Cryptocurrency exchange Binance confirmed it has finished converting its emergency protection fund entirely into Bitcoin after additional purchases this week.
The company acquired another $304 million worth of Bitcoin, bringing the Secure Asset Fund for Users holdings to approximately 15,000 BTC.
The coins were accumulated at an average cost basis near $67,000 per token according to company statements.
“With SAFU Fund now fully in Bitcoin, we reinforce our belief in BTC as the premier long-term reserve asset.”
The final acquisition occurred only three days after a previous $300 million purchase, completing the planned conversion far earlier than the 30-day target window.
Binance said it will rebalance the fund if volatility reduces its value below $800 million.
Market Sentiment Remains Extremely Weak
The move comes during a period of negative crypto sentiment following a recent correction that briefly pushed Bitcoin below $60,000.
The market fear and greed indicator dropped to five, the lowest reading ever recorded and a sign of extreme investor caution.
Data shows large traders identified as smart money currently hold significant net short positions across major cryptocurrencies.
Only Avalanche displayed meaningful net long exposure among leading tokens tracked in derivatives markets.
Glassnode data indicated the downturn forced a large portion of Bitcoin supply into unrealized losses, echoing stress levels seen during the Terra collapse in 2022.
Early Stabilization Signals Appear
Despite pessimistic positioning, analysts see tentative signs the market structure may be stabilizing rather than entering a deeper decline.
Derivative funding rates have turned neutral to slightly negative, suggesting leverage demand has cooled considerably.
Open interest measured in Bitcoin terms has returned to early-month levels instead of expanding rapidly.
Researchers interpret this as consolidation rather than renewed speculative expansion in the short term.
Binance’s decision to hold reserves in Bitcoin therefore reflects confidence in long-term value despite short-term volatility pressures.
For many Americans who fall victim to financial fraud, the nightmare does not end when their money disappears.
In recent years, cybercriminal networks have developed a disturbing second-phase strategy: impersonating the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Treasury, and other tax authorities to extort even more money from people who have already been scammed.
After victims lose funds through cryptocurrency fraud, fake investment platforms, romance scams, phishing attacks, or fraudulent trading schemes, they are often contacted again — this time by someone claiming to represent the government.
The message is designed to terrify.
You owe taxes on recovered or frozen funds.
Your account is under IRS investigation.
A tax fee must be paid to release your money.
Legal action or arrest is imminent.
The criminals rely on fear, urgency, and the authority associated with federal agencies to push victims into sending additional payments.
And for many already emotionally and financially drained individuals, the tactic works.
A Growing Organized Crime Playbook
According to blockchain forensic analysts and cybercrime investigators, fake IRS claims have become one of the most effective post-scam manipulation techniques used by organized criminal networks.
These messages typically arrive through:
• Phishing emails designed to look like official IRS notices
• Urgent text messages about tax debt, audits, or refunds
• Threatening phone calls from fake “IRS agents”
• Physical letters using IRS logos and government-style language
The goal is simple: extract more money from people who are already vulnerable.
Criminals may demand payment in cryptocurrency, gift cards, wire transfers, or through fraudulent payment portals — methods that are difficult to trace and almost impossible to reverse.
In reality, the IRS does not:
• Demand immediate payment by phone, text, or email
• Threaten arrest or legal action without formal written notice
• Request payments through gift cards, crypto, or wire transfers
• Send links asking for personal or financial information
Yet every year, thousands of victims fall for these follow-up scams, losing millions more.
Why Victims Are Especially Vulnerable
Psychologists and fraud analysts point out that once someone has been scammed, they often experience:
• Shock and panic
• A strong desire to recover their money
• Shame that prevents them from seeking help
• Heightened fear of legal consequences
Criminals exploit these emotions.
By pretending to be tax authorities or recovery officials, scammers position themselves as the final gatekeepers standing between victims and their lost funds — or between victims and supposed prosecution.
This emotional pressure makes rational decision-making extremely difficult.
“Scammers don’t just steal money,” explains Bezalel Eithan Raviv, CEO and Founder of Lionsgate Network, a blockchain forensics and fraud recovery firm.
“They hijack fear, authority, and hope. The IRS impersonation phase is designed to keep victims trapped in a financial and psychological spiral.”
The Role of Reporting: A Critical Defense Line
Federal agencies stress that reporting fake IRS communications is one of the most effective ways to disrupt scam operations.
Each report helps:
• Identify large-scale phishing campaigns
• Shut down scam infrastructure faster
• Track organized crime networks
• Alert the public to emerging tactics
• Support law enforcement investigations
Victims and recipients of suspicious IRS-related messages can report them directly through the official IRS fraud reporting system.
Common reporting steps include:
For fake IRS emails:
Do not click links or download attachments. Forward the full email to [email protected] and include IRS in the subject line.
For fake IRS text messages:
Take a screenshot or copy the message. Email it to [email protected] along with the sending phone number.
For fake IRS phone calls:
Hang up immediately. Note the number if possible and report it through the IRS fraud reporting page or the Treasury Inspector General.
For suspicious IRS letters:
Compare with official IRS notices and report questionable mail through IRS fraud channels.
While reporting doesn’t guarantee recovered funds, it plays a crucial role in stopping future victims from being targeted.
Where Technology Meets Recovery: Lionsgate Network’s Approach
As scams grow more complex and increasingly linked to organized crime, traditional reporting alone is no longer enough.
This is where blockchain forensics firms like Lionsgate Network have become a critical part of the modern fraud-fighting ecosystem.
Lionsgate Network specializes in crypto recovery services by tracing stolen cryptocurrency and digital funds across blockchains, uncovering wallet clusters, identifying linked exchanges, and producing subpoena-ready forensic reports used by law enforcement agencies.
But beyond recovery, the company has increasingly focused on stopping secondary scams — including fake IRS impersonation schemes — by educating victims, verifying claims, and flagging fraudulent follow-ups before more money is lost.
“Our investigations show that many scam victims lose additional funds after the initial fraud,” Raviv explains.
“The fake IRS phase is one of the most damaging because it feels official. Our role is to break that illusion with data, verification, and real forensic intelligence.”
Through its free preliminary analysis and ongoing forensic support, Lionsgate Network helps victims:
• Verify whether claims about frozen or recovered funds are real
• Trace where stolen assets actually moved
• Identify scam infrastructure and linked entities
• Support law enforcement escalation with concrete evidence
• Avoid falling into post-scam manipulation traps
By combining blockchain tracing with open-source intelligence and investigative techniques, the firm acts as a bridge between victims and authorities navigating the complex digital crime landscape.
The Bigger Picture: Financial Fraud as a National Security Issue
Experts increasingly warn that financial fraud is no longer just a consumer protection problem.
Organized scam networks often overlap with money laundering operations, cybercrime rings, and in some cases, groups linked to international criminal organizations.
The billions lost each year through scams — and through secondary tactics like fake IRS impersonation — help fund further criminal activity worldwide.
“This is financial warfare against everyday people,” Raviv says.
“And every successful scam funds the next one.”
Staying Safe in an Era of Digital Deception
As scammers continue refining their strategies, awareness remains one of the strongest defenses.
Key red flags include:
• Urgent threats demanding immediate payment
• Requests for payment through crypto, gift cards, or wire transfers
• Messages claiming funds are frozen and require fees to release
• Unsolicited IRS communications via phone, text, or email
When in doubt, individuals should pause, verify claims independently, and consult trusted professionals or official government channels.
A New Reality — And a Growing Response
The rise of fake IRS impersonation scams highlights how financial fraud has evolved into a multi-stage operation designed to extract as much money as possible from victims.
But it also underscores the growing response — from federal agencies improving reporting systems to forensic firms like Lionsgate Network bringing advanced investigative tools into the fight.
For victims, the most important step is knowing they are not alone — and that real solutions exist.
Reporting scams helps protect others.
Verification prevents further losses.
Forensic intelligence creates accountability.
In an age where criminals blend technology, psychology, and authority to deceive, the battle against financial fraud is becoming smarter, faster, and more coordinated.
And for many victims, that shift is offering something they thought they’d lost forever: control.
A UK platform-testing firm reveals the real cost of trading on Britain’s most popular investment apps — and it’s not what the marketing says.
Key Points
- The gap between advertised and actual trading costs on UK platforms can exceed 300% when spreads, FX fees, and withdrawal charges are included.
- Customer service response times during testing ranged from 2 minutes to over 72 hours across major FCA-regulated brokers.
- Platform outages during high-volatility events cost retail investors real money, yet most comparison sites never test for them.
The problem with how broker reviews work
Most broker comparison websites in the UK operate on a familiar model: they read a platform’s marketing page, rewrite the feature list, and publish a review. Some never open an account. Others rely entirely on AI-generated summaries of publicly available information.
This is a problem for millions of UK retail investors who rely on these comparisons to decide where to put their money. According to the Financial Conduct Authority’s 2024 Financial Lives survey, 11 million adults in the UK now hold investment products outside of pensions, and the majority of first-time investors begin by searching online for platform recommendations.
TIC Investments Ltd, a UK company registered at Companies House under number 15242358, was founded in 2023 to address this gap. Operating as The Investors Centre through its website theinvestorscentre.co.uk, the firm takes a different approach: every platform is tested with real money before it appears in a review. The company does not provide financial advice, manage funds, or operate as a broker — it functions purely as an independent editorial testing and comparison service.
Over the past two years, co-founders Thomas Drury, Adam Woodhead, and Dom Farnell have opened funded accounts across more than 50 UK brokerages, depositing over £25,000 of their own capital to evaluate what happens after a retail investor clicks “Sign Up.”
What the testing actually revealed
The findings expose a consistent disconnect between what platforms advertise and what users experience.
Spread markups on popular CFD platforms varied by as much as 300% from their advertised “typical” figures during periods of moderate volatility. Several brokers that marketed “commission-free” stock trading applied foreign exchange conversion fees of up to 1.5% on every transaction involving non-GBP-denominated shares — a cost that compounds significantly for investors building globally diversified portfolios.
Withdrawal timescales proved equally inconsistent. While the majority of FCA-regulated platforms processed withdrawal requests within 1 to 3 business days, two well-known brokers took over a week during the testing period, with no proactive communication about delays. One platform required a phone call to its support line before a pending withdrawal would be processed — a friction point that appeared nowhere in its published terms.
Customer service testing produced some of the starkest contrasts. Response times to identical support queries ranged from under 2 minutes via live chat on the best-performing platforms to over 72 hours via email on the worst. Several platforms that prominently advertise telephone support routed callers to automated systems with no option to reach a human operator.
The platforms that failed outright
Not every platform made it through the testing process. The Investors Centre has rejected commercial partnerships with more than 20 platforms since launching, primarily for operating without appropriate FCA authorisation, obscuring fee structures behind complex terms, or blocking test withdrawals.
These rejections carry a financial cost for the business, which is funded through affiliate referral fees from the platforms it does recommend. However, the firm maintains what it calls a “No-Buy” policy: if a broker fails its security and transparency checks, it does not appear in its published rankings regardless of the commercial terms on offer.
It is worth noting that The Investors Centre (TIC Investments Ltd, Companies House number 15242358) is entirely distinct from “The Investment Center,” a separate and unrelated entity that appears on the FCA’s warning list of unauthorised firms. The two organisations share no business, legal, or operational connection. The Investors Centre is a registered UK company that publishes editorial comparison content — it does not solicit investments, manage client money, or provide regulated financial advice.
Why this matters for retail investors
The UK retail investment market has grown rapidly since the pandemic, driven by the proliferation of low-cost trading apps and fractional share investing. But this growth has outpaced the infrastructure that helps consumers make informed decisions about which platforms to trust.
The FCA’s Consumer Duty, which took full effect in July 2024, places new obligations on financial services firms to deliver good outcomes for retail customers, including on price, value, and communications. While these rules apply directly to brokers, they have also increased scrutiny on the information ecosystem that surrounds platform selection.
Independent, hands-on testing of the kind carried out by firms like The Investors Centre represents one approach to bridging the gap between marketing claims and real-world user experience. For investors evaluating platforms, the key takeaway from the testing data is straightforward: advertised costs are not actual costs, and the only reliable way to evaluate a platform is to use it with real money under real market conditions before committing significant capital.
TIC Investments Ltd trades as The Investors Centre and is registered in England and Wales (company number 15242358). The company operates theinvestorscentre.co.uk for UK investors and theinvestorscentre.com for international readers. The Investors Centre does not provide financial advice. All content published by the firm is for educational and informational purposes only.
Converting messy data into logical roadmaps prevents expensive operational errors. Teams working with clear maps move faster and align strategies with precision. Review the four platforms leading the market for visual collaboration.
Running a company today often feels like assembling a puzzle while pieces constantly change shape. Vague ideas rarely survive execution without solid plans. Visual schematics alter the energy in meetings completely. When everyone stares at one visual layout, hidden flaws appear instantly. You stop guessing and start fixing. Visual collaboration tools have moved past simple flowcharts to become the central nervous system for modern decisions. They provide clarity to keep projects on track when chaos tries taking over.
1. Miro transforms collaboration through intelligent diagramming
Miro currently draws the most attention by serving a massive user base refusing to wait for slow diagramming software. Messy scribbles turn into structured layouts on the same screen. Moving from a rough concept to a final spec requires zero context switching. Brainstorming sessions morph into detailed technical documents within one infinite canvas. Over 3,000 specific shapes cater to every technical need, from AWS architecture to Kubernetes clusters. Marketing directors finally grasp developer talk because visual language bridges gaps. Technical barriers often separate teams, but visualizing links highlights exactly where projects might break.
According to a 2025 research report, diagramming software markets are projected to grow from $1 billion in 2024 to $1.13 billion in 2025, driven by a demand for automation in documentation. Connecting with over 250 other applications allows Miro to fit into established workflows without headaches. Templates save massive amounts of time. You get frameworks for everything from data flow models to customer journey maps immediately. Robots handle the grunt work so you can actually think about the plan. Seeing your cloud setup visually makes it obvious where money is leaking. Process maps become clear enough that even marketing or sales teams can spot errors.
2. Lucidchart delivers enterprise-grade control and compliance
Big organizations usually head straight for Lucidchart because it handles permissions better than most. Designed for heavy hitters, it uses conditional formatting to update visuals instantly when data changes. Version control stops inevitable arguments when three departments edit the same file. Deep ties to Atlassian products make it a default choice for engineering squads living in Jira. Industries obsessing over security appreciate SOC 2 compliance and strict data residency options. Banks and healthcare providers view these features as non-negotiable.
Automation features are lighter compared to flashier rivals, but stability is unmatched. Pricing gets steep as you add seats. For companies needing a fortress around data, costs make sense. It provides a structured environment where compliance acts as a priority. You get peace of mind knowing proprietary workflows stay private. Large-scale deployment is where this platform really flexes muscles.
3. Microsoft Visio provides reliability for Windows-centric organizations
Decades of development make Visio a staple for companies running on Microsoft. Office 365 links let you push diagrams into presentations without formatting headaches. IT departments often stick around simply because they have decades of files saved in this format. Standard libraries cover every basic IT component you could need. New employees usually figure it out quickly since the interface hasn’t changed much.
Co-authoring arrived late here and still feels heavy compared to browser-native apps. Speed is not the selling point. It survives because it is predictable. Sticking with what works often beats learning a new system. It handles solo drafting tasks perfectly well. For businesses that resist change, staying with a known quantity often outweighs benefits of switching. It remains a reliable workhorse for drafting distinct, technical diagrams not requiring constant team input.
4. Draw.io offers accessible entry points for budget-conscious teams
Teams with zero budget usually start here. Paying nothing removes the friction of getting approval. It runs in any browser, so nobody wastes time on installations. You own the files and decide where they live. Keeping expenses at zero helps new companies survive longer. Saving files directly to Google Drive or local storage keeps you in control of data. Startups love this because it keeps burn rates low during fragile early days.
Collaboration relies on sharing files back and forth rather than editing together live. It slows down iteration loops slightly. For straightforward tasks, it works perfectly fine. Sometimes you do not need a Ferrari to visit a grocery store. It handles jobs without adding unnecessary complexity. A solid choice for teams valuing utility over flash, Draw.io provides adequate functionality for standard visualization needs without enterprise price tags.
Making strategic choices for visual collaboration
Choosing a platform demands honest looks at actual requirements. Research from 2025 indicates diagramming markets are expanding rapidly as teams hunt for automation. IT spending has hit growth rates not seen since dot-com booms. Companies pour money into infrastructure to stay competitive. Gartner suggests half of all business decisions will soon involve automated intelligence. Deloitte notes automation eating up huge chunks of digital budgets. Efficiency is a new gold standard.
Gartner predicts that by 2027, 50% of business decisions will be augmented or automated by AI agents for decision intelligence. Leaders must “read the table” with absolute precision to avoid disaster. Spotting bottlenecks feels like identifying a bluff before you commit your chips. Visualizing a “decision tree” helps you identify resource gaps (like a low chip count) before they ruin your quarterly goals. Creating documentation by hand burns creative energy better spent elsewhere. How many bad bets can your budget handle? Organizations now treat diagrams as active assets. Automated updates ensure documentation never falls behind.
When it comes to creating a memorable dining experience, food and service often get all the credit. But there’s another ingredient working quietly in the background: music.
Restaurants that take the time to build thoughtful music programs often find that the right soundtrack enhances not only ambiance but also guest satisfaction, staff energy, and brand cohesion. Approaching music for your restaurant with the same care as your menu or interiors can make a noticeable difference.
The Science of Sound: How Music Influences Dining
Multiple studies have shown that music isn’t just decorative, it directly shapes our behavior at the table. Researchers have found that background music can influence how food tastes, how much people eat, and how long they linger. For instance, slower tempos have been linked to increased time spent dining, while louder music may suppress appetite or lead to faster eating.
Tempo, volume, and genre each influence different aspects of the dining experience. A low-key jazz playlist might encourage a relaxed pace ideal for multi-course meals. Upbeat pop tracks, on the other hand, can energize a lunchtime crowd and support faster service turnover.
The takeaway? The soundscape of a restaurant affects more than ambiance, it shapes guest behavior in measurable ways.
Setting the Mood: Matching Playlists with Brand Identity
Your playlist should be more than an afterthought, it’s part of your overall brand experience. The sound of your restaurant communicates just as clearly as your menu, décor, and service style. Music creates context and contributes to first impressions, guiding how guests perceive your space from the moment they walk in.
If your restaurant emphasizes fresh, locally sourced food, an acoustic or lo-fi playlist may support that handcrafted, intentional feel. A contemporary Asian eatery might lean toward ambient or electronic music that complements a sleek, modern look. Meanwhile, a family-friendly restaurant could choose upbeat and familiar tracks that help guests feel relaxed and welcome.
The key is alignment. When music matches the personality of the brand, everything feels more cohesive. It enhances the story you’re telling through food, service, and design. Ignoring this piece of the experience can leave a gap that guests may not consciously identify but still feel.
Appetite and Ambiance: How Music Shapes Guest Behavior
Music doesn’t just create mood, it shapes guest behavior. Softer, slower playlists can support longer meals in fine dining settings, encouraging guests to settle in and enjoy multiple courses. This can increase both satisfaction and average spend.
In contrast, fast-casual environments often benefit from more energetic playlists. Lively music helps keep the pace up, speeds up table turnover during busy periods, and contributes to a vibrant, upbeat environment. Restaurant owners who have implemented tailored music have reported smoother service, more engaged teams, and positive guest feedback.
Case Studies: From Fast-Casual to Fine Dining
Fast-Casual Concepts
A busy lunch-focused café began playing high-tempo playlists during peak hours. This not only encouraged faster movement through queues but also kept employee energy high. During quieter times, the playlist shifted to more relaxed tunes, inviting guests to stay longer and boosting mid-afternoon traffic.
Fine Dining Destinations
A fine dining venue introduced curated jazz and classical playlists to complement its elegant setting. Staff noted that guests took more time with their meals, lingered between courses, and gave more positive feedback about the overall experience. The carefully selected music created a calm and polished environment that matched the tone of the cuisine and service.
Brand Consistency Across Locations
For restaurants with multiple locations, keeping the music consistent is important for brand recognition. Modern tools allow teams to manage playlists centrally while still adjusting for local preferences or time-of-day differences. This ensures guests experience the same atmosphere no matter which location they visit.
Practical Tips: Curating Your Restaurant’s Soundtrack
For restaurant owners and managers looking to build an effective music program, here are a few steps to consider:
- Define your audience and desired ambiance: Are you aiming for relaxed or energetic? Sophisticated or casual?
- Select genres and tempos that match your brand and service style: For example, classical for fine dining, indie rock for a trendy café.
- Adapt playlists based on the time of day: Mellow in the mornings, upbeat for dinner rush, calm for closing hours.
- Keep things fresh: Regularly update your playlists to avoid repetition and align with seasonal changes.
- Use properly licensed music: Ensure you are playing music that is cleared for business use to avoid legal issues.
Legal Compliance: Why Proper Licensing Matters
Using personal streaming accounts or consumer music services in a commercial setting can result in licensing problems. Music played in public spaces must be cleared for business use, and relying on individual accounts or free streaming apps may put your business at risk.
Working with a service that handles music licensing simplifies compliance and removes uncertainty. It also gives you access to tools like scheduling features, centralized control, and music that’s curated with professional settings in mind.
Why Music Deserves a Place at the Table
Music is one of the most effective tools for shaping a restaurant’s atmosphere. It can soothe or energize, encourage guests to linger or move along, and subtly reinforce your brand without a single word. When used intentionally, it becomes part of the guest experience, helping your restaurant feel more complete and memorable.
If you’ve overlooked the role of sound in your space, now is the time to reconsider. Music for your restaurant isn’t just a finishing touch, it’s part of the foundation. A well-curated, fully compliant playlist can elevate your concept, connect with your guests, and help you build a consistent, enjoyable dining experience from the first note to the last bite.
Bitcoin moved back above the $71,000 mark on Monday, recovering from recent weakness as market sentiment indicators across the cryptocurrency sector plunged to their most pessimistic readings on record.
The rebound followed a sharp deterioration in trader confidence, with several sentiment gauges flashing levels historically associated with panic-driven selling and potential short-term price stabilization across risk assets.
While some analysts believe extreme fear conditions could help Bitcoin defend its yearly lows near $60,000, others remain cautious, warning that fragile market structure may still expose prices to further declines.
Oversold Signals Point To Potential Relief Rally
MN Capital founder Michaël van de Poppe said Bitcoin is displaying sentiment and momentum readings that have previously coincided with major market bottoms during past downturns.
He noted that the Crypto Fear & Greed Index dropped as low as 5 over the weekend, with the final recorded reading at 7, marking the lowest sentiment level ever observed.
Van de Poppe added that Bitcoin’s daily relative strength index has fallen to 15, signaling deeply oversold conditions not seen since the 2018 bear market and the March 2020 pandemic crash.
Such conditions, he argued, may allow Bitcoin to stage a recovery phase rather than immediately retesting the $60,000 level, provided selling pressure begins to ease in the coming sessions.
Liquidation Data Suggests Upside Pressure
Data from CoinGlass appears to support the possibility of a short-term rebound, showing a significant imbalance between potential upside and downside liquidations in the derivatives market.
More than $5.45 billion in cumulative short liquidations sit above current prices if Bitcoin rises by roughly $10,000, compared with around $2.4 billion in liquidations near $60,000.
This disparity suggests that any upward move could force short sellers to close positions rapidly, potentially amplifying price gains through a cascade of liquidations and momentum-driven buying.
Structural Weakness Keeps Risks Elevated
Despite improving sentiment indicators, broader market structure remains fragile, with CryptoQuant data showing Bitcoin trading well below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
The price remains far beneath these long-term trend levels, reflecting a corrective repricing phase rather than a confirmed trend reversal following the earlier rally.
CryptoQuant’s Price Z-Score is also negative at minus 1.6, indicating Bitcoin is trading below its statistical mean, a condition often linked to prolonged consolidation periods.
Analyst Darkfost highlighted growing selling dominance in derivatives markets, noting sharply negative monthly net taker volume and declining buy-sell ratios on major exchanges.
Adding longer-term caution, investor Jelle observed that prior Bitcoin bear market bottoms often formed below the 0.618 Fibonacci retracement, which currently sits near $57,000.
Bitcoin’s move below the $70,000 level is being interpreted very differently by long-term holders and institutional investors, according to Bitwise chief executive Hunter Horsley.
Contrasting Investor Reactions
“I think long-time holders are feeling unsure, and I think the new investor set, institutions are sort of getting a new crack at the apple,” Horsley said in an interview on Friday.
Horsley added that institutional buyers are “seeing prices they thought that they’d forever missed,” reflecting renewed interest after recent market weakness.
Only months earlier, expectations had been far more bullish, with predictions that Bitcoin would not revisit significantly lower levels.
Macro Pressures Weigh On Markets
Horsley acknowledged that Bitcoin’s recent decline has occurred during a period of increasing regulatory clarity and expanding institutional participation.
Bitcoin has fallen more than 22% over the past month, trading around $69,635 at the time of reporting, amid broad-based selling across liquid assets.
He described the current environment as a bear market, saying Bitcoin is “getting swept up” alongside other macro-sensitive investments.
“In the present moment, it is mostly trading with other liquid assets,” Horsley said.
Broader Asset Weakness
The pullback has not been limited to cryptocurrencies, with gold and silver also retreating sharply from recent highs amid tighter financial conditions.
These moves have reinforced the perception that investors are reducing exposure to risk and liquidity wherever possible.
Institutional Demand Remains Firm
Despite price volatility, Horsley stressed that institutional demand for Bitcoin remains strong, supported by consistent inflows into managed products.
He noted that Bitwise oversees more than $15 billion in institutional assets and recorded over $100 million in inflows on a single day during recent trading.
“There’s a lot of volume, and there are sellers and buyers,” Horsley said, pointing to active two-way participation in the market.
Retail curiosity has also surged, with online search interest spiking as prices revisited levels not seen since late 2024.
Tether has frozen more than half a billion dollars in cryptocurrency after receiving formal requests from Turkish law enforcement authorities investigating a large-scale illegal betting and money-laundering operation.
The move follows an announcement by prosecutors in Istanbul confirming the seizure of approximately €460 million in assets linked to Veysel Sahin, who is accused of running unlawful online gambling platforms.
While officials initially declined to identify the crypto issuer involved, Tether later confirmed it had blocked the funds tied to the investigation at the request of authorities.
Tether Confirms Cooperation With Law Enforcement
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said the company acted after reviewing information supplied by law enforcement agencies, stressing that compliance with local and international laws remains a core part of its operations.
“Law enforcement came to us, they provided some information, we looked at the information and we acted in respect of the laws of the country,” Ardoino reportedly said.
“And that’s what we do when we work with the DOJ, when we work with the FBI, you name it,” he added, highlighting the firm’s broader cooperation with regulators worldwide.
Growing Crackdown On Underground Finance
The Turkish investigation forms part of a wider effort to dismantle underground gambling and payment networks, with authorities reporting more than $1 billion in assets seized through related probes.
Analysts note that stablecoins are increasingly being scrutinised due to their use in cross-border transactions that can bypass traditional banking oversight mechanisms.
Stablecoin Blacklisting On The Rise
Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic has reported that stablecoin issuers, primarily Tether and Circle, had blacklisted roughly 5,700 wallets by late 2025.
Those frozen wallets were estimated to contain around $2.5 billion, with approximately three-quarters holding USDT at the time restrictions were imposed.
Tether has stated that it has assisted in more than 1,800 investigations across 62 countries, resulting in $3.4 billion in frozen USDT linked to alleged criminal activity.
Market Growth Continues Despite Scrutiny
Despite ongoing regulatory pressure, USDT continues to grow rapidly, reaching a record market capitalisation of $187.3 billion during the fourth quarter of 2025.
Network activity has also surged, with monthly active wallets climbing to nearly 25 million and quarterly transfer volumes hitting $4.4 trillion across billions of transactions.
Bitcoin has fallen more than 22.5% over the past week, dropping toward the $69,000 level and erasing gains accumulated over roughly fifteen months of upward price momentum.
Veteran trader Peter Brandt believes the decline reflects what he describes as “campaign selling,” suggesting large institutions are deliberately distributing holdings rather than retail investors panic selling positions.
Miners And ETFs Reduce Exposure As Selling Intensifies
Brandt observed that the price structure shows a consistent pattern of lower highs and lower lows, with little evidence of meaningful rebounds that would normally indicate dip-buying activity.
On-chain data supports this interpretation, with Bitcoin miners shifting into sustained net distribution throughout January as they sent increasing volumes of BTC onto the market.
At the same time, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have reduced their holdings, with total balances declining from 1.29 million BTC at the start of the year to around 1.27 million BTC.
The Coinbase premium, often used as a proxy for institutional interest, has also dropped to yearly lows, reinforcing the idea that large buyers are stepping back rather than stepping in.
Technical Signals Point Toward Additional Weakness
Based on Brandt’s analysis, Bitcoin could fall another 10% toward a bear flag target near $63,800 if current selling dynamics continue without interruption.
On-chain analyst GugaOnChain has identified a potential deeper downside zone between $54,600 and $55,000, aligned with Bitcoin’s realized price bands that historically mark structural undervaluation phases.
“The current price convergence toward the band signaling the start of the accumulation phase, situated around $54.6K, suggests we are in the critical transition between Capitulation and Accumulation.”
Historical data shows that when Bitcoin entered this zone in 2022 near $20,000, it eventually formed a long-term bottom before beginning a sustained recovery that carried prices above $30,000 the following year.
Another perspective suggests that broader macroeconomic factors, including credit spread movements, may delay a full accumulation phase until after mid-2026 based on past cycle patterns.
Artificial intelligence has become the clear priority for the world’s largest family offices, with a strong majority identifying AI-driven opportunities as central to their future investment strategies across multiple regions and asset classes.
A new report from JPMorgan Private Bank surveyed 333 single-family offices across 30 countries and found that 65% are either currently investing in AI or planning to do so soon.
By comparison, cryptocurrencies and digital assets continue to attract far less enthusiasm, with only 17% of respondents identifying the sector as an important theme for future allocations.
The findings also revealed that 89% of family offices currently hold no crypto exposure at all, while the global average allocation to digital assets stands at just 0.4%.
Exposure to Bitcoin is even more limited, averaging just 0.2%, suggesting that digital assets remain on the fringes of institutional family wealth strategies.
Private Equity And Growth Sectors Lead Allocation Plans
Private equity remains the dominant asset class among respondents, with 37% planning to increase allocations over the next 12 to 18 months as they pursue long-term growth opportunities.
Growth equity and venture capital are also rising in prominence, particularly as family offices view them as primary entry points into early-stage AI innovation and emerging technology ecosystems.
Despite this, more than half of the offices surveyed still report having no exposure to those segments, indicating that capital deployment into innovation remains selective rather than widespread.
Geographically, 59% of respondents are based in the United States, while others span Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region, creating a diverse but cautious global investment footprint.
Gold And Traditional Hedges Fail To Attract Interest
Even traditional safe-haven assets such as gold are failing to capture meaningful attention from family offices, with 72% reporting no exposure despite heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
“Despite geopolitical fears, family offices avoid gold and crypto,” the report wrote, adding that “appetite for traditional and emerging hedges remains limited.”
Geopolitical instability was cited as the top portfolio risk by 20% of respondents, followed by concerns over liquidity and trade policy, each highlighted by 12% of participants.
Other concerns included asset valuations, slowing economic growth and risks tied to concentrated portfolio positioning across fewer high-conviction investments.
Asian Family Offices Show Growing Interest In Crypto
While global interest in digital assets remains subdued, family offices across parts of Asia appear to be taking a different approach toward cryptocurrency exposure.
Reports have suggested that wealthy families in Singapore, Hong Kong and mainland China are exploring allocations closer to 5% of their portfolios amid rising demand for crypto-focused funds.
One Hong Kong-based multi-family office with $4 billion under management recently confirmed plans to invest up to $10 million into specialist crypto strategies for the first time.
This regional divergence highlights how attitudes toward digital assets can vary significantly depending on market maturity, regulatory clarity and client demand.