Odaily星球日报讯 由于面临多州检察官的压力，比特币 ATM 运营商 Bitcoin Depot 将要求客户在每次使用其 ATM 时提供个人身份证件以进行身份验证。

该公司表示，此举旨在打击账户共享、身份盗用及账户接管行为，是防范欺诈及非法活动的重大进展。此前，马萨诸塞州总检察长于本月早些时候对该公司提起诉讼，指控其故意从针对老年人的诈骗中获利。FBI 数据显示，2025 年美国因加密货币 ATM 欺诈造成的损失达 3.33 亿美元。目前 Bitcoin Depot 在北美运营 8800 台 ATM。

According to Goldman Sachs hedge fund position data, Strategy has become the most shorted component stock in the United States, with its short interest as a percentage of market value ranking first among large-cap stocks. Last week, Strategy purchased 592 bitcoins for $39.8 million and currently holds 717,722 bitcoins. With the Bitcoin price around $66,000 and its average holding cost at $76,020 per bitcoin, it currently has an unrealized loss of approximately $7 billion. Currently, 14 out of 16 brokerage firms have given Strategy a strong buy rating, accounting for about 94%.

Odaily News: According to FEC filings, Crypto.com has donated a total of $35 million to the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc over the past year, including a $5 million donation in January of this year.

Within weeks of the latest donation, the exchange has received multiple regulatory benefits. Yesterday, Crypto.com's application for a national trust bank charter was approved, allowing it to provide digital asset custody, staking, and trading settlement services as a federally regulated entity. Additionally, Crypto.com's lawsuit with the state of Nevada regarding prediction markets was resolved, and motions supporting the company were filed. Currently, Crypto.com has entered into a strategic partnership with Trump Media & Technology Group to provide cryptocurrency ETF custody and prediction market technical support.

Odaily According to a recent report by U.S.-based Citizens Bank, prediction markets are experiencing rapid growth. The current annualized revenue for the industry has already surpassed $3 billion and is projected to reach $10 billion by 2030, potentially establishing itself as a new asset class.

The report indicates that trading volume in prediction markets continues to rise. Market turnover in January this year increased by over 40% compared to December, and February maintained a similar level, despite the typical expectation of a decline after the conclusion of traditional sports seasons. Analysis suggests this trend reflects the transformation of prediction markets from niche gambling tools into mature financial markets.

Citizens Bank believes that the key drivers of industry growth are increasing trading volume, more sophisticated market structures, and the initial participation of institutional investors. Currently, some institutions have begun entering the market as data users and liquidity providers, laying the groundwork for broader institutional adoption.

Prediction markets allow traders to price and hedge risks associated with discrete events such as election outcomes, interest rate decisions, or merger approvals. Compared to proxy instruments like index futures or options, they can reduce basis risk and provide real-time probability signals.

Analysts point out that the development path of prediction markets resembles that of early derivatives markets and the digital asset industry, transitioning from retail-dominated liquidity to participation by market makers and institutional capital. Currently, representative platforms include the regulated event contract exchange Kalshi and the decentralized prediction market Polymarket, with the industry as a whole gradually moving towards integration with the mainstream financial system.

Odaily News As artificial intelligence continues to attract massive venture capital and market attention, some industry insiders have begun to worry whether the crypto industry has missed its own "ChatGPT moment." In response, Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner of crypto investment firm Dragonfly, stated that this comparison itself is a misunderstanding. The crypto industry has not been replaced by AI, and the shift in capital flow is merely "capitalism working as intended."

Qureshi pointed out that AI and crypto products are fundamentally different. Most AI users today utilize free services, whereas crypto assets do not have a "free tier." He noted that approximately 80% of Americans have tried AI tools, while about 15% have held crypto assets, which in itself constitutes mass adoption.

He believes the core fundamentals of the crypto industry remain solid, with stablecoin growth being particularly notable, maintaining an annual supply growth rate of around 50%. Despite a cooling market sentiment, the total crypto asset market cap remains at approximately $2 trillion. The industry benefits from high technological leverage, allowing small teams to build projects with global scale.

Regarding the noticeable shift of venture capital towards the AI sector, Qureshi believes this does not signal the decline of the crypto industry but rather a market correction following the excessive funding of previous years. He stated that increasing investment during market downturns is a more rational strategy, a judgment upon which Dragonfly recently announced the launch of a new $650 million fund.

On the prospects of AI-crypto integration, Qureshi maintains a cautious stance. He believes it will still take several years for AI agents to use crypto technology on a large scale, and AI will not be the "savior" for the crypto industry's recovery.

Qureshi concluded that the crypto industry is currently facing more of a cyclical fluctuation than a structural decline. Market volatility is a normal part of long-term development, and there is "no need for excessive pessimism; this is not a disaster."

Odaily News Electric Capital partner Avichal Garg pointed out that as the autonomy of AI agents continues to increase, developers are beginning to equip them with crypto wallets, enabling software to hold assets, pay for services, trade tokens, and even hire other AI agents. This trend is driving crypto technology into a new phase—building financial systems for "non-human entities," but the relevant legal frameworks remain significantly lagging. He believes that leveraging blockchain's programmable funds, instant settlement, and global accessibility, AI agents can not only make decisions but also independently execute transactions, thereby forming software entities capable of "thinking and performing financial activities."

Garg stated that this model is similar to the emergence of the limited liability company system in the 19th century, unleashing new thresholds of productivity for economic activities. As participation costs continue to decrease, more individuals and teams globally can create economic value with the help of AI agents.

However, the core issue remains the definition of legal liability. Since AI itself cannot be punished, if an AI agent with an independent wallet participates in transactions, lending, or commercial activities and causes losses, there is still no clear answer as to who bears responsibility. This issue may become a fundamental topic that future regulators must address.

Odaily News Financial technology and insurance company TruStage is piloting the issuance of a U.S. dollar stablecoin called TruStage Stablecoin (TSDA). This stablecoin will be issued by an entity affiliated with TruStage and will receive technical and operational support from Block Time Financial. TSDA will be backed 1:1 by cash reserves, with the reserve funds managed by TruStage.

TruStage serves approximately 93% of U.S. credit unions, providing insurance, investment, and retirement financial products. This stablecoin project aims to offer credit unions a new payment infrastructure and explore the application scenarios for stablecoins within the traditional financial system following the implementation of the GENIUS Act.

Odaily News According to Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart, based on statistics from 13F filings disclosed by the U.S. SEC, institutional investors collectively sold approximately 25,098 BTC worth of Bitcoin ETF shares in the fourth quarter of 2025, indicating a clear trend of reducing positions.

Data shows that investment advisors and hedge funds are the primary holders of Bitcoin ETFs, with Brevan Howard making the largest reduction by selling over 17,000 BTC worth of ETF holdings.

This round of selling occurred during a period when Bitcoin's price fell from its 2025 high of over $120,000 to below $85,000. Currently, the Bitcoin price has further declined to around $64,000, with market sentiment remaining in the extreme fear zone.

Odaily News The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced sanctions against Russian cybersecurity firm Operation Zero and its head, Sergey Sergeyevich Zelenyuk. The sanctions are based on allegations that the company funded commercial secret theft activities targeting the United States through cryptocurrency. The sanctions also include five other related individuals, who are accused of using cyberattack tools to endanger U.S. national security.

This action stems from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice last year. An Australian citizen, Peter Williams, has admitted to stealing proprietary software from the U.S. defense contractor where he worked and handing over the secrets to Operation Zero in exchange for millions of dollars worth of crypto assets as payment. Williams has pleaded guilty to two counts of trade secret theft.

The U.S. Treasury stated that Operation Zero is primarily engaged in the trade of exploit tools, which can leverage software vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access, steal data, or control devices. The company also pays rewards to individuals who carry out attacks through a bounty mechanism. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that if anyone steals U.S. trade secrets, the U.S. government will hold them accountable and will continue to protect sensitive technology and national security.

Odaily News According to a Bloomberg report, payment giant Stripe is exploring the possibility of acquiring veteran fintech company PayPal, which could involve a full acquisition or the purchase of partial assets. The negotiations are currently still in the preliminary stages, and Stripe has not commented on the related news.

Stripe's latest valuation is approximately $159 billion, while PayPal's stock price has fallen nearly 40% over the past year. As a pioneer in internet payments, PayPal once drove the popularization of digital wallets, but its growth is facing pressure under the impact of emerging competitors and the wave of digital assets. In recent years, Stripe has continued to expand into the crypto payments field. This potential acquisition may reshape the competitive landscape of the global payments industry.

Odaily News: Richard Blumenthal, the chief Democrat on the U.S. Senate Homeland Security Committee's investigative panel, has launched an investigation into Binance following reports that the platform may have been involved in sanction evasion activities related to Iran. In a letter to Binance CEO Richard Teng, Blumenthal requested the submission of documents regarding records of Iranian users on Binance, internal compliance investigation materials, and information on the dismissal of relevant employees.

Media reports indicate that Binance's compliance team discovered that partners Hexa Whale and Blessed Trust were used as money laundering intermediaries and provided transaction channels for entities related to the Iranian government. Employees involved in the investigation reportedly faced disciplinary action or dismissal. Binance has denied the related allegations.

Odaily News Fed's Collins stated that due to recent economic data showing improvement in the labor market, interest rates may remain unchanged "for a period of time," but inflation risks still persist. Collins noted that the labor market is showing some unusual signs of stability. She also pointed out that more evidence is needed to indicate that the inflation rate is falling back to around 2%. Currently, interest rates are in a state of mild tightening and may already be very close to a neutral level. Fed's Barkin also participated in the discussion, stating that he still believes there are two-way risks to the Fed's mission. He said, "No one wants inflation to stagnate, and no one wants further weakness in the labor market. We are fully prepared."

Odaily News According to CME "FedWatch": The probability of the Fed cutting interest rates by 25 basis points by March is 2%, and the probability of maintaining interest rates unchanged is 98.0%. The probability of a cumulative 25 basis point rate cut by April is 15.9%, the probability of maintaining rates unchanged is 83.8%, and the probability of a cumulative 50 basis point cut is 0.3%. The probability of a cumulative 25 basis point rate cut by June is 42.7%.

Odaily News Bitwise announced that it has acquired institutional staking service provider Chorus One to expand its staking business across more than 30 proof-of-stake chains. The specific acquisition amount has not been disclosed. Chorus One manages approximately $2.2 billion in staked assets and will be integrated into Bitwise's subsidiary, Bitwise Onchain Solutions, to serve institutional investors, family offices, and financial platforms. This acquisition will enhance Bitwise's staking capabilities and research coverage on chains such as Solana, Hyperliquid, Monad, Avalanche, Sui, NEAR, Aptos, Tezos, and TON. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Approximately 50 core team members from Chorus One will join Bitwise, and co-founder Brian Crain has been appointed as an advisor to Bitwise. (The Block)

Odaily News According to a report by Fortune, FTX founder SBF has launched a social media campaign in an attempt to secure a pardon from U.S. President Donald Trump to avoid his federal prison sentence. While SBF's tweets and public statements do not explicitly name the target, they are clearly aimed at garnering support for a pardon. However, the White House has responded, confirming that Trump will not pardon this prominent figure in the crypto industry, who was convicted of serious financial fraud. A White House spokesperson reiterated that the President is the ultimate arbiter of clemency decisions, and Trump has previously stated clearly that he does not intend to pardon several high-profile prisoners, including SBF.

Odaily News According to Onchain Lens monitoring, a newly created wallet withdrew 325.58 BTC from Binance, valued at $20.78 million.