Autor Cointelegraph by Christina Comben

CME Group plans to launch Bitcoin Volatility futures on June 1, pending regulatory review, giving investors a compliant way to trade expected Bitcoin volatility rather than price direction, according to a company release published Tuesday. The Chicago-based derivatives marketplace said the contracts will settle to the CME CF Bitcoin Volatility Index, a 30-day measure of expected Bitcoin volatility derived from CME options markets. CME describes the new contracts as Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)-regulated futures aimed specifically at Bitcoin volatility, extending the existing US regulatory framework that already covers CME’s Bitcoin and Ether derivatives.Giovanni Vicioso, CME Group’s global head of cryptocurrency products, said in the release that market participants are seeking regulated products that offer exposure to market moves, and that the new futures would let traders invest in or hedge against future Bitcoin volatility. The launch would give institutions a regulated way to trade Bitcoin volatility in the US directly through CME’s clearing framework, rather than building similar exposure through combinations of Bitcoin options and futures or using offshore venues. Related: CME CEO Duffy says exchange is exploring issuing its own tokenIn the same release, Morgan Stanley managing director and head of derivatives sales David Schlageter said the contracts should help market participants manage portfolio risk by trading volatility itself. CME Group to Launch Bitcoin Volatility Futures Contracts. Source: PR Newswire.CME described the contracts as the “first-of-their-kind regulated futures contracts,” distinguishing them from existing crypto-native volatility products offered outside the US-regulated futures framework.Cointelegraph reached out to CME for additional comment, but had not received a response by publication.CME’s product keeps Bitcoin volatility trading onshore Similar products exist elsewhere. Deribit launched BTC DVOL futures in March 2023, tied to its implied-volatility index, while BitMEX introduced its BVOL 30-day historical volatility futures back in January 2015.CME first introduced cash-settled Bitcoin futures in December 2017 and has since expanded its regulated crypto lineup to include Bitcoin options, Micro Bitcoin futures and options, Ether futures and options and other cryptocurrency contracts.The group is preparing to move its cryptocurrency futures and options to 24/7 trading from May 29, subject to regulatory review, further aligning its market structure with the always-on nature of digital assets. That push comes as crypto derivatives continue to dominate trading activity more broadly, with a CoinGlass report estimating 2025 crypto derivatives volume at about $85.7 trillion, and Swiss bank Amina Group finding that derivatives account for roughly three-quarters of all crypto trading.Magazine: Bitcoin will not hit $1M by 2030, says veteran trader Peter BrandtCointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.

OKX Card users in Europe spent mostly on groceries, restaurants and other routine purchases in the product’s first month, according to transaction data shared Wednesday.In the first month of use across the European Economic Area (EEA), grocery stores and supermarkets accounted for 26% of all OKX Card transactions, while restaurants and fast food together made up 18%, ahead of travel and online marketplaces, according to the data. The analysis covers settled purchase transactions made with the OKX Card in the EEA between Jan. 28 and Feb. 26, across the top 20 merchant types by transaction count, volume or unique users, the company said. A spokesperson from OKX told Cointelegraph the dataset spans all EEA markets where the card is live, and that the snapshot captures the “majority of daily spending behaviors and any high-value outliers,” including categories such as utilities, while excluding peer-to-peer transfers.OKX’s numbers show distinct national patterns behind the headline averages. In France, for example, bakeries represent 5% of OKX Card transactions compared with 2% across the EEA, highlighting the country’s boulangerie and café culture. Spending habits by country. Source: OKXIn Germany, 30% of transactions occurred on online marketplaces, more than double the EEA average of 13%, while the Netherlands recorded 37% of transactions in supermarkets, the highest grocery share in the dataset. Related: OKX launches EU stablecoin payment card via regulated issuer MonavatePoland stands out for small-ticket, in-person usage, with 16% of OKX Card payments at convenience stores and around 9% at fuel stations, both above the EEA averages.The spokesperson said that swapping fiat for crypto in everyday payments is a newer behavior, arguing that the data challenges the stereotype of crypto cards being used mainly for luxury items, and instead points to groceries and coffees bought by “everyday people.” The company said country-level differences largely reflect existing cultural habits, but argued they show stablecoin-funded card payments starting to displace traditional cards in customers’ day-to-day routines, not just in occasional big-ticket purchases.Part of broader trend in EuropeBroader market data suggests OKX is not alone in its findings, with other crypto card providers in Europe reporting similar patterns of low-value, everyday transactions.A 2025 Cex.io report found that roughly 45% of crypto card transactions in Europe were for amounts under 10 euros ($11.75) and that around 40% of such card spend happened online, nearly double the euro-area average share of online card payments of about 21%.Separate Brighty data reported by Cointelegraph in April showed that Spain accounted for about 36% of retail transactions and 25% of total volume in Circle’s euro stablecoin EURC between 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, with an average payment size of around 49 euros ($58), indicating stablecoins are already being used there for everyday purchases and peer-to-peer transfers.Magazine: How to fix suspected insider trading on Polymarket and KalshiCointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.

Binance will change how it calculates benchmark prices for commodity-based perpetual futures during off-hours, a move that could affect margin and liquidation levels during weekends, holidays and maintenance periods, according to an exchange notice published Tuesday. The update will take effect on Friday at 9:00 pm UTC.The exchange will replace its current fixed pricing method with an Orderbook EWMA model for commodity-based traditional finance (TradFi) perpetual contracts. EWMA, or exponential weighted moving average, uses orderbook data that is smoothed over time rather than relying on a fixed reference price during periods of lower activity. Binance said the change will apply during daily maintenance windows as well as weekends and holidays, when trading activity is typically reduced.A Binance spokesperson told Cointelegraph the fixed mode was designed for lower-liquidity periods, but stronger volumes and deeper orderbooks have made a shift toward more flexible price discovery a “natural progression,” reflecting the growth of its TradFi perpetuals business.The change applies to commodity-based TradFi perpetuals including gold, silver, platinum, palladium, copper, crude oil, Brent crude and natural gas contracts. It will also apply to future commodity-based TradFi perpetuals listed on Binance Futures.Related: Binance revamps Launchpool, streamlines the BNB experienceEWMA model replaces fixed pricingIt will also extend to any similar commodity-based TradFi perpetual contracts listed in the future. The index price generated under this methodology is used to calculate margin and liquidation levels, meaning traders may see changes in how positions are marked and how liquidations are triggered during off-hours compared with the previous fixed-mode system.The spokesperson said the exchange is not changing weekend margin requirements, but liquidation behavior outside regular hours will become more aligned with crypto perpetuals, with pricing more directly tied to exchange liquidity. The EWMA model also smooths transitions between off-hours and regular trading to maintain price continuity.Update on price index calculation mode of commodity-based TradFi perps. Source: BinanceIndustry pricing models Other crypto derivatives venues use index pricing methodologies that incorporate multiple market inputs and orderbook-weighted components during periods of low liquidity or heightened volatility to reduce liquidation distortions, including Bybit’s index price calculation framework. Bybit’s model aggregates prices from multiple external spot exchanges and applies weighting mechanisms to help smooth short-term dislocations.The Binance spokesperson said the change applies only to commodity-based TradFi perpetual contracts, where underlying markets close outside regular hours. Crypto perpetuals trade continuously, and the existing framework remains appropriate. Equity-based TradFi perpetual contracts will continue to use the current fixed pricing method for now.Asia Express: North Korea denies crypto hacks, Upbit’s bank tests RippleCointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.

Innovation City, a Ras Al Khaimah-based free zone focused on artificial intelligence and Web3, has launched what it claims is the first blockchain-based digital business identity system.According to a Monday release shared with Cointelegraph, every company registered in Innovation City receives a sovereign, cryptographically verifiable identity issued on OPN Chain, the public blockchain infrastructure developed by United Arab Emirates-based IOPn.The release said this turns the business license from a static PDF or database entry into a dynamic onchain asset designed to reduce reliance on centralized intermediaries and cut verification uncertainty.The move reflects a broader push in the UAE to replace traditional business registries with blockchain-based identity systems and AI-driven workflows, which proponents say could streamline verification and enable more seamless digital operations. By embedding onchain identity directly into company registration, Innovation City is testing a model that goes beyond most existing digital ID frameworks, but its impact will depend on whether external institutions adopt it.How the onchain business IDs workJimi Ibrahim, co-founder and chief operating officer of IOPn, told Cointelegraph that at launch, the onchain identity framework is intended to extend across Innovation City’s existing client base of over 1,000 companies, with immediate live utility within the free zone’s own digital ecosystem.Related: Luffa integrates OpenClaw to enable DID-based onchain identity for AI agents and governable interactionHe said the core value is not simply issuing a digital certificate, but giving each company a cryptographically verifiable business identity to use for access and verification across Innovation City touchpoints, such as the business center and selected ecosystem services, expanding to partners, such as technology, marketing and legal providers, over time.Ibrahim described OPN Chain as a public network where validator participation is open to institutions, infrastructure partners and governance-approved node operators. He said the network uses a hybrid data model that keeps core transaction data and proofs onchain while handling sensitive or large datasets offchain.He argued this setup differs from existing digital identity or verifiable credential schemes, such as Estonia’s e-residency program, because the onchain identity is established as the native business registration primitive for all companies in the free zone, rather than as an optional overlay on top of a conventional registry.However, he did not name specific banks, regulators or exchanges that currently accept or verify these onchain identities, leaving questions about external integrations, dispute resolution, and how quickly credentials can be corrected or revoked once third parties are involved.AI security and geopolitical risksRecent exploits in which AI agents were socially engineered into authorizing crypto transfers from wallets they controlled have highlighted how autonomous systems can be manipulated, raising questions about the resilience of AI-driven workflows like these.Ibrahim said that every agentic workflow built on these identities will require “human-in-the-loop authorization for consequential actions,” and that the agent layer is designed with adversarial scenarios as “a first principle, not an afterthought.”The launch also comes against the backdrop of regional conflict and fresh attacks involving the UAE on Monday. Recent eToro data cited by Cointelegraph found that UAE investors have been adding to positions in AI infrastructure, software and crypto-linked assets during the conflict rather than cutting exposure, despite the heightened volatility. An April 13 Deutsche Bank report said that the conflict is more likely to sharpen demand for AI rather than derail it.Why is the Gulf so well-suited for AI? Source: Deutsche BankIbrahim called the UAE one of the most “institutionally stable jurisdictions” and said that OPN Chain’s distributed validator network means no single regional event creates a failure point for the identity infrastructure these companies rely on.Market Moves: Why is Ethereum Foundation selling? BTC futures warning signsCointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.

K Wave Media, a Nasdaq-listed media and entertainment company, said it is redirecting up to $485 million in remaining financing capacity from a Bitcoin treasury strategy into an artificial intelligence infrastructure buildout, according to a Monday 6-K filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).The capital will be deployed into data centers, graphics processing unit (GPU) compute operations and related AI infrastructure investments under an amended securities purchase agreement with Anson Funds, the structured equity financing counterparty to the company.The amendment revises a prior $500 million equity purchase facility, which had been structured to support a Bitcoin treasury strategy, leaving $485 million available for deployment into AI infrastructure initiatives, according to the filing. The Bitcoin treasury was previously announced in 2025 as part of the company’s broader capital markets repositioning.The company said the shift forms part of a broader restructuring that also includes the planned disposition of its wholly owned subsidiary Play Co., Ltd. and the expected elimination of approximately $48 million in debt and related contingent liabilities.Related: Strategy takes Bitcoin buying breather ahead of Q1 earnings reportThe move marks a sharp strategic reversal for K Wave Media, which had only positioned itself around a Bitcoin treasury strategy in June 2025, alongside earlier initiatives tied to Korean cultural intellectual property and tokenized securities concepts. K Wave share price down ~28% pre-market. Source: Yahoo! FinanceThe company’s share price has been volatile following the announcement and was down 28.25% at the time of writing since Friday’s close, from ~$0.406 per share to ~$0.294, according to Yahoo Finance data.Board approves shift toward AI infrastructure strategy K Wave Media said in the filing that its board has approved a strategic repositioning toward AI infrastructure, including investments in data centers, GPU compute and acquisitions across the AI value chain. In a statement included in the filing, chief executive officer Ted Kim said the company aims to become “a meaningful participant in the rapidly growing AI infrastructure sector,” citing plans to build a scalable platform across compute and related technologies.The company also said it is evaluating a potential corporate rebrand, including the name “Talivar Technologies,” subject to shareholder approval at its annual meeting scheduled for early July 2026. The restructuring, including the subsidiary disposal and debt reduction, is intended to significantly de-leverage the company’s balance sheet.Cointelegraph reached out to K Wave Media for comment, but had not received a response by publication.Magazine: Bitcoin will not hit $1M by 2030, says veteran trader Peter BrandtCointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.