What’s behind the latest lay-off spree? Polygon Labs has carried out another round of layoffs. The company has reportedly cut around 30% of its workforce as it restructures and pivots toward stablecoin-based payments, according to multiple posts and disclosures from affected employees on the social media platform X. While Polygon… Listen ⇢

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has signed Decree No. 19 “On Cryptobanks and Certain Issues of Control in the Field of Digital Tokens,” officially creating a legal framework for bitcoin and crypto banks in the country.  The decree makes Belarus a hub for financial technology innovation while providing a regulated path… Listen ⇢

In brief Bitcoin and Ethereum wavered despite positive momentum earlier this week. One analyst pointed to dashed hopes toward a crypto market structure bill. Another said that ETFs are doing a bulk of the heavy lifting. The cryptocurrency market wavered Friday as trading volumes cooled, with Bitcoin and Ethereum drifting… Listen ⇢

Revenue in the crypto industry is increasingly flowing to user-facing applications rather than the underlying blockchain networks, according to recent data, signaling a potential shift in where investors and developers focus their attention. Decentralized finance (DeFi) applications now capture five times the fees generated by blockchains, according to data shared… Listen ⇢

In brief South Korea has passed legislation creating a legal framework for security token offerings under existing securities law. Meanwhile, Google Play will block unregistered overseas crypto apps from updates and downloads in the country starting January 28. The ban will have a practical blocking effect for most Korean Android… Listen ⇢

A new report from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis shows that Iran’s crypto ecosystem boomed in 2025, with Bitcoin playing a growing central role for both ordinary citizens seeking financial refuge and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which now dominates much of the country’s on-chain activity. According to the report,… Listen ⇢

In brief The Wikimedia Foundation has announced a slew of partnerships with AI firms to use its content for training LLMs. The AI companies have signed up for its Enterprise product for large-scale reuse of Wikipedia’s content. In October last year, the Foundation said site visits were dropping due to… Listen ⇢

Ether (ETH) traded at $3,310, up 11% year-to-date, as renewed ETF buying and record onchain activity placed it on a path toward $4,500 over the next few weeks. Key takeaways: Spot Ethereum ETFs recorded $474.6 million in inflows over four days, outpacing new supply amid a surge in institutional buying. … Listen ⇢

Since missing its Jan. 15 markup date and being pushed to the end of the month, the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act is becoming a proxy fight over who gets to intermediate US dollar yield onchain — open decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols and payment rails, or a narrow club… Listen ⇢