Bitcoin

Bitcoin is a new electronic payment system that removes the need for third party financial institutions. It speeds up transactions while reducing costs and minimizing the potential for fraud. The name “cryptocurrency” points to how it uses “cryptographic proof” to work, AKA a blockchain.

Bitcoin’s concept was first introduced in 2008 when a person going by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto shared a white paper titled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System.” In January 2009, the Bitcoin blockchain was launched. 

A new electronic payment system called Bitcoin removes the need for third-party financial institutions. It speeds up transactions while reducing costs and fraud-risk. The name “cryptocurrency” points to how it uses “cryptographic proof” to work, AKA a blockchain.   

Bitcoin has a finite supply of 21 million, which is expected to be reached by the year 2140. Currently, 18.8 million are circulating in the market. Note that Bitcoin represents the concept of the network, while bitcoin (lower-case ‘b’) represents the currency.

Bitcoin is one of the most well-known cryptos as it was the first decentralized currency. 

Currently, BTC’s dominance is above 40%. Bitcoin Dominance is a measure of how much of the total market cap of crypto is made up of Bitcoin. Bitcoin’s influence in the crypto ecosystem could be vulnerable to competition as alternative coins grow in popularity and utility.

China has reignited cyber tensions with the U.S. after unveiling claims that Washington played a covert role in one of the largest bitcoin seizures in history, exposing fresh fault lines in global digital power dynamics.

China Accuses US of State-Level Cyber Theft in Massive Bitcoin Seizure

Welcome to Asia Morning Briefing, a daily summary of top stories during U.S. hours and an overview of market moves and analysis. For a detailed overview of U.S. markets, see CoinDesk's Crypto Daybook Americas.

Asia Morning Briefing: Bitcoin ETFs Pull In $300M as Traders Rush to Buy the Dip

The bitcoin BTC$104,868.96 mining industry is entering a difficult period marked by growing competition, rising energy demands and shrinking profits, according to Fred Thiel, CEO of MARA Holdings (MARA).

Bitcoin Miners Must Own Power—or Die Trying Before Next Halving, MARA CEO Says

One expert called the event a "non-standard way of crafting a transaction."

Bitcoin User Pays Over $105,000 in BTC to Send Just $10

Arkham said in August it had uncovered a previously undisclosed heist of 127,426 stolen from Chinese mining pool LuBian.

China accuses US of stealing $13 billion in bitcoin hack: Bloomberg

Bitcoin Magazine Bitcoin Price Crashes Toward $102,000 as Wall Street Gains, Crypto Reverses Bitcoin price plunged to the $102,000s on Tuesday after briefly topping $107,000, retreating despite initial gains from government reopening news and potential tariff checks, as mixed market sentiment weighed on Bitcoin. Bitcoin Price Crashes Toward $102,000 as Wall Street Gains, Crypto Reverses Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Price Crashes Toward $102,000 as Wall Street Gains, Crypto Reverses

The leading cryptocurrency eased to $103K on Tuesday afternoon after climbing as high as $107K following a breakthrough in Congress to end the ongoing government closure. Government Shutdown or AI Bubble? The Reason Bitcoin is Down Japanese investment giant Softbank reported on Tuesday that it had offloaded its entire $5.

Bitcoin's Down Again: Is It the Government Shutdown or AI?

Ethereum

Bitcoin and ether ETFs faced a brutal week, shedding a combined $1.73 billion in capital, the third-largest outflow on record for both asset classes. Solana ETFs, however, continued to stand out, securing $137 million in inflows and cementing investor confidence amid a market-wide retracement.

Bitcoin and Ether ETFs Log Third-Largest Weekly Outflows on Record

Dogecoin

Bitcoin has slipped to $103,000 amid mixed macro signals and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the U.S. government shutdown. Cryptocurrency Ticker Price Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) $103,196.76 Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) $3,467.52 Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) $159.15 XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) $2.42 Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) $0.1748 Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) $0.059762 Notable Statistics: Coinglass data shows 135,980 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $412.62 million.

Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Extend Losses Ahead Of Shutdown End

The following article is adapted from The Block's newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.

The Daily: Lighter raises $68 million, Coinbase launches savings accounts, fraudster jailed after record UK bitcoin seizure, and more

Solana

Financial services firm SoFi is rolling out access to crypto trading, allowing users to buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other assets.

SoFi Rolls Out Crypto Trading With Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and More

CleanSpark is raising over $1 billion with plans to buy back stock, though its share price is falling for the second straight day.

Bitcoin Miner CleanSpark Extends Stock Slump After Upsizing Notes Offering to $1.15 Billion

Bitcoin Magazine Chinese ‘Bitcoin Queen' Ponzi Mastermind Jailed in UK for Over 11 Years A Chinese woman who ran a $5.6 billion Ponzi scheme and laundered billions in bitcoin was jailed in the UK for nearly 12 years. Chinese ‘Bitcoin Queen' Ponzi Mastermind Jailed in UK for Over 11 Years Micah Zimmerman.

Chinese ‘Bitcoin Queen' Ponzi Mastermind Jailed in UK for Over 11 Years

Zhimin Qian was sentenced to 11 years in prison in what prosecutors are calling the largest seizure ever of bitcoin in the UK.

Record UK bitcoin haul nets 11-year sentence for Chinese national who lived lavishly on stolen funds

SoFi Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:SOFI) has become the first nationally chartered U.S. bank to launch crypto trading, giving customers regulated access to Bitcoin and other digital assets. SoFi Expands Into Crypto Trading After OCC Approval SoFi CEO Anthony Noto announced the launch on Tuesday, calling it a "major milestone" for the company's all-in-one finance model.

SoFi To Rival Coinbase, Robinhood As First Nationally Chartered US Bank With Bitcoin Trading

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) are down 2% on Tuesday as as institutional confidence in digital assets remains strong, according to a new research report. What Happened: Wintermute noted in a report that markets have largely stabilized after October's washout, with sentiment improving and positioning reset, though participation remains selective.

Bitcoin, Ethereum Down 2% But Institutions Remain Bullish: Report

After briefly topping $107,000 overnight, the largest cryptocurrency fell to $103,200 by U.S. morning hours. The drop erased the gains fueled by President Donald Trump's "tariff dividend" plan and rising optimism the U.S. government shutdown is about to end.

Bitcoin Slips Toward $103K; Miners Tumble on AI Trade Cooling, SoftBank's Nvidia Exit

Bitcoin Magazine China Accuses U.S. of Stealing 127,426 Bitcoin worth $13 Billion Bitcoin feud: China has accused the U.S. of seizing 127,000 Bitcoin worth $13 billion from a 2020 mining pool hack. China Accuses U.S. of Stealing 127,426 Bitcoin worth $13 Billion Micah Zimmerman.

China Accuses U.S. of Stealing 127,426 Bitcoin worth $13 Billion

Beijing claims the U.S. seized Bitcoin from a 2020 mining-pool hack and rebranded it as proceeds from crime.

Chinese Cybersecurity Watchdog Alleges US Stole $13.2B in Bitcoin Five Years Ago

Bitcoin Magazine Bitcoin Price Falls to $103,000 As Government Starts to Reopen, Trump Weighs Tariff Checks Bitcoin price dipped below $104,000 after briefly rising above $106,000, as traders weighed Trump's proposed $2,000 “tariff dividend” stimulus, ongoing government reopening, and key technical levels near $99,000 support and $109,000–$111,000 resistance. Bitcoin Price Falls to $103,000 As Government Starts to Reopen, Trump Weighs Tariff Checks Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Price Falls to $103,000 As Government Starts to Reopen, Trump Weighs Tariff Checks

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) has likely established its bottom at $98,000, marking a key low reinforced by multiple technical indicators, according to a prominent market analyst. What Happened: In his latest podcast, trader Mayne said Bitcoin's recent bottom aligns with its 50-week simple moving average, the same level that previously defined major cycle lows at $25,000, $50,000, and $75,000.

Bitcoin Bottomed At $98,000, Analyst Says: Time For The Final 'Giga Blowoff Rally'

The case resulted in the UK's largest ever seizure of cryptocurrency, with 61,000 BTC, currently worth $6.3 billion, forfeited.

Fraudster Behind UK's Largest Bitcoin Seizure Gets 11-Year Jail Sentence

The mastermind of a vast Ponzi scheme in China was on Tuesday jailed in Britain for over 11 years for laundering the proceeds of the fraud into cryptocurrency now worth billions of dollars.

Chinese fraud mastermind jailed in UK for laundering bitcoin

Bitcoin Magazine SoFi Makes History as First U.S. National Bank to Let Customers Buy Bitcoin SoFi has become the first U.S. national bank to offer retail crypto services, launching its SoFi Crypto platform to let customers buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin directly in their accounts, with full access for all 12.6 million members expected by the end of 2025. SoFi Makes History as First U.S. National Bank to Let Customers Buy Bitcoin Micah Zimmerman.

SoFi Makes History as First U.S. National Bank to Let Customers Buy Bitcoin

China has accused the U.S. of taking $13 billion in Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) linked to a 2020 hack, escalating a cross-border dispute that Washington says is simply a lawful seizure of criminal proceeds. China's Watchdog Links U.S. To 2020 Bitcoin Hack China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center (CVERC) alleged that the U.S. Department of Justice seized 127,000 Bitcoin originally stolen in a 2020 cyberattack on the LuBian mining pool.

News for Bitcoin Crypto (BTC)