedly exceeded $1 trillion monthly in 2025 while illicit entities received approximately $141 billion via stablecoin wallets, with $72 billion linked to the A7A5 token and sanctions‑related activity accounting for … Read more

Stripe’s Bridge Receives Conditional Approval to Organize National Trust Bank

Bridge, a Stripe company, obtains conditional OCC approval to organize a federally chartered national trust bank to offer stablecoin and custody services. Bridge announces it has received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to organize a federally chartered national trust bank, subject to final OCC approval and applicable law, … Read more

Kraken Integrates OTC Desk With ICE Chat to Serve Institutional Traders

Kraken connects its OTC desk to ICE Chat, embedding crypto liquidity into institutional trading workflows. Kraken announces on February 17, 2026 that it has integrated its over‑the‑counter (OTC) desk with ICE Chat, Intercontinental Exchange’s instant messaging platform, enabling ICE Chat’s network of over 120,000 clients to contact Kraken’s OTC desk within familiar real‑time communications used … Read more

Saylor Announces Fresh 2,486 BTC Buy, Strategy Nears 720,000 BTC

On Tuesday, Strategy founder Michael Saylor revealed the purchase of 2,486 BTC, padding the bitcoin treasury company’s vault with yet another stack. As of today, the publicly traded firm now holds a commanding 717,131 BTC. The publicly traded firm Strategy (Nasdaq: MSTR) has added to its bitcoin cache, according to statements from the company and … Read more

Zerolend Founder Announces Protocol Wind‑Down and Withdrawal Guidance

Zerolend announces closure of its lending protocol and urges users to withdraw assets while recovery efforts continue. Deadshot Ryker, founder of Zerolend, posted on Discord that after three years the protocol will wind down operations due to declining liquidity on several chains, loss of oracle support, increased malicious activity, and prolonged unprofitable operation; most markets … Read more

Digital Asset Platform Crypto.com Receives AI Certification

Crypto.com achieves ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification for its Artificial Intelligence Management System. Crypto.com announced on February 16, 2026 that it has received ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification, the international standard for an Artificial Intelligence Management System (AIMS), making it the first digital asset platform to attain this recognition for responsible AI governance and risk management. The certification complements … Read more