The U.S. Department of Justice has released millions of Epstein files, revealing that Musk inquired about party schedules on Epstein Island and denying any illegal activity; Bill Gates was accused of being infected, and Gates' spokesperson called this a false accusation. Bipartisan lawmakers questioned whether the Department of Justice concealed some key documents, and future disclosures of disputes may continue.

The U.S. Department of Justice released over 3 million pages of Epstein investigation documents, revealing complex connections among celebrities, but still facing criticism for hiding a large amount of information. The documents mention Bannon, Musk, and Prince Andrew, and expose Epstein's mansion rules. Victims' groups accuse the government of not being fully transparent and promise to pursue accountability for all perpetrators. The Department of Justice stated that additional documents are yet to be released.

Bitcoin prices remained stable above $89,000 on Wednesday, with President Trump’s comments on the dollar triggering Bloomberg’s dollar index to experience its steepest four-day decline. The dollar’s weakness boosted safe-haven buying. Rhode Island reintroduced a blockchain bill, and the Trump family’s American Bitcoin holdings increased to 5,843 BTC. Coupled with technical support at $86,100, multiple positive factors drove BTC to rebound.

Japan is focusing on promoting the approval process for cryptocurrency ETF funds, with the goal of achieving this by 2028. Many analysts believe that regulatory authorities in this island nation will approve cryptocurrency ETFs in the near future, paving the way for organizations to

Daily Market Highlights and Trend Analysis, produced by PANews. 1. Market Observation The global macro market is currently in a fierce storm triggered by geopolitical games, fiscal crises, and industrial cycle resonances, with risk aversion and speculative fervor coexisting. As the US ICE shooting incident led to a breakdown in congressional budget negotiations, Polymarket data shows that the probability of the US government shutting down before January 31 has soared to 79%. Coupled with the Trump administration's tariffs and island purchase threats against Canada and Greenland, as well as the deployment of the US Navy's "Lincoln" aircraft carrier to the Middle East to address the Iran situation, global "credit devaluation" trading has reached a climax. Spot gold has historically broken through the $5,000 mark, rising over 2.3% intraday to a high of $5,106, with US banks aggressively predicting it will reach $6,000 by spring 2026; spot silver is also driven by the rigid demand from AI and solar energy industries, breaking

Over roughly the past year, discussion has grown more pointed over whether the accelerating pace of quantum computing could eventually threaten the Bitcoin network. This week, prominent crypto advocate and Castle Island Ventures partner Nic Carter contended that bitcoin’s “underperformance,” which h

Guernsey Island seizes $11 million in OneCoin-related assets, accounting for only 0.2% of total losses. The founder Ruja Ignatova, known as the "Crypto Queen," disappeared after embezzling $5 billion in 2017 and remains on the FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted list. Bulgarian investigations suggest she may have been murdered in 2018.

The Bermuda government collaborates with Coinbase and Circle to create the world's first fully on-chain national economy, planning to introduce stablecoin payments and asset tokenization, reduce cross-border transaction fees for businesses, promote digital financial education, and enhance the island's economy.

U.S. President Trump reiterates tariff policies, leading to increased volatility in the cryptocurrency market, with Bitcoin falling below $91,000. The options market shows investors leaning towards a defensive stance, predicting a 30% chance that Bitcoin will drop below $80,000 before the end of June. Traders are heavily buying put options, indicating concerns about the market outlook and fears of a repeat of the 2025 crash event. The reasons behind this panic include Trump's tariff threats against European countries and the Greenland island purchase dispute.

In brief Bermuda will work with Coinbase and Circle to help bring its economy on-chain. The island nation will start with government stablecoin pilots and tokenization efforts. It aims to eventually provide the benefit of lower costs and greater global financial access to its businesses a

Starting from January 8, Iran has experienced severe nationwide internet shutdowns, suppressing protest voices and potentially moving towards permanent digital isolation. The government claims it is for national security, but it has been questioned by the outside world. The shutdowns have had a significant impact on the economy and human rights, drawing international attention. Some users have bypassed the shutdowns using SpaceX's Starlink technology, demonstrating that the potential for digital freedom still exists.

On January 19th, the cryptocurrency market suddenly plummeted, with major coins such as BTC, ETH, and SOL experiencing significant declines, and liquidation amounts reaching $830 million. Meanwhile, safe-haven assets like gold and silver rose against the trend. Trump's imposition of additional tariffs on multiple countries triggered geopolitical tensions, intensifying investor panic and causing capital to flow into gold and silver markets. The market remains optimistic about the prospects of digital assets in 2026, believing that the widespread adoption of infrastructure and stablecoins will present opportunities.

The Trump administration proposed a two-stage tariff to pressure Europe into ceding Greenland, with the goal of controlling the Arctic shipping route and resources, further establishing it as a defense outpost. Trump believes Greenland holds significant strategic value and values its rare earth resources and energy potential, but this move has sparked strong opposition from the EU. At the same time, Greenland faces the dilemma of independence versus economic dependence, becoming a focal point in current great power competition.

Project Eleven completes $20 million funding (valuation $120 million), with Castle Island leading and Coinbase Ventures participating. The CEO states there is real risk within 5 years. Has tested migration with Solana and plans to develop a self-custody product. BlackRock ETF warns: Quantum computing could render Bitcoin encryption ineffective. Bitcoin's lack of a leader makes upgrades difficult.

Startup Project Eleven, focused on post-quantum cryptographic security, announced the completion of a $20 million Series A funding round, with a post-money valuation of up to $120 million. The round was led by Castle Island Ventures, with participation from top institutions such as Coinbase Ventures, Fin Capital, and others. The company's core mission is to address the potential threats of quantum computing to blockchain cryptography infrastructure, planning and executing multi-year migration strategies towards "quantum-resistant" cryptography for mainstream public chains like Bitcoin and Solana. As companies like Google make breakthrough progress in quantum hardware, industry giants such as BlackRock have warned of related risks in their Bitcoin ETF filings. This challenge, once considered a "future issue," is now being prioritized with unprecedented urgency. Project Eleven aims to serve as the "bridge" connecting the current crypto world with a quantum-secure future.

Author: Nancy, PANews Quantum attacks have long been part of Bitcoin's narrative. In the past, this threat was mostly considered a black swan at the theoretical level. However, as quantum computing technology advances rapidly, this debate seems to be shifting. Recently, Nic Carter, co-founder of Castle Island Ventures, pointed out that quantum computing is only "an engineering challenge" away from cracking Bitcoin. This argument has sparked disagreement within the community, with some accusing it of deliberately inciting panic, while others see it as a survival crisis that must be addressed. Meanwhile, many projects are already preparing by actively exploring and deploying defenses against quantum attacks. Quantum attack alert escalation? Protocol modifications may take a decade The threat of quantum computing to Bitcoin is not a new issue. Recently, the rapid progress in quantum computing technology has brought this problem back into focus. For example, Google

William Banks' viral island saga ended December 20 with a second-round TKO loss to Gabino Silva at Parense de Manos in Argentina. The loss concluded months of online attention from Banks claiming he was stranded on an island, drawing millions of views before his dramatic Captain America "rescue."

Written by: Zhang Feng After Hainan's customs closure operation, the Renminbi within its borders has not changed its fundamental property as domestic Renminbi, but within the EF account system, it has been given highly similar offshore Renminbi convenience functions. Therefore, it can be summarized as "overall onshore, account-type offshore." 1. The entire area still uses domestic Renminbi (CNY) It is necessary to clarify a basic positioning first: the Hainan Free Trade Port is a special area under the supervision of Chinese customs, rather than a sovereign foreign area "outside the customs territory". It is still within the customs boundaries and monetary sovereignty jurisdiction of China. Therefore, the RMB circulated and stored throughout Hainan Island has the same legal nature as the RMB in places like Shanghai and Beijing, and all belong to domestic RMB (CNY), uniformly regulated by the People's Bank of China, implementing the same monetary policy and clearing rules. For ordinary residents and businesses in Hainan at the bank

Author: Nancy, PANews Quantum attacks have long been part of the narrative surrounding Bitcoin. In the past, this threat was largely viewed as a theoretical black swan. However, with the rapid advancement of quantum computing technology, this controversy seems to be shifting. Recently, Nic Carter, co-founder of Castle Island Ventures, pointed out that quantum computing is just an "engineering challenge" away from breaking Bitcoin. This argument has sparked division within the community, with some denouncing it as a deliberate attempt to incite panic, while others believe it is a survival crisis that must be addressed. Meanwhile, several projects have already begun to prepare proactively, actively exploring and deploying defenses against quantum attacks. Quantum attack alert upgrade? Protocol modifications could take a decade. The threat of quantum computing to Bitcoin is not a new topic. Recently, the rapid advancement of quantum computing technology has brought this issue to the forefront once again. For example,

Castle Island Ventures co-founder Nic Carter warned that the only remaining "engineering challenge" to cracking Bitcoin is the approximately 6.7 million BTC (worth over $60 billion) that are directly exposed to the risk of quantum attacks, including 1.7 million coins permanently lost that belong to Satoshi Nakamoto. Ethereum co-founder warned that quantum computers may crack Ethereum's Elliptic Curve Cryptography by 2028.

Author: Nancy, PANews Quantum attacks have long existed in the narrative of Bitcoin. In the past, this threat was seen more as a theoretical black swan. However, with the rapid evolution of quantum computing technology, this controversy seems to be shifting. Recently, Nic Carter, co-founder of Castle Island Ventures, pointed out that quantum computing is only a "engineering challenge" away from breaking Bitcoin. This argument has sparked division within the community, with some denouncing it as a deliberate attempt to create panic, while others believe it is a survival crisis that must be faced. At the same time, many projects have already begun to prepare in advance, actively exploring and deploying solutions to defend against quantum attacks. Quantum attack alert upgrade? Protocol modification may take a decade. The threat of quantum computing to Bitcoin is not a new topic. Recently, the rapid advancement of quantum computing technology has brought this issue back to the forefront. For example,

Author: Nancy, PANews Quantum attacks have long existed in the narrative of Bitcoin. In the past, this threat was more regarded as a theoretical black swan. However, with the rapid evolution of quantum computing technology, this controversy seems to be shifting. Recently, Nic Carter, co-founder of Castle Island Ventures, wrote that quantum computing is only one "engineering challenge" away from breaking Bitcoin. This conclusion has sparked divisions in the community, with some accusing him of deliberately causing panic, while others believe it is a survival crisis that needs to be addressed urgently. Meanwhile, many crypto projects are already taking precautions and actively exploring and deploying defenses against quantum attacks. Quantum attack alert upgrade? Protocol modification may take ten years. The threat of quantum computing to Bitcoin is not a new topic. Recently, the rapid advancements in quantum computing technology have brought this issue to the forefront again. For example,

Author: Nic Carter Translated by: LlamaC "Recommended Message: Key Information: Nic Carter (Partner at Castle Island Ventures, a well-known opinion leader in the crypto space, directly criticizes the governance inertia and strategic misjudgments of Bitcoin Core developers in this article). This article mainly discusses the potential threat of quantum computing to Bitcoin's security. Bitcoin developers seem to have a conservative attitude towards the potential impact of quantum computers, but in reality, preparations need to start now to address the risks of quantum cracking that may arrive within the next decade." Text Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about the quantum risks of Bitcoin. I once elaborated on my views in a lengthy article, but most people did not read it and only heard from.

Bitcoin core developer and co-founder of the crypto custody company Casa, Jameson Lopp, recently issued a warning about upgrading the Bitcoin protocol to a quantum computing-resistant standard. Even if the process "goes smoothly," it will still "take 5 to 10 years." This statement has escalated the long-standing debate within the Bitcoin community about the threat posed by quantum computing. Developers like Blockstream CEO Adam Back believe the threat is still far off, while investors like Castle Island Ventures partner Nic Carter warn that the risk is imminent and could even impact coin prices. The focus of this debate has shifted from "whether the threat exists" to "how a decentralized network can coordinate an unprecedented systemic upgrade," with the process itself potentially testing Bitcoin's resilience even before quantum computers arrive.

Blockstream CEO Adam Back has criticized Castle Island Ventures founding partner Nic Carter for amplifying concerns about quantum computing threats to Bitcoin. “You make uninformed noise and try to move the market or something. You’re not helping,” Back said in an X post on Friday, after Carter

Castle Island Ventures co-founder Nic Carter pointed out that quantum computing is approaching the threshold to "crack Bitcoin," and approximately 1.7 million exposed public keys of Bitcoin could become targets. He strongly urges relevant technologists to address encryption issues. (Previous context: Citibank's latest forecast: Bitcoin may rise to $143,000 in 2026, ETF capital influx remains unstoppable) (Additional background: Bitcoin's largest options expiration is approaching! Glassnode: Market still prices in downside risk, Bitcoin volatility may erupt in the new year) Table of Contents Quantum threat shifts from physical theory to engineering time problem 1.7 million exposed UTXOs become on-chain bounties Freeze or let go? People might have forgotten about Silicon Valley venture capital Cas

Blockstream CEO Adam Back has criticized Castle Island Ventures founding partner Nic Carter for amplifying concerns about quantum computing threats to Bitcoin. “You make uninformed noise and try to move the market or something. You’re not helping,” Back said in an X post on Friday, after Carter

Asset tokenization platform Securitize announces that it will launch a product called "Stocks on Securitize" in the first quarter of 2026. The company claims this is the world's first fully compliant, fully on-chain trading platform for real listed company stocks, aiming to bring traditional financial markets closer to Web3 infrastructure, allowing investors to directly own and trade shares of truly public listed companies via blockchain. (Background: What are the future and risks of financial asset tokenization? An in-depth analysis of RWA in a 73-page report by global securities regulators) (Additional background: Huili Securities partners with Securitize Japan to issue tokenized securities! Allowing retail investors to participate in Sony's film "The Island") Asset tokenization platform Securitize announced today (17) via the X platform that it will launch in 20

Aevo founder states that he has wasted 8 years in the crypto industry, believing that crypto has become the largest speculative system in history. Nic Carter, founder of Castle Island Ventures, outlined five main purposes of cryptocurrencies and advocates that maintaining a pragmatic optimism is the right approach. This article is based on Carter's piece, compiled, translated, and written by PANews. (Previous context: In-depth Reflection) I Have Wasted 8 Years in the Crypto Industry (Additional background: From "Subscription Hell" to Precise Payments: A History of Online Pricing Models) Table of Contents Five Main Purposes of Cryptocurrency 1. Restoring Sound Money 2. Embedding Business Logic into Smart Contracts 3. Making Digital Assets "Real" 4.

Aevo Co-founder Ken Chang recently published a long article titled “I wasted 8 years of my life in crypto,” directly pointing out that the crypto world has fallen from ideals to become the biggest gambling venue of all generations, sparking reflection within the community. Castle Island Ventures partner Nic Carter responded with an article, breaking down the crypto world into five major “purposes (telos),” indicating that pessimism stems from an obsession with a single narrative. From idealism to disillusionment: Why do crypto creators feel collectively betrayed? Ken Chang’s article reflects the frequent “fatigue” in the crypto space, originally believing they could create a new financial order, only to invert the purpose and create a 24/7 global casino. He pointed out that the new L1

Written by: Nic Carter, Partner at Castle Island Ventures Translated by: AididiaoJP, Foresight News Ken Chang recently published an article titled "I Wasted Eight Years of My Life in Cryptocurrency," in which he painfully discusses the industry's inherent capital destruction and financial nihilism. People in the crypto world often mock such "angry exit" articles and enjoy reminiscing about historical figures like Mike Hearn or Jeff Garzik who made high-profile exits back then (while also noting how much Bitcoin has increased after they left). But Ken's article is largely correct. He says: Cryptocurrency claims to help decentralize the financial system. I once believed it wholeheartedly, but the reality is, it is just a super system of speculation and gambling, essentially just a

Author: Nic Carter, Partner at Castle Island Ventures; Translation by: Golden Finance > No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon. > > Matthew 6:24 >

Deng Tong, Jinse Finance On December 9, 2025, Circle announced that it had received a financial services license from the Abu Dhabi Global Markets Financial Services Authority, allowing it to operate as a money service provider in the Abu Dhabi International Financial Centre. In addition to Circle, crypto companies such as Binance, Tether, Ripple, Animoca Brands, and others have also achieved regulatory results in Abu Dhabi. Where is Abu Dhabi? What crypto companies are licensed in Abu Dhabi? Why is Abu Dhabi the crypto capital? 1. Where is Abu Dhabi? Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates, the second largest city in the UAE and the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is located on the west-central coast of the United Arab Emirates, on a T-shaped island in the Persian Gulf. Near the Midwest Coast, most of the cities and emirates are inhabited by large connected parts of the country

34-year-old Taiwanese influencer Pei Yun Chung repeatedly dined and dashed at high-end restaurants in New York and was eventually arrested by the police. She is now being held at Rikers Island jail. (Source: World Journal). Rikers Island, located in New York City's East River between Manhattan and Queens, is one of the city's largest detention centers, typically housing inmates awaiting trial or sentencing. Rikers Island has long been notorious for its harsh, violent environment. Due to its large inmate population and outdated facilities, prisoners are forced to stay in overcrowded cells that are not only cramped but also have poor sanitation and frequent issues with prison violence. The stark contrast between the glamorous influencer on Instagram and her current detention in such harsh conditions highlights the bizarre events of recent years.

Author: imToken In the previous article of the Interop series, we introduced the Open Intents Framework (OIF), which acts as a universal language, allowing users to express their intent, such as "I want to buy an NFT cross-chain," and be understood by solvers across the network. But just "understanding" isn't enough—the intent must also be "fulfilled." After all, once you express your intent, how does your fund safely transfer from Base to Arbitrum? How does the target chain verify that your signature is valid? Who covers the gas fees on the target chain? This involves the core of the "Acceleration" phase in Ethereum's interoperability roadmap—the Ethereum Interoperability Layer (EIL). Recently, the

A new article by Nic Carter, partner at Castle Island Ventures, raises alarms about the vulnerability of bitcoin before the emergence of a cryptographically relevant quantum computer (CRQC). Carter believes that such an event will happen circa 2035, sooner than expected. Nic Carter Awakens

Decrypt's Art, Fashion, and Entertainment Hub. Discover SCENE European soccer club FC Barcelona has come under criticism after signing a $22 million, three-year global sponsorship deal with little-known crypto firm Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP), based in the Pacific island of Samoa. Xavier

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te held a press conference at the Presidential Office on the "Protecting Democracy Taiwan National Security Action Plan," directly acknowledging that China will complete its military unification by 2027 and will increase the special budget for national defense in response to the situation. (Background: What is Taiwan's Disease? The terrifying balance that The Economist failed to understand: life insurance, tax system, and real estate have jointly hijacked the New Taiwan Dollar) (Supplementary background: The Economist diagnoses Taiwan's Disease; the depreciation of the New Taiwan Dollar is not a disease but a financial defense?) On November 26, 2025, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te held a press conference at the Presidential Office on the "Protecting Democracy Taiwan National Security Action Plan." In the face of China's increasingly intense gray zone incursions, targeted military exercises, and the severe situation of threats spreading to the second island chain, President Lai Ching-te personally announced two major action plans: "Firmly uphold national sovereignty and comprehensively construct a democratic defense mechanism" and "Promote strengthening national defense capabilities and comprehensively create defense-related industries." During the meeting, the Ministry of National Defense

Hainan's blockchain ecosystem is becoming a global focus, driving the development of digital currency and digital assets in the Free Trade Port. Hainan Island Coin is at its core, improving transaction efficiency and reducing costs. The application of blockchain technology in tourism and high-tech sectors is increasing, enhancing market competitiveness and liquidity, while regulatory innovation ensures security and transparency.

The Sui Builder Program in the Philippines empowers young developers from a remote island to learn blockchain coding and create on-chain projects. Despite challenges, participants gained valuable skills, showcasing their potential in the tech industry.

Author: Pan Zhixiong Ethereum has successfully addressed scalability issues in recent years by deploying multiple Layer 2 solutions such as Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, and others, which have reduced transaction costs and increased efficiency. However, a resulting problem is the fragmentation of user experience: each L2 network is like an isolated island, and users face cumbersome steps, different bridging protocols, as well as complex asset and gas management when cross-chain. To solve this pain point, the Ethereum core team recently proposed the Ethereum Interop Layer (EIL). To understand EIL, it is first necessary to review its foundation—ERC-4337. ERC-4337 is a proposed account abstraction standard for Ethereum.

A recent article in The Economist pointed out that the low Exchange Rate has caused "Taiwan disease." Although the Central Bank refuted this and The Economist's angle is too one-sided, Taiwan is indeed caught in a kind of "terrible balance," forming a systemic collusion that no one dares to break. (Background: The Economist diagnoses the depreciation of the New Taiwan Dollar as not a disease but a financial defense?) (Context: The 2.11% health insurance surcharge on dividends over 20,000 has been halted! Taiwan's Executive Yuan: Delays response to public opinion, drop the generational burden.) Recently, an issue of The Economist featured a cover story that created a new term "Taiwan Disease," pointing out that behind the stock price frenzy of Nvidia and TSMC, this island is suffering from a deep, structural economic dysfunction. This report has sparked intense community reactions, and the Central Bank of Taiwan has rarely issued a lengthy statement late at night.

The Trump Organization and London-listed developer Dar Global will significantly expand their blockchain-based real estate business and announce plans for the Trump International Hotel Maldives project. Unlike the previous model of digitizing the ownership of already constructed buildings, Dar Global's approach will tokenize the development phase itself, creating digital investment units related to luxury hotel projects, allowing investors to participate in the project before the resort is completed.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Changpeng Zhao is the world's wealthiest cryptocurrency entrepreneur. A year ago, after being released from a prison in California, he flew back to rest in a secluded community composed of $30 million mansions. This community is located on a white sand island. He practices kite surfing, gathers with friends at beach clubs, and docks his 100-foot yacht, "Da Moon," nearby. Despite regaining his freedom, the situation is not optimistic. The cryptocurrency exchange Binance, founded by Zhao, is in trouble. New regulators are stepping up efforts to clean up practices that once made Binance a major money laundering machine. Binance's senior legal personnel are convinced that the company's prospects are bleak. Screenshot from The Wall Street Journal report However, Donald Trump's presidential campaign is gaining momentum, which presents an opportunity for Zhao.

In 2012, the Renewable Energy and Technology Research Institute (ITER) under the Tenerife Island Council in Spain spent about $10,000 to purchase 97 Bitcoins, initially just for blockchain research. Thirteen years later, as Bitcoin's price soared, this "experimental investment" has grown in value to $10 million.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), Ashley Alder, announced during the Hong Kong FinTech Week that licensed crypto assets exchanges will soon be allowed to connect their Hong Kong entities to global order books, ending the current island model that restricts trading to within Hong Kong. This move is part of a broader plan aimed at attracting crypto assets companies and aligning digital asset regulations with those of the TradFi markets.

Author: Lacie, Bitget Wallet Researcher 1. Introduction: The "Payment Gap" Between Web2 and Web3 The current digital ecosystem is being torn apart by the inherent opposition between Web2 and Web3. On one hand, the convenient payments of Web2 (such as Apple Pay and WeChat Pay) are firmly locked within "walled gardens" controlled by centralized platforms and regional boundaries; on the other hand, Web3, despite promising a globally open, permissionless financial future, has become a "technological island" that deters mainstream users due to its extreme price fluctuations and complex user experience. The gap between "convenience" and "openness" has long burdened Web3 with labels of "difficult to implement" and "speculative hype." Against this backdrop, a topic called

Bitchat, a decentralized messaging app, has surged to the top of Jamaica's app rankings as Hurricane Melissa devastates the island, cutting off traditional communication channels.

Authors: Fu Shaoqing, SatoshiLab, All Things Island BTC Studio 1. Introduction When studying Bitcoin technology, the author found that understanding SegWit, Taproot, and TaprootAssets from the perspective of the development history of the isolation witness makes it easier to learn and grasp their evolutionary patterns. This approach also helps better understand the Taproot Assets protocol developed by the Lightning Network Laboratory, enabling a clearer understanding of the role of Universe and the functionalities that the TaprootAssets protocol can achieve, as well as its potential future developments. With these insights, it becomes easier to design related products for users to utilize. Reading this article also requires two important perspectives: Bitcoin scalability and Bitcoin capacity enhancement. Scalability refers to expanding the data capacity that Bitcoin can use and manage. In the early days, this was limited to the block size.