Articles by Khal
Latest from Khal
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Ethereum's Glamsterdam upgrade extends block validation to 6–9 seconds
Ethereum node operators now test Glamsterdam on Platåberget, a public network launched August 13 to rehearse coordinated client and infrastructure changes. The upgrade's core change, EIP-7732, separates block proposal from execution validation and extends the critical path from roughly 2 seconds to 6–9 seconds for validators.
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CME, Kalshi Clash Over Prediction Market Regulation at CFTC Hearing
CME Group Chairman Terry Duffy and Kalshi co-founder Luana Lopes Lara traded sharp criticism during a CFTC roundtable in Washington, D.C., over prediction market manipulation risks and regulatory standards, while DraftKings CEO Jason Robins called for civility in the debate.
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Anthropic launches Claude Academy, free AI literacy platform
Anthropic released Claude Academy on Thursday, a free education platform offering courses and tutorials to help users and organizations learn AI safely and effectively. The platform draws from Anthropic's internal training methods and emphasizes principles over product-specific features.
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U.S. charges 17 Iranian hackers in $6M Bitcoin extortion plot
Federal prosecutors indicted 17 alleged members of Iran-based Mabna Institute for a years-long cyber campaign targeting hundreds of universities, companies, and government agencies worldwide, including the 2017 HBO breach and an attempt to extort the entertainment company for roughly $6 million in Bitcoin.
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US Gross National Debt Crosses $40 Trillion Amid Fiscal Deficits
The US gross national debt surpassed $40 trillion for the first time in August, driven by a $658 billion increase since July 1 and rising interest payments that now rival defense and Medicare spending.
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US Stock Futures Slide as Treasury Yields Hit 2007 Highs
US stock futures fell on August 18 as the 30-year Treasury yield hit its highest level since 2007, with the Nasdaq 100 dropping 1.4% and the S&P 500 falling 0.6%. Rising yields and oil prices near $91 per barrel threaten to keep the Fed holding rates higher for longer.
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Bitcoin posts best day since February 2026 amid $1B short squeeze
Bitcoin surged 8% on August 19, reaching $69,749 in its strongest single-day rally since February 2026, as a short squeeze liquidated $1.1B to $1.3B in bearish positions within an hour and over $2.7B across crypto derivatives markets in 24 hours.
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Trump releases CNBC interview on Fed policy and tariffs at 6 PM ET
President Trump will release excerpts from a pre-recorded CNBC interview on August 20 at 6 PM ET, covering Federal Reserve policy, tariffs, trade relations, and geopolitical risks—topics with significant market-moving potential.
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AI Automation in Business: Boost Efficiency While Preserving Jobs
Artificial intelligence has evolved from experimental concept to essential business tool, delivering measurable value through automation that enhances decision-making and operational speed while preserving human roles across finance, marketing, customer service, and supply chain functions.
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Bitcoin retail transfers surge 9% in 30 days, CryptoQuant data shows
Bitcoin transfer volume among retail participants making transactions between $0 and $10,000 climbed 9.36% over the past 30 days, signaling renewed grassroots engagement after months of declining participation.
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DEXs hit record 19.5% spot volume share as CEXs plunge 31% in July
Centralized exchanges lost 31.2% of spot trading volume in July, falling to $727 billion—the lowest monthly total since October 2023. Decentralized exchanges declined only 9.82%, pushing their share to a record 19.5% of combined spot volume, while research shows CEXs still dominate price discovery for major assets.
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Flock Safety's AI Tool Tracks Drivers Without License Plates
Flock Safety's new OS Investigate system uses AI to identify drivers based on movement patterns alone, with 14 of its 69 preloaded prompts requiring no license plate or personal data—raising fresh concerns about mass surveillance capabilities.
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Bitcoin captures 77% of $1.3B crypto ETF inflow surge as BlackRock leads
Bitcoin accounted for 77.4% of $1.297 billion in inflows across US Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana ETPs from August 17–19, with BlackRock's IBIT fund leading the rebound. Ethereum accelerated sharply while Solana lagged its historical average.
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Bitcoin reclaims 50-day moving average, signals potential bullish reversal
Bitcoin pushed above the 50-day moving average and short-term holder realized price in mid-August, two technical thresholds that historically precede sustained rallies and reduce panic selling among recent buyers.
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Hyperscale Data sells 686 Bitcoin to repay Morpho loans, warns of 12-month cash shortfall
Hyperscale Data liquidated roughly 686 Bitcoin in August 2026 for $43.4 million to repay all outstanding Morpho borrowings, eliminating immediate collateral risk. The company warned that available liquidity won't cover operating costs and capital needs over the next 12 months, signaling a going-concern risk.
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$2.98B crypto liquidation cascade wipes 174K trader positions
A sharp price drop triggered the eighth-largest liquidation event on record, forcing approximately 174,350 traders out of leveraged positions for a combined $2.98 billion in losses across major derivatives platforms.
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OpenAI Previews Private Safety Processing for Zero Data Retention
OpenAI is previewing Private Safety Processing, a new system that strengthens safeguards for API customers using Zero Data Retention, allowing automated detection of harmful patterns across interactions without giving personnel access to customer content.
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US poised to cut Canadian auto tariffs to 15% from 25%
The US and Canada are negotiating a tariff reduction on Canadian-built vehicles from 25% to 15%, a move aimed at stabilizing North American auto production and easing trade tensions as new retaliatory duties loom.
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US national debt surpasses $40 trillion amid elevated borrowing costs
US gross federal debt crossed $40 trillion on August 18, 2026, two months ahead of projections, after the government borrowed over $200 billion in two weeks. Annual interest payments now exceed $1.2 trillion, limiting spending on infrastructure and defense.
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GMO Coin may suspend Bitcoin services during eCash Alpha snapshot Aug. 23
GMO Coin signaled potential suspension of Bitcoin trading and deposit services when eCash, a Bitcoin-derived chain, takes its first balance snapshot at block 963,648 around Aug. 23. The exchange hasn't confirmed timing, raising questions about replay safety and market stability during the Alpha stage rollout.
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Bitcoin Surge Past $70K Triggers $1B Short Squeeze, Lifts Coinbase and MSTR
Crypto-focused equities rallied sharply Wednesday as Bitcoin's push toward $70,000 liquidated over $1 billion in bearish bets. Strategy climbed 11.95%, Coinbase 9.05%, and BitMine 9.68%—though all remain negative year-to-date.
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US military launches Project Freedom to escort oil tankers through Strait of Hormuz
The US military launched Project Freedom in May 2026 to escort commercial oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz via a southern corridor near Oman, facilitating roughly 5 million barrels per day—well below pre-crisis levels as Iranian attacks persist.
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Bank of England holds rates at 3.75% as UK inflation rises to 2.9%
UK inflation rose to 2.9% in July from 2.6% in June, driven largely by energy costs. The Bank of England is expected to keep its policy rate at 3.75% when it meets September 17, with economists viewing the uptick as transient pressure unsuited to monetary policy.
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Bitcoin flips 68-point Nasdaq deficit into 5-point lead in 60 days
Bitcoin trailed the Nasdaq 100 by 68 percentage points over the past year, but reversed course over the last 60 days to post a five-point lead. Ethereum and Solana posted even sharper gains, though institutional conviction remains cautious.