Some things I've learned after hodling bitcoin since early 2017
1. Never believe anyone's price predictions. 2. Don't "diversify" into other cryptos; none of them are actually decentralized, everything except bitcoin is a shitcoin (yes, really), and it's all gambling. The point of bitcoin is not gambling, but to end modern day slavery (fiat currency). 3. When everyone you know is talking about bitcoin, you're at the top of a bull market. You'll likely be too exuberant to realize it though. It will be obvious in hindsight. 4. Don't "trade some altcoins on the side to get more bitcoin". You are not that smart, and the overwhelming probability is that you will get wrecked. 5. DCA into bitcoin. Ignore your emotions. Don't try to time the market. Just stack what you can every paycheck. 6. Don't be too excited about bitcoin; people will feel like you're scamming them even though you're just trying help. 7. Go to meetups & conferences. Don't be isolated. Bitcoiners are generally very awesome people. 8. When people ask you about how to buy bitcoin, send them to a BITCOIN-ONLY company. Example for why: My cousin bought bitcoin (on Coinbase) during the bull market, then sold it for shiba on the same platform and now she pretty much lost everything. Bitcoin-only companies are the safest option to keep newbies from doing newbie things. 9. Be on #bitcoin twitter and nostr. Obviously if you're reading this, you're already here...but I didn't get on twitter until 2020 and can tell you that it's a lot less lonely hodling bitcoin when you see a bunch of other people on this platform experiencing the same things you are. 10. Be skeptical of influencers. Even me (I'm not a huge account, but still). Some are good, some are bad. Even if they have good intentions, their judgement can be clouded by bad incentives. 11. Stop trying to convince everyone you know that bitcoin will make everything better (even though it will). Instead, be a good resource for the people who eventually reach out to you about it. Be known as "the bitcoin guy" and let people come to you when they're ready. Have good content prepared for them to read/watch when they do. That is all. It's been a great ride so far and I'm happy to know you guys. #bitcoin #dyor #crypto2023
Neutron transforms raw files into compact, queryable, AI-readable "Seeds" - stored directly onchain. Forget dead metadata links and brittle IPFS hashes. With Neutron: - A property deed becomes a searchable proof - A PDF invoice becomes agent-readable memory - A compliance doc becomes a programmable trigger
Powered by neural + algorithmic compression, Neutron makes your data active and your assets smarter. Every Seed is a file that thinks.
AI Agents for Personalized Learning: Revolutionizing EdTech with Blockchain
The Future of Education: AI and Blockchain Working Together The education landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology. Traditional one-size-fits-all learning methods are being replaced by personalized learning models where students receive tailored content, real-time feedback, and adaptive support all thanks to AI-driven EdTech. Blockchain plays a crucial role in securing data, ensuring transparency, and enabling verifiable educational achievements. This powerful combination is not just reshaping how students learn but also how institutions manage education records and credentials. The Evolution of Personalized Learning In the past, personalized learning depended on teachers modifying lessons for individual students—an often time-consuming and impractical task. Today, AI has revolutionized this model by introducing: Adaptive Content: Lessons adjust dynamically based on a student’s progress and behavior.Real-Time Feedback: Instant corrections and explanations enhance learning efficiency.Intelligent Recommendations: AI suggests new topics, revisits weak areas, and sets learning goals tailored to each student. With AI-driven EdTech, students are no longer passive learners; they actively shape their educational journey, gaining deeper engagement and better retention. Meet Your AI Tutor: How Intelligent Agents Enhance Learning AI agents—intelligent, interactive assistants—are at the heart of this transformation. Acting as virtual tutors, they engage with learners, track progress, and provide immediate support. Some of the most notable AI-powered educational tools include: Vanar Academy’s VanBot: An AI-powered learning assistant that customizes educational paths, answers course-specific questions, and offers free Web3 education, making blockchain technology accessible to all. (Explore Vanar Academy)Squirrel AI: A pioneer in adaptive learning, helping K-12 students in China master subjects at their own pace.Duolingo AI: Enhances language learning through smart chatbots and adaptive exercises.Khan Academy’s Khanmigo: A GPT-powered tutor that provides dynamic explanations and study support.Coursera & edX: AI-driven learning platforms offering personalized course recommendations and feedback. Unlike traditional tutoring software, these AI agents do more than deliver lessons. They learn from students, encourage them, track learning habits, and adjust content dynamically to ensure better outcomes. Blockchain: The Security Backbone of AI-Powered Learning While AI personalizes learning, blockchain ensures that educational systems remain secure, transparent, and trustworthy. The key benefits of integrating blockchain in education include: Data Privacy and Security: Student records and learning behaviors are encrypted and safely stored on-chain, preventing data breaches and unauthorized access.Immutable Learning Records: Once a student achieves a milestone or completes a course, the blockchain logs the accomplishment permanently, ensuring authenticity.Decentralized Accessibility: Learners, educators, and institutions can securely access educational records from anywhere, fostering equal opportunities in education. Together, AI and blockchain create a tamper-proof digital learning environment where academic achievements are verifiable and transferable, enabling a more transparent and equitable education system. AI and Blockchain: Transforming Education Beyond the Classroom
The integration of AI and blockchain in EdTech is unlocking innovative solutions beyond traditional learning models. Some exciting developments include: Verified Micro-Credentials: Students can earn blockchain-verified badges or certifications for mastering specific skills.Smart Contracts for Learning Incentives: Automated systems can reward learners with tokens or additional content upon achieving milestones, increasing motivation.Decentralized Education Platforms: High-quality educational content becomes globally accessible without reliance on centralized authorities.Equal Learning Opportunities: AI ensures customized pacing, while blockchain securely verifies progress, supporting diverse learning styles and speeds. Overcoming Challenges to Blockchain-AI Innovation While the potential of AI and blockchain in education is immense, challenges remain. Addressing these barriers is essential for large-scale adoption: Ethical AI Development: AI algorithms must be monitored to prevent biases and ensure fair treatment across diverse demographics.Bridging the Digital Divide: To make EdTech inclusive, affordable AI-driven tools must be developed, especially for low-income regions with limited internet access.Scalability of Blockchain Networks: Managing vast educational data requires scalable blockchain solutions like layer-2 scaling and sharding to ensure efficiency and cost-effectiveness. From AI Tutors to Metaverse Classrooms: The Future of Learning Despite these challenges, the future of AI-driven, blockchain-powered education looks promising. Upcoming innovations include: AI-Driven Peer-to-Peer Learning: AI tutors will facilitate global collaboration, allowing students to teach and learn from each other in real-time.Immersive Metaverse Classrooms: Virtual reality (VR) and AI will create interactive learning environments where students explore historical sites, conduct virtual experiments, and engage with AI-powered mentors.Blockchain-Backed Global Accreditation: Degrees and certifications will become universally recognized and fraud-proof, empowering learners to prove their skills anywhere in the world. With pioneering solutions like Vanar Academy’s VanBot leading the charge, a personalized, secure, and borderless education ecosystem is rapidly becoming a reality. Conclusion: The New Era of Learning is Here The fusion of AI and blockchain is reshaping personalized learning, making education more adaptive, transparent, and accessible. From Vanar Academy’s AI-driven learning assistant to global EdTech giants like Khan Academy and Duolingo, the future of education is already unfolding. The question is no longer if this revolution will happen, but how quickly we will embrace it. #vanar @Vanarchain $VANRY
Plasma is purpose-built for stablecoin payments, not general-purpose computation. It includes features like zero-fee USD₮ transfers, custom gas tokens, and confidential but compliant transactions. These capabilities are designed to support high-volume, global money movement. The network is also engineered for performance, with the ability to process thousands of transactions per second. #plasma $XPL @Plasma
A permissioned blockchain is a network where only verified participants can read, write, or validate transactions. It delivers the core benefits of blockchain (collective governance, transparency, and data immutability) while ensuring that every participant follows the same custom rules. Let’s unpack how permissioned blockchains work, why public and private sector organizations are increasingly relying on them, and how Plasma gives enterprise decision-makers unrivaled financial efficiency and reach. Key takeways: Permissioned blockchains combine transparency with access control, giving enterprises a secure, auditable way to share and verify data across trusted participants.Enterprise adoption is growing across finance, supply chains, healthcare, and government, driven by a joint need for privacy and interoperability.Plasma bridges the gap between private networks and public infrastructure, so permissioned blockchains can settle transactions more safely and efficiently. How Permissioned Blockchains Work Access Control and Role Assignment Permissioned blockchains grant access to verified participants with well-defined roles for how they interact with the network, rather than opening access to everyone. This balances decentralization and privacy in an enterprise-friendly way. Roles are typically carefully designed to balance power and efficiency. In most cases, validators confirm transactions, auditors monitor integrity, and so on. Each action is logged, leaving a complete, tamper-resistant history that enterprises and auditors can review when required. Identity Verification and Authentication Methods Before anyone can transact on a permissioned blockchain, they must authenticate using digital certificates, enterprise credentials, or cryptographic signatures that link their real identity to their blockchain account. This verification process ensures trust among all participants. Many modern systems integrate decentralized identifiers (DIDs) or public-key infrastructure to automate this process. The result is a balance between transparency and privacy: companies can confirm who they are dealing with while keeping sensitive user data encrypted and compliant with data-protection laws. Governance and Decision-Making Models A permissioned blockchain succeeds only when its governance processes are well-defined. Decision-making processes must be clearly set, defining how members vote on upgrades, resolve disputes, and add new participants. These rules act as a codified constitution that keeps everyone aligned. Many networks, such as Corda and Hyperledger Fabric, implement structured voting systems that mirror corporate governance. Updates require multi-party approval, preventing unilateral control while maintaining agility. This structure gives enterprises predictability and legal defensibility in shared digital environments. Key Characteristics of Permissioned Blockchains Controlled Decentralization Permissioned blockchains provide balanced decision-making rather than complete decentralization. By distributing control among verified participants and restricting access to outsiders, they create a system that is both collaborative and secure. This controlled decentralization ensures that the network cannot be manipulated by a single actor, but is efficient enough for commercial use. For many organizations and enterprise consortiums, this delivers the resilience of distributed systems without the unpredictability of fully open ecosystems. Privacy and Confidentiality Options Permissioned blockchains support private data channels, encrypted transactions, and restricted access to sensitive records. This allows firms to collaborate securely even when they are competitors in some areas. For instance, Hyperledger Fabric uses sub-networks where transactions are visible only to authorized parties. This method preserves confidentiality while still producing an auditable record that regulators or partners can verify when necessary. Transparency and Accountability Trade-Offs Different permissioned blockchains take different approaches to transparency based on their participants’ collective needs. These networks must find a practical, sustainable way to balance multiple operational priorities and organizational access rights. In many cases, permissioned blockchains typically maintain full traceability of every transaction, but visibility depends on role and clearance. This design allows oversight without sacrificing confidentiality or competitive advantage. This layered approach to transparency aligns with modern governance expectations. Auditors can confirm compliance, regulators can monitor systemic risk, and companies can prove data integrity, all while safeguarding sensitive commercial logic and user information. Performance and Scalability Factors In permissioned settings, speed and reliability are features of design, not constraints of decentralization. This means permissioned blockchains can process transactions as quickly as their operators design them to. Unlike public networks, they don’t need a global network of independent, anonymous nodes to verify every transaction. This removes the main bottleneck limiting blockchain throughput and finality on most globally distributed networks. As a result, permissioned systems routinely achieve thousands of transactions per second and settle within seconds. This is often achieved using specialized consensus methods that are efficient and reliable when applied to smaller validator sets. Consensus Mechanisms in Permissioned Blockchains Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) Many permissioned blockchains use a Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) model to ensure agreement even when some nodes fail or act maliciously. It achieves this through structured voting rounds that confirm each transaction collectively. PBFT is widely used because it balances trust and efficiency. By requiring only a limited number of known validators, it finalizes transactions within seconds and avoids the energy waste of proof-of-work. This makes it ideal for a wide range of permissioned environments, payment networks and enterprise settlements. Federated Consensus Models Federated consensus relies on a group of pre-approved validators who jointly confirm blocks. Each participant is trusted within the network but must reach collective agreement before new data is added. This approach prioritizes coordination over open competition. Systems like RippleNet and Stellar use federated consensus to move value quickly across financial institutions. Their design allows real-time settlement and minimal latency, offering a practical balance between decentralization and operational control. Round-Robin and Alternative Approaches Some permissioned blockchains rotate validator duties as a way to maintain representational fairness. This “round-robin” approach assigns each node a turn to propose and verify transactions, ensuring that no single entity monopolizes influence. The process repeats predictably and transparently. This rotation model is especially useful in consortium environments. It prevents conflicts of interest while keeping governance simple. Emerging systems are also experimenting with hybrid models that combine stake-based voting with rotation to further align incentives and maintain security. Advantages of Permissioned Blockchains Enhanced Security and Trust Enterprises operate in environments where security is of critical consequence. Permissioned blockchains strengthen trust by limiting validator access, enforcing identity verification, and applying cryptographic signatures that prove every action’s authenticity and origin. This makes most traditional cyberattacks much harder to execute, if not impossible. Because every participant is verified and accountable, malicious behavior can be traced quickly, and there is no single point of failure. Flexibility in Governance and Decentralization Unlike public chains, permissioned networks can tailor governance structures to match institutional needs. This includes defining how decisions are made, who can propose changes, and how new members join, ensuring operational control without losing collaboration. This flexibility lets organizations design systems that mirror their internal governance. Whether through consensus councils or delegated voting, permissioned blockchains enable a balance between shared oversight and decisive management that enterprises require. Efficiency and Speed in Transactions For organizations that depend on real-time operations, speed is non-negotiable. Permissioned blockchains eliminate public network congestion by restricting participation to trusted nodes, allowing transactions to finalize within seconds instead of minutes or hours. This operational efficiency can result in massive cost savings over time. By reducing intermediaries and settlement friction, businesses can process high transaction volumes predictably and affordably. It’s what makes permissioned networks viable as production-grade financial and data systems. Regulatory Compliance and Auditability Most permissioned blockchains embed auditability into every transaction, producing verifiable trails that satisfy both corporate and regulatory oversight requirements. This is especially important for sectors like finance and healthcare, where compliance is as vital as performance. Auditors can review records directly on the ledger, while access controls ensure privacy for sensitive data. This combination of traceability and protection allows organizations to demonstrate compliance continuously, not just during periodic reviews or reporting cycles. Challenges and Limitations Centralization Risks and Potential Corruption Permissioned blockchains bring structure to coordination, but too much structure can compromise neutrality. When decision-making power sits with a small set of validators or administrators, governance becomes vulnerable to collusion or bias that undermines trust. These risks mirror those in traditional systems where concentration of control leads to inefficiency or corruption. Networks that rotate validator roles, require supermajority votes, and maintain auditable decision logs help preserve accountability and fairness. Vulnerability to Insider Threats Every permissioned system depends on trusted participants, which means its greatest weakness may lie within. A single compromised administrator or validator could alter configurations, access private data, or disrupt network consensus before detection. Mitigating insider threats requires both procedural and technical defense. Organizations use multi-party authorization, continuous logging, and real-time analytics to flag anomalies. By distributing authority and automating oversight, permissioned blockchains can minimize the risk of insider abuse. Regulatory Pressures and Censorship Concerns Permissioned networks appeal to many regulators because they can enforce compliance, but the same design can lead to overreach. Overly strict intervention powers or mandated blacklists can erode neutrality, restricting participation and limiting system innovation. To balance oversight and autonomy, enterprises can implement tiered access and transparent audit channels that allow compliance reporting without full data exposure. This ensures the system meets legal standards while preserving user protections and operational independence. Limited Network Size and Interoperability Issues Because permissioned blockchains restrict participation, their early stages often lack liquidity and diversity of participants. Smaller validator sets mean fewer data points for consensus, which can slow adoption and limit network resilience under real-world conditions. Interoperability frameworks are now helping address this gap. Protocols like LayerZero enable secure cross-chain connectivity, allowing permissioned systems to transact with public and hybrid networks. The result is greater scalability, extended functionality, and stronger overall network utility. Permissioned vs Permissionless Blockchains Access and Participation Models The most visible difference between permissioned and permissionless blockchains lies in who gets to participate. Permissionless networks like Bitcoin and Ethereum allow anyone to join, validate, and build on top of the system without approval or identity checks. Permissioned blockchains, in contrast, restrict participation to verified entities. Each member must be authenticated and authorized before contributing to consensus or storing data. This ensures accountability and compliance, but limits the open innovation that defines public ecosystems. Levels of Decentralization Decentralization exists on a spectrum, not just as a black and white concept. Permissionless blockchains are fully decentralized, distributing control among thousands of anonymous nodes. This makes them resilient to censorship but harder to coordinate and scale efficiently. Most permissioned networks embody the middle ground. They maintain multiple independent validators but require coordination among recognized institutions. This delivers the trust and reliability enterprises demand, without the unrestricted access public chains provide. Development and Governance Approaches Public blockchains evolve through open-source communities and token-based governance. Code changes are proposed, debated, and approved by broad user groups. This distributed model has its uses, but can delay decisions and create uncertainty for enterprise users. Permissioned systems follow a more structured model. Governance councils, steering committees, or consortium boards manage upgrades and rule changes. This top-down coordination enables faster decision-making, more accountability, and easier alignment with compliance standards. Use Case Suitability Different blockchain models serve different purposes. Permissionless systems excel in environments that prize openness and censorship resistance, such as decentralized finance or public digital assets. Their global accessibility supports experimentation and community-driven growth. Permissioned blockchains are designed for controlled collaboration. This works well for use cases like interbank settlements and government systems, which are more compliance and privacy-focused. Their predictability and regulatory readiness make them ideal for institutional adoption at scale. Real-World Applications of Permissioned Blockchains Financial Services and Cross-Border Transactions Finance is one of the main proving grounds for permissioned blockchains. Banks and payment networks use these systems to settle transactions faster while maintaining compliance and auditability. They replace overnight reconciliations with near-instant cross-border clearing. Platforms like JPMorgan’s Onyx and Partior demonstrate how tokenized deposits can streamline liquidity between institutions. Each participant operates under strict identity and reserve verification rules, combining blockchain efficiency with traditional financial controls. Supply Chain and Logistics Tracking Global supply chains involve multiple intermediaries and complex data flows, making transparency difficult. Permissioned blockchains create a shared, tamper-evident record that helps manufacturers, shippers, and retailers track goods with greater accuracy and speed. Projects such as IBM Food Trust and TradeLens (by IBM and Maersk) have shown how this model improves traceability and reduces disputes. Participants can access product histories in real time, ensuring compliance with quality standards while reducing fraud and administrative costs across borders. Healthcare Data Management Healthcare data demands precision, confidentiality, and interoperability, which are all qualities that permissioned blockchains can deliver. By granting controlled access to verified participants, they enable secure information exchange among hospitals, insurers, and researchers. Platforms like BurstIQ and Guardtime have implemented blockchain-based record systems that maintain patient privacy while ensuring auditability for regulators. This framework improves coordination, reduces data fragmentation, and strengthens the integrity of medical research networks. Government and Regulatory Compliance Governments around the world have started exploring permissioned systems for everything from identity verification to benefits distribution. These applications demand reliability and oversight, making permissioned blockchains well suited to manage sensitive public data securely and transparently. For example, Singapore’s Project Guardian is tokenizing assets under controlled governance, and Estonia’s digital ID system leverages blockchain to secure citizen records. These models show how permissioned infrastructure can modernize government services without compromising sovereignty. Leading Permissioned Blockchain Platforms Hyperledger Fabric Hyperledger Fabric is one of the most widely adopted permissioned blockchain frameworks, and was developed under the Linux Foundation. It provides modular architecture that lets enterprises define consensus, membership, and privacy settings independently. This flexibility allows companies to design networks suited to their industry’s needs. As a result, Fabric’s pluggable design and enterprise-grade support have made it the backbone of numerous enterprise systems across finance, healthcare, and logistics. Corda Corda, built by R3, was designed for regulated institutions that require strict confidentiality and auditability. Unlike traditional blockchains, Corda doesn’t broadcast transactions to every node. Instead, data is shared only between the parties involved. Financial institutions use Corda to streamline settlements, manage syndicated loans, and automate compliance. The Corda Network now connects banks, insurers, and market infrastructures globally. Quorum Originally developed by JPMorgan and now maintained by ConsenSys, Quorum extends Ethereum’s architecture for enterprise use. It combines familiar Ethereum tooling with permissioned features like private transactions, configurable consensus, and role-based access control. Quorum’s hybrid approach (public Ethereum compatibility with private network control) has been well-received by both public and private sectors. Today, Quorum powers institutional networks such as JPMorgan’s Onyx platform, several central bank digital currency pilots, and more. Emerging Platforms and Service Providers New entrants are pushing permissioned blockchain design beyond early models. Platforms like Avalanche Evergreen and Polygon Supernets allow firms to deploy custom, permissioned instances that maintain interoperability with public chains. A growing number of service providers like Kaleido and ConsenSys’ Codefi are also simplifying deployment through managed blockchain services, integrating compliance tools, analytics, and interoperability features out of the box. These environments offer the security and control of private systems with the flexibility of open architecture. Together, they point to a future where permissioned networks operate seamlessly alongside public ecosystems, expanding enterprise adoption and real-world usability. Combining Permissioned Systems and Global Finance Permissioned blockchains have proven that decentralized systems can be both effective and compliant when designed around enterprise needs. But many permissioned blockchains need a more efficient, globally accessible way to execute their financial decisions. That is where Plasma fits in. As the world’s first and largest stablecoin-first Layer 1 blockchain, Plasma offers the sub-second finality, negligible fees, and compliance-ready infrastructure enterprises expect with the scalability and transparency of a public chain. This means permissioned blockchains can anchor settlement on Plasma while keeping full control over their internal data and permissions. The result is a private decision-making process for enterprise decision-makers, coupled with unrivaled financial efficiency and reach.
A hand🖐️ A scan. A new signal from #PiNetwork . Palm Print Authentication (Beta) is now visible to some users. This looks like precision-based biometric verification 🔐 Why palm? Why now? Feels like #Pi is testing something beyond basic #KYC
Solana (SOL) Nosedives by 25% in a Week: Further 50% Collapse on the Way?
The cryptocurrency market seems to can’t catch a break lately, and numerous digital assets continue to chart painful losses. Solana (SOL) is among the poorest performers, with its price plunging by 25% in the past week alone. According to some market observers, the bears might be just stepping in. Major Collapse on the Horizon? Just hours ago, SOL tumbled to approximately $95, its lowest level since February 2024. As of this writing, it trades at around $96, which is a staggering decline from the all-time high of almost $300 registered nearly a year ago. Many industry participants are now concerned that the asset may experience a further decrease in the short term. Ali Martinez, for instance, predicted that SOL could nosedive to $74.11 and even $50.18. The analyst, going on X as curb.sol, outlined $100 as an “extremely important level” for the token. In their view, holding that zone could result in a new bull run to a fresh all-time high, whereas the opposite scenario might lead to a crash to roughly $50 sometime this year. For their part, Alex RT₿ assumed the price may retreat to $70-$80 if SOL breaks below the $90 support level. Any Chance for the Bulls’ Return? It is important to note that some analysts believe the current rates could present great buying opportunities. The one using the X handle, Lucky, told their almost two million followers that “if the market behaves well, this could be a smart entry.” “Opportunities like this don’t show up often,” they added. Mookie also recently chipped in, vowing to go all-in should SOL drop below $100.
Meanwhile, some key indicators suggest it might be time for a rebound. SOL’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) fell well below 30, meaning the price has declined too much in a short period of time. Ratios under that level signal that SOL is oversold and due for a potential rally, whereas anything above 70 is seen as bearish territory. SOL RSI, Source: CryptoWaves Furthermore, exchange outflows have significantly surpassed inflows in the past several weeks. This suggests that investors have shifted from centralized platforms to self-custody, thereby reducing immediate selling pressure. SOL Exchange Netflow, Source: CoinGlass $SOL #TrumpEndsShutdown #solana
Binance Converts Another $100M to Bitcoin for SAFU
Binance added roughly $100 million worth of BTC to its SAFU reserveThe exchange is shifting its entire $1B SAFU fund from stablecoins to BitcoinThe move reinforces Bitcoin’s role as a long-term crypto reserve asset Binance has completed the second phase of its Bitcoin conversion for the Secure Asset Fund for Users, adding another $100 million worth of BTC to the reserve. The exchange confirmed the transaction publicly through its official X account, sharing both the wallet address and transaction ID to allow on-chain verification. That transparency signals this isn’t a symbolic move, it’s an operational one.
This latest conversion follows Binance’s announcement in late January 2026 that it would transition the full $1 billion SAFU fund from stablecoins into Bitcoin within a 30-day window. The plan marked a notable shift in how major crypto platforms think about reserve assets during volatile market conditions. The First Batch Set the Tone The initial conversion took place on February 2, when Binance transferred approximately 1,315 BTC, valued at around $100 million at the time. That first batch made it clear the exchange was serious about executing the strategy quickly rather than spacing it out indefinitely. The second tranche now reinforces that commitment. By breaking the conversion into batches, Binance reduces execution risk while still signaling urgency. It also allows the market to observe how a large-scale reserve shift into Bitcoin unfolds in real time, without sudden shocks. SAFU’s Role Goes Beyond Headlines SAFU was created in 2018 as an emergency insurance fund, financed by a portion of Binance’s trading fees. Its purpose has always been straightforward: protect users in extreme scenarios. Over time, the fund has evolved into a visible pillar of Binance’s risk management framework.
Importantly, SAFU includes a rebalancing mechanism designed to maintain a minimum value of $800 million, even as Bitcoin prices fluctuate. That structure adds a layer of stability, ensuring the fund remains functional rather than purely directional. A Broader Signal for Crypto Reserves Moving SAFU into Bitcoin isn’t just about asset preference, it’s a statement about confidence. Binance is effectively choosing BTC volatility over stablecoin exposure, betting that long-term scarcity and liquidity outweigh short-term price swings. That’s a notable stance for one of the largest players in crypto. As more institutions rethink reserve strategies, moves like this may shape how Bitcoin is viewed, not just as a speculative asset, but as balance-sheet infrastructure. Whether others follow remains to be seen, but the signal is already loud. $BNB $ETH $BTC
BlackRock has dumped over $10 billion worth of crypto since the start of 2026
BlackRock, a leading investment company and the world’s largest asset manager, has moved$10.3 billion worth of cryptocurrencies since the beginning of 2026. Specifically, the firm’s net digital asset exposure has dropped from $78.36 billion on January 1 to $68.06 billion at press time, February 4, according to real-time wallet tracking data Finbold obtained from Arkham. Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) accounted for the vast majority of the outflows, or $7.79 billion and $2.51 billion, respectively, while the rest was spread among minor tokens, such as SPX. It must be mentioned, however, that asset prices have also dropped exponentially over the same period. For instance, BTC has declined 11.1% while Ethereum is down 21.22%. In other words, the negative net change is largely intertwined with the ongoing slump in the crypto market and does not necessarily represent sales per se, although holdings themselves did dropp (-2,930 bitcoin and -138,240 ETH). BlackRock crypto holdings. Source: Arkham For comparison, over the same period last year, BlackRock added $5.16 billion to its holdings, nearly all of it in Bitcoin, whose price had gone up just over 5% in January 2025. BlackRock’s most recent crypto losses The fund has reported some noteworthy redemptions over the past few days. For instance, it shed 6,306 $BTC , worth around $496.41 million, and 58,327 ETH, worth about $138.23 million, on February 2. This meant that BlackRock alone was responsible for 78% of the total daily U.S. Bitcoin spot ETF outflows and more than 53% of the overall Ethereum redemptions that day. On February 3, the situation was somewhat better. Namely, BlackRock’s Bitcoin holdings were $775 million in the green, while its Ethereum exposure went up by roughly $100 million. $BTC #BlackRock #TrumpEndsShutdown
Days Bitcoin has spent in price ranges: $1 - $10: 412 days $10 - $100: 352 days $100 - $1,000: 1356 days $1,000 - $10,000: 1115 days $10,000 - $100,000: 1966 days $100,000 - $1,000,000: 217 days $1,000,000 - $10,000,000: 0 days $10,000,000 - $100,000,000: 0 days