Geopolitics

Tether has recently posted multiple job openings in South Korea, planning to expand its team to meet market demand. Industry insiders say that Circle is also pushing for business expansion. Additionally, South Korea's upcoming Digital Asset Basic Act may require overseas stablecoin issuers to establish local branches to comply with regulatory requirements.

The cryptocurrency market has recently experienced a significant rebound, with market capitalization skyrocketing by over $170 billion overnight. Analysts believe this is due to the sudden disappearance of long-term selling pressure that had been suppressing the market, related to the insider trading lawsuit against quantitative trading firm Jane Street. During this rebound, Bitcoin and Ethereum saw notable gains, and the market sentiment has turned more optimistic. As selling pressure eases, analysts remain optimistic about the future.

The UK will make adjustments to the Individual Savings Account (ISA) policy in April 2026, and retail investors will no longer be able to use ISAs to purchase cryptocurrency exchange-traded notes (ETNs), as they are reclassified as assets that do not comply with ISA rules. This change will impact investors' tax planning and asset allocation strategies, especially increasing investment complexity for young investors, while also reflecting the cautious attitude of UK regulators.

The U.S. government currently holds approximately 328,372 Bitcoins, of which about 30% originates from recovered assets from the 2016 Bitfinex hack. Although these assets are subject to legal disputes and the court has not yet determined ownership, if ordered to be returned, the dedicated reserve will decrease to approximately 234,000 coins. LEO tokens currently reflect market expectations of future compensation outcomes and are experiencing a significant market premium.

Hong Kong will issue its first fiat stablecoin licenses in March under a new regulated framework. Tokenized bonds will settle inside HKMA core infrastructure after raising 10 billion Hong Kong dollars. Regulators are planning new measures to boost digital asset liquidity and attract

The Indiana State Legislature has advanced Bill HB 1042, allowing public retirement and savings plans to invest in cryptocurrencies and protecting individuals' access to digital assets. The bill has currently been approved by both chambers and is awaiting the governor's signature.

The Indiana State Legislature in the United States has approved HB 1042 "Cryptocurrency Regulation and Investment Act," allowing public retirement plans to invest in cryptocurrencies, protecting individuals' digital asset rights, restricting barriers set by public institutions, and establishing a fair tax environment. The bill will take effect in 2026, marking the gradual integration of crypto assets into the mainstream financial system.

Yushan Financial Holding Chairman Huang Nanzhou proposed the concept of "Three-Track Finance," emphasizing active participation in stablecoins and virtual asset finance. The company's strategy focuses on cross-border payments, blockchain financial services, and real asset tokenization. The usage rate of stablecoins in Taiwan has reached nearly 10%, indicating increasing demand. Regarding regulation, the central bank and industry stakeholders have differing views on stablecoin governance, and legislation for VASP (Virtual Asset Service Providers) is currently being promoted. The banking industry is taking virtual asset custody services as the first step to further penetrate the market.

Author: Yuan Hong, Global Times On February 26, the China National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center and other departments jointly released the latest report showcasing how the United States leverages technological dominance to harvest global virtual currency assets. According to incomplete statistics, from 2022 to 2025, the U.S. has confiscated over $30 billion worth of global virtual currency assets through various cases, with the Chen Zhi case alone accounting for $15 billion, or 50% of the total. On the 26th, the China National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center, the National Engineering Laboratory for Computer Virus Prevention and Control Technology, as well as 360 Digital Security Group and Ant Technology Group Co., Ltd., jointly published "The 'Number One Player'—An In-Depth Analysis of the U.S. Technological Hegemony and Global Virtual Currency Asset Harvesting Operations." The report, combining typical cases such as the Chen Zhi case and Zhao Changpeng case, explores the background of blockchain technology and security risks, systematically analyzing how the U.S. exploits technological dominance to harvest global assets.

Iran accelerates crude oil exports, approaching 19.1 million barrels from February 15 to 20, to mitigate the risk of U.S. military actions. The U.S. takes a tough stance on Iran's nuclear issue, and markets are concerned about escalating conflicts, with gold expected to rise by 15%. Risks to oil supply are driving energy price fluctuations, impacting the crypto market, with BTC facing pressure or potential gains. The core risk lies in the geopolitical situation.

It is rumored that Chinese regulators are reviewing Jane Street's trading activities in the ETF market, but company officials deny these claims. Recently, Jane Street and its employees have been accused of insider trading and other misconduct, which affected the collapse of TerraUSD stablecoin. As a proprietary quantitative trading firm, Jane Street maintains a low level of disclosure obligations.

Fellowship PAC announced raising $100 million for the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, but as of the latest disclosure, its on-hand funds are zero. Tether stated that it has no affiliation with the committee.

_ Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin backs Anthropic as the Pentagon threatens Claude access over autonomous weapons and mass surveillance limits. _ The Pentagon wants Claude. No guardrails. No exceptions. And Anthropic has until Friday to decide. The Department of Defense handed Anthropic CEO Dario A

Gold prices have risen by 0.8% amid heightened volatility in cryptocurrencies due to uncertainties from the US-Iran conflict and new tariffs by Trump. While gold gains signify its safe-haven status, cryptocurrencies show mixed recovery amidst significant market fluctuations.

The UK Financial Times reports that the Trump-led "Peace Committee" is considering launching a US dollar stablecoin for the Gaza Strip to promote digital transactions and rebuild the economy. Since Hamas's attack on Israel, Gaza's financial system has been paralyzed, and residents must rely on digital transactions. The plan is led by Israeli tech entrepreneurs, and Trump hopes to expand the committee's authority, raising concerns about its potential to replace the United Nations.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin supports AI company Anthropic in refusing to allow the U.S. military to use its technology for autonomous weapons. The U.S. military has issued a final warning to Anthropic, and reports indicate that AI could cause the U.S. unemployment rate to exceed 10% by 2028. Anthropic is valued at $380 billion, with 80% of its revenue coming from corporate clients.

At the India Summit, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman compared the energy consumption of AI data centers to the growth costs of humans over 20 years and claimed that AI efficiency may have surpassed that of humans, sparking fierce backlash. Critics questioned this view, arguing that it overlooks the irreplaceability of human emotions. Additionally, he called for a shift to green energy sources such as nuclear power, but proposals linked to his own interests raised concerns about commercial motives, highlighting the contradiction within the tech industry between efficiency and humanity.