Crypto Pulse—Industry Perspectives

Bitcoin is back above $80,000, US stocks have rallied sharply, and oil prices have fallen following the US midterm elections. But why are markets recovering when Republicans have lost control of Congress, creating fresh obstacles for President Donald Trump's pro-crypto agenda?The market appears to be betting that the election setback will put more pressure on the Trump administration to de-escalate the conflict with Iran. Lower oil prices could ease inflationary pressure, reduce the need for fur

AI is reshaping how people create, distribute, and monetize digital content, enabling individuals to handle tasks that once required professional teams and substantial budgets.However, verifying ownership, managing licensing rights, and distributing revenue are becoming increasingly complex. These are the challenges KOR Protocol (KOR) aims to address.Built on Base, KOR Protocol combines blockchain, AI agents, and stablecoin payments to manage creative asset transactions on-chain, connecting crea

Hong Kong is accelerating the integration of traditional finance with blockchain technology as the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) advances its Project Ensemble pilot to support 24/7 settlement of tokenized transactions. Announced on November 2, 2026, the upgrade allows participating banks to settle tokenized deposit transactions using tokenized Central Bank Money (CeBM), removing the dependence on conventional banking operating hours for this settlement process.At the same time, HSBC's Hong

Ethereum is accelerating its efforts to protect the network against potential threats from quantum computers. Speaking at the opening ceremony of Devcon 8 in Mumbai on November 3, 2026, Justin Drake, a researcher at the Ethereum Foundation (EF), said he hoped Ethereum could complete its transition to post-quantum cryptography and strengthen its resilience against AI-related risks by December 2028.This target is one year earlier than the Ethereum Foundation's current roadmap, which sets December

Moscow Exchange (MOEX), Russia's largest stock exchange, plans to launch an organized cryptocurrency trading market on December 1, 2026, allowing investors to trade Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Tether (USDT) through its existing financial market infrastructure. The announcement, published on November 2, marks a new stage in Russia's efforts to integrate digital assets into its regulated financial system.The new market will operate using Moscow Exchange's existing trading technology, with tr

Sending money across borders is still a complicated process for many people. Traditional bank transfers can involve multiple intermediaries, additional fees, currency conversion costs, and delays. For businesses, these problems can also affect cash flow, especially when they need to pay international suppliers or receive payments from overseas customers.Blockchain technology has introduced new ways to move money through digital assets and stablecoins. However, its role is gradually expanding bey

Coverage period: Monday, October 26 to Sunday, November 1, 2026Three shocks landed inside about 48 hours last week. A hawkish Federal Reserve hold on Wednesday, October 28 set a nervous tone. Big Tech earnings then disappointed on Thursday, October 29 and Friday, October 30. And late on Thursday, Binance disclosed the largest crypto theft on record, roughly $6.3 billion. Bitcoin climbed to $81,882 on Wednesday, slid to $76,155 by Friday, and closed the week at $78,239, down 2.26%.This weekly cry

Initia halted its layer-1 network and connected rollups on October 23, 2026, at 15:41:30 UTC after detecting a security incident. The project later attributed the event to a vulnerability in its MoveVM implementation that allowed an attacker to create asset balances without valid backing.Bitquery’s transaction analysis estimates that the attacker created balances with a nominal value of approximately US$7.48 million. About US$2.73 million in real assets reportedly left bridge reserves. The two f

The Indonesia Stock Exchange, or IDX, scheduled an Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders for October 28, 2026, with an agenda that may open the way for demutualization. The meeting was expected to consider amendments to IDX's Articles of Association, the use of retained earnings through June 30, 2026, and the company's 2027 annual work plan and budget.Demutualization would change the relationship between ownership of IDX and membership of the exchange. Under the existing structure, excha

Bitcoin traded near $81,000 after the Federal Reserve maintained its target rate at 3.75% to 4.00%. MEXC's BTC/USD page showed a 24-hour range between $80,509.18 and $81,906.69 on October 29, 2026. The difference between the low and high was approximately $1,397.51, or 1.74%.The response was limited compared with the volatility that sometimes follows an FOMC decision. Bitcoin briefly approached $81,700, slipped below $80,500, and returned to the $81,000 area after the statement. The move suggest