At the ETHShanghai 2026 conference in Shanghai, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin outlined a proposal to deploy recursive STARK-based mempools across the network. The mechanism aims to resolve tensions between quantum-resistant signatures, privacy protections and network scaling. Buterin noted that post-quantum signature verification alone could consume 100,000 to 300,000 gas, while privacy-focused transactions may demand hundreds of thousands or even over a million gas units, creating an unsustainable verification burden as adoption grows.

Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu told the Apsara Conference that the company will throw its full weight behind artificial intelligence infrastructure, targeting more than 20 gigawatts of global data center capacity operated by Alibaba Cloud by 2032. The e-commerce and cloud giant also unveiled the Zhenwu V900, a domestically developed AI chip from its T-Head semiconductor unit, delivering three times the compute of its predecessor M890. Wu said customer AI demand remains extremely strong, signaling a sustained capital-intensive buildout across the mainland.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are investigating whether Binance Holdings Ltd. violated US sanctions against Iran by failing to block certain transactions on its platform, according to Bloomberg. The US Justice Department's criminal division in Washington is also reportedly involved, with authorities focusing on whether Binance knowingly permitted prohibited trades. The inquiry marks a new compliance headache for the world's largest crypto exchange, which has spent years working to resolve regulatory entanglements with American authorities.

Hong Kong-based blockchain gaming and venture firm Animoca Brands has paused negotiations with Nasdaq-listed Currenc Group over a proposed reverse merger that would have taken Animoca public. First announced in November 2025, the deal has been shelved with Animoca stating it remains committed to relisting on a mainstream exchange. Chairman Yat Siu said corporate flexibility currently takes priority over the merger.

At ETHShanghai 2026, Dr. Xiao Feng, vice chairman of Wanxiang Holdings, argued that Ethereum does not require a renaissance and retains significant application value as a market-dominant blockchain infrastructure. He said Wanxiang's original support for Ethereum rested on recognizing its potential to enable third-party application development through a novel ledger system. Xiao also contended that the convergence of AI and crypto extends far beyond payments, though he added that all infrastructure ultimately fades into the background of everyday use.

Ant Group CEO Cyril Han announced a sweeping reorganization merging the Alipay business group, digital payment unit and Zhima Credit division into a single new Alipay group focused on AI agent-driven commerce. The restructure concentrates technology, product and ecosystem capabilities to strengthen merchant services. Alipay said its AI payment system has already processed 300 million transactions, while its personal assistant agent 'Abao' completed AI upgrades for over 10,000 services within three months.

The Bittensor ecosystem has formally entered what backers call its revenue era, with 24 to 25 subnets now generating actual commercial income, according to the August SubConnect revenue index. Annual ecosystem revenue is estimated between $28 million and $35 million, with projections exceeding $100 million by late 2026. Around 14 subnets have launched revenue-driven alpha token buyback programs, a figure expected to reach 20 to 25 by year-end.

Hong Kong-listed gaming firm Boyaa Interactive purchased roughly 152 BTC for about HK$90.63 million, or $11.56 million, at an average price of $75,899 per coin. The acquisition brings its total holdings to 4,468 BTC with an average cost basis of $68,543. The company said the bitcoin will underpin its transition into Web3, serving as foundational resources for public-chain staking, cross-chain bridges and gaming projects including Pet Land and MTT Sports.

Global listed companies outside the mining sector swung back to net bitcoin buying last week, accumulating $183 million, according to SoSoValue. Strategy acquired 950 BTC at an average price of $79,670, ending a two-week pause. By contrast, Japan's Metaplanet extended its inactivity to ten consecutive weeks without a bitcoin purchase, underscoring a divergence among Asia's most prominent corporate bitcoin holders.

Ethena's synthetic dollar USDe briefly lost its peg on Binance, with the USDe/USDT pair sliding to a low of 0.9202 before recovering to around 0.9997. The flash depeg rattled traders on one of Asia's most active venues for the token. No structural issue has been identified, and the asset has since returned to parity.