The Daily Briefing
Crypto news, on-chain analysis and market intelligence — without the noise.
ChainWatch Daily is an independent newsroom covering Bitcoin, Ethereum and the wider digital-asset market. We pair breaking news with plain-English analysis and guides, live market data and independent ratings of exchanges, wallets and cards — every story carrying a real byline.
Markets
Data via CoinGecko when reachable, otherwise a static snapshot. Informational only — not financial advice.
Latest News
Bitcoin ETFs Swing Back to Positive as Crypto Market Holds Near $3 Trillion
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have erased a $5.8 billion deficit to turn positive for 2026, while the broader crypto market holds near $3 trillion with sentiment firmly in "Greed" territory
Bitget loses $351.6m — and the fund it says covers it is one we could not verify
The largest exchange theft of 2026 came through spoofed transfers, not stolen keys. Bitget says a $464m protection fund absorbs it. We reviewed that fund before the hack: genuinely scoped to theft, and impossible to check.
Bitcoin Falls Below $84K as Hot US PMI Data Meets Bitget's $352M Hack
A stronger-than-expected US PMI reading reignited Federal Reserve rate-hike bets and pulled Bitcoin back below $84,000, just as crypto exchange Bitget confirmed a $352 million breach it now blames on North Korean hackers.
Bitcoin Holds Steady as Trump-Xi Summit Looms and BitMEX Shuts Down
As Bitcoin consolidates above $86,000 ahead of a high-stakes Trump-Xi meeting, the crypto derivatives pioneer BitMEX has closed its doors for good after eleven years in the market.
Bitcoin Nears $90K as Record ETF Inflows Outweigh Senate's Crypto Bill Setback
A record billion-dollar Bitcoin ETF inflow day pushed BTC above $87,000, showing institutional demand can outweigh regulatory setbacks like the Senate's rejection of the CLARITY Act.
Bitcoin Tops $85,000 as a Short Squeeze Meets a Stalled CLARITY Act in Washington
Bitcoin briefly climbed above $85,000 on Monday, its highest level since January, as short sellers were forced out of positions. In Washington, the CLARITY Act remains stuck after a failed Senate vote, leaving US crypto rules in the hands of regulators.
SEC and CFTC Move on US Crypto Rules Without Congress After CLARITY Act Failure
Two days after the Senate blocked the CLARITY Act, the SEC issued a five-year exemption for tokenized stock trading and the CFTC sent its crypto market rules to the White House for review.
Analysis & Guides
Is Kraken safe? The evidence, and what it lacks
The strongest custody evidence in our table belongs to the venue that also tells you, in writing, that your balance is not insured.
What happens to your coins if an exchange goes bankrupt
The answer depends on a legal question most customers never ask: is that balance your property, or the company's?
The real cost of a crypto card, once you price the stake
A headline cashback rate that requires locking up the issuer's own token is not a reward rate. It is a bet, and last year every one of those bets lost.
Is Coinbase safe? What its own filings say
A listed company has to disclose risks its private competitors can leave unsaid. The most useful sentence about Coinbase is one Coinbase wrote.
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The Desk
Ethan Brooks is a U.S.-based Senior Crypto Analyst at ChainWatch with nearly a decade of experience analyzing digital asset markets, blockchain data, and institutional trading activity. He began his career as a quantitative analyst at a leading financial services firm before transitioning full-time into cryptocurrency research in 2017, driven by a passion for blockchain technology and market structure. Ethan holds a Master of Science in Financial Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and combines traditional financial analysis with advanced blockchain analytics to deliver institutional-quality market research. His work focuses on Bitcoin market structure, liquidity dynamics, derivatives positioning, exchange flows, and on-chain metrics that provide early signals of changing market conditions. Over the years, Ethan has covered every major phase of the crypto industry, including the 2018 bear market, the DeFi expansion, the 2021 bull market, the market correction following major exchange failures, and the institutional adoption accelerated by spot Bitcoin ETFs. He specializes in interpreting UTXO distribution, realized capitalization, exchange reserves, whale activity, miner behavior, perpetual futures funding rates, and liquidity trends to identify structural shifts before they become visible in price action. In addition to professional market research, Ethan regularly publishes educational articles that simplify blockchain analytics, technical analysis, and risk management for investors of all experience levels. He believes that transparent data, disciplined research, and financial education are essential for navigating the rapidly evolving digital asset market. His reports and educational content have established him as one of ChainWatch's leading voices on Bitcoin, on-chain analytics, and crypto market structure.
Priya Nair is a U.S.-based Senior Bitcoin & Markets Analyst specializing in Bitcoin market structure, macroeconomic trends, institutional capital flows, and portfolio construction strategies. She focuses on how monetary policy, global liquidity, ETF inflows and outflows, and investor sentiment shape Bitcoin’s price dynamics and the broader digital asset market. Priya delivers in-depth analysis of Bitcoin’s role in global financial markets, monitoring on-chain metrics, derivatives activity, market liquidity, and cross-asset correlations throughout changing market cycles. She also examines the growing influence of institutional adoption, regulatory developments, and macroeconomic events on long-term market performance. Her research combines data-driven market analysis with macroeconomic perspectives, providing readers with clear, actionable insights into Bitcoin, digital assets, and portfolio risk management for both evolving and mature market environments.
Theo Walsh is a U.S.-based Senior Editor specializing in digital asset markets and crypto infrastructure, with a focus on the evolving relationship between blockchain technology, financial markets, and institutional adoption. He covers Bitcoin, stablecoins, tokenomics, market structure, custody solutions, and the infrastructure powering the next generation of digital finance. Theo analyzes how market trends, regulatory developments, and blockchain innovations influence liquidity, adoption, and long-term industry growth. His work explores stablecoin ecosystems, exchange infrastructure, market mechanics, risk management, and the practical applications of decentralized financial technologies. Known for combining technical accuracy with accessible reporting, Theo transforms complex crypto concepts into clear, data-driven analysis for investors, professionals, and readers seeking a deeper understanding of digital asset markets and the rapidly evolving blockchain ecosystem.