hodler

11 Feb 2026, 09:38

Uniswap Vindicated in Patent Lawsuit, Highlighting LiquidChain’s Booming Presale

What to Know: Uniswap’s legal victory over Bancor in a patent infringement case is a significant win for open-source innovation in DeFi. The ruling shifts the industry’s focus from intra-chain capital efficiency to the larger, unresolved issue of cross-chain liquidity fragmentation. LiquidChain is emerging as a Layer 3 protocol designed to unify native liquidity from the Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana ecosystems. Solving cross-chain interoperability is one of the next major growth frontiers for the entire decentralized economy. In a landmark decision for open-source finance, a New York federal court has dismissed a patent infringement lawsuit brought by Bancor against Uniswap Labs. The ruling, centered on Uniswap’s Concentrated Liquidity Market Maker (CPAMM) technology, marks a decisive victory for collaborative innovation in an industry built on shared code. A clear win. While the crypto world celebrates this outcome, the legal battle also spotlights a more profound, unresolved challenge: the deep fragmentation of liquidity across major blockchains. The lawsuit, filed in 2022, alleged that Uniswap’s v3 protocol infringed on a Bancor patent related to automated market maker (AMM) technology. The court’s dismissal, as reported by Cointelegraph, is more than a legal footnote; it’s a philosophical statement. It pushes back against attempts to wall off foundational DeFi concepts, ensuring that the building blocks of decentralized finance remain accessible to all. That matters for preserving the composable, open-source ethos that allowed DeFi to flourish in the first place. But the AMM wars are a battle of the last cycle. The victory is crucial, yet it solves a problem within a single ecosystem. The second-order effect is that the industry’s smartest minds can now refocus on the bigger prize: unifying the isolated oceans of capital on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. This is no longer a question of making one liquidity pool more efficient. It’s about building the infrastructure to connect them all. And frankly, the timing couldn’t be better. This is the precise challenge being tackled by a new generation of protocols, with Layer 3 solution LiquidChain ($LIQUID) emerging at the forefront. Learn more about LiquidChain here. Beyond the AMM Wars: Solving the Liquidity Silo Problem The dispute between Uniswap and Bancor was fundamentally about optimizing capital efficiency on Ethereum. An internal debate. Today’s reality is that DeFi’s most significant friction point is external, the clunky, high-risk process of moving assets between blockchains. Wrapped assets introduce smart contract risk, bridges remain prime targets for hackers, and the user experience is a tangled mess of swaps, signatures, and fees. This is where infrastructure like LiquidChain changes the narrative. As a Layer 3 protocol, it’s designed not to compete with Ethereum or Solana but to unify them. Its core proposition is a Unified Liquidity Layer, creating a single execution environment that fuses the liquidity of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. For the user, this means native cross-chain swaps without the need for vulnerable wrapped assets. For developers, it means deploying an application once to access the entire addressable market of the three largest crypto ecosystems. Clean and direct. What most coverage misses is that this isn’t just another bridge. It’s a fundamental architectural shift. Features like Single-Step Execution aim to abstract away the complexity of cross-chain transactions, making interoperability feel seamless. By creating a verifiable settlement layer above these base chains, LiquidChain directly addresses the security vulnerabilities that have cost the industry billions. The market is evolving from optimizing isolated pools to creating a single, composable liquidity super-highway. But can it knit them together safely? Explore the LiquidChain ecosystem. A New Infrastructure Play Attracts Early Capital With the legal overhang on AMM innovation now cleared, smart money is searching for the next foundational pillar of DeFi. In past cycles, we’ve seen legal clarity act as an accelerant for builders and capital alike. The data points to a growing interest in protocols that solve systemic, cross-chain challenges. This market sentiment is reflected in the early momentum of the LiquidChain presale. According to its official site , the project has already secured $535K in early funding, with its $LIQUID token priced at $0.0136. This initial traction suggests that investors recognize the value in tackling liquidity fragmentation. And let’s not forget the 1,939% staking rewards. While optimizing a DEX on a single chain is a multi-billion-dollar opportunity, creating the connective tissue for the entire crypto economy is an order of magnitude larger. The prize is bigger. The risk, of course, lies in execution. Building a robust and secure L3 that can handle the scale of three major blockchains is a monumental technical undertaking (no small feat). However, the project’s focus on a Deploy-Once Architecture presents a compelling incentive for developers. By drastically lowering the barrier to building cross-chain applications, LiquidChain could catalyze a new wave of innovation that was previously too complex or capital-intensive to attempt. History suggests that the platforms that best empower builders are the ones that ultimately win. Get your $LIQUID here. Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Investing in cryptocurrencies and presales involves a high degree of risk.

11 Feb 2026, 09:11

White House stablecoin talks stall as banks and crypto clash over yield rules

A White House-brokered meeting between banks and crypto firms aimed at resolving stablecoin provisions in a broader market structure bill ended without agreement, though participants described the session as productive. The dispute centres on whether stablecoin issuers and platforms should be allowed to offer yield or rewards. With bipartisan support in the Senate still uncertain and a March 1 deadline set by the administration, pressure is building to narrow differences and prevent further delays to legislation defining how US regulators oversee digital assets. Yield dispute slows Senate bill Congress is seeking to pass legislation clarifying how US market regulators should police crypto. The House approved the CLARITY Act in July, but the Senate Banking Committee has yet to secure sufficient bipartisan backing. Momentum weakened last month when Coinbase withdrew support over provisions prohibiting all yield payments tied to stablecoins. Banking lobbyists argue that the yield offered on third-party platforms such as exchanges could divert funds from traditional deposits and undermine the banking system. At the White House meeting, banking groups circulated a handout outlining “yield and interest prohibition principles” they want included in the Senate bill, reinforcing their push to ban stablecoin yield payments. Tweets signal cautious progress Several attendees posted on X after the session. Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty indicated the meeting was productive and that compromise may be possible, while pointing to bipartisan momentum behind market structure legislation. Stuart Alderoty @s_alderoty · Follow Productive session at the White House today – compromise is in the air. Clear, bipartisan momentum remains behind sensible crypto market structure legislation. We should move now – while the window is still open – and deliver a real win for consumers and America. 5:15 AM · Feb 11, 2026 5.9K Reply Copy link Read 306 replies Dan Spuller of the Blockchain Association said the gathering was smaller and more focused, with detailed discussion of stablecoin rewards. He noted banks negotiated from broad prohibitive principles rather than the bill text, which remains a central disagreement. Dan Spuller @DanSpuller · Follow After a first @WhiteHouse meeting last week, today’s follow-up shifted from broad discussion to serious problem-solving.This was a smaller, more focused session.Stablecoin rewards were front and center. Banks did not come to negotiate from the bill text, instead arriving with 5:19 AM · Feb 11, 2026 116 Reply Copy link Read 5 replies Journalist Eleanor Terrett reported that although no agreement was reached, negotiations moved into more detailed territory than earlier talks. Eleanor Terrett @EleanorTerrett · Follow 🚨NEW: Details from the White House stablecoin yield meeting, per banking and crypto sources in the room: People on both sides called the meeting ‘productive,’ but, again, no compromise was reached by the end of the meeting. However, deal specifics were discussed in more detail 6:28 AM · Feb 11, 2026 74 Reply Copy link Read 11 replies Exemptions and permissible activities debated Banking representatives included language allowing for “any proposed exemption” tied to transaction based rewards, a shift from earlier refusals to consider exemptions. Debate centred on “permissible activities,” meaning what account behaviour would allow crypto firms to offer rewards. Crypto companies pushed broader definitions, while banks argued for narrower limits to reduce regulatory exposure and systemic risk. Three trade groups, the American Bankers Association, the Bank Policy Institute, and the Independent Community Bankers of America, said ongoing discussions are needed . They stressed that any framework must support innovation without undermining safety and soundness or putting deposits that fuel local lending and economic activity at risk. March 1 deadline increases pressure Tuesday’s session was the second in two weeks. The first, held on Feb. 2 and led by White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt, was described as constructive and fact-based. The latest meeting was led by Witt as Executive Director of the President’s Crypto Council and included Senate Banking Committee staff. Crypto participants included Coinbase, a16z, Ripple, Paxos, and the Blockchain Association. Banks present included Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citi, PNC, and US Bank. BitGo Chief Executive Mike Belshe posted on X, arguing the GENIUS Act, which banned stablecoin issuers from paying yield directly, should not be revisited and that the market structure bill should not be delayed. Mike Belshe @mikebelshe · Follow Both sides should stop re-litigating GENIUS, that battle was fought. If you don’t like GENIUS, amend it.Market structure has nothing to do with yield on stablecoins and must not be delayed further.Get CLARITY done. 7:36 AM · Feb 11, 2026 479 Reply Copy link Read 34 replies The White House has urged both sides to reach an agreement by March 1. Further discussions are expected, though another full meeting before the deadline remains unclear. The post White House stablecoin talks stall as banks and crypto clash over yield rules appeared first on Invezz

11 Feb 2026, 08:46

Goldman Sachs Adjusts Bitcoin ETF Holdings as New Security Narratives Emerge

What to Know: Institutional players like Goldman Sachs are actively managing their spot Bitcoin ETF holdings, signaling a market maturation phase focused on risk management. The long-term security of all blockchains is threatened by the future development of quantum computing and ‘harvest now, decrypt later’ attacks. BMIC is developing a comprehensive, quantum-resistant financial stack using post-quantum cryptography and AI to protect digital assets from future threats. The transition to quantum-safe cryptography represents a significant, emerging narrative that could drive the next cycle of infrastructure investment in Web3. Wall Street’s crypto honeymoon phase is over. Recent SEC filings show giants like Goldman Sachs are now actively managing their new-found exposure to Bitcoin. This isn’t about fading belief in Bitcoin’s long-term value; it’s about sophisticated, day-to-day risk management. But while legacy finance grapples with today’s volatility, a new class of digital asset projects is looking much further ahead, tackling existential threats that have yet to hit the mainstream. This institutional maneuvering isn’t a signal of waning interest. Quite the opposite. The initial wave of ETF adoption saw major banks and asset managers, including Goldman, build significant positions in products like BlackRock’s IBIT. Now, the second phase has begun: active portfolio management. This involves rebalancing, profit-taking, and adjusting exposure based on internal risk models. It’s a sign of maturation. What most market coverage misses is that these are the actions of allocators treating Bitcoin as just another asset class, subject to the same portfolio rules as equities or bonds. They’re managing the risks of today. The more pressing question is, who is managing the risks of tomorrow? Forget regulation or market crashes. The greatest long-term threat to the entire digital asset ecosystem is a technological black swan: quantum computing. An attack vector known as ‘harvest now, decrypt later’, where encrypted data is collected today to be broken by tomorrow’s quantum computers, poses a direct threat to every wallet and transaction ever recorded. This is the new frontier of digital security. And as institutional money cements its place in crypto, the demand for quantum-resistant solutions is about to explode, which brings us to BMIC ($BMIC) . Learn more about BMIC here. BMIC: Building the Quantum-Proof Financial Stack As the market slowly awakens to this impending threat, one project is already building the necessary defenses. BMIC ($BMIC) is positioning itself as a leader in post-quantum cryptography, developing a full-stack solution designed to protect digital assets from the ground up. This isn’t a simple patch or a temporary fix; it’s a fundamental reimagining of crypto security for the quantum era. BMIC’s approach is comprehensive. It uses technologies like ERC-4337 Smart Accounts and post-quantum cryptographic standards to build a genuinely secure environment for its users. The core innovation? It eliminates public key exposure during transactions, a critical vulnerability in legacy blockchain design. Normally, when you send crypto, your public key is broadcast for all to see, creating a permanent, attackable data point. BMIC’s architecture is built to stop that cold, shielding user assets from both current and future threats. Why does this matter? It shifts security from reactive to proactive. The platform also integrates AI-enhanced threat detection and a Quantum Meta-Cloud to create a multi-layered defense system. For both enterprises and individual users, this offers a level of security that current-generation wallets just can’t match. It’s a direct answer to the long-term anxieties rattling sophisticated investors. Explore the BMIC ecosystem. Securing an Early Position in the Next Security Narrative The demand for quantum-resistant technology isn’t a matter of if, but when. As awareness grows, capital is expected to flow toward projects that offer credible solutions. BMIC is currently in its presale phase, offering an early opportunity for participants to get involved in what could become a foundational piece of Web3 infrastructure. The project’s presale has already attracted significant interest, raising $446K with tokens priced at $0.049474. Frankly, that early momentum suggests a strong belief in the project’s vision and its potential to capture a vital market niche. The $BMIC token is designed as the ecosystem’s central pillar. It acts as fuel for transactions, enables participation in governance, and is used for staking to secure the network. A ‘Burn-to-Compute’ mechanism adds another layer of utility, creating deflationary pressure tied directly to platform usage. The risk here is one of timing; the widespread threat of quantum computing may still be years away. However, history suggests that markets are forward-looking. The projects that build solutions for tomorrow’s problems are often the ones that generate the most significant value over the long term. For those looking beyond the daily fluctuations of ETF flows, BMIC represents a calculated bet on the future of digital asset security. Get your $BMIC here. Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. The cryptocurrency market is highly volatile, and readers should conduct their own research before making any investment decisions.

11 Feb 2026, 08:30

Goldman Sachs Reveals $2.36B Crypto ETF Exposure in Latest SEC Filing

Goldman Sachs has disclosed more than $2.3 billion in cryptocurrency exposure, all routed through spot crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs), according to a newly filed Form 13F with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The filing offers a rare, line-by-line look at how one of Wall Street’s most influential banks is positioning itself in digital assets—carefully,

11 Feb 2026, 08:10

CZ claims Biden-era DOJ pushed hard for Binance prosecution

Changpeng Zhao (CZ) has revealed that his trial was more about the U.S. government trying to stifle crypto development than his legal offenses. In a recent interview pushed out by the All-In Podcast , th e founder of Binance, CZ, explicitly stated to host Chamath Palihapitiya that he believes his prosecution was “highly aggressive” under the Biden administration’s DOJ. Was the Biden DOJ’s prosecution of CZ a ‘political war’ on crypto? The All-In Podcast recently released an episode in which Changpeng Zhao characterized the Biden administration’s Department of Justice as being “uniquely aggressive.” “Before me, nobody got put in jail,” CZ told his host Chamath Palihapitiya. Many major global banks with similar compliance failure cases were made to pay billions in fines for anti-money laundering (AML) failures, rather than having their executives face prison time. CZ served a four-month sentence in a federal facility in 2024 before his eventual high-profile pardon by President Trump in October 2025. He argued that the DOJ’s pursuit was less about his specific legal charges and more about a “war on cryptocurrency” intended to restrict the industry’s growth in the U.S. In November 2023, Binance agreed to a historic $4.3 billion settlement, and CZ stepped down as CEO and pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an effective AML program. In the interview, he admitted that while mistakes were made in the exchange’s early “hyper-growth” phase, the government had a strong desire to see him behind bars. Since the 2025 change in administration, however, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has notably omitted digital assets from its 2026 examination priorities list. Did FTX collapse because of CZ’s personal feud with Sam Bankman-Fried? CZ gave a detailed account of his relationship with Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) during the interview, explaining that they first met in 2019 when Binance invested early in FTX. However, CZ revealed that the relationship broke down when SBF began poaching his employees, attempting to poach high-profile clients from Binance, and also using his significant political influence in D.C. to lobby for regulations that would essentially “carve out” Binance from the American market. CZ clarified that the November 2022 tweet where he announced Binance would sell its remaining FTT tokens was not a premeditated attack to destroy a competitor. He was stunned by the total lack of liquidity at FTX, stating he had no idea that SBF was allegedly misusing customer funds on the scale that was later revealed in court. Sam Bankman-Fried remains in federal prison, currently serving the early years of his 25-year sentence. Current reports from the FTX bankruptcy proceedings show that most creditors have now been repaid in full, thanks to the surging prices of the estate’s holdings in 2025 and 2026. CZ confirmed that while he is barred from the day-to-day management of Binance as part of his plea agreement, he remains the majority shareholder and a passive advisor. He stated that Binance is “healthier now than it ever was” under the leadership of the current CEO, Richard Teng. CZ is now focused on his new project , Gi ggle Academy, which aims to solve the problem of global illiteracy by providing free, gamified learning tools to children in developing nations. Binance is now fully monitored by U.S.-appointed firms, including Sullivan & Cromwell. Sharpen your strategy with mentorship + daily ideas - 30 days free access to our trading program

11 Feb 2026, 08:06

SafeMoon CEO Braden Karony gets 100-month term for $9M investor fraud

Braden John Karony, the former chief executive of defunct crypto platform SafeMoon, has been sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for his role in a sweeping fraud scheme that misled investors and siphoned millions from what was once touted as a revolutionary token. The sentence was handed down on Feb. 10 by US District Judge Eric R. Komitee in Brooklyn. Karony was convicted in May last year following a jury trial in the Eastern District of New York, where he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Court records show Karony’s total offence level was calculated at 37, placing him in criminal history category I. The advisory sentencing guidelines called for a term between 210 and 262 months. While the ultimate sentence of 100 months fell below that range, the judge left no doubt about the gravity of the conduct involved. During the hearing, victims addressed the court and recounted the personal toll of the SafeMoon collapse, which had left many financially ruined. Karony’s defence attorneys attempted to soften the outcome by referencing his age at the time of the offence—just 25 years old—and pointed to his upbringing in an effort to elicit sympathy. But Judge Komitee, after a brief recess, returned with a pointed rebuke of the scheme. Calling the conduct a “massive fraud,” the judge remarked that the defendants had gone to extraordinary lengths to build investor trust, all while engineering what amounted to a covert theft. “It’s more akin to theft than fraud,” Komittee said, noting that individual victims had suffered significant losses rather than small incremental damages. Karony was sentenced to 100 months in the custody of the Attorney General, with 60 months on the first count and 100 months on the second, to be served concurrently. A separate sentencing on the third count, money laundering, is scheduled for April 23. Promises prosecutors said were lies The core of the scheme revolved around misrepresentations tied to SafeMoon’s 10% transaction tax and so-called “locked” liquidity pools. Karony and his co-conspirators claimed the mechanism was designed to protect holders from a rug pull, an insider-driven liquidity drain that crashes a token’s value. They asserted that funds in the liquidity pool could not be touched by insiders and would instead support the token’s market health. Karony and his associates retained direct access to the liquidity pool and used it as a personal slush fund. They routinely transferred funds out of it while continuing to assure the public that it was secure. Despite public denials, the defendants also held and actively traded SafeMoon tokens, at times during peak market valuations, booking millions in profits. To hide the trail, they relied on unhosted wallets, pseudonymous accounts on centralised exchanges, and complex routing patterns to obscure the origins and destinations of the funds. The US government’s tracing teams, however, ultimately unravelled the scheme. Karony personally amassed more than $9 million through the fraud, according to court filings. Some of the misappropriated crypto was used to finance an extravagant lifestyle, including the purchase of a $2.2 million mansion in Utah, homes in Kansas and elsewhere in Utah, two Audi R8 sports cars, including one worth $277,000, a Tesla, and customised Ford and Jeep pickup trucks. His co-defendant, Thomas Smith, SafeMoon’s former chief technology officer, pleaded guilty in February 2025 to related charges and cooperated with prosecutors. He is currently awaiting sentencing. The third key figure in the case, Kyle Nagy, SafeMoon’s original creator, remains a fugitive, with unconfirmed reports suggesting he may have fled to Russia. At its peak in 2021, SafeMoon boasted a market capitalisation exceeding $8 billion, propelled by hype and aggressive marketing. But after the fraud came to light and the company filed for bankruptcy in 2023, the token’s value collapsed by more than 98%, leaving over a million investors in the lurch. The post SafeMoon CEO Braden Karony gets 100-month term for $9M investor fraud appeared first on Invezz