Latest news
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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.
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Moderna's Cancer Vaccine Clears Phase 3, Stock Surges 131%
Moderna's personalized mRNA cancer therapy beat the standard of care in a Phase 3 melanoma trial, sending shares up 131% and triggering a short squeeze that cost bearish traders roughly $4.8 billion.
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Bitcoin Surges to $68,310 as $1.22B in Shorts Liquidate
Bitcoin soared to $68,310 as $1.22 billion in short positions liquidated in one hour, sparking debate among analysts over whether the move reflects genuine capital flight from tech stocks or momentum-driven speculation.
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White House Excludes Prediction Market Firms From Trump Tech Event
The White House ruled out participation by prediction market companies at a Wednesday event with President Trump, despite earlier industry expectations. The exclusion signals regulatory caution as platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket face legal challenges over whether their contracts are federally regulated derivatives or unlicensed gambling.
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European banks set record €228B shareholder payout for 2026
European banks and financial companies are projected to distribute €228 billion to shareholders in 2026, a 13% increase from 2025, as the sector's net profits reach $408 billion amid strong trading volumes and lending activity.
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Binance delists seven spot pairs including Litecoin and Sui on August 21
Binance announced the delisting of seven spot trading pairs, including LTC/BNB and SUI/BNB, effective August 21 at 03:00 UTC. The exchange cited periodic assessment and the need to protect users and maintain market quality.
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Zhibao Closes $154.7M Raise Entirely in Bitcoin
Nasdaq-listed Zhibao Technology, a Shanghai-based insurance-tech firm, closed a $154.7 million private placement funded entirely in cryptocurrency, with non-U.S. investors contributing 2,380 Bitcoin directly to the company wallet rather than cash.
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Institutional Bitcoin ETF holdings hit record 44.2% despite Q2 price decline
Institutional investors expanded their Bitcoin ETF positions by 7.5% in Q2 2026 even as Bitcoin fell 14.2%, reaching a record 44.2% ownership share while retail investors shed over 100,000 BTC.
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GOP faces backlash as AI data center opposition reshapes pro-business stance
Rising opposition to AI data centers is fracturing Republican support for tech infrastructure, with 70% of Americans opposing local construction and GOP candidates now campaigning on moratoria.
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Bitwise Bitcoin ETF logs $16.15M inflow, net assets hit $2.38B
Bitwise's flagship Bitcoin ETF recorded a $16.15 million single-day inflow and purchased 250 BTC on the spot market, pushing its net assets to $2.38 billion as the broader U.S. Bitcoin ETF market emerges from summer weakness.
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Oil prices rise fourth day as US-Iran tensions escalate
Brent crude climbed to $91.14 per barrel and WTI reached $85.04 as geopolitical friction between the US and Iran amplifies concerns over Middle Eastern supply disruptions and Strait of Hormuz shipping constraints.
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Rillet reaches $1 billion valuation in $100M Series C funding round
Rillet, an AI-native accounting platform for venture-backed startups, closed a $100 million Series C round at a $1 billion valuation, led by ICONIQ with backing from Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and new investors including Bain Capital Ventures and Battery Ventures.
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Diesel prices surge to $5.45/gallon, straining US logistics and inflation
National diesel prices jumped 54% from January to mid-August 2026, reaching $5.45 per gallon. Supply disruptions in the Middle East and refinery damage in Russia and Saudi Arabia are fueling costs that ripple through freight, agriculture, and consumer goods, threatening political consequences ahead of midterm elections.
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Nasdaq falls 1.2% as AI and semiconductor stocks retreat
The Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.2% on Tuesday as investors fled artificial intelligence and semiconductor shares, with the S&P 500 declining 0.6% and tracking a third consecutive loss.
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State Department Offers $10M Reward for Iranian Hacker Tips
The US State Department has posted a $10 million bounty for information on Iranian hackers tied to Handala and Parsian Afzar Rayan Borna, marking an expansion of its Rewards for Justice program into cyber operations.
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TikTok Explores P2P Money Transfers via Direct Messages
TikTok is exploring a direct-message feature that would let users send money to each other using TikTok Pay, according to hidden code in the US iPhone app. The company said the feature isn't being tested anywhere yet.
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OpenAI Launches ChatGPT for Teens with Parental Controls
OpenAI rolled out ChatGPT for Teens, a dedicated version for users aged 13 to 17 featuring parental controls, Study Mode, and stronger safeguards against harmful content.
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US pending home sales fall 2.3% to weakest level since January
Pending sales of previously owned US homes fell 2.3% in July to the lowest level since January, disappointing economist expectations and signaling weakness in the housing market amid elevated mortgage rates and prices.
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Metaplanet Invests 2,100 BTC in Super League, Rebrands as Superplanet
Metaplanet announced a $132 million Bitcoin investment in Super League and plans to rebrand as Superplanet, Inc., a U.S.-based Bitcoin treasury platform trading on Nasdaq under ticker SUPA, pending shareholder and regulatory approval by Q4 2026.
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HashKey deploys HKDAP stablecoin for Hong Kong-UAE cross-border trade
HashKey Exchange is deploying HKDAP, Hong Kong's first regulated HKD-pegged stablecoin, to settle cross-border trade with the UAE and Middle East—tapping a $49 billion corridor and expanding beyond institutional insurance trials into mainstream commerce.
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Ethereum Platåberget Testnet Goes Live for Glamsterdam Upgrade
The Ethereum Foundation announced the Platåberget public testnet is now live, marking the next phase of testing for the Glamsterdam upgrade scheduled to fork on August 20. The testnet will run for several months and includes major changes like Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation and gas repricings.
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Bitcoin taker buy volume hits exhaustion, signaling sharp volatility ahead
Bitcoin's 30-day average taker buy volume on Binance has fallen to approximately $3.3 billion, a level that has historically preceded major market inflection points and now coincides with spot trading at multi-year lows.