SpendNode Podcast: Crypto News & Analysis

BitMEX's roughly $1 billion sale process fell apart after potential buyers backed out, leaving one of crypto's oldest derivatives venues without a deal. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/bitmex-1-billion-sale-collapses-buyers-walk-away-august-2026/

A fresh exploit is draining merchant Lightning nodes on Bitcoin's payment layer, the latest hit to the infrastructure that settles instant BTC transactions. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/bitcoin-lightning-payment-servers-infrastructure-exploit-august-2026/

Backpack has added GTA6 publisher Take-Two Interactive to its tokenized stock lineup on Solana via Sunrise, months before the game's November release. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/take-two-tokenized-stock-solana-backpack-gta6-august-2026/

A Michigan federal judge refused to shield Coinbase from state action over its sports event contracts, ruling federal law does not override state jurisdiction. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/coinbase-michigan-state-crypto-enforcement-sports-contracts-august-2026/

A US court granted Bybit expedited discovery to trace funds from the $1.5B North Korea hack, opening account identities, balances, and transaction records. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/bybit-us-court-trace-15-billion-north-korea-hack-august-2026/

New XRP Ledger protocol amendments aim to support $530 million in tokenized Wall Street assets, positioning the network as an institutional settlement layer. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/xrp-ledger-amendments-530-million-tokenized-wall-street-assets-august-2026/

The US Treasury sanctioned two cryptocurrency exchanges accused of helping Iran's IRGC launder billions, escalating enforcement against sanctions-evasion rails. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/us-treasury-sanctions-crypto-exchanges-iran-irgc-august-2026/

Microsoft Threat Intelligence says attackers are storing malware instructions inside BNB Smart Chain smart contracts, a takedown-resistant technique that abuses public blockchains. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/microsoft-bnb-smart-chain-contracts-malware-delivery-august-2026/

Brazil's central bank will hold crypto transfers above $10,000 for up to 24 hours under new anti-fraud rules. What it means for users in Latin America's biggest market. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/brazil-central-bank-24-hour-delay-crypto-transfers-10000-august-2026/

Uphold has launched crypto-backed borrowing, letting users draw cash against BTC, ETH, XRP or USDC without selling. Terms and availability remain unconfirmed. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/uphold-crypto-backed-borrowing-btc-eth-xrp-usdc-august-2026/

Nexo's US COO says the lender is back in the United States, nearly three years after it exited. The open question for cardholders: does the Nexo Card return too? Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/nexo-returns-us-market-august-2026/

American Bitcoin closed Q2 with 8,002 BTC, yet 3,090 coins, 38.6% of the reserve, sit restricted under its Bitmain arrangement. The catch matters. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/american-bitcoin-8002-btc-reserve-bitmain-restricted-august-2026/

Chainalysis data shows violent crypto theft passed $30M in the first half of 2026, with France leading at 30 known attacks. The physical security threat is growing. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/violent-crypto-theft-30-million-h1-2026-chainalysis-august-2026/

Crypto market maker Wintermute has secured US broker-dealer status to trade equities and ETF blocks, one of the first crypto-native firms to cross into Wall Street. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/wintermute-sec-broker-dealer-license-equities-etf-august-2026/

Nasdaq-listed Eightco Holdings disclosed a $378M treasury holding 302M Worldcoin tokens, 16,278 ETH, and $90M in OpenAI equity. Here is the full breakdown. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/eightco-holdings-378m-treasury-worldcoin-eth-openai-august-2026/

Blockchain.com secured a full VASP custody license from the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, adding to recent MiCA and FCA approvals as regulators sign off. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/blockchain-com-cayman-vasp-custody-license-august-2026/

Japan's FSA and National Police Agency asked crypto exchanges to hold withdrawals after deposits, pre-register addresses, and cap limits to curb fraud. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/japan-fsa-crypto-withdrawal-delays-scams-august-2026/

Tether added 14 tonnes of gold in Q2 2026, lifting reserves to a record 146 tonnes worth about $18 billion. Here is what the buildup means for USDT holders. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/tether-record-146-tonnes-gold-reserves-august-2026/

The Senate pushed the CLARITY Act vote past its summer recess, leaving crypto's market-structure bill stalled for weeks and giving opponents like Elizabeth Warren more room to organize. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/senate-delays-clarity-act-vote-summer-recess-august-2026/

PowerCompute pledged 307 BTC against $18M in debt with no margin calls until September 2. Here is how the structure works and where the liquidation line sits. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/powercompute-18-million-bitcoin-loan-zero-margin-september-2026/

Uphold's new Exa Credit Card lets US users borrow against XRP collateral via Exactly Protocol and pick a payment plan. Live in select states. Here is what changes for cardholders. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/uphold-exa-credit-card-xrp-collateral-us-august-2026/

Bitcoin's upside implied volatility fell to a record 23%, per Glassnode. Traders have stopped pricing in a rally with BTC stuck near $64,400 in August 2026. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/bitcoin-implied-volatility-record-low-23-percent-august-2026/

Attackers behind the Coldcard firmware exploit sent 64 BTC and 200 ETH into Wasabi and Tornado Cash this week, laundering about $4.55M of a $100M haul. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/coldcard-hackers-launder-64-btc-200-eth-mixers-august-2026/

The Ethereum Foundation's Trillion Dollar Security initiative funded WEBCAT, a tool that lets browsers check a site's code matches what developers published. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/ethereum-foundation-webcat-browser-code-verification-august-2026/

S&P Global Ratings assigned BlackRock's tokenized money market fund BRSRV its highest AAAm principal stability rating, a first for an on-chain fund at this tier. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/blackrock-brsrv-tokenized-fund-sp-global-aaam-rating-august-2026/