Skip to main content

Posts

Morgan Stanley Data Shows BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Holdings Up 23% in Q2

Morgan Stanley’s latest US SEC 13F filing shows the bank increased its crypto-linked exposure in the second quarter, with the biggest lift coming from additional shares of BlackRock’s Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT). The update comes as the value of those holdings shifted with underlying market moves during the quarter. According to Morgan Stanley’s Q2 13F filing, its reported IBIT share count rose to around 16.5 million shares from 13.4 million—an increase of roughly 23%. At the same time, the dollar value of the position fell, reflecting declines in Bitcoin over the period covered by the filing. Key takeaways Morgan Stanley increased its IBIT holdings by more than 3 million shares, but the reported value of the position dropped about 18% to $549 million. The bank also reported new exposure to its own spot Bitcoin product, the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust (MSBT), which began trading in April. Ether-related ETF exposure expanded as well, including ...
Post a Comment
Read more
Recent posts

$116M Bitcoin Wallet Exploit Spurs Self-Custody Scrutiny as ETF Inflows Rise

A $116 million hardware wallet exploit has reignited an old Bitcoin question: what is the real risk trade-off between self-custody and using regulated products? The debate is heating up as US spot Bitcoin ETFs post strong inflows, suggesting institutional capital may be finding ways to participate in Bitcoin without directly taking on custody and operational risk. Meanwhile, major companies across the sector are making moves that underline how intertwined Bitcoin, corporate balance sheets, and emerging AI compute demand are becoming. Strategy is preparing to resume Bitcoin purchases after a rare period of selling, Riot Platforms is reportedly pursuing a large AI-focused compute arrangement tied to its mining footprint, and Trump Media says it will rethink its crypto treasury approach after a sizable quarterly loss. Key takeaways A Coldcard-linked hardware wallet exploit drained about $116 million in Bitcoin, adding fresh fuel to the self-custody versus custody-by-others debate. US ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Israel’s top bank partners with Galaxy for Bitcoin, Ether, Solana trading

Israel’s Bank Leumi has teamed up with Galaxy Digital to bring cryptocurrency trading to its mobile banking ecosystem, with an anticipated launch in early 2027. The deal would allow eligible customers to buy, hold, and sell Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana via Leumi’s existing trading interface. Leumi said customers of the bank and its mobile banking arm, Pepper, will be able to access the service through a dedicated area in the Leumi Trade app. If the timeline holds, Leumi would become the first Israeli bank to offer direct digital asset trading to customers through its platform. Key takeaways Bank Leumi plans to enable cryptocurrency trading for Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana through the Leumi Trade app. The service is expected to launch in early 2027 for Leumi and Pepper customers. Galaxy Digital will provide trading via GalaxyOne Institutional, while its custody infrastructure platform (formerly GK8) will support Leumi’s digital asset infrastructure. Galaxy’s wider performance has in...
Post a Comment
Read more

UK Investigators Extend Probe Into Nigel Farage’s Crypto Gifts

UK Reform leader Nigel Farage is set to face renewed scrutiny from the UK Parliament’s standards watchdog after the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards reopened an investigation into whether he properly disclosed certain financial interests. According to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards’ public register, Farage is currently under investigation for “failure to register an interest” tied to donations and benefits reportedly connected to the crypto industry, after an earlier pause followed his resignation from Parliament and later resumption after he returned as an MP. Key takeaways The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards says Farage is under investigation for “failure to register an interest” involving crypto-linked donations and gifts. The probe was paused when Farage resigned as an MP and resumed after he was reelected in the Clacton by-election. Coverage of the matter points to claimed gifts reportedly funded by Christopher Harborne and staff/security arran...
Post a Comment
Read more

Binance Data: Gen Z Builds ETF-Heavy Portfolios, Trades Less

Binance Research says Gen Z traders on the exchange are steadily shifting a larger share of their equity-related activity toward exchange-traded funds (ETFs), while direct stock trading is taking up less of the cohort’s overall flow. The trend stands out across Binance’s coverage of direct equities, tokenized stocks, and traditional finance perpetuals. In early August, Binance Research reported that ETFs made up 25% of Gen Z trading volume within its analysis group. The same study found that ETFs accounted for 21.9% of Gen Z net equity inflows in July, up from 18.5% in June, as the share routed to individual stocks fell to 74.2% from 77%. Key takeaways ETF demand is rising: Gen Z’s ETF share of trading volume reached 25% in early August, and ETF net inflows climbed to 21.9% in July. Direct stocks lose share: the portion of Gen Z net equity inflows going to individual stocks dropped to 74.2% from 77% . Gen Z trades less often: in TradFi perpetuals, Gen Z averaged 13 monthly...
Post a Comment
Read more

SpaceX Finalises $60 Billion Purchase of Cursor Maker Anysphere

SpaceX has closed its $60 billion all-stock acquisition of Anysphere, the company behind the coding tool Cursor. The company confirmed the merger in a securities filing dated August 14. Cursor now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary under the SpaceX corporate structure. Merger Terms Take Effect SpaceX's subsidiary, X67 Inc., merged directly with Anysphere to complete the transaction. This structure allowed Cursor to convert into a fully owned unit without a lengthy transition period. The filing outlines exact share conversion figures tied to the deal. Cursor's common and preferred stock converted into roughly 389.3 million shares of SpaceX stock. That figure reflects the $60 billion valuation set when the deal was first announced in June. SpaceX based the conversion on its average closing price over seven trading days before the merger closed. Additional equity awards moved through the same process without exception. Vested restricted stock units converted into about 1.75 mil...
Post a Comment
Read more

Binance Study: Gen Z Prefers ETFs and Lowers Crypto Trading Frequency

Binance Research says Gen Z traders using the exchange’s ecosystem are increasingly treating exchange-traded funds as a core part of their equity exposure. In early August, ETFs made up 25% of the cohort’s equity trading volume—an increase from earlier months—while interest in single-company stocks has eased. The findings, based on activity across direct equities, tokenized stocks and traditional finance perpetual contracts, also highlight behavioral differences between younger traders and older generations, including how often they trade, whether they place sell orders, and the extent to which they use leveraged or inverse ETF products. Key takeaways According to Binance Research, ETFs accounted for 25% of Gen Z equity trading volume in early August, up from 21.9% in July and 18.5% in June. Gen Z direct-equity accounts increasingly skew toward buy-only behavior, with 22% never placing a sell order—compared with 19% for Gen X and 9% for Baby Boomers. Gen Z traded less frequently ...
Post a Comment
Read more