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According to a report by Reuters, witnesses stated that a huge explosion was heard in Dubai.

According to a report by Reuters, Meta is planning large-scale layoffs that could affect 20% or more of its employees. This move aims to offset investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure and prepare for the higher efficiency brought by AI-assisted employees. The layoff date has not yet been determined, and the scale has not been finalized.

According to Reuters, negotiations on cryptocurrency legislation in the U.S. have hit a new impasse as the banking sector has stated it cannot support the compromise proposed by the White House. This proposal allows stablecoin issuers to offer yield products in specific scenarios such as peer-to-peer payments, but prohibits offering yields on idle holdings. Crypto companies have accepted this compromise, but banks still wish to strictly limit the scope of businesses that can offer rewards, believing that the related terms could trigger deposit outflows. Standard Chartered estimates that by the end of 2028, stablecoins could siphon off about $500 billion in deposits from the U.S. banking system.Trump posted on the Truth Social platform that he would not allow the banking sector to "undermine our strong crypto agenda." Companies in the crypto industry, including Coinbase, Ripple, and the Blockchain Association, have participated in the negotiations. Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger stated that "the path to a viable agreement is clearer than it was a month ago."The bill also faces other challenges: it needs the support of at least seven Democratic senators, and some Democrats are calling for a ban on elected officials profiting from crypto businesses, while other lawmakers are urging the inclusion of stricter anti-money laundering provisions. The bill also needs to be reconciled with the version from the Senate Agriculture Committee and compete for scheduling in a limited Senate agenda alongside other bills such as housing policy reform. Adrian Wall, Managing Director of the Digital Sovereignty Alliance, stated that if the bill is not sent to the president for signing by July, the midterm elections will close the window for passage.

According to a report by Reuters, two Democratic senators from the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim, have written to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, requesting a review of a transaction involving an Emirati entity acquiring a stake in a cryptocurrency company owned by the Trump family.It has been reported that a company under the Emirati national security advisor purchased a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial for $500 million. The two senators are calling for an investigation into whether this transaction poses any national security risks.Warren and Kim are asking Bessent, who is responsible for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), to determine whether a CFIUS review is necessary for the Emirati acquisition of the 49% stake in World Liberty Financial, and if so, to conduct a comprehensive, thorough, and fair investigation. They have requested that Bessent respond to several questions by March 5, including whether CFIUS has reviewed the transaction in any form or submitted any recommendations to President Trump.The two senators pointed out that the transaction raises significant national security concerns regarding whether countries like the UAE could potentially access "sensitive personal information" collected by World Liberty Financial.

The White House will hold a cryptocurrency summit next Monday, inviting senior representatives from the banking industry and the cryptocurrency sector in an attempt to break the deadlock over the Clarity Act. According to three industry insiders, the meeting will be chaired by the White House Cryptocurrency Committee, with the core topic focusing on whether cryptocurrency companies can offer interest or other returns on stablecoins held by customers.The banking industry is concerned that allowing cryptocurrency companies to pay returns will lead to deposit outflows, threatening financial stability. A report from Standard Chartered estimates that by the end of 2028, stablecoins could siphon off about $500 billion in deposits from U.S. banks. Cryptocurrency proponents argue that banning the payment of returns would harm competitiveness and be crucial for attracting new customers.

According to Reuters, Barclays has acquired a stake in the U.S. stablecoin settlement company Ubyx, entering the stablecoin sector.Founded in 2025, Ubyx offers a settlement system for stablecoins (cryptocurrencies pegged to traditional currencies). Barclays stated that this investment is part of its strategy to explore options in digital currencies, but did not disclose the scale of the investment or specific terms. Previously, Barclays had collaborated with banks such as Goldman Sachs and UBS to explore the possibility of issuing stablecoins pegged to the currencies of the G7 countries.A Barclays spokesperson said, "This investment aligns with Barclays' strategy to explore opportunities in new digital currencies such as stablecoins." The bank did not disclose the scale of the investment or valuation. It is reported that U.S. cryptocurrency companies Coinbase and Galaxy Digital's venture capital division had also previously invested in Ubyx.

According to a Reuters report, Strategy announced that the unrealized losses in digital assets for the fourth quarter of 2025 reached $17.4 billion, with a total unrealized loss of $5.4 billion for the year, affected by the volatility of the cryptocurrency market.The company's stock price plummeted by approximately 47.5% throughout 2025, as investors reacted negatively to the volatility in the crypto market. Strategy lowered its earnings forecast for 2025 last December, attributing it to the weak performance of Bitcoin.

According to Reuters, the Swiss Federal Council stated on Monday that following the capture of Venezuelan President Maduro by the U.S. military and his transfer to the United States, Switzerland has frozen all assets held by Maduro and his associates in Switzerland. This measure takes immediate effect and is valid for four years, aimed at preventing potential illegal asset outflows. It also serves as a complement to the existing sanctions Switzerland has imposed on Venezuela since 2018.The Swiss authorities stated that the asset freeze does not affect members of the current Venezuelan government and noted that if any illegally obtained funds are discovered, Switzerland will seek to return them for the benefit of the Venezuelan people.

According to Reuters, Strategy (MSTR.O) may soon be removed from MSCI and other major stock indices. Analysts say this move could result in the company, which has heavily accumulated Bitcoin, losing up to $9 billion in stock demand and weaken the appeal of the entire sector.In response to client inquiries, MSCI proposed in October to remove companies with digital asset holdings constituting 50% or more of their total assets from its global benchmark indices. MSCI believes that such companies are more like investment funds, which are not included in its index system. However, many related companies argue that they are engaged in actual operations and developing innovative products, claiming that MSCI's proposal unfairly discriminates against the crypto industry.Additionally, dozens of companies have been inspired to incorporate crypto tokens into their balance sheets, hoping for future appreciation, but questions about the sustainability of these business models are also increasing. MSCI is conducting a public consultation and will announce its final decision on January 15. Analysts point out that if MSCI excludes Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) companies from the index, other index providers may follow suit.

According to Jinshi reports, a Reuters survey shows that the Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates by 25 basis points in the December rate decision to support a cooling labor market. Among the 108 economists surveyed, 82% (89 economists) hold this view. This strong consensus is largely consistent with the results of the November survey and aligns with the nearly 85% probability of a rate cut in the futures market, but stands in stark contrast to the widening divergence among policymakers. The survey's predictions for 2026 reflect this lack of consensus, although the median forecast indicates there will be two more rate cuts, bringing the federal funds rate down to 3-3.25% by the end of the year.

According to a report by Reuters, Zach Witkoff, co-founder of the cryptocurrency project World Liberty Financial supported by the Trump family, announced at an event in Dubai that the company will launch its real-world asset product in January, early in the first quarter of next year.

According to Reuters, Strategy is in communication with the index provider regarding the possibility of being removed from the MSCI index. The company's chairman, Michael Saylor, confirmed in an interview during a Binance event in Dubai, "We are participating in this process."MSCI will make a final decision on January 15. Strategy is currently a component of the MSCI US Index and the MSCI World Index, with a significant portion of its market capitalization linked to benchmark indices through passive investment tools such as ETFs. JPMorgan noted in a report that removal would raise questions about the company's future equity and debt financing costs and capabilities.

DOGE (Department of Efficiency of the U.S. Government) posted on the X platform that the report by Reuters about its demise is fake news. The department will resume its routine updates on Friday in a few days.The American people authorized President Trump to modernize the federal government and reduce waste, fraud, and abuse. Just last week, the department terminated 78 wasteful contracts, saving taxpayers $335 million.

According to Reuters, Brazil is considering taxing the use of cryptocurrencies for international payments to fill the gaps in the country's taxation of conventional foreign exchange transactions.Sources say that the Brazilian Ministry of Finance is considering expanding the scope of its Financial Transactions Tax (IOF) to include certain cross-border transfers classified as foreign exchange operations by the central bank this month, which use virtual assets and stablecoins. Currently, cryptocurrency transactions are exempt from the Financial Transactions Tax (IOF). Investors are required to pay income tax on capital gains from cryptocurrency assets that exceed the monthly tax-exempt limit.

According to Jinshi reports, a Reuters survey shows that out of 105 economists, 84 believe the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by 25 basis points in December.

ChainCatcher news, according to Reuters, informed sources revealed that Apollo Global Management, Oppenheimer, Jane Street, and HSG, formerly known as Sequoia Capital China, all participated in the recent funding round of the cryptocurrency exchange Kraken.This funding round valued Kraken at $15 billion. Last month, Fortune magazine reported that Kraken completed a $500 million funding round, but Reuters was the first to disclose the identities of these major investors and financial industry participants. One source stated that Qube Research & Technologies, Kraken's co-CEO Arjun Sethi, and the venture capital firm Tribe Capital co-founded by Sethi also participated in this funding round, paving the way for Kraken to go public in the coming months.Kraken is expected to confidentially submit its IPO registration statement to the U.S. SEC by the end of the year and plans to go public in the first quarter of next year. One source added, however, that it is currently unclear how the U.S. government shutdown might affect this timeline.

ChainCatcher news, according to Reuters, several global banks are collaborating to plan a joint stablecoin initiative, including Santander, Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, MUFG, TD Bank, and UBS.

ChainCatcher news, according to a Reuters survey, nearly all of the 107 economists predict that the Federal Reserve will implement a 25 basis point cut to the key interest rate on September 17, with most experts expecting further rate cuts in the first quarter of next year. The market has fully absorbed the expectation of a rate cut in September, and now anticipates three rate cuts by the end of the year, whereas just a few weeks ago, only two cuts were expected.Among the 107 surveyed economists, 64 (60%) expect that by the end of 2025, rates will have been cut by a cumulative 50 basis points, while 37% of experts predict a reduction of 75 basis points within the year, a significant increase from 22% in August. Twenty-six economists indicated that there is a higher likelihood of a surge in inflation or a scenario where inflation and unemployment rise rapidly together in the coming year. The median of the survey suggests that the Federal Reserve will cut rates by another 75 basis points next year, bringing the federal funds rate down to 3.00%-3.25%.

ChainCatcher news, according to Reuters, the cryptocurrency exchange platform Gemini Space Station has secured Nasdaq as a strategic investor as the company plans to go public in New York. Sources indicate that Gemini could raise up to $317 million through an initial public offering (IPO) and has arranged for Nasdaq to purchase $50 million in shares privately at the time of the IPO.This investment will enable Nasdaq's clients to utilize Gemini's custody and staking services. Gemini's institutional clients will also be able to use Nasdaq's Calypso platform to manage and track trading collateral. Gemini is expected to begin trading on Nasdaq under the ticker "GEMI" on Friday. Sources warn that the company's plans are subject to market conditions and may change. Gemini's IPO comes at a time when the U.S. equity capital markets are recovering, with strong demand for new listings, and impressive first-day performances attracting more private companies to test market interest.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, billionaire heir Taylor Thomson lost over $80 million in digital assets due to following investment advice related to a psychic.Thomson is a member of the family behind media and financial giant Thomson Reuters, and she invested millions of dollars in crypto assets with the help of her former close friend Ashley Richardson.Both had previously sought advice from psychics, and later Richardson became deeply involved in managing Thomson's crypto asset portfolio. During the bull market in 2021, Richardson reportedly managed over $140 million in crypto assets for Thomson across multiple wallets.However, the downturn in the crypto market in mid-2022 severely impacted the portfolio, with consulting firm Guidepost Solutions estimating that Thomson's losses exceeded $80 million.The firm accused Richardson of executing over 450,000 trades without proper authorization, exposing Thomson to high-risk strategies.Richardson denied the allegations, stating that she acted at Thomson's direction and that there was no formal contract between the two.In 2023, Thomson sued Richardson and Persistence; she has since settled with Persistence, while the lawsuit against Richardson is still ongoing.