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Door Remote - 08 Oct 2026
Today in crypto, the US government moved more than $1 billion in Bitcoin linked to the Bitfinex hack, EU regulators gave crypto firms three months to end services involving non-compliant stablecoins and Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin urged the industry to take potential cryptographic threats from advances in AI seriously.
US moves another $1 billion in seized Bitcoin tied to Bitfinex hackThe US government transferred more than $1 billion in Bitcoin linked to the 2016 Bitfinex hack on Wednesday, just hours after moving another $770 million in seized BTC to Coinbase Prime.
According to blockchain data, a government-associated wallet transferred more than 12,267 BTC to an unidentified address. Arkham Research linked the sending wallet to Bitcoin recovered from the Bitfinex breach, which resulted in the theft of 119,756 BTC.
The transactions represent nearly $1.8 billion in Bitcoin movements within hours, although the purpose of the transfers remains unclear. Cointelegraph contacted the US Marshals Service and Department of Justice about the Coinbase Prime transactions but had not received a response.
The activity comes as Washington continues to develop its approach to government-held cryptocurrency. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March 2025 establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a separate digital asset stockpile, while lawmakers have since advanced legislation seeking to formalize the reserve.
Estimates put US government Bitcoin holdings at approximately 328,372 BTC in 2026, largely accumulated through criminal seizures and asset forfeitures.
ESMA gives crypto firms 3 months to exit non-compliant stablecoinsThe European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has urged EU crypto firms to stop providing services involving stablecoins that aren’t compliant with the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) framework, setting a three-month deadline to address existing exposures.
On Thursday, ESMA said national regulators should require companies to address remaining exposures to non-compliant stablecoins as soon as possible and no later than Jan. 8, 2027.
“Crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) authorised under MiCA should cease providing services related to non-MiCA-compliant stablecoins to clients in the European Union,” ESMA wrote.
The guidance covers MiCA-regulated crypto services, including trading platforms, exchange services, order execution, custody, transfers, investment advice and portfolio management.
The update expands on ESMA’s January 2025 guidance, which called for restrictions on trading and exchange services that involved non-compliant stablecoins.
Vitalik Buterin backs crypto ‘bunker mode’ amid rapid AI math advancesEthereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has backed a new warning that advances in artificial intelligence could undermine the cryptography used in today’s blockchains before quantum computers do.
Buterin was responding to a post from Ethereum researcher Justin Drake on Wednesday urging the industry to prepare for “bunker mode,” as AI could eventually make it possible to break the elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA) used to secure cryptocurrency wallets. Drake said users should begin a gradual migration of funds to fresh wallets where their public key is not exposed.
“I don’t recommend anyone scramble to move their funds to new wallets today,” Buterin wrote. “But we should take the risks to cryptography from AI-accelerated math seriously.”
Drake said his concerns came after OpenAI released hundreds of new mathematical findings across a variety of topics such as algebra, theoretical computer science and mathematical logic on Tuesday, revealing how quickly AI has been advancing in mathematics.
US moves another $1 billion in seized Bitcoin tied to Bitfinex hackThe US government transferred more than $1 billion in Bitcoin linked to the 2016 Bitfinex hack on Wednesday, just hours after moving another $770 million in seized BTC to Coinbase Prime.
According to blockchain data, a government-associated wallet transferred more than 12,267 BTC to an unidentified address. Arkham Research linked the sending wallet to Bitcoin recovered from the Bitfinex breach, which resulted in the theft of 119,756 BTC.
The transactions represent nearly $1.8 billion in Bitcoin movements within hours, although the purpose of the transfers remains unclear. Cointelegraph contacted the US Marshals Service and Department of Justice about the Coinbase Prime transactions but had not received a response.
The activity comes as Washington continues to develop its approach to government-held cryptocurrency. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March 2025 establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a separate digital asset stockpile, while lawmakers have since advanced legislation seeking to formalize the reserve.
Estimates put US government Bitcoin holdings at approximately 328,372 BTC in 2026, largely accumulated through criminal seizures and asset forfeitures.
ESMA gives crypto firms 3 months to exit non-compliant stablecoinsThe European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has urged EU crypto firms to stop providing services involving stablecoins that aren’t compliant with the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) framework, setting a three-month deadline to address existing exposures.
On Thursday, ESMA said national regulators should require companies to address remaining exposures to non-compliant stablecoins as soon as possible and no later than Jan. 8, 2027.
“Crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) authorised under MiCA should cease providing services related to non-MiCA-compliant stablecoins to clients in the European Union,” ESMA wrote.
The guidance covers MiCA-regulated crypto services, including trading platforms, exchange services, order execution, custody, transfers, investment advice and portfolio management.
The update expands on ESMA’s January 2025 guidance, which called for restrictions on trading and exchange services that involved non-compliant stablecoins.
Vitalik Buterin backs crypto ‘bunker mode’ amid rapid AI math advancesEthereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has backed a new warning that advances in artificial intelligence could undermine the cryptography used in today’s blockchains before quantum computers do.
Buterin was responding to a post from Ethereum researcher Justin Drake on Wednesday urging the industry to prepare for “bunker mode,” as AI could eventually make it possible to break the elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA) used to secure cryptocurrency wallets. Drake said users should begin a gradual migration of funds to fresh wallets where their public key is not exposed.
“I don’t recommend anyone scramble to move their funds to new wallets today,” Buterin wrote. “But we should take the risks to cryptography from AI-accelerated math seriously.”
Drake said his concerns came after OpenAI released hundreds of new mathematical findings across a variety of topics such as algebra, theoretical computer science and mathematical logic on Tuesday, revealing how quickly AI has been advancing in mathematics.