After nearly three weeks of geopolitical tensions impacting the crypto industry, crypto slightly revived, though without any significant movement. The market price is currently swinging between frequent dips and highs. Last week’s crypto news cycle saw major developments related to crypto ETFs, crypto inflow reports, and some hack stories.
Binance’s CZ dismisses 60,000 BTC hedge profits claim
Binance co-founder CZ rejected fake news that Binance made 60,000 Bitcoin profits through hedging activities on BitMEX, a crypto derivatives trading platform. The allegation was about Binance using customer funds to earn profits from a large hedge position.
85% surge in crypto inflows to tracking services
According to Chainalysis, the year 2025 saw 85% rise in crypto flows to human trafficking services. This surge spreads across multiple illegal categories like labor recruiters tied to scam compounds, Telegram-based escort services, prostitution rings, and more. Many of these illicit activities included stablecoins used for cross-border payments.
Ethereum Foundation executive Tomasz Stańczak to resign
Tomasz Stańczak, co-executive director of the Ethereum Foundation, will step down from his role at the end of February. Stańczak’s leadership role has supported the long-term growth of the Ethereum Foundation. His departure comes amid recent upgrades and scaling initiatives on the Ethereum network.
Grayscale files S-1 with SEC for AAVE ETF
Grayscale Investments has filed an S-1 form with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a spot AAVE exchange-traded fund (ETF). This move comes amid the ongoing launch and filing of crypto ETFs by multiple institutions like Grayscale.
Armed men target Binance France CEO in home invasion
Binance France CEO David Prinçay was targeted by three armed men, who invaded the CEO’s home. However, the Binance executive was not at home during the invasion. The armed men fled with two mobile phones, and the French police arrested them later.
Hacker drains $422K in USDC from USDC‑OCA liquidity pool
An attacker exploited a deflationary mechanism in a USDC‑OCA liquidity pool on Binance Smart Chain (BSC) and stole nearly $422,000 in Circle’s USDC stablecoin. The hacker exploited a vulnerability in the mechanism and artificially inflated the on-pair price of the OCA token to steal $422,000 in USDC.
Key developments to watch this week
Looking ahead, like all other weeks, the crypto market price is not an important development to watch, as major coins such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and XRP are swinging between slight bullish and bearish zones.
Crypto market structure bill is another significant factor that would shape the crypto market industry. The draft bill, which has been going through several negotiations, has not yet come to the final stage. The White House has already asked both the crypto firms and banks to reach a compromise by March 1, 2026.
Besides, the industry will witness major announcements, including the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet release, and the U.S. GDP data release, which will determine how crypto performs this week.
