Reports and long reads from crypto research teams, summarised by COINMAG. Updated automatically.
The report shows that everyday financial needs are fueling a 13.4% expansion of the crypto economy in Sub‑Saharan Africa, now valued at $101 billion. South Africa accounts for the largest share of this growth across the region.
Read on ChainalysisThe U.S. Treasury announced sanctions against Russian and North Korean individuals who ran a scheme posing as IT workers to defraud American companies. The operation funneled the stolen funds into cryptocurrency to support North Korea’s regime.
Read on ChainalysisThe report notes that most of the $653 M ETF inflow on October 19 has already left, leaving trading volume low and demand minimal, while long‑term Bitcoin holders hold a large block bought above $85 K, creating potential sell pressure if price falls back. It also highlights that bid orders have shifted down to $78‑79 K, representing the strongest near‑term support level, and that volatility has re
Read on Glassnode InsightsThe report finds that digital‑asset markets showed stronger momentum and profitability in Q4 2026, with BTC, ETH and SOL posting notable gains and investor participation widening. It suggests the market may be shifting from recovery toward a new expansionary phase, though mixed on‑chain signals keep the outlook uncertain.
Read on Fidelity Digital AssetsThe FBI Washington Field Office and global law‑enforcement partners seized the virtualine.net domain, which operated as a bullet‑proof hosting service for illicit crypto activity. The takedown aims to disrupt the infrastructure used by cybercriminals to hide and monetize illicit funds.
Read on ChainalysisThe episode recaps Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #428, covering trust‑minimized exits from single‑issuer Layer 2 solutions and new descriptor syntax for hash preimages. It also announces updates such as Ibis Wallet v5.0‑beta and the Landfall wallet for Lightning mining payouts.
Read on Bitcoin OptechThe report details Bitcoin’s price staying near $80,000 in week 44, noting that a failed rally left leverage and hedging activity high while spot and ETF buying weakened. It also highlights that on‑chain metrics show capital shifting to newer holders and that futures open interest and long‑side funding remain elevated.
Read on Glassnode InsightsThe report shows that the MENA crypto market stayed roughly flat at $443.3 billion in 2026, a slight 1.4% drop year‑over‑year. Conflict, exchange shutdowns and new licensing rules were the main factors reshaping activity in the region.
Read on ChainalysisThe report analyses the Q4 2026 crypto market, highlighting a bear phase followed by an August short‑squeeze that lifted Bitcoin above its on‑chain cost bases and boosted traditional‑asset perpetuals on crypto venues. It also compares crypto trading volume to US equity markets and outlines liquidity, derivatives and institutional adoption trends.
Read on Glassnode InsightsThe newsletter details Lichen, a single‑issuer layer‑2 design that lets users exit to on‑chain Bitcoin without the issuer’s cooperation by using 2‑of‑2 contracts and on‑chain dispute resolution. It also covers a proposal to embed hash preimages in output script descriptors and regular updates on Bitcoin software releases.
Read on Bitcoin Optecha16z announced that its crypto fund is being renamed a16z Frontier to cover a wider range of frontier technologies beyond crypto, while still backing crypto ventures. The firm says the move reflects its long‑term focus on emerging tech waves such as AI, new computing devices and blockchain‑based services.
Read on a16z cryptoThe Ethereum Foundation announced that the Glamsterdam upgrade on the Hoodi testnet, originally set for October 26, 2026, has been delayed. No new activation date has been provided, and the prior schedule is now superseded.
Read on Ethereum FoundationThe report analyses Bitcoin’s price action around the $80K‑$87.5K range, noting a sweep to $80K on Oct 15 that tested major on‑chain cost bases and was quickly refilled, while resistance and liquidation clusters sit near $86‑$87K. It highlights that ETF and treasury holders’ average cost is around $80‑81K, profit‑taking has slowed, and upcoming Fed and MSCI events could influence the next move.
Read on Glassnode InsightsThe article explains how Proximity‑Weighted Cost Basis Distribution converts detailed supply‑by‑price heatmaps into a single time‑series metric that shows where tradeable Bitcoin supply sits relative to the current price. It introduces the Proximity Support Index and Proximity Resistance Index, which weight supply by its distance to spot to identify potential support and resistance levels.
Read on Glassnode InsightsThe article explains how perpetual preferred stocks are being used to raise capital for buying Bitcoin, highlighting that their success depends on Bitcoin’s price growth exceeding the yield cost. It compares this mechanism to Bitcoin ETPs as a demand catalyst.
Read on Fidelity Digital AssetsThe episode reviews Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #427, covering recent security fixes in Eclair and the concept of off‑chain contracts within Lightning channels. Guests discuss the implications of these updates for network stability and future development.
Read on Bitcoin OptechThe report details Bitcoin’s week‑long price slide to around $82k, noting reduced selling pressure but a lack of new buying from spot and ETF participants. On‑chain metrics show capital shifting to newer holders while profit‑taking and volatility have cooled.
Read on Glassnode InsightsThe report introduces Aerie, a tool that aggregates Falcon lattice‑based signatures using lattice SNARKs, enabling post‑quantum signature aggregation at high speed. It demonstrates that a single laptop can batch tens of thousands of signatures in under a second, producing compact proofs that verify quickly without recursion.
Read on a16z cryptoThe newsletter reports two denial‑of‑service bugs in older Eclair releases that allowed memory exhaustion during channel opening, both patched in v0.14.1, and outlines a new method for executing complex multi‑round contracts within Lightning channels. It also lists recent software releases and updates.
Read on Bitcoin OptechThe Ethereum Foundation announced that the Hoodi testnet activation, originally set for October 26, has been delayed along with the planned gas‑limit increase to 200 million. Updated guidance and a new schedule are now provided on the Glamsterdam post‑postponement page.
Read on Ethereum FoundationThe article notes that the U.S. 10‑year Treasury yield has hit its highest level seen during Bitcoin’s existence, while federal debt surpasses $40 trillion. It also highlights a rising positive correlation between 10‑year real rates and Bitcoin’s market cap, now above 0.6.
Read on Fidelity Digital AssetsThe piece explains how Ethereum staking works and why it is becoming relevant for institutional investors, detailing the mechanics, reward sources and the trade‑offs of different staking options. It highlights that staking offers reward opportunities but also carries risks such as liquidity constraints and potential penalties.
Read on Fidelity Digital AssetsThe report examines how North America’s $3 trillion crypto economy is driving the rise of agentic commerce, where users directly control digital transactions. It finds that this model is expanding export activity and solidifying the region’s global influence.
Read on ChainalysisThe article reviews the evolution of U.S. legislative and regulatory attitudes toward crypto, highlighting increased engagement from lawmakers and agencies. It concludes that while progress has been made, significant policy gaps and uncertainty remain.
Read on a16z cryptoThe article reports that a federal appeals court has again affirmed the admissibility of Chainalysis Reactor evidence under Daubert standards. This marks the second judicial endorsement of the tool’s reliability in legal proceedings.
Read on ChainalysisThe episode reviews Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #426, covering technical topics such as dynamic one‑byte message type IDs for BIP‑324 and conventions for tagged hash tags in BIPs. It also examines a proposal for on‑chain private Bitcoin transfers that would not require consensus changes.
Read on Bitcoin OptechThe article examines how new blockchain‑specific KYC solutions could make identity verification reusable, reducing the need for institutions to repeat checks for each on‑chain interaction. It argues that aligning compliance with tools like zero‑knowledge proofs and verifiable credentials can streamline onboarding while meeting U.S. AML/CFT rules.
Read on a16z cryptoThe discussion brings together leading cryptographers to assess whether recent advances in AI pose a real threat to current cryptographic schemes, distinguishing hype from genuine risk. They conclude that while AI may aid analysis and improve confidence, fundamental security still relies on hard mathematical problems and prepared defenses.
Read on a16z cryptoThe newsletter reviews a draft BIP that lets peers assign their own one‑byte message IDs for BIP324, potentially reducing bandwidth usage, and covers a debate on whether BIP‑340 tagged hashes should embed the BIP number. It also outlines a metaprotocol for private on‑chain Bitcoin transfers that requires no consensus changes.
Read on Bitcoin OptechThe Ethereum Foundation’s Trillion Dollar Security project highlights that blind signing and transaction uncertainty expose users to risk, even when signatures are valid. It proposes native transaction assertions, alongside Clear Signing, to ensure a transaction’s intended final outcome.
Read on Ethereum FoundationThe Ethereum Foundation announced zkAPI, a system that lets users purchase metered API access anonymously by depositing credits into a vault and using zero‑knowledge proofs to authorize usage. This separates request data from payment information, preventing providers and payers from linking the two.
Read on Ethereum FoundationThe article argues that blockchains eliminate the historical supply constraint on new financial markets by enabling permissionless issuance and global distribution. This capability has led to the rapid creation of novel risk units and trading mechanisms, from prediction markets to tokenized assets.
Read on a16z cryptoThe piece explains that Bitcoin’s operation relies on both miners, who create blocks, and nodes, which enforce consensus rules, with their combined actions sustaining the network’s decentralization. It notes that while nodes historically gained more influence after SegWit, evolving fund centralization could shift power dynamics, though major changes still require broad node agreement.
Read on Fidelity Digital AssetsThe Ethereum Foundation announced the Glamsterdam testnet, which implements the Fusaka upgrade features such as proposer‑builder separation, block‑level access lists, and revised gas pricing. The upgrade is slated to go live on Sepolia at epoch 353,024 (slot 11,296,768) on October 6.
Read on Ethereum FoundationThe article explains the concept of a decentralized, cryptographic world computer that can run any program without a central authority. It highlights how this platform enables trustless applications and programmable money.
Read on Vitalik ButerinThe article reviews Ethereum Foundation’s 2026 “Strawmap” roadmap, which blends continued Layer‑2 support with upgrades to the base layer such as Glamsterdam and Hegotá to improve scalability, finality, privacy and quantum resistance. It highlights that execution risk is the main obstacle to achieving the roadmap’s goals.
Read on Fidelity Digital AssetsThe Ethereum Foundation announces its upcoming Reddit AMA on September 16, 2026, continuing a tradition of open technical Q&A sessions that began in 2019. The event will feature EF team members answering community questions about the protocol and recent developments.
Read on Ethereum FoundationThe article explains the concept of local mixing as a privacy technique for blockchain transactions, detailing how it works without relying on external mixers. It concludes that local mixing can improve anonymity but may introduce performance trade‑offs.
Read on Vitalik ButerinThe article examines the Diamond iO project’s approach to code obfuscation, detailing its technical mechanisms and potential implications for privacy. It concludes that while Diamond iO offers novel concealment features, it also raises concerns about auditability and security.
Read on Vitalik ButerinSummaries are written by COINMAG; the full reports belong to their publishers.