Bitcoin buyers return after a sharp drop, regulators tighten crypto rules, and AI faces growing scrutiny over trust, security and control.
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A sharp market shake-out has triggered a notable shift in crypto behaviour, with Bitcoin holders moving decisively back into accumulation mode. Even as volatility weighed on treasuries, ETFs and miners, long-term conviction appears to be resurfacing across key cohorts.
Crypto regulations also tightened its grip this week. China drew firmer red lines around stablecoins and tokenised assets, Vietnam proposed new taxes and barriers for exchanges, and US regulators clarified who can issue compliant stablecoins. Together, these moves underline a growing global push to bring crypto activity firmly within state frameworks.
In AI, questions of trust and control took centre stage. From doubts over historic artworks and rising deepfake fraud to browsers adding AI kill switches and platforms battling over advertising, the tension between rapid adoption and responsible deployment continues to intensify.
Get up to speed with the latest in Web3 and AI with this week’s Pasar Pulse.
Crypto and Web3
BTC Holders Increase Holdings After Price Drop
Bitcoin market behaviour has shifted towards broad-based accumulation following a plunge to US$60,000. Wallets holding between 10 and 100 BTC are leading aggressive dip-buying, marking the first accumulation phase since November.
China Bans Digital Yuan and RWA Projects
Chinese regulators have formalised a ban on renminbi-pegged stablecoins and declared most real-world asset tokenisation illegal outside approved infrastructure. The central bank reiterated that virtual currencies have no legal status.
Volatility Hits BitMine Treasury and BlackRock ETF
Recent market declines left BitMine Immersion Technologies with more than US$7 billion in unrealised losses on its Ether-heavy treasury. At the same time, cumulative returns for BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) turned negative.
Mining Difficulty Sees Largest Drop Since 2021
Bitcoin mining difficulty fell by 11.16% after US winter storms disrupted the network hashrate. The storm briefly cut hashing capacity by up to 60%, and a 5.63% increase in difficulty is predicted to occur.
Tether Freeze US$544 Million Linked to Betting Ring
Tether has blocked US$544 million in USDT at the request of Turkish authorities as the latter investigates an illegal betting network. Tether has now assisted in more than 1,800 cases to date.
CFTC Recognise National Banks as Stablecoin Issuers
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission has updated its guidance to recognise national trust banks as eligible issuers of payment stablecoins under the GENIUS Act. The 2025 framework requires stablecoins to be fully backed by fiat or US Treasuries.
401(k) Debate Intensifies After Market Sell-Off
Bitcoin’s 50% decline reignited debate over the role of digital assets in the US$12.5 trillion 401(k) retirement market. Supporters argue for long-term, venture-style exposure, while critics cite extreme volatility as key risk.
Vietnam Proposes 0.1% Crypto Trading Tax
Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance has proposed a 0.1% tax on crypto transfers alongside a 20% corporate tax on profits. New exchanges would be required to hold charter capital of roughly US$408 million, which is higher than the limit for domestic banks.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI Casts Doubts on Van Eyck Artworks’ Authenticity
AI assessments suggest that Van Eyck’s artworks in US and Italian museums may not be made by the artist. The analysis indicates both are probably studio works with negative authenticity scores of 91% and 86%.
Firefox Introduces “Kill Switch” for AI Features
Mozilla will introduce an AI control option in Firefox, allowing users to enable or disable AI-powered features. The move follows community feedback and reinforces user choice around built-in chatbots.
OpenAI Launches Frontier Platform for AI Agents
OpenAI has launched Frontier, a platform designed to build and manage AI agents, including those developed by third parties. Described as “HR for AI”, the system provides shared context, permissions, and boundaries.
Anthropic, OpenAI Clash Over Chatbot Advertising
Anthropic has launched advertisements criticising OpenAI’s plans to introduce ads into ChatGPT, pledging that Claude will remain ad-free. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman defended advertising as a way to expand global access.
Crypto.com Launches AI.com
Crypto.com has launched AI.com, a platform that creates autonomous agents to simplify crypto trading and personal finance tasks. The agents can execute trades and navigate complex blockchain route for users.
Deepfake Fraud Expands Through AI Tools
Criminals are increasingly using inexpensive AI tools to carry out large-scale fraud, including deepfake videos impersonating public officials and medical professionals. Recent cases include a synthetic video used by a fake job candidate.
Malware Discovered in OpenClaw Marketplace
Security researchers identified hundreds of malicious add-ons on OpenClaw’s ClawHub marketplace. Disguised as crypto tools, the skills deliver information-stealing malware capable of compromising API keys.
Microsoft’s Method Detects Poisoned Models
Microsoft researchers have developed a technique to identify hidden backdoors in open-weight AI models without knowing the trigger conditions. The system can flag models that may execute malicious code when activated.
That’s all for this week’s Pasar Pulse. Want more insights? Stay tuned to our site or subscribe via email!
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