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CME Announces 24/7 Trading on the Crypto Market

<p class="text-left mb-4 ">CME Group, one of the world's largest derivatives markets, has <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cme-group-to-launch-247-cryptocurrency-futures-and-options-trading-on-may-29-302692346.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="text-primary underline">announced</a> it will open regulated cryptocurrency futures and options contracts for trading 24/7. According to a statement shared via PR Newswire, the new system will go live on May 29th, following regulatory approval. Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equities, Foreign Exchange and Alternative Products at CME, stated that demand for risk management in the digital asset market has reached historic levels. McCourt noted that the total nominal volume of cryptocurrency futures and options products on CME will reach $3 trillion by 2025. This figure demonstrates the strengthening trend of institutional investors towards regulated and transparent products. CME management acknowledges that not every market is suitable for 24/7 trading; however, they emphasize that crypto assets, by their nature, are traded continuously. Therefore, continuous access will be provided to allow investors to manage their exposure in real-time and take positions against price movements that may occur over the weekend. </p><h2 class="text-left text-foreground text-3xl font-bold mb-3 mt-1">Starting May 29th</h2><p class="text-left mb-4 ">According to the new arrangement, CME Group's crypto futures and options contracts will be traded continuously on the CME Globex platform from 4:00 PM CT on Friday, May 29th. The system will remain open throughout the weekend, except for a minimum two-hour maintenance break. Transactions from Friday evening to Sunday evening will be recorded with the next business day's trading date. Clearing, settlement, and regulatory reporting will also be carried out on the following business day. This structure aims to maintain the regulatory and operational framework while offering continuous trading opportunities. </p><h2 class="text-left text-foreground text-3xl font-bold mb-3 mt-1">Record Increase in Volumes</h2><p class="text-left mb-4 ">CME's <a href="https://jrkripto.com/tr/analytics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="text-primary underline">crypto </a>products have also gained strong momentum in 2026. The average daily trading volume since the beginning of the year has reached 407,200 contracts; this represents a 46 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The average daily open interest has increased by 7 percent year-on-year to 335,400 contracts. In the futures market alone, the average daily volume reached 403,900 contracts, with a 47% year-on-year increase. The figures show that institutional participation is steadily increasing and the crypto derivatives market is evolving into a more mature structure. Institutional interest is deepening</p><p class="text-left mb-4 ">CME Group offers global benchmark products across many asset classes, including interest rates, equity indices, currencies, commodities, and crypto assets. The company conducts futures and options trading through CME Globex; operates BrokerTec for fixed income products and EBS for currencies. It also houses CME Clearing, one of the world's leading central clearing houses.</p><p class="text-left mb-4 ">The high volatility of crypto markets, even on weekends, poses a significant risk, especially for institutional investors. While the spot market is open 24/7, the fact that regulated derivative products are limited to certain hours can make risk management difficult. CME's move aims to eliminate the time gap between the traditional financial infrastructure and the trading dynamics of the crypto market. The 24/7 trading model, which will become operational on May 29th if regulatory approval is finalized, is seen as the beginning of a new era in the crypto derivatives market. This step, which facilitates institutional investors' access to digital assets, could also contribute to further deepening liquidity in regulated markets.</p>

19 Feb 2026

UAE Accumulated $455 Million in Assets from Bitcoin Mining

<p class="text-left mb-4 ">The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has generated approximately $455 million worth of Bitcoin through state-backed mining operations. According to data shared by the on-chain analytics platform Arkham, these operations, conducted through entities linked to the Abu Dhabi royal family, have made the country a prominent player in state-sponsored <a href="https://jrkripto.com/tr/coin/btc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="text-primary underline">Bitcoin </a>mining. Arkham's data, published on Thursday, shows that the UAE Royal Group holds a total of $453.6 million worth of Bitcoin in wallets linked to Citadel Mining. Unrealized profit from these assets, excluding energy costs, is approximately $344 million. In other words, the UAE has largely chosen to hold onto the Bitcoin it has generated to date, benefiting significantly from price increases. Data indicates that the country has generated an average of 4.2 BTC per day over the past seven days. According to on-chain records, the last fund outflow from these wallets occurred four months ago, suggesting that the UAE has adopted an accumulation-focused approach rather than a short-term selling strategy. The UAE's mining drive dates back to 2022. Citadel Mining, linked to the Abu Dhabi royal family, initiated the process by establishing large-scale operations on Al Reem Island. In 2023, US-based mining company Marathon Digital Holdings announced a joint venture with Abu Dhabi-based Zero Two to develop a 250-megawatt immersion-cooled mining facility. This step was recorded as one of the largest industrial crypto mining investments in the Middle East.</p><p class="text-left mb-4 "> <figure class="my-6"> <img src="https://minio-api-1.jrkripto.com/blog/ekran-g-r-nt-s-2026-02-19-163847-abc19b26.webp" alt="Ekran görüntüsü 2026-02-19 163847.png" width="auto" height="auto" class="w-full rounded-lg border" /> </figure> </p><h2 class="text-left text-foreground text-3xl font-bold mb-3 mt-1">Total value declined with price drop</h2><p class="text-left mb-4 ">Arkham had previously stated that the total amount of mining attributed to the UAE in August 2025 was around $700 million. At that time, the total value appeared to be on the rise due to higher Bitcoin prices. The platform reported that the UAE had produced approximately 9,300 BTC at that time and held 6,300 BTC. According to current data, the UAE Royal Group holds approximately 6,782 BTC. This amount corresponds to 0.03% of Bitcoin's total supply. The UAE is not the only sovereign actor mining Bitcoin. The Royal Government of Bhutan has also been mining Bitcoin since 2019 using its hydroelectric resources through its investment arm, Druk Holding & Investments. Having peaked at over 13,000 BTC, Bhutan began selling in early 2026. According to Arkham data, the country has sold approximately $29 million worth of Bitcoin in the last three weeks; total sales over the last five months have exceeded $100 million. Bhutan currently holds approximately 5,600 BTC. On the other hand, some countries have accumulated Bitcoin holdings through confiscation rather than mining. The US government ranks first among sovereign actors with 328,000 BTC. A significant portion of these assets were seized by the FBI in connection with the Bitfinex hack, the Silk Road operation, and the James Zhong case. The UK is second with approximately 61,000 BTC.</p>

19 Feb 2026

Societe Generale Selected XRP Ledger For Its EUR Stablecoin

<p class="text-left mb-4 ">Societe Generale-FORGE (SG-FORGE), the digital asset subsidiary of French banking giant Societe Generale, <a href="https://www.sgforge.com/sgf-coinvertible-on-the-xrp-ledger/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="text-primary underline">announced</a> the launch of its euro-backed stablecoin, EUR Coinvertible, on the XRP Ledger (XRPL). The announcement, made on February 18th, marks a new phase in the company's multi-chain strategy. SG-FORGE stated that EUR Coinvertible is now active on XRPL, emphasizing that the integration process was supported by Ripple's custody infrastructure. This provides the technical foundation for secure storage and institutional-standard use of the stablecoin.</p><p class="text-left mb-4 "> <figure class="my-6"> <img src="https://minio-api-1.jrkripto.com/blog/20260218-banner-forge-x-ripple-xrp-ledger-b3018906.webp" alt="20260218_Banner-Forge-x-Ripple-XRP-Ledger.webp" width="auto" height="auto" class="w-full rounded-lg border" /> </figure> </p><h2 class="text-left text-foreground text-3xl font-bold mb-3 mt-1">New step in multi-chain strategy</h2><p class="text-left mb-4 ">EUR Coinvertible was previously launched on the Ethereum and Solana networks. The XRPL integration strengthens SG-FORGE's strategy of having a presence on different blockchains. With this move, the company aims to both increase adoption and benefit from XRPL's scalability, speed, and low transaction costs. XRP Ledger has long stood out as a preferred layer-1 blockchain for financial institutions in cross-border payment solutions and tokenization projects.</p><p class="text-left mb-4 ">SG-FORGE CEO Jean-Marc Stenger, in his assessment following the launch, stated that the successful launch of XRPL reinforces the company's commitment to offering next-generation, regulated crypto assets. Stenger said they will continue to expand the scope of digital asset solutions in line with the principles of transparency, security, and scalability.</p><h2 class="text-left text-foreground text-3xl font-bold mb-3 mt-1">Ripple infrastructure and new use cases</h2><p class="text-left mb-4 ">One of the notable aspects of the integration was the custody solution provided by <a href="https://jrkripto.com/tr/coin/xrp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="text-primary underline">Ripple</a>. Cassie Craddock, Ripple's General Manager for the UK and Europe, stated that SG-FORGE is one of the leading institutions in the institutional crypto asset space in Europe. She noted that Ripple has long provided SG-FORGE with digital asset infrastructure and offers technology that meets the highest security and operational standards. According to the statements, EUR Coinvertible is not only being considered as a payment instrument, but also for integrated use in Ripple products and as trading collateral. This indicates that the stablecoin could play a more active role in derivative transactions and institutional trading platforms.</p><h2 class="text-left text-foreground text-3xl font-bold mb-3 mt-1">A wave of regulation-compliant stablecoins in Europe</h2><p class="text-left mb-4 ">EUR Coinvertible is positioned as a stablecoin pegged one-to-one to the euro and designed for institutional use. SG-FORGE emphasizes that the product has been developed in compliance with regulations and is structured to meet the needs of institutional investors in particular.</p><p class="text-left mb-4 ">With the clarification of the regulatory framework for digital assets in Europe, banking-based stablecoin projects have become more visible. The shift of traditional financial institutions towards blockchain-based assets is accelerating the institutionalization process of the market.</p><p class="text-left mb-4 ">XRPL integration expands the reach of EUR Coinvertible while also creating liquidity and use case diversity among different blockchain ecosystems. SG-FORGE's move indicates that European-based banks are preparing to take a more active role in stablecoin competition. In the coming period, EUR Coinvertible is expected to see increased use in various financial products, including collateral, payment instruments, and tokenization projects. The multi-chain approach provides flexibility for institutional players and could increase the weight of blockchain-based solutions in the European financial system.</p>

19 Feb 2026

A First in the US: Massive $188 Million Bitcoin-Backed Bond Sale

<p class="text-left mb-4 ">Crypto lending platform Ledn has made a notable financial move by issuing $188 million worth of Bitcoin-backed securities. According to Bloomberg, the transaction is seen as a significant milestone in the Bitcoin-backed asset-backed securities (ABS) space. The investment-grade tranche was priced 335 basis points above the benchmark interest rate.</p><h2 class="text-left text-foreground text-3xl font-bold mb-3 mt-1">$188 Million Sale with Bitcoin-Backed Bonds</h2><p class="text-left mb-4 ">Ledn's issuance is based directly on a pool of <a href="https://jrkripto.com/tr/coin/btc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="text-primary underline">Bitcoin</a>-backed consumer loans. According to the company, these bonds cover more than 5,400 individual loans, each secured by borrowers' Bitcoin assets. The weighted average interest rate on these loans is 11.8 percent.</p><p class="text-left mb-4 ">Asset-backed securities are fundamentally based on the principle of transferring cash flows from a loan pool to investors. This model has long been used in traditional financial markets. Ledn's transaction is considered a first in terms of applying this structure with Bitcoin-backed loans. The development also caught the attention of Matthew Sigel, head of VanEck's digital assets division.</p><p class="text-left mb-4 "> <figure class="my-6"> <img src="https://minio-api-1.jrkripto.com/blog/ekran-g-r-nt-s-2026-02-19-115359-90d6ccc2.webp" alt="Ekran görüntüsü 2026-02-19 115359.png" width="auto" height="auto" class="w-full rounded-lg border" /> </figure> </p><p class="text-left mb-4 ">According to Bloomberg, the issuance consists of two different bond tranches. One is positioned at investment grade, while credit rating agency S&P Global gave the majority of the bonds a BBB- rating. The BBB- level indicates the lowest rung of the investment grade category. This shows that the product's risk profile has not completely disappeared, but it remains within a certain acceptance threshold for institutional investors. Approximately 4,078.87 Bitcoins were pledged as collateral for the bonds. This amount is estimated to have a market value of approximately $356.9 million. The fact that the collateral value is significantly higher than the issuance amount stands out as an element aimed at increasing investor security. Another noteworthy aspect of the transaction is the automatic liquidation mechanism. If the Bitcoin price experiences sharp declines and falls below the determined threshold levels, the Bitcoins pledged as collateral are automatically liquidated. This structure aims to protect bond investors, especially during periods of high volatility. The volatility in Bitcoin's price in recent months has made the resilience of such structures more apparent. Bitcoin has fallen by as much as 50% in the last four months, dropping to levels around $60,000. At the time of publication, it was trading around $66,329. This price volatility makes risk management of Bitcoin-backed loan models even more critical. Ledn is known as a platform that offers its users the opportunity to borrow without selling their Bitcoins. Since its establishment, the company has reached billions of dollars in loan volume. The investment of stablecoin giant Tether in Ledn in November was also among the developments indicating an increase in demand for Bitcoin-backed loans in the sector. Jefferies Financial Group acted as the sole structuring agent and bookmaker during the bond issuance.</p>

19 Feb 2026

Arizona Makes a Crypto Move: Bill Including XRP and BTC Overcomes First Hurdle

<p class="text-left mb-4 ">Arizona has taken a significant step towards integrating digital assets into the public treasury. The Arizona Senate Finance Committee approved Bill SB1649, known as the <a href="https://legiscan.com/AZ/supplement/SB1649/id/668228" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="text-primary underline">"Digital Asset Reserve Fund Bill,"</a> by a 4-2 vote, moving it to the next stage. The bill will now go to the Senate Rules Committee and continue its legislative process.</p><p class="text-left mb-4 ">SB1649 envisions the establishment of a "Digital Asset Strategic Reserve Fund" to be managed by the state. This fund aims to hold certain crypto assets that come into the possession of Arizona authorities under a structured reserve system. Specifically, it is planned that digital assets that are seized, confiscated, or voluntarily transferred to the state will be collected under this new fund.</p><p class="text-left mb-4 ">The bill provides a clear framework for how digital assets will be stored and managed under state control. In this respect, Arizona is working on a model that shows that crypto assets can be addressed not only from the perspective of the private sector or individual investors, but also from a public finance perspective. </p><p class="text-left mb-4 "> <figure class="my-6"> <img src="https://minio-api-1.jrkripto.com/blog/ekran-g-r-nt-s-2026-02-18-170321-60af1c0a.webp" alt="Ekran görüntüsü 2026-02-18 170321.png" width="auto" height="auto" class="w-full rounded-lg border" /> </figure> </p><h2 class="text-left text-foreground text-3xl font-bold mb-3 mt-1">XRP Explicitly Defined as a Reserve Asset</h2><p class="text-left mb-4 ">One of the most striking elements of SB1649 is the explicit inclusion of <a href="https://jrkripto.com/tr/coin/xrp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="text-primary underline">XRP </a>among the eligible assets for the reserve. The bill clearly states that XRP and other eligible digital instruments can be held within the reserve in cases of state seizure or voluntary takeover.</p><p class="text-left mb-4 ">This explicit reference has symbolic significance in the crypto market, particularly for XRP. The mention of a specific token by name in a state-level legal document is considered a significant sign of institutional and public acceptance of digital assets.</p><p class="text-left mb-4 ">However, the bill focuses on how to manage assets already under state control, rather than initiating a new investment program. In other words, it aims not for Arizona to directly purchase crypto from the market, but rather to hold existing and future digital assets within an institutional framework.</p><h2 class="text-left text-foreground text-3xl font-bold mb-3 mt-1">Custody and Management Framework Defined</h2><p class="text-left mb-4 ">According to the bill, the management of the reserve fund will be given to the Arizona State Treasurer. The Treasurer will be responsible for the secure custody of digital assets and the management of the portfolio. However, this authority is not unlimited; There is a requirement to comply with a defined custody plan and regulated oversight solutions. The text states that tools such as regulated custody services and exchange-traded products can be used. Thus, the aim is to ensure the security of digital assets through regulated solutions. Not leaving control entirely to private platforms is a key element in terms of protecting public oversight.</p><p class="text-left mb-4 ">The bill does not directly replace Arizona's existing "Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act." Instead, it establishes a complementary structure for how digital assets held by public institutions will be stored.</p><h2 class="text-left text-foreground text-3xl font-bold mb-3 mt-1">The process will continue in the Senate and the House of Representatives</h2><p class="text-left mb-4 ">SB1649, which passed the Finance Committee with a 4-2 vote, will now be considered in the Senate plenary session. If it receives majority support there, it will be sent to the Arizona House of Representatives. Amendments to the bill may be proposed during the House stage.</p><p class="text-left mb-4 ">If the bill is enacted in its current form, Arizona could become one of the first US states to create a special reserve structure for seized or acquired crypto assets. The explicit designation of XRP as a reserve asset is seen as a development that could open this model up to debate on a national scale.</p>

18 Feb 2026

BTC, Altcoin

CME Announces 24/7 Trading on the Crypto Marketabout 7 hours ago

BTC

UAE Accumulated $455 Million in Assets from Bitcoin Miningabout 7 hours ago

Blockchain, Altcoin

Societe Generale Selected XRP Ledger For Its EUR Stablecoinabout 9 hours ago

BTC

A First in the US: Massive $188 Million Bitcoin-Backed Bond Saleabout 12 hours ago

Regulation, BTC, Altcoin

Arizona Makes a Crypto Move: Bill Including XRP and BTC Overcomes First Hurdle1 day ago

BTC, Altcoin

CME Announces 24/7 Trading on the Crypto Marketabout 7 hours ago

BTC

UAE Accumulated $455 Million in Assets from Bitcoin Miningabout 7 hours ago

Blockchain, Altcoin

Societe Generale Selected XRP Ledger For Its EUR Stablecoinabout 9 hours ago

BTC

A First in the US: Massive $188 Million Bitcoin-Backed Bond Saleabout 12 hours ago

Regulation, BTC, Altcoin

Arizona Makes a Crypto Move: Bill Including XRP and BTC Overcomes First Hurdle1 day ago

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