SpendNode Podcast: Crypto News & Analysis

Schwab confirms H1 2026 launch for spot BTC and ETH trading through its bank unit, putting $11.9 trillion in client assets one click from crypto. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/charles-schwab-spot-crypto-trading-bitcoin-ethereum-12-trillion-brokerage-h1-2026/

Centralized exchange spot volume dropped to $986B in March 2026, the weakest month since early 2024. Fear & Greed sits at 29 as retail pulls back. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/spot-cex-volume-986-billion-march-2026-lowest-two-years-retail-fear/

Cambodia's National Assembly unanimously passed its first law targeting crypto-linked scam compounds, with penalties up to life imprisonment and an April 2026 eradication deadline. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/cambodia-passes-crypto-scam-compound-law-life-imprisonment-huione-enforcement/

The Trump administration filed federal lawsuits against Illinois, Arizona, and Connecticut, arguing prediction markets are derivatives, not gambling. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/doj-cftc-sue-illinois-arizona-connecticut-prediction-markets-kalshi-polymarket-federal-preemption/

Telegram's built-in wallet now offers perpetual futures trading across 50+ markets with up to 50x leverage, powered by Lighter DEX, reaching 150M users. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/telegram-wallet-perpetual-trading-lighter-50x-leverage-150-million-users/

The $285M Drift Protocol exploit is spreading across Solana DeFi. At least 20 protocols report exposure, with Prime Numbers Fi citing losses above $10M. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/drift-exploit-contagion-20-protocols-solana-defi-secondary-losses/

The IMF's new 23-page note argues tokenization reconfigures financial architecture, not just speeds it up. With $27.5B in tokenized RWAs, the risks are real. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/imf-tokenized-finance-structural-shift-27-billion-rwa-systemic-risk-tobias-adrian/

Todd Blanche, who dismantled the DOJ crypto enforcement team while holding crypto assets, is now interim Attorney General after Trump fired Pam Bondi. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/todd-blanche-interim-attorney-general-doj-crypto-enforcement-memo-bondi-fired/

Tether is pushing to finalize its fundraising at a $500B valuation after scaling back from $20B, with a KPMG audit and USAT launch backing its case. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/tether-final-push-close-fundraising-500-billion-valuation-kpmg-audit-usat/

Riot Platforms, Empery Digital, Genius Group, and Bhutan are all reducing their Bitcoin holdings. The corporate accumulation thesis is facing its first real stress test. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/bitcoin-treasury-boom-unwinding-companies-governments-selling-btc-riot-empery-bhutan/

The Drift Protocol attacker has converted nearly all $285M in stolen funds into 130,262 ETH, creating one of the largest concentrated positions on Ethereum. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/drift-protocol-exploiter-130000-eth-267-million-concentrated-position-market-impact/

Treasury's 87-page proposal sets a $10 billion threshold separating state and federal stablecoin oversight, with a 60-day comment window now open. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/us-treasury-genius-act-stablecoin-nprm-10-billion-state-federal-framework/

Japan's Metaplanet bought 5,075 BTC in a single purchase, pushing its total to 40,177 BTC and overtaking Marathon Digital for the #3 spot globally. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/metaplanet-buys-5075-bitcoin-40177-btc-third-largest-corporate-treasury-passes-mara/

Ripple launches Digital Asset Accounts and Unified Treasury, letting CFOs manage XRP and RLUSD alongside fiat in a single system built on GTreasury. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/ripple-treasury-xrp-rlusd-corporate-finance-gtreasury-cfo-dashboard/

Drift Protocol reveals the $280M Solana exploit relied on durable nonce pre-signed transactions and targeted social engineering, not a smart contract bug. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/drift-protocol-280-million-exploit-durable-nonce-social-engineering-solana-defi/

On-chain equity transfers reached $2.87B in March 2026, an 80% monthly surge driven by NYSE, Nasdaq, and Kraken partnerships pushing tokenized stocks mainstream. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/tokenized-stock-transfers-2-87-billion-march-2026-record-80-percent-growth-nyse-nasdaq/

A single trader lost $17.17M on Hyperliquid's BRENTOIL-USDC contract after Trump's Iran speech spiked crude prices, the second time in 30 days oil produced the largest individual liquidation on a crypto venue. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/oil-trader-17-million-liquidation-tokenized-crude-hyperliquid-brentoil-trump-iran/

Arizona's SB 1042 and SB 1649 are heading for final House votes, allowing 10% of public funds in crypto and a seized-asset reserve. Governor Hobbs vetoed all three prior attempts. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/arizona-bitcoin-reserve-bills-final-vote-sb-1042-sb-1649-hobbs-veto-history/

European crypto asset manager CoinShares begins trading on Nasdaq under ticker CSHR after a $1.2B SPAC merger with Vine Hill Capital. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/coinshares-nasdaq-spac-1-2-billion-vine-hill-cshr-european-crypto-etps/

Australia's Digital Assets Framework Act clears both houses, requiring crypto exchanges and custody providers to obtain financial services licenses within six months. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/australia-passes-digital-asset-framework-act-crypto-exchanges-afsl-licensing-24-billion/

Three crypto executives extradited from Singapore appeared in Oakland federal court as Operation Token Mirrors expands to four firms and 10 defendants. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/doj-charges-10-foreign-nationals-operation-token-mirrors-crypto-pump-dump-gotbit-contrarian/

Brent crude oil surged 60% in March 2026, the largest monthly gain since the futures contract launched in 1988. What the energy shock means for crypto in Q2. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/brent-crude-oil-60-percent-monthly-gain-record-1988-bitcoin-crypto-q2-inflation/

Better Money Company raised $10M from a16z crypto to build a stablecoin clearinghouse. USDT excluded under the Genius Act. Paxos, Bridge, and MoonPay onboard. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/better-money-company-stablecoin-clearinghouse-a16z-10-million-seed-genius-act/

Moody's assigns a Ba2 rating to New Hampshire's $100M Bitcoin-backed municipal bond, the first rated crypto-collateralized bond in US public finance history. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/new-hampshire-bitcoin-municipal-bond-moodys-ba2-rating-100-million-waverose-bitgo/

Phantom wallet now has a virtual Visa debit card for US users. Fund with CASH stablecoin at 1:1 USD, spend anywhere Visa is accepted, and withdraw via ACH. Read the full article: https://www.spendnode.io/blog/phantom-wallet-debit-card-visa-cash-stablecoin-us-bridge-lead-bank/