Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Daniel Brooks
Iron Fish Ends Network Support After Inflation Bug Dating to 2019
Iron Fish says a longstanding inflation flaw enabled repeated spending of shielded notes and is ending remaining network support. Bitquery traced about 2.98 billion wIRON mints and $197,400 in sale proceeds, not billions of dollars stolen. The published patch changes consensus roots and is intended for a new chain rather than an in-place mainnet repair.
How to Read a Blockchain Explorer: Transactions, Transfers and Fees
Learn to check transaction status, trace token transfers, read fees and spot misleading records using a blockchain explorer and a worked payment example. A transaction status alone does not prove the intended asset reached the intended recipient. Check the network, token contract, actual recipient and amount together. An approval, a token transfer and a network fee describe different parts of wallet activity. Your wallet says a payment succeeded, but the recipient cannot find it.
The $6.3B Binance Hack: Everything We Know So Far
Binance estimates the hack’s impact at about $6.3 billion and promises full coverage through SAFU and company funds. Investigators trace wallet-signing abuse, including persistent EIP-7702 delegation on Binance 14. Around $3 billion is frozen according to Binance, while recovery totals and the complete entry path remain unresolved. Binance’s estimated $6.3 billion hack has become a test of more than an exchange’s ability to absorb a loss.
Stellar’s Thruput Hits 7 Million Payments a Second in Execution Test
Thruput’s published execution benchmark reached 7.02 million payments per second inside one validator. The test used eight execution hosts plus three support machines and excluded consensus and the mempool. The preview has no per-transaction fee, while its relationship to Stellar’s existing L1 remains undecided. The Stellar Development Foundation has introduced Project Thruput, an experimental execution engine that reached 7.02 million payments per second in its published benchmark.
Tether Launches FASE Foundation to Fight Scams and Pilot Stablecoin Aid
Tether and industry partners launched FASE as a Swiss nonprofit focused on financial safety and inclusion. Proposed programs target up to 10 million young people for scam education and a possible aid pilot reaching up to 1 million people. The foundation plans support for trafficking survivors, with UNODC providing technical advice and program details still to come.
Google Previews Crypto Custody Security Service for 2027 Launch
Google Multi-Party Compute is in private preview, with commercial availability planned for early 2027. Alphabet is using it to secure digital assets on Ethereum and Solana. Current controls target key compromise, while post-quantum signing remains a future upgrade. Google plans to preview a crypto custody security service at its New York digital-assets symposium on October 28, with commercial availability targeted for early 2027, CoinDesk reported. Google Multi-Party Compute is in private preview.
Bithumb Confirms Internal System Hack, Investigates Customer Data Exposure
Bithumb confirmed unauthorized access to an employee collaboration system. Investigators are checking whether shared files contained customer information. The exchange says its separate trading network was not accessed and no customer crypto was stolen. Bithumb has confirmed unauthorized access to an internal employee collaboration system and is investigating the scope of personal-information exposure, including whether customer records were included in files shared by staff.
Predict.fun Pledges Refunds After 400,000 USDT Wallet Losses
Predict.fun reports approximately 400,000 USDT in unauthorized transfers from users’ wallets. A possible compromise of its third-party-hosted API documentation site remains under investigation. The platform promises full reimbursement for incident-related losses but has not set a payment date. Predict.fun says a small number of users suffered unauthorized transfers totaling approximately 400,000 USDT from their wallets.
Solana VP Courts Projects From ‘Dying’ Blockchains
Jacob Creech invited L1, L2 and application teams to contact him about moving to Solana. He argues that capacity and security are driving blockchain consolidation. The posts named no projects that had agreed to migrate. Solana Foundation vice president of technology Jacob Creech has invited rival blockchain projects and applications to migrate to Solana, arguing that the industry is consolidating around networks able to handle demanding financial activity.
Dragonfly Partner Defends Polymarket CEO After Bloomberg Expense Report
Dragonfly managing partner Haseeb Qureshi has defended Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan following Bloomberg’s report on company-funded expenses. In an October 20 post, he challenged a viral characterization of the story and described Dragonfly as one of Polymarket’s largest early investors. Bloomberg reported that Founders Fund learned during its 2025 investment review that Coplan had used company money for private-jet flights, apartment rent and personal expenses.
NEAR Business Offers Private Crypto Treasuries Across 35+ Chains
NEAR Business offers private-beta treasury tools spanning more than 35 blockchains. Public approval records are separate from confidential balances and payment details. The platform advertises a 0.35% swap fee and 1,000 sponsored actions each month. NEAR Business is offering companies a way to manage crypto treasuries across more than 35 blockchains while keeping sensitive balances and payment details out of public view.
1inch Card to Close, Users Urged to Move Balances by December 18
1inch is discontinuing its crypto payment card programme and has closed new registrations. In an official FAQ, the project urged existing customers to spend or withdraw remaining balances as soon as possible, and no later than December 18, 2026. That date is not a guarantee that every card feature will remain available until then. The issuer and provider control the timetable, 1inch said, while existing cards and accounts remain accessible for now.
Sam Altman’s World Launches World ID Suite for Banks
World has launched a finance-focused World ID suite combining its identity app, Zoom verification and agent credentials. Five initial design partners are named, but the announcement does not identify a bank customer. World ID for Zoom is available through the Zoom Marketplace while AgentKit remains in beta.
Hardware Wallets Explained: Keys, Recovery Phrases and Safer Crypto Storage
Learn what hardware wallets protect, how recovery phrases work and how to verify devices, signatures and backups without creating new points of failure. Hardware wallets sign transactions while cryptocurrency remains recorded on its blockchain. Recovery material can restore access but can also expose funds if stolen. Device authenticity checks, physical integrity and transaction verification address different risks. A hardware wallet breaks, but its owner restores access on a replacement.
MARA-Linked Wallets Send 1,000 BTC to Binance and Gate, Lookonchain Says
Wallets linked to MARA Holdings deposited 1,000 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $82.8 million, into Binance and Gate over the past five days, according to Lookonchain. The on-chain analytics account flagged the transfers on October 19 as possible selling by the publicly traded Bitcoin miner. The wallet attribution and dollar estimate come from Lookonchain’s tracking.
Three Dormant Bitcoin Addresses Move 828 BTC, Stirring Quantum Speculation
Three addresses spent 828.14 BTC from 2013 deposits in two main transactions on October 17–18. The transactions were about 24½ hours apart and do not establish three separate owners or a Bitcoin sale. The supplied reports provide no demonstration of a quantum attack, and the main destinations use standard SegWit outputs. Three long-dormant Bitcoin addresses spent approximately 828.14 BTC on October 17–18, drawing attention to old holdings and renewed speculation about quantum attacks.
Saylor Hints at More Strategy Bitcoin Buying Ahead of Monday
Michael Saylor hinted at another Strategy Bitcoin purchase on Sunday, October 18, writing, “We found room for more orange.” The executive chairman’s post raises the possibility of a new holdings update on Monday, October 19, but does not announce a transaction or confirm a reporting date. The message accompanies a Bitcoin purchase-history chart showing orange markers for Strategy’s past acquisitions. The graphic still displays 848,250 BTC, matching the company’s latest disclosed balance.
Nillion to Retire Its L2 as Operations Move to Ethereum Mainnet
Nillion plans to retire its Layer 2 in the coming weeks and says the project continues on Ethereum mainnet. NIL holders on the L2 are asked to migrate before retirement, but the clarification gives no exact shutdown date. Nillion’s migration guide estimates about nine days for L2-to-L1 bridging, separate from the earlier Cosmos token migration. Nillion plans to retire its Layer 2 network in the coming weeks, asking holders to move NIL from the L2 to Ethereum mainnet before the shutdown.
Hyperliquid Labs’ Jeff Yan Urges US Oversight of Market Operators
Hyperliquid Labs founder Jeff Yan says US oversight should focus on market operators that exercise control, rather than the underlying blockchain. HIP-3 deployers set contract specifications, oracle prices and leverage limits while using shared HyperCore infrastructure. The proposal does not announce US trading approval, and the CFTC’s separate crypto rulemaking remains an unfinished process.
Tether Paid $6.3M to Firm Co-Owned by Bo Hines, WSJ Reports
WSJ reports that Nxum earned about $6.3 million through a Tether arrangement beginning while co-owner Bo Hines served in the White House. Hines reportedly pushed for a three-year platform-access transition, which is separate from the GENIUS Act’s general effective date. Nxum says Hines had no knowledge of or involvement in its Tether business and received no related income during government service.
FBI and Brooklyn DA Shut Down 241 Crypto Scam Sites Targeting Russian Speakers
Brooklyn prosecutors and the FBI disrupted 241 scam domains and 112 servers linked to a network accused of stealing tens of millions from Russian-speaking Americans. Investigators say victims were drawn in through investment ads and later approached again with false promises to recover their stolen cryptocurrency. About $300,000 has been seized so far and recovery efforts continue, while Bloomberg reports that no arrests were made during the operation.
Stripe’s Privy and Ripple Bring XRP Ledger Wallets Into Apps
Stripe-owned Privy and Ripple are bringing XRP Ledger wallets into apps for XRP, RLUSD and other network assets. Developers can create wallets and sign transactions, while applications remain responsible for funding accounts and submitting payments. Privy documents basic transaction policies and plans deeper controls and fee sponsorship as the integration develops.
Starknet Launches Shadow Accounts to Hide Wallet Links
Shadow Accounts let users interact through persistent app-specific addresses without publicly linking activity to their main wallets. Balances, transactions and DeFi positions held by a shadow account remain visible onchain, with STRK20 protecting the funding connection. Starknet expects the first application integration on October 14, while its broader list of use cases remains planned.
Karpelès Reports Implant in Ledger Flex Bought at Singapore Airport
Mark Karpelès says a Ledger Flex bought at Singapore Airport contained an implant after its owner submitted it for inspection. Ben Yorke says he never plugged in the device, and the cited posts do not report a theft from that wallet. A separate European retailer watchlist remains speculative and does not establish that all named stores received modified devices.
Bybit Plans November mStocks Launch With Mantle for 24/7 Trading
Bybit plans a November launch for mStocks, offering 24/7 trading in tokens backed one-for-one by real shares. The Mantle collaboration envisages collateral and DeFi uses, while the reported issuer structure differs from direct share ownership. The product is separate from Bybit’s existing stock service, which uses Alpaca infrastructure and operates on a 24/5 schedule.
Solana’s Vibhu Teases Next Six Months Ahead of Breakpoint 2026
Solana shared a six-month teaser from product chief Vibhu Norby without naming products or release dates. Breakpoint 2026 is scheduled for November 15–17 at Olympia London, with plans first outlined in August. The conference program spans institutional payments and tokenization alongside AI agents, prediction markets and consumer applications.
Fresh Capital Keeps Entering Bitcoin Despite Pullback, Glassnode Says
Fresh capital continues to enter Bitcoin despite weaker prices and selling by ETF holders and derivatives traders, Glassnode reported in its October 12 Market Pulse. Its on-chain capital-flow indicators remained strong even as the market’s short-term momentum cooled. The monthly change in realized capitalization rose from 1.1% to 1.2%, while hot capital’s share increased from 19.6% to 20.3%, both above Glassnode’s upper statistical bands.
Solana Halves Target Slot Time to 200ms as Mainnet Rollout Completes
Solana’s 200-millisecond target slot time is live on mainnet, completing four reductions from the original 400-millisecond setting at epoch 1053 on October 9. More frequent block opportunities come with proportionally smaller per-slot work limits, so the upgrade does not automatically double transaction throughput. Wallet signing windows tighten to roughly 30 seconds, while Alpenglow’s planned finality improvements remain a separate mainnet milestone.
Aptos Launches Encrypted Mempool on Mainnet to Limit MEV
Aptos has activated optional payload encryption on mainnet, keeping pending transaction details hidden until validators finalize the block’s ordering. Petra already supports the feature, while Decibel plans to use it for perpetual orders and the reported 20 ms overhead comes from a 50-node benchmark. Sender and fee metadata remain visible, completed transaction details become public, and developer documentation sets out higher minimum gas pricing and integration limits.
SkyAI Sells 1 Million SOL, Halving Its Solana Treasury
SkyAI confirmed the sale of approximately 1 million SOL, leaving about half its previous treasury holding. The company plans a cash tender offer worth up to $201 million and may sell additional SOL depending on market conditions. Sale proceeds remain undisclosed, and the proposed tender offer is subject to conditions and has not yet commenced. SkyAI has sold approximately 1 million SOL, cutting its Solana treasury in half, and said it may sell more depending on market conditions.
CZ Shares 2026 Crypto Security Guide for Wallets and Exchange Accounts
CZ’s condensed 2026 guide puts theft prevention, accidental loss and inheritance at the center of crypto security. Wallet backups and transaction checks matter alongside device protection, while exchange users must secure email, passwords and authentication. His custody framework weighs technical ability and access needs against the different responsibilities of personal wallets and exchanges.
Telegram Rolls Out Money, Its Non-Custodial Gram Wallet
Telegram is widening access to Money, its non-custodial Gram wallet, after an initial release to selected users. Money supports Gram transfers and purchases of Telegram gifts and collectible usernames, with fee-free top-ups from Walt. Walt remains a separate trading platform, while the wider Money rollout has no published country-by-country schedule.
Solana Nears 200ms Blocks as Final Slot-Time Upgrade Approaches
Solana’s final SIMD-0525 step is expected at epoch 1053 on October 9, cutting the target slot time from 250 to 200 milliseconds. Per-block computing limits fall proportionally, so more frequent block opportunities do not automatically double transaction throughput. Shorter slots tighten signing windows and increase voting frequency, making validator performance and operating costs central to the rollout.
Pyth DAO Commits 100% of Product Receipts to PYTH Buybacks
Pyth DAO commits all eligible product receipts to PYTH accumulation while preserving the existing revenue shares agreed for each business line. A standing authorization replaces recurring monthly votes and covers eligible non-PYTH treasury assets, with transaction limits and reporting retained. Pyth reports $11.5 million in annual recurring revenue and 86% quarterly growth, as PYTH gains about 14.6% over Binance’s rolling 24-hour window.
Gate and Visa Announce Crypto Card Rollout Across 40+ Markets
Gate’s Visa collaboration targets more than 40 countries and territories, with crypto converted into fiat for online and in-store purchases. Card eligibility, supported assets and features vary by issuer and region, and the announcement does not provide a complete launch-country list. The expansion follows Gate Money’s introduction, connecting asset balances, transfers and payments within the exchange’s broader account interface.
Bitwise CIO Sees NEAR Potential in AI and Cross-Chain Trading
Bitwise’s Hougan sees NEAR’s existing trading business as a foundation for a larger opportunity in AI-agent commerce. NEAR Intents has processed over $30 billion in cumulative volume, while Hougan projects about $45 million in 2026 fees. NEAR Intents uses competing solvers, while NEAR AI Cloud runs models in protected hardware with verifiable execution. Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan sees NEAR’s existing cross-chain trading business as a foundation for its AI ambitions.
Samsung Wallet to Launch USDC Transfers on Solana for US Galaxy Users
Samsung Wallet will introduce USDC transfers on Solana for eligible Galaxy users in the United States in the last week of October, Samsung announced. The rollout will bring cross-border stablecoin transfers directly into its existing wallet app. The Solana Foundation said Samsung Wallet and Samsung Pay will support stablecoins on its network, with the feature available across 82 million compatible US Galaxy devices. Users will access transfers through the familiar wallet interface.
Cointelegraph Denies Sale Report After 94% Traffic Slump
Cointelegraph categorically denies seeking a buyer and is asking CoinDesk to issue a prominent correction to its report. CoinDesk cited an unnamed source and estimated traffic losses of roughly 94%, without disclosing an asking price. A limited September search rebound adds context, but does not resolve the disputed sale claim or establish the publisher’s current total audience.
Ledger Adds USDC and USDT Loans Backed by Wrapped Bitcoin
Ledger Wallet users in eligible regions can borrow USDC or USDT against cbBTC or wBTC through four Ethereum markets powered by Morpho and integrated by Yield.xyz. Hardware signing keeps private keys offline and makes loan transactions readable, while pledged collateral remains locked under the lending contract’s rules. Borrowing costs vary with market utilization, and falling collateral values or accrued interest can trigger liquidation without a new hardware approval.
Jeff Yan Says Hyperliquid Aims to Be Open Financial Infrastructure
Hyperliquid co-founder Jeff Yan said the platform aims to provide open financial infrastructure that other companies can use, rather than compete directly with their trading interfaces. He spoke at TOKEN2049 Singapore on October 7, Foresight News reported from the event. Yan compared that role to the internet, arguing that companies build on shared infrastructure rather than compete with the underlying network itself.
Abstract to Shut Down December 15 as Igloo Refocuses on Pudgy Penguins
Abstract will shut down on December 15, 2026, and warns that assets left on the network will become inaccessible. Igloo says it lost tens of millions of dollars supporting Abstract and will refocus on Pudgy Penguins, PENGU and NFTs. The official Migration Hub and native bridge provide exit routes, with Abstract citing a three-hour delay for native withdrawals.
Aptos Unveils MonoMove With Up to 55x Faster Execution in Tests
MonoMove replayed Decibel transactions up to 55x faster for collateral withdrawals and up to 22x faster for order placement. Separate internal simulations showed up to 11x higher end-to-end throughput, with storage becoming the next bottleneck. Aptos Labs targets feature completion by the end of 2026 and a 2027 mainnet rollout that requires governance approval.
Ether.fi Introduces USD Stablecoin Powered by Ethena
Ether.fi is introducing a native dollar stablecoin powered by Ethena Whitelabel for use across its financial products. Ethena will manage reserves, minting, redemption and compliance, while more than $300 million in stablecoins already sits on Ether.fi. The companies have not disclosed the reserve mix, supported networks or customer availability date and plan to discuss the product on October 7.
Buterin Sees Cheaper, More Private Ethereum Within Two Years
Vitalik Buterin expects substantially cheaper and more private Ethereum transactions within two years as cryptographic tools mature. He sees AI agents becoming the interface for complex onchain operations, including applications written and used by bots. More capable AI also raises security demands, from prompt-injection defenses and formal verification to trusted hardware.
Solana Foundation Launches DvP Standard for Institutional Settlement
Solana DvP settles the asset and payment legs together after both counterparties fund their escrow accounts. The MIT-licensed program supports SPL Token and compatible Token-2022 assets, with external audit findings published. JPMorgan supplied settlement expertise without endorsing the software, while confidential settlement remains planned. Solana Foundation has launched Solana DvP, an open-source settlement program that lets institutions exchange an asset and its payment in a single transaction.
Rain Applies for US National Trust Bank Charter
Stablecoin payments company Rain has applied to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to establish Rain National Trust Bank in New York. The company announced the application on October 5; approval remains pending. The proposed subsidiary would offer institutional custody of digital assets and US dollars, manage reserves for permitted stablecoin issuers, and issue and redeem dollar-backed stablecoins. Client holdings would be kept separate from the bank’s own assets.
Bloomberg Terminal Adds Hyperliquid Perpetual Market Data
Bloomberg Terminal now displays streaming prices for selected Hyperliquid perpetual contracts, bringing the decentralized exchange’s markets into its professional data platform. Bloomberg’s global head of market innovation, Michael McDonough, demonstrated the live monitor in an October 5 post. Users can enter WSL HYPE <GO> to view the worksheet. McDonough’s demonstration shows contracts linked to Bitcoin, Ether and HYPE alongside oil, gold, stock indexes, equities and currencies.
Grachev Says Trump’s $5,000 Payments Could Spark a Crypto Bull Run
DWF Labs managing partner Andrei Grachev says Donald Trump’s proposed $5,000 payments could help trigger a crypto bull market resembling 2021. In an October 4 post, he outlined a scenario in which Republicans win the midterms and the payments reach adults. Grachev compared the hypothetical payment with roughly 150% of COVID-era helicopter money, without setting out a calculation.
Blast Announces L2 Shutdown, Sets October 26 Interface Deadline
Blast will wind down its Ethereum L2 after the team said operating costs exceed revenue and it sees no viable path to self-sustainability. Withdrawals will pause during an estimated one-week Lido unwind, before the team reduces the withdrawal delay to 24 hours. Blast’s withdrawal interface will remain available until October 26, with direct Ethereum bridge-contract withdrawals intended to continue afterward.
Tom Lee Says ETH Could Rise Well Above $10,000 Within 12 Months
Fundstrat co-founder and BitMine chairman Tom Lee said Ethereum could trade well above $10,000 within the next 12 months. He made the comments in a September 30 interview with CoinDesk at Korea Blockchain Week. Asked about Arthur Hayes’ $10,000 year-end target, Lee said he was unsure whether ETH would reach that level before the end of 2026. Over a longer horizon, however, he expected “much higher prices than 10,000” and described Hayes’ outlook as conservative.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Daniel
Contact Daniel, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack