French hardware wallet manufacturer Ledger is reportedly planning a US initial public offering (IPO) in collaboration with some of the top Wall Street banks.

Financial Times reported Friday that the crypto security firm is looking for a New York listing that could value the company over $4 billion.

Further, Ledger is partnering with Goldman Sachs, Jefferies, and Barclays to facilitate the deal, which is expected to be finalized this year. Sources familiar with the IPO moves told the publication that the plans are subject to change.

Money is in New York Today for Crypto: Ledger CEO

Pascal Gauthier, Ledger’s CEO, touted its IPO plans in November 2025, emphasizing New York’s importance for crypto financing.

“Me spending more time in New York is with the understanding that money is in New York today for crypto, it’s nowhere else in the world, it’s certainly not in Europe.”

Per an FT report at the time, Gauthier said that the company has secured about $100 billion worth of Bitcoin for its customers. Besides, Ledger was last valued at $1.5 billion in 2023 during a funding round.

The fundraising comes after revenues hit triple-digit millions in 2025 due to surging demand for secure custody solutions amid a sharp rise in crypto thefts.

Per Chainalysis report, around $17 billion was stolen in crypto scams and fraud in 2025, compared to $13 billion in 2024.

The post Crypto Hardware Wallet Firm Ledger Plans US IPO With Over $4B Valuation appeared first on Cryptonews.

Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic’s report shows that Russia’s ruble-backed stablecoin A7A5, launched last year to help evade sanctions, has processed over $100 billion in transactions in less than a year.

Russia-based cross-border payments firm A7 LLC launched the stablecoin in January 2025 to circumvent Western sanctions. It claims a 1:1 backing by ruble deposits held at Russian state-owned Promsvyazbank (PSB).

Per the report released on Thursday, the stablecoin issued on Ethereum and TRON blockchains processed nearly 250,000 on-chain transactions from 41,300 distinct accounts.

“Transaction numbers increased significantly in late September 2025, due to the introduction of the ability to purchase A7A5 with PSB bank cards,” Elliptic noted.

In June 2025, Cryptonews reported that A7A5 crossed over $9.3 billion in transactions on crypto exchange Grinex.

The stablecoin helps facilitate sanction evasion by functioning as a 1:1 ruble-backed “safe harbour,” even though Tether’s USDT became the primary crypto asset for Russian sanctions evasion.

A7A5 Stablecoin Hits $100B Transactions – Here’s How

The asset, which is currently listed only on Uniswap, has a market cap of more than $540 million, per CoinMarketCap data.

Further, the Elliptic data shows that 35,500 accounts now hold the stablecoin, an increase from the 14,000 in July 2025.

“Total A7A5 exchange volumes have now reached $17.3 billion,” Elliptic added. “The primary trading pairs, A7A5/rubles ($11.2 billion) and A7A5/USDT ($6.1 billion), highlight the stablecoin’s primary role as a bridging asset between rubles and USDT.”

Stablecoin Supply Stalled Amid Heavy Western Sanctions

Besides, the stablecoin activity is currently showing signs of stalling after heavy sanctions by the US, UK and EU on Russia-linked cryptos. The Western sanctions were imposed on Russia, targeting finance, energy and goods, since the nation’s full-scale Ukraine invasion.

“Despite relatively high transaction volumes, there are indications that demand for A7A5 has stalled,” Elliptic report noted. “There are just over 42.5 billion A7A5 in circulation, with a US dollar value of $547 million.”

Additionally, the transaction volumes have dropped from a peak of over $1.5 billion per day to around $500 million per day.

The post Russian Ruble-Pegged Stablecoin Surpasses $100B in Transactions Less Than a Year – Report appeared first on Cryptonews.

X is preparing to launch “Starterpacks,” an onboarding feature for new users to help discover the best accounts and feeds based on interests like crypto and technology.

Unveiled Thursday, X will roll out the feature in the coming weeks, Nikita Bier, Head of Product at X, noted.

The curated starterpack in the crypto category will comprise memecoin trading with real-time market trends and sentiment from active traders.

A short video posted by Bier showed the preview of how starterpacks work. It shows users selecting their interests while onboarding and following the curated list of accounts.

Crypto Twitter Backlash – Is X Trying to Revive it?

The announcement arrives days after Bier’s comments about crypto Twitter sparked backlash among the community. Crypto users have complained about the declining visibility of crypto content on X.

“Crypto Twitter (CT) is dying from suicide, not from the algorithm,” he wrote in response.

His response triggered growing frustration within the crypto community, with users believing that the platform is intentionally limiting crypto-related posts. Bier insisted that the issue is not tied to X’s algorithms.

On Wednesday, Bitcoin cypherpunk Jameson Lopp wrote that there were 96 million posts on X containing ‘Bitcoin’ in 2025, a 32% drop year-over-year.

Although the data did not reflect overall crypto engagement, the post triggered concerns about discovery challenges and algorithmic shifts.

Vitalik Buterin Emphasized Better Crypto Social Media

In a separate post on Wednesday, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin stressed the need for better mass communication tools.

“We need mass communication tools that serve the user’s long-term interest, not maximize short-term engagement,” he wrote on X.

Further, he noted that crypto social projects has often been gone the wrong way.

“Decentralized social should be run by people who deeply believe in the “social” part, and are motivated first and foremost by solving the problems of social,” he added.

The post X Rolls out ‘Starterpacks’ for New Users to Discover Crypto, Tech Feeds appeared first on Cryptonews.

The US Senate Banking Committee has again postponed the work on the long-awaited landmark crypto market structure bill that could create a regulatory framework for digital assets.

Unnamed sources told Bloomberg that the crypto market structure legislation may be delayed by several weeks. The panel is likely to consider it in late February or March, they added.

Instead of focusing on the digital asset bill, the committee will pivot to housing legislation, following President Donald Trump’s recent push for affordability.

President Trump wrote that he is taking “immediate steps” on the housing bill, which remains a priority and “American Dream.”

Crypto Community Isn’t Happy With it

The Committee’s backburnering of the crypto bill has left the community in uncertainty, despite backers pushing for the urgent passage of the legislation.

Patrick Witt, White House Executive Director of the President’s Crypto Council, called for immediate implementation of the bill. He said that it is unrealistic to expect a multi-trillion-dollar industry to operate without a comprehensive regulatory framework.

The work on the crypto bill – called the CLARITY Act – stalled its planned markup after Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong publicly withdrew support for the draft bill. Armstrong flagged several issues with the draft, including a de facto ban on tokenized equities.

However, the Bloomberg report noted that the Banking panel’s delay might not affect the Senate Agriculture Committee’s efforts on crypto.

The Agriculture Committee released its own version of that market structure bill, which the industry insiders fear might be a partisan bill lacking Democratic support.

“While differences remain on fundamental policy issues, this bill builds on our bipartisan discussion draft while incorporating input from stakeholders and represents months of work,” the Committee Chairman, John Boozman, clarified. Boozman postponed this legislation markup to late January.

The Agriculture Committee bill on crypto will need to get support from both Democrats and the Banking counterpart before it can continue further steps.

“I Hope to Sign Very Soon:” Donald Trump

President Trump confirmed that the crypto market structure bill will be signed “very soon.”

Speaking at the World Economic Forum at Davos 2026, he said that his administration is working to ensure that America remains the crypto capital of the world.

“Last year, I signed a landmark GENIUS Act into law, now Congress is working very hard on crypto market structure legislation… Bitcoin, all of them,” he spoke at Davos.

“I hope to sign very soon, unlocking new pathways for Americans to reach financial freedom.”

The post US Crypto Market Structure Bill Further Delayed Until Late February or March – Report appeared first on Cryptonews.

Patrick Witt, White House Executive Director of the President’s Crypto Council, has advocated for the urgent passage of crypto market structure legislation.

Pushing back Coinbase CEO’s “no bill is better than a bad bill” line, Witt argues that it is a “privilege” to say that only because Donald Trump won in 2024 and installed a pro‑crypto administration.

He wrote on X on Wednesday that it is unrealistic to expect a multi-trillion-dollar industry to operate without a comprehensive regulatory framework.

Witt bluntly warned that if the bill fails to move ahead, a future Democratic Congress may write punitive legislation in the wake of a crisis, “à la Dodd‑Frank.”

“You might not love every part of the CLARITY Act, but I can guarantee you’ll hate a future Dem version even more,” he wrote.

Crypto Market Bill Delays – Disagreements Over Details

Patrick Witt’s comments follow the recent legislative slowdown, mainly due to disagreements over a specific section of the bill.

Notably, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase withdrew its support for the legislation’s then-current version, labeling specific provisions as “problematic” and potentially harmful to innovation.

“This version would be materially worse than the current status quo. We’d rather have no bill than a bad bill. Hopefully, we can all get to a better draft,” wrote Brian Armstrong in a post last week.

The current version of the bill prompted the Senate Banking Committee to postpone its markup hearing. Chairman Tim Scott noted that the Committee did not set a new date.

The delay leaves crypto industry waiting again for a clear regulatory path that could replace years of enforcement with a proper framework.

Besides, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman said that lawmakers need more time to finalize remaining policy details and ensure broad congressional support.

The post White House Digital Asset Advisor Calls for Immediate Crypto Market Structure Bill appeared first on Cryptonews.

Billionaire Brothers Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, co-founders of Gemini exchange, have donated 3,221 Zcash tokens (ZEC) to Shielded Labs, supporting the network’s initiatives. The contribution is valued at approximately $1.2 million at current market prices.

Shielded Labs, led by Zcash founder Zooko, announced Tuesday that the donation will directly support Shielded Labs’ core initiatives. This includes strengthening long-term security, sustainability, and scalability of the Zcash network.

Privacy is Crucial for Crypto: Winklevoss Twins

Cameron Winklevoss emphasized that privacy is the next frontier in crypto. It’s the point at which government and corporate overreach end and your freedom and self-sovereignty begin, he wrote on X.

“Shielded Labs is committed to building Zcash — unstoppable private money. That’s why Tyler and I are supporting their mission.”

Further, Tyler noted that the donation at the protocol level would help foster a healthy Zcash ecosystem. “Shielded Labs plays an important role in that effort, and we’re glad to support their work.”

Winklevoss twins initially donated to Shielded Labs in 2023 to support the formation of the dedicated Crosslink team.

“Their contribution meaningfully accelerates our ability to execute on critical protocol-level work and to collaborate openly with other contributors to advance Zcash’s mission,” Swiss-based Shielded Labs noted.

Besides, Winklevoss-backed Cypherpunk bought 56,418 ZEC last month, holding nearly 2% of the token’s circulating supply.

Zcash Token ZEC Trades in Red, What Next?

Zcash, in its turn, has been registering among the most robust performances in the crypto market since September 2025. increased nearly 800% in the last 12 months.

However, the token is showing bearish outlook since the start of this year. ZEC has been trading within a narrowing triangle pattern on the daily chart. The price has formed a series of lower highs and higher lows, showing a loss of momentum in both directions.

At the time of reporting, ZEC trades near $357.79, down 1.5% in 24 hours, extending a 14% weekly decline. Analysts warn that a close below $360 could target $300 next – a 16% downside risk from current prices.

That said, Zcash Foundation recently cleared a years-long investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission without any enforcement action. The move brought regulatory clarity to the industry’s most closely watched privacy projects.

The post Winklevoss Brothers Donate $1.2M ZEC to Shielded Labs to Support Zcash Network appeared first on Cryptonews.

Community-driven Solana meme coin WhiteWhale experienced a sudden massive sell-off, with its market cap tanking 60% within 5 minutes.

On-chain data shows that WhiteWhale, which was launched 3 months ago on Pump.fun, witnessed the largest holder dump of $1.3 million in tokens on Monday.

The decline happened without a warning, causing heavy losses for holders. The event is widely described as a rug pull among the crypto community.

Early Investors Secured Larger Gains

Market analyst Darky initially flagged the massive crash on social media. He wrote that the “viral memecoin” plummeted from $200 million to $20 million within minutes.

However, per blockchain data, at least one investor secured larger gains. A trader named ‘Remus’ bought 1.5% of the total token supply for $370. The position later peaked at a value of $1.2 million during the rally. Remus later sold $220,000 worth of tokens, leading to the major crash.

The trader still holds close to $1 million in WhiteWhale, even though the value of the token has dropped.

WhiteWhale memecoin community called it a planned liquidity event to spread ownership and reduce risks.

By Tuesday, the token has recovered to a $33.8 million market cap at $0.033 per token at press time.

Half of Meme Coins Have Already Failed – Research

A recent CoinGecko analysis shows that more than 50% of cryptocurrencies have failed.

“In 2025 alone, 11.6 million tokens failed, representing a large majority of token failures, or 86.3%,” the report read.

Memecoins took the blow of broader market turbulence throughout the year, leading to a sharp decline in token survivability.

“Alarmingly, the fourth quarter of 2025 alone saw the collapse of 7.7 million tokens, making up 34.9% of all recorded project failures.”

Besides, 2024 saw nearly 1.4 million projects fail, accounting for 10.3% of all failures in the past five years.

The post Meme Coin WhiteWhale Plummet 60% After Rug Pull Accusations, Large Holders Dump $1.3M in Tokens appeared first on Cryptonews.

Memecoin launchpad Pump.fun has launched an investment arm, Pump Fund, which will distribute $3 million in funding across 12 projects.

An animated video ad posted on X said that the fund is dedicated to early-stage startups. Further, it announced a Build in Public Hackathon, which will fund 12 projects with $250k at $10m valuation.

“It will advance the startup ecosystem on pump fun by aligning itself with projects long-term,” Pump.fun wrote in a thread on X.

Pump.fun Hackathon – Not for VCs But Startups

The Solana-based platform wrote that the upcoming hackathon is a time-limited event that differs from traditional programs. The hackathon offers funding, mentorship with Pump.fun’s founders and more.

“Instead of having to please judges/VCs for money, tokenizing allows the market to become the judge,” the platform added. “Your users are the ones that fund you by betting on you early.”

In order to be eligible for the hackathon, early-stage project participants must launch a token and own at least 10% of the token supply.

However, the projects need not be crypto-related, Pump.fun clarified. Projects of all maturities, verticals, and traction are welcome, it said.

Besides, the platform will prioritize product and social traction, open communication and long-term viability while choosing winners.

One user wrote that the hackathon is “the biggest unlock of builder talent.” Though AI has supported millions to build projects and boost the talent pool, the funding system didn’t, the user wrote.

“Portfolio companies with legit product being ignored… hackathon survivors. incubator rejects. solo entrepreneurs with a vibe + idea & AI. 3 am Claude devs outshipping funded startups,” the X post read. “The talent pool just 100x’d, yet the funding system didn’t. Time to change the game.”

The first cohort of startups is expected by February 2026.

PUMP Surges 3.04% – Eyes Short‑Term Breakout

PUMP, the native token of Pump.fun, rose 3.04% in the last 24 hours following the announcement of the Pump Fund launch. The token is trading at $0.00256 during press time, per CoinMarketCap.

Recent gains reflect short-term momentum but face resistance near $0.00274.

The token reached an all-time high in September, and has dropped 70% since then. The increase in memecoin activity, with Pump.fun-launched coins like WhiteWhale gaining traction, has pumped the token back on the radar.

Further, according to DefiLlama, the activity has contributed to a steady increase in revenue in the recent past, creating a strong tokenomic backbone for the rally.

The post Pump.fun Launches New Investment Division for Early-Stage Projects, Kicks Off Hackathon appeared first on Cryptonews.