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According to Nikkei News, Japan's Nomura Holdings and Daiwa Securities Group are collaborating with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, and Mizuho Financial Group to jointly promote a pilot project for securities trading based on stablecoins, aiming to achieve 24-hour real-time settlement on the blockchain.The project plans to convert assets such as stocks, government bonds, corporate bonds, investment trusts, and ETFs into digital securities. After investors place orders through brokers, transactions will be settled in real-time using yen stablecoins jointly issued by the three major banks, with asset rights simultaneously transferred to the buyer. The experiment is expected to start as early as this month after notifying financial regulatory authorities, and may attract more financial institutions in the future.The project aims to support round-the-clock trading through the tamper-proof characteristics of blockchain, extending trading hours and shortening settlement cycles to invigorate the markets for stocks, bonds, and investment trusts. However, implementation still faces compliance and practical challenges related to broker order verification and other operational processes, and the pilot will focus on identifying and addressing related obstacles.

Guotai Junan Securities released a research report stating that HashKey HLDGS (03887.HK), as a leading licensed digital asset company in Hong Kong, is initiating coverage with a "Buy" rating and a target price of HKD 10.14.The core logic is based on three points: first, the company holds a full license from the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) under categories 1/7/9, with a market share exceeding 75% and significant compliance barriers; second, institutional business accounts for 85.5%, with Omnibus client trading volume increasing nearly fivefold, and the proportion of institutional revenue is expected to rise significantly to 68% in H1 2025; third, the development of digital asset ETFs is driving institutional demand, and the company's integrated ecosystem (trading + on-chain services + asset management) creates a competitive advantage.In terms of finance, it is estimated that revenue will reach HKD 782 million, HKD 1.211 billion, and HKD 2.338 billion in 2025-2027, with net profit losses gradually narrowing (HKD -1.084 billion, -0.717 billion, -0.047 billion). Using the PS valuation method and referencing comparable companies like Coinbase, a 12x PS is applied, corresponding to a market value of HKD 28.1 billion.

At the Gate annual gala, Gate founder and CEO Dr. Han stated that as AI deeply integrates into production processes, the global work landscape is undergoing dramatic changes; the combination of AI and Web3 is not merely a functional overlay, but a systematic reconstruction of financial infrastructure and value distribution methods.Dr. Han pointed out that up to 90% of traditional job capability models will face the risk of being restructured or eliminated in the future. According to the report "The Tech Job Market in 2025/2026" published by Ravio, the hiring rate for entry-level positions (P1/P2) has decreased by approximately 73% year-on-year, with declines in marketing, engineering research and development, and product design roles exceeding 69%. Dr. Han emphasized that efficiency and speed are becoming core competitive advantages, and companies must fully embrace AI to reshape product forms and user experiences.Dr. Han stressed that the core value of TradFi lies in bridging the gap between on-chain assets and real-world finance, which not only enhances the stability and efficiency of asset connections but also becomes a key entry point for value to transition from the digital world to the real world. The dual drive of AI and TradFi marks a significant leap of Web3 towards intelligent and tangible finance.

Trend Research is accelerating the sale of Ethereum to repay loans. In the past 10 hours, Trend Research has sold 170,033 ETH, worth approximately $322.5 million; it currently holds 293,121 ETH, worth approximately $563 million.

Binance founder CZ stated on the X platform that he is working with more countries to promote the issuance of their own fiat stablecoins, and he mentioned that "every fiat currency should be represented on-chain."

According to GlobeNewswire, Bitcoin financial services company Fold has announced the launch of a brand new unified app experience.This update integrates Bitcoin rewards, everyday spending, and account activity into an intuitive financial hub, aiming to provide users with a clearer and more convenient view of their financial management.

According to the Beijing Business Daily, new developments have emerged in the regulation of stablecoins in Hong Kong. The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Eddie Yue, stated that 36 applications for stablecoin issuer licenses have been received, and the relevant assessment work is being expedited, aiming to issue the first batch of stablecoin licenses in March, although the number will be kept prudent and limited.Eddie Yue emphasized that one of the key focuses of the review is risk management capabilities, including the application scenarios of stablecoins, reserve asset allocation, and cross-border compliance arrangements. In the future, if cross-border businesses involve the mainland, Singapore, London, and ASEAN, the relevant institutions must also comply with local regulatory requirements.Industry insiders pointed out that the issuance of the first batch of licenses is expected to promote the development of a compliant stablecoin ecosystem in Hong Kong, driving financial innovations such as tokenized assets and cross-border payments, further consolidating Hong Kong's international position in the digital finance sector. However, the Monetary Authority has clearly insisted on a regulatory approach that prioritizes stability, believing that stablecoin businesses should first be strictly regulated and gradually advanced, with rules optimized based on practical situations.The regulatory authorities also warned to be vigilant against illegal financial activities that use "stablecoins" as a gimmick. Industry experts advise investors to stay away from unlicensed stablecoin products, and participation in Hong Kong licensed stablecoin-related businesses across borders must also comply with mainland foreign exchange and cross-border regulatory requirements to prevent market speculation risks.

The Chief Operating Officer of Jarsy Yiying Hu has confirmed attendance at the "Build and Scale in 2026" themed forum to be held in Hong Kong on February 10. This event is co-hosted by ChainCatcher, RootData, and Alibaba Cloud, and is one of the important peripheral activities of the Consensus HongKong conference.Jarsy is a platform that transforms private equity into asset-backed tokens, making pre-IPO investments simple, transparent, and cost-effective. This forum will focus on industry convergence trends, growth paths, and market opportunities in the new cycle, with in-depth discussions around key tracks such as RWA, stablecoins, AI, payments, and DeFi. The event aims to bring together high-quality project parties, investment institutions, and developers from around the world to build a high-value industry network and jointly explore future opportunities and value potential in the Web3 ecosystem.Event registration: https://luma.com/md5v6b5z

According to CoinDesk, stablecoin issuer Tether has announced the launch of its open-source Bitcoin mining operating system, MiningOS. The system is designed to simplify mining infrastructure management and reduce reliance on proprietary vendor software.Tether describes MiningOS as a modular and scalable operating system suitable for a range of operations from home miners to large institutions. It employs a self-hosted architecture that allows miners to manage their mining activities without relying on centralized services, communicating with devices through an integrated peer-to-peer network. The system is built on the Holepunch peer-to-peer protocol and is released under the Apache 2 license, aiming to maintain its open-source nature without third-party dependencies.

Matrixport announced that its Bhutan entity, Matrix Bhutan Pte Ltd, has obtained a Financial Services License (FSL) issued by the Bhutan Financial Services Office (GFSO).The license authorizes the company to conduct multiple regulated financial services within or from the Bhutan Grelup Mindfulness City (GMC), including currency services, OTC operations (facilitating proprietary trading), and custodial services. This licensing is a significant advancement based on the principle approval (IPA) obtained in December 2025, and marks the official commencement of approved business activities for Matrix Bhutan Pte Ltd under Bhutan's regulatory framework.In the future, Matrixport will continue to strictly adhere to the relevant regulatory requirements of GFSO and GMC, focusing on compliance, risk management, and robust governance, while continuously promoting the development of institutional-grade digital financial services.

Tether posted on the X platform that it has launched an open-source operating system, Mining OS (MOS), for real mining infrastructure. This system features modularity and scalability, designed specifically for energy, hardware, and data processing.Currently, the documentation related to MOS is open, and a Discord community has been established for developers to communicate.

At today's Bybit annual gala, Bybit Co-CEO Helen Liu addressed global employees, elaborating on the company's long-term development philosophy and future vision. Helen stated that whether in advancing the company's growth or caring for employees, Bybit adheres to the principle of "Listen, care, improve."According to on-site sources, Helen particularly mourned a Bybit employee who passed away unexpectedly, expressing that their spirit will always accompany the company and conveying her appreciation for every employee. She emphasized that for a company to progress steadily and sustainably, it must focus not only on user value and industry innovation but also deeply embed employee care into its culture. Only by uniting the team and moving forward together can the company maintain strategic patience, accumulate long-term value, and navigate through cycles toward a brighter future.

Mizuho Securities has reversed its stance on Circle, upgrading the rating of CRCL stock to "Neutral" and raising its target price to $77. It stated on Wednesday that the growing popularity of the market platform Polymarket could drive the company's stock price up.Analysts Dan Dolev and Alexander Jenkins said, "All bets on Polymarket are settled in USDC, which means that the growth of Polymarket will directly drive the growth of USDC. We expect the growth momentum of the prediction market to continue through 2026, which will translate into an increase in the market capitalization of USDC, bringing incremental revenue to Circle."

According to The Block, Theo has launched an innovative gold token thGOLD, which combines physical gold collateral with a yield mechanism, distinguishing it from traditional token products that only track gold prices.This product is based on a gold lending fund involving Singapore's Mustafa Gold, with partners including Standard Chartered-backed Libeara and FundBridge Capital. thGOLD will be available on multiple DeFi platforms such as Uniswap, Morpho, and Pendle, marking the first time that physical gold assets have achieved on-chain yield and collateral functionality.

Bitfinex's report indicates that Ethereum previously processed about 2.88 million transactions in a single day, setting a historical record, while the average transaction fee remained low, exhibiting an unusual characteristic of "high throughput, low fees," demonstrating that its long-term technological roadmap, especially Layer 2 scaling, is gradually showing results.As usage increases, the mainnet continues to operate smoothly, and the Ethereum mainnet is gradually transitioning to a neutral settlement and coordination layer. This modular architecture is closer to the layered logic of traditional financial infrastructure: the underlying layer focuses on security, certainty, and final settlement, while the upper layer takes on innovation and execution complexity. However, the report also warns that recent transaction volumes may include low-value activities such as address poisoning, particularly evident in stablecoin transactions, and caution is needed when measuring real economic usage solely by transaction volume.

Cryptanalysis expert Willy Woo posted: "The Bitcoin developers' response to quantum risks began in January 2025 and accelerated mid-year, with the first Quantum Bitcoin Summit held in San Francisco in July 2025. In my view, Bitcoin's response to quantum risks was initially slow, but is now rapidly accelerating."

The FBI has arrested former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding in Mexico City. The U.S. accuses him of orchestrating a transnational drug trafficking organization and extensively using cryptocurrencies and stablecoins for drug-related transactions and money laundering.FBI Director Kash Patel stated that Wedding will be extradited to the United States, facing multiple charges including cocaine trafficking and murder. Wedding has been on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list since 2025, with a reward of up to $15 million. U.S. prosecutors claim that this criminal network, in collaboration with the Sinaloa drug cartel in Mexico, transported hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and California to the United States and Canada.The U.S. Treasury previously noted that the organization moved funds through multiple blockchains, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tron, Solana, and BNB Chain, involving stablecoin payments and exhibiting multi-chain money laundering characteristics. In 2024, the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on Wedding, his associates, and shell companies, freezing multiple sets of cryptocurrency addresses. Prosecutors also accused him of having directed the murder of informants and orchestrated several violent retaliation actions related to drug trafficking.

According to market news, the Meme coin WhiteWhale on the Solana chain was suddenly sold off around 0:00 today, with its market capitalization plummeting from about $50 million to nearly $20 million in just 5 minutes, a drop of approximately 60%. As of the time of writing, its market capitalization has rebounded to $37 million, with a current price of about $0.038 and a 24-hour decline of 36%.Monitoring data shows that this drop was triggered by concentrated sell-offs from multiple addresses on the holding leaderboard. Addresses (6kas...), (5tf1...), and (5AAn...) collectively sold over 48.36 million tokens starting at 0:27, with a total value of about $1.6 million, causing significant pressure on the coin's price in a short period. Currently, there are many Meme coins with the same name in the market, and the token contract with the highest liquidity is: "WhiteWhale": a3W4qutoEJA4232T2gwZUfgYJTetr96pU4SJMwpp.ChainCatcher reminds users that trading in Meme coins is highly volatile, largely relying on market sentiment and speculative hype, and has no actual value or use cases. Investors should be aware of the risks.